This election campaign has been the nastiest, the most unpleasant and the most vitriolic that it has ever been my misfortune to experience. What’s made it even worse is that on top of the entirely expected abuse and insults from British nationalists, now it’s also coming from people who are supposedly on the same side.
As a result of ploughing a lonely furrow amongst Scottish independence bloggers and refusing to join in their campaign to unseat Nicola Sturgeon, my integrity and honesty were called into account. Since Alex Salmond launched his Alba party and I laid out my reasons for refusing to support it, the abuse and vitriol has only got worse. I had one charmer attempt to leave a comment on my blog saying, “I wish you had died instead of your dog.” There has been a nasty unpleasant homophobic undercurrent to some of the abuse. I’ve had people making snide and vicious remarks about the disabilities I’ve been left with after the stroke.
I’ve been accused of not really supporting independence and have been called a creep who is only interested in what I can raise through crowdfunding. Yet if that were true I’d have done what all the other bloggers were doing and would be praising Alex Salmond to the heavens while calling for Nicola Sturgeon’s head on a plate. It seems that a lot of people are now so angry and bitter that they cannot accept that someone might have principled reasons for having a difference of opinion – not even about the end goal – but about strategies and tactics for getting there.
I’ve always prided myself on my resilience and my ability to stand up to bullies. Unfortunately I’ve been finding it difficult to accept that since the stroke I no longer have the physical, mental, or emotional resources that I once had and am finding the current atmosphere extremely difficult to deal with. This is being made worse because the stroke has deprived me of the ability to enjoy the pastimes I used to do in order to relax and switch off. I can no longer do the tramway modelling I used to love and don’t know whether I’ll ever again be able to draw any new Gaelic maps.
I’d be lying if I said that the abuse wasn’t getting to me. My health is being negatively affected by the stress and my recovery seems to be going into reverse. I’m losing some of the movement I had regained in my hand and my speech is starting to slur again. I’m not sleeping or eating properly and have constant issues with my stomach and digestion. Every day is a constant battle with fatigue and exhaustion.
For the sake of my mental, physical and emotional well-being I need to step away from the fray, and switch off from all the toxicity, and concentrate on my health and recovery. Hopefully this election will deliver the pro-independence majority we all so desperately need, and then we can get back to making the arguments for independence in the independence campaign that lies ahead instead of trying to tear one another down. I will continue to write for The National but won’t be returning to the blog until after the election is over. Until then I must concentrate on my health and well-being. I’m sorry to let down supporters of this blog at this crucial time, but I hope you understand my reasons.
This is your reminder that the purpose of this blog is to promote Scottish independence. If the comment you want to make will not assist with that goal then don’t post it. If you want to mouth off about how much you dislike the SNP leadership ,or about some other issue not directly related to Scottish independence – there are other forums where you can do that. You’re not welcome to do it here.
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Wee Ginger Dug 
The Savanta ComRes poll for the election tomorrow is an absolute joke, all of their polls for the Scotsman have been a joke including the one that gave Yes 58% just a couple of months ago which they then claimed to have made a mistake with.
You should have a look at the table of results for any of these polls for the Scotsman, they are like nothing I have seen before from a polling company, literally hundreds of questions, something like 500 in fact. They don’t even publish the answers for questions they have asked on the SNP’s record over the last 5 years. I wonder why?
I will enjoy it very much when they are exposed as charlatans as the SNP go on to blow their forecast of 59 seats out of the water this weekend with an overall majority on their own as the three polls this week from Opinium, Yougov and today from Survation have all predicted.
The Comres poll for the Scotsman gives them a good headline but like most of their headlines it’s just another lie.
The results from today’s Survation poll.
Elections expert Sir John Curtice told us several polling firms are picking up a similar pattern for the SNP as election day looms.
“The SNP does appear to be getting more support which would give them a slight majority on these results,” he said.
In constituencies, the SNP are on 49%, Labour and the Tories are neck and neck on 21%, Lib Dems are on 8% and the Greens are on just 1%.
On the regional vote, the SNP increased their share from Survation’s last poll to 36%, the Tories are up one point on 21%, Labour fall three points to 19%, Greens score 10% and Lib Dems are on 7%.
Mr Salmond’s Alba party scored 3%, which would not be enough to get any candidates elected. But Alba polled slightly higher in the North East parliamentary region, which puts him closer to getting a chance of re-entering Holyrood.
Seat projection from Ballot Box Scotland.
SNP 66
Con 24
Lab 23
Grn 10
Lib 6
https://archive.is/SwlrW
Tom Harris ex Labour MP says it’s better to vote Tory than let Scotland make its own decisions and that’s what he intends to do
Harris was always one of the more notable advocates of the Bain Principle, but at least he does us the service of reminding us that the Labour Northern Twig-not-Branch are still very much part of Bitter Together and are nothing more than a convenient front for the Tory Party.
Great! New page.
Straight from the horses mouth, so to speak.
https://fb.watch/5ih7Q4qG36/
I believe this poll from Ipsos Mori will be the last one before the election, it too forecasts an SNP majority leaving Comres out in the cold as the only pollster to have the SNP winning less than needed for a majority. Not long now to wait before we find out for real.
Ipsos MORI’s final 2021 Scottish Parliament election poll for STV News indicates that the SNP is on course to win significantly more of the vote than any other party at the election on 6th May.
Our headline estimate of voting intention on the constituency vote is:
SNP: 50% (-3 compared with our last poll of 29 March – 4 April)
Scottish Labour: 22% (+4)
Scottish Conservatives: 20% (unchanged)
Scottish Liberal Democrats: 6% (unchanged)
Scottish Green Party: 2% (unchanged)
Other: 1% (unchanged)
Our headline estimate of voting intention on the regional list vote is:
SNP: 39% (+1)
Scottish Conservatives: 23% (+2)
Scottish Labour: 18% (unchanged)
Scottish Green Party: 12% (unchanged)
Scottish Liberal Democrats: 4% (-2)
The Alba Party: 2% (-1)
Other: 2% (unchanged)
These findings confirm that the SNP is going into Thursday’s election in a very strong position. However, it is not possible to predict with confidence on the basis of these results whether the SNP will definitely win an outright majority of seats in the Scottish Parliament. This is both because specific local circumstances will play a role and because all polls are subject to a margin of error, which could easily be the difference between the SNP gaining an outright majority and falling short of this.
https://www.ipsos.com/ipsos-mori/en-uk/scottish-election-2021
This poll, repeated at the election would give the SNP 68 seats and the Greens 11.
“specific local circumstances will play a role” Indeed, that’s the essence of FPTP, a kind of lottery of how people individually and communally respond to a “winner takes all” system with their various allegiance transfers.
It’s the lowish polls for SNP in the list that bother me most, though, since the party does need some top-ups from the list to be sure of a majority. But maybe where it especially matters, those whose votes are still to be cast will resist the Alba pipe-dream and deliver them where it really counts.
Maybe it’s just having endured many a puzzling and frustrating reversal of hopes over the years, but I’m not too optimistic at the SNP getting that tectonic-shifting majority, whatever the polls say, not least in a system engineered to prevent it. It is a sign though of just how far we’ve come by at least being able to realistically contemplate it, and I’ll maybe be happier than most if the SNP manage to pass the line despite everything being thrown at it in the media of late to try to prevent it.
During the 2016 election the SNP polled 46.5% of the condtituency vote and 41.7% for the list vote.Since the IpsosMori poll reports 50% for constituency and 39% for the list,it is quite possible that the SNP will get a majority this time I will keep my fingers crossed.I have nothing against other pro independence parties and wish them well,however,it is essential that the SNP vote is very high because our unionist opponents will spin a failure by the SNP to gain a majority is a setback for independence.We know that is nonsense but they control the mainstream media
Spot on Bill. SNP x 2.
During the 2016 election the SNP polled 46.5% of the condtituency vote and 41.7% for the list vote.Since the IpsosMori poll reports 50% for constituency and 39% for the list,it is quite possible that the SNP will get a majority this time I will keep my fingers crossed.I have nothing against other pro independence parties and wish them well,however,it is essential that the SNP vote is very high because our unionist opponents will spin a failure by the SNP to gain a majority is a setback for independence.We know that is nonsense but they control the mainstream media
Forget about travelling to EU countries to visit, study or work there. Go to India instead 🙄. Oh wait it’s on the red list. Dearie me.
Priiti Patel:- ”A pleasure to welcome @DrSJaishankar to the @UKHomeOffice today as we signed the landmark Migration & Mobility deal as part of our New Plan for Immigration, providing new opportunities for our young people to live and work here and in India as we recover from the pandemic.” https://twitter.com/pritipatel/status/1389620774948978691
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Anton Spisac:- ”This is a highly misleading article by BBC. There’s no UK-India trade deal (and there won’t be one for a good while). What is being announced are various business export deals which may or may not add up to £1bn.” https://mobile.twitter.com/AntonSpisak/status/1389537908734967808
Cases of Covid are being reported as rising every 21 minutes in India, those are completely overwhelming numbers for that country now and impossible to see how they can get through this even with a vaccination programme many times faster than they have at present, it’s becoming a disaster of epic proportions
Agreed DJ, but the scale of what is officially registered drastically understates what is happening outside the “system”, some queueing for treatment are dying at the door, taken away to funeral pyres with little record, while politicians bicker over whether to lock down.
On the India variant, this from Christina Pagel gives an unnerving sense of dejavu over the Kent variant mobile.twitter.com/chrischirp/status/1389273187586875396 and with England about to go gung-ho for the summer and DRoss and Co wanting to go Clubbing in Scotland, I sincerely hope SG’s administration are back at their desks pronto to continue the sensible course…
The other chilling reminder of just how delicate the balance is and how easily it can go awry was a C4 report (2nd?) on Chile, where despite a quite extraordinary vaccination drive, a spike in infections following a government decision on opening tourism left thousands who had even been vaccinated dying in ICUs of all ages.
To recycle and modernise an old WW2 motto for humanity’s current dilemma, “Careless politicians cost lives”
It will be interesting to see the reaction from the Gammon when they realise that immigration from India will increase in place of immigration from the EU.
Never mind afterwards, immigration from outwith the EU was steadily increasing before and throughout the Brexit discussion period, but the Brexiteers deliberately ignored this fact, and for the most part the BritNat media happily played along, since this didn’t suit their nefarious purposes. But then we know that “immigration” was only a convenient populist handle by means of which the dirty deed was helped along, and for entirely different ultimate motives. The gammons were played, just like the NI Unionists and every other useful idiot du jour.
Professor Sir Hugh Pennington has registered himself and others with the electoral commission so they can fund £75.000 to support tactical adverts against Scottish Independence, now how can the BBC or any other broadcaster invite him on TV as an impartial expert when he’s declared himself as politically active in opposition to the Scottish government
Pacific Quay’s maintenance crew will be delighted, fewer studio repaints after embalming fluid reactions…
‘Holyrood, Grey Money and Salvaging the Election.’
..”All of this while the pantomime of Downing Street trundles on. According to John Harris: “In some parts of the country, the rate of unemployment runs at 15%. Six million people are now reckoned to be on universal credit.” Yet in this broken country the idea of spending £200 million on a new royal yacht is seriously discussed as Carrie Antoinette orders golden wallpaper. English voters, it seems, are content with being gaslit by a benign Etonian Oligarch who is dripping in sleaze and corruption as long as he promises ‘everything will be over soon’ every few months.”..
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Another up-and-coming SNP politician to keep an eye on 😀.
‘Scotland’s sustainable future.’
..”Màiri McAllan Is Special Adviser to the First Minister of Scotland with responsibility for Environment, Climate Change, Land Reform and Renewable Energy policy, a position she has held since January last year.”..
..”SNP candidate for Clydesdale.”..
https://newsnet.scot/commentary/scotlands-sustainable-future/
I wonder who gets elected if Alba get one seat?
Answers on a postcard. 🙂
A pistol duel between Salmond and MacAskill at the Canongate at high noon on Saturday?
In which case I would be wishing for a “double win”, if you get my drift. {laugh}
Better Together Again 😀.
”Darling tells Tories ‘Anas Sarwar shares your priorities’ in plea for votes.” https://mobile.twitter.com/HTScotPol/status/1389520543297286145
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”Very excited to announce that @whiskykiss_in collaboration with @ionafyfe and the 2020 / 2021 BBC Young Trad Musicians of the Year, have a single coming out on Wednesday. It is “Letter From America” reimagined for the Brexit generation. Here is a teaser. More to follow! 🏴🇪🇺.” https://mobile.twitter.com/whiskystring/status/1389488783754735620
Watch your back England. Candles at the ready 😀.
‘France threatens to turn lights off in Jersey over Brexit fish row.’
…”Regarding Jersey, I remind you of the delivery of electricity along underwater cables … Even if it would be regrettable if we had to do it, we’ll do it if we have to.”..
http://www.reuters.com/world/europe/france-threatens-turn-lights-off-jersey-over-brexit-fish-row-2021-05-05/
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Check out Ann’s latest links on the Indyref2 site.
https://indyref2.space/forum/topic/links-wednesday-5-may-2021/
Boris Johnson orders everyone on the coast of England to leave their lights on so the people in Jersey can see where they’re not going
Remember that over 15% of the National grid comes from French and Dutch undersea cables, virtually every day.
Combined gas cycle turbines make up to 50% IF the wind isn’t strong enough the on the day.
I’ve seen the pumped storage being used during the normally non peak load demand.
A rear cold snap and the French pulling their nuclear output could be trouble.
Taking back control.
Indeed Dave, England’s endless supply of illusions don’t turn the light on or boil the kettle or heat the home or much else besides, an illusion kept alive by successive UK governments.
As if the south’s dependence on external supplies were not enough, the bubble many in England have been living in is about to meet a Thistle…
Yes Bob
Tonight there’s hardly any wind and the solar is falling off.
They’re using biomass and would you believe COAL along with the 15% from Europe, even the pumped storage is running just now along with conventional hydro.
The loss of a big nuclear would be a huge problem.
Note the media are not telling us about the coal generation.
It’s the anniversary of dodgy dave telling us that we could have strong and stable government with him or Chaos with millibrand.
Pity we in Scotland were conned into believing the vote for the uk IF you want to stay in the EU, no hard brexit, OH hell, that’s what we’ve got.
Too Wee Norway has just reminded the big flounder that they also have borders.
I hope there will be a last minute swing even further to the SNP, that will definately be good. Not just for the constituency though, on the regional vote to allow an SNP MSP to be elected on the list to cover for any losses on the constituencies.
SNP 1 and SNP 2
Or if there is no pro-indy majority, kiss bye be to Indy and kneel down to BoJo.
Yes, we’re clearly sharing the same thought here.
I’m going to cross all my fingers and toes and say we’ll have enough to progress, the prospect of not having enough is terrifying
I’m going to cross all my fingers and toes and say we’ll have enough to progress, the prospect of not having enough is terrifying
Labour and Anas Sarwar’s position is probably the worst in politics now, he leads his party in Scotland yet only represents a minority of the party because a majority of the members now support the proposition of an Independence referendum, he’ll never be in government in Scotland again and his party will likely never be in government in England for a very very long time if ever
So what are the Labour party for but to do the bidding of the Tories, but still for what purpose? don’t they ever want to be in charge of anything ever with all these policies they keep saying are wonderful yet they know for a fact they can never implement them?
Stop it, Dr Jim, I’ll be crying in my soup at the Labour predicament!!
Just in case there was anybody out there not of sound mind even contemplating Labour as any kind of option other than the bin
And that’s without even mentioning the bouncy castle party of Willie Rennie
Just a pity that the Hartlepool by-election hasn’t already happened to deliver a dash of cold reality to the dwindling number of fond-hoping voters and save them from the empty notions of both those pretenders.
Depending on “convincing England” of the rightness of our case is such an empty excuse for doing nothing that it’s a downright insult to the people of Scotland, Willie.
As for you, Anas, your “high moral ground” stage act was already passé back, oh, way back when Kezia was caretaker if not long before, and England continuing its right-swinging trajectory is humiliating your knee-bending stance in front of all our eyes.
Polls have to be treated with extreme caution, but the recent ones seem at least to be hinting at a move in sentiment if anything towards rather than against the SNP. Partly as a response I imagine to Nicola’s excellent showing in the TV debates, perhaps finally putting behind her (and the late SG’s) media battering over the Salmond Affair, and instead reminding people of exactly who has been taking such diligent good care of us all over the last year. I just hope all those postal votes have also caught the tide.
Please God, 65 or 66 SNP seats and 10 or 11 Green seats would do just fine.
50 % + of pro Independence votes cast and we have our unquestioning right to a new Independence referendum.
After all it said in the Smith Commission “it is agreed that nothing in this report prevents Scotland from becoming an independent country in the future, should the people of Scotland so choose” That was after the 2014 referendum and it was signed by all five main parties.
No “once in a generation” crap mentioned there, so onwards and upwards to an Independent Scotland again.
Twas the night before Election, when all through Bute House
Not an MSP was stirring, not even a mouse.
The acceptances were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Andrew soon would be there.
The candidates were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of Independence danced in their heads.
And Nicky in her ‘kerchief, and Pete in his cap,
Had just settled their brains for a long winter’s nap.
And oh tis so sinister
been fooled by westminster
ditching Scotlands best chance
ALBA seats go askance
But as long as there be
But 100 still see
Scotlands future will be
Voting ALBA SNP
Enough you will see
Will vote ALBA SNP
The majority we need
Will help us succeed
A bit of a waste of 10,911 votes Terence, to get no seats.
