The Casting Vote
There can surely be no credible disputing that the SNP leadership election – and therefore that of Scotland’s next First Minister – is, to put it very mildly, under a cloud.
The list of let’s call them “irregularities” is almost endless. The artificial truncation of the contest, against the SNP constitution; the packing of the hustings with Humza Yousaf supporters; candidates being denied any knowledge about the size of the membership until voting was under way, and then the party’s press chief and CEO both resigning over lying about it; the apparent existence of 6000 more ballot papers than the party has members; one of the Scottish Government’s most senior officers being improperly seconded to the Yousaf campaign (and then also resigning as a result); numerous documented examples of non-members being given votes while fully-paid-up members weren’t; we could, frankly, go on and on.
As things stand, whoever wins will be forever tainted by the process – easy meat for the Unionist opposition in the Holyrood chamber and the media and a potential legal challenge could cause untold further damage to the party.
With six days still left for voting, the case for a reballot – an administratively fairly trivial task in an election being conducted almost entirely online – is now unanswerable, and needn’t even involve a delay.
Only one person stands in the way.
In an interview broadcast yesterday but recorded prior to the resignation of Peter Murrell, Kate Forbes told Sophy Ridge of Sky News that she had “no concerns about the process” and that she had “full confidence in the integrity of the election contest”.
This was despite the fact that the letter referenced by Ridge, which was signed by both Forbes and Ash Regan, has still only had one of its three questions answered by SNP HQ, and that Forbes’ separate demand for an independent auditor has been rejected.
Her confidence does not seem to be widely shared among independence supporters.
Forbes’ sudden acquiescence with the party leadership and apparent abandonment of her previous position raises a number of questions, and will do so doubly if the contest runs its course and she wins.
But what’s of more pressing pertinence at this point is that it completely changes the dynamic of the situation from the SNP’s perspective, as a party spokesman revealed in the Daily Mail article at the top of this post.
In other words, as long as two out of three candidates are willing to go along with it, the SNP will not cave. If two out of three were opposed, however, they would have very little option but to comply, zero all votes cast until now and reballot the contest.
(Regan’s team have constructively proposed a compromise alternative whereby voters would be allowed to retract and re-cast their votes, although this site would prefer to see a completely clean start. As yet we don’t know if Forbes will support the plan.)
So the reality is that in practice it’s now entirely up to Kate Forbes to decide how fair and transparent the election of the next SNP leader and First Minister is.
This site has repeatedly and bluntly questioned Forbes’ courage when under pressure – something that would be vital in any leader pledging to tackle the might of the entire British establishment to fight for independence. She still has the opportunity to prove us wrong, and it’s one we very much hope she’ll take.
Has Forbes been promised depute leader under Yousaf.
She is now tainted with hhe corrupted nu-SNP
Such a shame.
A clean start is essential. There are so many problems with the current voting list – how many ex-members are included, for a start.
ASH REGAN STATEMENT ON BALLOT
—————————–——————-
“Due to the volatile nature of recent events Ash Regan has held off from media to forge a path forward in conjunction with SNP HQ.
The campaign team thanks Mike Russell for stepping in and understanding the situation.
There has been a surge in traffic in our campaign mailbox and social media from concerned members, looking for guidance on whether the ballot will go ahead unaltered or if the ballot will be reset.
My team have put forward proposals that provide assurance to members with minimum disruption to the election process that we can move ahead constructively on.
In 2015 selection contests for Westminster candidatures had varying end dates. In some cases, candidates were removed from the ballot before a race ended, where this happened members were able to update their vote. The facility exists within the Mi-Voice system.
This would have the benefit of not disrupting members who are happy with their vote while providing an opportunity to reconsider for those who are not.
In addition each candidate would be allowed to send one email to the members using the SNP mailing system – allowing a last minute updated message that reflects current events.
We thank Mike for taking this suggestion seriously and lend our support to the integrity of the ballot. It is important that all parties respect the outcome of the ballot and give full support to the new leader of the SNP.”
Over to you Kate..
Maybe she thinks she is now in the lead, so it is in her interest to have the voting process continue.
I had a bit of hope for Forbes if she managed to win this leadership vote.
That hope was burned to a cinder when I read she was in favor of continuing the brain dead stupidity of a ‘vote snp 1 & 2’ policy.
To paraphrase Gandhi –
First they fight you.
Then they laugh at you.
Then they ignore you.
Then you lose.
Luckily there is a banking reset going on which could revive Indy.
Has Humza absconded or just given up? If you were vying for leadership of the party, don’t you think you would be expected to have some serious statements on the most tumultuous weekend in SNP history? Are him and Kate just going to pretend, nothing to see here, carry on as normal?
