It has become commonplace in the media in Scotland for every initiative from the Scottish Government to be greeted with dire and apocalyptic warnings of catastrophe. When the Scottish Government raised income tax on higher earners the Scottish Tories, and some Labour figures immediately wailed that there would be queues of traffic on the M74 as Range Rovers piled high with Agas flee to a lower tax regime in Tory run England, trying to escape the horrific prospect of little Findlay being deprived of a winter break on the pistes in the Swiss Alps. Will no one think of the upper middle classes? They’re the real victims here.
Predictions of ruin and disaster are very much the stock in trade of the anti-independence media in Scotland because to them the very biggest disaster of all would be the calamity of Scotland actually managing to achieve something positive by itself. That would be evidence that Scotland is not in fact a hopeless basket case utterly dependent upon the good graces of that well known charitable institution run by kindly and benevolent candidates for sainthood, the British Government, and heaven forfend might even be able to make a decent fist of things as an independent nation.
However like most of the overwrought warnings of calamity and catastrophe, utter ruination is not in fact what has come to pass. Quite the reverse, a study carried out by HMRC on behalf of the Scottish Government found that there has been a steady increase in net migration of taxpayers in the five years since Scottish Income Tax was introduced in 2017-18. In 2021-22, the last year for which data is available, £200 million in extra taxable income has been brought into Scotland, contrary to the predictions of better off people fleeing from Scotland, more higher and top rate taxpayers have been moving to Scotland than leaving.
Provisional findings from the study were shared with Scottish ministers ahead of setting the 2024-25 Scottish Budget, which saw the creation of a new advanced rate of 45% income tax for those earning between £75,000 and £125,140.
Who’d have thought it? A country which prioritises better public services and a higher quality of life for its citizens over stripping the public sector to the bone is actually an attractive place in which to live. You can be quite certain that this welcome news will not receive a fraction of the attention in the Scottish media which it gave to the hysterical doom mongering of the Scottish Government’s political opponents. I did not see any mention of it on BBC Scotland’s news broadcasts on Wednesday. I cannot say for absolute certain that the BBC Scotland TV news did not cover the story, but if they did it was given no prominence and was squeezed into a few seconds between the catastrophe of the day and the fitba. As always in the Scottish media, good news for a pro independence Scottish Government gets buried, bad news gets screamed from the murder tent for weeks on end.
Scottish Finance Secretary Shona Robison welcomed the findings of the study and said: “We know people base the decision on where to live on a range of factors, and by coming to Scotland they have access to a range of services and benefits not available elsewhere in the UK, including free tuition and prescriptions. Scotland has the most generous childcare package for three and four year olds, and council tax is lower here than in England. This social contract with the people of Scotland is funded in part by our progressive income tax system.”
The doom mongering catastrophists will be out in force today after the First Minister decided to walk away from the Bute House Agreement, the cooperation deal between the SNP and the Scottish Greens. There has been considerable speculation in recent days about the future of the agreement, which ensured that the Scottish Government could govern as a majority. There had been unhappiness about the continuation of the deal from sections on both sides, with a number of SNP figures speaking out against it in public, and a larger number having reservations about it in private, although without making any public statement as they knew precisely what the Scottish media would do with it if they had done.
These members argue that the deal with the Greens ties the Scottish Government to controversial and often electorally unpopular policies, and that the benefit derived from a formal parliamentary agreement with the Greens is completely overshadowed by the costs in terms of a continuing barrage of negative publicity.
There was also unhappiness with the agreement amongst the Greens, with party members forcing an EGM which would give the rank and file the opportunity to vote upon whether they wanted the agreement to continue. This vote was due to take place in the coming weeks and had the members who forced it succeeded, the Greens would have been obliged to walk away from the Scottish Government.
Rather than deal with the weeks of fevered speculation which would undoubtedly have ensued, with the accompanying focus on whether the SNP would appease those in the Greens who forced the vote and continuing attention on controversial policies, Humza Yousaf decided to pull the plug. The immediate cause of this was the negative publicity generated by the refusal of the Greens to accept the findings of the Cass review into NHS care for transgender youth, but other factors are equally important, not the least of which was last week’s decision by the Scottish Government that the 2030 target for a 75% reduction in carbon emissions was not achievable. The British Government’s target for 2030 is a much more modest 45% reduction and there have been complaints, typically little reported in the Scottish media that Westminster, which retains tight control over energy policy, has done little to facilitate Scotland reaching its much more ambitious goal.
There will of course be considerable glee in the anti independence media about this recent development, but in reality there remains a substantial pro-independence majority in the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Government is very far from collapse. The SNP is only two votes short of an absolute majority and only needs to get one or two votes from Ash Regan or one of the Greens on a case by case basis in order to get its agenda passed. The SNP has very successfully governed as a minority in the past, and it can do so again. Yet again the warnings of impending apocalypse are grossly overstated in a Scottish media which has abandoned all sense of perspective in its desperation to undermine support for independence.
As always with the Scottish media, its dire warnings of catastrophe will not come to pass, and when that predicted unmitigated disaster does not in fact transpire, there will be a broken down ferry to bewail.
____________________________________________________________________
I am currently running the annual fundraiser for this blog. It relies on your support to keep going. Please consider making small donation. Now more than ever it is vital that someone continues to make the case for independence without getting sidetracked by conspiracy theories or culture wars issues. You can donate to my crowdfund page by clicking on the following link
https://www.gofundme.com/f/wee-ginger-crowdfunder-2024
Or you can help to support this blog with a PayPal donation. Please log into Paypal.com and send a payment to the email address weegingerbook@yahoo.com. Or alternatively click the donate button below. If you don’t have a PayPal account, just select “donate with card” after clicking the button. You can also donate by PayPal by using my PayPal.me link PayPal.Me/weegingerdug –
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/weegingerdug
If you’d like an alternative method of donating – by cheque or directly into my account, please email me at weegingerbook@yahoo.com for details
Obviously recent developments will attract a lot of interest and people will want to express their views. However I must remind people that Scotland has very strict laws about contempt of court and you must exercise extreme caution in what you post. Ideally it is best to say nothing. I must also warn you that you are personally responsible for any comments you make.
Wee Ginger Dug 
I think the constant catastrophising about the SNP by the media has rendered the SNP practically bomb proof. Today’s events can only improve their prospects IMO as Humza Yousaf’s decisive action to prevent the Greens from holding the party to ransom has raised his status as party leader and as First Minister. Well done him.
