Women for Independence
Why we support Independence
Daphne Francis, Burghead
Creating an independent Scotland can allow several key and enduring improvements in the prosperity and health of our people. Firstly a change on our basic security as we decouple ourselves from the rule of fear that nuclear weaponry poses. With power over taxation and expenditure we can direct resources to where they are most needed – to create socially useful employment, care for our poor and ill, tackle our poor housing and look also to the needs of remote communities so often lost to Westminster view.
We could address an area so often ignored in current debates– the fact that 8% of the population own 92% of the land. This accounts for an estimated 30% of our gross domestic product which goes untaxed into the pockets of the wealthy. A community land-levy, even at a low rate, would bring in substantial revenue and give needed funding for big social projects including rebuilding our shattered housing estates, railway network, health services, restoring student grants and cancelling all current student debt, all this without the need for increases in taxation. This policy would also lead to the redistribution of land and wealth, homes would become more affordable, and speculative land banks would be rendered too costly to maintain.
We could eventually also create a new publicly owned banking system protected from speculation, fraud and recurring financial crises and with full power to create our currency. All profit from banking-operations would go to the people. Finally, independence for Scotland would most benefit the poor amongst whom women and children loom large.
Daphne Francis is a retired economist/community worker. Daphne is 66 and a grandmother. She lives in Burghead, a seaside village in the North East of Scotland