The Daily Express *warns* its readers that Ursula Von Der Leyen and the EU are behind Nicola Sturgeon in breaking up the UK, so good news then
I just heard Laura Keunssberg tell a flat out lie on PM Radio 4. She said that the SNP will not pursue Indyref2 unless they have a majority “on their own”.
How brazen she is. This will be ground work being laid for denying a referendum.
So get out everyone and vote SNP 1 & 2. My postal vote is in.
She wishes!
But it does help highlight a political reality, that the BritNats will be concentrating their post-hoc media pontifications solely on how well the SNP do on their own. No pop-ups considered. Vote on the list, people, with that very much in mind. Give these fake friends and enemies of independence no room for their usual slithery manoeverings.
Yes – and she stressed the phrase “on their own”, slowing down and lowering her voice. What’s more, the interview was recorded earlier so there was time to correct that before broadcast.
Colonial PM.
Same with “Good Moanin Scotland” where the ever loyal HMS Sarah Smith crew heard the FM’s “won’t countenance an illegal referendum” and reinterpreted it for the thick deaf and blind as “wouldn’t hold an independence referendum without the agreement of course of the government in Westminster”.
Their desperation is obvious, time a message was sent in a manner unavailable to distortion, Scots have had enough… Glenn will doubtless demand a show of hands… 🤣
…and be told to behave himself by a newly re-elected FM if he dares! {grin}
Capella , you still doing your bit to help them by not voting ALBA ?
Oh, do give up insulting us. Look at the polls and use what you have left for grey matter, instead of simply regurgitating inane slogans. At 2%, those of us with functioning noggins can readily see what will surely be the waste chute for useless votes.
And the BritNats will only be looking at the SNP result to determine how to respond next. Your pathetic little pop-up won’t decide the future, at most it can only get in the way.
Check this out with your grey matter grize
https://www.barrheadboy.com/5126-2/
Another absentee gold-rush sufferer. Multiple dreamers don’t make fond wishes any more real than a single delusionist.
Look at the polls, dammit! You’re trying to make a pig fly by mere suggestion. Try levitating yourself likewise and see how you get on.
Next you’ll be bombarding us with Dangermouse.
Oh dear, JK@SGP is consoling himself (if no-one else) that the Alba poll numbers are “holding up”…
…at ~2%. {sigh} Yet he insists on projecting a load of wins on the basis of an unlikely 6% outlier.
Wake up from your rose-tinted pipe dream, James, please. In your mad infatuation you persist in digging an ever-deeper hole for yourself, and from which you will struggle to extricate yourself on Friday with any reputation left. I’m just dreading the absurd post-hoc justifications you try to produce then. “Building a base” to absolutely nowhere.
Apparently they surged from 3% to a 2% super minority, what’s angering though is that if the SNP end up a couple of percent short we’ll know how that came about just in time to be too late
You have your chance to vote SNP and ALBA which is unquestionably the option that would give the biggest number of Scottish independence MP,s in the Scottish Parliament.
When you know that not voting ALBA will reduce the number of MSP,s and you still do not vote for ALBA it will be you to blame , not ALBA
We will see
I will be back here on thursday to discuss the result
I didn’t and wouldn’t vote for this party not because they say they are an Independence supporting party, if I were sure of that I might have, but purely and simply because of Alex Salmond who I and most of Scotland seem to agree is unfit for public office
https://www.barrheadboy.com/5126-2/
You won’t know the results until Saturday, see you then.
See you then
You might have served us all better, Mr 2%, if you had waited until the results themselves came in. Then if you dare show up at all, it will no doubt just be to serve us with pathetic excuses for the crash-and-burn of your amateur little pop-up.
For the rest of my response, see upthread:
There won’t be a result known on Thursday or has the Alba party borrowed Doctor Who tardis
Michele Barnier describes Boris Johnson’s negotiators as *childish and ridiculous*
While Gordon Brown describes Nicola Sturgeon as *waging war* on the UK
Are there folk in Scotland still not noticing this?
I don’t believe anybody in Scotland still notices anything Federal Broon says these days, actually. The English-controlled media are living in a self-deluded past by wheeling him periodically out of seclusion. “Mr PFI” is unfondly-remembered history now, and his fast-depreciating party are following him, whatever the media here may hope or think.
Molly Forbes has died aged 98. She was the woman who defied Donald Trump and refused to sell him her farm for his Golf Resort at the Menie estate. Obit in the Guardian.
The family should erect a giant 100 foot statue of her overshadowing the golf course.
I’d chip in for that.
https://archive.fo/ty7Yw
”Molly was dignified and courageous, and wise.”
Says it all for the elderly Scottish woman who stood up to bully-boy Trump.
RIP Molly.
Quite a good article in the Courier with the FM sharing her thoughts on the eve of the election.
https://archive.is/wip/RwzLn
If you want a bit more, Chris Deerin has an article in the New Statesman that features an interview with the FM, looks like she’s been busy today as you would expect.
https://archive.is/ckCAU
A vote for SNP on the LIST
Is a vote for a unionist
We will see how many unionists you vote in to Holyrood
With your hatefest
Since your precious little pop-up can only help serve the enemies of independence without providing a scintilla of actual support, you have a nerve coming back here to hypocritically insult us like this with your own little fragment of animus. Take a hike. The exact same message as Scotland will shortly deliver to your irrelevant little band of fellow delusionists.
Now you are straying into the totally ridiculous, why is it I’m not at all surprised? Mind you, actually thinking of consequences is not one of your strong points, is it Terence LOL
For more years than I care to think on I have believed in Scottish independence, and voted for it SNP, SNP1 & 2, and SNP & Green.
For many years I trusted Alex and I liked and enjoyed the way he did politics.
But his way of politics is over, just like steam powered trains and ships it has been supersede.
When he came back to the political scene I thought maybe the second vote, but something rattled in the back of my head. something which I could not quite nail down.
Over the last few days those half grasped thoughts have solidified into something I can hammer down on.
I am sure now he has no cares for we the people or Scotland itself, only for Alex.
My proof for me is in the fact that such a supposedly great statesman, who admitted questionable behavior but claimed it was not criminal.
And as a result was found not guilty.
Never considered, or does not care that he has Linked my country’s name with a sex scandal. And we are the one’s who will have to live it down not him.
ALBA is our country not your ego trip.
Well said and true
Totally agree Alba is the ancient name of our country for all of us the Gael,Highlander the Lowlander and the people of the Northern Isles. As someone with an interest in Gaelic language music and culture I feel there is a sniff of cultural appropriation in calling it the Alba party even though I know AS did not found that party.
I am hoping and praying that we get an Snp government again preferably with a majority. It has been a very weird election. I will be voting Snp 1 and 2 as planned.It will be strange to have no late night results . We live in interesting times
Get a grip Terence people vote according to their conscience and beliefs. They are allowed to have different opinions from you and act accordingly. No hatefest involved
Just watched a brilliant production of James Robertson’s “The Land Lay Still”.
it’s a talk through with scenes enacted and music.
https://lyceum.org.uk/whats-on/production/talk-show-and-the-land-lay-still
Streaming for 48 hours.
Well worth watching. Donation of whatever you want.
Thank you for the Lyceum link !
And a goodnight from Nicola.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/215556435841901/permalink/876606243070247/
Superb 🙂
That big lad looks like he can throw him far enough
In case anyone is still in any doubt about the significance of the list for a stunning outright win by the SNP, here’s an extract from The Herald’s web page to remind us about this:
So beware of anyone who tries to convince you to divert an intended SNP vote from the list, especially in the most critical regions like South Scotland. A big constituency vote and a big list vote anywhere provide the best guarantee available that indy takes another giant step forward and shakes the BritNats to the core.
Happy election day, and apart from getting that vote out to vote SNP + SNP for the best chance of an outright majority and Indy Ref 2 in this term, hopefully the first half, get out the vote to vote SNP + SNP for the best chance of an outright majority and Indy Ref 2 in this term, hopefully the first half.
Dr Jillian Lewis says they have evidence there are people in Moray who are aware they have Covid not self isolating and are deliberately going about their business spreading it, they’re just not complying with the rules
Totally bonkers
Or is it simply another Dross attempt to stop the SNP vote.
Project fear 2.1.3.
Keep them @ home.1.3.X.I.V.
For those Indy supporters saying Sturgeon is feart to mention the words referendum and independence, here’s from The National today:
“VOTE SNP and help deliver independence. That was the exclusive message sent direct to National readers from First Minister Nicola Sturgeon last night.
She told us that this election would be the most important in Scotland’s history – and that the future of the country was at stake.
Writing a special election day message for readers and subscribers of The National, she called on the Yes movement to give both votes to the SNP today.
“The last year has been the toughest most of us have known – but we are now on the road to recovery,” she said. “The question is who should be in the driving seat, shaping that recovery – those of us who live in Scotland or a Westminster Tory Government led by Boris Johnson?
“Those of us who believe passionately in the need for independence know the answer to that all too clearly. But we need to be in a position to offer our fellow citizens the choice of independence, while continuing the work of persuading those who remain to be convinced.
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon: A vote for the SNP is a chance to decide Scotland’s future
“And the only certain way to ensure an SNP Government is re-elected and in a position to deliver a referendum is to give both votes to the SNP today.
“Boris Johnson knows he will not be able to block a referendum in the face of a democratic mandate for one.
“So to all those who believe in independence and are determined, as I am, to help deliver it, give both votes to the SNP today and put Scotland’s future in Scotland’s hands.” ”
https://www.thenational.scot/news/19281853.vote-take-scotland-independence/
A good analysis of Boris and the Tories. Note this is purely about the English local elections and not the Scottish General election. It’s a good watch anyway enjoy and vote SNP 1 and 2 today. I am there in spirit if not in body. Alba gu brath!
Sorry forgot the link.
”If you have been told to self-isolate and therefore cannot get out to vote you can apply for an emergency proxy until 5pm day of poll.” https://mobile.twitter.com/rheawolfson/status/1389972074555396100
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”Can Scotland afford to go it alone? With every passing election, Scotland seems to move closer to independence. Investment Monitor explores the obstacles the country would face should it leave the UK.”’
https://investmentmonitor.ai/analysis/who-would-pay-the-bills-in-an-independent-scotland
Ballot Box:- ‘It’s the Final Polls Thread!” https://mobile.twitter.com/BallotBoxScot/status/1389903284119408640
…………………………………………
‘Turnout deciding factor.’
https://newsnet.scot/news-analysis/turnout-tomorrow-deciding-factor/
”Does a majority of seats from pro-independence parties in the Scottish Parliament provide a mandate for a second independence referendum?”
http://www.centreonconstitutionalchange.ac.uk/news-and-opinion/does-majority-seats-pro-independence-parties-scottish-parliament-provide-mandate
……………………………………………
‘The SNP is the only party with the experience to lead Scotland through the pandemic.’
http://www.politicshome.com/thehouse/article/the-snp-is-the-only-party-with-the-experience-to-lead-scotland-through-the-pandemic-and-build-a-recovery-for-all
‘SNP could still win Holyrood majority, poll suggests.’
http://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/brexit-news/westminster-news/nicola-sturgeon-holyrood-vote-7945056
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Says it all!
‘Scottish Labour’s quiet Tory strategist.’
”Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar is being advised by a key figure behind ex-Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson’s political brand, Coffee House can reveal.”
https://archive.ph/n1ZJu#selection-151.0-151.39
Ah, Bitter Together alive and well, Labour once again slavishly fronting for the Tories when the latter are failing and can’t hack it for themselves. Silly Labillies. Will they never learn? They are slowly running out of supporters willing to vote for the Tories by proxy, for all the fancy PR strategising they care to employ.
SNP 1 and 2 for Scotland.
No messing around.
Deutsche Welle:- ‘With independence in play, Scotland votes in pivotal election.’
http://www.dw.com/en/with-independence-in-play-scotland-votes-in-pivotal-election/a-57428896
………………………………..
‘Iran ”meddling” in Scottish elections story blown out of all proportion.’
http://www.businessforscotland.com/iran-meddling-in-scottish-elections-story-blown-out-of-all-proportion/
Richard Murphy:- ‘How much debt would Scotland owe the rest of the UK if it were to be independent?’
..”Fourth, come what may, Scotland has no legal obligation to pay any debt at all, and London has already conceded this.”..
http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2021/05/05/how-much-debt-would-scotland-owe-the-rest-of-the-uk-if-it-were-to-be-independent/
…………………………
‘That creaking sound? It’s the United Kingdom starting to break apart.’
..”But now that they’re dominated by a prehensile ogre grabbing all that his donors will give him while queues at the foodbanks lengthen, why should anyone north of the border consent to be ruled by his insouciant decree?”..
https://amp.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/may/05/united-kingdom-westminster-independence-union-democracy?__twitter_impression=true
A sound man, Monbiot. Back in 2014 and now still. That article is quite a blast, and he doesn’t miss his several targets. Take just this one:
Turns out the election Starmer was really concerned about, in the video he made with Scotland as useful backdrop, was not the one you or I know, but an internal one for Unite, his biggest paymaster union. That’s how much he cares about the kind of future we’re wanting here.
That’s me SNP 1 & 2. Job done, great to see an SNP fellow member at the Polling Station to meet and greet voters. No body else there.
So, here we are, taking the first step. Can I say what a privilege it has been to be associated with the people on this board. No group of dedicated folk could do any more to promote the cause than you guys. So, my thanks to all and here’s to a brighter future for this wonderful country
Aye keep the light on for us. We’re heading back 😀.
”Here it is, our new single Letter To Europa💜 Featuring both the 2020 & 2021 BBC Young Trad Musicians of the Year & the sensational @ionafyfe on vocals, we got kind permission to reimagine Letter From America as a love letter to Europe🏴🌎.” https://mobile.twitter.com/whiskykiss_/status/1389877894080606209
………………………………………
‘Thoughts on the state of Britain right now.’
..”There’s a new dilemma to divide the country as if the terrible ‘Getting Brexit Done’ deal wasn’t enough. Boris Johnson has decided to pump billions of taxpayers money into upholding the union by bribing Scotland to stay (source). The only reason he is doing this is because he does not want to be the PM that goes down in history that oversaw its disintegration. Like it or not, the elections in Scotland are about independence. Brexiteers are apparently comfortable with that – obviously. Are they quite as keen to see their money burned in huge piles to save something they don’t give a toss about? And don’t let a single Brexiteer say they didn’t vote for Scotland’s independence – they did. And if they claim they did not know – then they were either deluded or continued to force their fingers in their ears to the calls of everyone trying to point that out in 2016. The Daily Mail, Sun and Express are promoting Johnson’s plan with all their might – as it is they who massively promoted the destruction of the union in the first place. It’s got Wales thinking too – while Northern Ireland burns.”..
https://truepublica.org.uk/united-kingdom/thoughts-on-the-state-of-britain-right-now/
Forget about Iran and look to Pakistan. Will the media, other than the National, be reporting on this?
‘Election: Scots voters receive texts from Pakistan urging them to back Labour.’
..”Scottish Labour stressed while it was aware that Mohammad Sarwar was personally sending messages to support his son, it had no role in them and is unaware of any phone calls. The party said: “Once again, we have to question why Anas is asked questions about his family that aren’t asked of other politicians. Most proud parents would help their children campaign to get elected to parliament, this is no different.”..
http://www.thenational.scot/news/19281860.mohammad-sarwar-texts-not-part-campaign/
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Hard to swallow? Impossible Richard, imo.
‘Richard Murphy: Why I predict a profound crisis for the UK after these elections.’
..”The question then is what to do about that? My message is straightforward. It is that, hard as this will be to swallow, if nationalists want independence they may have little choice but help reform the rest of the UK first, with support for the right to be independent in England and Wales (Northern Ireland being a special case with its own pre-existing rules) being a condition of that.”..
http://www.thenational.scot/news/19280782.richard-murphy-predict-profound-crisis-uk-elections/
As you say, Petra. In that quotation, Murphy gets this arse before elbow. The reason many of us want independence is – as Monbiot correctly diagnosed in the reference upthread – we believe from long and bitter experience that it is impossible to get England to reform itself within the existing UK. It has no incentive to do so, neither from the Tories nor from Labour. An establishment closed shop. That’s why we’re jumping ship, because it’s only by getting England off our necks that we’ll be able to get things done, and done freshly and differently. England will only finally accept the need to reform itself with the profound aftershock of losing Scotland. That’s the biggest favour we will bequeath them by departing.
Yup, all of that.
Check out Ann’s latest links on the Indyref2 site.
https://indyref2.space/forum/topic/links-thursday-6-may-2021/
And Professor John Robertson’s articles on Talking up Scotland.
https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/blog-feed/
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Well this is it folks at long last. Get out there and vote SNP x 2 X
Well, that’s me voted SNP1&2 in South of Scotland.
Surprised at the number of folk voting (at 9-45am), usually been far more staff than voters, but ,today, there seemed a steady stream of people – which in all the past elections I have never encountered at this particular polling station.
Hoping this is a good sign!!
Polling Station in Bill Kidd’s constit was busiest I’ve seen it before 9 this morning.
I took as a good thing as there were more youngish couples than usual.
Yep, brisk voting going on here in Bishopbriggs East Dunbartonshire, I’ve never seen it quite like this, here’s hoping it’s a good sign, I was still delivering leaflets at 8 AM and plenty of folk were up and about
Good afternoon to Spam Valley. Hopefully we’ll see the election of pro-indy Alba MSPs to lead the campaign for the restoration of Scotland’s national sovereignty.
So Colin your wings pal has produced a list for the Alba followers to vote Unionists.