If she’s been told she’s in the lead and therefore pulling back, then she’s naive in the extreme.
How can she trust anything they say?
This Murrelection has no validity.
Do the right thing Forbes.
Note the term used was contractor rather than auditor. A world of difference.
Kate Forbes is David Steel and going home and preparing for Government!
Cue Humza getting the Deputy gig and Ash being sold down the river as “Oor Wee Kate” calls for everyone to unite behind her and we all head down the yellow sick coloured Devo-Lax Road to Nowhere.
You can almost hear the cloying voice of Mike Russell saying “Its for the good of the party after all….”
I’m of the opinion the best result for now is Yousef to scrape in, preside over an clumsy election defeat having proved how useless he is, get chipped out and start again from there.
It’s going to take some time for the “faithful ” members to come to terms with their own gullability, until they have, the leader can’t last long enough to actualy get anything done.
Smells to me that those in control have ditched the obvious loser Yuseless and are now backing Forbes and she knows it.
As you say Stu, she has shown she caves in under the slightest pressure so will be easy to control as a leader, much easier than Ash. If Forbes wins, watch her backtrack on any referendum promises.
This is incredibly disappointing from Forbes. All those claims out there about her being very “honest” in her views do not seem to have been made justice with her last sloppy move on this. She seems like a yo-yo, changing her standards of what is right/wrong depending of who asks the question. Certainly not very reassuring.
To continue this leadership in its present state is a complete farce. This is not just about the leader of the SNP, it is about who will be the next FM of Scotland and in control of the executive and legislative powers of Scotland and also Scotland’s purse. Yes, some people may be able to change their votes, but what about all those people who were not members and were sent a link to vote and actually voted? How is that going to be accounted for? And can the 72,186 figure be trusted at all? How?
And then we have Michael Russell as the one doing the smooth talking when he didn’t even bother in finding out, as president of the SNP, how many actual members the party had, how many ballots were sent or he was actually was perfectly happy with the contest as it was when it was obvious if was a farce. Who is he representing on these talks?
I think Ash should stick to her guns on this, stop the whole thing and demand it to start again. Allowing it to proceed is to insult the intelligence of the Scottish electorate and making a mockery of democracy.
Even if 2 candidates are happy with the process (which actually says very little about their integrity and judgement given the circumstances), that does not represent a green light for it to continue. One of the candidates was favoured by the process until the whole rotten edifice started to disintegrate, so his opinion, quite frankly, counts for very little if for anything at all. The only dignifying thing Yousaf could do right now is to step aside and drop his candidacy in this context.
Sad fact is whoever is elected is compromised from day one. The process is fucked on a molecular level.
As a matter of fact, a person serious about leadership would realise this is a real opportunity to stamp their character on the contest. Declaring that they will rebuild the party, leave no stone unturned, and recommend a new, transparent structure, with guaranteed internal democracy for members and MSP’s. A root and branch reform, founded in integrity, which would draw a line under whatever malfeasance which will be discovered.
A special conference would the first place to start, where members will get real votes, real discussions and debates, and real answers.
A candidate who does something like that, with genuine sincerity, will surely be welcomed by the membership – under of course a new ballot.
So much for Kate Forbes integrity. If what we are hearing is true, then she’s just another hypocrite, putting her career before her professed beliefs. Even at best, she has no intention of going for independence.
I think Humza knows he’s not going to win whatever happens. Kate has realised she’ll win with Ash’s second votes. Both are happy to see things finished asap. Kate thinks because she has proved more popular across the board (ie with the Unionists)that the opposition won’t attack the result because who knows in a re run Ash might win and that really would upset the applecart.
Ash is being leftout to dry as Kate backtracks on everything she has said. Makes you wonder why she wanted an independent auditor in the first place. She seems to have little in the way of backbone and I don’t see her clearing out the pus and corruption within the party which means ultimately no change in the SNP.
What worries me is whether everything will disappear under the radar again (supposedly for the good of the country/party) in a ‘time to draw a line under all this mess and unite everyone’ pish scenario.
Expecting Sturgeon’s rancid SNP to do anything that is remotely credible, or that reflects even a modicum of integrity, is a triumph of hope over experience.
The SNP is now the Zombie party of Scottish politics… It’s dead, but just doesn’t realise it.
“a person serious about leadership would realise this is a real opportunity to stamp their character on the contest. Declaring that they will rebuild the party, leave no stone unturned”
Sturgeon left no stone unturned. She demolished a perfectly good party and rebuilt an a monster instead.
