Lame duck season
Posted on
June 10, 2017 by
Chris Cairns
The world's most-read Scottish politics website
-
About
Wings Over Scotland is a (mainly) Scottish political media digest and monitor, which also offers its own commentary. (More)
-
Recent Posts
- 04-15
- 04-14
- 04-13
- 04-12
- 04-11
- 04-10
- 04-09
- 04-07
- 04-06
- 04-03
- 04-03
- 03-31
- 03-31
- 03-30
- 03-30
- 03-29
- 03-27
- 03-26
- 03-25
- 03-23
Wings Over ScotlandA tall tale
Wee Books
Video
Probably a robbery
Transphobia
Lame duck shooting season opens on 8th June 2017.
That’s all folks!
USA: Nobody’s election could be more of a farce than ours.
UK: Hold my beer.
STILL in denial, daft auld duck = )
Excellent cartoon as ever.
I cannot see it lasting with the DUP however, without all hell breaking out in N.Ireland. It is, as ANYBODY who knows N.Ireland will tell you, akin to lighting the metaphorical blue touch paper. I mean seriously, what do you think the DUP might demand from Theresa? Re- introduce internment? Ban the Irish Language (which is the reason Stormont is currently closed)? Re-patriate those with Irish sounding names south to the republic? Seriously, it cannot be overstated just how extremist the DUP are.
I’m sure the Irish Government are not over the moon about it too.
As for Ruth Davidson, she is now in a Government of homophobic, creationist, reality denying bigots. As a gay person myself, I simply do not know how she can even look at herself in the mirror. I think we can safely assume their will be ZERO improvement in gay equality or abortion rights in N.Ireland anytime soon. Big hand for Ruth (I’ll do anything for my career) Davidson.
Meanwhile, I hear the Tory/DUP homophobic bigot Government are to seek a pause in the Brexit negotiations, since the marching season starts soon, and none of them want to miss the 12th.
Magic!
The best cartoon ever 🙂
All peas in the same pod. Care for nobody but themselves. The hard border between the north and the Republic will see the re-unification of Ireland and the end of the DUP.
How many labour supporters preferred to vote Tory in Aberdeenshire and the borders etc and now realise the Tories could have been defeated. Take the gun away before they shoot their other web foot and blame the SNP.
For the SNP supporters who chose not to go out in the rain are you pleased with yourself?
However I will be positive.
SNP have more influence due to the makeup of the parties at Westminster.
Ms Smith of the BBC now supporting Davidson. HQ SNP- how many times have you been told. Stop pussyfooting with the luvvies in Pacific Quay. Attack is the best defence.
Another election before long?
Regretful voters can reflect. Or more people who support Independence help and get out to vote. A couple of years of useless Unionist rule in some parts might hold sway. 50 years of useless Labour/Unionists. Colluding with Westminster to destroy the Scottish economy. Illegal wars, banking fraud and tax evasion. Useless Tory crooks at Westminster. More broken promises. What a mess. Sickening.
The DUP has always supported the Tories. They get funded to Norwegian levels and break UK/International Law with impunity, They do it for support and to try and keep them quiet. The Masons just get away with it. Crime does pay. Destroy the NI economy with bigotry and corruption. Supported by the British State. The Tories have now be neutered. Caught in their own web of corruption. Where did the Oil money illegally go? Funding Westminster corruption.
The Marching season is just an unbelievable disgrace.
Attacking the SNP is not the best defence. Doing the Unionists work for them?
Getting out and helping and voting is the best defence.
Some folk are already regretting. Let that be a lesson. In complacency. Or else. Use it or lose it.
The shambles at Westminster will help concentrate minds.
Brilliant, sums up our (at the moment) prime minister.
Ruth courted the cousins of the DUP, and now ?
Auntie keeping schtum on the UDA links.
Tory Kuensberk just called Rape clause “the only star of the conservative campaign” YCNMIU
Hubris will be her downfall.
CC continues to shine. When here 😉
The biggest labour vote in 47 years and they still lost.
In times past, what the SNP achieved would have been an Independence mandate.
independence is our differentiator
We cannot become ashamed of independence. That’s what unionists would love.
The tories now do not have the numbers to bargain with, so brexit has to be hard & simple.
There is no way to keep the tories together otherwise. They can’t open it up to commons debate.
Is Daft Auld Duck EvilMay in some kind of mad competion with Donald Trump Duck?
Bet he’s dead jealous he hasn’t got swanky flashy orange gear to swan about in whilst banging a big drum and blowing his own whistle.
Watch this space.
I’m the worlds biggest conspiracy theorist but something in the back of my mind tells me that this snap election was part tactical to reduce the 56 SNP mp’s at WM and try and usurp the continuos push for Indy ref 2 by the establishment. Worked on both counts.
Think our main problem for indy us that left of centre labour are back (for the time being)
If (big if) corbyn can clean out his party of neoliberals then it will certainly take votes away from snp.
I strongly suspect that Labour, Libdems and Tories knew in advance that an election was going to be called. The objective was to crush the SNP, which all three parties despise. They wanted their cosy way of working back, so they could resume paying lip service to Scotland.
This is why Labour voted with the Government to overturn the restriction of the fixed term government act. Remember folks getting asked by a polling company whether they would vote for Ian Murray, if he stood as an independent candidate?
The only major party unaware of it coming was the SNP.
Look back, at how events unfolded, and you will see, both Labour and Tories had already made their agreements in Scotland.
So, it is a testament to the strength of the SNP that they still had a landslide result, despite all that, with Libdems, Tories and Labour ALL campaigning to ‘BEAT the SNP’ as their sole policy.
This is not the time for the SNP to back down on their plans, rather it is time to take the fight on. Let’s learn from the result, but let’s also get the fight on. It is time to start talking up independence, all the time, every interview, every question.
Within a few weeks, people will be pleading for independence, especially when the EU negotiators make it clear to mad Theresa’s stooges, that you can’t leave the EU, then expect ALL the benefits of the EU the same as before. Brexit will literally trash the UK as we know it. You are all going to get very, very poor.
Tory and Labour in Scotland have being playing the sectarian card, both ends to the middle, for years. A UVF release could lead to UDI in Scotland.
Sorry, Correction, The DUP is is UDA
Please don’t direct fire at the voters. On lots of the websites/ fb sites we have all enjoyed a love-in with Corbyn. The oft quoted “Canary” site is pro Labour, not us for instance.
