PREMIUM
John Lloyd (left) and Andrew Wilson debated the economic arguments for Scotland s position on the world stage in the event of a vote in favour of independence PROPONENTS for the Union are not making the case for a positive outlook for Scotland in the United Kingdom, a former SNP MSP and economist has said. In an online debate, hosted by Edinburgh University s Centre on Constitutional Change on Thursday, the focus was on the economic case for and against Scottish independence but also hit on other factors. John Lloyd, a contributing editor to the Financial Times, set out the points in his book, Should Auld Acquaintance Be Forgot, that presents a critique of Scottish independence, arguing that the ending of financial support from the UK would lead to large-scale cuts in public services.
The shared prosperity fund will replace EU funding following Brexit (Jane Barlow/PA)
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UK Government ministers are “parking their tanks” on areas of devolved competence, MSPs have been told.
Scottish trade minister Ivan McKee railed against the Shared Prosperity Fund, a Westminster initiative to replace structural funds from the EU that will allow UK ministers to spend money on devolved areas.
He claimed the UK Government is engaged in an “assault” on devolution.
BBC News
By Douglas Fraser
Published
Whitehall is to bypass the devolved administrations and replace European structural funds with a centrally-controlled fund.
In Scotland, that means more than £100m is set to be spent by the UK government on projects normally devolved to the Scottish Parliament.
The Shared Prosperity Fund replaces European Commission development and social fund grants.
The Scottish government has set out its own plans for replacing EU funds.
Stephen Barclay, the UK Treasury Secretary, has removed some of the uncertainty about the way the Shared Prosperity Fund will operate.
In the past seven years, £780m has come through the Scottish government by that route.