This must surely be the impact of "free" healthcare models. Kids think they don't have to look after their parents when they get old, presumably because they expect the state to step in. Maybe the only thing that Russia has right!
I don’t think this speaks well of Northern Europe.
Some correlation between religion and willingess to care for parents there. Most of Eastern Europe and Italy are more religious than the UK and Nordic nations for example and more willing to care for sick parents.
France an exception also not being very religious but still more family oriented than we are
Czechia is the most atheistic country in Europe I believe, yet still more responsible than us.
Still less responsible than more religious Poland though
Theresa May's resigntion speech took less than 7 minutes. Boris Johnson's resignation announcement was less than 8 minutes. Liz Truss took less than 2 minutes. Sturgeon's lasted almost 40 minutes. That tells you all you need to know.
Regarding Corbyn, todays announcement by Starmer only confirms what for has a long while now been an outcome that had already been universally assumed.
Corbyn's reaction will eventually be to announce that he will stand as an independent. The only question is whether he will announce that soon, or only after waiting until his attempts to contest Starmer's decision are dismissed.
At which point, the interesting thing will be the official reaction of Momentum. They could hardly fail to give Corbyn their support. Most likely they won't do so by an explicit official announcement, but I can't imagine that they'll be able to help themselves in making it blindingly obvious that that is where they stand. And if/when they do so, effectively backing a candidate standing against an official Labour Party candidate, does that not leave the door open to Momentum being treated as a proscribed organisation by the Labour Party? Once that happens, there will be all sorts of consequences for the rump of their "supporters" within the party, those who have not by that stage already left.
No doubt lots of individuals will help him but Momentum won't express an opinion on Islington North IMO.
His brand in Islington North is hugely personal (I used to live there and I remember even Tories who were voting for him as he'd done something for the family), and wouldn't in the least benefit from Momentum or any prominent left-wing figure endorsing him - his left-wing credentials are not in doubt, after all. But he'll undoubtedly have all the money and canvassing assistance that he wants.
The Greens have an awkward decision - they do well in local elections there (better than the Tories or LibDems IRRC) so normally they'd be keen to stand, but I suspect they'll see more electoral benefit in endorsing him.
Isn’t there a risk that he pulls a Farage and leads a ‘grassroots Labour’ alternative? Either before or after the election.
Theresa May's resigntion speech took less than 7 minutes. Boris Johnson's resignation announcement was less than 8 minutes. Liz Truss took less than 2 minutes. Sturgeon's lasted almost 40 minutes. That tells you all you need to know.
About their relative substance and stature? ... Yep.
Not sure that Sturgeon isn't May, Johnson or Truss is really quite the sick burn from *checks notes* the Scottish Tory activist who was supended from her own party after joking about Nicola Sturgeon's miscarriage on Twitter.
Her bio pic looks spookily like ... hang on it is, she has JK Rowling!
Purely off the top of my head thinking: Has Sunak made the job of SNP Leader a bit more difficult? It's quite hard to see him as the bogeyman that Johnson and Truss could be portrayed as which has always been Sturgeon's great asset.
SKS has made it a little more difficult for the SNP; more so than Sunak.
Theresa May's resigntion speech took less than 7 minutes. Boris Johnson's resignation announcement was less than 8 minutes. Liz Truss took less than 2 minutes. Sturgeon's lasted almost 40 minutes. That tells you all you need to know.
About their relative substance and stature? ... Yep.
I don't get the love for Sturgeon from lefties from England. Scotland has got worse by almost every measure since she's been in power. Economy, health, education - all have gone backwards relative to England's. There have, I suppose, been some positives in public transport (rail reopenings etc) but as against that: ferries. And I think Scotland's rail network has been more stricken by strikes than England's? She's raised taxes, but that is surely only the meams, not the end in itself. And she was bloody awful with covid - antagonistic purely for the sake of driving wedges with England, delusional over zero covid, rubbish over vaccinations. I can only assume it's the enemy-of-my-enemy principle.
I rather fancy giving the celebrating unionists a blast with both barrels of the gun (non violently of course) by electing the 2 most charismatic elected SNP MPs and MSPs, Stephen Flynn as SNP leader, and Kate Forbes as First Minister.
Theresa May's resigntion speech took less than 7 minutes. Boris Johnson's resignation announcement was less than 8 minutes. Liz Truss took less than 2 minutes. Sturgeon's lasted almost 40 minutes. That tells you all you need to know.
About their relative substance and stature? ... Yep.
I don't get the love for Sturgeon from lefties from England. Scotland has got worse by almost every measure since she's been in power. Economy, health, education - all have gone backwards relative to England's. There have, I suppose, been some positives in public transport (rail reopenings etc) but as against that: ferries. And I think Scotland's rail network has been more stricken by strikes than England's? She's raised taxes, but that is surely only the meams, not the end in itself. And she was bloody awful with covid - antagonistic purely for the sake of driving wedges with England, delusional over zero covid, rubbish over vaccinations. I can only assume it's the enemy-of-my-enemy principle.
Means not the end? Sabotaging the economy? Encouraging strikes?
What's not for a lefty to love? That's tickling their g-spot right there, if they were interested in the end and growing the economy they wouldn't be lefties.
Theresa May's resigntion speech took less than 7 minutes. Boris Johnson's resignation announcement was less than 8 minutes. Liz Truss took less than 2 minutes. Sturgeon's lasted almost 40 minutes. That tells you all you need to know.
About their relative substance and stature? ... Yep.
Not sure that Sturgeon isn't May, Johnson or Truss is really quite the sick burn from *checks notes* the Scottish Tory activist who was supended from her own party after joking about Nicola Sturgeon's miscarriage on Twitter.
Her bio pic looks spookily like ... hang on it is, she has JK Rowling!
It's most unfortunate how these fine, honourable, indy sceptic, gender critical types end up with so many really, really ghastly fellow travellers. One might almost think..but hush, let's not go there.
This must surely be the impact of "free" healthcare models. Kids think they don't have to look after their parents when they get old, presumably because they expect the state to step in. Maybe the only thing that Russia has right!
I don’t think this speaks well of Northern Europe.
- Older people have contributed to society through a lifetime of work (or raising the next generation) so why should society as a whole not take responsibility? Their children will, of course, have likely benefitted most. - If responsibility falls to children, what of the childless old? - In practice, responsibility is very unevenly distributed - the long illness parent versus te sudden heart attack; the child who lives nearby versus the child who lives far away
You can of course compare to children, where we generally see childcare as primarily the responsibility of parents, but there are other arguments there: - Usually there is a choice to have children; you can't avoid having parents - Children have not (yet) made much contribution to society - Society does in any case take prime responsibility for children's education
Which aligns with my view that society should take collective responsibility for looking after our elderly, but also that society should take collective ownership of most of the assets on death. I'd be pretty relaxed about higher inheritance tax for example, even though as it stands that could cost me several £100k (I rather hope that my parents spend most of their money before death, looking after themselves, but failing that I'm happy for the state to take it all if they will provide good care for them).
Kate Forbes, a member of the evangelical, hardline anti homosexual marriage, anti gender fluidity marriage Free Church of Scotland is early favourite to succeed Sturgeon as leader of the SNP
Offtopic, can the church refuse to marry two people born the same sex, where one has a GRC, so they are officially opposite gender? In principle, they're not even allowed to ask about that, are they?
Although I think I had to produce a baptism certificate before I got married, to prove my Christian faith, which could be a stumbling block (no requirement, as far as I know, to produce an updated baptism certificate after a GRC)
As always it will depend which church, in which jurisdiction. Churches are not all the same. England and Scotland not all the same either. NB you do not have to be baptised to be married in CoE in England.
Indeed, as the established church anyone can be married or buried in their local Parish Church of England church.
You only need to be baptised or confirmed in or have regularly attended a Church of England church for 6 months to be married there if it is not your local Parish church
"as the established church anyone can be married or buried in their local Parish Church of England church."
What a whacking fib. Unapproved couples are not allowed, as you've been telling us for months, even when it is the law of England that they can be married.
Or are gay people not "anyone"?
Also many straight couples have to take classes for several months to get married at some of the cathedrals.
Very few people can marry in a cathedral (unless it is also a parish church) as of right. More or less everyone (man/woman; neither divorced) can marry in a parish church as of right.
(The man/woman and divorcee exceptions are enshrined in Acts of Parliament; they are not the church of England's rules.)
Theresa May's resigntion speech took less than 7 minutes. Boris Johnson's resignation announcement was less than 8 minutes. Liz Truss took less than 2 minutes. Sturgeon's lasted almost 40 minutes. That tells you all you need to know.
About their relative substance and stature? ... Yep.
I don't get the love for Sturgeon from lefties from England. Scotland has got worse by almost every measure since she's been in power. Economy, health, education - all have gone backwards relative to England's. There have, I suppose, been some positives in public transport (rail reopenings etc) but as against that: ferries. And I think Scotland's rail network has been more stricken by strikes than England's? She's raised taxes, but that is surely only the meams, not the end in itself. And she was bloody awful with covid - antagonistic purely for the sake of driving wedges with England, delusional over zero covid, rubbish over vaccinations. I can only assume it's the enemy-of-my-enemy principle.
I don't get the hate for Sturgeon from righties from England. I mean you don't live in Scotland for a start and her governance has fuck all effect on you, unlike the pricks you impose upon us. I can only assume it's a distraction from the burning dog shit bin that you've repeatedly voted into being.
Jesmondo Corbyn is 73 years of age. Is he really going to try to launch Marxist Labour Manhole Fancier Alternative to take on the Imperialist Red Tories?
Kate Forbes, a member of the evangelical, hardline anti homosexual marriage, anti gender fluidity marriage Free Church of Scotland is early favourite to succeed Sturgeon as leader of the SNP
Offtopic, can the church refuse to marry two people born the same sex, where one has a GRC, so they are officially opposite gender? In principle, they're not even allowed to ask about that, are they?
