Research Briefing | Apr 27, 2021

UK | The economics of Scottish independence

The economics of Scottish independence

A win for pro-independence parties at Scottish elections on May 6 will put Scotland’s exit from the UK back on the political agenda. But in our view, while the prospect of independence is real, it’s not the most likely outcome. A nationalist victory wouldn’t assure a referendum, as the UK government remains opposed.

What you will learn from this report:

  • A nationalist victory wouldn’t assure a referendum, as the UK government remains opposed.
  • Should Scotland secede, the UK would be shorn of around one-twelfth of its GDP.
  • For Scotland, independence would lumber its small economy with a significant level of public debt.
Back to Resource Hub

Related Services

Post

What we learned, and didn’t, from Trump’s executive orders

President Donald Trump signed a slew of executive orders related to immigration, trade, and the federal government workplace, but these actions were widely anticipated and warrant only minimal changes to the baseline.

Find Out More

Post

UK Labour market data woes show the importance of nowcasts

We think that valid concerns about the quality of data from the UK's Labour Force Survey (LFS) make it virtually unusable at present. Considering it will likely take another two years to fix the problems, this poses a major headache for policymakers and economists alike.

Find Out More