Humza Yousaf’s efforts to find a way through the two votes of no confidence expected this week have proven unsuccessful, and he has stepped down as First Minister. The infuriated Greens have refused overtures from the SNP to back Humza Yousaf in the Tory vote of no confidence. By siding with the Tories the Scottish Greens have done themselves no favours, leaving many independence supporrters as infuriated as Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater were last week, in a fit of petulance they risked bringing down a pro independence government which remains committed to combatting climate change and for that many SNP supporters will think twice about giving them a second preference vote in a future Holyrood or local election. For its part the Alba party clearly overplayed its hand with reports that Ash Regan did not just want SNP support for her referendum bill, which might have been doable, but she was going much further and seeking an electoral pact with the SNP for the Westminster general election expected later this year.
This was not acceptable to many in the SNP, doing a deal with a party for which unremitting hostility to the SNP has been a founding principle and a continuing feature. It would have given Alex Salmond huge influence within the SNP, which would be anathema to many in the party. If the deal with the Greens led to accusations of the tail wagging the dog, this would have been the case on steroids in the case of a deal with Alba.
Say what you like about the Scottish Greens, but they have a proven track record in getting MSPs and councillors elected under their own banner, the party got eight MSPs elected to Holyrood in May 2021 and has 36 councillors in 13 local authorities, all of whom were elected as Scottish Greens. By way of comparison Alba has two MPs, one MSP, and one councillor, all of whom were elected as SNP candidates but later defected, the party rarely registers over 2% in opinion polling and is widely perceived as a vehicle for Alex Salmond, who remains one of the most unpopular figures in Scottish politics.
Just as the Greens stand accused of threatening to vote with the Tories in order to bring down a majority pro-independence government, the same accusation can also be levelled at Alba, a party which claims to put independence front and foremost. That will not do Alba any favours amongst the SNP supporters it needs to court if it is to have any chance of ever winning an election on its own merits.
If the SNP needs to move on from the Sturgeon era, it most certainly also needs to move on from Alex Salmond. In their day both were hugely powerful and influential figures capable of winning many thousands of votes, but the key phrase there is ‘in their day’. Their day has passed. What the SNP needs now is to look forward to a new generation of leadership, not to look back to the past. Both Salmond and Sturgeon were at the height of their powers when there was a Tory government at Westminster, the era of large C Conservative rule is coming to an end and Westminster looks set to enter a phase of small c conservative government under the right wing Labour party of Keir Starmer.
That new political ecosystem requires new ideas and new faces. The immediate challenge is to get through this week’s votes of no confidence. The Greens have already signalled that their issue is with Humza Yousaf, not with the Scottish Government as a whole. The Conservative vote of no confidence in Humza Yousaf is now rendered moot given his resignation as leader of the SNP and his decision to stand down as First Minister as soon as a successor can be found. By resigning he has put the stability of the Scottish Government ahead of his own career and ego, and for that he should be commended. Humza Yousaf will continue as interim First Minister until a successor as SNP leader can be elected by SNP members. He is a politician who has not been given due credit by a resentful Scottish media for his very genuine successes. Under Humza Yousaf Scotland is the only part of the UK which has avoided strikes in the NHS, an achievement which BBC Scotland begrudgingly glossed over in under thirty seconds even though it had obviously been gearing up for a wall to wall SNP bad-fest should strikes in NHS Scotland had taken place.
We must assume that this resignation will satisfy the Scottish Greens, who we can hope will now vote to support the Scottish Government in Labour’s vote of no confidence in the Scottish Government, which is still likely to go ahead this week.
The First Minister must perforce be an MSP, however there is no reason why one of the SNP’s Westminster MPs cannot stand for leadership of the party while being represented in Holyrood by an interim First Minister until he or she can be elected to Holyrood. My own favourite candidate would be the SNP’s Westminster leader Stephen Flynn, who has been consistently impressive in the House of Commons, and I very much hope that he will stand. He is the calibre of politician who can skewer the hypocrisy and lies of the likely new British Government of Keir Starmer who wraps himself in the flag and claims to be opposed to nationalism. At just 35, he belongs to the post devolution generation of Scots who have lived all their adult lives with a Scottish Parliament and an expectation that it is perfectly natural for Scotland to govern itself. He could stand as party leader on a twin ticket with Neil Gray or Jenny Gilruth.
Kate Forbes has also been mentioned as a possible successor to Humza Yousaf but there are doubts about whether she could receive the necessary support from the Scottish Greens who would require assurances that her personal socially conservative views would not inform her policies as First Minister. She is also viewed with suspicion by many on the left of the SNP and it may prove to be a tall order for her to bring the different wings of the party together.
However whoever wins through the party must avoid the bitterness and rancour of the last leadership election and we must hope that whoever does finally prove victorious will reach out to his or her opponents and give them prominent posts in the Scottish government.
Tory Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has responded to Humza Yousaf’s resignation by urging his successor not to focus on Scottish independence. The man who is obsessed with sending vulnerable asylum seekers on a one way trip to a brutal East African dictatorship said that Humza Yousaf’s successor must focus on policies that people care about. I strongly suspect that there is a considerably greater proportion of people in Scotland who care deeply about progressing the case for Scottish independence than the proportion of people in the UK as a whole who passionately support Sunak’s campaign of performative cruelty against marginalised, powerless, and desperate human beings.
Despite its many challenges the SNP remains the only pro independence party with a proven track record of winning elections and being only political vehicle for the independence movement with broad based support. This period of uncertainty will pass. Support for independence remains undiminished and this blog will continue to support the only political party with a realistic chance of bringing the dream of independence to fruition. Others can snipe from the sidelines and devote their energies to attacking independence supporters with whom they disagree, that’s not my job. With a new leader from a younger generation, the SNP remains the party of Scotland’s future.
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Obviously recent developments concerning Peter Murrell will attract a lot of interest and people will want to express their views. However I must remind people that Scotland has very strict laws about contempt of court and you must exercise extreme caution in what you post. Ideally it is best to say nothing. I must also warn you that you are personally responsible for any comments you make.
Wee Ginger Dug 
i saw Henry McLeish on Sky expounding his theory that we need a reset in Scottish politics with a more consensual approach and of course,abandoning our ” fixation” with independence.
Labour completely finished consensualism in 2014 when they formed Better Together with the Tories and defined politics in Scotland as being independence vs dependence and destroying any middle ground.
More important than electing a new SNP leader is a new strategy to get our independence.
Henry WHO ?
Before many voting Scots were born.
like me!
At last he has come off the fence. Sadly on the wrong side of history.
A very good post Paul.
Summed up the situation perfectly, and I would draw many to the comment around List votes in forthcoming Holyrood elections.
The myth that voting SNP on the list was a wasted vote will be even more relevant this time round if, as seems likely, Labour are closer to the SNP in the polls than the Tories ever were.
Both votes SNP, anything else and we risk being back where we are now?!
At least things aren’t boring anymore
Yes, and if you want accurate polling, you need the public to feel this for a start! It’s how you get them engaged with pollsters giving you more representative samples.
I would also like to see Stephen Flynn throw his hat into the ring as party leader with a view to standing for Holyrood at some future date.
I see also that John Swinney has said he will be giving “very careful consideration” to standing as leader after being “somewhat overwhelmed by requests for him to do that”.
That would work for me, John Swinney to take over in the short term and for Stephen Flynn to take over as soon as that is possible and hopefully before the election in 2026.
I’m sure no one would disagree that being FM of an SNP led Government is not an easy job, John Swinney has the experience I would think to play a role and Stephen Flynn has always appeared to be a very strong young man that won’t be easily fazed or troubled by the bullies in the media.
Sounds like a great possible combo. So many options.
It’s no use unionists taking out SNP leaders when they have so much talent to choose from.
Unionist parties by contrast have zero talent and zero ideas for Scotland. They’ve even given up on their own devolution when they could have offered devo max.
Tory Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has responded to Humza Yousaf’s resignation by urging his successor not to focus on Scottish independence.
Isn’t it nice to see that Mr Sunak has a sense of humour?
lol….yes! As for Starmer’s comments about us being in disarray….let them think that. Onwards and upwards!
Says the man that’s not won over a single voter NET since Labour’s 2019 worst defeat since 1935.
As far as I know there is no reason that Stephen Flynn cannot be elected as leader of the SNP if he decides that he wants to stand. Alex Salmond was an MP when he took over from John Swinney in 2004 and Nicola Sturgeon his deputy took over as leader of the opposition at Holyrood in his place.
In fact, Salmond stood again for election to Westminster in 2005 and was re-elected and remained there as leader of the SNP in the HoC, it wasn’t until the Scottish elections in 2007 that he stood as an MSP and as we all know the SNP won the most seats and he became FM.
I like Swinney and don’t like Flynn.
But Flynn would be a way better leader than Swinney.
“Kate Forbes has also been mentioned as a possible successor to Humza Yousaf but there are doubts about whether she could receive the necessary support from the Scottish Greens who …“
If the SNP choose a leader just because the Greens support him or her, they will be as badly off as they were last year, and their support from the electorate will not just drop, it will plummet.
Some will say “Why vote SNP when you can get the real thing with Greens?” and others who dislike the Greens will realise the SNP are in Harvie’s shirt pocket and Slater’s jacket pocket.
Totally. I don’t want Forbes as leader; nothing has changed here to make me change my mind on last time.
It’s nothing to do with whether the Greens like her or not. I wasn’t much of a Green fan but voted them at council level. It’s clear they don’t want me doing this going forward.
Well said Paul!
Bookmaker William Hill offers the following odds for next leader of the SNP, not the next FM which is something entirely different.