Although I think I had to produce a baptism certificate before I got married, to prove my Christian faith, which could be a stumbling block (no requirement, as far as I know, to produce an updated baptism certificate after a GRC)
As always it will depend which church, in which jurisdiction. Churches are not all the same. England and Scotland not all the same either. NB you do not have to be baptised to be married in CoE in England.
Indeed, as the established church anyone can be married or buried in their local Parish Church of England church.
You only need to be baptised or confirmed in or have regularly attended a Church of England church for 6 months to be married there if it is not your local Parish church
"as the established church anyone can be married or buried in their local Parish Church of England church."
What a whacking fib. Unapproved couples are not allowed, as you've been telling us for months, even when it is the law of England that they can be married.
Or are gay people not "anyone"?
Also many straight couples have to take classes for several months to get married at some of the cathedrals.
Very few people can marry in a cathedral (unless it is also a parish church) as of right. More or less everyone (man/woman; neither divorced) can marry in a parish church as of right.
(The man/woman and divorcee exceptions are enshrined in Acts of Parliament; they are not the church of England's rules.)
Quite... I think the issue of divorce is down to the Priest in situ at the time. Some will some will not.
Jesmondo Corbyn is 73 years of age. Is he really going to try to launch Marxist Labour Manhole Fancier Alternative to take on the Imperialist Red Tories?
Probably. His ego is flattered every second by sycophants. Only he can deliver peace and justice.
Although it's none of my business. I've carefully considered the candidates to replace Nicola, and I can confidently say that Kate Forbes is the prettiest.
Theresa May's resigntion speech took less than 7 minutes. Boris Johnson's resignation announcement was less than 8 minutes. Liz Truss took less than 2 minutes. Sturgeon's lasted almost 40 minutes. That tells you all you need to know.
About their relative substance and stature? ... Yep.
I don't get the love for Sturgeon from lefties from England. Scotland has got worse by almost every measure since she's been in power. Economy, health, education - all have gone backwards relative to England's. There have, I suppose, been some positives in public transport (rail reopenings etc) but as against that: ferries. And I think Scotland's rail network has been more stricken by strikes than England's? She's raised taxes, but that is surely only the meams, not the end in itself. And she was bloody awful with covid - antagonistic purely for the sake of driving wedges with England, delusional over zero covid, rubbish over vaccinations. I can only assume it's the enemy-of-my-enemy principle.
She's a brave and capable politician who shares (most of) my worldview and values. It'd be a bit odd if I didn't like her. But, ok, does the fact she's become a hate figure for the right down here add to the appeal? Being truthful, yes it does.
Anti-independentists previously: Sturgeon is an idiot, a complete imbecile, damaging her cause by her simple presence.
Anti-independentists now: she was a titan, a powerful and effective politician, independence will be set back by her absence.
She was very effective at turning Scotland into a one party state, but no nearer her "dream" than she was in 2014.
The SNP are damaged by her going.
Less sure about Indy, but it's still not going to happen
Independence is no nearer than it was in 2014? It depends what we mean. It's undeniably further away than it was the day before the Referendum but it's probably closer than it was the day after. Sturgeon took over after the Referendum therefore I'd say she can truthfully claim the cause of independence has been advanced during her tenure.
It's a tricky one to call. Realistically they get 2 shots I think, so the question is how well placed are they for the second shot.
Let's use a golfing analogy. The Scottish election results, facilitated by Cameron granting a referendum, helped to chip the ball on to the green. A long putt, but doable at a push. Then in 2015 the ball veered fairly close to the hole but overshot by a few feet. There's one putt left to win the open. It's closer than the last one, but not a tap-in.
Actually then the question of timing comes in, plus whether they're allowed to make the shot in the first place. So the analogy kind of falls apart.
Let's use a golfing analogy. The Scottish election results, facilitated by Cameron granting a referendum, helped to chip the ball on to the green. A long putt, but doable at a push. Then in 2015 the ball veered fairly close to the hole but overshot by a few feet. There's one putt left to win the open. It's closer than the last one, but not a tap-in.
Actually it was on the green, Salmond had his favourite club, the spectators were hushed, the wind was still, the surface perfect, and he shanked it into a bunker from where Nippy has failed to extricate it...
Jesmondo Corbyn is 73 years of age. Is he really going to try to launch Marxist Labour Manhole Fancier Alternative to take on the Imperialist Red Tories?
1/ The fall of Sturgeon is an object lesson, a parable even, in what happens when you subcontract equalities policy to extremists. Scottish voters (and women in particular) have, in effect, delivered a decisive blow to government by Stonewall and govt by insulting your own people
Theresa May's resigntion speech took less than 7 minutes. Boris Johnson's resignation announcement was less than 8 minutes. Liz Truss took less than 2 minutes. Sturgeon's lasted almost 40 minutes. That tells you all you need to know.
About their relative substance and stature? ... Yep.
I don't get the love for Sturgeon from lefties from England. Scotland has got worse by almost every measure since she's been in power. Economy, health, education - all have gone backwards relative to England's. There have, I suppose, been some positives in public transport (rail reopenings etc) but as against that: ferries. And I think Scotland's rail network has been more stricken by strikes than England's? She's raised taxes, but that is surely only the meams, not the end in itself. And she was bloody awful with covid - antagonistic purely for the sake of driving wedges with England, delusional over zero covid, rubbish over vaccinations. I can only assume it's the enemy-of-my-enemy principle.
She's a brave and capable politician who shares (most of) my worldview and values. It'd be a bit odd if I didn't like her. But, ok, does the fact she's become a hate figure for the right down here add to the appeal? Being truthful, yes it does.
She's not really making a practical case for those values though, is she? Her defining mission was to chisel away the disadvantage of being poor - yet the poor are no better educated, are dying younger, are seeing no new opportunities. I could see the merits for all that extra taxation (/subsidy from England) if it led to Scotland being like Copenhagen. But that hasn't really happened. What has all the money been spent on?
This must surely be the impact of "free" healthcare models. Kids think they don't have to look after their parents when they get old, presumably because they expect the state to step in. Maybe the only thing that Russia has right!
I don’t think this speaks well of Northern Europe.
- Older people have contributed to society through a lifetime of work (or raising the next generation) so why should society as a whole not take responsibility? Their children will, of course, have likely benefitted most. - If responsibility falls to children, what of the childless old? - In practice, responsibility is very unevenly distributed - the long illness parent versus te sudden heart attack; the child who lives nearby versus the child who lives far away
You can of course compare to children, where we generally see childcare as primarily the responsibility of parents, but there are other arguments there: - Usually there is a choice to have children; you can't avoid having parents - Children have not (yet) made much contribution to society - Society does in any case take prime responsibility for children's education
Which aligns with my view that society should take collective responsibility for looking after our elderly, but also that society should take collective ownership of most of the assets on death. I'd be pretty relaxed about higher inheritance tax for example, even though as it stands that could cost me several £100k (I rather hope that my parents spend most of their money before death, looking after themselves, but failing that I'm happy for the state to take it all if they will provide good care for them).
The problem in the UK is most voters are fiercely anti inheritance tax but also few can be bothered to properly care for elderly and ill parents and expect the state to do it all
Theresa May's resigntion speech took less than 7 minutes. Boris Johnson's resignation announcement was less than 8 minutes. Liz Truss took less than 2 minutes. Sturgeon's lasted almost 40 minutes. That tells you all you need to know.
About their relative substance and stature? ... Yep.
I don't get the love for Sturgeon from lefties from England. Scotland has got worse by almost every measure since she's been in power. Economy, health, education - all have gone backwards relative to England's. There have, I suppose, been some positives in public transport (rail reopenings etc) but as against that: ferries. And I think Scotland's rail network has been more stricken by strikes than England's? She's raised taxes, but that is surely only the meams, not the end in itself. And she was bloody awful with covid - antagonistic purely for the sake of driving wedges with England, delusional over zero covid, rubbish over vaccinations. I can only assume it's the enemy-of-my-enemy principle.
She's a brave and capable politician who shares (most of) my worldview and values. It'd be a bit odd if I didn't like her. But, ok, does the fact she's become a hate figure for the right down here add to the appeal? Being truthful, yes it does.
I think the attitude of most not hyper partisan but generally union-minded people in RUK is probably one of grudging admiration, as there was for Salmond until the me-too stuff. Both very effective politicians. Caroline Lucas manages something similar, more popular than her party.
I rather fancy giving the celebrating unionists a blast with both barrels of the gun (non violently of course) by electing the 2 most charismatic elected SNP MPs and MSPs, Stephen Flynn as SNP leader, and Kate Forbes as First Minister.
If Kate Forbes is elected FM the Scottish Labour posters write themselves with a few quotes from the anti homosexual marriage, anti abortion doctrine of her Free Church of Scotland church.
Social conservatives in Scotland are mostly Scottish Conservative anyway and won't switch to the SNP under Forbes as they are Unionists
Theresa May's resigntion speech took less than 7 minutes. Boris Johnson's resignation announcement was less than 8 minutes. Liz Truss took less than 2 minutes. Sturgeon's lasted almost 40 minutes. That tells you all you need to know.
About their relative substance and stature? ... Yep.
I don't get the love for Sturgeon from lefties from England. Scotland has got worse by almost every measure since she's been in power. Economy, health, education - all have gone backwards relative to England's. There have, I suppose, been some positives in public transport (rail reopenings etc) but as against that: ferries. And I think Scotland's rail network has been more stricken by strikes than England's? She's raised taxes, but that is surely only the meams, not the end in itself. And she was bloody awful with covid - antagonistic purely for the sake of driving wedges with England, delusional over zero covid, rubbish over vaccinations. I can only assume it's the enemy-of-my-enemy principle.