Wings is now a unionist following blog. Must make you angry/ upset?
Some on there are angry, Hamish, that Angus MacNeil is advocating voting SNP x 2. Just as well he kept his mouth shut up until now or he would have become a target for the poison dwarf. Too late now 😀.
Angus B MacNeil- ”Are others getting friends and acquaintances asking how the 2 votes in the voting system interact with each other? Not had this before .. if that experience writ large across Scotland could be quite a dent in Lab & Tory in the next Parliament. Obvs I tell them #BothVotesSNP.” https://twitter.com/AngusMacNeilSNP/status/1390251035562844163
Hopefully we won’t, and hopefully after The Fizzle (plus the further humbling of your real favourites), we won’t be pestered by your sleekit diversionary drop-ins any more either.
The leader of that party was abusive, the party itself is abusive and your Wingsy strategist is abusive in print, voters tend not to like that
Well that’s the deed done here in Brightons, Falkirk. No queues but a steady stream of folks despite the lousy weather. I hope that is a good omen.
SNP 1&2 X8 here in Larbert, ” 5 family and three friends” ,Primary school showing constant trickle of voters at 10.10 am Excellent welcome at polling school very safe and well organised,the two ladies on desk expect a very busy turnout.
Voted SNP 1 & 2 here in Ralston, Paisley
The busiest I’ve ever experienced at this voting centre in 26 years!
Come in Scotland! 🏴🏴🏴🏴
STV this morning telling people that polling stations close at 8pm, this is not true. Polling strings are open till 10pm. Don’t know if STV have corrected this yet.
I also understood any waiting in a queue at the polling station at cutoff would be allowed to cast their vote beyond the due time because of the unusual situation with Covid.
All the signs are a massive turnout with a particular drive by the young/new voters to get in early and make it count, all good, it’s called democracy…
Was at my polling station about an hour ago and voted Snp 1 and 2. Only me and 1 other elector there but that polling station only covers about 600 houses and is normally not that busy at this time of day but more electors arrived as I left. Polling station was very well organised with double amount staff than normal. It still feels very weird up here in North Bearsden even 10 years after the boundary changes that we are not in Strathkelvin and Bearsden constituency but in the Clydebank and Milngavie one. Some folks really resent this split in the town for SP elections although it doesn’t bother me much but I think it did add to the disconnect with the election campaign which was obviously affected by Covid restrictions too
The Collatins usually go to vote at tea time, then on to out fav curry house for an election nosh up.
Sadly no can do this year, so we’re off shortly once my Everlovin’ emerges from the salle de toilette, where she is preparing for the last election as a colony of England.
SNP1 & 2 here, plus our extended family.
Sadly I have not received my e mail from Sarwar’s father ordering me to vote Red Tory yet.
You neer know; his intervention may have made me stop and think.
No, sorry, it wouldn’t.
I can taste freedom in the very air now have a stew on simmer for later, but we’ll miss the through the night results countdown.
Later.
I didn’t get an email/text telling me to vote Labrador either. Anyway, it wouldn’t have worked. I saw that the British Lion are thinking a getting more Token Scots on the team. So I’m now 300% convinced that they really do love us and am obviously going to vote Tory 1&2. Just a soon as I can get this strait jacket off… 😀
But I did get a text telling me I owed £2 for a parcel delivery. (They’re getting really good – I actually had a parcel due this morning!) That’s just as good, if not better, I think…
Bad luck also on missing the curry. Can you not order carry out and take it home?
Excuse the typos that should be “British Lions are thinking of getting more Token Scots”.
Labrador isn’t a typo. Quiet for most of the time, but with a tendency to tread on your feet heavily, knock things off the coffee table with ill-timed tail wagging and produce unexpected SBDs. (Silently But Deadly, in case you’ve never come across the term…)
That’s just what we did last night, IUTBE.
There are two things that are irresistable when the mood takes. I get unfatnonable cravings of a curry and apint of guiness, not necessarily at the same time.
There is nothing for it by to feed the beast when this happens.
Last night was a ‘I fancy a curry’ moment…
Spicy chicken fried rice, naan, and vegetable pakora. delicious, but somehow not the same as eating out.
The best curry house West of the Pecos, our little secret.
Just back from voting..slow but steady..I have a feeling that the Brits are in for an almighty shock.
Stay safe and prosper, IUTBE.
I need an editor…
Mixing a good curry with a guinness you need an understanding partner ready to strap the corners of the duvet to the bedframe, not an editor…
It wouldn’t be the first time that I’ve been ‘exiled’ to the back bedroom. IUTBE.
My Better Half has had her moments too…
And with that, I draw a subtle veil over Life With The Collatins.
Now we know how Johnson will react to a pro independence majority: he’ll send gunboats up the Clyde and clap Sturgeon in irons.
The Brit news is full of Battle of Britain crap about the pluck of the Jersey Fishermen facing up to the invading Froggie hordes.
The Bank of England is predicting boom and growth as nail bars and cocktail lounges ‘bounce back’
That’ll pay the bills, until Brexit really bites them in the erse.
Why are intelligent news reporters protecting this absolute buffoon?
Under threat of the sack?
It’s going to be rare fun over the next few days as news trickles through that the Union is dead.
I’ve got my stock of rice pudding in; it’s going to be a long haul.
I’m the same with Chinese! Unfortunately, the mood always seems to take me on Tuesday. In fact, if I fancy a Chinese, I automatically assume it’s Tuesday. Why? Because our favourite Chinese is closed on Tuesdays!
Guinness and curry? Shouldn’t that be a spare house, not a spare room?! 😀
Anyway, went a did my civic duty. YouGov voting intention for NE was SNP 54 Constituency and 35 on List with Cons at 28 on List and 31 Constituency. Greens on List at 15, with Alba on 4.
SNP 1 Green 2 chez Usedta
Chicken noodle soup, prawn crackers, sweet and sour chicken, Hong Kong style, and….chips….mmmmm.
That’ll do nicely, thanks.
I see some nutter has accosted NS in the street…
God,they are dragooning every right nutter into Better Together now.
Ho hum.
I voted by post a couple of weeks ago. SNP 1 & 2. So it’s great to get the dispatches from voters out and about.
Feels like I’m waiting, waiting and waiting, refreshing my twitter feed to see the updates from campaigners. There is a buzz abut the SNP who are very positive (on my timeline at least).
Still get the occasional ALBA sour grapes tweet but tempered with the realisation that Colonel Campbell is issuing bizarre orders from Bath HQ. Even James Kelly is getting sceptical.
The post mortem should be fascinating.
James Kelly duped by Campbell and Salmond.
https://scotgoespop.blogspot.com/2021/05/if-youre-voting-alba-on-list-today-and.html
I think he’s already looking for redemption: “When this is over, I’m going to pick apart the game Stuart Campbell has been playing over the last 18 months. When he suggested a Wings party, it was all about how ghastly it was that we had unionist MSPs on the list. It turns out he *wants* unionist MSPs in the constituencies.“.
I looked all the way through the supporters of the Alba crowdfunder, and as well as some online, i knew some personally from Indy Ref 1. Surprising who has gone along with this destructive nonsense, and definitely not trolls or fakers.
Somebody should sell James a bridge.
The wingers at last come out of the closet and tells us to vote for unionist parties.
Sorry SNP 1 & 2 weeks ago.
Does Salmond, McCaskill, McEleny agree with the Batista?
If it results in federalism, then yes.
Voted Angus South SNP 1 and 2 but a pang of regret on seeing Alex Salmonds name on the ballot paper and not putting a cross beside it.
Alex Salmond’s name is not on the ballot paper.
“You’re a fascist, you’re a racist and the people of Glasgow reject you”
Nicola dealing with racist harassment in Glasgow. https://twitter.com/Trump_ton/status/1390328940431020033?s=20
Somebody paid an awful lot of money to put this no-hope bigot in the FM’s constituency, all show for someone with deep pockets, presumably the same one who funded the campaign against the HCB, now we know why.
Doubtless Princess Fransen will follow on with Act II at the the declaration for the agreed fee, then disappear into the sewer from whence she came ?
You’ve got to laugh at her marching along shouting her racist mouth off with an English accent. If she wants to complain about immigrants entering her country she should take a trip back over the border and stay there.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jayda_Fransen
I couldn’t find anything on the net that says she actually lives in Scotland. Does she, if not why in hell is she allowed to stand for the Scottish Parliament or is there some stupid rule that allows that even if she lives outwith Scotland. Time someone sent her back perfidious Engerland She is one obnoxious moron. As for her hideous knuckledragging colleague he is a definite case of Darwinism on action
One of the joys of a postal vote is that you can wind up a Tory canvasser by thinking he has a chance of catching your vote, keep him talking for 5 minutes then tell him you voted for an Independent Scotland 3 weeks ago.
One thing we will know after the polls close is – turnout. Not sure if that will include postal votes though.
I’ve heard a couple of sources say that turnout could be high, but the weather is bogging, which presumably will push it down. Regardless of the results, the higher the turnout, the better. A politically active nation on election day gives a government more legitimacy.
If we look at Scottish and Westminster elections, we need to have a far greater Holyrood turnout (constituency / list for SP elections):
SP 99 – 58.4% / 58.3%
GE 01 – 58.2%
SP 03 – 49.7% / 49.7%
GE 05 – 60.6%
SP 07 – 53.9% / 54.0%
GE 10 – 63.8%
SP 11 – 50.5% / 50.5%
GE 15 – 71.1%
SP 16 – 55.8% / 55.8%
GE 17 – 66.4%
GE 19 – 68.1%
And sorted by parliament:
SP 99 – 58.4% / 58.3%
SP 03 – 49.7% / 49.7%
SP 07 – 53.9% / 54.0%
SP 11 – 50.5% / 50.5%
SP 16 – 55.8% / 55.8%
GE 01 – 58.2%
GE 05 – 60.6%
GE 10 – 63.8%
GE 15 – 71.1%
GE 17 – 66.4%
GE 19 – 68.1%
The highest turnout was 1999, but it was still well below the GE norms. Even taking into account the ebb and flow of normal turnout and stay away parties (GE 2001, was low due to Blair’s almost certain win), it would be great to see 60% happen. The more legitimate the result, the less the Westminster and London media can ignore it or criticise the result as not legitimate enough.
Additionally, it seems that lower turnout favours the unionist parties. It certainly favoured Labour in the pre-2010 era. An overall majority for the SNP, with the Greens taking 10 seats too, and a turnout of 60% would be a very, very healthy result.
N.B. – The turnout for Westminster is the Scottish turnout; not the UK.
When I was young, I was given a record player, one of those things that played vinyl records. I don’t know where the money came from to pay for it. It had a wee name badge on the front. A four letter word A_L_B_A An autochanger. It was supposed to play a series of records one after the other. This thing only played the same one over and over. Not only that but it was very noisy and every sound that came out of it was distorted as fuck. Nobody wanted to listen to it . It eventually went up in smoke. Just mentioning.
Family voting done.
Just vote your conscience folks. Vote for who YOU believe will serve YOU best. You’ll sleep better. 🙂
So Albanites are so proud that they follow Campbell of wings ignoring Salmond’s advice.vote unionist
Loyalty is a strange thing
Mmm, a 2014 NO voting and campaigning daughter voted SNP for the first time ever. She thinks “Big Nicky” is great. Detests Salmond.
Regional calc of Ipsos-Mori poll, with total at end:
Central:
Constituency – SNP: 9 (n/c)
List – Lab: 4, Con: 2, Grn 1
Tot – SNP: 9 (+1), Lab: 4 (n/c), Con: 2 (-1), Grn: 1 (+1)
Glasgow:
Constituency – SNP: 9 (n/c)
List – Lab: 3, Con: 2, Grn: 2
Tot – SNP: 9 (n/c), Lab: 3 (-1), Con: 2 (n/c), Grn: 2 (+1)
Highlands & Islands:
Constituency – SNP: 6 (n/c), Lib: 2 (n/c)
List – Con: 5, SNP: 2
Tot – SNP: 8 (+1), Con: 5 (+2), Lib: 2 (n/c)
Lothian:
Constituency – SNP: 8 (+2), Lib 1 (n/c)
List – Lab: 3, Grn: 2, Con: 2
Tot – SNP 8 (+2), Con 2 (-2), Lab 3 (n/c), Grn 2 (n/c), Lib 1 (n/c)
Mid & Fife:
Constituency – SNP: 9 (+1)
List – Con: 2, Lab: 2, Grn: 2, Lib: 1
Tot – SNP: 9 (+1), Con: 2 (-2), Lab: 2 (n/c), Grn: 2 (+1), Lib: 1 (n/c)
North East:
Constituency – SNP: 9 (n/c), Con: 1 (n/c)
List – Con: 4, Grn: 2, Lab: 1
Tot – SNP: 9 (n/c), Con: 5 (n/c), Grn: 2 (+2)
South:
Constituency – SNP: 5 (+1), Con: 4 (n/c)
List – SNP: 3, Con: 2, Grn: 1, Lab: 1
Tot – SNP: 8 (+1), Con: 6 (n/c), Grn: 1 (+1), Lab: 1 (-2)*
West:
Constituency – SNP: 8 (n/c), Lab: 2 (+1)
List – Con: 4, Lab: 2, Grn: 1,
Tot – SNP: 8 (n/c), Con: 4 (n/c), Lab: 4 (n/c), Grn: 1 (n/c)
Constituency Seats:
SNP: 63 (+4)
Con: 5 (-2)
Lib: 3 (-1)
Lab: 2 (-1)
Regional List Seats:
SNP: 5 (+1)
Con: 23 (-1)
Lib: 1 (n/c)
Lab: 16 (-5)
Grn: 11 (+5)
Total Seats:
SNP 68 (+5)
Con 28 (-3)
Lab 18 (-6)
Grn 11 (+5)
Lib 4 (-1)
Indy parties: 79 (+10, 61%)
Unionist parties 50 (-10, 39%)
Alba was nowhere near getting a seat. Best option was 2% swing from SNP to Alba, and the others were 3+ percent, with a shift to the Greens being the better option in half the regions, but they too needed 3% or more. It was all basically “Meh!”.
If this was the result, I wouldn’t complain too much. 🙂
* For fun, in the South’s regional list, I gave the SNP +5% from the Greens, and it meant the SNP took a seat from the Greens. Make of that what you will.
Good work, cheers. The results in South Scotland and the Highlands are of course very important but mu gut feeling is the results will be close to your calculations. There’s not very much margin for a cushion but fingers crossed that there is just enough.
Equally important, the Indy breakdown by country of birth:
Scots: 48% Aye, 46% Naw, 6% DK/Ref.
Non-Scots: 42% Aye, 50% Naw, 7% DK/Ref.
Tot: 47% Aye, 47% Naw, 6% DK/Ref.
Scots are still for Indy, and probably have been since the 2014 result.
Thanks Statgeek, a lot of good detail.
not only have the British Lions squad been released today, the Bank of England have a statement out on the miraculous recovery of the economy, on election day?
Bozo’s backroom boys have been busy.
Nicola Sturgeon accosted by English Nationalists outside polling station
full story in the National but not on the national news
In the Herald too.
‘Nicola Sturgeon deals with far-right extremists at Glasgow polling station.’
http://www.thenational.scot/news/19284647.nicola-sturgeon-expertly-deals-far-right-extremists-polling-station/
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jayda_Fransen
See Capella’s post / video at 5.15pm.
Really looking forward to the Janey version of this 🤣
In the Guardian too
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/may/06/you-are-a-racist-sturgeon-clashes-with-ex-britain-first-deputy
BBC News – Sturgeon calls out ‘fascist’ candidate in tense confrontation
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-57013769
It finally made it onto the BBC news app
Nicola handled them with ease and put them in their place – racist thugs
I think, could be wrong, that on election day the FM has plain clothes close protection (armed).
I think even if she didn’t have close protection there’d have been a line formed in front of her ready to put these folk down if they’d got out of hand
I have met NS a few times in office I used to work in including once when she was FM. Her police protection was outside in a big black car then as she was perfectly safe with our director (Indy supporter). I am sure her police protection was not far away today.Don’t think she was wearing her high heels today. Pity!! I would paid real money to see Nicola tred heavily on that fascist morons toes
Hahah. Losing the plot.
‘This 10-second clip sums up everything that’s wrong with Brexit Britain.’
..”Comic Janey Godley added: “Well now we’re all safe with Captain Pugwash at the helm.”..
http://www.thenational.scot/news/19283481.10-second-clip-sums-everything-wrong-brexit-britain/
………………………………
‘Line of Duty’s Martin Compston turns tables on anti-SNP Twitter troll.’
… ”Compston responded: “Hey Susan hope yer in tip top form, I know it doesn’t fit the hate the Indy actor narrative but I pay top rate tax in Scotland, always have. Not through a company as is my right and would substantially lower my tax. I believe those who earn a bit more should pay a bit more.”..
http://www.thenational.scot/news/19283203.line-dutys-martin-compston-expertly-deflates-anti-snp-twitter-troll/
Good for Martin Compston but the level of Britnat hatred has gotten to the ridiculous level when they attack a Scottish actor off the telly for supporting his choice of Scottish political party
It’s great to see more and more Scottish celebrities supporting independence, Dr Jim, and being more outspoken about it. Being love bombed by the Better Together crew won’t work second time around.
“Time to escape being dictated to by buffoons.”
http://www.thenational.scot/news/19104247.sam-heughan-graham-mctavish-make-case-scottish-independence-la-times/?c=cfsprb
It doesn’t feel right on election night not being able to stay up through the night watching the results come in. There’s not even going to be an exit poll either because of Covid, so I’m thinking of just having an early night and a good sleep before watching the coverage tomorrow.