Promises of rebuilding a party only offer reassurance when the designer and the architect are seen to have sound judgement and principles. Would you trust Yousaf with the designs or the plans? Does Yousaf’s vision for the party coincide with the vision of the average pro-independence supporter or rather the vision of his handlers? After her capitulation and her peddling the much discredited SNP1&2 nonsense, would you trust now Forbes with the designer’s pen?
Those declarations of intent are totally worthless for as long as the candidates are determined to show no principles or judgement and instead turn a blind eye to the evident irregularities that will lead to their election.
If we are to trust whoever they elect as FM, the rebuilding has to start and be seen as starting NOW, not after the election or manhana, manhana when the damage has already been done.
Sigh. Everyone is agreed (or at least claims to be) that the party must start listening to the people. Well, this is the time to start – right now. Restart the leadership vote. Failure to do so will create such a stink of “business as usual” that the SNP may never fully recover. Kate Forbes appears to be a bit naive here. She has to learn some political savvy and rediscover her courage right now before it’s too late. Mike Russell must be thinking she’s a pushover. Optics are everything, and right now they look terrible.
With this and dodging the GRA vote, Forbes is already showing her Sturgeonite capitulation.
One would hope steps would be made to validate that ballots were sent to qualifying party members, and them alone.
Mike Russell is the driver behind the wheel. Has he passed his test?
Do you believe in Scottish independence above all else?
Yes or No.
Either answer will clear the fog.
“Those are my principles, and if you don’t like them..well, I have others”
Groucho Marx, or it might be Kate Forbes, I can’t be sure any more.
I wouldn’t give any vote of mine to an SNP led by Yousaf and sadly now also Forbes. There are a lot of Indy supporters in the same situation, so I guess it’s a long slow death ahead for SNP. I can see no other logical outcome with such a massive loss of trust in party, HQ and now in 2 candidates.
If the SNP leadership (whoever they are at the moment) have taken legal advice on the situation they are not following it – no change there then.
The process has been shown to be so flawed that a successful legal challenge would be inevitable. Tainted by bias doesn’t even begin to describe what they have tried to do.
There would have to be another (properly run) election if the present one is declared void.
That is if any of the candidates have the will to go down that route. Or failing them, sufficient disaffected members have a go with a crowd funder.
The signs suggest deals are being done. The shabbiness continues.
If we assume Forbes is confident in winning so doesn’t want to allow people to re cast votes does that imply that Regan thinks she might be close enough to catching her if some Yousaf voters had a chance to reconsider?
Given how much Yousaf’s campaign went after Forbes and made the early contest as a 2 horse race, did that mean Yousaf’s voters put Regan as their 2nd preference to deny Forbes? If Yousaf can’t make second place might the vote transfer from Yousaf to Regan tip the balance?
Mike Russell cooing to AR, ‘accept the ballot for the greater good.’ ‘The greater good.’ Pure Hot Fuzz.
Out of the three candidates Kate Forbes is the one I’d leased trust, she will do nothing for Scotland. The only reason she wants to be FM is to keep her ministerial job, let’s see if she put in Humza cabinet.
She been playing both side against the middle, I am really angry we’ve got rid of Sturgeon only to replace her with in my opinion someone worse. There isn’t any parties in Scotland who’s goals are so similar than SNP, Alba Party and ISP, but yet Kate Forbes & Humza doesn’t want to support the idea of using a Supermajority SNP 1 Alba, ISP 2 and therefore using d’hondt to benefit the Scottish people and the cause of Independence.
Thought this whole election she hasn’t given a truthful answer other than on religious believes.
Steve Norris when it all goes wrong and it will, well know who to blame.
If Ash Regan has been bought, the SNP serves no purpose other than to obstruct Scotland’s resumption of its rightful independence.
I left open the possibility of being converted to Forbes due to her social stances but truthfully we can’t have a bottle merchant running the country, let’s be nice and say i am far from convinced
I hope that Ash Regan fights this all the way. If the fix is in (as it may well be), then what does she have to lose? Go for it, Ash, make em squirm!
Mia, of course I agree with you. I meant that a good candidate would do those things we would like to see, not just talk about them. But most of all, would return democracy and transparency to the party and its members in such a way that a leadership clique could never again run the party for its sole benefit. That is what I would like to hear a candidate say, and deliver. I think a lot of party members would too. Surely the members want hope of change and not just a pale imitation of what has already gone on.
Lots of very interesting headlines today from Westminster the home of corruption.
Kwarteng assures Boris will survive his Covid Party marathon and lead the party again.