I don't get the hate for Sturgeon from righties from England. I mean you don't live in Scotland for a start and her governance has fuck all effect on you, unlike the pricks you impose upon us. I can only assume it's a distraction from the burning dog shit bin that you've repeatedly voted into being.
Because I like Scotland. It is, after England, my favourite country. I don't live there, but I'd like this to be a world in whuch one day I might, or one of my daughters might. And I don't want to see it turned into a basket case. There are worse leaders in the world making a bigger mess of their countries than Sturgeon. But by and large they are in faraway countries I have no emotional comnection to whatsoever.
And it does have an impact on me, albeit a minor one, when, for example, in a fit f pique she declares that no one from Greater Manchester can visit Scotland. I know that was only a temporary thing. But given our rates were lower than most of Scotland's, it rather rankled.
Does “less irrationality and hysteria in politics” mean “shut up and just accept the views of your betters”?
Yes.
Now shut up and stop asking questions.
EDIT: Funniest conversation I had on this was with a friend who loves Rage Against The Machine. He seemed to have a hard time understanding that "Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me" might be associated with the belief that one should make up ones own mind.
I've had a hard time listening to that since I heard it redone as "Fuck you, I won't tidy my bedroom".
My dad, who died last month, was a freelance camera man. He shot interviews with many celebrities—the Dalai Lama, Monica Lewinsky, Gorbachev, Ludacris, Jane Goodall, many more. Exactly one took the time to learn his name, strike up a yearslong relationship. Deeply appreciate this https://twitter.com/drewhinshaw/status/1625597862649143298
It seems the game has moved on since Congress told Australia they could fucking whistle for Virginias. Now the plan is evolved Astute with an American reactor and combat control system. It doesn't sound like a swift and cheap route to SSN ownership but it's probably the only feasible option at this point if they want to build most of it in Australia. I certainly won't live long enough to see how it all turns out.
Does “less irrationality and hysteria in politics” mean “shut up and just accept the views of your betters”?
Yes.
Now shut up and stop asking questions.
EDIT: Funniest conversation I had on this was with a friend who loves Rage Against The Machine. He seemed to have a hard time understanding that "Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me" might be associated with the belief that one should make up ones own mind.
I've had a hard time listening to that since I heard it redone as "Fuck you, I won't tidy my bedroom".
I saw a video on t'internet of a family playing that song. The kids were playing the instruments, and Mum was singing the lead vocal...
Anti-independentists previously: Sturgeon is an idiot, a complete imbecile, damaging her cause by her simple presence.
Anti-independentists now: she was a titan, a powerful and effective politician, independence will be set back by her absence.
She was very effective at turning Scotland into a one party state, but no nearer her "dream" than she was in 2014.
The SNP are damaged by her going.
Less sure about Indy, but it's still not going to happen
Independence is no nearer than it was in 2014? It depends what we mean. It's undeniably further away than it was the day before the Referendum but it's probably closer than it was the day after. Sturgeon took over after the Referendum therefore I'd say she can truthfully claim the cause of independence has been advanced during her tenure.
It's a tricky one to call. Realistically they get 2 shots I think, so the question is how well placed are they for the second shot.
Let's use a golfing analogy. The Scottish election results, facilitated by Cameron granting a referendum, helped to chip the ball on to the green. A long putt, but doable at a push. Then in 2015 the ball veered fairly close to the hole but overshot by a few feet. There's one putt left to win the open. It's closer than the last one, but not a tap-in.
Actually then the question of timing comes in, plus whether they're allowed to make the shot in the first place. So the analogy kind of falls apart.
Stepping back from the political noise, the questions of the two Unions remain intertwined. The Scottish public see themselves as a small country in Europe. The English public are divided, but a large body of them (maybe still a majority) see themselves as a middle ranking global power that can sit aside from Europe. I don't think, long term, countries with such divergent views on their future can stay united. The fact that Brexit makes Scottish independence so much more costly as well as more necessary is Scotland's tragedy and might well delay the rupture, but it won't prevent it. I just can't see Scotland prospering as a marginalised part of a United Kingdom that is itself marginalised from Europe.
Kate Forbes, a member of the evangelical, hardline anti homosexual marriage, anti gender fluidity marriage Free Church of Scotland is early favourite to succeed Sturgeon as leader of the SNP
Offtopic, can the church refuse to marry two people born the same sex, where one has a GRC, so they are officially opposite gender? In principle, they're not even allowed to ask about that, are they?
Although I think I had to produce a baptism certificate before I got married, to prove my Christian faith, which could be a stumbling block (no requirement, as far as I know, to produce an updated baptism certificate after a GRC)
As always it will depend which church, in which jurisdiction. Churches are not all the same. England and Scotland not all the same either. NB you do not have to be baptised to be married in CoE in England.
Indeed, as the established church anyone can be married or buried in their local Parish Church of England church.
You only need to be baptised or confirmed in or have regularly attended a Church of England church for 6 months to be married there if it is not your local Parish church
"as the established church anyone can be married or buried in their local Parish Church of England church."
What a whacking fib. Unapproved couples are not allowed, as you've been telling us for months, even when it is the law of England that they can be married.
Or are gay people not "anyone"?
Homosexual couples can now be blessed in Church of England services (in the Scottish Episcopal Church homosexual couples can even have full marriages).
In the Free Church of Scotland of the likely next SNP FM homosexual couples can neither be married or blessed
Theresa May's resigntion speech took less than 7 minutes. Boris Johnson's resignation announcement was less than 8 minutes. Liz Truss took less than 2 minutes. Sturgeon's lasted almost 40 minutes. That tells you all you need to know.
About their relative substance and stature? ... Yep.
I don't get the love for Sturgeon from lefties from England. Scotland has got worse by almost every measure since she's been in power. Economy, health, education - all have gone backwards relative to England's. There have, I suppose, been some positives in public transport (rail reopenings etc) but as against that: ferries. And I think Scotland's rail network has been more stricken by strikes than England's? She's raised taxes, but that is surely only the meams, not the end in itself. And she was bloody awful with covid - antagonistic purely for the sake of driving wedges with England, delusional over zero covid, rubbish over vaccinations. I can only assume it's the enemy-of-my-enemy principle.
I don't get the hate for Sturgeon from righties from England. I mean you don't live in Scotland for a start and her governance has fuck all effect on you, unlike the pricks you impose upon us. I can only assume it's a distraction from the burning dog shit bin that you've repeatedly voted into being.
I rather fancy giving the celebrating unionists a blast with both barrels of the gun (non violently of course) by electing the 2 most charismatic elected SNP MPs and MSPs, Stephen Flynn as SNP leader, and Kate Forbes as First Minister.
If Kate Forbes is elected FM the Scottish Labour posters write themselves with a few quotes from the anti homosexual marriage, anti abortion doctrine of her Free Church of Scotland church.
Social conservatives in Scotland are mostly Scottish Conservative anyway and won't switch to the SNP under Forbes as they are Unionists
Religion is not as significant an issue in Scotland as it once was. Such an approach from Labour would simply come across as that they are the bigoted ones. If you think Forbes could not be an effective First Minister and/or SNP leader you will be quite wrong.
I rather fancy giving the celebrating unionists a blast with both barrels of the gun (non violently of course) by electing the 2 most charismatic elected SNP MPs and MSPs, Stephen Flynn as SNP leader, and Kate Forbes as First Minister.
If Kate Forbes is elected FM the Scottish Labour posters write themselves with a few quotes from the anti homosexual marriage, anti abortion doctrine of her Free Church of Scotland church.
Social conservatives in Scotland are mostly Scottish Conservative anyway and won't switch to the SNP under Forbes as they are Unionists
Religion is not as significant an issue in Scotland as it once was. Such an approach from Labour would simply come across as that they are the bigoted ones. If you think Forbes could not be an effective First Minister and/or SNP leader you will be quite wrong.
It will be if the FM is anti gay marriage, as Forbes clearly is given the Church she is a member of!
I rather fancy giving the celebrating unionists a blast with both barrels of the gun (non violently of course) by electing the 2 most charismatic elected SNP MPs and MSPs, Stephen Flynn as SNP leader, and Kate Forbes as First Minister.
If Kate Forbes is elected FM the Scottish Labour posters write themselves with a few quotes from the anti homosexual marriage, anti abortion doctrine of her Free Church of Scotland church.
Social conservatives in Scotland are mostly Scottish Conservative anyway and won't switch to the SNP under Forbes as they are Unionists
Religion is not as significant an issue in Scotland as it once was. Such an approach from Labour would simply come across as that they are the bigoted ones. If you think Forbes could not be an effective First Minister and/or SNP leader you will be quite wrong.
No established church, to give one very good reason.
Theresa May's resigntion speech took less than 7 minutes. Boris Johnson's resignation announcement was less than 8 minutes. Liz Truss took less than 2 minutes. Sturgeon's lasted almost 40 minutes. That tells you all you need to know.
Kate Forbes, a member of the evangelical, hardline anti homosexual marriage, anti gender fluidity marriage Free Church of Scotland is early favourite to succeed Sturgeon as leader of the SNP
Offtopic, can the church refuse to marry two people born the same sex, where one has a GRC, so they are officially opposite gender? In principle, they're not even allowed to ask about that, are they?
Although I think I had to produce a baptism certificate before I got married, to prove my Christian faith, which could be a stumbling block (no requirement, as far as I know, to produce an updated baptism certificate after a GRC)
As always it will depend which church, in which jurisdiction. Churches are not all the same. England and Scotland not all the same either. NB you do not have to be baptised to be married in CoE in England.
Indeed, as the established church anyone can be married or buried in their local Parish Church of England church.
You only need to be baptised or confirmed in or have regularly attended a Church of England church for 6 months to be married there if it is not your local Parish church
"as the established church anyone can be married or buried in their local Parish Church of England church."
What a whacking fib. Unapproved couples are not allowed, as you've been telling us for months, even when it is the law of England that they can be married.
Or are gay people not "anyone"?
