Contributions
783 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDScottish Independence and the Scottish Economyrose —02 Nov 2022HANSARDScottish Independence and the Scottish EconomyI thank the hon. Member for allowing me to intervene. I really take a great deal of offence at what he says about pensioners. While we are on pensioners, if he thinks that they…02 Nov 2022HANSARDScottish Independence and the Scottish EconomyI agree with the hon. Gentleman, and I am delighted that he has given way so early. This debate is not about that; it is about the broken proposition that he is putting as a…02 Nov 2022HANSARDScottish Independence and the Scottish EconomyAh, yes, the hon. Gentleman did correct the record. I forgot that he was suspended for antisemitism. I am surprised he wants to put on the public record why he was thrown out of…02 Nov 2022HANSARDScottish Independence and the Scottish EconomyI am going to treat that intervention with the contempt it deserves and utterly ignore it, if that is the kind of argument we are getting from the Alba party. The hon. Gentleman…02 Nov 2022HANSARDScottish Independence and the Scottish EconomyI will happily give way if the hon. Gentleman wants to talk about Robin McAlpine.02 Nov 2022HANSARDScottish Independence and the Scottish EconomyShe has given up; she has no answers to these questions either. It is little wonder that the Institute for Fiscal Studies—much quoted by the First Minister in the last few weeks,…02 Nov 2022HANSARDScottish Independence and the Scottish EconomyI said I would give way to my neighbouring colleague, the hon. and learned Member for Edinburgh South West (Joanna Cherry), but she is no longer here—02 Nov 2022HANSARDScottish Independence and the Scottish EconomyBy the hon. Gentleman’s proposition, I could go into Barclays bank on Monday morning when my mortgage is due and say, “I’m not going to pay it” while waving the saltire. I wonder…02 Nov 2022HANSARDScottish Independence and the Scottish EconomyI will give way to the hon. Gentleman before his knees give out.02 Nov 2022HANSARDScottish Independence and the Scottish EconomyLet me just finish this point. I will come back to the hon. Gentleman. The starting point was always the Scottish Government’s own accounts—the GERS figures that the First…02 Nov 2022HANSARDScottish Independence and the Scottish EconomyLet me just finish this point. I promise that I will give way in a moment. We are not helped by the Scottish Government’s paper itself, which simply chooses to ignore the figures…02 Nov 2022HANSARDScottish Independence and the Scottish EconomyI will come back to hon. Members—I promise I will come back—but let me just make some progress. All this brings us to deficit and debt, which is the great elephant in the room…02 Nov 2022HANSARDScottish Independence and the Scottish EconomyAs for the other third of the hon. Lady’s life, the UK Labour Government transformed it. That is why we want to create a UK Labour Government who can do things for the whole…02 Nov 2022HANSARDScottish Independence and the Scottish EconomyI would prefer the hon. Lady to tell us about the SNP’s proposals rather than talking about the Labour party, but I am happy to give way if the SNP wants to continue this nonsense…02 Nov 2022HANSARDScottish Independence and the Scottish EconomyLet me make some progress. The time that I am taking is making you agitated, Mr Deputy Speaker.02 Nov 2022HANSARDScottish Independence and the Scottish EconomyI have a lot of respect for the hon. Gentleman—I genuinely have, and I say that with all sincerity—but I believe that comparisons between Scotland and Northern Ireland are not…02 Nov 2022HANSARDScottish Independence and the Scottish EconomyMy hon. Friend is right. SNP Members always cite opinion polls when they are in their favour, but they never cite them when they are not in their favour. What I would say, in all…02 Nov 2022HANSARDScottish Independence and the Scottish EconomyThat position is surely not in the best interests of Scotland—but I hear someone shout, from a sedentary position, “Got it in one.” So SNP Members want to create a border with our…02 Nov 2022HANSARDScottish Independence and the Scottish EconomyMr Deputy Speaker, honestly! We want a sensible debate, but according to the hon. Gentleman I am taking my ball home and going to the House of Lords. I suspect that the reason he…02 Nov 2022