Might change my mind though, who can say lol.
Alex,
Surely you’ll be staying up to watch Fiona’s unbiased QT?!!
Wouldn’t miss it for anything, how else would I be able to get my Scottish political news??
Ch4:- ‘Scottish Parliament elections could have profound impact on future of UK.’
http://www.channel4.com/news/scottish-parliament-elections-could-have-profound-impact-on-future-of-uk
……………………………………….
‘Scotland has third highest vaccination rate in the World.’
just voted at Morningside, Edinburgh Southern. Massive queue of old Tories voting Labour to keep Scotland English. No sign of anybody from the SNP which is frankly fairly representative of the dreadful campaign run by the local candidate for whom I voted and who will probably win on Nicola’s coattails. [If she loses it’s because she’s hacked off every activist in the constituency]. Anyway, the worst SNP always beats the best Unionist .I am hearing excellent reports of really lengthy queues in Gorgie and Dalry – Edinburgh Central. You don’t normally get people queueing to vote there
Red Morningside !
Many old foke vote SNP, hopefully enough to take Edinburgh Southern along with all the younger folk.
Here in Prestwick polling stations are very busy, my better half and I both voted SNP and SNP. Noticed polling station in Mossblown was very busy also, I hope it’s a good sign as better turnout usually “trumps” the Tory vote.
Polling station fairly quiet in my little part of Fife at 8pm. Steady trickle, would be the best description. Massive list of parties to select on the regional list vote. Topping it was abolish. I think I might run the aarvarks for yes party next time, with the tagline “vote SNP”. 😀
Reposting this as mucked up name on post so it ended up in moderation
There were 19 candidates on the West of Scotland list a lot of whom will be lucky if they score more than 200 votes. What a waste of paper
Well, for anyone living in Bath who forgot to set their clocks foward to Scottish Time, that’s it now, voting stopped over an hour ago. Time to give up the blog for good.
Keith Brown on Squawk did a good job. I like the way he said “As you and Alan Little said earlier”, having put his own interpretation on it. Cool move.
I’m going to have to go to my pit.
Well, there was Kirsty on Newsnight, interviewing Jackie Baillie and Jamie Greene…their faces told it all….Baillie looked like she was about to explode, her face florid, a woman defeated.
But of course Wark reminded her that if she loses the FPTP constituency Golden Ticket to sit on her arse for another 5 years doing nothing to serve the people of Scotland, she’s on the Magical Jobs For The Boys Red Tory List, and we’ll have to put up with her… how did her fellow Red Tories describe it… ‘pish’ until we attain Self Determination.
Wark pressed her on whether she would back Johnson if we voted today for a majority Pro Independence Government, and Johnson said No.
Baillie fudged the stock answer, that she was against Scotland deciding its own future and would oppose any referendum at Holyrood.
In other words, she will show her true colours, Red Tory, arm in arm with Johnson and his gunboats, forcing the will of England on Scotland.
No longer a Union, Scotland a militarily occupied colony of her Paymasters, and Baillie would remain their willing stooge.
Jamie Greene is not even awaiting a constituency result. He has been shooed in as a LisTory cert.
His face was vermillion and he looked as though he was in desperate need of a laxative.
Both he and Baillie trotted out the usual guff, better together Covid Recovery garbage, not a cigarette paper between them in their hatred of the people of Scotland acting as an independent nation.
There is no Labour Party in Scotland now.
The Lib Dems and Greens didn”t feature in Wark’s wee spot, which was squeezed in between England LA elections, the Hartlepool by-election, and the English Mayor bun fights.
It is clear that the Brit Nats are far from happy…good.
This was their last chance to save their union, and it showed.
I’d love to see smart erse Baillie get her P45 for any number of reasons. Lying about the number of jobs at Faslane for one (putting us all at risk of getting blown to kingdom come) and of course doing her big man / woman act on the Harassment Committee. Additionally being fly enough not to stand for Labour leader. Just sit back, do nought for Scotland and lie through her teeth on behalf of Westminster whilst lining her pocket with big bucks. That’s around four out of hundreds of reasons I truly want to see the back of her and her big, red, sweaty face.
I’m padding about here doing nought too. I’m usually working up until I go to bed from 2am on but not tonight. I can’t sleep so no point in going to bed. I can’t wait to hear the results. Praying for an SNP majority. Thinking about everyone who’s worked so hard to get us to this point in time against all odds. Nicola Sturgeon is no doubt top of the list followed by Paul Kavanagh. Paul who has worked his backside off for the independence movement day in and day out for years now and stood his ground latterly as other blog owners literally lost the bloody plot. He kept us all on the straight and narrow and afforded us this home. So a great big thank you to him and also to the posters on here who made me proud to be part of this family. No matter the result tomorrow we won’t give up until we get our freedom. And we WILL. Rest assured. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iI8zPbEHRl0
Newsnight including who ate all the pies from 22mins on.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000vszg/newsnight-06052021
Seconded, and then some, Petra.
Paul has gone above and beyond, and is in all our thoughts especially at this time.
I am certain that he’ll be back fighting fit in time for the 18 month IndyRef2 Push.
Hartlepool reaffirmed its status as a hub of Little England by voting in a Blue Tory zealot, on a 16% swing from the Red Tories.
Boris Johnson is their leader….
It’s a while since I observed that England is The Tribe That Lost Its head.
They have no excuse now.
When Brexit bites, and the world turns its back on their green and pleasant land, they will only have themselves to blame.
Later, Duggers.
Stay well, Paul, and Peter.,
Well said
I think we;ve got this…not just in constituency terms….but moreover….its the TIP that puts us on our way!
TIP?
Anyone care to differ?
Latest from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. ABC. Your on the telly and radio in Australia Scotland.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-07/scotlands-election-could-lead-to-new-referendum-on-independence/100119000
And another.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-06/scotland-election-is-today-here-s-why-it-s-so-important/100118182
Thanks for the links. I thought this summed up the situation clearly:
“But Scotland is its own country that sits inside the UK, and has its own government and elections.”
Pity it doesn’t add “and gets ignored anyway…”
Also doesn’t discuss whether or not Australia’s request for independence was “allowed” by WM. If not, what does that make Scotland? Less than a colony? If it was, any useful tips? 🙂
This may be useful. I’m pretty sure Canada came about in the same or similar processes.
https://peo.gov.au/understand-our-parliament/history-of-parliament/federation/the-federation-of-australia/
‘France 24. Independence the ‘elephant in the room’ as Scotland goes to polls. Video from Dumbarton.’
http://www.france24.com/en/tv-shows/focus/20210506-independence-the-elephant-in-the-room-as-scotland-goes-to-polls
…………………………………………….
‘France 24 UK votes as independence debate heats up in Scotland. Video from Edinburgh.’
http://www.france24.com/en/video/20210506-uk-votes-as-independence-debate-heats-up-in-scotland
‘RTE. Could the Scottish elections lead to another independence referendum?’
http://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2021/0504/1213735-scottish-election-independence-referendum/
……………………………………….
”Son-in- law Luca just sent me this from the Italian newspaper Domani. There has never been a time in modern history when Scotland has been so much in focus, and much of it is down to this brilliant woman @NicolaSturgeon and the contrast with Brexit Boris Johnson #indyref2.” https://mobile.twitter.com/billykayscot/status/1390368921765748736
‘Washington Post. Scottish independence ‘front and center’ in May 6 election.’
https://archive.ph/5yXit
……………………………
Alan Ferrier:- ”The #ScottishElections as seen by Dutch cartoonist Joep Bertrams in France’s “Le Monde.” https://mobile.twitter.com/alanferrier/status/1390200868155297792
‘Gunboats, Tories and Jersey.’
..”Nor should Scotland or Wales. A government willing to intervene with a show of force in the affairs of another government with sovereign rights over an issue in dispute is capable of repeating that behaviour. And that worries me.”..
http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2021/05/06/gunboats-tories-and-jersey/
………………………………………
‘Charities unite to condemn ‘inhumane’ policy that threatens to deport people for sleeping rough.’
http://www.holyrood.com/news/view,charities-condemn-inhumane-immigration-policy-that-threatens-to-deport-people-for-rough-sleeping
Hahaha. That’s the BBC telt.
”The BBC hadn’t prepared for this moment and it was beautiful.” https://mobile.twitter.com/UgRwah/status/1389869751560769536
………………………………..
”Since Tories came to power:
> 200,000 nurses quit the NHS
> Justice spending down 25%
> Police numbers down 21,732
> Highest taxes since 1950s
> Homelessness up 250%
He’s campaigning to fix problems HE caused, and his solution is: more of the same.” https://mobile.twitter.com/RussInCheshire/status/1390244854886768640
During his ’19 campaign, Petra, Johnson ‘vowed’ to recruit 50,000 more nurses in England, 20,000 more police on the beat, and build 40 new hospitals in England in his first full term a PM.
Now that they wheeled out the Governor of the Bank of England (91.6%) on the day of the Hartlepool By election and BBC wowed viewers with the Great News! that England has ‘bounced back’ and their economy will grow by 7%, not the 5% previously forecast by BoE, surely there will be a flood of recruits in Nursing and the Polis, and new EHS hospitals shall be spring up everywhere during the next 3 1/2 years?
All evil sinister propaganda of course, and the English, going by last night’s result, are swallowing this Make Britain Great Again evil blood and soil fascism.
There will be riots in North Red Wall Cities like Bradford, Sunderland and even Manchester this summer, as the White Far Right flex their dormant UKIP EDL muscles.
There has always been an undercurrent of racism and xenophobia in the so called English Labour Heartlands…Now that England has opted for a fat oaf to bash Johnnie Furriner, and on QT last night, one of Bruce’s hand picked virtual audience was allowed to declare that Boris’ Boats should have sunk unarmed French working class fisherfolk, unchallenged or rebuked, then we can detect the ‘mood of the room’.
Mighty England takes on the Furriners.
England has morphed into a rogue fascist state.
It is like the Mass Suicide in Jonestown, with Johnson as Jim Jones, serving up Kool Aid and any poison he likes to the indoctrinated Little Englanders.
This is not hyperbole.
There will never be a Red Tory Government running England for decades…Why would Scotland let England destroy our society ?
If there are any labour followers left in Scotland, what will it take for them to vote Yes now?
Petra,
He really did a number on the BBC reporter, and in near perfect English too.
Superb
Brilliant Legerwood 😀
Well no news yet in relation to Scottish polling but it’s becoming clear that Labour are finished in England. Tory Jill Mortimer won Hartlepool with 6940 votes. It just beggars belief that the English electorate are still supporting the most corrupt, inhumane, fascist Government in over 100 years. That electorate of course consistently decides Scotland’s future. As Richard Lochhead SNP says: “Dear Scottish Labour are you Yes yet?” Time for the Labour Party in Scotland to breakaway from England and support Independence to at the very least keep them on a life support system until they can get back on their feet and make a fresh start.
‘Scotland reacts as Hartlepool goes Conservative: ‘We need a lifeboat’.’
http://www.thenational.scot/news/19285450.scotland-reacts-hartlepool-goes-conservative-we-need-lifeboat/
………………………………..
Check out Ann’s latest links on the Indyref2 site.
https://indyref2.space/forum/topic/links-friday-7-may-2021/
If only there were such a thing as a Scottish Labour party instead of a branch office of the English Labour party, Anas Sarwar now only represents 40% of his own members
Labour are democratically and morally bankrupt and will never win elections as long as they’re seen to be even more dishonest than the Tories
On a lighter, and not completely O/T note…
I was highly amused by the First Dog on the Moon cartoon in the Guardian this morning. (For those who may not know, he’s Australian). It’s about vaccination, but the following was “screen, meet tea” moment and sort of sums up my thinking on when to ‘do’ a referendum.
“However, the most important thing at the moment is not my feelings about the corrupt vaccineocracy. (can’t believe I’m saying this)
“What is important is getting on top of Covid. What is important is other people! We can destroy the state once we’ve all been vaccinated and we’ve got some free time.”
Of course, time’s a bit shorter in Scotland than it is for Oz.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/may/07/im-booked-in-to-get-my-first-dose-of-the-covid-vaccine-and-truth-be-told-im-a-bit-nervous
Indeed, IUTBE, it’s time for some momentary light relief.
Well found.
A taxi driver was overheard saying that he heard one of his passengers on the mobile discussing Brendan Foster’s move to Arsenal following Arteta’s sacking, and Steven Gerrard taking over at Leicester, but the news embargoed until RFC supporters have bought their season tickets for next year.
I report this to wind up malkymcblain, of course.
You heard it first, as is often the case, here on WGD, Duggers.
How looks the day, my friends?
The Brit Nat Spin docs are in vape filled rooms as I type, getting their excuses ready…
Worth a read.
‘How Scottish independence stopped being scary.’
”In 2016, Scotland’s Conservatives successfully spread panic about an independence referendum. Five years on, the electorate is no longer afraid.”
..”In 1997, a young SNP candidate called John Swinney came all the way up the bumpy drive to my parents’ house in rural Perthshire and persuaded them that he was best placed to unseat the incumbent Tory MP.”
http://www.opendemocracy.net/en/opendemocracyuk/how-scottish-independence-stopped-being-scary/
………………………………
”A total of 89.2% of people who had registered to vote by post returned their ballots and queues, queues and even more queues. Let’s hope that SNP supporters were out in force.
”Counting starts in high turnout Scottish election.”
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-56995136
It also seems to apply to the SNP itself. In previous elections the party always played down the independence issue (though their prime policy was hardly a secret), successfully asking voters of all inclinations to support them regardless because of their track record in government. This is the first, I think, where they have made a second indyref an explicit manifesto promise, and it has been highlighted (ad nauseam, you might think) by the Tories and the feeble Tories (aka FibDems), so even a result that is unchanged from the previous election – and we might even hope for better – can be regarded as a big step forward, and indeed a sign that many people are indeed no longer afraid (or even just mildly resentful) of an indyref2.
The Hartlepool by-election result can only reinforce the necessity of having such a referendum.
Today the media are concentrated in their hundreds if not thousands around Holyrood hoping and praying for the SNP to fall short of a majority so they can proceed with the next step of dismissing the Green party as a serious political party should the SNP require them to make up the deficit of Independence supporting parties to proceed towards legislation for an Independence referendum
Meanwhile the supporters of the Wings over Salmond party are still infesting the airwaves hurling bile and vitriol at the FM for as many reasons as can be invented by the website who encouraged and insisted that they vote against the SNP and vote for Unionist parties as the only route to Independence for Scotland even though doing so would without question allow Unionists more seats in the Scottish parliament, the bitter desperation of that website became obvious a while ago when they realised they were going to lose, so the aim became *burn everything down*
We have the Labour party already finding complicated ways of defending Sir Kier Starmer’s leadership of that party against dreadful results in England in the face of the most corrupt lying bunch of Tories ever seen in living memory
We cross our collective fingers that Nicola Sturgeon has the majority required to do the job and return sanity to Scotland in the face of this insane crumbling edifice of a United Kingdom and be the first of our island countries (not counting the actual first Ireland) to remove Scotland from the madness before it engulfs us and we sink like a stone in the bad ship Brexit
You would think that any genuine supporter of independence who found themselves on the same side as Jayda Fransen would realise it was high time for a re-think.
I think when people set out to campaign for hate they become unable to step back from it and just descend into the morass of unclear thought similar to a drug or alcohol addiction where they need increasingly more hate to feed off so they seek out those who can supply them with it *hate dealers*
I was in Hartlepool years ago, 30 I think, doing some work at the power station. Wife was pregnant so I had it pre-planned, did it quickly and didn’t stick around. But imagine the Tories winning the by-election there – even considering that at times of crisis people apparently support the government. Hartlepool for the Tories. It’s another universe, and one I don’t want to be part of.
I’m a Scot, Nicola, get me out of heeeeeeeerrrreee.
Well, indeed. Given the increasingly-evident swing in England away from Labour toward the corrupt Tories, one might think that whatever the Branch Office continue to maintain, the average Labour stalwart might well be increasingly tempted to agree with you here.
I’m going to target Brian Wilson below the line on the Herald for a “What do you think now Brian who used to be my Labour MP I voted for to get rid of the useless Tory John Corrie back in Maggie’s 80s” with, errr, well that, basically!
An aunt of mine and her family, all Edinburgh born, currently live in Hartlepool. They have been there for around 15 years.
I want to distance myself completely from her comments, by the way. And I am using a “polite” version of what she said to me.
But she voted for Brexit to get rid of all the “coloured folk” in Hartlepool. She now votes Tory as she still thinks that they will get rid of all the “coloured folk” in Hartlepool.
No relation of mine! But it did make me think that maybe the environment you live in can deeply change your views? She’s in her late 70’s and so filled with hate. I don’t recognise her as my favourite aunt anymore.
Agree with all of you post Dr. Jim, ‘Bathman’ and his true believers full on anti-Scotland.
Still winning an overall majority is probably an essential to defeat the English government and its Scottish lackeys.
I think when people set out to campaign for hate they become unable to step back from it and just descend into the morass of unclear thought similar to a drug or alcohol addiction where they need increasingly more hate to feed off so they seek out those who can supply them with it *hate dealers*
I see that Kirsty Wark is punting the proposition that a “majority for the SNP” (of seats, presumably) will be the key to a second indyref. No mention, note, of the pro-indy Greens even, let alone anyone else, and that in an electoral system in which getting a single-party majority is extremely hard to achieve. Another careful BritNat adjustment of the goalposts?