The more Scotland catches on to the fact that the media here in Scotland always always find wording to report doom when it comes to the SNP but report nothing when their own UK government masters are crippling the entire four countries of the UK
It’s a complete reversal in England where the news broadcasters actually report on most events in that country
If events and circumstances in Scotland as reported by the media here were as bad as they claim then the SNP would never be in government, but they’re not, so more of us know than don’t know that the media in Scotland lies and omits the actual news when they decide it suits their campaign of SNP bad
Cant see the Greens coming out and voting against Yousaf in a VoC, they will most likely abstain but if they do he on Ash Regan’s vote to win. I wonder what pound of very public flesh Alba will want for her vote – support for her private members bill perhaps?
Sadly the SNP are being carpet bombed from every angle. The spite and vindictiveness seems to get worse year on year. I can see why the Brit Nats and the fellow travellers in all the Pro Union institutions keep drumming away, particularly as they try to push the Labour Party again.
What I do not understand are those in the Yes camp. I appreciate that there is frustration but to me it seems that all they are doing is destroying everything around them, and all the time being cheered on by the Brit Nats as ‘useful idiots’.
To me the SNP have to accept some responsibility here. At the heart of all of this is the image they always present of the Scottish Government as a ‘real’ government. It is not a real government, it is a devolved administration operating a fixed budget and as clearly been shown since Brexit, completely at the whim of the Westminster Parliament.
I see no path to independence, devolution is dead and the SNP seem devoid of a plan. Playing the game with the Brits just means you get cheated and hustled.
I grew with the Scottish Parliament and the hope that it represented. I feel that is now gone and the cold hands of the U.K. carpet baggers and the Labour cronies are coming back, if they ever went away. Back to business and we shall all be back in the shortbread tin.
Sad times. How can this of happened when the Brits are more of a shambles that ever before?
Ash Regan should NOT be given any inducement to support the SG. If she is actually a supporter of independence then she needs to show that by supporting the ONLY party which has the support to achieve this .
If she voted against the SG in a crucial vote which allowed the unionists to score a victory over the SG she should be outed for the cuckoo in the nest that she clearly is . The suggestion that an MSP , elected under the banner of one party can , without any thought of the voters who elected her , jump ship and proselytize for another party which barely registers meaningful support is anti-democratic .
It is long past time when , if an MP or MSP rejects the party under which they were elected , and chooses to join another , they MUST immediately resign their seat and stand for election under their new allegiance . Let the voters decide if they are someone worthy of THEIR loyalty !
In an ideal world you are correct, but in reality Salmond ( lets be honest he’s the one calling the shots not Ash Regan) is going to want something in return for her vote.
If it comes down to her vote i think he will probably resign – better that than seen to be ‘in the pocket’ of the most unpopular political leader in Scotland.
Greens are making announcement at 17:30 so lets see what they say; if they are going to abstain (there is no chance that they will vote for him) then it is a mute point.
Even if Yousaf does loose a VoC (and resigns he has no obligation to do so) does not necessarily mean a GE. There would be 28 days for a new FM to be elected and this would be the person who gets most votes, they don’t need a majority. So it would be another SNP MSP.
So it would be another SNP MSP
It would be Yousaf again as per my post below, short of SNP members deciding by ballot on a new leader. He can simply stand for FM again. If nobody can beat him – which is basically impossible for anyone to – then he is FM again with the confidence of the chamber.
This is why he’s so confident and relaxed.
I can’t read full articles on The National any more as my online subscription ended a couple of hours after Humza booted the Greens into touch by ending Bute House agreement. (Not renewing my subscription as have had enough of the bams on the comment section but will buy a paper copy couples times a week.)
However just read a headline there that says Ash Regan has a list of demands that must be met if she is to support Humza in a vote of confidence against him. Seriously !!!. I have only one demand of Ash Regan and that is for her to resign as an Msp and give her electorate a chance to decide whether they want an Alba Msp. If Humza loses the vote of confidence and a Hollyrood election is triggered Ash will be out on her ear soon anyway which will be a big cause for celebration for me.
Well so far I see no polling impact of recent events (from UK subsets); by that I mean Branchform and not the end of the Bute House agreement. I don’t expect the latter will change anything either. I’m not sure why people think this. Where would these SNP voters ‘come back from’ exactly?
There are no SNP that ran to the Tories over GRR etc to come back (not that GRR was even a Green idea), nor any that jumped to the GRR supporting Lab or Libs. In fact the only place some ‘2019 SNP’ have verifiably gone to in polls is Green. However, these are not actually 2019/21 SNP, but 2019/21 Greens saying who they support not their voting intention. This always happens mid-term with smaller parties. Then British FPTP voting day appears and it mainly vanishes.
English panel pollsters current have total Yes parties combined on 40.1% of the vote for Westminster, which is pretty much identical to 2017-19. Scottish telephone have 45%, which is notably higher than mid previous term. 63% of Scots saying they are certain to vote, with ~1/10 2019 (68% turnout) voters just not answering the panel pollsters at all right now, all of which can only be SNP as they’re the only party affected by this.
Ok so was wrong! Greens are to vote against Yousaf – his future as FM now relies on Ash Regan’s vote
So basically he didn’t absolutely swear and pinky promise that he was going to deliver everything the Greens wanted, when they wanted it, even if it was unrealistic and hampered by WM. Or have I missed something?
Reminds me of my daughter when in her teens. There was a girl who’d behave unacceptably and blamed my daughter. D went onto Facebook and said in disgust “X has unfriended me!” When I pointed out that she didn’t want anything to do with X, D replied “No. But I wanted unfriend her!”
Oh well.
Here’s one vote they’ve lost. Which is a shame, because a lot of their ideas are good. Also, I think maybe they were trying to deal with their own unreasonable minority and needed time.
I do understand why they were upset and angry but really don’t think they should act like that. Makes me wonder what they’d be like in government if faced with the Big Boys?
Mind you, if I don’t vote for a second party, who might I let in on the list?
Maybe OK as MSP, just not in a ministerial post? Needs some thought…
Your PR list vote is your most important vote. It decides the total allocation of seats with the aim of matching the actual share of votes cast for every party.
You’ve been voting for the Greens in government and a local SNP MSP by the sounds of it!
PR list = The party you support most / would most like to see in cabinet
Constituency = The local MSP you’d most prefer, taking into account it’s FPTP, so you may have to variably hold your nose or waste your vote somewhat.
