Big questions about Scottish independence deserve honest answers

These aren’t new worries. They are often the same as in 2014, with questions about our currency, defence and whether Scotland is wealthy enough to stand on its own two feet. The more I talk to people, the more I realise how important it is to address these concerns head-on, to have these conversations with clarity and to share what I’ve learned about our country’s potential.

People want to know what kind of future they’re signing up for. They want to be reassured that an independent Scotland can be prosperous, that it can support its people and that it won’t leave us worse off than where we are now.

These are the issues that “Project Fear” particularly hammered out to the media, stating that we couldn’t afford to do it on our own.

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So let’s talk about that. Let’s talk about wealth and independence, not in a way that throws figures and facts at people but in a way that makes sense, that feels real. Because when we break it down, Scotland’s potential for wealth is right in front of us, it always has been.

Take whisky, for instance. It’s a global industry, with billions of pounds of revenue flowing through Scotland’s distilleries each year. But where does that money go?

Right now, much of it goes into the UK’s economy, contributing to its GDP. In an independent Scotland, those billions would stay here. They’d be ours to invest in our public services, in education, in healthcare, in building the kind of society we want to live in.

And then there’s energy. I recently visited Buckie Harbour (below), where the offshore wind industry is transforming the local economy. Standing there, it struck me just how much potential we have in renewable energy.

(Image: Moray Council) In my constituency in particular there is so much development, and the growth of the sector cannot be denied. Scotland is perfectly positioned to become a world leader in wind and tidal energy, generating clean, sustainable power not just for ourselves but for export.

That’s a future I can believe in – a future where we use our natural resources not only to keep the lights on but also to drive our economy forward in a way that protects the planet for future generations.

However, it’s easy to talk about whisky and wind – what about the bigger picture? What about GDP? What about the Barnett formula? These are important questions, and they deserve honest answers.

GDP, or gross domestic product, is often thrown around as a measure of a country’s wealth, but it has its flaws – it doesn’t show us how wealth is distributed, or how it benefits the people.

Right now, Scotland’s GDP is measured as part of the UK, which means a lot of what we contribute – from our oil, whisky, or renewables and more – gets swallowed up into the overall UK figure. It doesn’t give us the full picture of how much Scotland truly generates and, more importantly, doesn’t tell us what we could achieve if that wealth stayed here.

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There’s also the issue of the Barnett formula. Some say that without it, Scotland would struggle to fund public services. But it isn’t a gift – it’s part of how the UK allocates spending across the nations and is based on decisions made in Westminster. Independence would mean we make those decisions ourselves.

We wouldn’t be sending our revenues south, only to have them come back with conditions attached. The wealth we generate here would stay here and we’d decide how best to invest it.

It’s easy to get bogged down in the technical details, but when you’re out speaking to people, these conversations can’t be about throwing numbers at them. They have to be about making the case for independence in a way that feels grounded, that connects with the real concerns people have.

It's about asking, “What kind of country do you want to live in?” and then showing them how independence can make that happen.

Let’s look at countries such as Norway. It has managed its oil revenues wisely, investing them into a sovereign wealth fund that now benefits its entire population. Or take Ireland, which despite its smaller size and turbulent history, has one of the fastest-growing economies in Europe.

Norway has managed its oil revenues wisely (Image: Getty) These countries aren’t bogged down by the idea that small can’t be successful. They’ve proven that with the right policies and leadership, smaller nations can punch well above their weight. And what is stopping Scotland from doing the same? We have the resources, we have the industries and, more than that, we have the people.

Of course, people have valid concerns about independence. But we need to remember that the choice isn’t between a guaranteed, risk-free UK and a leap into the unknown. The UK is changing, and not for the better. We’ve seen what happens when decisions are made that don’t take Scotland’s needs into account.

Independence doesn’t mean everything will be easy, but it does mean we’ll be able to make those decisions for ourselves, based on what’s right for us.

When I’m on the doorstep and someone asks me if we’re wealthy enough to be independent, I tell them this: Scotland’s wealth isn’t just about numbers on a spreadsheet. It’s about our people, our resources, and our potential.

We’ve been told for too long that we’re too small, too poor, too reliant on others. But I don’t buy that. I look around and see a country full of ingenuity, talent, and opportunities.

Independence isn’t about breaking away – it’s about stepping away into our future. I believe, more than ever, that we have everything we need to succeed. All we need now is the courage to make it happen.