John Swinney 2/5
Kate Forbes 11/4
Neil Gray 9/2
Jenny Gilruth 12/1
Stephen Flynn 20/1
Mairi McAllan 50/1
Everybody else is 100/1
Grey, Gilruth & Flynn have all backed Swinney so if he runs they won’t, cant see McAllan running so really only leaves Forbes
There’s going to be a new SNP leader, that does not mean that leader must be FM and it shouldn’t, given everybody and their granny wants a say or an objection to who’s the FM then let the opposition present their candidates, it’s about time we did to them what they do to us, let’s start refusing and going in huffs, as long as we do it with big smiles
Salmond must have every paper on speed dial, he’s inventing new cover stories by the minute now
I hope Kate Forbes stands. The SNP have to be independent – of the Greens. If they can’t elect a leader who can engage the voters and progress independence then it won’t be worth going out and voting for them. John Swinney is old hat. He was leader once but wasn’t good at it. He has many great qualities but leadership isn’t one of them.
I like Stephen Flynn but he’s not in Holyrood and there’s no getting away from that unless they have a Holyrood election.
I hope Forbes goes for it – she’s the future. Swinney is the past.
“I like Stephen Flynn but he’s not in Holyrood and there’s no getting away from that unless they have a Holyrood election.“
How do you explain Alex Salmond being leader of the SNP for 3 years from 2004 to 2007 when he wasn’t in Holyrood as an MSP either?
I agree with you about John Swinney having had his day but as an interim measure he would be a very safe pair of hands and judging from what he said today about being “overwhelmed by the demand” I think he is favourite with the bookies for a very good reason.
I think too it is clear from the last election that Kete Forbes did not win despite being favourite with the general public, that she was not the favourite with the elected members in particular. I’m not sure what might have changed in the past year that would make her their favourite now.
I’m all for Flynn standing as he would attract younger voters and has no baggage to carry from the disputes between the different wings of the SNP within Holyrood. He has also proven himself at Westminster that he has what it takes to stand up to bullies and knows what it atkes to show leadership.
I hope he stands with Swinney as his deputy and who be the interim leader of the SNP at Holyrood and FM until Flynn becomes an MSP, this is just exactly as Nicola Sturgeon did until Salmond won a seat as an MSP in 2007.
There is nothing to stop him standing as leader despite what the media may try and say differently.
Alex Salmond was elected to the Scottish Parliament in 1999 so was in Holyrood when re-elected leader in 2004.
Humza Yousaf said that he would serve as leader until a new leader was elected. There is no need for an “interim” leader so no need for John Swinney to stand in. All the SNP has to do is get on and elect a new leader. Of course, John Swinney could stand.
Apos – I just checked and you’re right Salmond was not in Holyrood in 2004 when re-elected. I had forgotten about his resignation.
When I talked about an “interim” leader I was talking of course until Flynn could be elected as an MSP, only after that could he be elected as FM so in the meantime Swinney could fulfil that role.
I have seen people suggest Flynn as leader of the SNP and Angus Robertson as FM at Holyrood. The latter would be a good choice because he is already a known quantity abroad particularly in Europe which Mr Flynn is not, yet. This would leave Mr Flynn to lead in the upcoming GE for Westminster.
I left the SNP when Swinney was in charge and they stated talking about shelving independence. Rejoined when Alex took over.
Not sure if Flynn is actually pro independence. If he is, great.
Forbes, competent, feisty and principled and I suspect a tough one for Ubots to bring down by smears or control by bribes if she goes for indy.
Alex is 70 this Hogmanay he might think it a good time to step back.
“Alex is 70 this Hogmanay he might think it a good time to step back.”
Step back from where? He isn’t currently a member of the SNP, he’s leader of Alba. Or do you mean drop leadership of another party too?
And surely any idea of him becoming the most important person in the Scottish Parliament via Ash faded with Humza’s resignation?
Yes a confusing little brain fart by me, my intention was to simply engender more circumspection from those who are espousing the ‘propaganda by Alex to gain power’ meme.
Yet to see any Branchform impact on SNP VI.
#unsurprisingly
Flynn has categorically ruled himself out – this time around, i’m sure he ambitions for the future as he has said he is still only young.
He’s very clear as to where he stands then and that’s in support of John Swinney. Pity, as although I would have liked him to stand now I hope he will consider standing as an MSP in 2026 and think maybe about the leadership then.
If you’re young married with kids FMs not a job to be recommended, every day the British their media and now five opposition parties spend all their time trying to destroy you your life and your family in order to destroy Scotland’s future
sad but true – need a very thick skin to be FM, the media and opposition parties must be so proud of themselves destroying peoples lives with their nonsense
Amusingly, the latest English poll of the Scotch conducted by Yougov, London, in England, shows the SNP edging up across the board in response to the arrest of PM.
Isn’t that so handy they had being doing one just ready to come out today.
Lets hope we have a Scottish poll come out at some point. A fully random sample one with direct voter targeting.
Another day, another drop in Sarwar and Ross’s ratings:
Anas Sarwar
29(-)% Favourable
38(+2)% Unfavourable
Douglas Ross
19(-5)% Favourable
50(+3)% Unfavourable
These are impressive. To be so negatively rated in opposition takes a lot of hard work. Recent events will not have filtered through yet as fieldwork ended before Yousaf’s resignation.
If these were pies nobody would be buying anything from those butchers
If there is to be a leadership contest I have resigned myself not to take part in the vote, because it matters not who ends up in the job as FM (if it’s SNP FM) the precedent has been set that there’s every likely hood that VOC will happen again, and in the current makeup at Holyrood where piddling wee nonentity parties can veto the Scottish parliament at a whim, unless that’s changed to something sensible, what’s the point?
We’re trying to run our country on constantly reduced budgets of our own money from England and now they’ve reduced the authority of our elected preferences right inside our own house
When jumped up little twits like Harvie and sleekit wee squints like Salmond can divert our parliament at will we’re right down the dead end rabbit hole
These issues must be addressed hard, and with sincerely aimed unpleasantness
A moment for wartime Consiglieri
I’m inclined to agree. I doubt whether any of them have fire in their belly to progress Independence. The fact that some British nationalists are hoping for Swinney, says it all. They’re all far too comfortable. Nicola suggested an Independence election so why don’t we do exactly that. Call an election with a single line manifesto – Independence. It would tap into the 50%+ YES vote, unite the movement as only the dyed in the wool contrarians would vote against Independence and the SNP would receive a massive majority with which to negotiate Independence with the English Government. Continuity doesn’t cut it. Carrying on as we are won’t bring Independence any nearer, we need decisive action.
Mr Yousaf had said the next election, which will be for Westminster in a few months time,would have independence front and centre and that would be declared in the 1st line of the manifesto. Amazing how many people did not notice that or chose to ignore it.
As to the ‘all far to comfortable’ bit. Just how comfortable do you think it is to get up each day to do your job knowing that whatever you do or propose will be rubbished by the media or misrepresented or ignored altogether? Yet still they do it and try to do the best they can for the people of Scotland. How ‘comfortable’ do you think they find that?
I get what you are saying Dr J but I don’t think the Greens would be stupid enough to involve themselves in supporting another VOC lead by Tory or Labour again and they won’t have the guts to try to get one themselves. It is possible Kate Forbes may stand. If she wins the Greens will have to lump it. Harvey and Slater know they have been damaged by all this too and may very well not be leaders much longer. I also feel that is important for as many people who are able to vote in this leadership election. I never had a vote last time as had just joined the party. I hope John Swinney does stand. He is old guard but has a lot of experience and I am sure has learned a lot since last time he was leader. Apart from Kate and Swinney I barely recognise the names of those others who may possibly stand.
There are several good and competent people who could do the job just fine, I personally favour a woman for the job but Harvie has already stated his threat loud and clear on Kate Forbes, so that’s at least one he’s quite prepared to veto in his wee walky out huffs, so how many are we to present for Harvie and Salmond’s approval before we get on and govern
Both of these people have clearly shown that Scotland is the last of their concerns and their first is themselves and their brand of politics, which in Harvies case is to Kow Tow to the alphabet wing of his own party, which is a population percentage of less than 2%
I go back to what started this row and it wasn’t a thing to do with climate change legislation, it was the Green Parties opposition to the Cass report on puberty blockers, the Green party claim they know better than clinicians because they’ve got more diverse gendered people within their party so that makes them more expert than the scientists, this is the nub of the disagreement, over a pill that affects literally amounts of people you could count on one hand, so if the Greens were and are prepared to bring down the Scottish parliament for that then these people cannot be trusted in the future over the type of biscuits on sale in the cafe
And as for Salmond, he will now seek every available opportunity to wreck and disrupt now that he has both Labour and Tory on board with the method and means to do it
I know there are some who disagree with me over Salmond but my opinion is and was for a long time that he is no friend to Scotland, and I’m not alone within the party, literally no one wants anything to do with the man since 2014, the stuff that came afterwards only has some bearing on my opinion of him, plus of course the population of Scotland poll him consistently well below even Tory politicians at Westminster, and you can’t get much more poisonous amongst the electorate than that, and yet he keeps going without the slightest chance in a lottery ticket of ever winning anything
So folk have to ask themselves why when you don’t even register at any level with voters, and you know for sure you can never be in any parliament ever again, do you keep involving yourself in politics? what is the reason?
Answer that question then you know why Alex Salmond does what he does
👍 Spot on.
Well said Dr Jim.
As for the puberty blockers…that’s just not right.
If you need a reason to support Independence then the replies to this post from Humza Yousaf tells you tonight the type of people you are currently happy to vote alongside for those that oppose Independence.
social media is venomous
I can’t read them. Sounds like I haven’t missed much
I’m not a regular, a quick assault was more than enough. The volume of vitriol is beyond me.
I don’t have a Twitter aka X account any more so couldn’t read the comments. Thankfully Have read some stuff at the weekend on Facebook which was truly appalling . Haven’t even watched any news coverage since yesterday 9am . Recorded channel 4 News and will watch it later
Likewise. Had a very brief look and quickly got out.
Looking through much of the media tonight I can only say that reports of the death of the SNP are being greatly exaggerated.
The media sees Scottish Politics through their own rose tinted spectacles
While David Cameron gets away with hiring one of the most expensive luxury jets in the world for a 7 day soiree at £400,000/day, his colleagues in Westminster are announcing plans to take away disability benefits for those suffering from depression and anxiety.