Thankfully, the PR list does reduce wasted votes, which is why you should totally use it for your #1 party.
If you are SNP above all, vote SNP on the list. Green? Then Green.
I don’t understand that at all, I’m afraid.
How could I have been “voting for the Greens in government” when they were only in the cabinet because of the BHA? And now they’re not.
I’m not any party “above all”. (Having seen the light) I’m Independence above all – or at least as an essential step before anything else can be done. So I’d vote SNP as the only party large enough to deliver – and because the alternative here would be a Con MSP.
I can’t see how voting for my first choice of candidate second makes it more likely that they’d get into government…
Sorry, it was to clarify about the voting system.
Your PR Regional list vote is your most important vote. Always use it for the party you most want in government. So SNP if that’s your No. 1 choice.
Anyone voting Green on the list is telling the counters that Green is their No. 1 party. It’s the Regional list that governs how all seats are allocated. If you’ve already won a constituency, then that’s simply deducted from your allocation.
The list decides the outcome, not the constituency vote.
—
If the Greens form a coalition with the Tories in an attempt to take out our Yes FM via a VoC, they will not be getting many list votes in the future!
I see. Thanks.
Of course, it’d still mean I was letting a tory in in this constituency… 😦
That is absolute rubbish. It’s not how AMS works at all.
The simplest way is – if you want SNP to win, vote SNP for the constituency AND SNP for the list.
People suggest “gaming the system”, but it can not be certain. Nobody can predict the results of the 73 constituencies, but if the SNP lose one unexpectedly they’re likely to make it up on the list of 7 additional seats – as long as people vote SNP for both votes.
https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/spice/factsheets/parliamentary-business/scottish-parliament-electoral-system-12-may-2021.pdf
7 additional seats – for each of the 8 regions.
Another sign that Scotland is close to indy, is we are starting to see our own wee political ‘Yes world’ dramas that will be a feature of ‘normal’ independence. The Yes movement is just too big now to be one party with one tent.
If the Greens actually threaten indy with their actions, like dumping support for indy, the SNP would do very well electorally at the expense of them; a reverse of 2016-2021 trends would be expected. If you don’t want a Yes FM, it means you are pro-union. Pro-indy Green voters are Scots that want indy above all just like SNP folks. It’s just they are Green Scots. My brother in law is a Green but indy comes first.
On this topic, the benefit of PR is that Yes vote cannot be meaningfully split. If SNP voters moved to Green, SNP seats go down, Green up. The same applies in reverse. If, for some magical reason, Alba actually get some SNP voters behind them, SNP might lose a seat on the list, but just to Alba. In no scenario does Yes party back and forth swings help the union at all. And polls show no Yes to No voter party movement; only slow and steady creep the other way, as per election outcomes.
This is particularly the case now Yes is >50%. For Yes parties to get comfortably over 50% of Holyrood seats, they need ~45% of the national vote at least due to the 5% cut off on the regional list for seats.
This is how Scotland ended up with Yes governments, but not indy so far. But it’s not 45% Yes anymore at the very best, it’s >50% at the very worst, hence that Yes parties finally got >50% of the vote combined in 2021. This makes it basically impossible now for unionist ever to control Holyrood unless they can somehow reverse their multi-decadal decline. They cannot rely on the SNP/Green/Alba splits as this does not create seats for them, just moves these between Yes parties.
It’s ironic that the system designed by the Brits to prevent pro-indy governments, actually now protects them against the British tactic of divide and conquer. Although to be honest, Scots are great at fighting amongst themselves. They than can unify overnight to ‘see aff the English invaders’ before going back to fighting amongst themselves. 🙂
Oh and there is one party in serious danger of splitting right now. That is the local Branch of the new English conservatives, up to 40% of whom back independence. When that happens, it will be game over. The closer English Starmer gets to No. 10, the closer this gets.
I think, by next week the Green MSPs will have changed their minds and will abstain in the VONC, and the Greens EGM will be electing new leader(s). That was threatened before. If they don’t, voting against Yousaf and the SNP out of spite will be electoral suicide. And good riddance in that case, frankly.
Have they consulted members and got their approval for such a move?
Hope you’re right, yiref2
I note if Yousaf got a vote of no confidence, he could simply resign then stand again for FM. If he wins, he’s FM again. Salmond had nowhere near the same number of MSPs in 2007, but there was no real way to stop him becoming FM, not without massive voter kickback against unionist parties.
The SNP are the biggest party, ergo should have the first chance to form government at all times. The only realistic way to stop them leading the government would be a new formal coalition involving all unionist parties, the Greens and Alba, with an FM that can beat Yousaf… say the deeply unpopular Sarwar. He and his ragtag coalition would be ‘held hostage’ by all 5 parties involved, so would barely last 5 minutes. 🙂
I hope this is attempted ahead of the UK election. SNP would totally romp home!
Labour in coalition with the Tories. That would be amazing. Labour Yes break for the SNP. Green voters all move to SNP as their party enters government with the Tories too…
This is why Yousaf is not worried. The only people that will decide his fate are voters, or maybe SNP party members if he takes the party backwards in terms of real votes on the day, not imaginary poll ones.
There seems to be an automatic presumption that every member of every party will vote against Humza Yousaf, I don’t know if that will be the case, and even if it was the SNP will have already planned for it
I do hope Ash Salmond votes against Humza though so her constituents will give her the same treatment Scotland’s about to give that Westminster pair
In the long run it’s really nothing to be concerned about, I’m 100% sure the SNP prepared for all of this before they did it, it’s just a whole lot of hares running around that’ll get everybody talking about the SNP, so all good
Forbes backing Yousaf as you’d expect.
https://archive.is/pAms5
FORMER finance secretary Kate Forbes has said she stands firmly behind her old SNP leadership rival Humza Yousaf as the First Minister faces a no-confidence vote.
The Scottish Conservatives announced during First Minister’s Questions on Thursday that they would be tabling a vote after Yousaf ended the Bute House Agreement with the Scottish Greens.
Imagine if the Greens back the Tory VoC. Electoral suicide.
