THE Finance Secretary has outlined why she “fundamentally disputes” the economic arguments against independence in an interview on the BBC.
Kate Forbes was speaking on the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland (GMS) when she said she disputed the premise of the questions being posed to her as they were based on “UK Government figures in terms of how we are governed right now”.
Forbes was challenged on how the SNP would pay for independence should they win a second referendum, especially as the world moves away from fossil fuels.
“If we are going to push for another referendum, you're in charge of the money … Where’s the money going to come from?” the Finance Secretary was asked.
Forbes began: “Well, Scotland, right now has great talent, great natural resources and great potential … “ Before she was interrupted by the BBC host, who said: “And a great big budget deficit.”
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The SNP MSP rejected this idea, highlighting how she was forced to balance her budget due to the devolution settlement.
She said: “Remember I balance my budget every year. So I only spend on an annual basis what I raise or receive, which is totally at odds with nearly every other government around the world. Of course you cannot have a deficit if you cannot borrow for day-to-day spending.
“What you're talking about is a notional deficit where 72% of the tax figures are UK Government tax figures, and 40% of the spending figures are UK Government figures.
“So if you've got a problem with the notional deficit, I would suggest the problem is with the status quo and not with the potential future that Scotland might have.”
Forbes was further pushed on the point and confronted with a claim that Scotland’s deficit is “basically a quarter of our GDP”.
The Finance Secretary responded: “Again, I fundamentally dispute your premise. You're basing that on largely UK Government figures in terms of how we are governed right now.
“I want Scotland to ensure it can thrive in the future. I want to ensure that our rich natural assets can be used to feed hungry children in Scotland.
“Right now Scotland has 40% of the UK’s renewable energy potential. We've got 25% of Europe's wave and tidal potential. But energy is reserved, the grid is reserved. We can ensure that we help the renewable industry to prosper and thrive, but we really need all the powers over the grid.”
Forbes was also questioned on the SNP’s plan to hold a second independence referendum before the end of the current parliamentary term.
The Finance Secretary was asked why there should be a second vote if “half the population doesn’t want [it] according to recent polling”.
Responding, Forbes said she didn’t think the assertion was “strictly true”.
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“A majority of votes for independence-supporting parties were secured in the election. There are more MSPs in favour of independence than those that aren’t. Last time I checked, that's how we secure a mandate.”
The BBC host claimed this represented the “parliamentary floor” but not necessarily the “will of the people”.
A YouGov poll published on Thursday found that a majority of Scots (53% with Don’t Knows excluded) support holding a indyref2 before the next Holyrood election.
Furthermore, political expert Professor Sir John Curtice told The National in September that polling tended to show “a small majority in favour” of holding a second referendum before 2026.
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