Also many straight couples have to take classes for several months to get married at some of the cathedrals.
Very few people can marry in a cathedral (unless it is also a parish church) as of right. More or less everyone (man/woman; neither divorced) can marry in a parish church as of right.
(The man/woman and divorcee exceptions are enshrined in Acts of Parliament; they are not the church of England's rules.)
Quite... I think the issue of divorce is down to the Priest in situ at the time. Some will some will not.
Kate Forbes, a member of the evangelical, hardline anti homosexual marriage, anti gender fluidity marriage Free Church of Scotland is early favourite to succeed Sturgeon as leader of the SNP
Offtopic, can the church refuse to marry two people born the same sex, where one has a GRC, so they are officially opposite gender? In principle, they're not even allowed to ask about that, are they?
Although I think I had to produce a baptism certificate before I got married, to prove my Christian faith, which could be a stumbling block (no requirement, as far as I know, to produce an updated baptism certificate after a GRC)
As always it will depend which church, in which jurisdiction. Churches are not all the same. England and Scotland not all the same either. NB you do not have to be baptised to be married in CoE in England.
Indeed, as the established church anyone can be married or buried in their local Parish Church of England church.
You only need to be baptised or confirmed in or have regularly attended a Church of England church for 6 months to be married there if it is not your local Parish church
"as the established church anyone can be married or buried in their local Parish Church of England church."
What a whacking fib. Unapproved couples are not allowed, as you've been telling us for months, even when it is the law of England that they can be married.
Or are gay people not "anyone"?
Homosexual couples can now be blessed in Church of England services (in the Scottish Episcopal Church homosexual couples can even have full marriages).
In the Free Church of Scotland of the likely next SNP FM homosexual couples can neither be married or blessed
C of E = part of the State, and vice versa.
C of S, E C of S, FC of S, FC of S (c), etc. etc. = not part of the state.
Theresa May's resigntion speech took less than 7 minutes. Boris Johnson's resignation announcement was less than 8 minutes. Liz Truss took less than 2 minutes. Sturgeon's lasted almost 40 minutes. That tells you all you need to know.
About their relative substance and stature? ... Yep.
I don't get the love for Sturgeon from lefties from England. Scotland has got worse by almost every measure since she's been in power. Economy, health, education - all have gone backwards relative to England's. There have, I suppose, been some positives in public transport (rail reopenings etc) but as against that: ferries. And I think Scotland's rail network has been more stricken by strikes than England's? She's raised taxes, but that is surely only the meams, not the end in itself. And she was bloody awful with covid - antagonistic purely for the sake of driving wedges with England, delusional over zero covid, rubbish over vaccinations. I can only assume it's the enemy-of-my-enemy principle.
I don't get the hate for Sturgeon from righties from England. I mean you don't live in Scotland for a start and her governance has fuck all effect on you, unlike the pricks you impose upon us. I can only assume it's a distraction from the burning dog shit bin that you've repeatedly voted into being.
Because I like Scotland. It is, after England, my favourite country. I don't live there, but I'd like this to be a world in whuch one day I might, or one of my daughters might. And I don't want to see it turned into a basket case. There are worse leaders in the world making a bigger mess of their countries than Sturgeon. But by and large they are in faraway countries I have no emotional comnection to whatsoever.
And it does have an impact on me, albeit a minor one, when, for example, in a fit f pique she declares that no one from Greater Manchester can visit Scotland. I know that was only a temporary thing. But given our rates were lower than most of Scotland's, it rather rankled.
So the vast inconvenience of a travel ban that lasted hardly more than a week causes you to hate a politician? I'd check your own pique levels if I were you.
As ever folk might be better employed worrying about the impending basket cases in their own back yards, cities, regions or countries, but it's easier to self distract about that 'other' place.
Theresa May's resigntion speech took less than 7 minutes. Boris Johnson's resignation announcement was less than 8 minutes. Liz Truss took less than 2 minutes. Sturgeon's lasted almost 40 minutes. That tells you all you need to know.
About their relative substance and stature? ... Yep.
I don't get the love for Sturgeon from lefties from England. Scotland has got worse by almost every measure since she's been in power. Economy, health, education - all have gone backwards relative to England's. There have, I suppose, been some positives in public transport (rail reopenings etc) but as against that: ferries. And I think Scotland's rail network has been more stricken by strikes than England's? She's raised taxes, but that is surely only the meams, not the end in itself. And she was bloody awful with covid - antagonistic purely for the sake of driving wedges with England, delusional over zero covid, rubbish over vaccinations. I can only assume it's the enemy-of-my-enemy principle.
I don't get the hate for Sturgeon from righties from England. I mean you don't live in Scotland for a start and her governance has fuck all effect on you, unlike the pricks you impose upon us. I can only assume it's a distraction from the burning dog shit bin that you've repeatedly voted into being.
Ahahahahaha
No, sorry, that’s cruel
AHAHAHAHAHAH
The Butthurt of the Nit is mighty, this afternoon
While I'm glad she's gone, I don't necessarily see it as bad news for nationalists. It all depends on who her replacement is. Despite her electoral success, Scotland under her leadership went backwards. Imagine what an SNP led by someone who was administratively, as well as polotically competent might do.
A few thoughts on the post Sturgeon world. Firstly this does not have the feeling of a long planned move, not least because the presser was "hurriedly arranged" and there really is no obvious successor. The announcement has come only a few weeks after the FM categorically denied having any intention to go.
So what changed? I think the GRA has been bitter, but Surgeon seemed to be facing it down a bit. So is it the luke-warm support for making the next GE a "de facto referendum" on indy? Again, she is quite capable of toughing things out. Is it worries about the campaign finance allegations against her husband? Not stopped her up until now. Is she afraid that the slight fall off in Nat support in the polls becomes a sustained decline?
The Nats have been on the back foot for a while, and the sense of invulnerability they used to have has clearly been punctured. May be quitting while ahead might give her greater influence with a weaker successor than if the setback came on her watch and she had to take the blame.
In any event it opens up an opportunity for Labour (and actually the Lib Dems too). There are a couple of local by elections coming up, lets see if they give any sense of direction.
My best guess at the moment is that there are quite a few little things starting to mount up, none of which is yet significant to force her to resign, but combined they may be having the effect of her concluding that if she doesn't resign now, she may not get the option to resign of her own volition later.
I believe Police Scotland are about to begin interviewing SNP officials, MSPs and MPs re the ‘ring fenced’ £600,000.
It seems the game has moved on since Congress told Australia they could fucking whistle for Virginias. Now the plan is evolved Astute with an American reactor and combat control system. It doesn't sound like a swift and cheap route to SSN ownership but it's probably the only feasible option at this point if they want to build most of it in Australia. I certainly won't live long enough to see how it all turns out.
If Rishi is leaking AUKUS stuff to The Sun then that suggests he's worried about something else and feels the need to throw some sweeties to the Empire II Tory Right as a distraction. The NI deal with the EU is my guess (that coupled with the whiff of Brexit treachery from Gove).
I rather fancy giving the celebrating unionists a blast with both barrels of the gun (non violently of course) by electing the 2 most charismatic elected SNP MPs and MSPs, Stephen Flynn as SNP leader, and Kate Forbes as First Minister.
I respected Sturgeon’s considerable political and communication skills, but she always seemed angry and petty to me.
I can’t Scotland looks to have prospered under Sturgeon’s rule. What, ultimately, is her legacy?
More coherent, unionists such as Carlotta aside. Better spend of UK handouts, notably on public housing for instance, and on more coherent railways and publuc transport.
Anti-independentists previously: Sturgeon is an idiot, a complete imbecile, damaging her cause by her simple presence.
Anti-independentists now: she was a titan, a powerful and effective politician, independence will be set back by her absence.
She was very effective at turning Scotland into a one party state, but no nearer her "dream" than she was in 2014.
The SNP are damaged by her going.
Less sure about Indy, but it's still not going to happen
Independence is no nearer than it was in 2014? It depends what we mean. It's undeniably further away than it was the day before the Referendum but it's probably closer than it was the day after. Sturgeon took over after the Referendum therefore I'd say she can truthfully claim the cause of independence has been advanced during her tenure.
It's a tricky one to call. Realistically they get 2 shots I think, so the question is how well placed are they for the second shot.
Let's use a golfing analogy. The Scottish election results, facilitated by Cameron granting a referendum, helped to chip the ball on to the green. A long putt, but doable at a push. Then in 2015 the ball veered fairly close to the hole but overshot by a few feet. There's one putt left to win the open. It's closer than the last one, but not a tap-in.
Actually then the question of timing comes in, plus whether they're allowed to make the shot in the first place. So the analogy kind of falls apart.
I was liking it - being a golfer - but best to abandon, I think.
The Brexit effect on Sindy is something I find interesting because it works both ways. It makes the emotional case for Sindy stronger - Scotland being yanked out of the EU against its will like that - but otoh it makes the practical process of separation a deal harder.
So, post Brexit, Sindy is an easier sell emotionally but a harder sell practically. And how this nets out depends on which 'mood' predominates amongst erstwhile floaters: "FFS, we have to escape England's clutches so this shit can't happen" vs "Oh god, the mess it'll cause if we do this, let's not".
This is the keyest of key questions imo - which mood wins out - but I won't try and answer it from Hampstead.
Anti-independentists previously: Sturgeon is an idiot, a complete imbecile, damaging her cause by her simple presence.
Anti-independentists now: she was a titan, a powerful and effective politician, independence will be set back by her absence.
She was very effective at turning Scotland into a one party state, but no nearer her "dream" than she was in 2014.
The SNP are damaged by her going.
Less sure about Indy, but it's still not going to happen
Independence is no nearer than it was in 2014? It depends what we mean. It's undeniably further away than it was the day before the Referendum but it's probably closer than it was the day after. Sturgeon took over after the Referendum therefore I'd say she can truthfully claim the cause of independence has been advanced during her tenure.