It’s funny how you’d think the Tories and Labour would be the happiest about all this kerfuffle, but it’s not, the most delighted in fact is Salmond’s Alba because he thinks he now holds some cards using his pet MSP
I think he’ll be mistaken there, Regan is a dead woman walking as it is, her constituents given the chance would have her head in the stocks at the end of the village street if there was any risk of her adhering to democracy, calling an election giving them the chance to vote her out
Yep if she votes with the Tories in the VOC she just makes herself unemployed even sooner than she expected because that may trigger an unexpected Hollyrood election. I have only given my vote to the Green Party as a second choice in council elections. Hell will freeze over before I vote for them again. This whole farce was caused by Patrick Harvey not standing up to the bampot fringe in his own party. The Greens having joint leaders has always fazed me. It’s as if they don’t want to take responsibility for anything and run a party by committee. As soon as Harvey agreed to the EGM the Bute House Agreement was toast . I would hate for the Greens to deal with and make decisions on anything really important. In this day and age you would think they could organise EGM in half the time than the four weeks they have quoted.
Anyways this has been very good for the green electrons.
CRT’s are crying out for them! New keyboards please.
They make them at Greenock …
https://archive.ph/8c1JZ
If Humza Yousaf loses the no-confidence vote, then he will not be forced to resign as First Minister.
The Scotland Act 1998, which created the Holyrood parliament, states: “The First Minister may at any time tender his resignation to Her Majesty and shall do so if the Parliament resolves that the [Scottish Government] no longer enjoys the confidence of the Parliament.”
This section of the Act therefore relates to a no-confidence motion in the entire government, not an individual minister – even if that individual is the First Minister.
Instead, it will be up to Yousaf how to respond if he loses a no-confidence vote – although the pressure may be immense.
The Scottish Parliament said in a briefing sent to journalists: “A simple majority in relation to votes of no confidence in Ministers or in the Government requires only the number of members voting ‘for’ to be greater than those ‘against’ – no account is taken of any members who abstain.
“If there is a vote of no-confidence in the First Minister it would be up to the First Minister how they responded once the will of the Parliament had been made clear.
“If there is a vote of no-confidence in the Government – both the First Minister and Ministers are required to resign.
So aye, he doesn’t have to step down, but can do so and totally would as that turns the tables. What then, the Greens + Alba vote for the unionist alternative that cannot possibly command any sort of functional government? Will Ross support Sarwar as FM? Would Sarwar support Ross? Will Harvie for or Ross or Sawar? What about Regan? Who is Alex Coal Hemlinton?
I didn’t realise that the VONC proposed by the Tories was against Humza Yousaf personally as FM and not a VONC in the Scottish Government. In fact I never knew there was a difference and had assumed them to be the same thing.
Yea your right none that looks realistic . I got it wrong earlier to become FM you do need a majority (although abstentions don’t count).
So if he looses the vote (and resigns) then there will be an Election unless the SNP nominate someone to be FM that the Greens will either vote for or abstain – that could happen Yousaf could stay as SNP leader with another SNP MSP holding the position of FM.
Not sure you get this, but Yousaf would not need to step down as if FM if he lost a confidence vote. If he did, he can just stand again for FM.
If he did this and won, he’d be back as FM even stronger than now. The chamber would have undone it’s no vote of confidence with new vote of confidence.
I think he should step down and trigger an FM vote. There is nobody that could beat him in such a contest. Sarwar is the closest and would need a grand Yes-Tory-Labour-Lib-Alba alliance! 🙂
That could maybe just get Sarwar as FM, only for this to collapse a few hours later.
Which is why Yousaf is chilled.
If he did this and won, he’d be back as FM even stronger than now. The chamber would have undone it’s no vote of confidence with new vote of confidence.
Based on current electoral arithmetic he could not win the SNP don’t have a majority of so if they all voted for him he could not get a majority.
You really don’t seem to understand Scotland’s system.
Salmond become FM on just 47 out of 129 MSPs, and there was no real way the outcome could have been any different. This could not be stopped without massive public backlash. The SNP could try to form a majority or just see how they got on as a minority, end of.
The onus is on the opposition to unify to offer an alternative coalition to the largest party winner. If they cannot, then the biggest minority rules as a minority.
Right now, you’d need a 4-5 party coalition to have any hope of coming close to being able to outvote the SNP with any certainty, particularly as lots of Labour / Green / Lib back SNP policies, not least independence. You need not only the Greens and Alba to join with the Tories etc, but Labour too. This is for the birds.
They could all keep blocking Yousaf as FM, but unless they can give Scotland a new FM – which they can’t – electorally they just hurt themselves by doing this. They’d be stopping government for their own petty party political advantage, which just damages them as Scots can vote for any party they want under PR.
So Yousaf is relaxed.
Yes because abstentions don’t count.
SNP 63 MSPs
Opposition 65 MPS
He cannot become FM unless supported by another party (either through voting with the SNP or abstaining)
Yes, some would abstain and so he will get the confidence of the chamber which is based those who vote only, as it’s always been.
Yousaf can totally be FM with the backing of the chamber if he wants as things stand.
And I note that, unlike FPTP, an election solves nothing as you still end up with MSPs split between a wide range of parties under PR, with none able to command a majority.
There is the sum total of zero point under PR of calling an early election. It’s a really last chance saloon and often things are no further forward afterwards.
Nope, the only way forward under PR is sitting down at the table prepared to give as much as you want to take.
I so want Scotland to be like it is right now going forwarded. It’s starting to be, politically, an Indy country. Our internal political disputes are becoming our own and it’s wonderful to watch.
I mean we are not going to have Yousaf as leader of the SNP but another SNP MSP as FM. That’s for the birds nonsense.
Nope, we’ll have (A) Yousaf stay as FM, (B) Yousaf stand again for the office of FM and stay in office, or (C) an election which polls say will see Yousaf as FM again comfortably.
The only people that have a clear route to take out Yousaf are voters or SNP members. If Labour beat the SNP in a Holyrood election they could look to form a minority government supported by the Tories. Doing this would destroy them at the next election, but hey ho. It’s why they didn’t try this in 2007.
We are not in England. This is PR, not FPTP. There is no scope for gaming the system.
If most Scots back indy, then a pro-indy majority and FM is what will be delivered. It will just vary in its make-up between SNP/Green+/-Alba
Unionists need Yes to fall back to below 45% to have a chance of controlling the chamber again. Long term (70+ years) trends say this will just not happen.
Maybe we should have a de facto referendum on Scottish Independence!
Just as FFM Nicola Sturgeon proposed, remember her?
