The figures were described as a “hammer blow” to Nicola Sturgeon’s plans for independenceThe “dividend” Scotland receives for being part of the United Kingdom has increased to almost £2,000 per person, according to official figures that unionists said crippled the economic case for independence. The annual Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland figures show that £15.1 billion more was spent on public services north of the border than was raised in taxes last year. The public spending deficit is £2 billion higher than the previous year and represents 8.6 per cent of Scotland’s gross domestic product (GDP). Scottish Conservatives described the figures as a “hammer blow to the SNP” and its case for independence. Those figures do not reflect the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic because they cover the financial year to April 5.

Source: The Times August 26, 2020 16:03 UTC