Ian Paisley the lesser says the DUP will not accept the new N. Ireland Brexit deal.
The Banks are in free fall so the tax payer may need to bail them out again to keep their bonuses going strong.
Avanti west coast rail network disaster have had their contract renewed. Must be for Tory shareholders benefit as not in the public interest.
North Sea oil workers ready to strike during bumper profits.
Only 100 Doctors left the profession last year influenced by the £1 million limit on pensions
But the point is the 1 % and the Millionaire Tory Ministers will benefit by Billions.
I don’t often share things by unionists, and esp not arch u ironists like Effie Deans but this parody was just too funny not to, re the Fall of the house of Sturrell
link to effiedeans.com
link to effiedeans.com
link to effiedeans.com
link to effiedeans.com
When they clarified how many members there were, they never clarified how many ballots were sent out.
It beggars belief that anyone could say they had “full confidence in the integrity of the election contest”, when half a dozen of the top officials have resigned, and at least another half dozen have at best willfully turned a blind eye to oversight of the governance of the party.
If Kate Forbes wins, and makes Humsa Yousaf her deputy FM (after trashing his record the other day) “in the interests of party unity”, and leaves Ash Regan out in the cold, then it’s clear some dirty dealings were made and that Forbes has sold out. Humsa Yousaf should be nowhere near a governmental position, even if that means losing the support of the woke contingent and the greens. Kate, you are better off without those chancers anyway – they don’t like you because of your faith and they will do everything behind your back to undermine you. That’s a given.
This looks like another stitch-up. Regan and Forbes should have held their ground and asked for a re-start. The process is tainted and is the usual SNP technique of papering over the cracks which shows absolute contempt for the SNP voters. They obviously think that they will be content with the steadying of the ship – which is ludicrous considering what has already been revealed here and in the media. However, it all depends on the SNP voters and the reaction of the media.
The media might prefer to mute the criticism of an obviously flawed process, at least for now. The SNP ship is a coffin ship and they might prefer that to a rebuild. As for the voters, if they condone this, then they will deserve the party they get.
(Judging by someone who joined the site recently who was more concerned with asking for criticism of the SNP to stop for ‘independence togetherness,’ it might reflect the attitudes of some long-term SNP voters who would rather pretend that all is well with the SNP, in the mistaken belief that any attacks on the SNP will simply aid the Unionists. Perhaps that old lizard, Russell, is proved right in his assumption about the remaining supporters settling for a shoddy compromise. If they do, that ghost ship will haunt them until an exorcist comes along.)
I never thought Forbes would be a good leader/fm, she has already done Scotland and therefore we Scots, immense harm with her tartan tory ideals – supporting the freeports, aiding the firesale of our wind/renewables as she has done. And like any tory, she doesnt care one whit about the poverty, cold and misery being endured right now by a sizeable section of our population – 800 people hospitalised with hypothermia! A sheer disgrace!
And her sudden about-turn re the integrity of this election is very telling. She is just another dishonest careerist politician, out for herself, and prepared to backstab to maintain that career. I believe she has been leading Regan along with promises to support the complaints about this election, just to get the backlash against Regan that we are seeing on social media. And now that Forbes is more confident that she can win, she has dropped Regan right in it. Forbes is just Sturgeon in another skin. She certainly wont pull me back into the snp or even to support a vote for snp come HR or G election.
The seeming lack of self-awareness, from-top-to-bottom, within that failed-party is truly frightening!
The SNP control freaks either applied pressure to Forbes or bribed Forbes. It doesn’t really matter which, because Forbes will never now clean out the stable by letting the clique continue control.
I’m happy to pull the corrupt SNP down. The remaining SNP rearguard are busy digging defences.
I hope the nuclear option resolves it this week.
Kate Forbes has now been in her senior position within the SNP for three years, long enough despite her young age to be able to determine what she has achieved, especially in such a key role. One of her earliest announcements was that she would follow through on her predecessors plan to create an alternative GERS report. That was paused because of Covid, but she was quoted as being “committed” to work on a pro-independence GERS alternative after the Covid crisis has passed. Without having heard any updates I’ll assume that nothing has been done to date to develop it.
Given that she said that it would be available well in advance of any vote on independence, this highlights that destroying the GERS deceit hasn’t been one of her achievements (a pretty damn important one for a Finance minister) and that any vote on independence hasn’t been anywhere on her radar. Same as the old boss then. No desire for independence other than as a vote winning con job.
Andrea says:
20 March, 2023 at 11:48 am
Maybe she thinks she is now in the lead, so it is in her interest to have the voting process continue.
