It may be good party politics for the Tories to talk up the transfers from the exchequer to other parts of the UK, even if the numbers are relatively speaking pretty slight. But as noted on Tim Harford’s Radio Four programme the differential is not a significant disincentive to cessesation in the case of Scotland at least.
Two points worth mentioning: it is strange that the numbers for London are never quoted in such debates; unnervingly perhaps for constitutional unionists, people in the US complains about transfers to California. They are more likely to target the federal government.
Mick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty
