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But the statement is true, isn't it? And it represents a substantial amount of oil, does it not? And there's nothing in that statement that denies any of the other information you've cited, is there?
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Scotland also has 60% of the EU's natural resources
But the statement is true, isn't it? And it represents a substantial amount of oil, does it not?
If I had a vote, this is the reason I would vote 'no'. The habit of the 'yes' campaigners to take data, subtly but significantly alter that data, and to strip the data of context to make an argument that the data do not support. I would be thinking, my gut says 'yes', more self-determination is a good thing, but my mind would say what else are these guys fooling with?
The problem with Uber's statement is a) it is untrue, Scotland does not have 60% of the EU's natural resources, no amount of saying it is true will make it so, and b) it is irrelevant. The point was made to support Scotland's attractiveness to the EU as a new member state, but Scotland's oil (not 'natural resources') would not be a significant factor in that decision. The world currently has 1041 billion barrels of proven oil reserves, of which Scotland has 3 billion. Most oil production is traded freely, having less than 0.3% of the world's oil is not going to make Scotland a must-have new member of the EU - a fact that former energy economist Salmond knows very well.
I'm not saying the 'no' campaign is any less mendacious, I am saying that the 'yes' campaign is trying to lead part of the UK away into an uncertain future for Scotland and a certain diminution for the rump UK based on shoddy stats. Plus the absurd argument that they will be fine with a currency union that the rest of the UK does not want and which is entirely incompatible with political independence.
rw101
This is classic campaigning. Take a truth, massage it, ignore the real context, then repackage it as a truth.
Scotland does not have 60% of the EU's natural resources. It has 60% of EU proven oil & gas reserves. But that completely ignores the fact that the energy industry is not EU-bound. Apart from all the other non-Russian suppliers, European energy supply depends to a considerable extent on non-EU Norway, which has over ten times Scotland's natural gas reserves and over three times its oil reserves.
But never mind, now the Yes campaign has scored another killer point.