Forbes KNOWS she’s in the lead, easily, hence why so many of Team Constipation are bailing.
With that in mind, she knows prolonging the process, however correct in principle, is going to leave her with an even greater mess to clear up. It’s called pragmatics, and is what most practical politics is, however sadly, all about.
Regan has the luxury of being Captain Principles to the end because she’s not a hope in hell in winning – same as those parties like the LibDems and Greens promising everyone jelly and ice cream come elections when they’ll never, ever have to deliver. It’s like those football clubs barfing on about being “the flair team” and “giving the fans entertainment” to excuse not managing to qualify for Europe, let alone win anything.
Just kid on like Charlie Sheen you’re “winning” when you really aren’t.
Better to finish the battle, get Regan’s supporters on board with giving her some high flying job to reward her “integrity” and begin the process of defenestrating all the oxygen thieves like Mhari Black and Comfy Slippers that have brought them to the current state of affairs.
For make no mistake, as things stand the SNP are going to be thumped at the next set of election the longer it takes for the necessary purge of the career-before-country element. Forbes and Regan have a big task ahead of them – and the first has to be the removal of Yousaf as a clear message his comfy slippers ilk are finished.
JGedd @1:13pm
“ This looks like another stitch-up. Regan and Forbes should have held their ground and asked for a re-start”
Ash did!
Only option now is if Regan obtains an injunction. There is sufficient evidence to call the process into question.
In the footsteps of Lord Haw Haw and Comical Ali
“No candidate should seek to undermine the result and all should be campaigning to the end. I know Humza Yousaf will be.
Because what the SNP needs is a progressive leader like Humza who can command support from our membership and elected representatives. With poll after showing Humza is the SNP voters favourite it is crystal clear he is leader we need on the next, and final, stage of Scotland’s journey to independence.
Neil Gray
The SNP isn’t in a mess according to Nicola on Loose Women. Time to move on.
Seems all three runners have accepted the race will continue to the end, no restart required.
F*ckin Forbes, I knew all along that she’s part of the problem and not the solution, so it looks like even though Murrell has gone, his parting shot will see either Yousaf or Forbes elected, and that will kill indy stone dead for years to come.
This farce of a contest must be restarted and open and transparent at every turn we know that the fix is still, is the membership quite happy to vote in this shambles of contest knowing that their vote might be tampered with to benefit a candidate they didn’t vote for.
Forbes is the second candidate for continuity after Yousaf, only Ash Regan can save Scotland from this union, and clean out the SNP in the process.
Meanwhile the female version of Boris Johnson, Sturgeon the Judas, has appeared on tv today spewing the BS that Murrell didn’t intentionally mislead on the size of the membership, aye right!
The statement from Ash Regan says the compromise, if agreed, will allow the candidates a final email to members. I think this gives the opportunity for both women to put the boot firmly into Yousaf over his support for Murrell.
Perhaps the women have already discussed and agreed this approach some time in advance.It is possible concerns raised earlier have been positively answered.
A re-run of the ballot has some downside.The SNP appears even more incompetent
To SNP members with a vote in can be done, you can recast your vote, ask for it to happen, not just for clarity, but for the sake of Scotland’s future.
“There is precedent in allowing members to go in and alter their vote: 2015 candidate selection in Dunfermline & West Fife.
Gives the benefit of not disrupting members who are happy with their vote while providing an opportunity to reconsider for those who are not.”
link to twitter.com
Playing Devil’s advocate. Forbes has seen the polling numbers, and she knows she has won. It’s the only plausible explanation for her sudden epiphany. Why would the winner want to re-run the election?
Meantime Humza’s crowd will be only to eager to re-run the election with a new candidate , as he is Mr Bean on Ketamine.
Ash Regan has suffered the most from this , as she has essentially worked for Forbes and exposed the lies on her own. She started behind and was ignored by the media. Yet to me she is the leader in waiting. She might even win in a new campaign.
So if you were being entirely neutral. The election must be re-run , but not before all the dust has settled on the police enquiry and the due vetting has been carried out.
The election needs an independent adjudicator, and Russell should not be anywhere near it!
So Kate now has no problems with the voting procedure despite her public statement of just a few days ago and has endorsed the disastrous SNP 1&2 electoral strategy (if reports of the Inverness hustings are accurate).
The person to clean up the party and put independence perpetually front and centre in every election?
As the fella with the full ashtray said, “Ah hae ma doots.”
With precious few exceptions, the political world seems to comprise the dross and dregs of society’s barrel. I always knew this was true of the Red, Yellow and Blue Tories but naïvely thought we were different: must have been the hope and exhilaration of the grass-roots campaign in 2014 which deceived me.