The Scottish government have recently taken over the payment of these benefits to those eligible in Scotland and have already said they have no plans to do the same as the Tories. Let Labour take over at Holyrood and you can say goodbye to every progressive policy that Scotland has if it is not the same as what Starmer wants for the “country”.
Thanks Paul…measured clear thinking as ever.
An excellent synopsis Paul, it will be interesting to see what transpires.
As Dr Jim highlighted above, that the Greens taking issue over puberty blockers in an expert report should result in this is beyond the pale – That BBC Scotland ignored this pivotal aspect in their reporting will be no surprise to any acquainted with Propaganda Quay’s output.
Sunak ” urging his successor not to focus on Scottish independence ” perfectly examples the disconnect of UK politics from the aspirations of the electorate – Support for independence will escalate because only in an independent Scotland can that disconnect be repaired.
However, irrespective of anyone’s political preferences, a second FM being ‘taken out’ by the way politics is done in the UK, will not go down at all well with the Scottish electorate, and I suspect political parties will be punished.
The SNP will be bruised but will re-focus – The Tories will be hammered over their relentless attempts to wreck Holyrood under Forres Gump’s ‘leadership’, and ripple effects from the GE – Labour will continue to collapse under Sarwar’s leadership and Starmer’s flag-hugging tory-light – The Scottish Greens will go back to fringe status and doubtless lose MSPs over their petulance.
Much though I regret Yousaf’s decision, he is an honourable man who stands by his principles, a rare enough quality in today’s politics – Taking on FM is not for the faint hearted in a country where the media is unrelenting in it’s negativity and distortion.
Don’t want to sound picky, but Dross is claiming 3 scalps, not 2 – Salmond, Nicola and Humza.
This for a man whose own party (both North AND South of the border) has changed its own leaders more times than Dross has changed his own underwear.
Hypocrisy much?
Although I agree with the sentiment, the image of Dross changing his underwear – or, worse still, NOT – isn’t one I really want to carry with me for the rest of the day… *boak* 😀
He was forced to go by the Greens and Alba. They will suffer at the Ballot box.
They never think things through. Recycling, airbnbs, trans. Wasting £Millions. Opposing essential roads and bridges. Putting up the cost.
i think my preference would still be for a new broom like Kate. If she stands I will vote for her. If John wins then I’m good with the decision of the members. At the end of the day it is a decision for the members and not people who have left to join other parties. They have their own internal elections and I have zero interest in who they elect for their leaders.
I see the gutter press are celebrating the end of the SNP and independence for a generation. A bit premature IMO.
I resigned last year after the stitch up of the leadership campaign. Did the NEC ever produce their report? Another continuity candidate would be disappointing but it’s for the members to decide now.
They wish 😄
Wasn’t independence supposed to be over for a generation when Salmond stepped down? Also when Sturgeon did so?
Quite so. We are all on the edge of our seats, calculators fired up, until the next poll hoves into view.
A calm and reasoned post Paul.
If you insist that English non-random sampling of the Scotch cheap and nasty panel polling is much more accurate than fully random sampling telephone poll of Scots by Scottish pollsters, then it’s 50% Yes right now on average.
It’s 51% Yes if you generously give equal weighting to both. Obviously in both cases the trend is the same; a slow but steady continued rise as Britishness passes a little more into history in Scotland each day.
Thanks Paul for a great calm and reflective post. We are where we are right now and we should never give up.
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results.
Swinney is an all round good bloke but not a leader. He was a failure as leader 20 years ago. No one was seeking to talk him out of retirement before last Friday so the notion that he should step in now is simply laughable.
The pact with the Greens has not advanced the cause of independence one bit. In fact, its done the opposite.
The choice is this: (i) We recognise that the Sturgeon and Salmond eras are over and we need a new way forward or (ii) Put in another bland anonymous character that panders to a particular faction and suffer defeats in the coming Westminster and Holyrood election meaning we have to resort to option (i) further down the line.
Whatever one thinks of the likely candidates the big question should be how are they going to advance the cause of independence. That requires asking and solving some difficult questions and winning over soft no voters. We don’t do that by factionalism or wishful thinking.
Perhaps you should remember the posts Mr Swinney has held in the intervening years and how they have shown a man who has grown in stature and, most importantly, in experience.
When he was leader he had not had ministerial experience now it is a quite different story and it shows in his demeanour particularly during interviews.
Here is the lie of the land. If you insist that English polls of the Scotch from London using non-random sample cheap and nasty panel polling is far more reliable than our own Scottish pollster with its much more expensive random sample telephone polls, then we are at 50% rather than around 51.5%; naturally the trend is identical for both cases. I note that the linear fit almost perfectly extends back to 45% in 2014. Consider it baseline.
The mistake the unionists make is that they believe this is entirely political so can be reversed, when independence is apolitical. That steady rise is Scotland’s national identity changing with the generations, namely British / Scottish & British declining to be replaced by Scottish (only). When the most recent census data comes out, expect exactly this. Shared national identity is the reason pretty much every country in the world exists in current form. When bits of states don’t share that identity, is when break off.
There is politics involved, but it noise / waves on the rising tide. As you can see, the UKSC case inflicted a pretty big wound on unionism. However, the blow that Yes then suffered in response with Sturgeon being taken out was not enough to patch up that UKSC wound, with Yes retreating, but to a higher baseline. And under Yousaf it kept on creeping up.
It will continue to do so. It’s been doing this since Britishness peaked in the baby boomers born in 1944. From them on, it’s been all downhill. It’s why you find the most No’s in this age group.
The same is happening in the North of Ireland. Hence there will never be another unionist majority there again most likely either.
As per my earlier post, the latest English panel poll shows:
All as you’d expect really.
“That steady rise is Scotland’s national identity changing with the generations, namely British / Scottish & British declining to be replaced by Scottish (only). When the most recent census data comes out, expect exactly this. “
Thanks for the info – it’s looking encouraging.
Agree 100% that independence is apolitical, but I don’t think it’s solely about national identity either. Although that will sway the vote increasingly as numbers rise.
It certainly can’t be identity in my case. (I’ve become inured to negative comments about “The British”, as I think I know where you’re coming from.)
The census asked 2 questions about nationality. One an ethnic question and the other about what I considered myself to be. I was born in the British Isles of parents who are of predominantly English blood with a smattering of Welsh. I am not therefore completely ethnically English, but wasn’t born in Scotland. So I identify as an ethnic Briton.
What do I consider myself to be? I’ve lived in Scotland over half my total life and more than half my adult life. Not only do I pay taxes (still!) I’ve worked here for the majority of my working life and raised a family here. I find the outlook of Scotland – social, political, cultural and ethical – to be far more in keeping with who I am.
You missed a category – British and Scottish. I am, if you like, a Trans-Scot! 🙂
So I’m not sure that appealing to national identity is going to persuade many soft NOs. I was one. My heart thought Scotland should be free, my head didn’t know how it could be supported and I didn’t know where to look to find out. AS, didn’t help either (either personally or otherwise). Smiling beatifically and saying “Oil” as the answer to everything doesn’t work with Aberdonians who’ve lost their livelihoods when oil prices crash. Though I was willing to believe that might be editing.
So yes, I made the mistake of believing The Vow the first time. I wasn’t at that time completely aware of quite how Perfidious Albion was/is. I’d NEVER be that stupid again! When to confirmed Unionists, I merely say that although I did – with reluctance – vote NO, I’m still waiting for the promised DevoMax and we don’t seem to still be in the EU. I don’t like being lied to. And neither do they. If they go on to say “but how can we afford it?” I point them to Believe in Scotland.
Led by Donkeys have a good system for getting information about too. We could do with a similar thing, given how remote a lot of our communities are.
but I don’t think it’s solely about national identity either.
Not solely, but for a country to exist on a democratic basis, i.e. with the collective will of its people(s), these must have a shared national identity associated with that country.
People might not be ‘ethnically’ from that country in terms of their family history, but that’s not a requirement at all, just that they feel that country is a country and they are (now) one if its people. That includes you. If you support Scottish independence, you must be seeing Scotland as a nation, ergo are identifying with it in some way nationally. Maybe you don’t as such see yourself as ‘Scottish’ in typical sense, but you are identifying with the Scottish nation as you state.
For me, I’m not proud Scottish, I just am, and by accident of birth. It’s my country and am at home in it, for all it’s good and bad aspects. I see it as a nation equal to others, not inherently better nor worse. It is what we Scots make of it.
Then comes the political aspect… What is the best form of governance for my nation / my adopted nation?
But you need the first for the second.
Scotland was never in majority British (where Britain is the country, not Scotland). While a small section of people in Scotland do identify as British (only), even ‘born and bred’ folks, Scotland has only at most ever been Scottish & British (British = the union). Two different identities. It’s not like England where English and British are all but synonymous.
Britishness (unionism) in Scotland started to wane from the mid 60’s onwards. It then came under severe attack by England through the 80’s and 90’s. This eased off a bit immediately post 1997, but then the assault picked up pace again with Blairism and has recently reached fever pitch. England is now mounting a full on attack on Scottish unionists and their devolution, aided and abetted, incredibly, but Scottish Labour and the Libs, whose baby devo is. Taking out a FM is attacking devolution, it’s not attacking independence. It’s showing Scots they need indy to not have their elected leaders constantly being taken out by political parties / the media from an unfriendly neighbouring country in an attempt to defeat the popular will.
So here we are. Yes now seems to be the settled will, and the demographic time bomb keeps on ticking. England and the unionists have broken the union.
Agreed. But it’s not me you have to persuade! We actually seem to share a similar outlook – even if I am British! 😀
I was going to say it’s people like I was, but it’s not. I’ve always believed Scotland was a Nation, entitled to it’s own laws, finances etc. And I do mean always. First demonstrated when I was about 13 and was having the Uprisings (or, as he called them, Rebellions) explained by my (English) history teacher.