I for one am not in the slightest concerned about any of the media and opposition slavering away and biting their own gums hoping and predicting the demise of the SNP
They can fill the TV up to the brim with their “ordinary people on the street” rigged wee vox pops opinions, or the return of the Salmond, it’s just no gonnae happen
They’ll drag and drag this out like boggle eyed drug addicts begging for their fix of SNP doom, and the more they do it the more the public will see them doing it, STV Scotland today had it all prepared with *journalistic* guests to pontificate and everything with the SUN’s Connor Matchett positively wetting himself over the prospect of Humza and the SNPs demise interjections every couple of minutes by Colin McKay practically jumping up and down with excitement, mibbees the polis will have a murder tent outside Humza’s door by morning
Waurs ma teacup tae a pit ma storm intae it
Should always check official sources. For instance here is part of the Green party statement about this:
https://greens.scot/Scottish-Greens-will-back-a-vote-of-no-confidence
“And it abruptly ends the pro-independence majority government which the public voted for, and which members of both parties supported.“
But it’s wrong – the public did NOT vote for a “pro-independence majority government”, they voted for 64 SNP MSPs, and 6 Green party MSPs. it was the two parties that decided on the coalition to provide a “pro-independence majority government” via the Bute House Agreement 3 months later, NOT the public.
Stick to the facts and you won’t be fund out. Official URLs help.
A majority of the public, gave a majority of votes to pro-independence parties, for the first time ever in a Scottish parliamentary election, on a record turnout, on a record signed up electorate is what happened.
But aye, that doesn’t mean voters voted for the Bute House agreement per se.
A majority of the public voted for Nicola Sturgeon leading the SNP
People might argue with that, but how can there be an argument against it when all the media ever talks about are the leaders of parties and which leader will people choose over another
Nicola Sturgeon could return tomorrow leading *the monkey on a stick* party and I’d bet she’d still win
People win elections not parties, ask 1000 random people who their MP or MSP is and the don’t knows would be in the majority
My dentist asked me about todays goings on and once I explained I asked him who his MP or MSP was “I haven’t a clue I just voted for Nicola” was the answer, and that’s an educated young person
Patrick Harvie /Lorna Slater and The Greens are incandescent at Humza for ‘pulling the trigger ‘ on the Bute House Agreement !
Yet , listening to wee Patrick bump his gums about how the FM was undermining the trust that the Scottish People had put in this pro-Independence coalition one could be forgiven for thinking that destroying the Bute House Agreement was the farthest thing from the collective minds of the Greens .
However , once the Greens had their wee EGM in a few weeks ( when the stars have aligned and they have got their alphabetical priorities sorted )it was Patrick Harvie who would be destroying the Agreement with the full backing of his wee party for committing political Hari -Kari . Hypocrisy writ large – in a deep shade of green !
Yep, dead on!
So we have the Times newspaper quick out of the traps with the lies and makey uppy garbage fakery hoping to influence people about Humza considering his position
The SNP replied immediately stating how much garbage that actually is and that he he is certainly NOT considering any such thing
Beware of the pedantic *ah buts* who’s mission is to sew the seeds of doubt
I just found time to play with my semi-automatic spreadsheet for the Holyrood elections which is done in percentages (1 decimal place input, 2 in working) not votes.
In 2021 the SNP got 64 seats in total, just one short of an overall majority. In Lothian in 2021, the SNP got 7 constituency seats out of 9, and 0 list seats out of 7, with 35.9% of the list vote. The Greens got 0 constituency votes, but 2 list votes with 12.7% of the list vote.
The SNP had 7+1 = 8 as the divisor, so 35.9 / 8 = 4.49%. The Greens at 12.7% have a divisor of 0 + 1 = 1, so 12.7%. They won the 2nd seat (Alison Johnstone), so divisor goes to 0 + 1 + 1 = 2, so 12.7% / 2 = 6.35%. They win the 7th seat (Lorna Slater) over the nearest then who are the Conservatives at 4.98%.
If less than one third of the Green list vote had voted SNP instead, say 4.0%, the SNP would have got 39.9% and the Greens 8.7%. The SNP would have had by formula, 7+1 = 8 as the divisor for that 39.9%, so 4.99%. The Greens have a divisor of 0 + 1 = 1, so 8.7% / 1 = 8.7%. The Greens would have won the 4th list seat (Alison Johnstone), divisor goes to 0 + 1 + 1 = 2. so 4.35%. For the 7th list seat, it’s now the SNP at 4.989% and the Conservatives at 4.98%, the SNP win the 7th seat (possibly Graham Campbell).
Instead of SNP 7 seats, Greens 2, it would have been SNP 8 seats and Greens 1 for a total of 65 SNP seats and an overall majority.
So the question is – is the end of the BHA in acrimony going to cost the Greens one-third of the list vote at the next Scottish Election (2026 or sooner) from those who might no longer give their “second” vote (really a regional / list vote), for less MSPs?
E&OE – it took me 3 attempts to get that 😦
Well, whatever, I would be happy if the SNP just ditch the Greens and carry on advocating for protection of the environment however that might best be achieved. Why don’t they appoint Andy Wightman to advise them on the way forward?
“The Greens got 0 constituency votes, but 2 list votes” – seats not votes
Sigh. “It’s now the SNP at 4.99%” (not 4.989%).
I ain’t doing all that ever again 😦
Aye, spot on with the title Paul…
At the time of writing, the BBC’s Scotland page for Furrners has 3 articles up, the latest of which is by James (Moi?) Cook himself, 3 hours old and titled ” Can Humza Yousaf survive as Scotland’s first minister? “, which naturally has been promoted on the UK page for Furrners….
I’ll post the archive in a follow-up as WordPress has periodic “issues”, but it’s essentially James’s usual contrived tripe… As ever, he cannot resist playing the man in the know, trotting out ” I was told by someone in the room “, perhaps the spanish ambassador again…..
Although Scotland’s media (and thereby the wider UK) and the Forres Gump gang will make a meal of the SNP side of it, I suspect the Greens will come to regret over-playing their hand by threatening the BHA in the first place, thereby introducing uncertainty.
I’ve a lot of time for most Green policies as they make total sense, but until we are truly independent of Westminster’s interference, most will scuppered by London’s ‘crash and burn’ policies anyway, aided and abetted by the BBC in Glasgow.
In an independent Scotland I imagine the Greens will do well as unionist support disintegrates, but we need to get there first…
https://archive.ph/FKz31
Hilarious, especially the style of writing which sounded like something from a Mills & Boon novel, his excitement and breathlessness shown through!
