The world's most-read Scottish politics website

Wings Over Scotland


The meaning of power

Posted on May 09, 2019 by

We see that giving you chores to do and calling it a present” is back:

Sigh.

As we’ve been pointing out ever since it was first mooted, the “assignation” of VAT receipts to the Scottish Government is neither a power nor a gift, but a trap. Holyrood will not have the ability to alter VAT in any way, and nor will it be given “control” of any new money. The cash in question is currently part of Holyrood’s block grant, and calling it an “assignation of VAT receipts” is nothing more than giving old money a new name and sneakily cutting Scotland’s budget by the back door.

And by non-trivial amounts:

Everyone’s always known it was a terrible and unworkable idea dreamed up in order to make it LOOK as though Scotland was being given new powers without actually doing it, and now that the only sensible and responsible course of action possible has been taken, the media and opposition can leap on it as a failure of the Scottish Government and proof that independence couldn’t work.

VAT, of course, is fundamentally a function of the economy, and Holyrood doesn’t control the Scottish economy, so it was always a con even in principle. But the main reason the plan is so complex and unworkable is precisely BECAUSE it’s being attempted under devolution rather than independence.

As with delayed welfare administration, the problems arise because the new proposals have to be half-integrated with the UK system, which is obviously far more complicated and difficult than simply having arrangements that only have to worry about Scotland.

In an independent country, companies would have to make Scotland-specific VAT declarations and all the figures would be known. Benefits wouldn’t be all tangled up in a mess of conflicting responsibilities where one government is spending its time and money trying to undo the impact of decisions of another government, as with the bedroom tax. Devolving only PARTS of things is the least efficient and most wasteful approach conceivable.

It’s a bit like, say, trying to leave the EU but while still retaining all the access and privileges of membership. And we all know how that’s working out.

519 to “The meaning of power”

  1. schrodingers cat says:

    i’m all right jack, i live in the top flat 🙂

    Reply
  2. yesindyref2 says:

    @cat
    It’s more serious than we thought, there’s more than one of them!

    https://www.tvovermind.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Troll-Dolls-750×422.jpg

    Reply
  3. schrodingers cat says:

    lol
    the 77th division class photo of 2018 aka the gonks 🙂

    Reply
  4. Ken500 says:

    The SNP members finance the YES movement. Without the SNP members their would not be a YES movement. They finance the YES campaigns. They put their money where their mouth is and organise fund rraising all the time. All year long. Instead of just complaining. Ordinary people who care about the world and their fellow citizens. They get out and do it.

    That is why the SNP Gov can follow through with good extensive programmes. Without fear or favour. The have a manifesto and stick to it. Do not lie but carry it thriugh to the best of their ability. Despite Westminster unionist imbeciles trying to hold Scotland back at every opportunity, The psycho bastards, Their own description,

    Some of the YES/Green incompetents wasted it. The SNP stood aside to be inclusive. The YES appointed imbeciles mucked up the Campsign. They could not run a piss up at a brewery. The SNP got the blame as usual. The Green in fighters and the rest took £Millions of SNP money and wasted it. On campaign nonsense not worth the paper it was written on and vast salaries. They were even leaking e-mails etc. A fifth column of imbeciles. They hang into the SNP coat tails. Then put the boot in when it suits them. Not very nice.

    The SNP is funded by it’s members. Ordinary people who want a better world and believe in fighting injustice. Westminster unionist imbeciles who spend their time ruining the world causing death and destruction everywhere. Even the Tories heirs engage in illegal wars, killing people’s mothers. To protect their vast Ill gained fortune. Going to Church services to celebrate Trident, What an absolute disgrace. Total hypocrites.

    The Royals caused the 1WW which led on to the 11WW. ‘Divine right to rule now gone. Not one apology. The Westminster unionist imbecile would start WW111 in a minute. Brexit will cause world catastrophe. The absolute clueless Westminster unionists and interfering head of state, supposed to be impartial. Intent on killing every citizen that they can. Absolute shambles the Westminster unionist way. They could not make a bigger mess. Brexit, They are shameless.

    Vote SN/SNP. Vote for Independence. Do not let the Westminster unionist criminals destroy the world, The SNP members can only fund on Campaign at a time. Fighting two or more campaign at one time could lose both. Strategy. One day at a time. One campaign at a time. To win it.

    Campaign, donate, do everything folk can to make the world a better place. Put the Westminster unionists in their place. Vote them out. The Tory unionist fools going down. Big time.

    Reply
  5. Does anyone know what being `woke` means,seems to be the new buzzword used by the chattering classes.

    Reply
  6. Ken500 says:

    @A few commas would not go a miss.