We had an election thrust upon us when we were in the middle of another election. We were unprepared, and our coffers were already under strain. Yes there are internal party issues about both elections to be answered, but in private, not here. Both the big UK parties had plenty money to fight the GE with – we did not. We are funded by ourselves. To anyone who is digging the party, did you donate any money to either campaign? Did you canvass anyone? Did you put flyers through any doors?
It is clear that the hard core No Surrender vote is 30%. They vote for the Mooth. It includes all the bigots and extreme right wing fruits. The SLAB diehard vote is in the mid teens. The base SNP support is in the high 30’s now. The idealist Green/ left vote is around 10 to 15% . This time out the idealists voted for Corbyn. But they are still Yes. And at the end of the day that is why we are here. This is not an SNP site. This is a Yes site.
So do not criticise people for being idealists. Ask what more you can do. And keep a perspective. Yes is still strong, and still just below 50%.
The BBC is Mis-reporting Scotland. Who knew?
If this government fails to survive and we see another election within a year or two, the SNP is going to need a better and more consistent message. We shot ourselves in the foot as well with a lacklustre campaign.
Labour is in close second place in many central belt seats now. It needs to be very clear that SNP MPs give the best of both worlds to traditional labour voters or Corbyn admirers. Can support Labour policies, yet protect and promote Scottish interests far more than lobby fodder labour MPs.
Ken500
Agreeing that the SNP is brill at all things does not help anyone.
Let’s just say by Autumn or next spring we have another GE? Have we learned how to deal with tactical voting? This election may show unionist labourites that they prefer to vote labour next time than put an X at the Tory. Would more left wing SNP vote labour?
Reflect after an election makes sense. I have gone off Jim Sillars in recent years but he did make some reasonable points on radio yesterday. If NS is the main point of reference the Tory attack dogs focus on her. They did the same with Alex Salmond. More MP’s MSP’s need to put their heads above the parapet.
As with all parties at times some of our elected members at all levels get complacent. A wee shake would help.
Joemcg, we might have taken a bit of a hit, number of seatswise at Wetminster.
But if the establishment thought to ‘usurp the continuos push for Indyref2’ then they failed dismaly.
And remember, our excellent Parliamentarians have now come home = )
Hmmm. Wonder what they might do next…
Mrs May is either very stupid or doesn’t care what the electorate think or someone else is pushing her buttons. All three I think!
Getting into bed with the DUP (N.B. Careful not to say those who vote for them), must be an all time low? No dinasaurs, fossils aren’t fossils and life began with the New Testament. Eh?
Recent disclosures about May never being pro EU explain her hiding during last year’s referendum and now embracing a hard brexit. Duplicitous.
Lesson learned for the SNP is that we and the broader movement must combat everything, e.g. This nonesense that having a vote on brexit terms in a referendumwould is bad for Scotland as voiced by tories and their Scottish partners labour, should have been challenged and explained the moment this nonsense started.
With some of the big guns off the park till the next GE which won’t be far off, we need them to redraft and firm up on strategy regards this changed political environment and communicate that to the party and country.
I hope that there is not a return to violence in Northern Ireland, goodness knows the people there deserve and need peace. But for Mrs May to try and secure her own position, thereby endangering the peace process by getting into bed with one side, with the whole world watching her, what a callous and wreck less fool that woman is. Also for Ms Davidson to raise other points about the DUP whilst steering away from the core problem that could arise, i.e the troubles, again I find her self serving and shallow, me, me and me are Davison’s chief concerns.
Assume there will be another election within six months and let’s plan get out there and get stuck in!
Beautiful, Chris.
Hogarth will be spinning in his grave with envy.
Davidbsb, at 0842am
I agree with every word. The SNP, as I pointed out yesterday, is the largest party in Scotland by some considerable margin, having more MSP’s, more MP’s, more councillors, and more party members. They run the Scottish Government, with 63 MSP’s, beating their nearest rival who only got 31 seats.
All the polls indicate no drop in support for independence at all, and the huge turnout in Glasgow for the march last week was testament to that.
I am also of the opinion, that if another election were held, then people like Angus Robertson and Alex Salmond would be re-elected in their own seats.
Now is not the time for the SNP to wilt away – since that is EXACTLY what the unionists want. What they need to do be is be more assertive, stop playing ball with the BBC propaganda channel altogether (they will NEVER get a fair hearing), and talk up the reasons (and their are many) for independence.
I just do want to add however, that their needs to be an end of ‘waiting to see’. This kind of continuous procrastination makes us look weak. It is a fight. Time to assert what we believe in, instead of keeping quiet about it. The unionists like us keeping quiet about independence, and by doing so, we fall into their trap.
Time to get indyref campaign properly underway, and stop just talking about it. Nothing has changed, we are still ruled by a mad extremist tory government, we are still about to be dragged out the EU against the clear wishes of Scotland. Time to fight.
Just for the record, I made it clear I just couldn’t get the time to work on the campaign, but I did the next best thing and donated. We all need, however, to learn that complacency costs seats. Get involved! People power. The fight is on.
I understand that the Double-Barrellled Duo of Duncan-Smith and Rees-Mogg are of the Roman persuasion which raises the question of just what do they think of an alliance with The DUP.
And what now for the CFP
Ruthie, for Gods sake don’t let Arlene Foster know you have a Burd.
Talking of shooting oneself in the foot ….. BBC Scotland trying to corner Nicola Sturgeon over Indyref 2. She has said it was ‘undoubtedly a factor’ What the F_*k!
My answer would have been ‘Indy REF will happen if there is a hard Brexit with no access to single market and no free movement and now get to F-*K BBC’
Robert Louis @ 9.00 am
What you said = )
‘Time to assert what we believe in.’
How very dare anyone, least of all folk who vote to hurt their sisters and brothers, tell me and you to sit down and be quiet?!
I BELIEVE IN SCOTLAND!!
I WANT SCOTLAND TO BE INDEPENDENT!!!
BBC Scotland Tells Lies says:
10 June, 2017 at 9:11 am
Ruthie, for Gods sake don’t let Arlene Foster know you have a Burd.
Shhhhhhh – surely you mean – she’s Irish.?
Davidson promotes LGBT yet supports the rape clause?
[The battered and bruised supporters of independence should grab a beer, take a break and enjoy the fireworks for a bit.]
StickerFest. Enjoy your free bus pass Tories Labour Libdems want to take it of you. at every bus stop.
Do you want to pay for your prescriptions £ 8.50 per item the Tories Labour Libdems want to remove Free Prescriptions . Outside every chemists.
We cant get the message out via social media or Main stream media we have to think of more way’s to make people aware.
Play nice get , Hee Haw .