Predictable as usual, I’m sure Westminster will have been gaming out all their disingenuous reasons for attempting to deny Scotland democracy even if every voter in Scotland voted SNP X2
65 or more Indy seats is all we need. Could have had one last time, but for Brexit, 2017 election, 2019 election, Brexit proper, Covid, etc.
While one expects events in nearby countries to affect your own up to a point, when another county’s event affect your own so far, it’s time to change things.
check this out from BBC Jockland web site:
“Tune into BBC One Scotland for eight hours of live coverage of the election results from 12:00.
Election 2021 Scotland will be presented by Rebecca Curran and have expert analysis from BBC Scotland’s political editor Glenn Campbell.
As the story unfolds, a panel of politicians and political commentators will be quizzed by broadcaster Gary Robertson.
Laura Miller and Laura Goodwin will be on hand to bring the latest news.
Rajdeep Sandhu and Sally Magnusson will report live from outside the Scottish Parliament. And David Wallace Lockhart will outline what the results mean – with the assistance of a state-of-the-art graphic explainer.”
The Brits assemble!
People of Scotland, bow down to your imperial masters !
There willl be a lot of 60% trade EU Euro currency border with England guff over the next day and a half…they’ll use this BBC Jock Stockade extravaganza to kick start Project Fear 2.3, or is it 2.4?
Campbell Magnusson Robertson…the Old Guard..they’re playing with a flat back three..and you don’t get any flatter than these three Old Brit warhorses.
Kirsty and Nick Eardley were on the London based election special this morning outside Holyrood…
What a reunion party they’ll all have tomorrow night as the lights go out all over their precious Union.
Given the developing results in England, however the votes in Scotland eventually fall, the Labour media Establishment in Scotland must be feeling increasingly isolated.
The future choice for Labourites: “dog in manger” or “total re-think”. Bumbling on as before in the hope of eventual better times no longer seems to be a viable proposition, but alas is still the most likely (non-)response, for their hopeless (non-)leadership at least.
Hartlepool?!? Jeebus! 🙄
Kinda proves the point about the normalisation of the unacceptable. They wanted a conservative and they got one. They find the conservative practice of politics and overall ideology acceptable.
Pretty much says it all really.
It’s just a pity that this by-election result wasn’t in before the elections here. It might have concentrated minds wonderfully.
Snap.
Aye
For sure.
Dundee hold with increased percentage just in.
Professor Poultice predicts we’re one short, a pretty bold prediction to make at this time, does he know something we don’t or is he just *winging* it because of the unpredictability of the tactical vote against the SNP
Maybe he’s taking a punt on a combination of the extreme difficulty of any party achieving an overall majority together with a lack of overwhelming evidence of a big shift in sentiment towards the SNP. Whatever the “gamers” may think, the SNP need a good show on the list to prevail absolutely, but it’s the Greens who seem likely to benefit from any tactical voting there. Despite the very encouraging sign of a high turnout, I’m also sceptical of an overall SNP majority, but just very much hoping to be proved wrong.
Oooh, turnout and SNP vote up in Orkney. Details to follow, I was looking at 2016 as the declaration made.
Can watch it her by the way to see how things change:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_Scottish_Parliament_election
and click on the constituency.
Good link, I was going to each Scottish parliamentary page for the 2016 result.
Yes, I’ve got the main page in one tab, and scroll down in a hurry and right-click on the constituency to put it on another tab.
Turnout is up, but I get the feeling already the results are all over the place.
I’ve been watching The Courier.
I’m a simple soul and like lots of pictures…! 😀
https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/politics/scottish-politics/2189980/scottish-elections-2021-track-the-results-live/
Remember, you’re normal…
Puts me in mind of an old Jasper Carrot routine, along the lines of:
“Normal? Who wants to be normal? SERIAL KILLERS ARE NORMAL.On the news, the neighbours always say ‘Who’d’ve thought? He looked so normal…'”
😀
‘SNP and Lib Dems pick up first Scottish seats.’
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-56995136
House pundit on the BBC making the interesting point that there is aparently a “no”/”leave” contingent of voter who are somewhat mobile and looking for how in each area they can best {ahem} vote tactically against the SNP.
Tactical voting by Unionists is clearly going on, this will only really matter in the marginals and the first one or two of them will tell us a lot more. Right now there is not a lot to go on.
Allyson Thewlis just made the point about a lot of tactical voting going on, things were always difficult when we had the three Union party vote against us, now that they’ve added the Salmond anti SNP party that’s four, there’s no way the Sarwar party went up on its own, unless it was due to his Daddy’s phone calls of course
My early feeling is the SNP will do OK, but short of an overall majority. I’ll stake my reputation on being short a majority, and hope I lose it!
OK, feeling a bit happier now. Dugdale and Wilson both made the point the increased turnout gives more legitimacy to the result, and perhaps that’s worth not having an overall SNP majority, as long as there’s a pro-indy majority with, as WEilson said, the Greens having a firm commitment to Indy Ref 2 which wasn’t there in 2016.
Ho hum. Hope nobody minds my as we go along ramblings!
To add to that , Holyrood itself is the winner, and with the attacks from places on Holyrood, if the people of Scotland think it’s worth turning out for this election in increased numkbers, perhaps 5% more, that is good for Indy Ref 2 itself – and YES.
Fuck you Wings Over Scotland, now piss off.
Ramble away – enjoyable and informative, as ever,
SNP 62% in Dundee West – I’m puzzled – whatever happened to all the posh-speaking BritNats?
Hurrah I have an Snp Msp in our Clydebank and Milngavie constituency. Thank the maker. Definitely some tactical voting going on but Snp had a new candidate turnout was 10% up and to be honest Snp were a bit missing in action in my area North Bearsden which isn’t even mentioned in the constituency name. I think Snp did pretty well considering all these issues
Wee Willy Wonky fondly hoping for increased FibDem support (well, he would have to say that, even in the face of impending reality) and now absurdly claiming that Nicola only understood the need to displace the (for him) hated indyref in favour of handling the Covid crisis because of electoral pressure from the likes of him. (As if her thorough ongoing dedication to that task over the last year wasn’t self-evident to all.)
Given the Hartlepool result, one wonders if it will ever impinge on Willie’s consciousness that his oft-expressed hopes of convincing England of a return to EU membership are utterly fatuous. Assuming this wasn’t merely a convenient fig-leaf for his impotence on the issue in the first place.
*flash result* Murdo loses – yet again!
*fl-ash result* Murdo loses – yet again!
Murdo Fraser forever the bridesmaid LOL
Murdo “Eight defeats in a row” Fraser…almost eclipsing the Old Firm titles record with those defeats.
But sadly Murdo Fraser will be returned from the list 😦
Yeah true, but he’s still a loser in my mind.
But Alba were going to put a stop to that, weren’t they…?
…weren’t they?
It’s all that Nikla and the SNP’s fault, of course.
Now now behave, it’s waiting time in the lobby…
BaillieOnIce is an artifact of the HR electoral system, whatever despise is felt for her blatant dishonesty she is baked into the Turdo cake..
Waiting on the fat lady to sing is never easy, but ear-plugs are cheap these days…
Banffshire and Buchan SNP hold … just,
Well done John Swinney X
Lights back on in Dumfries, lol.
BBC Catriona Renton in Paisley (one-time Lab “accidental” Glasgow councillor) can’t help herself it seems from banging on about ex-MSP Derek Mackay, maybe hoping it might make a difference for a result there.
Angus North and Mearns. SNP hold.
Plus Alba has been mentioned by Glen Campbell as taking 2% of the vote somewhere.
I noticed that Grizebard plus she was gossiping about Margaret Ferrier earlier. She’s, Renton, an up and coming Sarah Smith. Additionally I haven’t noticed her mention that Anas Sarwar’s father has been trying to nobble the vote.
More like a once-only has-been. I say she was an “accidental” Glasgow councillor because she stood as an evident Labour “fill-in” in my own ward in the old FPTP days when the city overall was shifting politically, and a split between the then main challengers let Labour through the middle in a ward that had never had such a councillor before (long ago it was even a Tory). It evidently caught her totally by surprise, and unsurprisingly during her short incumbency she totally failed to make any mark, and ducked out again as soon as she decently could.
Glasgow Anniesland – SNP hold
Congrats to Michelle Thomson in Falkirk East, finally fully restored, and in a better place to boot.
Good. I think the media treated her apallingly when she was an MP
SNP taken East Lothian from Labour.
It’s becoming more and more clear that every election is now focused purely on the constitution and other issues are now taking a poor second place.
SNP win East Lothian from Labour, that’s the first of their target seats won.
Coatbridge and Chryston held by SNP.
Caithness, Sutherland and Ross held by SNP.
Nicola holds Glasgow Southside … YEAH 😀. Nobody seems to have been listening to Stu Campbell or Mohammad Sarwar 😎.
YAY!
Early bath for Brigadier Campbell of the 77th mouth in foot.
Or that insult to intelligence Fransen… Whoever funded her little “jape” deserves to be unmasked and vilified.. Scotland doesn’t need England’s problems, even wearing an ankle bracelet…
Fire Alarm at Lochgilphead? Power cut in Dumfries?
What the heck’s going on?
Good job, I’m not a conspiracy theorist. I’ve got an aluminium hat to stop them getting through… ROFL
Petra,
A list vote has been declared in the North East ( Aberdeen Donside) SNP gain ALBA had 2.1% of the vote. 743 votes.
I saw someone talking to Alex Salmond earlier. It was a sad sight, I find it hard to find any sympathy.
If that’s the pattern overall what will he do now? It was a sad sight right enough seeing him early this morning shambling about a polling station in Aberdeenshire keeping an eye on the count.
Talk about tactical voting, the NE Fife result for Willie Rennie is something else.
Yes, potential organised tactical voting in the constituencies was always the weak spot in the “supermajority” argument, since in the last few contests it’s thanks to the constituencies that the SNP already possessed an actual supermajority. But the very evident tactical shifts so far haven’t dented SNP holds, at best only kept a few people like Willie safely in place, and East Lothian shows what can happen when there’s no obvious Unionist champion to rally behind.
Given the 2016 result, if Ayr’s being described as “tight” there surely must have been tactical voting. Especially as it’s showing a turnout of over 85%
Sorry – ignore this – I must have clicked on the wrong constituency. Oops…
I’m not doubting you but it would be very odd to declare “officially” that Alba got 2.1% of the list vote without declaring the rest. Sounds to me like a bit of gossip that doesn’t mean much anyway until we have all the region results.
That Jayden wummin, racist, got 46 votes 😀.
Nicola giving a great speech including calling out the racist thugs.
Good grief!
Shetland nearly didn’t vote LibDem…
Don’t think Mr. Salmond will be “gracing” Holyrood with his presence. Alba as predicted performing badly, only hope their few voters don’t cost the SNP a list seat. Nicola “held on” to her seat with near double Mr. Sarwar says a daft BBC presenter, really how low can you go ?
Ruth Davidson still having her say 🙄.
Willie Rennie holds North East Fife 🙄 .
In fairness it really wouldn’t be the same without a bit of Willie.
There’s always one.
It’s usually me… 😀
Speak for yourself yesindyref2 🙄😀
Umm…. Nah! Not going to go there. 😃
Wee Willie Wonky prevails again thanks to an absolutely massive transfer of Tory and Lab anti-indy votes, as if it makes any difference to anything whatever he says about not wanting indyref2. We’ll just have to thole more silly gurning from the back, alas.
Willie back in Fife, what is wrong with these people a vote for Willie is nothing but a vote for Johnson and right wing control from London. Why o why ?
A combination of reality-denial and the Bain Principle, I fear.
Just remember my Law of Situations: for every situation there is an idiot. There just seems to be a lot of them in NE Fife, from the winner on down.
But maybe Shetland offers a glimmer of where the FibDems are ultimately heading, even with the assistance of desperate Tory and Lab holdouts.
here in NEF the Conservative campaign had virtually no presence at all, whereas in the past they were the LD’s closest rival. But we were inundated day after day by Willie Rennie hyperbole. I am gutted to see WR back in, but we need to remember that in reality he is a yellow Tory.
So true anna.
Yes, long gone are the days when the Liberals were stalwart opponents of the Tories in rural areas. Willie’s miserable wee band of residuals have totally capitulated to them, both in policy terms and morally. Now just kept in place as convenient Tory shills.
It’s a different Scotland to many. Lots of St Andrews University middle classes, and military-related folk living there (or were pre-change to Army base). Moray is similar, with RAF Lossie there. They seem to be turning into the Gibraltar and Hong Kong of Scotland.
The Islands are just the Islands. Different way of life. Lib Dem for decades. Change takes time etc.
Votes being checked in Ayr, an SNP target.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_Scottish_Parliament_election#SNP_targets
As it’s the tory who was doing the checking with SNP looking on, fingers crossed…
The SNP’s Siobhian Brown has taken Ayr from the Scottish Conservatives with a majority of just 170.
YES!
WGD will be chuffed about that. 😀
Was thinking the same myself.
Was hoping he’d join us for the party. Maybe tomorrow…
Don’t-Call-Me-Baroness Rooth and the BBC:
Former Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson says one thing is clear so far: There are no universal swings in any direction.
“This is very much localised campaigning and localised targeting of seats and votes and candidates,” she says on the BBC One results programme.
She says that, at some point in the near future, Scotland has to get past constitutional politics.
She says: “Somebody has to stand up for the two million people that voted to stay part of the United Kingdom and if that falls to the Scottish Conservatives then we will do so because we believe in the vote of 2014.
“If the Labour party and the lib Dems don’t want to stand up for it that’s up to them but we will do that.”
Why are they asking her? (Semi-rhetorical) She isn’t in Scottish politics any more…
Presumably it isn’t constitutional politics to insist on the status quo…
@Jacksg
I owe you an apology, the Highlands and Islands have just read out everyone of the Regional List votes! My humble apoligies.
No problem Alex. I am glued to ballotboxscotland on twitter that’s where I saw it. 😊
SNP have just gained Ayr from the Tories with a small majority.
That’s two gains. If they hold all their existing seats they will have 65 seats.
SNP win Ayr.
SNP win Ayr 🙂 2-1 for their target seats
Glad to see that your all paying close attention LOL
Edge of my seat 😬
Tactical votes in the constituency are not necessarily all in one direction as proven by the two gains for the SNP. That makes things much more interesting and the mood of the talking heads on the BBC is reflecting that.
Results as they come.
They’re having a meltdown on Wings just now. I’m getting the popcorn out
“Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn” about what the Wingnuts think. They are utterly irrelevant, as the incoming results are steadily proving.
Meltdown? They’re literally choking on their apoplectic rage 😀. All been duped by their bully boy boss from Bath 😎. Wondering why they failed to get the message across when hundreds of thousands of people read the toxic blog 🤣; Scottish voters are thick; the SNP have been helped by Alba supporters (who are in effect SNP supporters); Alba has only taken 2.2% of the list vote less than the Family Party in 2 areas and of course they are going absolutely bonkers about Angus Robertson getting elected. If you want to get a taste of what’s going on there, why that site and it’s owner are going nowhere, check out posts at 5.32 and 5.59pm. Time for Campbell to admit defeat and get himself some help before he ends up in the clink.
Well, the only person I feel a tinge of regret for is not among the wild ones, but JK@SGP. How he can recover his former reputation after this strange infatuation with the no-hopers I have no idea.
A blogger has just told JK that it looks as though Alba are on 2%. JK replies saying that he, ”heard a rumour that it’s 4%.” 🙄 No matter 2% or 4% JK has lost a a great deal of credibility now and to be honest if 2% is the outcome thank God that JK had little influence on the vote.
‘Nicola Sturgeon plays down SNP prospects after pro-UK tactical voting.’
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/may/07/nicola-sturgeon-plays-down-snp-prospects-after-pro-uk-tactical-voting
Yes, though tactical voting so far has not been nearly as strong as I for one feared, and like Edinburgh Western and NE Fife, it seems mainly to have propped-up a well-known encumbent. And the SNP have largely prevailed even though it has put independence right up front this time and the BritNat opposition and their ever-supportive media have turned up anti-indyref scaremongering to the max.
SNP 3-1 on the target seats as Edinburgh Central falls.
The excuses are legion:
Here we are at ringside with heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua , “Anthony how well do you think you’ll do tonight? ” Well Mr Interviewer I’m not here to win this match, heaven forfend, I’m here to lose oh maybe second or third, as long as I finish the match and still get to boast that I’m really good and still get plenty of money for doing it”
Whatever folk might think, at the end of the day this nonsense cannot be allowed to continue where we have at least three political parties in Scotland who’s sole purpose is to prevent the government that the people elect from doing what the people elected them for, this is the opposite of democracy
And they do it as if they’re proud of their behaviour
Anyway my favourite result was Kate Forbes a hell of a lot, everybody else nuthin
Labour held on in Edinburgh Southern only thanks to a massive dump of 14% from the Tories, just like the FibDems being propped-up by their fellow BitterTogetherists in Western.
What a state, to be a Labour/FibDem red-orange Tory shill.
That’s just about the sum of it and what it takes for all flavours of Tory to prevent the people of Scotland from having a say on the future of their country.
I’m really pleased to see that two extremely experienced politicians, Angus Robertson and Michelle Thomson, have made it through as we lose people like Jeane Freeman and Mike Russell. And of course there are some great newcomers and Kate Forbes has held the Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch area.
‘Breaking News: Thumping victory for Kate Forbes in the Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch constituency as she takes almost three times the votes of the next placed candidate.’
http://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/news/breaking-news-kate-forbes-wins-the-skye-lochaber-and-baden-237626/
Alex Salmond believes he won’t win seats tomorrow.