You’d’ve thought I grown an extra head when I said “Well they had a point didn’t they?” ”What??!!” ”They had a point. They were a country, promised they could keep their own laws and rights, and they were lied to. What did they expect?”
Maybe getting a shared sense of identity requires common ground? Would outlining a reserved situation then pointing out that it doesn’t matter what we achieve that?
I mean has it, eg, occurred to pro-Onions that it’s a good job they’re OK with the status quo, because they’re not being asked either?
Or that in the (albeit unlikely) event that WM decided to ditch Scotland it wouldn’t matter how many Scots disagreed (or not) we’d still be out on our collective ear?
Would you consider yourself to have been an immigrant to Scotland at one time ???
If so consider this in the last week or so a new tartan has come into being specifically for new Scots.
Also
We are not Scottish because we were born in Scotland.
We are Scottish because Scotland was born in us.
What’s like us ????
Ooh! I know this one…
Damn few and they’re aw deid
As I’m nosey I tried to Google info about the tartan, but couldn’t find it. Pity…
If Yousaf was useless, it would have very much been in the interests of the opposition to keep him as FM, just like Labour like Sunak as PM.
Nope, they took him out because he was effective and growing in popularity. Ergo they will likely suffer for doing this while creating political instability for their own narrow party political ends.
Meanwhile the SNP can hope for a honeymoon for their new leader while the opposition’s are old and tired, from the past / Sturgeon era etc.
Whatever your personal view of Salmond , Sturgeon or Yousaf , there is little doubt that they , as politicians , were head and shoulders above the pygmies that inhabit the opposition seats at Holyrood . It is no surprise , therefore , that the nonentity that is forever DRoss should seek to claim ‘responsibility’ for their demise as FM. What else has he ever achieved – short of milking the system for ever penny he can ( at least his training with dairy cows has not been wasted ! ).
DRoss , Sarwar and the other one , who replaced the pantomime leader that was Willie Rennie ( can never remember his name ), are destined to remain ”also-rans” in the political race . They are an unwanted malign Greek Chorus but , unlike the original , do not add anything but bitterness , personal attacks and constant misinformation to the work of the Parliament . If they were asked to contribute a sensible and useful policy to benefit the people of Scotland the silence would be long and embarrassing .
If nothing else , the SNP needs to remain in power to protect the Scottish population from the sneering , self-serving Damn Jackie Baillie (and that is her good points ! ), the perennial freeloader and Orange bigot Murdo Fraser ( who HAS no good points ! ) and the rump of the Willie Rennie Tribute Act which calls itself the LibDumbs and replaced him with with wimpy cipher that makes bland look exciting .
Ooh, harsh!
But fair.
And funny… 😀
Not forgetting Baillie who would walk barefoot over broken glass across a busy road if the opportunity to be dishonest about the SNP presented itself.
Given that England always gets what it votes and demands without exceptions, why do we not make England totally despise every last one of us in Scotland then like the demonstrations they have about stuff they want or don’t want they’ll have demonstrations about removing Scotland from their union
Racism works in England, let’s offer them the chance to be happy hating us even more than they do every other country
We could have every TV programme in Scotland showing drunk Englishmen or drug addict English folk, have them dancing around in Morris dancing outfits, fill Twitter up with English insults, do to them what they’ve been doing to us for the whole of our existence, Mock the English until they despise us enough to vote us gone
It’s not as if we haven’t had years of experience from them
And literally as I wrote the above the BBC is still referring to some guy called Hamza Yousef Hamza Yousoff and another guy called John Sweeney
They write this stuff across the screens of the their news broadcasts on the TV that we invented and smile fake smiles at us knowing that if anyone complains they’ll smile nicely about that and report that as an error that they’ve now corrected
The media that we watch in Scotland never seems to get Richy Simcard’s name wrong
I’m starting to think that there’s a good chance now that there will not be an elction for the new leader. Yesterday I posted the bookmaker William Hill odds for leader and I’ve updated it below.
Bookmaker William Hill offers the following odds for next leader of the SNP, not the next FM which is something entirely different.
John Swinney 2/5
Kate Forbes 11/4
Neil Gray 9/2 Posted on twitter.
Jenny Gilruth 12/1 Posted on twitter.
Stephen Flynn 20/1 As said on STV news.
Mairi McAllan 50/1 Posted on twitter,
It looks like the contest if there is one will be between Swinney and Forbes but judging by the support for Swinney from the elected members of the SNP it is clear who will be the favourite to win if Swinney does decide to stand.
I hope there is no contest at all and the party come to a decision on who they want and do it privately
Are the media and opposition going to complain? of course they will, then as a nation we point our collective fingers at the guy they have running the entire UK Ricci Numan, and how democratically that was arrived at
They are already at it and writing about the division and splits in the SNP, another month of that like the last one is not going to do anybody any good no matter who ends up as leader.
I think they would be wise to avoid this and the SNP should get the two front runners to work together and end all this talk of division and splits.
The BBC reporting on who are “the runners and riders” as though it’s all just a sporting occasion and a bit of fun for them to talk down
Absolutely. I really hope there are no tv debates like the last time, run by the English and for the sole purpose of rubbishing each one. It has absolutely nothing to do with England, they need to but out
I’d vote Swinney in such a contest. I have always liked him and he has the experience. Much more so that 20 years ago.
If you want people to vote for indy, you need a steady, experienced hand at the tiller IMO. That’s especially true right now.
That said, a more charismatic deputy would be good to match him with. Someone the public could see as a likely successor once they built up the experience. A new kid on the block…
That could be Forbes. But she needs to show the media she would never, ever, ever bring her religion into the office like Yousaf did.
To be fair to Kate she did try very hard but the media were the one’s who kept religion as an issue in the discussion, the only reason they didn’t make so much fuss about Humza’s beliefs were because they were afraid of sounding and looking racist, but if you have to think very carefully about not looking or sounding racist, then you probably are racist
The desperate rush to crown John Swinney reminds me of the desperate rush to crown Humza Yousaf only a year ago. That turned out badly as I expected, which is why I resigned. Why don’t they read their standing orders and conduct an election by the rules. There’s no hurry.
Why is it that every other credible contender for party leader has come out and said they want Swinney as leader? Could it be that they feel Kate Forbes just isn’t the right person for the job or do you agree with the biggest critics of the SNP and see it all as a “stitch up”?
The facts are, it was the members that elected Humza Yousaf as the last leader of the SNP and if there is a contest it will again be the members of the SNP who will elect their new leader.
There’s no possible way that such a democratic election voted on by party members can be described as a “stitch-up” which is all part of the media narrative of attacking the SNP.
One thing is certain, it won’t matter what the SNP do, there will still be those who are not satisfied, refuse to accept a democratic result and cry foul. The media will continue to talk of splits and division while attacking the new leader as they have every single leader since taking power in 2007.
It’s about time that every supporter of Independence got behind the SNP and its leader, whoever that is, if they are to have any hope at all of Scotland ever being an Independent country.
When you run an election breaking standing orders then you could be criticised for conducting a stitch up. For example:
Curtailing the time period so that the election is over before one of the candidates is due back from maternity leave. Disadvantage to one candidate.
Notifying one candidate that the election is about to happen and not anyone else. Advantage to one candidate.
Allowing one candidate’s supporter to use their SNP email list to canvass support, against standing orders. This should have disqualified that candidate but didn’t. Advantage to one candidate.
Conducting a media smear campaign against one candidate so that MSPs who had initially endorsed her felt pressured to cancel their support. Disadvantage to one candidate.
The NEC promised to conduct an inquiry into these breaches of standing orders and produce a report on what they would do to ensure it doesn’t happen again. Have they?
I just wonder what it is that will be necessary to happen this time in order for a stitch-up to be called a stitch-up?
Or will the usual suspects just call this leadership contest a stitch-up anyway if their favoured candidate isn’t successful whether they stand or not? I suspect that’s exactly what they will do and are already doing.
What it takes is a democratic process that is transparently a democratic process. You have a constitution and standing orders and business should be conducted according to the standing orders and not subverted to favour any faction.
Otherwise what you have is a ruling clique, not democracy.
It all sounds an awful lot like sour grapes to me before a candidate has even been nominated never mind lost an election voted on only by members of the SNP.
Forbes didn’t win because she got less votes. That was it. A bit less popular so lost. Regan was totally unpopular, so came last.
I believe SNP members are perfectly able to judge which candidate they prefer.
I note your logic suggests that all the talk of a stitch up at the time could have disadvantaged Yousaf last time. Maybe without that he’d have done even better?
Exactly, what does it matter who the new leader is? there are half a dozen very good people who could do the job just fine, but the gnashers won’t leave it alone, they just have to cause as much trouble as they can over it
Why would anyone even want a job that carries the responsibility of five other political parties hating your guts along with the entire British state media hunting you and your family to the point of finding ways to convict you of criminal acts to have you jailed?
Yousaf wasn’t crowned. There was a normal leadership election.
There will be another leadership election this time, unless that is, only one candidate stands unopposed.
“The desperate rush to crown John Swinney reminds me of the desperate rush to crown Humza Yousaf only a year ago. That turned out badly as I expected, which is why I resigned. Why don’t they read their standing orders and conduct an election by the rules. There’s no hurry.” .
I get that you supported Kate Forbes, but FFS get a sense of perspective – You do not have the gift of second sight thereby did not resign because of it, your preferred candidate lost because the membership believed she was not the better candidate, simples…
Have you considered a career with the DM or James Cook ? There’s no hurry….
I was there and watched it happen. You do not need second sight to understand that when a small faction of a party bends the rules to have their preferred candidate shooed into power to protect their position then that candidate better have exceptional leadership skills. He ought to have invited Kate Forbes and Ivan McKee into the cabinet in suitable posts but did not. Poor judgement.
That’s when I resigned from the SNP.
I watched Humza Yousaf over his stewardship of the Hate Crime Bill and noticed that he does not have exceptional leadership skills. His car crash handling of the Isla Bryson case is another example.