Having read the National and suggestions that indyref2 might be dropped by the SNP, I wondered whether the above was May or Sturgeon. 🙁
The apparatchiks bemoaning that too much was made of indyref2 have it completely wrong. Firstly, very little was made of indyref2 by the SNP, that running was all done by the opposition.
They should have grasped the thistle and made indyref2 centre stage, that would have consolidated and motivated pro indy support into SNP votes.
Dropping indyref2 would be political suicide, IMO.
If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it’s a…hang on, shouldn’t it have tits? Did you just trace Daffy?
@Gillie
So many times I have been in company and a loud mouth spouted about no Indyref2 or demonised Nicola Sturgeon or the SNP or Wings and like the Judas I was I remained quiet.
No more.
I have resolved to waer a wee SNP or Yes badge. Not good at speaking out but I can let my jailet talk!
…… and now Lame Duck L’Orange
…… and now Lame Duck L’Orange.
Maybe it is time for us independence voters to take one for the team, allow the Scottish government to stop softening the blows from Westminster, be that prescriptions, , bedroom tax, whatever, a bit of pain for a year or two will soon get people onto how good the Scottish Government has been for us, the gloves need to come off and now
@ Achnababan 9.12
‘My answer would have been ‘Indy REF will happen if there is a hard Brexit with no access to single market and no free movement and now get to F-*K BBC’’
Amen.
Fake News. The SNP will never drop Independence. The raisin d’etre.
The Tory/Unionists will never win in Scotland. A blip but not a disaster. Many now have regrets about voting choices or not voting. A warning not to be too complacent. If the Scottish economy has to be protected from Tory/Unionists. There has never been such good governance in Scotland than the SNP. Some people have short memories or make ill informed or poor choices. This will be a wake up call for many. Despite the Press and the Unionist liars.
Shooting herself in the foot is an understatement of the ghastly pickle UK politics is in now.
I posted a link on the last thread to a Guardian article on dark money’s influence on UK politics. It describes US computer companies and military psyops tactics being used to influence elections and referendums here in the UK. The DUP is involved in funneling dark money to influence campaigns e.g. to secure a “Leave” vote in the EU referendum:
http://archive.is/m8q9k
“Its key objective, according to a memo the Observer has seen, was “voter disengagement” and “to persuade Democrat voters to stay at home”: a profoundly disquieting tactic. It has previously been claimed that suppression tactics were used in the campaign, but this document provides the first actual evidence.”
A BBC article mentions the use of the same tactics by the Tories in the GE. Loopholes allow them to spend much more via Facebook ads than is allowed by the Electoral Commission.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-trending-40059846
Will the Electoral Commission investigate?
Meanwhile the right-on Independent are bigging up Ruth the Mooth’s ‘intervention’ on LGBTQ rights in NI. Without of course wondering how a Westminster government is going to affect a Devolved issue.
Gullible muppets.
Nicola Sturgeon is sill the only person to lead the SNP…. but she should realise that she was beaten in this election because it really came down to her v Ruthie the liar. The liar won.
The liar won because people don’t vote for wishy washy ‘ I govern for all the people’ Only Ghandi could get away with that.
My party is about independence for my country – the SNP need to do what it takes or I will leave the party after 40 years a member.
Famous 15 @ 9.31 am
You were not a Judas.
It is not always easy to take on folk who spout and broadcast their views for all to hear.
Jaikets and badges can speak well too = )
Difficult to understand why someone would vote for parties with stop indyref as only policy and ignore all their other policies. After all indyref is not a vote for independence merely the option to have a choice, they can vote no when it happens. So a substantial number of people in Scotland don’t even want a choice, whatever WM decides is fine by them.
The only other conclusion is they think they will lose and they don’t want that type of democracy.
As for BBC Scotland claiming it was legitimate to focus on devolved matters, even though those being elected have no influence on them, only works if they used the same techniques when Lab/LibDems were the governing parties. I don’t remember them having this focus at the time.
According to another post (Yes to an Independent Scotland) Ruth Davidson is contemplating breaking away from London. The first crack or turncoat!!
Achnababan says:
10 June, 2017 at 9:40 am
“Nicola Sturgeon is sill the only person to lead the SNP…. but she should realise that she was beaten in this election because it really came down to her v Ruthie the liar. The liar won.
The liar won because people don’t vote for wishy washy ‘ I govern for all the people’ Only Ghandi could get away with that.
My party is about independence for my country – the SNP need to do what it takes or I will leave the party after 40 years a member.”
So are you suggesting Nicola starts lieing ?
Graeme
If indyref2 cost us votes, then the reason is we are not getting the message over, never back down to the bullies, stand up and fight, never give up.
Well, that duck is not going to float for long I don’t think. It’s holed below the water line.
@Joemcg 8:33
“something in the back of my mind tells me that this snap election was part tactical to reduce the 56 SNP mp’s at WM”
I think you are right Joe. The british establishment managed to remove two of their most feared opponents in Alex and Angus and nearly managed to remove some others too. I suspect there was collusion amongst the unionist parties to achieve this. I also suspect there may have been dirty tricks involved.
I also have doubts over some of the other results. The one that springs to mind is Mundell’s seat which went from a small majority to a 10,000 majority. Where did *that* come from? Again, though, the establishment *could not* afford to lose that seat or they would have been extremely embarrassed. I trust them not at all.
Like most on our side I was hurt to have lost such good parliamentarians, especially give that their replacements will be rubbish. Hell mend those that voted for them, they’ll pay the price in due course.
On reflection we have come out of this ok, and as Stuart says, grab a beer and sit back and watch the fun for a while. The waters may be choppy, but we’re still on course.
That was a real LOL moment for me this morning, sums it all up nicely.
Very well done Chris.
Achnababan, at 0912.
Could not have out it better myself.
When challenged on Education in Scotland, the FM should have said, well if that is important to voters for a UK election, Glenn, then they might also like to look at Labour’s utterly appalling record of Government in Wale,s with the WORST performing health service in the UK by some margin – and then list off the failures. Do the same for Tory run England education and health.
In short, we need robust responses to this kind of guff. Of course we want independence, and we should make that abundantly clear. This wishy washy ‘let’s see if we get a seat at the brexit table, if we ask nicely’ just doesn’t cut it. Westminster is quite literally taking the absolute p*ss.
This is a fight, and nice words and soothing platitudes just don’t cut it. If course we want an independence referendum, since the people of Scotland made it clear they do not want brexit and Westminster isn’t listening. The damage is already being done to Scotland. This is urgent.
They say mad Theresa needs to get rid of her ‘advisors’, methinks maybe the FM needs to do the same.
