Support NeoGAF

[DavidDesu]

This really annoys me, sorry.

The SNP cut funding to the NHS. They didn't prioritise it. They were actually worse than the damn Tories - they cut funding. They got criticised by the national watchdog years ago. Scotland is in the middle of a health crisis and the SNP fucked it over by prioritising utterly stupid giveaways that don't impact on healthcare (free prescriptions) compared to actually spending money on healthcare where it's important.

England has to deal with the conservatives fucking up the NHS through re-orgs and new contracts, but at least they are increasing their funding (even if it isn't enough). The fact that the SNP somehow have this status as protecting the NHS when they did exactly the opposite is a really annoying bugbear of mine.

From every metric I've seen Scotland's NHS is far outperforming England's or Wales' NHS. Seems better management in general. It's had nothing like the kinds of crisis' Englands NHS is currently undergoing... so I'm looking at the outcomes, not the money pumped in (and personal experience).

 

[Pandy]

This really annoys me, sorry.

The SNP cut funding to the NHS. They didn't prioritise it. They were actually worse than the damn Tories - they cut funding. They got criticised by the national watchdog years ago. Scotland is in the middle of a health crisis and the SNP fucked it over by prioritising utterly stupid giveaways that don't impact on healthcare (free prescriptions) compared to actually spending money on healthcare where it's important.

England has to deal with the conservatives fucking up the NHS through re-orgs and new contracts, but at least they are increasing their funding (even if it isn't enough). The fact that the SNP somehow have this status as protecting the NHS when they did exactly the opposite is a really annoying bugbear of mine.

These are lies.
(It could be argued that Scotland IS in the middle of a health crisis, but as it's mostly outperforming the rest of the country, it would be a strange thing to say in context.)

If I can bothered to dig out links I might come back to this later, but as it's off topic I don't think I will.

As an outsider I always see you commenting a hell lot about Scotland. I don't understand the love-hate relationship that you have with Scotland actually. Is just you defending England's right? Or what motivates you? Because for me you are very close of one of those groups you're talking about.

The funniest thing to me is that even though the map in their avatar is tiny, I can see that it cuts off the Shetland Islands at the very top of the UK. Maybe they don't mind if the Shetland Islands declare independence as long as the rest of Scotland stays.

 

[Unknown Soldier]

I wonder if it sucks to be Wales these days

 

[Hagi]

I wonder if it sucks to be Wales these days

If Doctor Who is anything to go by then it always sucks to be Wales.

 

[Pandy]

I have a feeling "fast-track" is on a timescale of 10 or more years. It would take at least that much time to transition Scotland's economy towards something that could be acceptable as an EU member. I think by that point Scotland will have seen exactly what's on the agenda for a post-Brexit UK (a low regulation, low wage glorified tax haven with rolled back public services) and a better informed decision could be made. Which is quite sad, given that Scots are once again expected to exercise pragmatism while English nationalism has freely stripped away the rights of other UK members with sheer ignorance and abandon.

Mrs. Minor, the EU rep to the UK who was 'quoted' in the hilariously headlined Independent article that was linked earlier in the thread, said on STV that 5-10 years is typical of what has gone before with joining the EU. A 'fast track' could therefore be thought of as being something less than 5 years.

Not a short time, and a 'fast-track' might not happen, but 10+ years would be incredibly unlikely.

 

[zonetrooper5]

What deficits?

Scotland isn't an independent country with full control of its finances, and has no real deficit beyond a notional one for book-keeping purposes. It currently shares the 'benefits' of the UK government running a deficit.

You do yourself no favours regurgitating Unionist press headlines, but I see from your tag that you have form in the area.

This deficit which is now up to £15 billion:

https://www.theguardian.com/society...inances-worsen-fall-oil-revenues-15bn-deficit

 

[Pandy]

This deficit which is now up to £15 billion:

https://www.theguardian.com/society...inances-worsen-fall-oil-revenues-15bn-deficit

The article you posted has very little to do with the finances of a future version of Scotland which is independent of UK financial control. That isn't a deficit by any sense of the word that matches up with the sense involved in EU entry requirements.

Only very recently did the Scottish Government get any real borrowing powers, and even so it still mostly just has what it is given by the UK government to spend, the amount of which is mostly set according to a formula. The Scottish Government doesn't spend a bunch of money on stuff and then send the UK Government the bill. It gets pocket money, and spends it all on the things it wants.

 

[Uzzy]

Mrs. Minor, the EU rep to the UK who was 'quoted' in the hilariously headlined Independent article that was linked earlier in the thread, said on STV that 5-10 years is typical of what has gone before with joining the EU. A 'fast track' could therefore be thought of as being something less than 5 years.

Not a short time, and a 'fast-track' might not happen, but 10+ years would be incredibly unlikely.

Some five years of negotiations is a lot more than what the SNP originally argued, which is that they'd be able to simply remain within the EU upon independence. That point is a little moot now, but I doubt Scotland could retain the UK's opt-outs and be fast-tracked into the EU, especially if that fast-tracking is on the basis of Scotland being 'good Europeans'. So hello Euro, hello Schengen, hello border controls between Scotland and the rUK.

That wouldn't be pleasant, I think.

 

[Jezbollah]

One thing's for sure, after the saga of Greece being allowed membership of the EU you can bet any country that wants to join will be treated to a significant level of financial scrutiny.

 

[PdotMichael]

One thing's for sure, after the saga of Greece being allowed membership of the EU you can bet any country that wants to join will be treated to a significant level of financial scrutiny.

You are mixing things.