Gwenu dan Fysiau: Dylid dadlau dros foesoldeb yn hytrach nag economeg?

Dylid dadlau dros foesoldeb yn hytrach nag economeg?

19.12.06

Ymddangosodd y llythyr canlynol gan Angus MacNeil AS yn y Telegraph wythnos diwethaf fel ymateb i ymgais diweddara y llywodraeth i ddychryn etholwyr yr Alban i beidio pleidleisio dros yr SNP (ac annibyniaeth yn y pendraw) wrth honni bod trysorlys canolog Prydain yn rhoi mwy o arain i'r Alban nag y mae'n gasglu mewn trethi.

Subsidising Scots

Sir – Has anybody from the world of Scottish Unionist politics thanked the taxpayers of England? This week Labour, Tories and the Lib Dems have taken great delight in telling the Scots that they are subsidised by over £11 billion.

These figures are, of course, disputed by the independence movement in Scotland which can cite last week's report that independent Ireland will this year achieve a budget surplus of £3.97 billion while the London Chancellor has a £34.2 billion deficit. I wonder if Ireland would flourish in such a dramatic way if still governed from London?

However, accepting the Government figures, it seems that Westminster is applying just under a third of its total deficit to support Scotland. As a Scottish nationalist I would feel deeply ashamed if I believed these figures, but Labour and the Lib Dems are entirely satisfied, if not downright proud, believing that they are taking so much from England.

Eleven billion would go a long way in England towards introducing free care for the elderly and removing student tuition fees. While telling the Scots they are being subsidised, Labour, particularly, but also the Tories and the Lib Dems are shy of telling the English they are being robbed. I wonder why.

Angus MacNeil MP (SNP), London SW1

Tydi'r ddadl yma gan Unoliaethwyr ddim yn newydd i ni yng Nghymru ac yn ddi-os bydd yn cael ei ail-adrodd wrthym yn y dyfodol, a rhaid cyfaddef ei fod yn dacteg llwyddiannus o ddallu nifer o Gymry o wir botensial annibyniaeth. Y peth yw, fel mae Angus MacNeil yn nodi, nid yw'r llywodraeth fel petai nhw eisiau i'r etholwyr yn Lloegr glywed yr un neges. Y newyddion drwg yw, mae cenedlaetholwyr Lloegr yn clywed y negeseuon hyn (hyd yn oed oes yw'r stori ond yn ymddangos yn rhifyn yr Alban o'r Times ac nid yn fersiwn Cymru a Lloegr).

Dwi'n hoffi dyfyniad Gareth:

New Labour can fool some of the people some of the time, they can fool unionists all of the time, but they certainly cannot fool the English AND Scottish nationalists at the same time.