Why Scotland's huge deficit means that numbers for independence don't add up

Which country in the developed world has the biggest budget shortfall? Its £13bn shortfall is equivalent to more than half the UK’s total notional fiscal deficit despite having less than a tenth of the population, it was revealed this week. While the UK’s deficit almost halved to 1.1pc of GDP in 2018/19, the figure for Scotland fell 1.1 percentage points to a still eye-watering 7pc. Momentum is gathering behind Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP’s renewed push for independence, but the huge budget black hole raises serious questions over whether Scotland’s spending could be sustainable if it broke away. Scotland has a similar deficit per person to the north of England, while Northern Ireland and Wales have an even higher shortfall per person.