However, once he was elected I have supported him whenever possible in my comments and acknowledged when I thought he handled a situation well such as FMQs and his response to the Gaza genocide. I also applauded his decision to terminate the BHA. I thought he should stand up to the bullies and carry on as FM. But he decided to resign.
Your accusation of sour grapes is just pathetic. You clearly can’t tolerate anyone with a different opinion.
A very magnanimous speech from Yousaf yesterday, and the snakes that inhabit the cesspit of Westminister could take some lessons from him in not doing deals at any price just to keep their grubby hands on power…
However…the gloves need to come off now with the SNP leadership and Sarwar, Ross, et al and BBC Shortbread too. Stop allowing them to dictate the narrative, and a good start would be asking Sarwar about the large cohort of Labour voters in Scotland who are sympathetic to Independence.
There doesn’t seem to be any fight in the Indy dug at the moment, and that needs to change.
The Herald, sorry National newspaper already reporting *party machine* and nasty insider stuff already “allies* *keep Forbes out* *Sturgeon*
Good for the Express and Daily Mail there, sorry did it again The National, you know the paper that claims to support Scottish independence, and they do it so well by indulging in the same headlines as all the other trash rags
Let DRoss or Starwars be FM of Scotland and see if the media engage in causing worry or trashing their religions
I’d bet my house they wouldn’t, because they’d be perfect and lovely and have Goldilocks faiths that suit the entire population of sectarian ridden Scotland
Keep it up England
Green MSP Gillian Mackay bears Humza Yousaf no ill will following the vicious attack she and her colleagues launched against him, because as lovely Gillian says, Humza’s had a tough time but it was all of his own doing
Ah int that nice, no mention then of her leader Patrick Harvie beginning all this with his threat that the Greens might or might not leave the BHA so they would be going off for a month or two to discuss and vote on the future of all that and he’d let Humza know sometime when his *party* had come to a decision
Aye we’ll aw just wait and see eh, nice folk those Greens, never again, they are electoral poison now
It’s always the same people who give the media all the ammunition they will ever need and will use in order to cause disruption and attack the SNP. All this before a single person has even been nominated as a candidate for leader.
This is how such comments are then used by the media.
They’re just gunning for Scotland full stop.
I’ve been at an interbranch meeting (a number of years ago) with John and Roseanna (remember her) at the helm and an unruly member kicking off. He was calm, forthright and didn’t mess about with what he had to say.
Thought he was not taking the person’s viewpoint into consideration, but really, there was no way of placating the strop other than to leave.
Maybe, knowing the onslaught that’s going to come his way, he can shoulder it?
The media are toxic. Social media trolls too, they seem to also think they’re above and beyond humanity and respect.
Hope they’re reading this…nasty bastards
Who is he backing so I don’t back his favoured candidate?
This is pretty insulting to members. The right candidate is the one they choose. We can’t know that the other would have done a better job. Maybe electing Forbes could have caused this week’s events to happen much sooner and she’d have had to resign within a few months? She’s certainly not pals with the Greens, so…
If I want someone telling me that I’m an idiot and clearly wrong for how I vote, I can get that from Lab/Con/Lib.
And Cherry is attacking the SNP again on behalf of her favoured London unionist parliament. Anyone can stand. The only way there would not be a contest is if only one candidate stands.
The King is dead God save the King
Scotland eh, before a decision is even made knives are sharpened and guns primed, the British press and their allies surge into action giving England exactly what it wants, they conquered nations with this divide and rule tactic, built an empire, and yet Scotland right next door has trouble learning that they’re still doing it
Michelle Thompson after her trials in England of all people still hasn’t learned to keep her mouth shut about party business, and don’t even get me started on *me me me* Joanna Cherry
It just get’s stupider and stupider, bring back Nicola, she’ll shut all their faces
Seems to me there is a stitch up going on where there’s talk of a stitch up in favour of Swinny to disadvantage him, stitching things up for an opponent of his.
Exactly. They want Forbes because they believe she would be easy meat to take down due to her right-of-centre politics and views on social issues. TBH, I think they are right.
I was being tongue in cheek, but it’s to an extent true. I feel the English/British press are trying to work out which one would be easier for them to attack, and that’s no doubt her for the reasons you state. So they’ll punt her as the nation’s favourite, with Swinney old hat etc.
I would actually like to maybe see her as DFM for a good stint to show (I’d hope) that she can leave the kirk at the office door. If she can do that, she neuters this line of attack.
Had another brief twitter/x look and this popped up…
https://x.com/scotnational/status/1785250213675802785?s=61&t=FZvw9P3cqNq6WT_Q1S_7Gg
I really don’t understand why the British Media , the Scottish Tories , Scottish Labour , and any other b*stard with a laptop , can’t just come out and tell The SNP who SHOULD be the next party leader . Why on Earth do they need an election ?
Call Kay( with an E ) surely should be having a phone in of unionist sympathisers who want to see The SNP reach the right decision , and putting forward their suggestions for leader .
In fact , should it not be compulsory that any SNP party election require the Imprimatur of Call Kay ( with an E ) before being anointed ? This is too important to be left to the odds and sods who pay to support The SNP . These are the very people who have pushed The SNP into being a party that seeks to rip Scotland out of the Union , a Union that has helped impoverish so many Scots over so many years . Don’t they realise that that is the price we should be happy to pay to be part of the Greatest and Bestest Union since ….forever !
Why are they doing this ? Lord knows ! In fact , as Lord George FFS has often slurred after his usual tipple at the bar (s ) , ”They have…hic… been doing thissss… delib… delibel….berately ! Yes , I’ll have one more little double before I fall over …again !”
The Great British Media ( owned by non-doms ) has patriotically been calling out The SNP for the mess they are making of …everything , including Brexit , the English NHS strikes , the failure of English Water Companies , the failure of England to win The World Cup , the melting Ice-caps …
Time for a safe pair of hands ( if apt to wander at times ) …where is Alex Salmond ?
Call Kay( with an E ) surely should be having a phone in of unionist sympathisers who want to see The SNP reach the right decision
They clearly believed Yousaf was the wrong candidate, hence here we are.
I am interested in who they believe is the right one, so I can rank them last. I recall they liked Ash Regan a lot last time.
Erm… ‘Scuse me millsjames1949, but…
was that irony…? :D
iusedtobeenglish
here’s the info
https://www.thenational.scot/news/24281591.scottish-charity-kilt-maker-create-tartan-inspired-refugees/
was in the National 26-apr-24
Thank you pogmothon
I’m definitely a refugee from England! 😀
‘safe pair of hands…’ 😂😂😂😂
Epic
Just looking out the window and this muckle yellae and black machine is trundling up the road towards the house, crushing anyone that stands in its way. Anyone know anything about this?
If a candidate’s camp starts whining about stitch ups, I will oblige by ranking them as low as possible in the democratic leadership contest ballot paper. 🙂
Since I’ve totally given up listening to the replacement for the deplorable Ciaran Jenkins, the even worse and thoroughly wooden Sun sorry C4 Scottish correspondent for C4, I’ll post instead the precis to her 14 minute long negativity in ” Humza Yousaf resigns as Scotland first minister – what next for SNP? “
“It was a self-inflicted downfall – and Humza Yousaf admitted that himself. He miscalculated – hoping for a friendly divorce with the Greens but making it a bitter one. Now much of the SNP establishment is gathering around the idea of bringing back the veteran John Swinney, while some still pin their hopes on the young but socially conservative Kate Forbes who might have pulled off a win last time had she not famously caused uproar in the SNP after telling Channel 4 News she was against gay marriage. Both have merely said they’re considering a run.”
No Kathryn Samson, C4 did not scupper Kate Forbes’ chances over her honesty – The SNP members are very much brighter than yourself, and made an honest judgement and will do so again, and if necessary again and again until the media finally get the message – You are not in control WE are…. Scots.
And who should turn up on C4’s feed but the deplorable Kathryn’s predecessor Ciaran Jenkins with ” How Yousaf resignation could spell end of SNP dominance in Scotland “… 🤣
It’s the same Ciaran script of old, sticking to the James line of ‘ chaos’, despite hearing ‘F…off Ciaran…’ more times than he can remember when he was in Scotland…
I think the only ones worth considering are Forbes and Swinney, and I’d say it’s likely they’ll be the last two. Both have their supporters, Forbes more members than electees perhaps.
So if Swinney wins he should have Forbes as his Finance Secretary, and if Forbes wins Swinney should be given some sensible position like GERS mapping to projected finances of an Independent Scotland, with an online model available for people to play with. Something I was desperate to see done during the first indy ref.
Going out on a limb, I’d say that having Swinney at the finance secretary helm during Iref was a big plus point, no matter how much the media misrepresented him. GERS showed a £4.4 billion bounty for iScotland, and every department head was spending ALL of it on new hospitals, schools, roads, etc. That famous memo that the BT lot put yellow postits on was actaally a warning by Swinney that the £4.4 billion was shared, not each!
Can’t find it quickly, but Forbes when Finance Secretary wanted to create a model of the iScotland economy, to run alongside GERS. Unfortunately (fortunately for her) that got overtaken by weddings and family! As for her commitment to Independence, it’s blatantly obvious. As Finance secretary and understanding GERS she, like me, knew that though hard work would be needed and vision, the finances of an iScotland would be far healthier than now. My previous life involved finance, economics, stats, models, all that sort of stuff. She knew her onions.
“It is important to stress that 40 per cent of spending and 70 per cent of revenue income in GERS, combined with key powers over the economy, are reserved to the UK Government and outside the control of the Scottish Government.
“An independent Scotland would have the power to make different choices, with different economic budgetary results.” Forbes, 26 Aug, 2020.
https://www.holyrood.com/news/view,gers-figures-show-why-scotland-needs-to-be-independent-kate-forbes-says
I would say for Indy, take a chance and vote Forbes. But she needs to show something to try to unite the Indy movement, and perhaps even the SNP as well!