The more I hear Kate Forbes these days, the more and more I don’t want her as First Minister or SNP leader.
Apart from her insistence on flogging Section 30, and Independence can wait and wait, this new about turn from her raises many questions.
It is curious the way all of a sudden, she is in full favor of the very process she was decrying mere days ago!
We are reminded of Ruth Davidson knowing the postal votes in September 2014.
Not a very flattering comparison for MSP Forbes!
No intention to mislead, I can’t recall, no malicious intent… Seem to be the magic words in Scotland.
Somebody should have told Craig Murray that before his trial.
I wonder if Forbes has been told by Sturgeon that if she supports calls to re-run the election and delay Sturgeon getting out of office before the police comes then Sturgeon will prevent a smooth transition?
Wouldn’t surprise me if Forbes has been told in person that some SNP MSPs not voting for her election as FM if Nicola tells them not to. Given the numbers at Holyrood, if the greens vote against Forbes all it takes is one SNP MSP not to back her. 1 of those 64 SNP MSPs will be Nicola Sturgeon.
Sturgeon might be able to delay the Police by a week or two but she clearly can’t delay them much beyond that and certainly not long enough to allow a re-run. I think Sturgeon and her fan clubs would rather collapse the government and the party than be at the helm when the police arrive.
I also think Sturgeon is already lining up Murrell as the fall guy. So if the story hits after she’s no longer FM she will paint it as nasty Peter did it without her knowledge and she don’t trust him so we’re getting a divorce. Meanwhile the press will go after Forbes for the failings of Sturgeon. Sturgeon will wonder off with enough of her reputation intact.
Sturgeon needs to be FM at the point the bad stuff really comes out so if for no other reason that to have that re-run the vote and leave Sturgeon in office for a little longer.
It looks to me like Kate has done a grubby backroom deal in which she gets to be the leader as long as all the troughers get to stay in place with Ash being ghosted out the door at a later date.
Forbes is not a leader, she’s a follower, and perhaps not one of Independence. HY is untrustworthy, end of. SNP1&2 was the beginning of the end of the sturgeon empire, yet a fatal blow to our immediate aspirations too. By advocating this policy both rule themselves out of contention as true Indy people.
Never forget
link to twitter.com
Mike Russell in charge, do we trust him? NO! Suddenly it’s all ok for Kate Forbes, really? WOW! SNP1&2 for Forbes and Yousaf, well there you go. True Colours and all that.
72k Members, how many are ghosts, probably half, or more. How in hell can you have an election when you can’t verify the voting population. As for votes already cast, with Murrell in charge, really.. Ridiculous!
This is not a cosy wee internal thing for the SNP residue to fight over, it is ALL OUR Futures, so come on, get real, get this independently scrutinised, and FFS not by GCHQ, and get Ash Regan in, otherwise the SNP is truly sunk for good as an Indy party.
I doubt that whoever wins will still be in post by the end of the year. This contest, and all three of the candidates, is/are so compromised that their futures are not that bright.
looks like we’re either getting option 1, bent process, bent winner and uterly defeated party at the next election,
or option 2 bent process, slightly less bent (appearance wise) winner, party possibly limping into significantly diminshed minority govt position and still very dependent on the Greens.
We may yet get option 3:slightly redeemed jury-rigged process, brave new hope, in charge of a box of water.
So it seems that reports were right and Sturgeon was headed to london on a plane last night.
There I was hoping she was going to see a lawyer and it turns out she’s gone on loose women to tell lies.
I’ve got to hand it to her for the utter brass neck and total disregard for the truth she displayed in the clip I’ve seen and it hammers home for me that she did not resign because she was tired of the job. Someone with such a psychopathic belief in themselves is not going to resign over something as minor as having enough of the gender argument. Whatever it is she had nowhere to go but resigning and I hope for scotlands sake the truth is uncovered and she gets locked up for as long as it takes to deter any future Scottish poltician behaving like her again. What a state the country is in.
Ian Smith says:
20 March, 2023 at 1:04 pm
“When they clarified how many members there were”
Let’s correct that. “When they made a different claim about how many members there were”
It does look like Forbes may have been playing both ends off the middle. But frankly I’d not like to be in the winner’s shoes next week if the rumours are true. Next week may well be the worst in SNP history. Perhaps it’s better that Ash is not in the firing line and can come back later.
Sturgeon reminds of one of those wives of a serial criminal. Living a lavish lifestyle and turning a blind eye to her husbands peccadillos.
When the police come calling she says she knew nothing about it. He looks after his own money, they never talk about money or politics in the house.