If you don’t stand up for what you believe in then you don’t really believe in anything.
It is time now to, as the yanks say, double down on the reason for independence. Not one interview or parliamentary answer without indepndence and why we must have it. That is what Alex Salmond did, and it worked. No matter the criticism, keep at it solid, solid, solid.
Of course the unionists will say nobody wants it, but our robust response needs to be ‘the only reason Ruth Davidson doesn’t wan indyref, is because she knows she will lose – then challenge her that if she isn’t afraid, let’s do it’. It is about taking the fight to them. Attack is the best form of defence. Gradually the message will get through. It will make the FM look strong, and she doesn’t right now (sadly).
Irony of ironies! One of the players in Cambridge Analytic is Thomas Borwick, son of eurosceptic Lady Borwick, the Conservative MP for Kensington and Chelsea which just became a Labour constituency after three recounts.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_Borwick
From Guardian article linked to above:
“But what is an actual fact is that Gettleson and Borwick, both previously consultants for SCL and Cambridge Analytica, were both core members of the Vote Leave team. They’re both in the official Vote Leave documents lodged with the Electoral Commission, though they coyly describe their previous work for SCL/Cambridge Analytica as “micro-targeting in Antigua and Trinidad” and “direct communications for several PACs, Senate and Governor campaigns”.
And Borwick wasn’t just any member of the team. He was Vote Leave’s chief technology officer.”
What a shame that Lady Borwick has been ousted by a Corbynista. That must be something Cambridge analytica wasn’t able to manipulate.
Independence is an exciting prospect! It should be all about passion and hope! Defending your country from foreign interference!
Young folk don’t pay attention to things like budgets and who is responsible for maintenance of buildings.
We need less of the sterile, complicated arguments, and more drama! More confrontation of Westminster authority! More civil disobedience! Folk need to feel that a different way of doing things is possible. The SNP need to beware becoming the very establishment folk are fighting against.
@Achnababan
How did ‘the liar’ win, by taking 13 seats compared to 35. You are falling into the BBC narrative where a poor second place is declared the winner.
I’m more concerned with the Derek Bateman comment that I was also thinking about earlier. The EU will now see Scotland as an unreliable entity, why should they go out of their way for us.
NI is now the focus of attention having the balance of power that the Scots assumed they could have. As said on Newsnight by Lord O’Donnell, they have put the Scottish issue to bed, the focus is now on NI.
Once again the Scots vote to diminish their importance, doubly this time, in the EU and in the UK.
Achnababan @ 9.40 am,
Welcome, but don’t be so daft!
Check WHAT Nicola Sturgeon actually said!
Of course the press are going to misreport as usual.
And in what universe were we beaten? Nor did it come down to NS vs Ruth. You give the STories too much credit there.
The battle came down to the SNP (with friends The Greens at our side) against the Tories, Slab, the bulk of the media, trolls, the establishment and the Sith.
BUT we did have the whole of the rest of the World rooting for Scotland, so there.
Cheer up, Independence WILL be won though there may be other important battles to fight on the way too = )
At the end of the day, the real elephant in the room is the unionist media, Reporting Scotland and STV News. They went out of their way to promote tactical voting, highlighting key marginal seats, and telling the unionists voters what party they had to vote for in specific seats to ensure their combined vote could overcome the SNP. And it clearly worked.
Scotland’s politically corrupt unionist media has now changed how unionist voters will vote in future elections. Basically, with the help of the media, every election in Scotland will be fought tactically on Independence, rather than party political policies and local issues. It will be the Independence vote against the unionist vote, rather than party versus party.
Unfortunately, until the SNP can address the politically corrupt and biased Scottish media, they will always be on the back foot, and regaining Scotland independence will always be difficult.
Agreed in part @Achnababan says at 9:40 am
But I don’t believe that “The liar won because people don’t vote for wishy washy”
I believe it is more accurate to say that the liar won because she was not challenged on her lies by BBC/MSM.
You can’t win a modern war without Air Power.
The BBC/MSM are the Establishments Air Power.
The lesson the SNP needs to take from this is that is way past time the MSM/BBC bias and Unionist Propaganda was challenged head on.
I mean we all knew the Devolved Issues and Scottish Leaders debates were absolutely nothing to do with a GE (so the SNP must have too).
Would Liar Carmichael, Fluffy and Red Tory Davidson been re-elected if they’d been put up against Angus Robertson or NS?
We will never know, but I would like to think they wouldn’t have if their voting history at WM was aired in public.
Unfortunately it will be the same again next time be it another GE in short order or IndyRef2.
Call them out, provide the evidence, let the Electorate make up their own minds on who is telling the truth.
The media campaign did not work. People just switch off. People voted against the Press. The SNP won in Scotland. Labour increased in England, The Tories lost support at Westminster. MSM are a joke. Destroying their own industry. BBC a waste of £3.7Billion. Unsubscibe from SKy. There are plenty of alternative sources.
More people in Scotland who support Independence should come out and vote for the SNP and give support. Simple. People already having regrets?
Davidson now in bed with the DUP. Propping up May. A laughing stock. Total hypocrite.
Just as well the SNP won.
“something in the back of my mind tells me that this snap election was part tactical to reduce the 56 SNP mp’s at WM”
No, it was intended mainly to increase the Conservative majority because that’s what the polls said in March and April.
Two interesting graphs from the election. The first from Craig Murray. Look at how opinion poll ratings for Conservative and Labour change dramatically during the short period when broadcasters are required by law to provide balanced coverage:
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2017/06/britain-flawed-democracy/
Conclusion: broadcast media hands a massive in-built advantage to the UK establishment.
The second graph is from the BBC. Roll down to see ‘How turnout changed’. It was up in most places but way down in Scotland:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2017-40176349
Conclusion: the unionist vote held up and reconfigured around tactical voting because they had something to vote for (a hatred of the SNP). The SNP vote fell because there was nothing to vote for. Because to an independence-minded voter sending MPs to Westminster makes no practical difference to Scotland.
One_Scot – You are correct of course but it is my opinion that the SNP leadership including Nicola have clearly no willingness or perhaps ability to counter the bias in the media.
I am no expert but have appeared on TV several times and the first lesson I was told if you always begin your answer by framing the question put to you the way you want to answer it.
Nicola has walked straight into baited traps on TV over the last few years. Ruthie the liar with her media background does it so much better.
I understand Nicola needs to rise above as she is the leader but I think the party need is an ‘attack dog’ who goes on TV at the appropriate time and make clear pointed statements alluding to bias in the interviewer/British media and call out lies from opposition parties.