No supermajority then.
But he still had a go at the BBC for not putting in enough effort to make him popular with never a thought that maybe possibly he’s just not
Maybe the BBC did him a favour? If the Scots had seen more of him his party could have been sitting at 1%. In saying that I’ve been feeling sorry for him (yeah I know) as a human being and not as the man he’s become. Seeing him standing forlornly looking at the peach coloured list voting papers for the sign of a cross against Alba is hellish. Alex Salmond no doubt duped by Campbell too, as was MacAskill, into thinking that he had hundreds of thousands of followers whom he, the rat from Bath, could influence into supporting them. If he had asked some of us on here we would have told him to forget it, find something else to do, as Campbell no longer supports independence at all.
Actually, I think it was the other way round, that various bloggers were targeted and duped by Salmond, who was busily manipulating away behind the scenes for some considerable time before eventually “coming out” politically. SoB, for example, dramatically changed his tune after his RT interview by Salmond.
Just ponder on it: which of the two by a very long chalk is the more notable political Svengali…?
Ponder on who’s more manipulative. Maybe they just conned each other and both lost. You know symbiotic losers gaslighting each other.
Reminds me of a particular Aretha Franklin song.
A circular zooming squad, or even a circular firing squad…? {grin}
BBC Radio Scotland have knocked off for the night and there’s still votes being counted. Can you believe that shower of amateurs?
Waiting to see if Jackie Baillie gets the boot in Dumbarton. Looks very possible.
Speaking live right now, Jackie Baillie says “it’s too close to call”. Even closer than last time, apparently.
Elections in England are over. Nothing to see here. The news where you are etc. A collection of Britnat B*****ds.
I do wonder if the Tories will take more of the list vote and perhaps do the SNP a favour with Labour getting less. Which could reduce the number of List seats the SNP lose.
Poor old Henry McLeish, once again pleading with his Labour leadership for a move to Federal reform, his struggle going ever more uphill, with Labour in England in an increasingly unlikely position to do anything about it, even supposing they were any more inclined to think afresh and any less deaf to old Henry than previously.
Meanwhile on telly, some random FibDem once again claiming they still support Home Rule (though hardly anyone now believes it) while resolutely willing to reject any and every opportunity to do anything about it. It is a total mystery to me why anyone can still vote for a party that proudly claims to support something that they will resolutely resist any opportunity to see happen. Deliberate self-imposed impotence is surely the apotheosis of reality-denial.
”some random FibDem once again claiming they still support Home Rule.”
They used to support remaining in the EU too. Good-for-nothings 🙄.
Wee Willie doing his Theresa May act now on the telly with, ”now is not the time.”
Poor old Alex Salmond, a bridge to far for yesterday’s man and his new party.
All the Unionist tactical voting and still the SNP has won 3 and lost 0.
Saw on Sky that the difference is 25 votes in Dumbarton recount request fromLabour
Oooh! if it’s Labour who’s doing the requesting that’s very interesting indeed
On twitter – “25 in it for the SNP” 🙂
Yes, very tantalising indeed. The result is expected tonight, even if BBC Scotlandshire can’t be ar*ed.
“Turnout in the Dumbarton constituency is 68.5 percent, an increase from just over 61 percent in 2016’s vote.
The results are expected within the hour, with Labour candidate Jackie Baillie confirming that there is no truth in the rumour that she asked for a recount with just 25 votes seperating her from the SNP’s Toni Giugliano.”
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/live-scottish-election-eyes-dumbarton-24058470
It looks like the final seat count will come down to the list results tomorrow. So how the SNP emerges from the list vote is what will finally decide, just as we always maintained it really mattered.
Without winning Dumbarton from J. Baillie Lab/Tory/ LibDim candidate then it’s doubtful the SNP will get 65 seats. 48.5% constituency votes for SNP yet we still need 2 or 3 list seats, I hate this weird system we deserve better.
We lose Dumbarton but still all to play for.
“Ms Baillie increased her majority from 109 to 1,483.”
Oh well. not that close after all, that’s good!
(Always look on the bright side of life)
“The SNP’s Kenneth Gibson has held Cunninghame North with a reduced majority of 7,786 over the Scottish Conservatives. ”
from the BBC. Just Dumbarton to go.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/c37d28xdn99t/scottish-parliament-election-2021
Tories once again vote for the Red Tory when the Blue Tory can’t win, so no surprise.
Yes, another shill propped up by a substantial transfer from Tories. Bitter Together alive if hardly thriving. I wonder if that will eventually come back to haunt Labour, just as previously. Chaining us to an England that they can’t even prevail in, and won’t for the forseeable future. Like the FibDems – just another kind of hopeless no-hoper with nothing to offer except maintaining our shackles.
Sorry, that should have been “useless no-hoper”. I try to avoid hopeless repetition. {grin}
And they have the cheek to call the SNP a one party state
Was the Strathkelvin and Bearsden result mot meant to be today Dr Jim. According to the list on the National website it was From what I remember you live in that constituency
Ignore me found the result eventually. Another good Snp hold
Without winning Dumbarton from J. Baillie Lab/Tory/ LibDim candidate then it’s doubtful the SNP will get 65 seats. 48.5% constituency votes for SNP yet we still need 2 or 3 list seats, I hate this weird system we deserve better.
Still lets hope we can still do it, please God.
Yes, there has been Bitter Together co-operation just where it mattered most – in critical constituencies they held. Where an enhanced supermajority would have come from, not from where SoB, JK, Uncle Alex Cobley and all foolishly imagined it would have (but evidently hasn’t, as we predicted).
Well we lost Dumbarton, seems very unlikely that the SNP can reach 65 seats now. Pity as Johnson will no doubt use it against us no matter how well the Greens do tomorrow.
Beginning to wonder if I will see Scotland regain its position as an Independent Scotland in my lifetime, just can’t understand why so many so called Scots so want to be controlled by an English government in London.
See my reply to your previous posting. And don’t forget the steady drizzle of Unionist media propaganda that gets turned into a veritable barrage at election time.
I believe there will still be a new indyref during the next few years. By careful co-operation, the BritNats have managed to deflect the ever-gathering waters for the moment, but when the dam does burst, the ensuing flood will be all the greater.
My thought is that the SNP had to walk a tightrope this election about Independence so as not to scare off the electors, and have managed to to that so far. Considdering the assaults on Sturgeon from Salmond before the election campaign, and fake Independence websites and fake bloggers, or misled, misguided or programmed bloggers, this so far is an outstanding result. In spite of polls, I feared worse.
Perhaps also the SNP concentrated resources where they were needed.
Anyways, let’s hope for tomorrow. Tomorrow is another day!
Oh yeah, in case anyone’s waiting for the 48th results Aberdeenshire West or something like that, the count has been extneded to tomorrow, so that’s all the 47 for today.
The SNP were far more “front foot” about independence this time than previously, and at the very least haven’t suffered losses for it, despite the BritNats and their media allies running a “pre-referendum campaign”. And if anyone imagines the issue has gone away, they are living in a dream world. This is still going to come to a head, sooner or later.
Plus some SNP person made the point that in 2016 the Greens were quiet about Indy Ref 2 whereas this time it’s firmly in their manifesto. The Greens might not get double figure seats, but they should get enough to take the SNP over the line if they fall 1 short – as Curtice predicted.
There’ll still be around 8 Greens
Maybe 12 Greens to be added to the Independence supporting majority of MSP’s 🙂
Well my opinion is that overall the SNP have to be pleased with the results so far today, they have won 3 of their 10 target seats which does take them closer to winning a majority. It is clear that Unionist voters are voting tactically but that still hasn’t been enough to save them in the 3 seats they have lost.
The Tories on the other hand have won none of their target seats and we still have a couple tomorrow that the SNP think they can win, Abershire west being the most likely.
Then it will all come done to holding on to the seats they won previously and in which we just have to wait now and see how it transpires. As always, where there is hope I will never give up and there is plenty hope left in this election yet.
Yeah, it was Aberdeenshire East not West that was put off till tomorrow, my mistook.
On BBReee News: “SNP dealt blow as Labour retains target seat”
59 of 73 in 2016 (81%), and looking like 62 of 73 (85%) in 2021, but it’s still a blow. 😀
Go to bed BBReee. You’re drunk.
According to Prof Curtice this result makes it certain that the SNP wont win a majority. Not sure of his reasoning on that
JOHN NICOLSON MP:- ”Alex Salmond tells the BBC “we won’t make it.” That, I suspect, is the end of Alba. The socially regressive party that is. But Alba the progressive, tolerant outward looking country has a bright future.” https://mobile.twitter.com/MrJohnNicolson/status/1390741391244992515
Does anyone have a good seat projection on the results so far?
The BBC is all Blow for Sturgeon mode atm. But there is still Aberdeenshire West tomorrow – my constiuency to come, where, although there are thousands of holiday homes and second homes stuffed full of non resident voters, I still hope Fergus Mutch will overturn Burnett’s slim majority.
Fingers crossed.
I don’t think there is any “expert” that could give us a prediction now as to what the final result will be. So just trust in me, a majority for the SNP is on the cards but mibbe it’s not LOL
Well, not much in the way of Labour votes to squeeze there, I imagine, but are there still sufficient FibDems prepared to queue-up to be rogered by their former opponents the Tories for the sake of their precious Union servitude…?
One might deduce that the only influence that Alex Salmond has managed to exert upon the election has been counter-productive: to put the BritNats on high alert to the crucial importance of tactical voting. Today very clearly in some constituencies at least, though how that may further pan out in the list tomorrow remains to be seen.
Just now on telly some Tory commentator focussing solely on the effect of a possible SNP majority – achieved or not – on BoJo, and no attention paid – as we always knew – to any showing by anyone else, including the Greens.
Grizebard : On your second point, I suspect that is their only line of defence, as if as it now seems likely, that the independence majority will only be achieved with the support of the Greens, is that therefore the independence mandate is not very strong and as such, can be ignored by Johnson.
With of course the tacit support of the opposition; Tories, Labour, LD and the BBC.
They can of course huff and puff, perhaps revert to Teresa’s cowardly little dissimulation, but whatever, the hard political reality is there will be an indy majority in Holyrood to pass the necessary enabling legislation…
John Nicholson said much the same about Salmond’s contribution, all he did was help the opposition and thieve some votes from the SNP, so well done him
It’s past time for JK to call it day. He’s coming across now as being a bit of a fruit and nut case. He should forget about Alba’s future and consider his own in light of the content of his recent blogs. And comments like this just make him look like even more of a fool:- ..”One way in which Alba could have helped bring a referendum about if they had succeeded in this election was by providing an alternative for SNP MSPs who finally lose patience with the feet-dragging of the SNP leadership.”..
‘The future of the Alba Party.’
https://scotgoespop.blogspot.com/2021/05/the-future-of-alba-party.html
He’s trying to pretend he wasn’t mugged, so all efforts into saving face
Petra ,
Kelly based on Albas majority in his belief that Salmond would automatically gain 6-7% nationally.
Both he and Salmond mistook their own mood music as the rest of us had moved on. If Salmond had not jumped onto the new party ( who formed it and why?) he might have saved face by saying vote snp 1& 2 or green where appropriate and stay out of the election campaigning. His pal Campbell ( maybe no longer) confused some of the hard left by siding with the unionists parties in the apparent hatred of the FM and other snp members.
Hatred colours good decision making and relegated Independence as a side show.
We will see what they day brings and I await the excuses of the WoS aparchicks. Let’s also see who disappears into the ether and we’re always unionist plants.
“Both he and Salmond mistook their own mood music” True that. Like I already said, the amateur mistakes of 2014 repeated. Some fowk jist dinna lern, even efter richt sair dunts.
If things pan out the way the pundits expect, an overall single party majority won’t matter. There would still be an overwhelming pro self government/indy majority in Holyrood.
Pro Westminster parties can twist and turn as they may (and inevitably will), but it won’t matter a damn in such a circumstance. Holyrood will have achieved a democratically authorised instruction from it’s electorate. If that instruction is in any way obstructed by any action of Westminster govt., or their northern branches, then THEIR credentials as a parliamentary democracy are open to question on the international stage.
Not a good look for Mr Johnson or his govt. 😎
Agreed.
Both pro Indy parties had it in their manifesto so that’s what the electorate voted for so he can stick that in his Hartlepool
Let’s hope all will be well tomorrow, 2 or 3 list seats will hopefully be enough 🙂
Alba is dead after this election, I doubt Alex Salmond will even turn up tomorrow for the count, such was his disappointment in what he had heard of Alba’s performance on the list. A disappointment that was written all over his face when talking of it on the BBC.
JK also shows signs of wishful thinking that the Green vote will underperform.
Incidentally, although there’ll obviously be a fair amount of nasty triumphalism tomorrow among Alba-haters, one of their constant refrains appears set to be proved wrong. They kept insisting that by drawing attention to the tactical possibilities on the list, Alex Salmond had unwittingly boosted the Green vote instead. But it appears that the Greens themselves are slightly underperforming their opinion poll showing – and, frankly, that’s bad news for all of us, although the pro-independence majority does look more or less secure now
So much for a supermajority and JK is left with egg all over his face as an expert in analysis of polls.
All I took from the Greens’ constituency performance were Indy folk choosing SNP 1, and non-Indy folk choosing Lab / Lib.
We’ll see when the regional votes are out.
Oh dear, JK’s all-too-predictable whitewashing of the abject failure arrives right on cue. If Salmond has boosted tactical voting at all, it has been to alert BritNats to their own crucial need in the constituencies. Nothing for any independence supporter to be proud of there, I would say.
Oh, and having a realistic assessment of the poor prospects of an amateurish late-arriving pop-up led by a tarnished figure isn’t “Alba-hating”, James, it’s doing the kind of hard-headed analysis you used to do for us. You should treat yourself to a good talk with your earlier rational self.
nasty triumphalism tomorrow among Alba-haters
Have you heard any of that? I haven’t even heard of an “Alba hater”.
It’s projection.
We know who’s been doing the actual “hating” lately, and it’s out there in the blogosphere for everyone to see.
They still refuse to accept that their vote might have been low because the voters just didn’t like the idea of Alex Salmond, and that’s arrogance
JK has not only been left with egg on his face. His eyes, mouth, nose and ears have been filled with eggnog which has left him blind and deaf to reality followed by an inability to smell the Salmond / Alba / Campbell stench leading in fact to his verbal support of such a loser. Some kind of nostalgia, maybe historical, has led to his blatant support, more so devotion, of a man who bullied and abused women. Where does JK stand on that? Yet to hear him say anything about it, sad to say. He’s also been hopeless when we needed him most. One of the most critical elections in Scottish history and tbh he’s been worse than bl**dy useless. I’ve had my eyes opened, he’s gone right down in my estimation and I will never, EVER trust him again. He’s a waste of space and hey no wonder Paul felt so isolated latterly. Ploughing a lone furrow. Poor Paul the only pro-Independence blogger to see through the whole doolally kit and caboodle. Proven to be right Paul. In saying that we know that’s not what you were looking for.
He’s clearly been propelled to where he’s got by becoming increasingly disaffected by some of the recent internal wranglings of the SNP (GRA and list candidate selection among others) and the Great Leader thing was in effect his alibi (so to speak) for changing his mind over a pop-up. (For many Albanistas these things are all linked, and Salmond has carefully cultured that.)
The fatal flaw in JK’s reckoning was that the Great Leader he chose was “damaged goods” in the public eye, which was what we were trying to tell him and the various other wide-eyed fans who stormed on here for a while. But he was (and apparently still is) so deeply in need of an SNP-alternative that he chose to overlook that salient fact. Now he’s rather stuck in a self-dug hole since it would take some character and honesty to openly admit the mistake.
This episode has revealed an unexpected lapse of judgement on his part, but I hope he’ll recover his bearings after some mature reflection. We’re all human, and I don’t believe his behaviour has been purposefully destructive (unlike some we know), so I’m actually more sorry for him than angry with him. “There but for the grace of God” and all that…
Tactical voting much ? https://twitter.com/sparkyhamill/status/1390693111697920009?s=20
Did you see Dumbarton too? Red, Blue and Yellow Tory all the same party.
Yes. It’s beyond doubt – except in the BBC who haven’t noticed yet.
Yes, they keep putting up swingometer graphics showing a teensy swing from SNP to “X” but when you look at the vote share transfers, it’s actually a massive shift from Unionist “Y” and/or Unionist “Z” to Unionist “X”, no doubt well-signalled in advance by unfunded token campaigns, nods-and-winks and even overt encouragement by DRoss for one, all in a desperate attempt to bolster some pre-chosen one of them. Red-Blue-Orange Tories in quasi-incestuous political relationships designed to keep us all in chains.
One thing we have to think about is that if Alba wins no seats at all, say with 2% or 3% of the vote on the list knowing that 2% or 3% comes almost totally from SNP votes it just might cost the SNP a list seat.
One fewer seat then than that needed for a “supermajority” as promised by Alex Salmond, but also one seat that might just be the difference between an SNP majority and no majority.
Disbelief – Mike Russell and Stewart MacDonald comment on the “National Broadcaster” failing to report the results of national election. Utterly bizarre. https://twitter.com/Feorlean/status/1390767543082704902?s=20
I keep saying it. Scotland needs its own media. Owned within Scotland, and answerable to its readers or viewers.
Pity that Broadcasting Scotland didn’t pick up the coverage, or at least try to.