If Kate Forbes stands,I will vote for her,because she understands the importance of linking independence to things that are important to voters,such as education health,environment,cost of living,interational relations etc.She has clear ideas about how to do that,and how to bring all of the different pro independent groups together.However,If John Swinney wins,I would be happy if he gives Kate a prominent role in the party,and the campaign to win independence.
Dr Reynolds
If unsure for whom to vote overcomes you, a simple rule of thumb is vote for who the media and opposition dislike the most
The possible candidate nobody so far has talked about is Jenny Gilruth, who I can assure anyone is a formidable and very capable woman, it would not upset me one bit if she was FM
I backed Kate Forbes last time, I would not this time because I believe the job of FM is not a part time hobby you can nip off to in between looking after babies, her family has barely got started and she intends to launch herself into a 24 hour per day job? not that she’s not capable, she’s an excellent candidate but this would make her family the candidate and right in the firing line of every piece of vile hatred the job has to throw at her as well, so not for me, and it shouldn’t be shoved onto her for her own sake
I won’t vote on anyone for this job again
New poll out from IPSOS. However, it can’t be compared with their regular Scottish polls as it is a panel based approach rather than telephone. They’ve done one of these recently and it seemed to lean more unionist like English panel pollsters conclude. The panel used is the wider IPSOS UK panel, Scotland subsection.
https://www.ipsos.com/en-uk/john-swinney-preferred-snp-voters-wider-public-more-likely-say-kate-forbes-would-be-best-first-minister
37/82*100 would be 45% thinking the 2 top SNP candidates would do a good job, with a further up to 26% (ex DK in both cases) not thinking Swinney would do badly. Looks good for the SNP to get a honeymoon with the new leader. Yougov have them up with the rest down already in earnest.
Swinney & Forbes of course tied with the wider public. Swinney a slight edge, but MoE. SNP voters prefer Swinney though and that’s understandable, he’s a safe pair of trustworthy, well known, loyal and competent hands. Just what you need when the UK is about to collapse in on itself and break up. It’s not about a charming, charismatic leader persuading folks to the indy cause. Sturgeon and Salmond both proved that no matter the skills of the leader in terms of charisma, that will not get Scots to back indy, just as you’d expect. Nope, it is events well beyond the control of an FM that are driving indy. The only people that could hope to stop that is unionists, but they’ve never tried. Instead they have pushed Scots ever more towards the brink. It seems now Scots are ready to jump, and Swinney would not be a bad guy to have in charge of the parachute inventory.
Also, as you’d expect, the public overwhelming believe that Yousaf stepping down will have either no impact on indy or will maybe improve it. Maybe many have learned the lesson of Sturgeon. She stepped down and they thought ‘negative impact’ but of course none emerged; Yes just kept on climbing a little day by day. The Yessers they knew were still Yes etc.
It would be so, so funny if taking out Yousaf results in an SNP surge. We shall see.
In fact the voting public put Kate Forbes ahead by 6 points. John Swinney is favourite among SNP voters.
Oh, I see, they asked two questions. In one Forbes is ahead, the other Swinney. Thanks for the head’s up.
It is of course what SNP members think that matters most though, and generally the best guide to that is the opinion of SNP voters if you don’t have a poll of members.
I certainly won’t be choosing a new SNP leader based on what other people want! It’s who I want in charge as it’s my party. Who can do the best job leading this IMO etc. I totally disagree with those saying ‘We shouldn’t chose Forbes because the Greens won’t like her‘ etc. Other parties and their voters should not be choosing the SNP leader, but SNP folks.
And it’s not as if choosing Forbes nor Swinney might even win over more voters to Yes. If Salmond, Sturgeon and Yousaf had no influence here, neither she nor Swinney will.
Looking at who is bigging up Forbes amongst the electorate, and it’s Tory / Brexit / No voters. I suspect they are doing this not because they actually rate her, but to try and influence the outcome in way they believe will favour the union. They fear Swinney will be more of a threat to this, and the media can attack Forbes more easily, so they are pushing her.
Of course it’s for the members to decide. I’m no longer a member so it’s nothing to do with me. But it’s better they have the best data to inform their decision.
I still vote at elections though.
I have been making up my own mind about who to vote for in elections since 1979. In a Snp leadership one I will be doing exactly this same. No one will tell or influence me re who to vote for
I think if you look more closely at the breakdown of the results things are not quite as clear cut but are distorted by almost 50% of Tory voters favouring her compared with just the 7% who support Swinney.
https://archive.ph/8jeRr
For me, that’s not specifically Tories liking her; these people could not be more opposed to independence / the SNP. Nope, they know she’s far easier meat / way less experienced than Swinney, with a great attack angle for the media in the form of her religious views. As such they’re eagerly rating her. The fact that she is more socially conservative would just be a little bonus for them on top.
And as a result, the media will fill itself with stories about how there’s a stitch up in favour of Swinney while the ‘real Scot’ on the street backs Forbes. Watch out – the ‘SNP party machine’, driven by an assortment of English/British establishment presenters, is being warmed up at Pacific Quay.
I’d say to readers, if you want people to take you seriously, FHS don’t use the terms ‘w*ke‘ pejoratively, nor in this instance, talk about ‘stitch-up ups‘ by the ‘SNP party machine‘ in the face of a democratic leadership election where the only people choosing the leader are the members.
I look forward to seeing who will put their hat in the ring, and making my decision at the ballot box in due course.
Total car crash.
It is a joke. Callaghan took over from Wilson, Brown from Blair, Major from Thatcher, May from Cameron, Johnston from May, Truss from Johnston and Sunak from Truss. Not to mention McLeish from Dewar and McConnel from McLeish and Sturgeon from Salmond. That is just in recent living memory.
It is the norm not the exception to continue without an election when a party changes leader. We operate on a parliamentary system not a presidential one. Sarwar is easy to deflate but the Scottish media give him an easy ride.
See the BBC in England is now leading with the “Hainault” sword attack. Where is this place? In Europe perhaps, USA or somewhere else in the world. Naw, I had to google it, it’s part of greater London. I’m so fed up with us all being from Scotland, not Galashiels or Strathaven or Lochinver or Shawlands, naw, it’s just Scotland. So if something happens in Hainault all the Scottish stuff is secondary.
Prices due to increase 50% because of Brexit restrictions. Vote SNP, SNP for Independence.
Knife crime in London increased 200 deaths a year because of austerity. Falling now. Homicide deaths increased from 500 to 700. UK.
Wait for your car insurance, you’ll hit the floor
Just did mine. 94% increase since last year.
Mine was practically doubled when my renewal came through in January . Checked three comparison websites and got it from a different company with only £60 increase which was about a 15% increase. Car Insurance companies are chancers always have been.
The National are now running with the Ipsos poll specifically with the story that Forbes is more popular with the “wider public” while Swinney has the backing of more SNP voters.
If they had bothered to look at the tables they would have seen that Swinney is more popular with the SNP, Labour and Lib Dem voters than Forbes is. Only Tory voters support Forbes over Swinney overwhelmingly by 49% to 7%.
For SNP voters it’s 30% to 23% in favour of Swinney, for Labour voters it’s 24% to 21% in favour of Swinney and Lib Dems also favour Swinney by 35% to 31%.
Clearly then it is NOT the “wider public” who support Kate Forbes for leader of the SNP it is distorted by almost 50% of Tory voters favouring her compared with just the 7% who support Swinney.
https://archive.ph/8jeRr
Kate must not be controversial this year, unless the SNP select her then she’ll be controversial again
Why are the opposition never controversial when you consider everything they say, Scotland’s voters doesn’t want to vote for?
When you come to think about it the only people that aren’t controversial are the SNP, or the public wouldn’t keep voting them in as the government of Scotland
Conclusion: Scotland’s media is controversial
Maybe the media don’t understand the definition of the word? Ah of course, they’ve redefined it to mean SNP words are wrong, they just haven’t updated the English government dictionary yet
Scotland doesn’t have a Media. It is English owned media operating in Scotland. Full on propaganda against all things Scottish. They know Independence is now in the majority so attack anyone and everyone who support it. Just ignore them and focus on making the right choices for Scotland’s future.
Somebody is trying to muddy the waters before any candidate has set out their stall for SNP members to consider let alone vote on for party leader ?
What earthly significance is there of public opinion from different voting groups on ‘potential’ candidates ?
The popularity or otherwise of party leaders with the public can only be established once they have been in post for a time, all else is manicured by PR advisers, strategists and the media… Is Sunak a publicly favoured party leader ? Granted, he’s lasted longer than Truss, but I’d bet public preference would have been for the lettuce to have beaten Truss….
The object is to get as many supporters as possible with the wider public. Not just the SNP members. For Independence.
