The SNP needs to get to grips with its £22 billion black hole

The Scottish government has published its latest Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland (Gers) report, the official statistics outlining how much tax is raised in Scotland versus public spending for and on behalf of the country.

The numbers have been followed with interest over the past decade because they give as accurate a view as possible of the starting fiscal position of any newly independent Scotland. They therefore provide an insight into the budget challenges the newly seceded state would face if the current Scottish government’s constitutional preference were to come to fruition. So what do this year’s numbers show?

For a Scottish government still intent on promoting secession, the latest analysis does not look good. Scotland is running a deficit of almost £23 billion, representing 10.4 per cent of its GDP – up 2 per cent from the previous year.