Why has no politician in the SNP managed to say this in the last 5 years despite thousands of opportunities? Are they frit?
Quotation which still resonates
“I always showed myself in the face of day, asserting the liberty and independence of my country, while some others, like owls, courted concealment and were too much afraid of losing their roosts to leave them for such a cause”.
William Wallace
When I say “The liar won”.
I mean ‘won’ as in a took seats off the SNP.
Rather than ‘won the election’ which is the way it is being spun as per my comment at 10:18am about BBC/MSM.
Corbyn missed out on becoming PM by 2227 votes allegedly.
I wonder how proud “Dugdale Defender of the Union” is today (especially given the DUPs opinion of her lifestyle)and whether Corbyn will have her replaced with Rowley in the not too distant future.
Craig P – Interesting conjecture that many SNP supporters stayed at home because they had nothing to vote for. If this is indeed the case then that is another failure of the leadership’s inability to motivate through their media strategy. Nicola has been bland and wishy-washy.
She needs to understand a leader needs 4 or 5 ‘communication personas’ e.g. Sensitive and empathetic for meetings with potential swing voters but confident and inspiring when on national TV debates with rivals. Put on a good show for heaven sake.
Chris, You are a Genius, classic. Once again you have nailed this one.
The biggest problem with the election that we have just had is the lack of prominence of a YES movement. We need YES to be fully up and running in every community and we need it now. The SNP role in the in the independence process can only take us so far. The YES movement will win our independence.
Seems clear that snp need to prepare for an election in 6 months. The last one was was fought by the unionists on a single issue polarising argument, that was bound to impact SNP seat numbers. It was one we couldn’t win. With hindsight the SNP should have raised the stakes and put independence top of the manifesto. This would have kept many of the yes voters that switched to corbyns labour and meant 30 or more seats was a clear mandate. Going forward we keep section 30 on the table and let the Cons reject it which they will. Then the next General or Scottish election gets fought on a pure independence ticket on the basis that the democratic will of the Scottish parliament is being ignored, effectively a referendum with a 50% seat pass mark. If that result is achieved were in George square celebrating the next day, end off. Maybe am just dreaming ……?
I agree with Hamish100. “Stop pussyfooting with the luvvies in Pacific Quay. Attack is the best defence.”
The day Kalamity Kez had a melt down attack on Rev Stu. To me defined we are in a new period of MSM attack on the SNP . Roden’s style of daily mail hack bring a personal abuse into Scottish Politics . The BBC announce ” SNPbad” article and lazy Scottish journos run with it .
The old saying “A lie gets halfway round the world before the truth gets its boots on” is now fact . Instead of being suppliant SNP need to call out British Propaganda and go on the attack . 1 central person to do interviews from BBC ( Angus) then play ITV or Sky against BBC . Ruth ex BBC needs exposed. Especially now with DUP alliance .
The days of playing nice are over.
David @ 10.36.
Seconded,
Yes the biased Media is the problem but in a democracy we revere free speech and the biased and crooked Media use the virtues of democracy as their shield. Criticise them and they accuse you of fascism.
The raison detre of Wings is to demonstrate their wickedness and it is doing an excellent job hence it is hated by the Media
So link to Wings in discussions. Wings has no party connections.
The SNP vote fell in Scotland because people who support Independence did not vote. Or lend support to the campaign. It is not the SNP fault people who support Independence did not vote, Blame them. The Press did not win. The SNP won. People doing the Unionist work for them continually criticising the SNP. They won. They should be criticising the Unionist who lost.
If people do not care enough to vote. It is on their conscience. Or are so ill informed. Or can’t do a bit of research. That is up to them.
Davidson problems will now start. In bed with the DUP backing up May. A laughing stock. More scrutiny. An embarrassment. The Tory/Unionist mess. Some fishermen will get a Home Counties Tory to represent them. Farmers will lose their CAP payments. Tory policies. Brexit will ruin the UK economy. They will know who to blame. The Tories for whom they voted.
The Blue corner of the NE (Aberdeenshire, Moray, Gordon, Angus etc.)
A lot was made of Brexit (Fash and Fairmers).
But there was a lot of anger at a perceived ‘Central Belt Bias’ for centralisation of service (I know local service provision of most services is Council led).
Caithness went back to Fib Dem again because of Maternity Service cuts by NHS Highland and a lack of respect for MSP Gail Ross who is seen as an over promoted cooncilor who has turned her back on the area and is now ‘Minister for Trees’.
Some of these results were also ‘Mid Term’ Protest votes against Scots Gov.
Again shaped by an MSM/BBC narrative concentrating on Devolved Issues.
Independence should not be all about the SNP. The SNP should stop with the trying to please everyone, including the people who voted Leave in the EU referendum. If Mrs May can ignore the population of the UK who voted Remain, then why can’t Scotland look after the majority first too? They have ended up pleasing no one with this strategy, least of all the pro Independence voters. The SNP need to fight back – verbally – against all the lies and semi lies and non truths that are thrown at them. They should not quietly sit back, thinking they know they are right, no need to fight. The should fight back and with conviction!
If the SNP want to get on with the “Day Job” then the YES campaign should become Official. They should be the ones to gather together a team of pro Indy people who have the time and are willing to stand up and be counted. People who are or have been politicians. Are there any well known Labour, Tory, Lib Dem supporters who also support an Indy Scotland? As well as Alex Salmond, Angus Robertson. Celebrities. Well known BIG names. Andy Murray, Kevin Bridges, Alan Cumming. Remember the BT team during Indy1? They had people from all walks of life including David Beckham, standing up and saying save the Union. We should gather our own and have them stand up and say Save Scotland.
Has any other country fighting for independence in the past had to prove things such as what currency they would use, who would pay their pensions, how the economy would be. These were all just a smokescreen thrown by the BT team to put the Yes team off their stride.
The YES campaign needs to speak up and put forward a positive front for Indy. Scotland should not wait for permission to be given from England? Scotland has a majority to hold a referendum and it needs to show the whole world that it can be and is a country in its own right and hold a referendum. Scotland needs to “man up”!
This should also be solely about Independence FIRST – regardless of party and only once there is Independence that politics come into the discussion. Only AFTER independence should there be talk of “details” and the “little things” that an Independent Scotland may want its country to look like – whether to be in or out of the EU, how to tackle child poverty, foodbanks, Trident, free education etc. These things would be for the SNP, the Conservative leaning parties, the Labour leaning parties and the Liberal leaning parties to put in their manifestos for the people of Scotland to decide upon in an Independent Scotland’s first General Election
IndyRef 2 should not be about party politics. It should be about Independence. It should not be about the SNP and Nicola Sturgeon. It should be about Independence. There are many people in Scotland who are not even interested in politics, but would still like to see an Independent Scotland. It should not be about Brexit/EU either. Many pro Indy voters were Leave voters. We need to include them.