It's a tricky one to call. Realistically they get 2 shots I think, so the question is how well placed are they for the second shot.
Let's use a golfing analogy. The Scottish election results, facilitated by Cameron granting a referendum, helped to chip the ball on to the green. A long putt, but doable at a push. Then in 2015 the ball veered fairly close to the hole but overshot by a few feet. There's one putt left to win the open. It's closer than the last one, but not a tap-in.
Actually then the question of timing comes in, plus whether they're allowed to make the shot in the first place. So the analogy kind of falls apart.
I was liking it - being a golfer - but best to abandon, I think.
The Brexit effect on Sindy is something I find interesting because it works both ways. It makes the emotional case for Sindy stronger - Scotland being yanked out of the EU against its will like that - but otoh it makes the practical process of separation a fair amount harder.
So, post Brexit, Sindy is an easier sell emotionally but a harder sell practically. And how this nets out depends on which 'mood' predominates amongst erstwhile floaters: "FFS, we have to escape England's clutches so this shit can't happen" vs "Oh god, the mess it'll cause if we do this, let's not".
This is the keyest of key questions imo - which mood wins out - but I won't try and answer it from Hampstead.
I said exactly this after Brexit itself
It simultaneously makes Scottish independence considerably more appealing, yet considerably harder to achieve
At the moment, the “harder to achieve” side of the paradox is winning out. And by the next time the Sindy ducks are in a row, the world will probably be run by AI Muskbots weidling penile laser-cannons, so it won’t really matter
I rather fancy giving the celebrating unionists a blast with both barrels of the gun (non violently of course) by electing the 2 most charismatic elected SNP MPs and MSPs, Stephen Flynn as SNP leader, and Kate Forbes as First Minister.
You have a strange definition of charismatic.
Where do you think they come on the Cameron-Osborne dream team Charisma-ometer?
Kate Forbes, a member of the evangelical, hardline anti homosexual marriage, anti gender fluidity marriage Free Church of Scotland is early favourite to succeed Sturgeon as leader of the SNP
Offtopic, can the church refuse to marry two people born the same sex, where one has a GRC, so they are officially opposite gender? In principle, they're not even allowed to ask about that, are they?
Although I think I had to produce a baptism certificate before I got married, to prove my Christian faith, which could be a stumbling block (no requirement, as far as I know, to produce an updated baptism certificate after a GRC)
As always it will depend which church, in which jurisdiction. Churches are not all the same. England and Scotland not all the same either. NB you do not have to be baptised to be married in CoE in England.
Indeed, as the established church anyone can be married or buried in their local Parish Church of England church.
You only need to be baptised or confirmed in or have regularly attended a Church of England church for 6 months to be married there if it is not your local Parish church
"as the established church anyone can be married or buried in their local Parish Church of England church."
What a whacking fib. Unapproved couples are not allowed, as you've been telling us for months, even when it is the law of England that they can be married.
Or are gay people not "anyone"?
Homosexual couples can now be blessed in Church of England services (in the Scottish Episcopal Church homosexual couples can even have full marriages).
In the Free Church of Scotland of the likely next SNP FM homosexual couples can neither be married or blessed
C of E = part of the State, and vice versa.
C of S, E C of S, FC of S, FC of S (c), etc. etc. = not part of the state.
And the C of E now blesses homosexual couples after the Synod vote last week.
If the odds are to be believed though the next leader of the Scottish state government will be anti homosexual marriage and a member of the anti homosexual marriage, not even blessing homosexual couples, evangelical Free Church of Scotland
Theresa May's resigntion speech took less than 7 minutes. Boris Johnson's resignation announcement was less than 8 minutes. Liz Truss took less than 2 minutes. Sturgeon's lasted almost 40 minutes. That tells you all you need to know.
About their relative substance and stature? ... Yep.
I don't get the love for Sturgeon from lefties from England. Scotland has got worse by almost every measure since she's been in power. Economy, health, education - all have gone backwards relative to England's. There have, I suppose, been some positives in public transport (rail reopenings etc) but as against that: ferries. And I think Scotland's rail network has been more stricken by strikes than England's? She's raised taxes, but that is surely only the meams, not the end in itself. And she was bloody awful with covid - antagonistic purely for the sake of driving wedges with England, delusional over zero covid, rubbish over vaccinations. I can only assume it's the enemy-of-my-enemy principle.
I don't get the hate for Sturgeon from righties from England. I mean you don't live in Scotland for a start and her governance has fuck all effect on you, unlike the pricks you impose upon us. I can only assume it's a distraction from the burning dog shit bin that you've repeatedly voted into being.
Because I like Scotland. It is, after England, my favourite country. I don't live there, but I'd like this to be a world in whuch one day I might, or one of my daughters might. And I don't want to see it turned into a basket case. There are worse leaders in the world making a bigger mess of their countries than Sturgeon. But by and large they are in faraway countries I have no emotional comnection to whatsoever.
And it does have an impact on me, albeit a minor one, when, for example, in a fit f pique she declares that no one from Greater Manchester can visit Scotland. I know that was only a temporary thing. But given our rates were lower than most of Scotland's, it rather rankled.
So the vast inconvenience of a travel ban that lasted hardly more than a week causes you to hate a politician? I'd check your own pique levels if I were you.
As ever folk might be better employed worrying about the impending basket cases in their own back yards, cities, regions or countries, but it's easier to self distract about that 'other' place.
You’re still in the UK, and wrapped in the warm embrace of Westminster. As you will be for the rest of your dismal grey Scottish life. Soz!
I rather fancy giving the celebrating unionists a blast with both barrels of the gun (non violently of course) by electing the 2 most charismatic elected SNP MPs and MSPs, Stephen Flynn as SNP leader, and Kate Forbes as First Minister.
You have a strange definition of charismatic.
Oh I don't think so. Who would you think of as charismatic among the SNP MSPs and MPs. I expect the answer is nobody (as you oppose the SNP and independence) and so have little to contribute to the debate.
I rather fancy giving the celebrating unionists a blast with both barrels of the gun (non violently of course) by electing the 2 most charismatic elected SNP MPs and MSPs, Stephen Flynn as SNP leader, and Kate Forbes as First Minister.
If Kate Forbes is elected FM the Scottish Labour posters write themselves with a few quotes from the anti homosexual marriage, anti abortion doctrine of her Free Church of Scotland church.
Social conservatives in Scotland are mostly Scottish Conservative anyway and won't switch to the SNP under Forbes as they are Unionists
More credence needs to be given to the distinctions between personal or religious opinion and how the state should legislate.
It is perfectly possible for an MP, MSP, government minister or FM to:
be personally and/or religiously opposed to X and to believe that in a liberal society it is a matter of personal viewpoint and therefore the state should not ban it.
Lap dancing clubs, Payment for sex, Adultery, Chicken Nuggets, Morris dancing (borderline but just allowable) all come to mind.
Theresa May's resigntion speech took less than 7 minutes. Boris Johnson's resignation announcement was less than 8 minutes. Liz Truss took less than 2 minutes. Sturgeon's lasted almost 40 minutes. That tells you all you need to know.
I rather fancy giving the celebrating unionists a blast with both barrels of the gun (non violently of course) by electing the 2 most charismatic elected SNP MPs and MSPs, Stephen Flynn as SNP leader, and Kate Forbes as First Minister.
You have a strange definition of charismatic.
Where do you think they come on the Cameron-Osborne dream team Charisma-ometer?
Not even in the same galaxy as my boys Dave and George.
Theresa May's resigntion speech took less than 7 minutes. Boris Johnson's resignation announcement was less than 8 minutes. Liz Truss took less than 2 minutes. Sturgeon's lasted almost 40 minutes. That tells you all you need to know.
About their relative substance and stature? ... Yep.
I don't get the love for Sturgeon from lefties from England. Scotland has got worse by almost every measure since she's been in power. Economy, health, education - all have gone backwards relative to England's. There have, I suppose, been some positives in public transport (rail reopenings etc) but as against that: ferries. And I think Scotland's rail network has been more stricken by strikes than England's? She's raised taxes, but that is surely only the meams, not the end in itself. And she was bloody awful with covid - antagonistic purely for the sake of driving wedges with England, delusional over zero covid, rubbish over vaccinations. I can only assume it's the enemy-of-my-enemy principle.
I don't get the hate for Sturgeon from righties from England. I mean you don't live in Scotland for a start and her governance has fuck all effect on you, unlike the pricks you impose upon us. I can only assume it's a distraction from the burning dog shit bin that you've repeatedly voted into being.
Ahahahahaha
No, sorry, that’s cruel
AHAHAHAHAHAH
The Butthurt of the Nit is mighty, this afternoon
While I'm glad she's gone, I don't necessarily see it as bad news for nationalists. It all depends on who her replacement is. Despite her electoral success, Scotland under her leadership went backwards. Imagine what an SNP led by someone who was administratively, as well as polotically competent might do.
It’s definitely bad news for them in the short-to-medium term, as their angst on here today reveals
To deliver Scary Indy Scotland needs a uniquely charismatic and/or deeply reassuring figure. Salmond was the first, Sturgeon the second
For the first time, I am predicting a Labour majority.
It's been obvious since September that Labour would win the next election with a majority?
I believed the polls would narrow closer to an election and Labour still had a mountain to climb despite the large leads.
I've always thought it will be a small majority at most but likely a Hung Parliament. With Sturgeon gone Labour has a chance of a large breakthrough in Scotland.
My predictions have been rather good recently - so I feel confident making this one. And I still think we will see a 30 point lead by July.
Inevitable - I heard it being pushed by the Times Radio to a German defence think-tanker the other day, who told them it was baseless.
Oh for a media that attached priority to checking a story before they repeat it.
