BORDER DISPUTE

Well sort of.

Now without going into it too much the Scots in some ways robbed blind by the Union with England but get higher spending on public services because the Scottish parliament chose to do that.

Some of this is a misrepresenation of that. It is from the BBC…

TV poll backs Berwick border move

Residents in the Northumberland town of Berwick-upon-Tweed have “voted” in favour of becoming part of Scotland.

According to a poll by a TV company, 60% of those who responded wanted the town to be administered by Scotland.

Better financed public services, including free personal health care for the elderly, were the main reasons.

The referendum, for Monday’s ITV1 Tonight programme, saw 1,182 voters in favour of becoming part of Scotland and 775 in favour of staying in England.

Earlier this month politicians in the town vowed to block any move to take Berwick back into Scotland.

I’m not saying that the Scots should not get what they get, but that we should get the same Pro-England supporter Barbara Herdman

The hard-line stance came after Scottish National Party MSP Christine Grahame lodged a motion in the Scottish Parliament calling for the town to “return to the fold”.

But the town’s Lib Dem MP and council leader warned it would be too complicated and cause major upheaval.

Organisers of the TV programme said the poll turnout of 1,957 votes compared to some 3,800 in the last local elections.

Former policeman Michael Ross, from Berwick, who headed the pro-Scotland campaign for votes, said: “Berwick is a very special place and I think it is largely forgotten within England.

“I believe we would be the jewel in the crown of Scotland, I believe our economy would be better understood and better looked after by the Edinburgh government than it is by Westminster.”

‘Grass is greener’

Former school teacher Barbara Herdman campaigned in the town for a pro-English vote and for a change in how public spending is allocated across the UK.

She said: “I think that Berwick should stay part of England because it’s so unfair what is happening at the moment.

“The Scots are getting more money than we are. I’m not saying that the Scots should not get what they get, but that we should get the same.”

Last week Isabel Hunter, leader of the borough council, said residents would like to enjoy the same benefits as people in Scotland, but added: “You can always say the grass is greener but I think it would just be too difficult.”

A similar poll carried out by the local newspaper revealed 79% of people in the area backed reunification with Scotland.

The town has changed hands between the two nations at least 13 times.

This is from the Herald

Myth 1: Scots get more public cash than anyone else.
The Truth: Public spending in Scotland is just £9631 per head, lower than the £10,271 for Northern Ireland and London’s average of £9748.

Myth 2: English taxes pay for Scotland’s high spending.
The Truth: Scotland brings in £9593 per head in tax - more than anywhere in the UK outside of London.  Latest estimates show the tax take from Scotland is £49bn compared with total spending of £49.2bn …[1]

Myth 3: Scots milk the welfare state
The Truth: Latest figures show people living in North-East England claim on average £3284 per head.  Northern Ireland £3256 and £3136 in Wales in state benefits.  Scotland’s pension and benefit cost is £3086 per head.

Myth 4: Scots enjoy better public services than the rest of the UK
The Truth: The Welsh, not the Scots, get free prescriptions, while NHS waiting times in Scotland are broadly in line with England …

Myth 5: State subsidy pays for Scots “big ticket” projects
The Truth: London’s Crossrail project is to cost £16bn - seven and a half times the annual Scottish transport budget.  The 2012 London Olympics means a loss of £9.3bn lottery funding for the rest of the UK.

There are some better social provisions as I said, but as you can see from the relative tax revenues that is done with Scottish money.