New figures have revealed that every Scottish person would be up to £480 worse off under Alex Salmond’s independence plans, following an assessment of declining oil revenues and that fact that the average Scot woul have to pay more tax to make up for it.
The Telegraph reports that Oxford University’s Prof. Iain McLean has said that new figures “show that if Scotland separated now its finances would be £2.5 billion deeper in the red than if it remained part of the UK.”
Scottish taxpayers would be expected to foot the bill for the shortfall, with people having to pay £480 more each per year in tax to keep public services at their current level. The only other option, he claims, is that Scotland would have to slash spending on its public services such as the NHS.
The news comes as the polling gap narrows between the Yes and No [to independence] campaigns. Recent surveys show that there are just six points between the two campaigns, with 11 percent of people still undecided.
Prof McLean told the Telegraph: “…each Scot would instantly be about £480 worse off. To maintain the current standard of public services she would have to pay £480 a year more in tax. Or, if tax rates stayed as they are, she would receive £480 less worth of health, education, or pensions spending”.
“What is sheer magical thinking is that people will be better off on Independence Day, with more to spend on the NHS. On the latest available numbers, they will be worse off, with less to spend on the NHS unless they cut spending somewhere else.”
Scotland goes to the polls on Thursday, 18th September.