Anything devolution has done to benefit Scotland?

“Perhaps you could format your responses a bit better. I will try to decipher your ramblings.”

There is no need for me to do that. I have employed a routinely used and perfectly acceptable methodology of responding to you. If you struggle with that then that points to yet another problem at your end to add to your zealot’s blindness and to your difficulty with being able to read, process and understand, as we have identified before.



 
“Don't you understand the English language? I used the plural of "attempt". That points to your previous "attempts" as well as any "attempt" you tried above!”

Yes, I understand English although, not for the first time, you are displaying that you struggle to. “Attempts” could just as easily refer to the current thread alone as it could to to previous threads, as indeed could the singular version of that word - so your point is spurious. 





“Now we are getting somewhere. Keep it up”

I am not sure where you think it is that we are getting to. I understand the principles behind how Barnett works and I therefore understand that a central part of the calculation is the uplift in spending from the previous year in England and/or England and Wales on matters in those territories that are devolved to ScotGov in Scotland. I have never argued otherwise so the only thing that seems to have changed here is that you have finally grasped that point.  




“As I said, you have no idea of the concept. Also, in what way does what I said show anti-English bigotry? You are scraping the barrel, but then that's par for the course”

That’s just the febrile anti-English bigot in you talking. I have explained before, by referencing things you have said and attitudes you have displayed, why you are an anti-English bigot. What I said then still applies - so go back and look at that if you want. However, you are too much of an anti-English bigot to ever accept that you are an anti-English bigot so I don’t hold out much hope of you doing that.






‘ "So What"? Are you for real? Showing your complete lack of understanding yet again.’

Yes, I am for real. OK, then explain why ScotGov balancing the books means that there is no notional fiscal deficit and why the annual block grant is not part of the notional fiscal deficit calculation.





“Yes it does. An Independent Scotland would not follow the rUKs policies. If there is a "black hole" on Independence, it would be based on rUK mismanagement of the economy. It would then be down to ScotGov to sort the mess out. No spending on Trident. No interference in other countries affairs e.g invasion and warfare are examples of where savings could be made.”

Why is Scotland’s notional fiscal black hole based upon rUK mismanagement and why do you consider a notional fiscal black hole to be a mess? Surely it is only mismanagement and a mess if there was an intention to have no Scottish notional fiscal deficit, which has never been an objective? 

As for your limp list of examples where savings could be made (an unrealistic list of examples too unless you propose that an Indy Scotland does not join NATO as that Trident spending would still need to made on other defence issues instead if it does) then, despite all of your previous attempts to deny and pretend that there would not be a fiscal deficit to address, you are effectively conceding that an independent Scotland would, on day 1, be faced with a fiscal black hole (the underlying amount of which is currently sitting at around £25 billion per annum i.e. over 30% of current total Scottish generated revenues) that it would have to address on an ongoing basis, either by massive tax hikes or brutal cuts to public service provision - actions which would be of such a massive scale that they , in turn, would create subsequent secondary and tertiary black holes and so on that an Indy ScotGov would have to address by piling on even more unbearable tax hikes and devastating cuts to public services until such time as the shockwaves settled down.





“ As for black holes, are you saying that the UK is free of one?” 

The UK’s fiscal arrangements are in equilibrium (and it would find itself £25 billion per annum better off if it didn’t have to prop up Scotland). Scotland’s, on the other hand, are not because it effectively operates with a huge ongoing notional fiscal deficit. Fortunately for us, however, thanks to Scotland being part of the UK, it is not expected to repay that deficit or to alter its fiscal arrangements to address that deficit. That obviously only applies whilst Scotland remains part of the UK, however. The moment it leaves and goes independent then that fiscal black hole becomes a reality that an Indy ScotGov would have to address, bringing massive tax hikes and devastating public service cuts down upon our heads.





“Anti-English bigotry again? You really must explain yourself. The accusations are nonsensical rubbish.”

As I said when I joined this thread, so “says the anti-English bigot who refuses to recognise that he is an anti-English bigot”. I have explained before, by referencing things you have said and attitudes you have displayed, why you are an anti-English bigot, and you have only reinforced that by what you say above. What I said then still applies - so go back and look at that if you want. However, you are too much of an anti-English bigot to ever accept that you are an anti-English bigot so I don’t hold out much hope of you doing that.