I have to ask why did it not continue at least on the BBC Scotland channel it got bounced to there twice earlier when main news was on BBC1. The fact they did not continue the coverage is a disgrace
Maybe they are just sh*tting themselves Eilidh 😀.
Nicola Sturgeon tells @PeterAdamSmith that she will go ahead with legislation for a second referendum and Boris Johnson will have to go the Supreme Court if he wants to stop her. https://twitter.com/PaulBrandITV/status/1390775379686735875?s=20
The media have gaslighted me to the extent that I’m convinced that a potential SNP landslide is a failure. That’s the depressing thing not the result. https://twitter.com/Jimbyrnemusic/status/1390762792572051462?s=20
Don’t let them gaslight us. A landslide is a magnificent result.
They can gaslight all they like, it’s not going to stop indyref2, which is now all-but-inevitable.
We’ll see for sure tomorrow, but if the BritNats have (by a hairsbreadth) dodged the boomerang on its way out, you know what boomerangs do…
Funny old world, isn’t it?
Politics – even funnier than anything else. (Deception and self-deception a speciality.)
Nicola Sturgeon took the on the media several times tonight when asked if NOT achieving an SNP majority but relying on the Greens was enough for Bojo the Clown to refuse a referendum , saying
In any other country in the world a democratic mandate like hers would not be even QUESTIONED ! Only in the undemocratic UK .
I’ve no idea whether the SNP will win enough seats to have an outright majority after tomorrow’s results are revealed, I still very much hope they will but am not fixated on how many seats the SNP have but on how many seats pro Independence parties have.
It’s pretty obvious to me that in the last few months support for the SNP and for Independence has been damaged by Alex Salmond in his war against Nicola Sturgeon, I so much wish that this had never happened but it has and today I saw in Alex Salmond’s face a realisation that it was all over for him and his Alba party.
Alex Salmond was never going to increase support for Independence, his popularity ratings show that. The truth is that we still need to convert soft No’s over to Yes as right now whether we win a referendum or not is still borderline. I believe Nicola Sturgeon is best placed to convince the undecided of the merits of Independence than Alex Salmond could ever do.
We still have a steep hill to climb and I’d rather have Nicola Sturgeon in the forefront as the face of Independence as that will give us the best chance of winning.
Spot on Alex but the good news is that now that Nicola Sturgeon has got this election and hopefully Alex Salmond et al behind her she can rest easy, get a good nights sleep, take a break, recharge her batteries and move on (like a lioness or unshackled unicorn) to leading Scotland in conjunction with getting crucial facts out there to help us to achieve Independence. That’s OUR next move now too. We can’t expect one woman to do it alone. WE have to focus on getting the facts out there, imo.
Not looking good for Alba.
From the Scotsman:-
..”From a former first minister to a clutch of far-right extremists, the fringes of the Holyrood election have been occupied by a lively roll call of characters, but the early signs are that their impact on voters has been negligible. Given the regional list results are dependent on every constituency being counted, the full complement of votes secured by smaller parties and independent candidates will not become clear until Saturday.
But the first day of counting in an unorthodox election provided less than encouraging signs. With all eyes on Alex Salmond’s putative political comeback, the prospects of his return to Holyrood – and the fate of the Alba Party, which is contesting the regional lists – look ominous. In Aberdeen Donside, the party registered just 2.1 per cent of the list vote. Mr Salmond is its lead candidate in the north east, but even the prominence of that position is highly unlikely to translate to victory if the lowly vote share is replicated across the region. The voting in other constituencies for regional lists suggested Alba’s fate could be even grimmer, with the party polling 0.8 per cent in Orkney, 1.3 per cent in Hamilton, 1.5 per cent in Clydebank and Milngavie, and two per cent in Angus North and Mearns.
Mr Salmond, clipboard in hand, was at the P&J Arena in Aberdeen early doors to watch the count, but gave a less than emphatic response when asked how his party would gauge its fortunes. “I think our success is registering as a political party and registering on the political spectrum,” he explained. That administrative triumph notwithstanding, it looks like Alba will form a barely visible blip on the electoral radar, an outcome which will be welcomed most of all by Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP.”..
Off to bed now. Not plodding or pacing around tonight like last night. I’m REALLY happy now. SNP majority or not I don’t give two fkn hoots. Scotland is on its way to dissolving this horrendous Union and that will lead me to having sweet dreams tonight, I’m sure. Hope you all do too. Times are a changing folks. No doubt about it. So back to a relevant oldie. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90WD_ats6eE
English BBC Breakfast TV, beamed unrelentingly to Scotland Wales and Norn Irn headlined with the Scottish election by declaring that the SNP had failed to win two of its targeted seats, and that an SNP majority, which NS apparently declared would be a must for her to call for Indyref2, was on a ‘knife edge’.
Sarah Smith, The Hon. one, Nick Eardley, and an English Lass with the Jock Name Lorna Campbell took over from yesterday’s Mega Brit Nat Team from Plantation Quay, churning out the usual dross, and fighting the fight for the ‘Unionists’ who don’t want another Referendum.
Naga, £250,000 a year Breakfast Head waiter, interviewed John Swinney, and churned out the same Boris says No, what about those Up Here who don’t want independence, SNP will not have a majority….zzz.
Munchetty clearly thinks, like the Brits Up Here, that it is a mandate in England to force through Brexit when The Blue Tories get an eighty seat FPTP majority on 43% of the vote, whereas the SNP and the Greens elected more democratically under PR and probably on 50-55% of the vote, do not have a mandate to call Indyref2.
Munchetty’s well paid disdain for our John Swinney was barely hidden,
The 15 minute ‘Newswatch’ Readers Complaints slot began with Mr John Bull complaining that News 24 broadcast Campbell’s Leaders’ debate for 2 1/2 hrs on Tuesday night to the whole of the UK.
Mr Bull reasoned, what’s the point of UK coverage of Jock elections which matter only to 4 million Jocks, to 40 million English folk?
It doeas not occur to them that we 5.4 million Scots are beamed 1000s of hours of English news on a daily, hourly cycle. We are their conquered colony.
They even had Dross on for a wee soundbite, and a Dim But Nice Tubby Tory Boy repeating the same old song at an outside Lido in Greenock…that NS said that she would cancel Indyref2 if there was no SNP majority.
Liar.
They lie with elan now, knowing that Naga is anchoring and will put the rebellious Jocks in their place…
I’ll stop now.
We have won the day. A remarkable pro Independence majority..Onwards.
Big Angus is back..watch the fur fly now.
Bit o’ culture: the closing stanza of William Butler Yeats ‘The Song of Wandering Aengus.’
“Though I am old with wandering
Through hollow lands and hilly lands,
I will find out where she has gone,
And kiss her lips and take her hands;
And walk among long dappled grass,
And pluck till time and times are done,
The silver apples of the moon,
The golden apples of the sun.”
Our very own ‘wandering Angus’ is back in the fold. Time to reach out and pluck the silver apples of the Moon, the golden apples of the sun.
Check out the Christy Moore version of this masterpiece set to music.
It’s going to be quite a day today.
Beautiful bit of poetry to start the day – thx 🙂
Willie Rennie the wolf in sheep’s clothing, a supposed champion of mental health who continues to support the very institution whose policies have contributed the most to poor mental health in Scots – a bloody hypocrite am so disappointed in my fellow Fifers. Then again maybe the majority of the farming community in the area want to use pesticides harmful to bees and are supportive of brexshit – it’s called Stockholm syndrome Willie a real mental health issue and you are it’s champion.
Skintybroko, this from 2017:
““Indisputable” new research has linked government cuts in adult social care and health spending to nearly 120,000 “excess” deaths in England since 2010.
The research, published just before midnight last night (Wednesday) by the online journal BMJ Open, concludes that people over 60 and residents of care homes have been particularly affected by the spending cuts.
And it warns that the cuts could continue to be responsible for an additional death toll of up to 100 deaths a day if significant extra funding is not found.
The researchers say the deaths are more strongly linked with cuts to social care than health spending, with every £10 drop in spending per head of population on social care associated with five extra care home deaths per 100,000 of the population.
The researchers from King’s College London; University College London; Oxford and Cambridge Universities; the PILAR Research Network; the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine; and the University of the Philippines, point out the real term cuts of 1.19 per cent a year in social care spending between 2010 and 2014.
Their findings show that deaths in England fell by an average of 0.77 per cent a year between 2001 and 2010, but increased by an average of 0.87 per cent a year between 2011 and 2014.
They say that government spending cuts were linked to 45,368 excess deaths between 2010 and 2014, and are set to be linked to an estimated 150,000 further deaths between 2015 and 2020, equivalent to nearly 100 extra deaths every day.
Combining the projected excess deaths and the deaths observed between 2010 and 2014 translates to around 120,000 excess deaths from 2010 to 2017, they say.”
Willie Rennie’s and Dross’ parties killed 120,000 by inducing state sponsored poverty and penury on their fellow citizens.
May they rot in their belief systems’ versions of hell.
This is not a fucking game, yet this gap toothed buffoon is pictured beaming ear to ear at his success in garnering like minded Brits of all hues to his side the other day.
How could any socialist lend their vote to this man, no matter their stance on Scottish self determination?
This little weasel Rennie hailed the Coalition ‘austerity’ Cuts of the Clegg Cameron Team (and don’t forget New Labour ‘Opposition’ voted through Osborne’s £32 billions in cuts to welfare, sickness benefits and public service jobs too ) as a ‘success’ on the floor of Holyrood, beaming broadly, that starving the poor cut the deficit and reduced England’s debt, which of course it hadn’t, but gave a tax break of five per cent to the well off, and plunged many tens of thousands of his fellow Scots into life long poverty, penury, low wage slavery, premature death and long term mental health anguish.
Under Willie’s English Party’s watch, kids would go to school belly rumblingly malnourished, and listen to this awful little man attempt to shift the blame for British Fascist ‘gaslighting’ on to Nicola Sturgeon, the most capable and honest politician ever to grace the floor of Holyrood.
He is a sorry excuse for a man IMHO.
That 40% of Labour supporters would back Indyref 2 makes it even more galling.
Murdo Fraser failed yet again, using the umbrella of the FPTP system under which the Brit Nat Yoons shelter Up Here, but he will be back next week, chuntering on about the will of the British people ya de ya de ya…
How any socialist still backs Sarwar and the Blair Red Tories beats me.
The Tories are fixated by the percentage vote and claim it needs to be over 50% for the SNP to have a referendum. They didn’t have the same opinion in 2015 when they only achieved 36.9% in the election but called the Brexit referendum anyway, and by their definition support from any other party doesn’t count. It”s the Tory cakeism, we can ignore rules, even our own made up ones, but everyone else will be held rigidly to them.
You can take a Britnat out of the colony but you can never take the colonialist out of the Britnat.
The media talk as though it’s perfectly acceptable and understandable that the three British parties in Scotland form a voting pact in their effort to prevent Scottish democracy but any mention of the two pro Independence parties (who have it in their manifestos) forming any such pact or alliance is filled with horror to make it appear that those parties are doing something wrong
The gas lighting narrative being that the focus must remain upon the SNP failure to gain an overall majority something only more by lucky accident than design is almost impossible to achieve
If the British parties had won the election by their combination of voting with each other my guess is not a word, not a flurry of interest or comment would accompany that, the British would have hailed whichever party had come out on top as conquering heroes for the Union
I’ve not seen all three British parties manifestos but does anyone know if all three of those parties have *No to more Independence referendums* contained within their manifesto promises? because if they don’t then surely that can’t be applied after the fact, just saying *I don’t want* isn’t what the law would consider a firm commitment of stating *there shall not be*
In the same way as Boris Johnson or Theresa May’s *Now is not the time* isn’t *NO i shall not allow* yet the media regard that as a refusal to concede, *Now is not the time* doesn’t mean anything except the person who uses that language is afraid to say NO because it declares them a dictator and that’s why they can’t say it because support for Independence in Scotland would rocket out of anger within the population
So the plan must be to focus on forcing Boris Johnson to outright refuse to *grant* the transfer of power on paper by passing the legislation in Holyrood and proceeding with the timetable towards Independence, then and only then Boris Johnson *has* to commit the British state legally, and if he does he loses by declaring Scotland is not in a Union but is under the ownership of England
It’s all lose lose for Bobo and I’m not worried at all about that
One more thing, in England the Tories are hailing themselves as world beatingly successful on 36% of the vote, the SNP at this moment are on 47% and the media and Tories call that failure
Red tories are labour.
To independent minding labour supporters. Time to leave your emotional ties with London and move forward with Scottish parties from Scotland and who put Scotland first.
Here is the current status of the [parties from the BBC site. Under the FPTP system, as used in Westminster, the number of seats are as below. The SNP have 39, everybody else has 9. The BBC are presenting this as falling short of a majority. If this was Westminster the SNP would be holding around 600 seats. Disappointing isn’t it.
SNP
39
seats
+3
LD
Liberal Democrat
4
seats
(no change)
CON
Conservative
3
seats
-2
(2 seats lost)
LAB
Labour
2
seats
-1
(1 seat lost)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/scotland
It makes you realise why England obsesses over the 1966 World Cup, they’ve been shifting the goalposts ever since….
You could reframe that.
The Independence parties have 39 seats. The Unionists have 9.
But there is no appetite for a referendum? Some knife edge.
maybe the first thing Nicola Sturgeon should do when back in office is to change the voting system to FPTP.
If it’s good enough for Westminster it should be good enough for Scotland.
Then we can have the referendum and put the promise of having a PR voting system in the manifesto.
We don’t need to change anything, since there is going to be a referendum sometime in the new session anyway. But that will be FPTP, so we had better be sure we convert a bunch more people first to be sure to win. The Unionists have shown they can still marshal fearties by means of Project Fear, of which we have just seen another rehearsal.
Could someone point me in the right direction to get advice on cancelling the BBC licence…..fed up being blatantly gaslighted and paying for it….Daft!
Follow the instructions here to cancel your TV license, do follow the link “No License Needed Declaration” and be sure to complete it.
This will ensure that they will not contact you again for at least two years and you will not receive threatening letters which does happen if you don’t cancel it correctly.
https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/faqs/FAQ265
Cease any and all payments to Crapita, or SERCO or whoever now runs this TVLicenseBureau circus.
Save from the threats to arrest you, to bring bureaucratic hellstorms down upon your home, to shame you before all your neighbours, do not bother responding. How do I know? Over 43 years ago ripping down the TV roof arial and leaving the shards of old mount hanging and I have never communicated with them again. You will have good material to light the fire in winter when they start sending letters.
OH! And cease watching TV unless you have confirmed it is a legal venture. Eg., “Ch4 On Demand” or whatever.
We have invested in very fine radio listening. Likely kiddies won’t appreciate that. Oldies do.
Then examine your intellect as to how an Independent Scotland could do all this better for its population.
Aberdeenshire East held by SNP
BBC
But, but, but – it’s with a reduced margin!
Just had to share this.
Agreed it is a tragic perspective, but what I found more curious was timing. “They have 9 food banks now” with a Tory MP barely elected and in no position to change anything… Was it one of those Harry Potter wand thingumyjigs she waved at the declaration or Tory bottery following lobotomy ?
In any democracy a majority for any proposition is accepted as a mandate for said proposition.
In the UK that proposition does not hold sway – when it suits !
In 2010 the Tories +Libdems joined together to bring in austerity and were recognised ( reluctantly ) as having a mandate to do so .
No one objected to the legality of this .
In 2021 the signs are clear that Scotland will democratically elect a Pro-Independence majority – but this is already being QUESTIONED as to its legitimacy !!!!
If the SNP gets a majority on its own then the UK will dismiss this by citing the number of non-Scottish born voters ( foreigners !!! ) who have voted . This is negates their majority .
If the SNP gets a majority with native born voters then the UK will dismiss this by citing that only true red-haired Scots can be counted . No blonds ,brunettes etc … these negate the majority .
When questioned as to the democratic route to another Scottish Referendum DRoss , Sarwar , Rennie , Bojo the Clown cited that the Scottish People did not want another referendum until
a) the end of the pandemic ( which will be decided by them ! )
b) the end of the recovery ( which will be decided by them ! )
c) the end of the world ( which will be brought about by them ! )
Tories foundering on the question again and resorting to the *once in a generation* nonsense
Again saying *now is not the time* or *I think it’s reckless* is not saying NO, it’s avoiding saying NO because the minute they do all hell will break loose in Scotland
The Greens Lorna Slater was on the BBC with the Tory presenter Coburn and Lorna Slater laid it out in no uncertain terms that SNP and Greens put Scottish Independence front and centre in their manifestos and the people of Scotland have voted for them on that proposition
Basically it comes down to take the people of Scotland to court I dare you, does Johnson take that chance? I don’t think so, I think he’ll bluff and bluster for a wee while then make an offer of an alternative package then the SNP will reject it and press on with a referendum
Alice, go online to TV licence refund or cancellation and follow the instructions. You must bear in mind that you can longer watch any live broadcast. I cancelled a couple of years back and don’t miss live tv one bit. Be prepared for letters from the licencing authority and even a visit from an enforcement officer, who has no right to access your property or home without a legal warrant.
The letters are increasingly threatening but stick with it – sticks and stones, etc. I cancelled on line but the letters did not cease until I finally wrote to them, re-advising of my cancellation and complaining about harassment from their Dundee based enforcement division.
All quiet now on the western front, as the saying goes. Catch up tv is fine and you can stream boxed sets, films and so on, just do not watch anything live. You can always listen to bbc radio if you wish to raise your blood pressure.