On a bright, cold Thursday in April, it ended where it began…
Meanwhile, back inside the grand Edinburgh townhouse, the SNP leader was facing the media – and the music – in front of a gilt-edged mirror...
Ms Regan, who is now a member of Alex Salmond’s Alba Party, was sipping lemonade at the parliamentary bar as the drama unfolded, smiling from ear to ear...
Seriously what kind of journalism is that supposed to be? It isn’t something that can be taken seriously anyway but the best was saved until the end.
On X, Ms Regan thanked the author for her “incredible strength and support…”
“Thanks for standing firm for girls and women in Scotland, Ash,” the Harry Potter author replied...
Ms Regan, said the Alba Party leader Alex Salmond, was now the most powerful politician in the Scottish Parliament.
Talk of deluded, James Cook is not a journalist he is a propagandist for the UK Government and a very poor one at that. His writing is bowfing so it is hahaha.
“Bilge and Swoon” returns….
“Ms Regan, said the Alba Party leader Alex Salmond, was now the most powerful politician in the Scottish Parliament.“
Ah… There she is!
And she can’t even get that right. AS isn’t “in the Scottish Parliament”. Or did I miss something?
Plus whoever was “in the room” and commenting on passing info on to the beeb should at least be given a warning for breach of confidentiality or (IMNSHO) preferably sacked.
I imagine that first quoted statement will appear in BBC Scotland’s already bulging Apologies and Corrections section eventually…
As commented earlier, El Cooky has form on “in the room” – He’ll be banking on previous experience of “we’ve seen the (non-existent) emails FM” for another paid stipend in foreign climes, the US slot is I believe still occupied by his predecessor the Dishonorable Sarah Smith, all at government expense of course…
Is there still an opening for foreign correspondent in Rwanda ? Cheap one way flights I gather…
What a good idea! I’m sure he’d love it there, don’t you?
Our Man in Rwanda. Has a certain je ne sais quoi, don’t ya think? Although I’m not at all sure he’ll want to sais quoi! 😀
The Tories are not going to force an election. They will lose big time. A total masquerade. The Tories cutting off their nose to spite their face. Another own goal. 4th rate losers.
The Greens never think things through. They would lose as well. Independence voters will not vote for them. That is where they get their support. More voters will vote SNP for Independence. With a higher turnout.
The Tories are not going to force an election in Scotland when there is a Westminster GE in the offing and when they are coming off the back of a drubbing in the English Local Elections next week.
I have the feeling when DRoss announced his VONC he was expecting the Green’s to say they would abstain so it would fail but instead…events dear boy, events.
It is in the Tories and the Greens interest to support Humza and the SNP. Or they will lose big time. Out on their ear.
Same for Alba. It will lose them votes.
Alba have votes ? Lol.
And the relentlessly awful Kathryn Samson allows C4 to appear as deluded as the BBC with ” Scotland politics: SNP leader future in doubt after opposition move ” 🤣
The deluded Press MSM put up support for SNP and Independence. People will rally to support the SNP and the Holyrood Parliament.
70% support Holyrood and 50+% support Independence. Any attack by unionists will strengthen SNP/Holyrood support. The unionists and Greens will lose out.
The Dentists and Doctors voted SNP for better remunerations.
Not the shambles in the South and waiting lists going up. Life expectancy going down.
Even with mid-term polling artefacts putting wind in unionist party sails, the one thing polls consistently show, is that Yousaf is the #1 preference for Scots as their first minister.
Likewise, the most recent survey conducted by Scottish pollster shows the SNP + Greens winning another Holyrood majority, with Yousaf returned as FM. This is with mid-term incumbent disadvantage.
It would therefore be electorally disadvantageous for other parties to try and oust Yousaf. The public do not take kindly to party political games that threaten government stability for no good reason, particularly when these can affect no meaningful change.
Yousaf cannot be removed from office by the chamber. To do that, they need him to step down while they offer a replacement from their own ranks that can command its confidence. This is, as previously noted, impossible. It would mean a 4-5 party unionist-Alba-Green coalition with a 1 seat majority. Fantasy stuff.
Holyrood is democratic; it’s not like Westminster. Only the SNP or the public can oust Yousaf.
Seems to me Yousaf knows exactly what he’s doing.
” Seems to me Yousaf knows exactly what he’s doing ” is NOT what the Unionists and media want the public to hear, hence the propaganda barrage.
If you haven’t already, it’s worth suffering the awful Kathryn Samson in the C4 piece commented earlier https://www.channel4.com/news/scotland-politics-snp-leader-future-in-doubt-after-opposition-move and pulling apart the contrived tripe she’s spouting, most of which you’ve already covered… Even the Forres Gump gets a cameo FFS, it’s delusional but plainly orchestrated….
I would love the FM to call the bluff of the Tories , Labour and the Greens by calling a snap Scottish Election – can he do that ?
The LAST thing DRoss wants is to go to the country with his party lower than a snakes belly in the polls and HE has as much charisma as a dose of herpes in a nunnery .
Sarwar is kidding himself that what the unionist media say about a ”Labour surge” is actually in line with reality and he can’t disguise the St George’s -clad figure of Starmer dragging him and his ”Scottish” cohort into the English Nationalist gutter .
The Greens are furious with the FM stealing their thunder when THEY wanted to end the BHA but on reflection will know that they heavily rely on SNP voters to boost them with their Second Vote .
So , come an election in Scotland , what would the opposition want to campaign on ?
Ferries ? Pigeon droppings ? GRR ? Bottle-banks ? Nicola ?
Not directly. But he could stand down as first minister, and the SNP not put up a candidate for his replacement. They would then vote against candidates from other parties and that along with the fact that Labour would not vote for a Conservative FM etc etc would mean that there would not be a FM selected and a election would be called after 28 days.
On a side note, as I found out yesterday, if there is an election now it does not change anything in regarding 2026 – there would still be an election then.
If I were you I would not bet on Labour not voting for a Tory candidate for FM and vice versa.
I hope this happens. Anything to hammer that wedge between Scottish Labour and the New English conservatives ever deeper.
The trade unions have been moving to Yes one by one. It’s only a matter of time before Scottish Labour splits along Scottish (former) unionist vs British / greater English nationalist lines.
They must be feeling the pain of the mass member exodus completely. And on the doorsteps they’ll know they’ve not won over a single SNP voter, but are losing their own to Yes one by one, day by day.
