Let me congratulate you on becoming the first Finance Minister of a newly independent Scotland. The Scottish Prime Minister has made an excellent choice! Given your new responsibilities, I hope you don’t mind me offering some words of advice. Ignore them as you see fit. Your job is to ensure the economic stability of the newly independent Scotland. Deep reductions in living … [Read more...] about Letter to indy Scotland’s first finance minister
Scottish food, US-UK trade and GM
The first shadow boxing for the post-Brexit trade talks has begun.Wholly predictable hackles have been raised by the US Ambassador, Woody Johnson, who has accused UK farming of being a “museum of agriculture” which should embrace chlorine-washed chicken and the feeding of growth hormones to cattle.In his Daily Telegraph article, he argues that “it is time the myths … [Read more...] about Scottish food, US-UK trade and GM
Impact of Brexit “no deal” on Scotland
Last month, the ESRC-supported project “UK in a Changing Europe” issued a new report on the economic and political effects for the UK of a No Deal.This project uses a collection of experts in law, politics and economics drawn from across the UK. Its members were selected on merit, not on their support or otherwise for Brexit. They had written extensively about trade, … [Read more...] about Impact of Brexit “no deal” on Scotland
Indy Scotland can’t bet on low bond yields
The predictable result of Scotland’s expenditure and revenue data for 2015-16 is that its fiscal deficit is much worse than the UK as a whole.Why predictable? Well, the Scottish economy is much more dependent on the oil industry than the UK's overall and the collapse in the oil price since 2014 has led to a massive collapse in the UK government’s revenues from taxing the … [Read more...] about Indy Scotland can’t bet on low bond yields
Brexit odds: #indyref1 precedent poor
The runners and riders in the EU referendum are making the final turn into the home straight. Both teams are jostling for position and the race is becoming increasingly acrimonious. The Leave campaign has abandoned the economic arguments and instead is focusing almost exclusively on migration.The Remain campaign continues to release dire warnings of a post-Brexit world that … [Read more...] about Brexit odds: #indyref1 precedent poor