[the truth]

Since devolution its utterly bewildering to me to see how what different directions these 2 nations have gone

Scotland has voted in 56 nationalist mps and only 3 from other parties

the welsh have seen a rise in the right wing with 11 tory seats and the ukip the 3rd highest votes

how on earth are these voting patterns so divergent

both countries were raped by thatchers cruel government, most have been unable to rebuild their industries due partly to the enormous EU regulations...

but the scots have a full parliament and the welsh an assembly

disposable income

wales £14623 per head
Scotland £16267
number of businesses per 10,000 people
wales 753
Scotland 740
gva per head
Scotland 20,013
wales 15401
public sector employment
wales 24%
Scotland 22.1%
unemployment rate
wales 6.8% same as England
Scotland 6.4%
the UK average identifiable spend per head was £8,788. Northern Ireland had the highest total identifiable public expenditure at £10,876 per head. This was followed by Scotland with £10,152 per head, and Wales at £9,709. England was the only country below the UK average with £8,529 per head


so why is Scotland flying off and doing better on all the figures? why are they so nationalistic and pro European?

my general impression from meeting the scots is they are pro European and feel they can get a far better deal with them than they can with Westminster
additionally they are somehow getting more public money per head than anyone else, due to the Barnett formula? seems rather odd theyre richer yet get more public cash than the welsh?

its important we understand whats going on up there.

now we have the snps rocking up to Westminster....a one party nation ..with a conservative government? just bizarre. the tories will bring more austerity and an in out eu referendum , yet the party the scots all vote for are anti austerity pro Europe? its going to be war

as for the welsh theyre a total enigma.....theyre phenomenally patriotic about their language their history etc yet not nationalistic at all and don't seem bothered about taking care of and running their own affairs

dave Cameron made a speech tonight stressing the need to devolve more powers, he seems to think that will help the 4 nations become stronger and actually re unite the union? hmmm perhaps he needs to re do the Barnett formula too

is that the key to wales? more powers for Cardiff bay? ive never felt a huge desire in wales since moving here for self rule nor is there much love for the welsh assembly. but would more powers enable the welsh to make the specific changes needed to improve their economy? ive always had the feeling despite labours dominance, the welsh are free spirited people at heart and more suited to a free market than the indoctrination of public sector jobs and left wing politics. they loved their trade unions to protect the workers and lead most of those revolutions but the staleness of public sector dominance seems to have hurt their economy

my concern with devolution is....yet another layer of politicians laws and more burocracy..we have councillors, am's , mps and meps too

what a mess