That’s very interesting about the no impact on 2026. I didn’t know that!
This is what I love about Scotland’s parliament, and why I really want independence with a constitution enshrining PR etc.
The fact that you can’t change the date of the next election means there is no incentive for the parties in power to watch opinion polls and collapse the government in the hope of giving themselves another 5 years, then potentially if polls look good again, another 5 years…. Which makes it all a game of self-serving not people serving.
The system was designed not to be gamed, and not to be a game, but a serious, get on with the job, democratic parliament which represents Scotland’s people. It’s ironic unionists made Holyrood the very opposite of their own Punch and Judy joke of a Westminster parliament were everything is about gaming for party political advantage. They did this to bash the nats / kill indy stone dead, make it a boring ‘executive’ etc. But instead, slowly but surely, Scots have decided it’s only Holyrood they want ruling them because of how fair, representative and basically ungameable the system is. This is why it would be a big mistake for unionists to call a VoC which can achieve nothing beneficial for Scottish electorate. It would be utter madness for the Greens to not abstain on such petty party political games.
Incidentally, the SNP, Greens and Alba all disagreeing with each other – as they absolutely should where they disagree – just makes the whole thing more attractive as it’s creating choice for Yessers. Scotland is developing an indy left, centre and now a right. Alba are looking quite attractive if you are more towards the socially conservative centre right; something that was missing before. You can see them taking similar stances to the Tories on quite a few things. It’s great, as they won’t take SNP/Green votes, but, as per 2021, create their own new Yes backers from previous centre-right unionists.
As Scots look from Tory to Labour, and Labour to Tory, and from Tory to Labour again, but find it impossible to say which is which, they do not find this at all with Scotland’s Yes parties. When before the only Yes option was the SNP, now they have 3.
I suspect we will have 4 soon, possibly before Holyrood 2026. An actual Scottish Labour. With up to 40% of their voters backing indy now, and MSPs in that chamber that voted Yes and back it, there will be a split before independence, and I would put money on this being triggered by Starmer’s New English Conservatives winning No. 10. His St. George’s cross shagging says to me he’s given up on Scotland. Polls say he’s no chance of winning, so forget it. Let it go. Focus on building Jerusalem anew.
Anyhoo, some action in politics finally! Next is seeing if Labour get less than 35% in the English locals, which poling suggests they should. A good bellwether for later in the year!
But, but we the Greens hadn’t made up our minds yet to tell Humza Yousaf we would be leaving the BHA or staying in government, Humza should’ve waited until we were ready to announce something in our big dramatic moment, not steal the limelight from us by making government decisions when he knows the Greens can’t do that without asking Janet Fred Bert George and every member in our party, and some of them could even be on holiday or glued to a road somewhere, so Humza Yousaf should’ve waited like a reasonable person until we Greens were ready to tell him how Scotland’s going to be governed, so now we Greens are going to support the Tory Lib Dem and Labour parties and cause chaos possibly leading up to a collapse of government in Scotland, and then Humza will be forced to recognise our mighty power and influence in getting things done
Does that sound about right Patrick? I think it do
Except for the missing part that Patrick Harvie’s position within his party was hanging by a thread unless he did this to satisfy Fred and Janet Bert and George, the tea lady and the four folk chained to some railings somewhere, oh aye and the folk on holiday, Humza shoulda waited, he was rotten to us and mean so he was, and that’s why we’re no playing onymair
millsjames1949
“Sarwar is kidding himself that what the unionist media say about a ”Labour surge” is actually in line with reality and he can’t disguise the St George’s -clad figure of Starmer dragging him and his ”Scottish” cohort into the English Nationalist gutter .”
So what is he thinking announcing he’s calling for a VoNC in ScotGov?
Out-torying the tories?
If that is selected by the presiding officer the Tories will be instructed to vote against it as they’re the party facing total wipeout and even DRoss isn’t that stupid
So what Starmer has told Sarwar to do here is save both Tory and Labour’s skin by avoiding a Holyrood election in which they’d both be in trouble but a move they can grandstand in the chamber about really really wanting to rid Scotland of the terrible SNP bad people
It’s a pre campaign propaganda strategy for their big British General election would be my guess
I confess I hadn’t thought of the SOS (Save Our Skins) aspect of it. Only the grandstanding bit. Thanks.
I’m not devious and cynical enough, obviously. Not that I’m saying you are. You’ve just had many more years of experience than I have. You’ve been in Scotland (I’m presuming) all/most of your life. I spent the 1st 30 years of mine in NW England.
Bad enough, but not on this scale…
You’ve got to laugh at our great English media in Scotland holding phone ins and talks with *experts* pretending this is something to do with this policy or that policy or that party when we all know there’s only one policy, one politic in Scotland
Pro or anti independence, and those pro will stand by the SNP, those anti will bitterly complain that they’re terrible, only complete and total idiots don’t know that, but the media keep pounding away trying to influence the outcome as to how they want things to go, vote Labour Tory Lib Dem Alba, anybody but the SNP while all the rest of us say *get stuffed with your UK we don’t want it*
It is entirely possible that all the above comments are 100% correct, however in reality only one can be 100% correct seeing and accepting that one, when it isn’t your idea, “that’s politics or political success”, which ever way you want to look at it.
The thing that hampers us all, we weren’t in the room or on the conference call so can only guestimate, weighted by our own wants and desires.
So here’s something else to add into your deliberations.
The manner the BHA was brought to an end, was the public show for the media and to wrong foot the opposition/yoons. and everything we see being played out has been previously agreed by the party leaders.
Come on peeps, we’ve got Ash me, me, me, RayGun wi wee Eck’s list, Dross and the Forres Gumps gang, knee jerk marching an squealin’ ‘of with his head’, StarWars as usual is waiting for instruction from the Kid Starver who’s busy trying to get out from behind a cluster f**k of George crosses so he can pontificate on a sovereign country that’s not engerland. and Alex Cole F** you Marie Hamling Toon is desperately trying to find a FOI that vaguely fits the current situation.
Mean while the SNP and the Greens are busy sorting themselves out for one or possibly two elections. and you expect me to believe this was not the plan all along.
Lets face it, in the first few governments of an independent Scotland it is entirely possible that the two largest parties will be the SNP and the Greens.
(other options are available)
I suspect we may have a GE date announced soon. So aye, I agree. The SNP and Greens need to fall out with each other ahead of elections.