(TBF around Ukraine I can't say much more for the German media, even the official DW. They have been pushing "NATO ammunition crisis", which is accurate for Germany and maybe parts of Western Europe - not Spain or a couple of Scandis, but was shown to be a political/confidence crisis not an ammunition crisis by Perun back in December.
Germany is suffering from a need for other people to take responsibility for them.
"The war in Ukraine is consuming an enormous amount of ammunition," Stoltenberg said. "The current rate of Ukraine's ammunition expenditure is many times higher than our current production rates. This puts our defense industries under strain. (...) So we need to ramp up new production and invest in our production capacities."
also widely reported in UK media, I think. I might have missed something else.
btw, why have only Poland, Germany, Norway and Portugal (and Canada?) promised Leopard 2 tanks so far?
Lots of non-runners in the inventories?
It is much cheaper to park tanks in a shed. Unless it is done carefully, with frequent checks, the result is, rapidly, a non-functional system. Mothballing equipment is a bit of an art.
The American government is funding some pretty massive increases in ammunition production. Thales Belfast (where a number of UK weapons are manufactured) is working all the hours - limit there is sub-components, I believe.
I'm sure that's true, but the reports yesterday that the Netherlands and Denmark have decided to not to send Leopard 2 tanks after all are a a bit strange. Even Pistorius said that he was "a bit disappointed" with how long other European countries are taking to commit to supplying Leopards. No doubt JosiasJessop will have something to say about this!
Theresa May's resigntion speech took less than 7 minutes. Boris Johnson's resignation announcement was less than 8 minutes. Liz Truss took less than 2 minutes. Sturgeon's lasted almost 40 minutes. That tells you all you need to know.
About their relative substance and stature? ... Yep.
I don't get the love for Sturgeon from lefties from England. Scotland has got worse by almost every measure since she's been in power. Economy, health, education - all have gone backwards relative to England's. There have, I suppose, been some positives in public transport (rail reopenings etc) but as against that: ferries. And I think Scotland's rail network has been more stricken by strikes than England's? She's raised taxes, but that is surely only the meams, not the end in itself. And she was bloody awful with covid - antagonistic purely for the sake of driving wedges with England, delusional over zero covid, rubbish over vaccinations. I can only assume it's the enemy-of-my-enemy principle.
I don't get the hate for Sturgeon from righties from England. I mean you don't live in Scotland for a start and her governance has fuck all effect on you, unlike the pricks you impose upon us. I can only assume it's a distraction from the burning dog shit bin that you've repeatedly voted into being.
Ahahahahaha
No, sorry, that’s cruel
AHAHAHAHAHAH
The Butthurt of the Nit is mighty, this afternoon
While I'm glad she's gone, I don't necessarily see it as bad news for nationalists. It all depends on who her replacement is. Despite her electoral success, Scotland under her leadership went backwards. Imagine what an SNP led by someone who was administratively, as well as polotically competent might do.
It’s definitely bad news for them in the short-to-medium term, as their angst on here today reveals
To deliver Scary Indy Scotland needs a uniquely charismatic and/or deeply reassuring figure. Salmond was the first, Sturgeon the second
Without them it becomes dimensionally harder
It also seems highly likely that Labour are going to win in 2024 and for a pretty long time which makes it an order of magnitude more difficult as they won't be campaigning against the Tories. 2023 was last chance saloon for Indy, once Labour are in I don't see how it happens.
The takes that this is great news for the Union etc seem a bit premature.
I suspect that at some level Sturgeon had become a net weight on independence sentiment.
If the next SNP leader and FM is anti homosexual marriage, as looks likely, that could be an even bigger boost for Unionists and SLab especially than Sturgeon's gender bill.
The SNP will just have gone from one extreme to the other!!
I rather fancy giving the celebrating unionists a blast with both barrels of the gun (non violently of course) by electing the 2 most charismatic elected SNP MPs and MSPs, Stephen Flynn as SNP leader, and Kate Forbes as First Minister.
If Kate Forbes is elected FM the Scottish Labour posters write themselves with a few quotes from the anti homosexual marriage, anti abortion doctrine of her Free Church of Scotland church.
Social conservatives in Scotland are mostly Scottish Conservative anyway and won't switch to the SNP under Forbes as they are Unionists
More credence needs to be given to the distinctions between personal or religious opinion and how the state should legislate.
It is perfectly possible for an MP, MSP, government minister or FM to:
be personally and/or religiously opposed to X and to believe that in a liberal society it is a matter of personal viewpoint and therefore the state should not ban it.
Lap dancing clubs, Payment for sex, Adultery, Chicken Nuggets, Morris dancing (borderline but just allowable) all come to mind.
Tim Farron came a cropper over that sort of thing, didn't he?
How successfully Kate Forbes navigates that is partly about her personal political talents and partly whether the public is prepared to accept that argument (which is a perfectly good one).
I rather fancy giving the celebrating unionists a blast with both barrels of the gun (non violently of course) by electing the 2 most charismatic elected SNP MPs and MSPs, Stephen Flynn as SNP leader, and Kate Forbes as First Minister.
You have a strange definition of charismatic.
Oh I don't think so. Who would you think of as charismatic among the SNP MSPs and MPs. I expect the answer is nobody (as you oppose the SNP and independence) and so have little to contribute to the debate.
Out of current MPs.
I found Joanna Cherry charismatic, not just because she is a lawyer.
I like John Nicholson fits the criteria for the right reasons, Angus MacNeill for all the wrong reasons.
I’ve found the S McDonalds interesting.
My analysis on Scotland has made me lots of money when Cybernats said I was doing my money on Scotland voting No or Tories to get more than 6 MPs in Scotland in 2017 at 20/1.
The takes that this is great news for the Union etc seem a bit premature.
I suspect that at some level Sturgeon had become a net weight on independence sentiment.
If the next SNP leader and FM is anti homosexual marriage, as looks likely, that could be an even bigger boost for Unionists than Sturgeon's gender bill.
The SNP will just have gone from one extreme to the other!!
I don’t think Kate Forbes will go for it. But *if* she does, and wins, she presents as the SNP’s best chance of a generational re-set.
For the first time, I am predicting a Labour majority.
It's been obvious since September that Labour would win the next election with a majority?
I believed the polls would narrow closer to an election and Labour still had a mountain to climb despite the large leads.
I've always thought it will be a small majority at most but likely a Hung Parliament. With Sturgeon gone Labour has a chance of a large breakthrough in Scotland.
My predictions have been rather good recently - so I feel confident making this one. And I still think we will see a 30 point lead by July.
Theresa May's resigntion speech took less than 7 minutes. Boris Johnson's resignation announcement was less than 8 minutes. Liz Truss took less than 2 minutes. Sturgeon's lasted almost 40 minutes. That tells you all you need to know.
About their relative substance and stature? ... Yep.
I don't get the love for Sturgeon from lefties from England. Scotland has got worse by almost every measure since she's been in power. Economy, health, education - all have gone backwards relative to England's. There have, I suppose, been some positives in public transport (rail reopenings etc) but as against that: ferries. And I think Scotland's rail network has been more stricken by strikes than England's? She's raised taxes, but that is surely only the meams, not the end in itself. And she was bloody awful with covid - antagonistic purely for the sake of driving wedges with England, delusional over zero covid, rubbish over vaccinations. I can only assume it's the enemy-of-my-enemy principle.
I don't get the hate for Sturgeon from righties from England. I mean you don't live in Scotland for a start and her governance has fuck all effect on you, unlike the pricks you impose upon us. I can only assume it's a distraction from the burning dog shit bin that you've repeatedly voted into being.
Because I like Scotland. It is, after England, my favourite country. I don't live there, but I'd like this to be a world in whuch one day I might, or one of my daughters might. And I don't want to see it turned into a basket case. There are worse leaders in the world making a bigger mess of their countries than Sturgeon. But by and large they are in faraway countries I have no emotional comnection to whatsoever.
And it does have an impact on me, albeit a minor one, when, for example, in a fit f pique she declares that no one from Greater Manchester can visit Scotland. I know that was only a temporary thing. But given our rates were lower than most of Scotland's, it rather rankled.
So the vast inconvenience of a travel ban that lasted hardly more than a week causes you to hate a politician? I'd check your own pique levels if I were you.
As ever folk might be better employed worrying about the impending basket cases in their own back yards, cities, regions or countries, but it's easier to self distract about that 'other' place.
I think 'hate' overstates it. I don't like her, certainly. And I found her tone during covid petty and spiteful. I am of course more concerned with politicians who have a more direct impact on me. But I think tge UK government are doing a considerably less terrible job of running the UK than the Scottish government has been of running Scotland. Though I will certainly grant you success in reopening rail lines, and someone downthread has also mentioned public housing as a success. If it helps, I would rather have Sturgeon steering the ship I was on than Drakeford or Sadiq Khan. (The northerm mayors - Rotherham, Burnham, that fella from Sheffield whose name temporarilt escapes
I rather fancy giving the celebrating unionists a blast with both barrels of the gun (non violently of course) by electing the 2 most charismatic elected SNP MPs and MSPs, Stephen Flynn as SNP leader, and Kate Forbes as First Minister.
You have a strange definition of charismatic.
Oh I don't think so. Who would you think of as charismatic among the SNP MSPs and MPs. I expect the answer is nobody (as you oppose the SNP and independence) and so have little to contribute to the debate.
So, you’re saying that if Person A opposes a proposition put forward by Person B then Person A has little to contribute to a debate over the proposition?
Theresa May's resigntion speech took less than 7 minutes. Boris Johnson's resignation announcement was less than 8 minutes. Liz Truss took less than 2 minutes. Sturgeon's lasted almost 40 minutes. That tells you all you need to know.
About their relative substance and stature? ... Yep.