I don’t recall . I forgot, not to the best of my knowledge!
I wonder if Cornton vale has unisex toilets. Which one will self ID as a female.
Forbes is bought. Greed has clouded her judgement. If she really believed in independence, she would step aside for Ash.
Doesn’t the voting system insist that parties campaign for 1&2 votes or else it plainly allows them to game the system with a B-team party?
Of course not necessarily as vehemently as the last Holyrood election was.
They need to plausibly deny connection from the second party or they are not counted as being separate.
Etticus – Loose Women!
It won’t be the only thing that’s loose. Adrenaline is brown isn’t it?
Nicola’s doing the TV rounds today. Beyond Loose Women she’s done an interview with Sky News which will air tonight.
I doubt the content of those interviews will tell us much but the fact she is having to go in front of camera’s is a sign that HQ are panicking and need something to to steady the ship. They tried yesterday with Mike Russell but he didn’t work as he told too much truth on the state of the SNP so that didn’t work.
One of the problems Sturgeon has created for herself is that beyond her and Russell there is no senior party figure that they can put in front of the camera’s to try and stem the tide so its now all down to Sturgeon’s credibility.
If something comes out tomorrow that contradicts anything she says to Skynews or shows further disarray at SNP HQ then Sturgeon’s credibility is gone and this quickly snowballs. So hopefully tomorrow more revelations?
And if Forbes “wins” MPs like Mhairi Black and the Greens will deliberately scupper her chances of uniting the party and the pro independence grouping in Holyrood.
If Ash Regan isnae elected it’s got to be a split. Any member or SNP politician with any integrity towards our independence must leave and join up with Alba and other pro-indy organizations.
The SNP is a party of home rule; it’s the only rule it follows. It is not a party of independence.
The pro indy public deserves to be represented by politicians who actually want independence. The pro indy public has been taken for granted for too long.
It wont be long before you hear someone from the SNP claim that to delay a result any longer than currently planned wouldnt be fair on current FM Nicola Sturgeon.
Place yir bets…sweepstakes open
FORBES IS A STONEWALL HYPOCHRITE AND A JUMP THE DYKE WHO WILL DAE WHITIVVER IS BEST FOR FORBES. BAITH VOTES SNP, AYE THAT WILL BE FFF’N RIGHT!!
Should it all go as we expect with Yousaf or Forbes becoming leader, then how about this for a dramatic change of events.
ASH REGAN RESIGNS FROM THE SNP AND BECOMES THE NEW LEADER OF THE ALBA PARTY.
Anyone else suspect Kate Forbes has been “reliably informed” that she’s won the contest? So she’s backed down and now, in public at least, has total faith that the process is fair and trustworthy etc.
Oh boy, isn’t she going to feel like a right diddy when Humza is declared winner next week, and she won’t be able to object without looking like a sore loser. Team Sturrell have played another devious blinder.
I suspect that the old guard have realised that FM Humza won’t be acceptable, either to the party or the country, and so they have now started working on Kate, with all sorts of threats and promises. Hopefully she will see though this before it’s too late. If they tried this with Ash they would quickly be told where to go!
The election as this Wings Piece sets out is an catalyst flawed. A rigged process maladministering in so many malign ways it’s result cannot be trusted. Nor should it be trusted.
Putting Mike Russell in to replace Murrell also tells you much.
An example of Mike’s steady hand is when during the last Hollyrood hustings for the selection of a candidate for Dumbarton the Murrell run HQ and with only two days to go to the Constituency run hustings issued an HQ notice to the circa 1,800 members advising that scheduled hustings meeting was cancelled to be replaced by another hustings being convened some 48 hours later.
With all local control removed and with access to the SNP member contact IT system removed from the three Branch Secretaries, the Constituency Secretary and the Constituency Convener, the HQ then took over the running of the new hustings.
However, the shenanigans didn’t stop there. The chairman to replace the Constituency Convener was no other than Mike Russell. Moreover, in setting up the Zoom hustings meeting in those Covid restricted days the HQ wizards unbeknown to member only set up provision for 100 attendees to join the hustings. ( Or 85 members after HQ attendees. Mike Russell and candidate attendees deducted )
And the result was hundreds of members denied access to the hustings. And thereafter with the HQ chosen golden Toni Guiglianno from Edinburgh parachuted into the most marginal seat in Scotland, with all the resources that HQ could provide, he lost.
And he lost big time because with a Jackie Baillie only winning by 107 votes at the last election, Toni Guigliano went on to lose whereby Jackie Baillie increased her majority to 1.469.