Ah but it’s all now been left up to presiding officer Allison Johnson who couldnae switch on a standard lamp without looking for a match to decide which motion to accept for the games to begin
Indeed good point…
The media are at it again with the *who’s going to be the new leader”? there’ll be names and names, in oot aye naw
What about Zorro or Iron man? the media are such shit stirring bastirts
Vote for me – The Moray Gump in my sexy, revealing Scottish Football Lineman kit ! ( I can’t afford to lose my fourth- or fifth – source of income ! )
Vote for me – Starwars , the Scottish Starmer , in my official St. Geor…St Andrew’s Ambulance-chasing clobber , with its inbuilt pigeon detector .
Vote for me – Alex-Cole Bunker , the FOI expert , famous for not being Willie Rennie .
Vote for me and her and him and them – Patrick ( not Swayze !) the Green Man ( lost the Orange vote there , I think ! )
Vote for me (and Him who cannot be named ) – Ash , the lifelong Alba fundamentalist ( until it serves me to jump ship !)
I see Labour in Scotland have now submitted their own VONC. What does this mean please SS, for SNP?
I think it probably means that the VONCs are going to fail because Tories & Labour have realised that a successful VONC would harm them more than the SNP especially if it resulted in a Scottish Election. Hence Labour comes to aid of the Tories by submitting their own VONC.
Nutshell
This sounds like it. Tories won’t vote for the Labour VoC and vice versa.
So Yousaf gets two comfortable votes of confidence in him.
It’s total nonsense that two formal PR coalition partners deciding to part company should somehow trigger a VoC. That’s for when an FM/PM has made some sort of disastrous mistake, plunging the country into turmoil. The public can see this is unionists play petty politics while they sit in the dark eating what’s left from the latest foodbank visit.
Today Scotland is in exactly the same position as it was when the Bute House agreement was in force. The only difference is now the SNP might decide e.g. to approach the liberal democrats to get policies past in addition to the greens or even Alba.
Thanks all
Jackie Baillie confirmed this morning on Good Morning Jockland that Labour in Scotland will be supporting DRoss and his Tories by backing the vote of no confidence motion next week.
Once more the Labour party in Scotland show their true colours in proping up the Tories like they do in councils across Scotland. Twa cheeks oh the same erse right enough.
I can’t help thinking that was all the dust has settled the Tories, Labour, Greens and especially the media will be left looking stupid and less popular than they already are and that the SNP support will strengthen. After all if you still support the SNP you are definitely aware of the shenanigans committed by the BBC and all their little helpers in the press along with the lies of the Unionists.
This is hardly likely to make any of those supporters of the SNP think that it might be a good idea to back Labour or Tory in the hope of a better government in Scotland or Westminster. It looks like another own goal to me especially by the media who are getting all excited thinking they are on to something when they’re onto plums lol
OK, it now appears that Jackie Billie was incorrect in saying that Labour will be supporting the Tories motion.
Conservatives backing the conservatives.
As Tatu3 above has already said Labour will be submitting their own VONC in the Scottish Government which means that unlike the Tory motion, Yousaf would have to resign if the Labour motion passes.
https://archive.ph/ufg8U
But it won’t because DRoss isn’t going to vote for his own downfall, so the Tories will vote against Labour on that risky deal
They’re just all playing political propaganda pre general election free media bites for the scribblers and TV
Meanwhile, the tailor’s dummy doesn’t know who is in charge of Scotland. Maybe it’s the leader of the party with 63 seats i.e. twice as many as the Tories, three times as many as Labour and 15 times as many as his own party. Moron.
Scottish Lib Dem leader says he’s not sure who’s in charge of Scotland
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cy635006p1pt?post=asset%3A9a0545c4-0337-49b0-ac67-fb6de3fd6c31#post
I’m laughing my head off at the media now trying to explain headlines that read “who is Ash Regan” followed by lengthy diatribes culminating in an Alba party MSP that nobody in the Alba party actually ever voted for because she never stood for election to represent that party
So the answer to “who is Ash Regan” is, she is Alex Salmond’s mouth in the guise of a woman
Are we all ready to have a Scottish election on the basis of a woman who’s about to be voted out by the SNP constituents whose votes she stole, I say go for it Alex Salmond, do your worst to ridicule the Scottish parliament, we see you and it won’t work, just join the union party get into the house of lords and be done with this tawdry deception
She is a woman that will give a vote of confidence in the SNP government no matter what they do.
Her very political career / job depends on it and Alba depend on her, as come October, she’ll be last Alba politician left standing, at least if there has not been a snap Holyrood election which takes her out of the picture.
Pretty much…
If a VoC brought down the SNP, a new Holyrood election could be made a defacto iref. If that didn’t deliver indy, the UK election could become one. If that didn’t work, then Holyrood 2026, then UK 2029, then…
The absolutely last thing unionists need right now is 3 possible irefs in a row. The more elections they create, the more potential irefs are generated.
In an ideal world, there will never be any elections again in Scotland as far as they are concerned.
So Labour are totally sure the government will survive a VoC, if simply because Ash Regan will back the SNP because if there was a Holyrood election, she’d lose her job. Then, the 2 Alba MPs would lose theirs in the UKGE, meaning a basic end to Alba.
Hence Alba don’t want elections in Scotland either, not unless they start to see themselves polling 5%+.
For the Greens, voting for a unionist VoC in the FM would be stupid enough, but supporting a VoC in the SNP government would be suicide. They could lose most of their MSPs, with a return to a 2011 type result in a snap eleciton. It would not take many SNP-Green comb voters to go back to Green on the regional list to do exactly that, returning an SNP majority again. They damn near had one this term, and that’s with a record Green vote. And why the hell not as there’d be another election in 2026, so you could give the Greens a good kick in the butt, then come back to them in a couple of years.
Another election would be brilliant for the Yes movement. 3 possible irefs in a row. Bring it on!
Which is why it absolutely 100% won’t happen. There is now way unionists will allow this. So instead, they will have the SNP win a series of confidents votes, cementing Yousaf’s position.
Who’s for a defacto iref via Holyrood in July then?
Sarwar? Ross? Hamilton? Any takers?
Pictures have emerged showing Alba reps Regan Hanvey and others with heads together in the garden lobby of Holyrood with who appears to be the presiding officer Allyson Johnson
Real? or internet fakery? no confirmation on it
Perhaps they are explaining to her what a Presiding Officer is SUPPOSED to do ? She often looks as if she wandered in off the street and took the wrong seat !