No sorry, that’s not why the media inject themselves into the SNP business
The purpose of this exercise by the media is to influence, and when you drill down into what they’re trying to do is insist that the SNP are not representative of the broader public opinion if they don’t select the choices the public want with their incessant wee union phone ins to the BBC Gossip Call Kaye with and E channel
There are still people in our country who are as thick as Bisto mince, who believe that when folk phone in to BBC Gossip channel that they are who they say they are, and they mean what they say
“I used to be an SNP member but now I’m disgusted” or some such similar garbage pours out of the radio, and all of the gullible thick as mince listeners gasp hearing the overwhelming evidence of our own ears that the SNP are not popular, it’s garbage and the BBC is a fraud and anybody who believes the SNP are voted in election after election because nobody likes them except nut jobs and zoomers, well then Scotland must be composed of mostly nut jobs and zoomers because SNP voters are the majority
The BBC as is STV and the written press in Scotland support the union of dominance of England, there’s no if’s or but’s about it , and their mission is to deflect Scotland from being Scotland and keep it remaining as the wee North bit colony of England
There is no genuine Scottish public opinion broadcaster in Scotland, there is only English media with English people and thick sectarian Scots listening reading and watching it, that is the target audience of the BBC Gossip channel, to convince them that they’re doing the right thing by hating the SNP and voting against the very idea of their own country
A very short time ago the very idea of Kate Forbes becoming FM was a Wee Free religious threat to our sensibilities, but strangely enough a Muslim was OK, now it’s become John Swinney the Catholic *old guard* (the BBC does love creating a nickname that sounds as though it might be derogatory)
Y’see if the SNP select John Swinney then Scotland’s Rangers proddy nutters are happy and content to hate him, if Kate Forbes is selected then she will undoubtedly became a controversial dangerous Wee Free extreme Proddy who’s going to crush your human rights to everything because she’s evil, but Muslim Humza Yousaf was OK at the time, and you know why? the BBC and all the rest of them were afraid to attack his religion because he is brown and they would have looked racist, but white people religion is fair game to attack in Scotland, hence the Orange Lodge, government Royal Family sanctioned don’t you know
White straight with a religion, the last attackable demographic
The British are just vile disgusting little creatures, ask any country in the world
Also not so very long ago gay people were a threat to the world, and they would be if everybody was gay, but they’re not, so no threat then is there
Now it’s trans people who will bring about the end of the world, but Oops, there’s just not that many of them either so no threat to world existence there either then
The BBC and all the rest of them create bogeymen like the deep south in the USA, fear and alarm is pumped out 24 hours a day on their channels, Commies Nazis Lefties Gays Perverts, be afraid be very afraid
The BBC is a banjo picking right wing protector of England and all it stands for, and what it stands for is ownership of YOU !
This is how they do it.
Did anyone notice that Labour in Wales recently had a change of leadership when Mark Drakeford stepped down? Does anyone recall weeks of national speculation and all the garbage that goes with it, all neatly wrapped up in “Is this the end of Labour in Wales”? Naw? Funny that. Double standards and unabashed propaganda courtesy of the UK media, the two major UK political parties and their Scottish stool pigeons.
They must really hate the fact that we’re not all ‘as thick as mince’. (re Dr Jim @ 10.40.)
Exactly this
Well I hope whoever puts themselves forward, if they do any debates, (which I hope they don’t) don’t go down the road of bad mouthing their opponent(s) and remember they are ALL SNP. The tv and radio stations encouraged them to be particularly nasty about each other last time, which was used against them.
Maybe this time they should state their ideas and plans for taking Scotland forward as a whole and their plans for independence only. We members can then decide from that, as it is upto members only to make a decision, no one else
They’ll be damned if they do and damned if they don’t, there’ll be a *coronation* or a *stitch up* or a *grubby backroom deal” or the SNP *old guard* will stir their cauldron under the direction of the still Queen Nicola and *engineer* the result
It matters not what the SNP do or don’t do England’s media branch in Scotland will find all the right wording to make it food and drink for the *thick as mince” British nationalists, soon to be English nationalists if Labour has its way to keep right on hating their own country and wishing it was England, even though around 70% of Scots have only ever passed through the place to get to an international airport or the channel tunnel, which now because of England’s Brexit they’ll have to queue for up to two days to travel through, but that’s alright because “England shall be free”
Tony Benn nailed it, keep the people afraid and uneducated, and he should know because he was involved in the Labour Tory experiment to do just that to Scotland
Who do you hate? well take a look at Ibrox on a Saturday, they even have black scarves with white printing on them that reads ………….
“We hate every CU*T
That’s yer English government policy at work right there
Starmer is at it again, about the only policy left unscathed since he became leader is being watered down. Back in September last year Angela Rayner was given a standing ovation at the TUC conference when announcing Labour plans for a “New deal for Workers”.
Then in February this year while visiting Scotland she gave a half hour interview to Beth Rigby of Sky News all about the Labour “New Deal” and how all the workers rights were going to be protected, trade unions would be given more powers yada yada yada.
Surprise! Today the FT reports that Starmer has U-turned again after approaches from business leaders and the plans for the “new deal for workers” will be watered down.
https://archive.ph/DdxXz
I note that the tables for the latest English poll of Scotland from Yougov, London, show that they are, as I said, running polls of Scotland and just publishing what results they wish when they wish. They did a poll ending 15th of April which had indyref intention and leadership. This did not appear in the media from what I could see, and Prof C has not added it to his WST site at most recent check.
They do now show what the iref VI was on the 15th, and with that, the conclusion that Yes has fallen a smidgen on early April now changes to Yes is actually up a smidgen with them since mid-April.
Scotland has a reputation for some of the cleanest water in the world, we bottle the stuff and sell it worldwide, if it was bad they wouldn’t buy it, the EU would ban it, but according to Scotland overpromoted minister Tory John Lamont Scotland’s water is worse than England’s and he wouldn’t drink it from the tap
Which country does this guy represent again? it cannot possibly be Scotland or he surely wouldn’t tell big fat lies about the water in his own country would he?
Well, if the water’s that bad, they won’t want Scotland to pipe any to England will they?
All the opposition to the SNP wish Humza well in his future then immediately spread vile bare faced lies about an invented exorbitant pension he’ll receive
I’ve always been angry about what England has done to Scotland, but I hope they keep talking longer and lying louder so more people will become as angry as me when they really find out what’s going on
The Republic of Ireland, a country that England ripped apart and completely impoverished is now financially in surplus, and for the thick as mince that means they have more money per person than every person in the entire UK
Independence must be bad eh
When really, independence is normal.
This, on top of polling which half of Tory voters want Forbes, pretty much confirms that the unionists absolutely don’t want Swinney as FM, just as they saw Yousaf (and Sturgeon, and Salmond) as a serious danger to the union.
https://archive.ph/vPFW4
John Swinney is ‘opposition choice for FM’, says Murdo Fraser
A TOP Tory MSP has said John Swinney is the “opposition’s choice” for SNP leader – but ruled out his party working with Kate Forbes.
It’s unfortunate for Forbes that they think she’ll be easier to attack, but she gave the unionist media bulldog a bone with her comments on same sex marriage etc last time, and it will take a lot of work for her to undo that. She can, and should take a leaf from Yousaf’s book re secularism. He handled this brilliantly. If she keeps saying ‘my religion stays outside the office‘ and people see her clearly voting to that effect, she’ll be fine longer term and the unionists will give up on that aspect.
Remember, polls supposedly showed Yousaf had led the SNP to polling lows not seen since the approach to the 2015 election (yes, that’s right, the 2015 election). If he really was leading the SNP to a major electoral setback, their internal polling, focus groups etc would have told them exactly that.
In which case there’s no f’n way they’d have attempted to force him from office. That would be madness. Better to let him lead the SNP to a big loss of seats if that’s what polls said was coming. Nope, they feared the next couple of elections based on their own polling data, probably because it matched better with Yes climbing into majority when they looked beyond the headlines like I have, asked the right questions to follow up here etc.
So in fear they have gambled on an attempt to plunge the SNP into chaos in the hope that will at least keep things as they are maybe, with the SNP hopefully taking some sort of apparent step backwards in the coming UKGE. Anything to buy the union some time.
It would be a glorious irony if I am even a wee bit right and the SNP leadership contest triggers voter reengagement, pushing up projected turnout levels and, if the long term trend continues to hold, SNP VI with it.
On the other hand Murdo Fraser and the rest of them are liars, so taking their word on who they prefer would be a foolish decision
Quite. I won’t be making my decision on who non-members want for SNP leader, that’s for sure, certainly not lying Tories. At most I might consider what SNP voters want, but the probability is that I’ll reflect that anyway as I am the average voter / member.
I’m not part of any group (does an ‘SNP polling geeks’ group exist?), not to the ‘left’ nor ‘right’ of the party or anything like that. Because of this, I tend to always find myself thinking along the lines of most members / recent SNP voters.
Humza’s interview with BBC liar James Cook was revealing in what he didn’t say as cruelly as he could have, and that was whoever takes over should basically shove the Greens so far back into the darkness they’ll have to pump air to them
Time not to defend ourselves against the opposition, but attack them with *a furious anger* to coin Samuel L Jackson’s words
What the SNP must avoid this time is to repeat the debacle of last year’s leadership contest where candidates were not only attacking each other but attacking their record in government.
The anti-Independence right-wing media were rubbing their hands in glee and amplifying every criticism ten fold across their front pages. The live STV debate was especially nauseating and this exchange between Forbes and Yousaf in particular.
Please prospective SNP leaders do not subject us to another 4 to 6 weeks of such antics which do neither candidate, party or the cause of Independence any favours.
Very true, but I reckon they wont’ go down that road again, they might as well have lit the fuse to blow themselves up last time
On this I wholeheartedly agree – It’s ‘political’ “reality TV” where deft studio editing can convey the precise opposite of what was actually said – eg Nick Robinson’s hatchet job on Salmond with “and he said nothing..” a decade ago should have been warning enough of BBC duplicity.
Both of the suspected prospective candidates have family issues (babies sickness) maybe they’ll decide it’s too much for both of them at this time and by Friday there’ll be someone completely different in an available situation to take the thing on
Who knows what just might happen, we could take a leaf out of the Greens book and have a dozen co-leaders of the SNP and offer up no FM candidate and play at voting down the Tories and Labour candidates, or let one in and have a VOC the day after
Or we could just say *Nah no playin this week mibbees next week or the week after once we’ve taken a vote of the entire members as to what they want us to do, stick or twist”
Well the BBC thought it was OK for the Greens to do that, so gooses and ganders, make them wait, and wait, and …..
Well the SG won the VoNC 70 votes to 58. So that’s 63 SNP votes + 7. Anyone know who the 7 are?
Horsemen of the Puckered-Lips ?
I didn’t see your far more accurate answer than mine before posting lol
I neglected Hoarse-men unfortunately…🙄
It has to be the Greens
A day late and a dollar short.
Do they really think all is or will be forgiven when the next two currently projected public votes come along.
Na!! we’re all grievance mongers remember.
So along with the tooraloo tories me thinks there will be a lot more “Nul Poi”
55% in favour. That must be up there with the biggest wins in a confidence vote in UK political history.
