Thread: 9 out of 10 Scottish households take more from the public purse than they contribute

No wonder there is so many British on here that are numb to socialism. Woudn't surprise me if they had a Anders Breivic moment if they keep this up...

By Simon Johnson, Scottish political editor

11:25PM BST 07 Oct 2012




Ruth Davidson, the Scottish Conservative leader, is to highlight official figures showing that only 283,080 households north of the border – 12 per cent of the total – pay more in tax than they receive in public services.

She will tell delegates that, because the public sector is seen as the key provider of everything from housing to employment, state spending now accounts for more than half Scotland’s wealth.




She will blame Alex Salmond, the SNP First Minister, and his Labour predecessors for nurturing a “corrosive sense of entitlement” among voters that has prevented her party making a comeback in Scotland.

Miss Davidson will argue this Left-wing “stranglehold” suits Labour and the SNP but has made it difficult for the Tories as so many voters are reliant on the public sector for their household income.

But the Nationalists described it as her “Mitt Romney moment”, in a reference to the Republican presidential candidate’s comments that 47 per cent of Americans pay no income tax and are dependent on the state.



According to the most recent figures, Scotland contributed 9.6 per cent of Britain’s tax take and accounted for 9.3 per cent of public spending.
Her strongly worded attack on state patronage follows David Cameron’s warning to the Scottish Tories last autumn that they had no excuse for their dismal election performances.



But Miss Davidson will tell the conference that Scotland’s “staggering” and “frightening” reliance on the public sector must be taken into account.
“The rotten system of patronage, which denies so many people real choices in their lives, has created a corrosive sense of entitlement which suits its political gang masters,” she will say. “Only 12 per cent are responsible for generating Scotland’s wealth. I wonder how many of them work on public sector contracts.”



Referring to her party’s dismal election record, the Scottish Conservative leader will conclude: “If the gang master state is the only provider people can see for their housing, education and employment, it’s no surprise those who seek to break the stranglehold find barriers in their way.”
Anyone who challenges the status quo is deemed an “enemy of the state”, she will argue, before claiming this is the real reason some political commentators have written off the Scottish Tories.
She will argue that Labour and the SNP still blame her party for problems that are their responsibility, pointing out that the former has been in control of some of Glasgow’s most deprived areas for decades.
Miss Davidson supported her claims by publishing figures from the Office for National Statistics, which showed the average Scottish household consumes £14,151 more in public services every year than it pays in tax.
Even the families in the middle income groups consume around £20,000 more in state spending than they contribute.
However, those in the top 10 per cent pay £17,205 more in tax than they receive in public services.



Kenny Gibson, a Nationalist MSP, described it as Miss Davidson’s “Mitt Romney moment”. He added: “At least Mitt Romney only insulted around half of Americans, while Ruth Davidson believes almost 90 per cent of Scots do not 'contribute’ to society.”



Miss Davidson will also tell English party colleagues that their support is required if the Unionist campaign is to win a decisive victory in the referendum on independence, something she will argue is necessary if the separatists are not to try to hold another vote soon.

Originally Posted by socal

Even the families in the middle income groups consume around £20,000 more in state spending than they contribute. However, those in the top 10 per cent pay £17,205 more in tax than they receive in public services.

Originally Posted by socal

only 283,080 households north of the border – 12 per cent of the total – pay more in tax than they receive in public services.

Is this income tax only ?

How big in % is the 'middle income' group ?
And the lower ?

How big is the "scottish " deficit ?

Is a lower income worker ( working for a top income person) considered as generating wealth and profit ?

If not, why isn't he/she fired ?

And:
I can't make your numbers add up

Ruth Davidson, the Scottish Conservative leader, is to highlight official figures showing that only 283,080 households north of the border – 12 per cent of the total – pay more in tax than they receive in public services

Which presumably shows that there are unacceptably high levels of geographical inequalities in wealth distribution across the country, though I guess that conclusion will escape the geniuses who run the Tory party.

The rotten system of patronage, which denies so many people real choices in their lives, has created a corrosive sense of entitlement

Those choices mainly amounting to, 'Do I work for less than a Foxconn employee or do I starve to death?'

those choices mainly amounting to, 'Do I work for less than a Foxconn employee or do I starve to death?'

or do i get off my arse, stop drinking and smoking all day, decide to get off benefits and finally get a job and assume responsibility for my life.