    Bloggers trolling Wings. Away back to their own back yard. Instead of causing trouble with their ego postings. Trying to justify their inconsistencies. Doing no one any favours. Putting the boot in when it suits, After they got funded out of a tight spot by SNP members. The manky Mail deceivers. Another muck up. No thanks but an apology to low lives. The Mail lying distractors. Lie, after lie, after lie.

    Every criticism is right into the unionists barrel. The Tories now fighting like rats in a sack to get out of their stinking mess. What a total muck up. It could finish them off for good. With a bit of luck. Lying imbeciles.

    Reply
  7. schrodingers cat says:

    official wfi statement re natalie mcgarry

    link to womenforindependence.org

    nuf said

    Reply
  8. Ken500 says:

    LIBDem lying leaflet went in the recycling rubbish. Not worth the paper it is lied upon. Rennie stop sending them. Giving folk indigestion. Do people a favour for once. Keep your rubbish to yourself. Do not contaminate others with it. 3rd rate losers. Voters who are sick at the sight of them, can’t get rid of them. They illegally mucked up the voting system in Scotland. PR advocates, without a mandate. Cheating liars.

    The ConDems/LibDems caused Brexit and austerity. In with Cameron. The Tory liar. Causing mental health problems and starving people. The LibDems covered up child abuse. An absolute disgrace.

    Reply
  9. Ken500 says:

    Bringing Women for Independence into disrepute. Some of the organisers statements.

    Reply
  10. HandandShrimp says:

    Scott

    It is the somewhat colloquial way of saying “raised consciousness”.

    Dumbing down isn’t just for Christmas, it is a 24/7 job.

    Reply
  11. HandandShrimp says:

    Re HIGNFY, if the guest had been Farage or Gove or similar it would have gone out. Heidi would have sent out the wrong message so she was pulled.

    The rules are very simple and predictable.

    Reply
  12. chicmac says:

    WOKE. With Online Knowledge Expertise.

    Reply
  13. cassandra says:

    @Cubby

    Haven’t you worked out who I used to be yet?

    We used to be such good pals on here.

    What is it you think us ‘plants’ are trying to do if we are so obvious?

    Look at the smear attempt against Joanna Cherry now? Don’t you get it?

    Anyone who doesn’t toe the party line gets the treatment eventually. Start thinking for yourself and stop being so fearful of ‘Unionists getting ideas’ or ‘demoralising the troops’. People aren’t stupid, this isn’t 2014. They can see when a party starts to lose its way. Maybe if you stopped supporting every daft move the SNP are taking , they would take stock and rethink their disastrous strategy.

    I have tried from within the party but it is impossible when it it seems dominated by children who are going through an identity crisis or authoritarian old men yelling at clouds.

    And yes, I am beautiful…

    Reply
  14. chicmac says:

    HandandShrimp

    Re HIGNFY

    Here is Purdah where you are, except for viewers in Scotland.

    Purdah is supposed to prevent the government announcing changes or new plans during an election campaign which could influence the vote.

    She is not a member of the government.

    Also it is not statutorily backed, it is a matter of convention, kinda like a Vow 😉

    Reply
  15. Cubby says:

    Cassandra@11.29 am

    You are Nicola Sturgeon and I claim my prize. Or is it Robert Peffers. LOL

    If you knew me you would know I have said on many occasions I am not a member of the SNP. I do not go around supporting every daft move the SNP make and whether I did or not I am not so full of self importance as to think, as you say, “they would take stock and rethink their disastrous strategy”.

    I have my own opinions and I do not post on Wings to make friends so we would not have been pals as you claim. I do think for myself. An independent mind for Scottish independence.

    Next thing is you will be saying GERS has merit.

    As you claim to have been a member of the SNP the beautiful yellow dahlia is appropriate.

    Get well soon.

    Reply
  16. cassandra says:

    @Cubby

    Are you Dr Jennifer Jones?

    Reply
  17. Cubby says:

    Cassandra@12.15pm

    No. So where’s my prize?

    Get well soon.

    Reply
  18. cassandra says:

    My claims are as valid as yours. Keep digging, nice weather for it.

    Your prize is the last word. Go on – take it, I know it’s really important to you.

    Reply
  19. Cubby says:

    Cassandra@1.20pm

    Weather is nice at the moment so I am in the garden planting some divine Dahlias – some yellow ones as well as other colours.

    Watching the Wizard of Oz later.

    Have a nice day.

    Reply


Comment - please read this page for comment rules. HTML tags like <i> and <b> are permitted. Use paragraph breaks in long comments. DO NOT SIGN YOUR COMMENTS, either with a name or a slogan. If your comment does not appear immediately, DO NOT REPOST IT. Ignore these rules and I WILL KILL YOU WITH HAMMERS.


