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More or Less

What's Scottish Independence Worth?

More or Less

BBC

News Commentary, Science, Mathematics, News

4.63.7K Ratings

🗓️ 6 June 2014

⏱️ 28 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Scottish independence - yes or no? Which will line your pocket more? The Scottish government says a Yes vote will leave Scots £1,000 each better off; the UK treasury says a No vote means a £1,400 bonus for Scots. More or Less looks at exactly what these claims mean, the key assumptions underlying them, and asks whether either number is likely to be accurate. Plus: the "zombie" statistic that each year 100,000 Christians are martyred around the world; getting people to agree to make major life decisions based on the toss of a coin and World Cup Office Sweepstake strategy.

Transcript

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0:00.0

Thank you for downloading more or less from the BBC.

0:02.8

This is the version first broadcast on Radio 4.

0:05.8

Here's Tim Halford.

0:08.0

Hello and welcome to More or Less.

0:10.8

We are weekly numerical haggis, stuffed rule of tasty statistics.

0:15.8

This week, a statistical zombie returns in the pages of the Times.

0:20.5

And superstar economists Steve Levitt has come up with a cunning way

0:25.0

to help make life's big decisions.

0:27.5

Whether you should get a tattoo or go on a diet or quit your job

0:31.2

or break up with your boyfriend.

0:33.2

Any question you want, it didn't matter.

0:34.9

We flipped it coin.

0:36.0

But first, I'm delighted to unveil the More or Less Time Machine.

0:42.8

We've sent our roving reporters into the future to let us know how Scotland's been

0:47.4

getting on in 2030.

0:49.3

To ensure neutrality, neither of our reporters are British.

0:52.8

James Fletcher, can you hear me?

0:55.2

This team I can hear you loud and clear.

0:57.7

I'm standing in Hollywood Park and around me, a crowd of people

1:01.3

are celebrating the 14th anniversary of Scotland's independence.

1:05.8

Fascinating.

1:07.0

What James, how has it been working out for Scotland?

...

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