Following the EU referendum result, the Scottish government announced that Scottish independence was once again “on the table”. However, most objective analysis shows that Scotland today couldn't afford independence, with the loss of English subsidies entailing a huge and unsustainable fiscal deficit. In short, the country is living beyond its means.

Part of the problem is the collapse in North Sea revenue. But more fundamentally, Scotland's public spending is excessive and beyond the capacity of its economy to support. The renewed call for independence has brought the issue into sharp focus, but overspending is a long-standing problem that needs to be tackled irrespective of the independence question.

Read the research here

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