  • About

    Wings Over Scotland is a (mainly) Scottish political media digest and monitor, which also offers its own commentary. (More)

    Stats: 6,748 Posts, 1,217,067 Comments

  • Recent Posts

  • Archives

  • Categories

  • Tags

  • Recent Comments

    • Yoon Scum on For Children Scotland: “I wonder when the NATs will work out Them marching around with their flags is nothing more then a nice…May 4, 06:03
    • Yoon Scum on For Children Scotland: “I’d guess you’re too stupid to understand the following I’d also guess that like the vast majority of moon howlers…May 4, 05:55
    • Yoon Scum on For Children Scotland: “Do you think that the English are more evil then the Nazi movement?May 4, 05:43
    • Jay on For Children Scotland: “Bilbo Agreed that we need to be careful about this MSM meme of ‘far right’ if you mean that it…May 4, 05:06
    • Geri on For Children Scotland: “‘Who/what might have orchestrated this move to the right is less clear. Was it the British establishment? Was it the…May 4, 01:02
    • Cynicus on For Children Scotland: ““Why are we forced to [celebrate] these unionists wars ” ===== as false flags go, that is a pretty feeble…May 4, 00:11
    • ivan munro on For Children Scotland: “As we approach the glorious celebrations of VE day, I wonder if Scotland would be a healthier and more prosperous…May 3, 23:58
    • robertkknight on For Children Scotland: “The race/ethnicity of the most recent leaders of the Tory party is very much the “Elephant in the Room” where…May 3, 23:51
    • Bilbo on For Children Scotland: “We need to be careful about this MSM meme of ‘far right’. Wasn’t it just a few weeks ago if…May 3, 23:23
    • Geri on For Children Scotland: “Starmer came to lead the Labour party through the membership & lying to them – he then promptly culled them…May 3, 23:21
    • Geri on For Children Scotland: “Robert – yes. I think that too. They wouldn’t be elected as PM & political pundits should give way to…May 3, 22:40
    • Former President Xiden on For Children Scotland: ““ No need for any hate crime legislation, in any case, because the Scottish Common Law already covers all hate…May 3, 22:31
    • Geri on For Children Scotland: “Lest we forget before Reform then they were the Brexit party & before that they were Ukippers and before that…May 3, 22:29
    • Jay on For Children Scotland: “Susan: it could well be a waste of words to apply right or left labels, maybe ever since the dissolution…May 3, 21:37
    • robertkknight on For Children Scotland: “I think there’s a far more simplistic reason which explains Reform’s performance and it has far more to do with…May 3, 21:30
    • Michael Laing on For Children Scotland: “@ Mia: I agree 100% with you on your comments above. There is no ‘left’ in the UK, and there…May 3, 21:01
    • willie on For Children Scotland: “Marie, the words News and BBC when put together are I believe is what is called an oxymoron. Me, I…May 3, 21:01
    • Lorn on For Children Scotland: “Politics are reactionary. Marie. Too much right, we get left; too much left, we get right. Eventually you create a…May 3, 20:52
    • Lorn on For Children Scotland: “If they turn it into an industry – which they have done with ‘trans’, with ‘green’, etc. – the persuasion…May 3, 20:36
    • Lorn on For Children Scotland: “If female toilets are not in direct parity with the number of female pupils requiring them, they will be in…May 3, 20:33
    • Captain Caveman on For Children Scotland: “yOu mUsT bE oN tEh FAr RiGHtMay 3, 19:12
    • agent x on For Children Scotland: “a woman is a biological woman – shock to the SNP.May 3, 19:01
    • SusanAHF on For Children Scotland: “Is Reform “far right”? It’s a cheap MSM jibe.im “far right” because I agree with the Supreme Court decision according…May 3, 18:45
    • Mia on For Children Scotland: ““Your verbose, salty tears and gnashing of teeth” What salty tears and what gnashing of teeth are you referring to?…May 3, 18:27
    • agent x on For Children Scotland: “‘It’s needed now more than ever’: Thousands march in support of Scottish independence https://www.thenational.scot/ Believe it or not.May 3, 18:24
    • Yoon Scum on For Children Scotland: “I love how ALL scottish nationalists have cancelled their license fee AND Know WAY more about what is on the…May 3, 18:20
    • agent x on For Children Scotland: “Politics is not done well on here. Stick to the bleeding heart colony rubbish.May 3, 18:10
    • Hatey McHateface on For Children Scotland: “Surely the Hebrides Hum is caused by white sizzlers constant low level gurning? The natives constant low level whining about…May 3, 18:04
    • Bilbo on For Children Scotland: “Waves and waves of R mechanised armour rolling across Europe with their cheap Chinese tyres LOLMay 3, 17:57
    • Hatey McHateface on For Children Scotland: “Wow, Marie, you’ve blown our minds with that post. I’ll respond formally eventually, but I’ll ask your forbearance meantime. Your…May 3, 17:53
  • A tall tale



↑ Top