If the ‘enforcement’ officers are NOT allowed to enter, how can they then decide you are actually watching ‘live’ TV, in order to prosecute you? Moral :- Do not watch TV in your front garden??
They can’t enter without your permission or a warrant. Basically the onus is on them to prove that you watch live; I’m fairly sure detector vans do detect, contrary to some opinions. It’s up to the individual whether to allow an enforcer entry. The fairly scruffy gent that called on me was not particularly pleasant, or in any type of uniform; nor did he show ID and he was duly refused entry. Its all scare tactics. If you are not breaking the law there is no problem.
If the SNP fall short of the 65 seats then the Tories are going to claim there is no mandate, if the SNP and Greens form a coalition then that blows that argument out of the water as there is the a majority government for independence. They just need reminded it was good enough for them to enact their policies from the 2010 election.
A vote in parliament should of course be enough but those Britnats just don’t respect democracy when it doesn’t suit them, we may need a backup plan.
Laughing at the BBReee now.
“Labour increase majority in Dumbarton
Scottish Labour’s Jackie Baillie has held onto what was Scotland’s most marginal constituency.
She increased her majority in her Dumbarton constituency from 109 votes in 2016 to 1,483 on Thursday.”
Quick peek and comparison with 2016:
Lab up 4,303
SNP up 2,929
Difference: 1,374
Con and Lib down: 2,141
So the real news:
“Scottish Labour’s Jackie Baillie saved by tactical voting from unionists, without which, she would have lost to the SNP.”
😉
If we look at the 50/50 split I would imagine at least 5% of labour supporters are Independence minded.
As for those more interested in peoples appendages elsewhere the 100000 hits are not in any way related to actual support. Probably a hundred or so angry regulars who have a false sense of their own importance. Noticeable are some worthies who have gone silent.
The chimera power of bathestistas has waned again. This is all the FM’s fault. We will allow them to wallow in their own mire.
BBC saying possibly some tactical voting by unionists in an effort to stop the SNP, possibly ?
Like the idea of an SNP/Green coalition, thiswould certainly ‘trump’ the Cons/Libdums/Red Tory allies in their efforts to keep Scotland under the control of the English Right wing government.
Stephen Gethins sums it all up:
Thanks for the link Statgeek. Stephen Gethins pointing out the reality of the situation:- ”If you don’t think that & prefer the Westminster system then bear this in mind. If the SNP get 63 out of 73 constituency seats that would translate as 86% of those constituency seats the equivalent to winning 559 seats out of 650 at Westminster.”
Thank you Alistair
Andrew Wilson on the BBC just said *The Tories had no to another referendum and they’ve lost and lost badly to the SNP who offered the proposition of Independence and they won*
When this is over the Tories are going to have to open moving goalpost factories in secret locations so nobody knows where they are
H&I list delayed to this evening. I guess that makes it the last to declare, wonder if that’s a good omen …
I’m keeping an e’e on this which is being updated within minutes:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_Scottish_Parliament_election
Seems to match the Beeb, so guessing the wiki writer is taking their data from them (I wouldn’t, they get something wrong every election).
I tend to wait a day or so, then look for the official results from the councils, which should include rejected, electorates and proper turnout (turnout can be votes vs electorate, or votes + rejected vs electorate, depending on the pedant 🙂 ).
Phew!
There will be an Independence majority in Scotland’s Parliament, we will have an Independence referendum come what may.
A wee song to lift the soul.
https://fb.watch/5mhCLPs1eK/
One of the biggest stories of this election should be the willingness of each of the Union parties to sacrifice themselves each for the other on the alter of Boris Johnson promises of a functioning Union that has no principles and no aim other than to prevent democracy in Scotland
I’m quite sure the eyes of the free world will be glued to this behaviour by England’s dictator party state, and if there was any trust left among countries of the free world for England it’s vanishing down the pan followed by a good brushing and bleaching
It’s not only the Union that has political analysts, if Boris Johnson continues to play silly b*****s over this it will be very big news wherever there are proportional parliaments on planet earth
You can’t prance around the world lecturing other countries that the UK is the mother of democracies then deny democracy like North Korea, China and some of the African nations, you kinda end up looking like some very famous figures from history who had to end up being overthrown by wars and other methods
Alice, regards cancelling the TV licence, you will not get threatening letters or have any contact at all from the BBC for at least two years after you cancel if you follow their advice on how to cancel. I responded to your original post with a link to do this.
BBC Newsnight:- “This is absurd. It cannot go on.” The SNP’s @AngusRobertson tells @ScotTories chief whip @Miles4Lothian the SNP is “being lectured to by a Conservative party that has performed abysmally in comparison.” https://mobile.twitter.com/BBCNewsnight/status/1390806801881485312
…………………………………………..
Phantom Power:- ”Robert Peston – Boris Johnson won’t be able to refuse a referendum if there’s a pro-independence majority in the Scottish Parliament.” https://mobile.twitter.com/PhantomPower14/status/1390797213245353985
Mujtaba Rahman:- ”The most important vote today is Scotland’s. Sleaze, Covid & even Brexit will soon be dwarfed by @BorisJohnson biggest problem – how to preserve the UK. Officialdom is very (very) worried. Is there a plan? Thread, based on how I see things 1/.” https://mobile.twitter.com/Mij_Europe/status/1390190950123810816
………………….
‘How Scotland voted could determine the UK’s future.’
https://yorkshirebylines.co.uk/how-scotland-voted-could-determine-the-uks-future/
Tories hold Aberdeenshire West with massive help from the Libdems 🙄. No SNP majority now?
Depressing isn’t it. This is my constituency. Besides the Liberals being Tories, there are also huge numbers of second homes, holiday homes, time shares and army barracks (Balmoral) stuffed full of magic voters who appear at every election. 😡
Aberdeenshire West won by the Tories 😦
Just 5 more constituencies to be confirmed all of them currently held by the SNP.
Glasgow Kelvin SNP
Edinburgh Eastern SNP
Edinburgh Northern and Leith SNP
Edinburgh Pentlands SNP
Midlothian North and Musselburgh SNP
Edinburgh Pentlands the only close one with the Tories in 2nd place. If the SNP do hold on to these seats then that will put the SNP on 62 seats and needing 3 from the lists for a majority.
well, it’s all coming down to the list seats as to whether or not the SNP have a majority. So a big thank you to Alex, the heavy revvie and Cwaig Muwway as well as scot goes plop for setting out the argument that has cost the SNP seats
BBC and Prof Poultice predicting SNP 63 seats and 9 Green.
…………………………………….
The only way that party has any chance of ever ”blooming” is with Salmond walking away.
‘Alex Salmond: Alba will ‘bloom’ after Scottish Parliament election.’
..“Actually Alba has been a great help to the SNP during this campaign, I know some of you who dislike the SNP enormously, I just dislike some of the personalities in the SNP, I like the SNP but I have to confess to a dislike of certain members of it.”..
http://www.thenational.scot/news/19288903.alba-will-bloom-election-despite-no-msps-says-salmond/
……………………………………..
‘London journalist told to ‘calm down’ over hysterical indyref claims.’
http://www.thenational.scot/news/19288778.london-journalist-told-calm-down-hysterical-indyref-claims/
blooming ‘eck!
It’s OK I’ve been down to the armoury, phasers photon torpedoes and laser cannons are in plentiful supply, we of course have always had our light sabres with plenty of speeders and shuttle craft with warp speed capability available, so we are ready for any attack by aliens or other invaders
Well, it all comes down to the list vote as to whether or not the SNP get a majority. So a big round of thanks to those useful idiots who campaigned for a supermajority, especially Alex, the heavy revvie, Cwaig Muwway and Scot Goes Plop. An OBE to each of them
Now it comes down to democracy !
Do unionists accept that a Pro-Independence coalition in the Scottish Parliament is every bit as acceptable as the Pro-union coalition which was clearly used in the constituencies ?
Answers on a Peach ballot paper to DRoss and Bojo the Clown !
Hah, the Britnats tried again – but failed. A massive swing from Tories to Labour in Glasgow Kelvin, but even then Labour couldn’t even manage to overtake the Greens.
And one of the best results of this campaign, Kaukab Stewart will be a great asset to the new Parliament.
Rooth the Mooth lying as per usual and we can see why she did a runner. She knew fine and well that she would be out on her erse.
‘Ruth Davidson claims she ‘wasn’t part of Scottish Tory campaign team.’
..”The BBC host said that Davidson had been “front and centre” of the campaign. Russell could be seen laughing as he said: “You were leading it.”..
http://www.thenational.scot/news/19287666.ruth-davidson-claims-wasnt-part-scottish-tory-campaign-team/
………………………………..
‘Video:- Angus Robertson says SNP among Europe’s ‘best rated’ parties.’
http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/politics/scottish-politics/3122293/angus-robertson-says-snp-among-europes-best-rated-parties/
It looks like something has happened that I wondered about earlier, which is that in urban areas at least the Greens may be picking up votes from Labour rather than from the SNP.
More racist nutters 🙄.
Radio Clyde News:- ”Police have intervened at the Emirates after a candidate approached the counting hall doing what looked like Nazi salutes. Derek Jackson, who is standing as the Liberal Party, was allowed inside as he’s standing in Glasgow Southside. He was approached by journalists.” https://mobile.twitter.com/RadioClydeNews/status/1390646345728409600
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The media outwith the UK seem to get it!
‘Election: Award-winning German reporter criticises media focus on SNP majority.’
http://www.thenational.scot/news/19288610.election-award-winning-german-reporter-criticises-media-focus-snp-majority/?c=qbhudi
Tories manifesto was stop the SNP having a referendum
They lost
taken a leaf out of Paul’s book and retired from comments in the last few weeks. but here we are.
firstly, i agree with Craig Murray, the failure of the Alba party to gather enough votes is largely due to the “nicola ate my hamster” brigade on WOS and their unhealthy obsession with CWDs.
It was a miscalculation by Alex to allow WOS, ISP,Barrheadboy and grousebeater room at the Alba party launch. it merely allowed them to turn the purely arithmetic issue into a political issue which was at odds with the Alba partys aim which was Snp1 Alba2.
On a brighter side, it now lets these wos trolls know they speak for no one, stu now reduced to graphics showing how popular he was once upon a time. his ticket is now stamped, he can hide behind crap shit graphics for only so long, eventually, he will need to crowd fund at which point i can forward him my world famous recipe for tattie soup.
on a less dark side, unfortunately, we didnt take dunbarton, eastwood or west aberdeenshire but we did increase the constituency seats by 3. so not a disaster by any means, I think its the best constituency result ever.
but there’s the rub. the snp need 3 list seats across the whole of scotland for a majority. But they wont get it. the bbc know this, prof curtice knows this, nicola knows this, everyone fuckin knows this. so why dont you and all the other the snp 1 and 2 proponents dont?
its because the people on this site are as guilty as the trolls on wos for turning what was a question of simple arithmetic into a political arguement.
dont believe me? well i’ll prove it. once we know the results, ill add the alba list votes to the snp list votes and redrive the calculation. i guarentee you, the alba votes will make no fucking difference .
you get to own this fuckin goat rodeo as well
central scotland 6 of 7 seats, unionists, 1 x green
highlands 5 of 7 seats unionists 1 x green 1 x snp
own it folks
only folk who can count past 10 with out needing to remove their shoes and socks should be allowed to vote.
fuckin morons
150,000 votes, 45% of the vote in central scotland………………..no fucking snp msps elected.
zero, nada, fuck all……..the unionists can vote tactically no probs but yessers must be genetically incapable of such difficult sums
Lib Dems got zero list seats. That’s the price of being the 3rd pick.
SNP/Green in safe big winning SNP constituencies was the way to go. Said it from the start. You can say the same for ALBA, but ALBA were not established, were not trusted, and were largely aiming at the SNP and Greens in their campaign. They might have been pro-Indy, but they were anti-SNP, and there would never be a an accord within Holyrood for them to worth together on that basis.
Let’s wait till the counting is over then we can do the post mortem.
I’m sure it’ll be interesting.
so we now have 63 msps, same as 2016.
why is the maths so difficult?
bear in mind that everyone is saying the snp at best will get 1 msp from the remaining 6 regions.
so please share with everyone where you get your info from? snp 1 and 2 is bollox, always was.
at least for folk who can count
“so please share with everyone”
Cat, you’ve been in contact with Wingers too long.
HAVE SOME MANNERS
Like I said long before, but you still entirely fail to appreciate, people aren’t spreadsheet obsessives, and don’t do sums before voting. Like Paul says, they follow stories.
And the dominant story on the Unionist side was to vote for whatever party available to try to stop the next indyref, and there were massive cross-party transfers from people who picked up the “tactical vote” message in the constituencies. And who was majoring on tactical voting? – your hero Alex.
Don’t come back here pointing the finger, because we called it right, and your spreadsheetery is a sign of just how theoretical and disconnected some people’s thinking still is.
no spreadsheetery required. but agreed, most folk dont do such maths they listen to those online who they respect and follow their lead grizebard. i dont include you amongst the rank and file. you are an activist and an intellegent comentator who is more than capabvble of doing the maths. im not attacking the general public, im attacking you for being a complete fukcwit
You have summed up the Alba mentality in this one abusive post . Well done that man !
Attack me as much as you like for calling it right, I don’t care. Alba were a bust flush right from the start, and anyone who didn’t get caught up in this gold-fever wishful thinking – all too reminiscent of 2014 – could see that clearly enough.
Oh, and you seem to have too readily forgotten, there is a significant pro-indy majority, thanks to a useful supplement by…
…the Greens. (Not the half-baked amateur pop-up.) I seem to remember they were once your spreadsheetery champion, so at least you did finally get something right. {grin}
Cat, it looks like your party, Alba, have cost the Greens one seat in Glasgow, and will cost the SNP one seat in South Scotland. Maybe others, nobody has worked it out yet.
A vote for ALba was a vote for the Unionists as it turned out – and as people warned.
Your own argument for a long time was that for a list only party to succeed then it would have to be trusted by Independence supporters. Alba was clearly not that party and that boils down to a poor favourability rating of Alex Salmond as shown by the polls.
If you are thought of less favourably than Boris Johnson by the Scottish electorate then you clearly have a problem in getting them to vote for your party.
‘Labour voters have already tucked themselves up behind the Conservatives.’
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‘BBC propaganda by ‘balance’ and euphemism to hide both right-wing extremism and SNP/Yes decency.’
All results for the lists seats for the Highlands and Islands have now been announced. My calculation gives the following result.
Tory 4
Labour 1
Green 1
SNP 1
SNP 1 & 2 fully justified in my region, as I knew it would be.
‘Ciaran Martin: ‘Once in a generation’ independence referendum just a slogan.’
..“Fundamentally this is a clash of mandate and law. It will be decided by politics and it goes to the absolute heart of the question. We have been told for many decades now that it is a voluntary union, but at the moment there is no lawful democratic path to the pursuit of Scottish independence. That remains the case and that really is the missing part of the constitutional jigsaw that the United Kingdom Government has to answer at some point.”..
http://www.thenational.scot/news/19288882.ciaran-martin-once-generation-independence-referendum-just-slogan/
…………………………
‘Scotland’s Future.’
When the results are all in is it possible to take the total number of voters in Scotland and be able to tell how many of them voted for SNP only and SNP + Greens?
‘This was Scotland’s most boring election, and its most important.’
..”But when the expected does happen it will still be an extraordinary moment. Not because the SNP winning a fourth term in office will, in itself, be an amazing feat. No other social democratic party in Europe has had such consistent success of late. In two years, there will be people old enough to vote in Scotland who have only ever known SNP governments at Holyrood. We’ve grown used to that, we’ve watched it happen.”..
http://www.opendemocracy.net/en/opendemocracyuk/this-was-scotlands-most-boring-election-and-its-most-important/
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Check out Ann’s latest links on the indyref2 site.
https://indyref2.space/forum/topic/links-saturday-8-may-2021/
It’s pretty clear now that Unionists got the message and it was their tactical voting in crucial seats that stopped an SNP majority. The sheer number Labour voters switching to Tory and vice versa was something to behold.
It is what it is then, but we still have a majority of Independence supporting MSP’s in Holyrood and so the fight will go on.
Not to mention vast numbers doing the exact same between Tory and FibDem in town and country. Former sworn enemies now clinging to the same shoddy raft.
I always find it amusing when the media say (ANother) wins a seat on the list, when nobody actually wins a list seat, they’re given a seat because they couldn’t or didn’t want to try to win one, or lost, it’s sort of similar to the doctors when you don’t have an appointment, if you turn up early and sit there long enough you get a seat in the doctors office
SNP win a seat in South Scotland putting them now on 64 seats.
That’s it all done until the next time, with the SNP on 64 seats providing the new speaker comes from another party then they cannot be defeated on a vote in Holyrood since the best result the opposition can achieve is a 64-64 draw. I’m not sure what happens in such a scenario?
When i can be bothered i’ll try and find out, right now I’m electioned out.
The unionists are claiming they have stopped a SNP majority but they have 64 seats compared to the unionist 57 seats. They have a 7 seat majority over the unionists, unless they are going to claim the Green’s must always vote with them.
Even if the Green’s abstain on a referendum vote they are outvoted and this time they can’t claim it wasn’t clearly in the manifesto. Of course the media have ignored this and only concentrate on the 65 seats as a majority, are they aware of this majority or are they deliberately ignoring it?
SNP 64 + Green 8 = 72 pro-Indy, and both very clearly have Indy Ref 2 in their manifestos.
Anti-Indy 57, a Heinz variety.
Nicola Sturgeon says she very pleased to see Lorna Slater get a seat in parliament