Great cartoon Chris
//youtu.be/Zs1IwHwtruQ
Sorry, but those with delicate ears might not like this but I love it!
Great toon Chris..
Something has spooked the horses.What though?
And it looks very much like she did not see it coming! Imagine the pain she and the Tories are feeling right now and enjoy a snigger in private and guffaw in public.
All of our disquiets about the campaign strategy will be making their weary way to Bute House as we agonise over the results. Yes, it was wishy washy and I noticed particularly how demotivated our people were locally. Don’t get me wrong, the leaflets went out, posters on lamposts, hustings took place and shops were opened, BUT, we didn’t have an argument to take out and inspire.
I know we had less money, but that’s always been the case. Every area should be allowed to input their own ideas, some really quite inventive.;D
Same old, same old is how I heard the campaign described, and that should be taken on board before, heaven help us, another GE!
Agreed @David says at 10:36 am
The SNP is not the YES Movement and the YES Movement is not The SNP.
The BBC/MSM knows this but ignores it.
It doesn’t fit their agenda.
The SNP however are the Political Arm of the YES Movement and the BBC/MSM recognise this.
Jock McDonnell says:
10 June, 2017 at 8:31 am
The biggest labour vote in 47 years and they still lost.
In times past, what the SNP achieved would have been an Independence mandate….
Correct. And now we have given ourselves such a narrow and demanding benchmark to achieve it. Many are even treating UDI as a dirty word now, and scoff at Scotland’s muted by inalienable sovereignty. We prostrate ourselves before a sacred democracy which has the media dry humping it’s leg like a dog.
But, Labour, even a responsible and righteous Labour Party is just the Ying to the Tory Yang, and the one only gets strong at the cost to the other, so the equilibrium of the Establishment trundles on regardless.
Scotland does not need to tear itself apart over being too left or too right. Scotland needs to decide whether it wants to be run by the Establishment or escape beyond its reach.
People who support Independence just need to vote for the SNP. They did. The SNP won. If more people who support Independence voted SNP. There would be a higher majority. Really simple. Instead of not supporting and constantly complaining. Doing the Unionists work for them. Maybe this a a wake up call for some people. Use it or loss it. Give some support. Instead of constantly complains and doing nothing. It is really simple and easy. Just vote SNP. People who care.
Re lower turnout in Scotland – that is one of the objectives of the manipulation of voters via social media as described in the article I linked to above:
“Its key objective, according to a memo the Observer has seen, was “voter disengagement” and “to persuade (Democrat) voters to stay at home”: a profoundly disquieting tactic. It has previously been claimed that suppression tactics were used in the campaign, but this document provides the first actual evidence.”
http://archive.is/m8q9k
The existence of rich businessmen who attempt to manipulate voting patterns was well documented during indyref1 with the outing of Malcolm Offord behind the Vote No Borders “grassroots” astroturf campaign. See WoS articles and also The Herald:
http://archive.is/JvFiI
As the Guardian article points out, Aaron Banks manipulated the Leave vote in the 2016 EU Referendum. Who knows what techniques were used in the GE2017. But voter disengagement is tactic used by these people.
So let’s wait for the post mortem to uncover what just happened before laying the blame at any one door – least of all the SNP, the one principled party in this fiasco.
The first thing our SNP MPs and MSPs need to do is be more confident with their answers when in front of the cameras. They also need to be up to speed with facts and figures of every aspect of Government.
If not then stay away from the cameras.
And don’t be frightened to talk about Scottish Independence.
A mixture of Joanna Cherry and Tommy Sheridan would be about right.
IMO.
There was an EU Ref. 62% to 38% voted Remain. That is a majority. Nicola even said she would negotiate for less than full membership. To compromise. What political party in power of the economy would advocate policies to destroy the economy against the majority wishes? The minority Unionists.
Davidson is now advocating EU membership conditions. Suck it up Tories. Brexiteers. Destroying the UK economy. Rats in a sack. Chaos.
I agree with tatu3 above and others – the YES movement have to drive independence not the SNP. This would wrong foot the media and keep pressure on the leadership to stay on course.
I have some worries now which need addressing about the SNP.
1. Why so wishy washy when Ruth is like a dervish and whipping up all kinds of support , some from the vilest quarters of our society? Surely Nicola could be more passionate when confronting the cruelest of Tories and their vilest supporters.
2. Why did Nicola hand the BBC and the British media the headline they wanted on a plate when she acknowledged IndyREf was a factor in the result?
Most political leaders would have deflected that simply by saying: We need to reflect but I don’t think indyref was a factor. No headlines and attention now turns to May and her alliance with a very dangerous political-religious movement.
Is it niavete, a mistake or is she genuinely considered backing off Indy REf 2.
Nicola can of course text me – as a member she has my number.
Thing is, the unionists can’t claim the entirety of the vote for labour in Scotland as being anti independence after going out of the way to introduce someone who voted labour at the last minute but still declared themselves pro independence.
Nor has anything actually changed as to the mandate the SNP has at all 3 levels given that May has used that as a justification for continuing to govern. The major difference being that in Scotland there are more than two main parties and the SNP still have the majority of Scotland’s Westminster seats.
If anything May has a problem in relying on her own Scottish MPs some of whom are from fishing communities. Either they’ll stand up for their communities or provide an object lesson in why for over a generation there’s been so few conservative MPs in Scotland.
Unless there’s a crashing out of the EU I can see the negotiations being extended for longer than the minimum time frame. Have seen suggestions from the EU that they’ll give the UK time to get its shit together.
Indyref2 is on hold for the time being. However that was always going to be the case. The plan was to wait until the Brexit negotiations were done and then Scotland could decide. The same kind of thing the Lib Dems campaigned for only in our case we could actually do something about it.
That last bit is, perhaps, indicative of the double standards May lives by. The obvious flaw in the lib dem argument is that rejecting the deal wouldn’t keep the UK in the EU. However what it would do is allow the UK to decide whether the deal was bad and opt for no deal. May’s first move should have been to offer the Lib Dems a deal on that basis and on cross party negotiation teams to reach a deal that they could all recommend to the electorate.
Just thinking
The SNP had 56 MP’s but that was a result of the undemocratic first past system, so the result in part is fair, the fact that it was so great a loss was a result of two things, both from the same cause.
