Scotland not subsidised by rest of UK, says Annabel Goldie

Departing Scottish Conservative leader Annabel Goldie has rejected claims by English Conservatives that Scotland is being subsidised by the rest if the UK and has called for an immediate referendum on Scottish independence.

Addressing the party’s national conference last week, she argued the United Kingdom would be worse off without Scotland. “If one bit of our United Kingdom house gets demolished, instability sets in, the rest is at risk,” said Ms Goldie.

She also called for an immediate referendum on Scottish independence, so that “we could put this constitutional turmoil to bed.”

Commenting on Ms Goldie’s statement, Gordon MacDonald, SNP MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands told The Journal the admission was “a long time coming”, saying: “The Tories have continually trotted the usual disproved myths and scaremongering for decades, it should be welcomed that they have now finally accepted that Scotland can more than pay her own way financially."

He added that he thought it unfortunate Ms Goldie spoke out only as she was preparing to step down as leader for the Scottish Conservatives, but hoped that this could be a possible turning point for the “Unionist camp” and leave space for proper debate on the party’s constitutional future, even though he was “not holding his breath.”

Mr MacDonald continued: “The Tories along with Labour have stood in constant opposition to the people of Scotland having their say on the future of the nation, perpetrating incorrect information about our finances, but the reality is that it is Scotland who is bankrolling the London treasury, not the other way about.”

In response to this, a spokesperson for the Scottish Conservatives told The Journal: “For the SNP, every issue, no matter how important, is manipulated into a constitutional row.“ Every opportunity is seized to stroke up English, Welsh or Northern Irish resentment to generate envy – but it’s time to face some facts. For example, both London and Northern Ireland have more spent per capita on public services than in Scotland - with the North West and North East of England receiving similar amounts.

“When Alex Salmond speaks he is not speaking for Scotland but for himself –the fact is he needs to concentrate more on what Scotland needs, and less on his independence agenda.”