There are two methods of calculating Scotland's share of the national debt, but both of these coincidentally give almost the same number, so it's broadly irrelevant. One of the methods is by population.
I agree with much of what Shennanigans says about the government's war on vulnerable people; it is the people who are most vulnerable, as are many members of this site, who will struggle the most. These things are never fair; closing hospitals and schools when the rich can opt out of the system, and closing SureStart Centres, which have done so much to provide support at a crucial age.
The previous government did rake up a lot of debt. I don't agree is was irresponsible; indeed it kept us out of a triple dip recession, and was beneficial for the socio-economic growth. Areas that had heavy investment include 'Building Schools for the Future' and 'New Deal' (housing) both of which have had enourmous impact at completely turning around huge areas of my borough, with schools that were once the worst in the UK now some of the best inside a decade, and estates that were the cheapest place in Europe to by heroin, completely regenerated.
In my opinion, the people who complain most about government spending, are always the people who could easily afford to pay a little more tax without any hardship. People who have no idea what it is like to struggle on minimum wage, with is grossly inadequate especially in London, especially for families.
In regards to closing schools or hospitals - what a shocking idea. Things like this cost lives. I currently live in an area of London where hospitals seem to be closing left right and center. This means at night, if I am ill, it will require two night buses and a long walk to get to A&E, which is disgraceful in such an urban area, surrounded by huge shopping centers and huge stadia. People are dying, people have already died, as a result of these closures. I don't think I could ever justify losing lives for the sake of saving some money.
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