The SNP lost the narrative and lost the momentum. We have all said in the past, the gains during the referendum were being squandered by the old guard of the local branches holding on to the little power they had, and were and are quite prepared to destroy the party to hold onto whatever they can get. They didn’t understand they had become a movement, or worse did and did everything in their power to ignore or stifle it. I wonder how many of the hundreds and thousands who packed halls and meeting rooms all over Scotland have left the party, in spirit if not in name.
Is it true that Treeza May is learning to play the flute???
There are rumours that the sound of “The Sash My Father Wore” could be heard coming from the May household last night.
Now that would be a sketch and a half Chris.
Back when I was working full-time, as a Sports Editor, one of my main tasks was to report on the local ice hockey team. They played two games over the weekend, and while the local football team got our Monday back page, the ice hockey team got the Tuesday one.
They had a particularly nasty coach, who surrounded himself with a coterie of hangers-on, who did as he wished. The coach took a scunner to something I had written, and I was chucked out of the rink at the Saturday game, by the hangers-on.
My Editor’s response was simple – rather than getting the entire back page on the Tuesday, full match reports, stats, pictures, the works – they got one paragraph, with the result.
This was put in tiny print, down at the bottom of the page.
First ‘phone call on the Tuesday morning was from the team’s main sponsor, quickly followed by three more prominent sponsors and fans.
The Editor and I told them what had happened and why we had done it – by noon, peace and order was restored and the coach behaved himself thereafter.
That team needed the media. We needed that team, to fill space – you have no idea how hard I had to work to fill that page.
Take it with Scottish politics – the SNP needs the platform the BBC gives them; but, the BBC needs the SNP to put-up interviewees.
So, the SNP has a beef with the BBC. Simple, when Brewer, or Neill or whoever, starts their funny stuff – just tell them, enough. If they continue, unhook the mike and walk out, and stay out.
They will quickly be conciliatory, they need the SNP back, but, it will have been made clear – mess us about again and we walk again. When it comes to political discussion, it is the SNP’s ball, and they should say who gets to play with it.
If they (the media) go with Tory or Labour lies – the interview goes no further until the lie is nailed. Simply refuse to move-on.
“No Gordon, what Ruth said is a lie – these are the facts”, and keep hammering until he caves, which he will, because he will have some Arsehole in the control room shouting in his ear.
They, Brewer, Neil, Taylor, Bird, Campbell, whoever, MUST be in control of the interview. Upset them, refuse to co-operate, take control of events, and they are doomed.
The SNP must be more-assertive.
Also, to those posters who said: Ruth “won” the election. Be sensible. 2015 was a six-goal win for the SNP, in contrast 2017 was a 4-2 win, and of the opposition’s two goals, the first was never a penalty, and the second was offside, but, the referee was a Unionist homer, so to speak.
It’s like playing against the Old Firm, you know the officials are against you, you will get no credit from the papers, but, they are beatable.
In politics, the Tories and Labour are the Old Firm, the papers and the BBC are the match officials, bending over backwars to help them – but, as the SNP has been proving for years, they are beatable.
I must stop using sporting metaphors, the regulars will be thinking I am obsessed.
Excellent ‘toon, Chris. Did the DUP lend May the gun?
May is desperately trying to cling on because she sees it as the best thing for the country; that the country, despite her clusterf##k of an election, still needs stability and, as PM, she sees it as her responsibility to continue. But the men in the shadows of the Tory party will not allow it and they certainly won’t allow fringe nutters from the DUP near the levers of power.
There will be another GE and it will come soon. It has to. Despite her best intentions, there is simply no way May can continue as PM. The DUP-Tory alliance will never happen as there’s just too much at stake to enter an alliance with such a party from NI.
The Tories already now regard May as an interim PM. They are circling and planning the best way to get shot (pardon the pun) of her. The new leader will inherit the minority gov and will require his/her own mandate from the people – so another GE it is (probably October after Tory autumn conf).
May will quickly realise the folly of a DUP-Tory alliance and, in deperation, will even court the SNP, offering Nicola her S30 in return for support ‘in the national interest’. Nicola should refuse any such deal and simply allow May to refuse the S30.
At the next GE Nicola simply argues that Scotland cannot obtain a referendum via S30 route as WM has blocked it and declare the next GE will be a referendum on independence. If the SNP win the most seats then that will be a legally-binding mandate to negotiate independence. Such a democratically backed mandate will be supported by most countries of the world.
Time to get tough and call them out.
The Ducks are lame (from shooting themselves in the foot) and the Chickens are coming home to roost. Brilliant image BTW, sums the situation up perfectly 🙂
The Proctor Lewis
“We have all said in the past, the gains during the referendum were being squandered by the old guard of the local branches holding on to the little power they had, and were and are quite prepared to destroy the party to hold onto whatever they can get. ”
I haven’t seen that said at all, OK I do not read every post, but probably get through about half.
Indeed, I believe the opposite to be much nearer the mark.
Not sure how typical Kirrie is, but virtually all of the ‘old guard’ which drove the Yes campaign in indyref1 have given way to new members.
If Indyref2 was a factor then there’s no denying that the SNP still won. The only real message is that there’s now MPs from all 4 parties in Scotland at Westminster and it’ll be a bit harder to ignore all of them in the Brexit negotiations.
The SNP have experience in just the kind of minority government the Conservatives could run. Brexit is far too important for a single party, propped up by another or not, to negotiate on it’s own. If the lesson the SNP are meant to take is that they aren’t Scotland then surely it should be clearer that the Conservatives aren’t the UK.
Hi Stu, Surely it’s ‘humane’ to shoot a ‘lame’ duck?
Cracking “Toon” Chris, you are a political artistic genius.
The black birds are singing full pelt in the garden at the moment, and the 28 year old yellow roses are starting to bloom, the Tories are in melt down. HAPPY DAYS.
Anyone on here with the computer ability to have “Mayhems” face put onto a certain scouse comedian who had the diddy men behind him whilst also wearing a wee sash and a baton instead of the tickling stick.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha 🙂
Thanks Chris for that brilliant ‘toon.
I genuinely burst out laughing as this is the first thing that popped up when I clicked onto Wings today 🙂
Brilliant 🙂
Great cartoon – as ever.
T May needs to go for a walk in the Welsh mountains and think about her position.
David bsb
I heartily agree re your comment
To anyone who is digging the party, did you donate any money to either campaign? Did you canvass anyone? Did you put flyers through any doors?
Some people did all of the above for the Council elections then, without much turnaround time to catch up on gardening, paperwork etc. the same folk were off doing the same again for the GE.