A whopping endorsement of the SNP government, particularly given the lack of abstentions and the backing of at least one other political party that isn’t even a coalition partner.
I’m assuming they are the Scottish Greens who have 8 minus Alison Johnston. But how did Ash Regan vote I wonder.
Well, Alba’s a pro- indy party.
But there weren’t any abstentions, so I’m not sure…
Well, Alba’s a pro-indy party.
Doesn’t appear to be. Keeps voting with the unionists.
Regan supported the Vote of No Confidence.
Sarcasm apart, I suppose she’s at least consistent if we consider that she left the SNP.
OTOH, she did side with LabrTors, which aren’t half as lovable as CockerPoos – albeit they have more poo (allegedly)
She voted yesterday as well with the Unionist parties on a Douglas Ross motion to seek a statement from the Lord Advocate in parliament on the Post Office inquiry.
Well I suppose that is consistent with Alba’s position in that they have no confidence in the Scottish government.
Okey-doke I’m going to go for this:
https://www.thenational.scot/news/24292321.kate-forbes-john-swinney-hold-secret-talks-snp-leadership/
Swinney as leader and FM, to stabilise the whole thing until after the GE, and Forbes as Finance Secretary again – where she did deal with anyone basically over the budget, including the <strike>pouter</strike> other party over the likes of council tax (they got another couple of hundred million).
Forbes then perhaps coronated after the GE to take us all the way to Indy.
Make it so number 1.
If Kate Forbes takes the bait she will sink in my estimation. It’s yet another attempt at a back room deal to keep the leadership in “safe hands”. Whatever she’s promised in return will turn to dross as soon as the ink’s dry on the paer it won’t be written on. IMHO.
Maybe it’s all about avoiding all the acrimony that was on display during the last leadership contest and actually acting like grown ups who are members of the same party.
Well I read the article earlier today. Admittedly they are quoting The Sun:
The Scottish Sun has reported the pair met face-to-face amid a plan by senior SNP politicians and officials to install Swinney as party leader
How can you have a ‘back room deal’ when anyone is free to stand? That’s impossible.
Even if Kate chose not to stand because e.g. Swinney offered her an attractive place on his cabinet should he win out, Cherry* could e.g. stand and we’d all get to vote. Why isn’t she this time? Can she not get the support? Too comfy in London maybe?
There is no fixing the leadership contest and you just make people very suspicious of your motives when you use unionist language like this.
Personally, as someone who supports independence, I definitely want the SNP in safe hands. Who I see to be the safest pair of hands at this crucial time is who I’ll vote for.
I think a nice pairing would be Swinney as FM and Forbes as DFM. She’s just too inexperienced for now, as the last contest showed. A stint as DFM would test her and train her for a possible future FM spot.
a plan by senior SNP politicians and officials to install Swinney as party leader
Install – not elect. As a member are you happy at the prospect of senior politicians and officials installing your next leader?
Of course it is The Sun so is it true?
Would it be unkind to point out that you’ve been telling us for over a year what a great guy Humza Yousaf is and how clever you were to elect him as leader. That hasn’t worked out so well so if it was me I’d be reflecting very carefully before endorsing any more “continuity” candidates.
But it’s not my decision.
The leadership contest is open for nominations. Are you delusional?
And yes it’s not your decision because you don’t care enough to make it so.
https://archive.ph/IYTaQ
Nominations open in SNP leadership contest
Prospective candidates will have to gain the support of 100 members from 20 different SNP branches to qualify for the contest.
That’s all you need to enter the contest. I could stand if I wanted. Just need that 100 members out of 70k last reported.
You just make a fool of yourself. The only way the leader becomes leader without a vote is if nobody steps forward.
Why isn’t Cherry standing? Do you know? she’s awfy quiet. Normally she’s all over the papers telling the SNP how it should be run, then the opportunity to take the helm opens, and all of a sudden, total silence.
scottish_skier says:
And yes it’s not your decision because you don’t care enough to make it so.
Careful SS totally unnecessary personal projection. “Pul yer neck in a bit”
It is factally correct, and in response to a personal attack. If you quit a party because you are unhappy with it, it means you don’t care enough for their cause to stay and try to change things for the better. I’m not a fan of quitters for this reason, especially if they then seek to influence the party they quit. It’s quite different to e.g. leaving one party to join another to positively promote that party’s goals.
I was told I made a mistake on Yousaf. That’s a lie. If I’d picked a disaster for the SNP / yes cause, he’d still be FM. The unionists took out Yousaf because he was an asset to the SNP and Yes.
Didn’t they install Nicola Sturgeon when Alex made a nice speech then trotted off after losing us the referendum.
If Kate and a n other stand as candidates there is an election – end of story. If only one person stands – nae election and that one person could be Kate, John or any other Snp Msp
in the past leadership selection I voted for Kate Forbes, and was a wee bit disappointed she lost. However Humza did turn out to be a very good leader. The powers that be in England knew they couldn’t attack him for his religion, and when after a year was proving to be popular in Scotland (and mentioning independence at every opportunity ) they wanted him gone and came up with this way to oust him imo. I think its a real shame he stepped down. I don’t know who I’ll vote for but with hindsight it won’t be Kate, as I have to agree with SS , she just doesn’t have the experience just yet. Maybe one day
Fergus Ewing brings the party into disrepute by claiming John Swinney is bringing the party into disrepute by smearing Kate Forbes over her religious beliefs, and added that it was also John Swinney who started it in the last campaign, begging the question who’s bringing the party into disrepute?
Whether Fergus is right or wrong he’s an idiot complaining about himself being an idiot
Meanwhile the BBC and its allies continue to smear everything they touch write and say by promoting innuendo blatant lies and rumours, and the thick as mince public are buying into it all over again
No matter what the SNP do the made up stories by those out to cause damage will be gobbled up by hungry goldfish then babbled online as if they’re all facts
Well done to all the Bobs, mouths open now
I have neither heard or read anything at all from Swinney or any of his supporters that even mentions any other potential candidate, never mind “smearing” anyone.
I can’t say the same though for those that are opposed to Swinney. Funny that.
It was live on BBC radio Scotland with everybody’s favourite shit stirrer Martin Geissler
In other news: How would you like a great opportunity to volunteer to visit Rwanda with the blessings of the UK government new holiday scheme that rewards you, yes you with the princely sum of £3.000 each in spending money for your fantastic holiday
If you happen to be a family of oh say two parents and four children that handsome sum is per person and could purchase you the holiday of a lifetime or you could spend it on a boat when you arrive at your destination
And all courtesy of the government of the United Kingdom
Seize this chance now while offers last, spending money can go down as well as up
A holiday. Then a flight back.
Confirmation that the Greens voted against Sarwar’s VONC motion and that Alba’s Ash Regan voted for it together with the Unionists.
https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/votes-and-motions/S6M-13005
Alba seem to be building up a reputation for backing unionists.
I could not have been more right to rank Regan last in the previous leadership contest.
Also called it 100% right to elect Yousaf. The unionists have desperately tried to have him removed from office – ultimately succeeding – while at the same time telling everyone he was useless and damaging the SNP.
Ok, righto, I don’t button up the back. Nope they feared him like they did Sturgeon, hence he got taken down.
Now they’re getting squeaky bums about Swinney. Forbes looks like easier meat as things stand to them, and they are hoping to stoke division. You can see it from their comments on here.
I look for humility in a leader. The best leaders are those that take that upon themselves because they are pushed to by others, not because they think they are the one. That would be Swinney if he stepped forward now. After all, he was planning to ease back previously I understand.
There is no Alba, there’s only Salmond and his willingly duped followers, he’s like a Scottish ISIS sewing the seeds of destruction wherever he can promising rewards in heaven at a later date
Well it’ll have to be very much later, like a couple of lifetimes away if current progress is replicated
Prof Robertson on the lying BBC telling everyone that the SG depended on the Greens to win the VoNC when the arithmetic is quite simply not so. All they relied on was for the Greens to not vote with the unionists – if they didn’t want to lose their second vote seats.
https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2024/05/01/the-snp-governments-survival-did-not-depend-on-green-votes-only-on-their-refusal-to-vote-with-this-unholy-blue-alliance/
On current feelings about the Greens right now If the next FM stuck concrete boots on them and used them as bridge foundations we wouldn’t have to open our windows wide to hear the volume of the cheering
In even more news: Labour MSPs don’t want to pay the WASPI women what they’re owed as a vote in Holyrood showed when Anas Starwars party abstained on the vote
It’s Glasgow city council all over again, Labour spend £half a million quid to take the women to court to prevent them getting their money then protest that the SNP should pay when they won the council seat from Labour
The SNP paid the Glasgow women workers
Of course they did, because the real leader of “Scottish” Labour told them that he wasn’t going to back the Waspi women once he gets into power and that they had better not either.
The Waspi women will have to get extra cash if they cannot work or are ill. It would be less if they had their pension rights. They will get higher pensions than other already retired women.
The pension is so low. 1/4 of average income. Creating poverty for people.
The Tories wasting £Billions on HS2, Hickley Point, decommissioning nuclear, redundant weaponry, Trident and Brexit.
Enough to put up pensions, support the NHS, Education and welfare. Austerity cuts by wasteful Westminster.
I quit the snp after I asked Keith brown a straight forward questions and got crickets. I joined alba I recently went to a meeting and asked Alex salmond two straight forward questions and all I got in return was political double speak and a rendition of a jacobite poem. I like human he comes across as a nice guy but not really leader ship material. Now that alba are a unionists party iam quitting them. We need young blood now to lead us to 2026. Personally I would like to see Kate get the gig as fm and mari black as deputy seeing as she’s quitting Westminster. Nice combo in my mind.
Mari would need to be elected as an MSP (will they just be MPs on independence), I would say she’s a shoe in if she stood for the East Lothian seat against the thief we have now. But that’s a waste monster seat.
Are MSPs subject to the same or similar recall rules as the ones in the shithouse. There’s bound to be enough of Ash Salmond’s constituents sufficiently pissed off now to instigate a by-election.