Originally Posted by taxexile

or do i get off my arse, stop drinking and smoking all day, decide to get off benefits and finally get a job and assume responsibility for my life.

"It's a fair cop but society is to blame". Monty Python

Or at least that is what they would tell you.

If those on benefits are the authors of their own fate then presumably those who aren't on state benefits are the authors of their own fate too. What a comforting idea that must be.

Wow!

That's even more than the 47% Romney was on about in the States.

Like the OP states, something's seriously fucked-up in 'see you Jimmy-land'...

Bloody sweaty's.

We should cut em off(when we've got all the oil)

I read an article yesterday showing that for the first time ever those who pay no tax and rely on benefits is bigger than those that pay tax.

No you didn't. Almost every adult pays tax of some kind in the form of VAT (which incidentally falls more heavily on the poor than on the rich) and which provides about 15% of government revenue. Perhaps you mean income tax? Well, about 35-40% of the country are either too old (over 65) or too young (under 16) to pay tax on earnings. Obviously enough, they're also going to require state benefits so that leaves you with 10-15% of the population to tip the balance. 6 to 9 million people of working age not paying tax? Maybe. When you count the unemployed, the disabled, students, non-working spouses, full-time carers, etc. it doesn't seem that surprising. Or that much of a disaster.

You mean do I work and try to get the Market wage, or do I wait for the taxpayers to feed me?

And did that market wage just fall from the sky one day? Or do 30 years of trade 'liberalization' and labour market 'reforms' (scare quotes required) have anything to do with it being so shit?

The whole scene sounds screwed up. Same as the union scum in the US, they claim to be big working men but in reality are all on the doll

Originally Posted by Zooheekock

Almost every adult pays tax of some kind in the form of VAT (which incidentally falls more heavily on the poor than on the rich)

how ?

They both pay the same rate.

Your parroting socialist propaganda.

They both pay the same rate.

Your parroting socialist propaganda.

As a proportion of their income, taxes such as VAT fall more heavily on the poor. This is a completely uncontentious fact and has nothing to do with 'socialist propaganda'. If you want some facts and figures, have a look at the (no doubt positively Maoist) ONS

Originally Posted by Zooheekock

I read an article yesterday showing that for the first time ever those who pay no tax and rely on benefits is bigger than those that pay tax.

No you didn't. Almost every adult pays tax of some kind in the form of VAT (which incidentally falls more heavily on the poor than on the rich) and which provides about 15% of government revenue. Perhaps you mean income tax? Well, about 35-40% of the country are either too old (over 65) or too young (under 16) to pay tax on earnings. Obviously enough, they're also going to require state benefits so that leaves you with 10-15% of the population to tip the balance. 6 to 9 million people of working age not paying tax? Maybe. When you count the unemployed, the disabled, students, non-working spouses, full-time carers, etc. it doesn't seem that surprising. Or that much of a disaster.

Obviously a rabid Communist / Socialist. How exactly does someone on benefits contribute to the state when he pays VAT ? He has been given this money by the Government. It has been provided to the Government by the private sector that works and pays taxes and by private companies that work and pay taxes. The only people that contribute to the running of the country are the private working sector. The rest are carried by these people. Which part of this do you have understanding brother ?

Before they became a nation of government dependents,

Scotland’s vitality was the envy of the world

Originally Posted by Zooheekock

^^ I'm pretty sure I'm wasting my time here but you said "for the first time ever those who pay no tax and rely on benefits is bigger than those that pay tax". If you buy most things in Britain you pay VAT on your purchases (yes, even if you're on the dole).

I'd be happy to pay 50% or even 80% tax on money that I never earned in the first place.

It's a false economy when nothing new is being produced, just shuffling the same money around in circles.

As begbie pointed out Scotland is paying more money to England than they are getting back. That's the important figure.

^Moron

Miss Davidson is refering to teachers and other public employees as being scroungers.

Aren't you a part time teacher Swilly?

A red herring best ignored.

Your comprehension skills are somewhat lacking. But we knew that.

Originally Posted by Begbie

Reading between the lines, Mz. Davidson is complaining that the Scottish governenment is spending taxpayer's money on such things as education and the health service.

bastards

and look what we get, a Begbie