Socialist Comment 3

I was collecting some newspapers to throw in the recycle bin when I can across page 6 of the March 19 Metro. In this page were a number of reports about the Chancellors Budget which made me think that a bit of socialist comment could be useful, for example.

Another snippet "Oil Industry given a shot in the arm". The Oil and Gas Industry was handed a £1.3billion 'lifeline' amid warnings that 10,000 North Sea jobs could be lost. It is suggested that these tax cuts would lay foundations for the regeneration of the sector which has been hit by plunging oil prices. The Scottish Government said it was' a step in the right direction ' but accused Osborne of 'mismanaging' the industry.

During the campaign for independence.  I watch a Utube video of a meeting  in which Tommy Sheridan had been invited to speak. Tommy supported an Independent Scotland and was pointing out that in Scotland the figure for deprived children was 12.5% compared to independent Norway which was 5%. It was also stated that Norway was doing well with a £500billion fund. I thought it strange that Norway with such a big fund had any deprived children, but the answer became clearer as the oil prices fell by 50%.

 Scottish Government argued that they like Norway would progress better being independent. Scottish oil would fund all sorts of things and now they are arguing that Osbourne is mismanaging the industry. The Scottish Government imply that like Norway they should have put billions aside in order to fund the oil industry to regenerate.

Now we know why Norway has 5% deprived children, they need the £500billion for regeneration of industries and I think that is just what the Scottish Government is complaining about. They want a big fund to help regenerate industry as well. Not much change for deprived children then.