I don't get the love for Sturgeon from lefties from England. Scotland has got worse by almost every measure since she's been in power. Economy, health, education - all have gone backwards relative to England's. There have, I suppose, been some positives in public transport (rail reopenings etc) but as against that: ferries. And I think Scotland's rail network has been more stricken by strikes than England's? She's raised taxes, but that is surely only the meams, not the end in itself. And she was bloody awful with covid - antagonistic purely for the sake of driving wedges with England, delusional over zero covid, rubbish over vaccinations. I can only assume it's the enemy-of-my-enemy principle.
I don't get the hate for Sturgeon from righties from England. I mean you don't live in Scotland for a start and her governance has fuck all effect on you, unlike the pricks you impose upon us. I can only assume it's a distraction from the burning dog shit bin that you've repeatedly voted into being.
Because I like Scotland. It is, after England, my favourite country. I don't live there, but I'd like this to be a world in whuch one day I might, or one of my daughters might. And I don't want to see it turned into a basket case. There are worse leaders in the world making a bigger mess of their countries than Sturgeon. But by and large they are in faraway countries I have no emotional comnection to whatsoever.
And it does have an impact on me, albeit a minor one, when, for example, in a fit f pique she declares that no one from Greater Manchester can visit Scotland. I know that was only a temporary thing. But given our rates were lower than most of Scotland's, it rather rankled.
So the vast inconvenience of a travel ban that lasted hardly more than a week causes you to hate a politician? I'd check your own pique levels if I were you.
As ever folk might be better employed worrying about the impending basket cases in their own back yards, cities, regions or countries, but it's easier to self distract about that 'other' place.
I think 'hate' overstates it. I don't like her, certainly. And I found her tone during covid petty and spiteful. I am of course more concerned with politicians who have a more direct impact on me. But I think tge UK government are doing a considerably less terrible job of running the UK than the Scottish government has been of running Scotland. Though I will certainly grant you success in reopening rail lines, and someone downthread has also mentioned public housing as a success. If it helps, I would rather have Sturgeon steering the ship I was on than Drakeford or Sadiq Khan. (The northerm mayors - Rotherham, Burnham, that fella from Sheffield whose name temporarilt escapes
...me, have, I would tentatively suggest, done ok).
Anti-independentists previously: Sturgeon is an idiot, a complete imbecile, damaging her cause by her simple presence.
Anti-independentists now: she was a titan, a powerful and effective politician, independence will be set back by her absence.
She was very effective at turning Scotland into a one party state, but no nearer her "dream" than she was in 2014.
The SNP are damaged by her going.
Less sure about Indy, but it's still not going to happen
Independence is no nearer than it was in 2014? It depends what we mean. It's undeniably further away than it was the day before the Referendum but it's probably closer than it was the day after. Sturgeon took over after the Referendum therefore I'd say she can truthfully claim the cause of independence has been advanced during her tenure.
It's a tricky one to call. Realistically they get 2 shots I think, so the question is how well placed are they for the second shot.
Let's use a golfing analogy. The Scottish election results, facilitated by Cameron granting a referendum, helped to chip the ball on to the green. A long putt, but doable at a push. Then in 2015 the ball veered fairly close to the hole but overshot by a few feet. There's one putt left to win the open. It's closer than the last one, but not a tap-in.
Actually then the question of timing comes in, plus whether they're allowed to make the shot in the first place. So the analogy kind of falls apart.
I was liking it - being a golfer - but best to abandon, I think.
The Brexit effect on Sindy is something I find interesting because it works both ways. It makes the emotional case for Sindy stronger - Scotland being yanked out of the EU against its will like that - but otoh it makes the practical process of separation a fair amount harder.
So, post Brexit, Sindy is an easier sell emotionally but a harder sell practically. And how this nets out depends on which 'mood' predominates amongst erstwhile floaters: "FFS, we have to escape England's clutches so this shit can't happen" vs "Oh god, the mess it'll cause if we do this, let's not".
This is the keyest of key questions imo - which mood wins out - but I won't try and answer it from Hampstead.
I said exactly this after Brexit itself
It simultaneously makes Scottish independence considerably more appealing, yet considerably harder to achieve
At the moment, the “harder to achieve” side of the paradox is winning out. And by the next time the Sindy ducks are in a row, the world will probably be run by AI Muskbots weidling penile laser-cannons, so it won’t really matter
You said exactly that too? Oh. Let me have a little think.
The takes that this is great news for the Union etc seem a bit premature.
I suspect that at some level Sturgeon had become a net weight on independence sentiment.
If the next SNP leader and FM is anti homosexual marriage, as looks likely, that could be an even bigger boost for Unionists than Sturgeon's gender bill.
The SNP will just have gone from one extreme to the other!!
I don’t think Kate Forbes will go for it. But *if* she does, and wins, she presents as the SNP’s best chance of a generational re-set.
The Wee Free stuff is a side-show.
Not for Scottish Labour it won't be, they will look to tie Forbes closely to the Wee Frees to win over social liberals from the SNP
So who is going to keep the seat warm for Alex Salmond to return?
Salmond is not as loved in Scotland as he is south of the border. His third return would probably end the SNP as a viable force in politics. Not least because it would emphasize the weak field on offer.
Keith Brown is not going to set the heather on fire for the progressives... Robertson and Swinney are even more tired looking.
Kate Forbes looks fresher and is undoubtedly bright, but her Wee Free Church background and expressed views do not make her a comfortable figurehead for the Young Nats. At 32 she can afford to wait, of course, but its a risk that the Nat tide goes out for decades.
Hamza Yousaf is a back room operator, in the tradition of Sturgeon, but has a few issues (driving offences) which call his judgement into question.
Humza Useless has not a cat's chance in hell of being within a million miles, a complete dud in every job he has done and only there as a slavish Sturgeon acolyte.
I rather fancy giving the celebrating unionists a blast with both barrels of the gun (non violently of course) by electing the 2 most charismatic elected SNP MPs and MSPs, Stephen Flynn as SNP leader, and Kate Forbes as First Minister.
You have a strange definition of charismatic.
Oh I don't think so. Who would you think of as charismatic among the SNP MSPs and MPs. I expect the answer is nobody (as you oppose the SNP and independence) and so have little to contribute to the debate.
So, you’re saying that if Person A opposes a proposition put forward by Person B then Person A has little to contribute to a debate over the proposition?
Inevitable - I heard it being pushed by the Times Radio to a German defence think-tanker the other day, who told them it was baseless.
Oh for a media that attached priority to checking a story before they repeat it.
(TBF around Ukraine I can't say much more for the German media, even the official DW. They have been pushing "NATO ammunition crisis", which is accurate for Germany and maybe parts of Western Europe - not Spain or a couple of Scandis, but was shown to be a political/confidence crisis not an ammunition crisis by Perun back in December.
Germany is suffering from a need for other people to take responsibility for them.
"The war in Ukraine is consuming an enormous amount of ammunition," Stoltenberg said. "The current rate of Ukraine's ammunition expenditure is many times higher than our current production rates. This puts our defense industries under strain. (...) So we need to ramp up new production and invest in our production capacities."
also widely reported in UK media, I think. I might have missed something else.
btw, why have only Poland, Germany, Norway and Portugal (and Canada?) promised Leopard 2 tanks so far?
Lots of non-runners in the inventories?
It is much cheaper to park tanks in a shed. Unless it is done carefully, with frequent checks, the result is, rapidly, a non-functional system. Mothballing equipment is a bit of an art.
The American government is funding some pretty massive increases in ammunition production. Thales Belfast (where a number of UK weapons are manufactured) is working all the hours - limit there is sub-components, I believe.
I'm sure that's true, but the reports yesterday that the Netherlands and Denmark have decided to not to send Leopard 2 tanks after all are a a bit strange. Even Pistorius said that he was "a bit disappointed" with how long other European countries are taking to commit to supplying Leopards. No doubt JosiasJessop will have something to say about this!
Kremlin shill John Helmer has a very interesting interview with an Indian general on the status of the SMO on his website.
The Ukrainian Home Guard (WFH Battalion) have no need to get triggered over this as Gen. Shankar is quite critical of the Russian Army and makes some insightful points.
My hotel does the most sublime beef in black pepper sauce. Because they are using Kampot peppercorns, the best pepper in the world (from the Cambodian coast)
Theresa May's resigntion speech took less than 7 minutes. Boris Johnson's resignation announcement was less than 8 minutes. Liz Truss took less than 2 minutes. Sturgeon's lasted almost 40 minutes. That tells you all you need to know.
About their relative substance and stature? ... Yep.
I don't get the love for Sturgeon from lefties from England. Scotland has got worse by almost every measure since she's been in power. Economy, health, education - all have gone backwards relative to England's. There have, I suppose, been some positives in public transport (rail reopenings etc) but as against that: ferries. And I think Scotland's rail network has been more stricken by strikes than England's? She's raised taxes, but that is surely only the meams, not the end in itself. And she was bloody awful with covid - antagonistic purely for the sake of driving wedges with England, delusional over zero covid, rubbish over vaccinations. I can only assume it's the enemy-of-my-enemy principle.
I don't get the hate for Sturgeon from righties from England. I mean you don't live in Scotland for a start and her governance has fuck all effect on you, unlike the pricks you impose upon us. I can only assume it's a distraction from the burning dog shit bin that you've repeatedly voted into being.
Because I like Scotland. It is, after England, my favourite country. I don't live there, but I'd like this to be a world in whuch one day I might, or one of my daughters might. And I don't want to see it turned into a basket case. There are worse leaders in the world making a bigger mess of their countries than Sturgeon. But by and large they are in faraway countries I have no emotional comnection to whatsoever.
And it does have an impact on me, albeit a minor one, when, for example, in a fit f pique she declares that no one from Greater Manchester can visit Scotland. I know that was only a temporary thing. But given our rates were lower than most of Scotland's, it rather rankled.
As ever folk might be better employed worrying about the impending basket cases in their own back yards, cities, regions or countries, but it's easier to self distract about that 'other' place.