When I was out leafletting on my own, I often saw teams of two or more leafletting for the Tories – they covered the area twice as quickly or worse, covered twice as much area!
Despite all our efforts, we had boxes of undelivered leaflets left at the end of the campaign on wednesday night – why?
Especially in a situation where the BBC is ignoring us or putting out a rabid anti- SNP/anti- Independence message we need to get our message out. That needs volunteers – even just one hour will help.
Please consider helping out the next time – which may be sooner than we think.
Re the outcome- as I posted before, in all 24 seats that we lost, we came second (in some seats a very close second).
That is unusual and noteworthy.
It suggests to me that people did ally and tailor their vote specifically to keep out the SNP.
My cousin, N.East Lib dem, found when canvassing, that a lot of people were anti-EU, anti-Indy and called Nicola ‘that woman’ so that was fertile territory for tRuthless’ vile message and of course, their targeted their resources.
Ruth is muscling in on the reins of power; however, she has now denied that she is breaking away from the southern Tories.
She is a bully and power hungry and that will ultimately be her downfall.
A BBC report this morning basically said that T May is now so weak that even Ruth Davidson is telling her what to do ( re LGBT issues).
What a mess.
caz m wrote on 10 June, 2017 at 11:12 am:
“Is it true that Treeza May is learning to play the flute? There are rumours that the sound of “The Sash My Father Wore” could be heard coming from the May household last night. Now that would be a sketch and a half Chris.”
Well, i’ve no idea how much truth is in that but i have seen this:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DB6X6tVWsAAFAHA.jpg
We should concentrate on getting out of this british onion, yes i do mean onion, it makes you weep
After we get out of the toxic onion we can then decide to deal with europe on our terms, we can trade with anyone we like without giving our freedom away again, we could build up our manufacturing base to a level that will give us more people in work and paying taxes, we could bring the clyde back to life and maybe even invite the car manufacturers back into scotland
This is just some ideas , i am old enough to remember the way it used to be in scotland, i remember in 1967 standing on a hill in Bishopton and watching the QE2 going down the clyde to Greenock, my father was a joiner and he worked on it, he allways worked on houses but he wanted to be part of building that great ship, he left the ship at Southampton because he wanted to get back to the sites and he did not want to go on the trials
He died in 1993, he would have loved to see all the houses that are getting built in scotland now, that’s what we need, independence and getting our young people into real jobs that benefits us all, down in my area the biggest employers are call centres, what the hell has become of us
o/T Enjoy the pics!!!
https://eurofree3.wordpress.com/2017/06/10/dup-ing-the-british-conservative-party/
Robert Louis at 9am
Agree with you completely. I have read a comment by a defeated SNP candidate in Edinburgh that we should “put independence on the back burner.” WTF!
Now is the time more than ever that it has to big and upfront.
The R & B Party
For the ulsterisation of UK politics
To cut the spongers from the welfare state
Remove the pensions triple lock
Enforce the bedroom tax
Enforce the dementia tax
Legalise posh boys dog fighting
Push for a hard Brexit
Screw the Scots
The Scottish Conservative and Unionist (Racist and Bigots) Party
@Proud Cybernat says:
10 June, 2017 at 11:20 am
===============================
I stopped reading at “she sees it as the best thing for the country”
More like a Charlton Heston moment. “They’ll have to take it from my cold dead hands”
@Achnababan, 11.08
Why did Nicola hand the BBC and the British media the headline they wanted on a plate when she acknowledged IndyRef was a factor in the result?
But Indyref was a factor in that it was the key point in campaign literature from the unionist parties. I doubt Ruth Davidson’s party would have won as many seats if it had stood on the policies outlined in the Conservative manifesto.
If as an earlier post suggests the SNP are courted by May then I would suggest we ask for full fiscal autonomy and our seat on Bank of England. Let’s get the streets of Scotland paved with gold….. or maybe just new paving. Our seat on BofE stakes our claim to share in assets and hence secures bank of last resort.
Agree with ” Robert louis@ 0840 am” , it would appear that the unionist parties new in advance that a GE was coming. The question is why did May decide to call this GE ? As RL states was the objective to degrade the SNP ( via a co-ordinated attack) the REAL reason and not the ” smokescreen” Brexit mandate ( she already had a majority and mandate to negotiate Brexit).. The timeline on this should be analysed and how the Indyref2 vote in Holyrood together with the section 30 request impinged on TM’s decision to call this unnecessary GE . The PM stalled for time in replying to this request and ( during this period was the ” battle plans” drawn up for the attack on SNP/Indyref 2??). As I have posted before, I believe that the Westminster government have deliberately not defined their position on Brexit as over the next 2 years the position will be adjusted in relation to perceived support for Independence( they are absolutely determined to retain the union at any cost). If support for Independence increases then a soft Brexit could be sought ,this could mean a change in Tory leadership and negotiating position. If necessary , if support for Independence increases significantly then we could be looking at a Corbyn Labour government ( which the establishment would tolerate for 4-5 years if they could get away with ” super duper Devo Max” plus soft Brexit ( single market access / customs union).
With May now being labelled as a ” ” lame duck” PM , the danger for the SNP is a second GE later this year which would result in an ” all out attack on the SNP “in the West of Scotland urban heartlands ( with Corbyn now having real credibility that he could win and enter downing st.). The media would undoubtedly push the necessary pro Labour agenda in Scotland ( i.e. Jeremy needs Scottish seats to win etc) . Also the rural seats in North East and borders could be difficult to regain from Tories at short notice.
Could it be that our FM considers delaying any Indyref2 until nearer the time of the next Holyrood election ( after all her mandate is in place until then). However , we cannot be certain of a pro Independence Holyrood chamber in any new parliament.
As the rev stu says , let’s wait and watch the goings on at Westminster and the looming Brexit shambles meanwhile whilst simoultaneously planning for the Independence battle ahead.
Hope our FM takes a well deserved rest in the meantime , as she is an outstanding figurehead for the SNP and if anyone viewed her scintillating performance in the Holyrood chamber in the final debate against her unionist opponents prior to June 8th , then they would realise how very privileged we are to have her lead us on to our eventual Independence. Thank you First minister for every day that you live and breath and dedicate your life day & night to free our country.
Sort of a Chicken Coup??
She sought to give her polls a boost,
But brought the chickens home to roost,
Her duck is lamed, her goose quite cooked,
Her poultry crew is truly … plucked (??)
Socrates MacSporran @ 11:14,
An interesting story drawn from real-life experience. Thanks.
Very refreshing, and a lesson worth learning from.