Better Together they say. Aye, but who for?

As Scotland heads towards the most momentous day in our modern history the decision that we have to make comes down to a very simple and fundamental choice. This simple choice is being made to look so very complicated by those who would wish to create lack of clarity, to create uncertainty, to create doubt, to create fear.

The question on the referendum ballot paper is “Should Scotland be an independent country?” The Yes campaign has endeavoured, at every turn to offer positive positions to answer this question but at the same time the positive message is underpinned by warnings of what can be taken away from us that we possess already if we remain in the Union.

Coming from the opposite locus the Better Together No campaign has preferred to offer a diet of half and quarter truths – sometimes outright lies – which are always presented in splendid isolation to prove that independence is not just undesirable but it is barmy, plain and simple! Any attempt to accuse the Union of being perfidious in any case is ridiculed and howled down as outright propaganda and nonsense.

Let’s examine a very specific example of this in the favourite current battleground – the NHS.

“Yes” claims that if we remain part of the Union then the privatisation rampant in NHS England will be foisted upon NHS Scotland due to funding cuts – very possible indeed. BT claims that this is stuff and nonsense. Health is a devolved issue – that is true. However what BT fail to mention is that the budget for NHS Scotland is arrived at by the Barnett Formula and if NHS England’s budget is cut or fails to meet inflation then NHS Scotland’s budget will mirror that.

And there we have it. BT state the complete truth that health is a devolved issue but then take every step to stop the argument dead at that point because when the funding formula is introduced then suddenly it’s only a half truth. They just don’t like joined-up-thinking as that involves analysis and scrutiny which don’t hold water.

But let’s go back to the basic premise of the No campaign – we are Better Together. OK, but who is Better Together? Us Scots or the rest of the UK? We will contend here that Better Together is a hypothesis that helps Westminster immeasurably more than it helps Scotland.

Consider the figures that have been doing the rounds on social media in the last couple of days. Scotland has 8.3% of the population of the UK. The other parts of the UK constitute 91.7% of the population and we are a measly 8.3%.

Scotland has 32% of the land area of the UK but large parts of the territory are only marginally inhabitable so we’ll not fight too much on this issue. However that’s one of the few areas that that are not up for debate.

Scotland has 90% of the UK’s surface fresh water. Large areas of England and Wales are regularly declared to be in drought and the water distribution system south of the border is in severe disrepair due to lack of investment by its private owners. 90% among only 8.3%. Who is Better Together?

Scotland has 61% of the UK’s waters in its exclusive economic zone. If Scotland becomes independent the UK loses well over half of its EEZ. 61% among only 8.3%. Who is Better Together?

Scotland’s EEZ is home to 65% of UK offshore natural gas production and 96.5% of UK offshore oil production. 65% among only 8.3%. Who is Better Together?

Scotland supports 47% of UK opencast coal production. 47% among only 8.3%. Who is Better Together?

Scotland sits on 81% of all unexploited coal reserves in the UK. 81% among only 8.3%. Who is Better Together?

Scotland is covered by 46% of the UK’s forests. 46% among only 8.3%. Who is Better Together?

Scotland contributes 62% of UK timber production. 62% among only 8.3%. Who is Better Together?

Scotland supports 92% of UK hydroelectric generating capacity. 92% among only 8.3%. Who is Better Together?

Scotland supports 40% of UK wind, wave and solar electricity production. 40% among only 8.3%. Who is Better Together?

Scotland enjoys 60% of UK landings from Scottish registered fishing vessels. 60% among only 8.3%. Who is Better Together?

Scotland enjoys 55% of UK landings from fish caught in the Scottish EEZ. 55% among only 8.3%. Who is Better Together?

Scotland rears 30% of UK beef breeding stock. 30% among only 8.3%. Who is Better Together?

Scotland rears 10% of the total UK pig herd. 10% among only 8.3%. Who is Better Together?

Scotland supports 15% of the UK’s cereal crops. 15% among only 8.3%. Who is Better Together?

Scotland supports 20% of the UK’s potato production. 20% among only 8.3%. Who is Better Together?

We have asked the question, “Who is Better Together?” fifteen times and in each case the answer has to be the UK. And these are only a handful of the sectors in the complete picture. We don't scratch the surface of wind, wave and tidal generating potential. We don't mention whisky at all. There's no need to rub it in too much or we could be here all day.

The facts are this. Westminster desperately needs the resources of Scotland to plug as many of the leaks in the UK system as possible. But even with Scotland’s contributions to the Treasury, the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s policies – which are “working” we are told repeatedly – are haemorrhaging £1 billion to the UK national debt every week. With the Labour Party agreeing that the Coalition’s economic policies of austerity are the only way to go then we can expect more of the same if Ed Balls would replace George Osborne. Without Scotland’s contribution £1 billion per week will seem like the good old days.

The land that is Scotland is massively rich in resources not only in terms of the wider UK, not only in terms of the EU but actually in global terms. Condensing that into resources per capita the ability of Scotland to stand as an independent and successful country is almost obscene. Many countries are regarded as wealthy for enjoying only a handful of the fifteen factors we affirmed above. Maybe even with only two or three of those factors.

For Scotland now, it is up to us all to work out who or what is Better Together under the circumstances. If we have these means, which we do, then we can very adequately look after all of the other aspects of statehood without batting an eyelid.

We have to realise that Better Together is not an expression of hope for Scotland, it is a plea of desperation from the ConDem Coalition in Westminster that their proxies in Scottish Labour can pull off one more great lie. 

Not this time.