Theresa May's resigntion speech took less than 7 minutes. Boris Johnson's resignation announcement was less than 8 minutes. Liz Truss took less than 2 minutes. Sturgeon's lasted almost 40 minutes. That tells you all you need to know.
About their relative substance and stature? ... Yep.
I don't get the love for Sturgeon from lefties from England. Scotland has got worse by almost every measure since she's been in power. Economy, health, education - all have gone backwards relative to England's. There have, I suppose, been some positives in public transport (rail reopenings etc) but as against that: ferries. And I think Scotland's rail network has been more stricken by strikes than England's? She's raised taxes, but that is surely only the meams, not the end in itself. And she was bloody awful with covid - antagonistic purely for the sake of driving wedges with England, delusional over zero covid, rubbish over vaccinations. I can only assume it's the enemy-of-my-enemy principle.
I don't get the hate for Sturgeon from righties from England. I mean you don't live in Scotland for a start and her governance has fuck all effect on you, unlike the pricks you impose upon us. I can only assume it's a distraction from the burning dog shit bin that you've repeatedly voted into being.
Ahahahahaha
No, sorry, that’s cruel
AHAHAHAHAHAH
The Butthurt of the Nit is mighty, this afternoon
While I'm glad she's gone, I don't necessarily see it as bad news for nationalists. It all depends on who her replacement is. Despite her electoral success, Scotland under her leadership went backwards. Imagine what an SNP led by someone who was administratively, as well as polotically competent might do.
It’s definitely bad news for them in the short-to-medium term, as their angst on here today reveals
To deliver Scary Indy Scotland needs a uniquely charismatic and/or deeply reassuring figure. Salmond was the first, Sturgeon the second
Without them it becomes dimensionally harder
It also seems highly likely that Labour are going to win in 2024 and for a pretty long time which makes it an order of magnitude more difficult as they won't be campaigning against the Tories. 2023 was last chance saloon for Indy, once Labour are in I don't see how it happens.
It's remarkable to me how many assume that Labour will win - perfectly reasonable while at the same time not f****** up in all directions very quickly.
Comments
They were right. [Embedded video] 5.4M views
https://twitter.com/JohnJamesTV/status/1625850940720025601?s=20
I can only assume it's the enemy-of-my-enemy principle.
What's not for a lefty to love? That's tickling their g-spot right there, if they were interested in the end and growing the economy they wouldn't be lefties.
- Older people have contributed to society through a lifetime of work (or raising the next generation) so why should society as a whole not take responsibility? Their children will, of course, have likely benefitted most.
- If responsibility falls to children, what of the childless old?
- In practice, responsibility is very unevenly distributed - the long illness parent versus te sudden heart attack; the child who lives nearby versus the child who lives far away
You can of course compare to children, where we generally see childcare as primarily the responsibility of parents, but there are other arguments there:
- Usually there is a choice to have children; you can't avoid having parents
- Children have not (yet) made much contribution to society
- Society does in any case take prime responsibility for children's education
Which aligns with my view that society should take collective responsibility for looking after our elderly, but also that society should take collective ownership of most of the assets on death. I'd be pretty relaxed about higher inheritance tax for example, even though as it stands that could cost me several £100k (I rather hope that my parents spend most of their money before death, looking after themselves, but failing that I'm happy for the state to take it all if they will provide good care for them).
(The man/woman and divorcee exceptions are enshrined in Acts of Parliament; they are not the church of England's rules.)
Although it's none of my business. I've carefully considered the candidates to replace Nicola, and I can confidently say that Kate Forbes is the prettiest.
https://twitter.com/spectatorindex/status/1625847917537034240
Let's use a golfing analogy. The Scottish election results, facilitated by Cameron granting a referendum, helped to chip the ball on to the green. A long putt, but doable at a push. Then in 2015 the ball veered fairly close to the hole but overshot by a few feet. There's one putt left to win the open. It's closer than the last one, but not a tap-in.
Actually then the question of timing comes in, plus whether they're allowed to make the shot in the first place. So the analogy kind of falls apart.
I can’t Scotland looks to have prospered under Sturgeon’s rule. What, ultimately, is her legacy?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islington_North_(UK_Parliament_constituency)
In Islington the battle is between Starmerite Social Democrats and the Corbynite hard left, the Tories are nowhere
https://twitter.com/Jebadoo2/status/1625833321325334530?s=20
One imagines a disappointing 2024 is baked in. Better to leave it to blowhard Angus Robertson.
Social conservatives in Scotland are mostly Scottish Conservative anyway and won't switch to the SNP under Forbes as they are Unionists
There are worse leaders in the world making a bigger mess of their countries than Sturgeon. But by and large they are in faraway countries I have no emotional comnection to whatsoever.
And it does have an impact on me, albeit a minor one, when, for example, in a fit f pique she declares that no one from Greater Manchester can visit Scotland. I know that was only a temporary thing. But given our rates were lower than most of Scotland's, it rather rankled.
My dad, who died last month, was a freelance camera man. He shot interviews with many celebrities—the Dalai Lama, Monica Lewinsky, Gorbachev, Ludacris, Jane Goodall, many more. Exactly one took the time to learn his name, strike up a yearslong relationship. Deeply appreciate this
https://twitter.com/drewhinshaw/status/1625597862649143298
https://www.aumanufacturing.com.au/bae-systems-could-be-in-the-box-seat-to-build-australian-n-subs
It seems the game has moved on since Congress told Australia they could fucking whistle for Virginias. Now the plan is evolved Astute with an American reactor and combat control system. It doesn't sound like a swift and cheap route to SSN ownership but it's probably the only feasible option at this point if they want to build most of it in Australia. I certainly won't live long enough to see how it all turns out.
In the Free Church of Scotland of the likely next SNP FM homosexual couples can neither be married or blessed
No, sorry, that’s cruel
AHAHAHAHAHAH
The Butthurt of the Nit is mighty, this afternoon
Who else, on this lively forum, can make this exemplary claim?
C of S, E C of S, FC of S, FC of S (c), etc. etc. = not part of the state.
As ever folk might be better employed worrying about the impending basket cases in their own back yards, cities, regions or countries, but it's easier to self distract about that 'other' place.
The Brexit effect on Sindy is something I find interesting because it works both ways. It makes the emotional case for Sindy stronger - Scotland being yanked out of the EU against its will like that - but otoh it makes the practical process of separation a deal harder.
So, post Brexit, Sindy is an easier sell emotionally but a harder sell practically. And how this nets out depends on which 'mood' predominates amongst erstwhile floaters: "FFS, we have to escape England's clutches so this shit can't happen" vs "Oh god, the mess it'll cause if we do this, let's not".
This is the keyest of key questions imo - which mood wins out - but I won't try and answer it from Hampstead.
https://mobile.twitter.com/MovingToTheSun/status/1625156575202537474
They will be back though.
It simultaneously makes Scottish independence considerably more appealing, yet considerably harder to achieve
At the moment, the “harder to achieve” side of the paradox is winning out. And by the next time the Sindy ducks are in a row, the world will probably be run by AI Muskbots weidling penile laser-cannons, so it won’t really matter
If the odds are to be believed though the next leader of the Scottish state government will be anti homosexual marriage and a member of the anti homosexual marriage, not even blessing homosexual couples, evangelical Free Church of Scotland
It is perfectly possible for an MP, MSP, government minister or FM to:
be personally and/or religiously opposed to X
and
to believe that in a liberal society it is a matter of personal viewpoint
and
therefore the state should not ban it.
Lap dancing clubs, Payment for sex, Adultery, Chicken Nuggets, Morris dancing (borderline but just allowable) all come to mind.
To deliver Scary Indy Scotland needs a uniquely charismatic and/or deeply reassuring figure. Salmond was the first, Sturgeon the second
Without them it becomes dimensionally harder
I've always thought it will be a small majority at most but likely a Hung Parliament. With Sturgeon gone Labour has a chance of a large breakthrough in Scotland.
My predictions have been rather good recently - so I feel confident making this one. And I still think we will see a 30 point lead by July.
Local police force 44%
Police force in general 41%
Keir Starmer 37%
Rishi Sunak 29%
My MP 28%
MPs in general 17%
Gov't ministers 17%
Boris Johnson 16%
I suspect that Sturgeon had become a net weight on independence sentiment, and that she intuited this.
The SNP will just have gone from one extreme to the other!!
How successfully Kate Forbes navigates that is partly about her personal political talents and partly whether the public is prepared to accept that argument (which is a perfectly good one).
I found Joanna Cherry charismatic, not just because she is a lawyer.
I like John Nicholson fits the criteria for the right reasons, Angus MacNeill for all the wrong reasons.
I’ve found the S McDonalds interesting.
My analysis on Scotland has made me lots of money when Cybernats said I was doing my money on Scotland voting No or Tories to get more than 6 MPs in Scotland in 2017 at 20/1.
But *if* she does, and wins, she presents as the SNP’s best chance of a generational re-set.
The Wee Free stuff is a side-show.
Though I will certainly grant you success in reopening rail lines, and someone downthread has also mentioned public housing as a success.
If it helps, I would rather have Sturgeon steering the ship I was on than Drakeford or Sadiq Khan. (The northerm mayors - Rotherham, Burnham, that fella from Sheffield whose name temporarilt escapes
I’m not quite sure I follow that.
She realised that’s she’s not gonna get to Indy on her watch, and then it becomes an examination of her record as FM. Which really is not good
Sensible move to quit now, like Merkel, before her errors begin to impact
Indy will be back, for sure, but not for quite a few years
Only Nats know Scotland.
http://johnhelmer.org/lieutenant-general-shankar-applies-indian-army-experience-to-the-war-on-the-ukrainian-battlefield-so-far/
The Ukrainian Home Guard (WFH Battalion) have no need to get triggered over this as Gen. Shankar is quite critical of the Russian Army and makes some insightful points.
Price? £6
Also 200 Valium 10mg will cost you £14, JFYI