Absolute maladministration and the great man Mike Russell who was so much part of it, well he’s now at the helm in place of Murrell.
So tell me are the agents of the British state still in place. Is there still more to be culled. Absolutely, nothing short of flattening the rotten party of its BritNat fifth columnists will do to allow the rebirth and realignment to rise. And rise it will because there is much to come out about how the British state played deep and dark to destroy support for independence.
This reminds me of when people would go about with a football cards with a winning team hidden under obscuring sticky tape. Many a time because of the mess it was in it was clear someone had already peeled back the tape to reveal the winner then stick it back down again, but they had the nerve to tell you you were paranoid if you questioned why the tape seemed interfered with.. I’m getting that feeling here.
Ron Clark says:
20 March, 2023 at 3:04 pm
”Should it all go as we expect with Yousaf or Forbes becoming leader, then how about this for a dramatic change of events.
ASH REGAN RESIGNS FROM THE SNP AND BECOMES THE NEW LEADER OF THE ALBA PARTY.”
That very thought occurred to me this morning, With Alex behind her I think she’d make a great leader, she may not be as politically savvy as Alex but her reputation’s intact and she’s a lot better looking I think they’d make a formidable team.
The vast majority of you (even on here) are still in denial.
The SNP is DONE as a method of gaining independence. Over and done with.
They have the same political future as SLAB – none.
All of the candidates for “leader” were perfectly happy to work for Sturgeon after the £600k went missing; after the Salmond conspiracy; after the NEC putsch; after the SNP constitution was gutted; after the membership fake numbers (and don’t try to tell me they didn’t have a clue about that!). All three of them either rebelled, went on leave or left the country regarding GRR but apart from that they were all in LOCKSTEP with Sturgeon on everything else!
Why in the name of sanity would you trust ANY of them now?
Good video from Lukewarm Dave on youtube. Type in “day of reckoning”.
@Ron and Graeme
The issue Ash would have is being isolated and ignored if she exited alone.
Now, if she could take even a handful of her colleagues with her, who knows maybe there’s a few List or actual MSPs who suspect they are heading out the door under SNP selection next time around, well then that might actually get some coverage and earn some actual Questions and presence in Holyrood.
Heaven only knows how the SNP dearly need challenged in Holyrood.
@desimond
If Ash doesn’t win this and it doesn’t look like she will, she’ll find herself in the wrong party, isolated and ignored, her views it seems to me is more in line with Alba than the SNP, maybe she’ll see it differently but that’s my opinion for all it’s worth
If Forbes wins , I would 100percent expect Regan to be appointed deputy . If they have agreed a deal prior to the ballot on this I fully expect KF & AR to be 1&2 . ( Kate Forbes would not go back on her word on this ). For those disappointed with AR not winning ( if that is the case), I fully expect she would have a major role in the policy on independence & the constitution going forward . She is clearly a “ leader” , and simply has to have a major input going forward as deputy leader . If Forbes beats HY then she must appoint AR as deputy leader .
Not before time that Alex Salmond comes out and takes on his accusers & challenging Sturgeon/Murrell .
GO GET EM ALEX .
If Kate Forbes isn’t careful, she could end up in the swamp with the rest of the zombies.
Because if they know she has won , and that previously redacted evidence is available to her as a new FM. They will put pressure on her not to reveal the evidence. That was supposed to be Humza’s job , but he is virtually unelectable.
So we do live in very perilous times. I hope Kate will bear in mind, as a good Christian. That she will uphold her morals , and not be subverted by the power of office.
The Murrells will be throwing everything at her , to avoid a jail sentence. She must remember that these are the same people who set her up to fail in the media. These people are worthless human beings. They lied to all of us, they continue to lie and they will boil their own grannies to save their own skins.
An interesting fairy tale, once decoded, esp part 1.
Any bets as to if the bizarre accusation, and consequences from the subsequent use of a forensic accountant relates to what Smitty has been hinting at as coming soon?
Wings over Scotland is THE site if you are interested in what is really happening in Scottish politics. More power to your pen Stu.
Wings also provides the means for the conspiracy theorists, fanatics, fantasists, romantics and downright nutters to air their views with a degree on anonymity. If some of them did so in public they would be laughed at or carted off the the nearest mad house. I shall refrain from naming names but the sane amongst will be in no doubt who they are.
Wee Katie is now the latest to feel the wrath of those in the know on here. Whilst I do not have a vote in the election proceedings the fact that she came out saying that the majority of the electorate will only vote for Independence after a sustained period of honest, competent Government, where people feel valued and better off financially, physically and mentally works for me.
No doubt the conspiracy theorists, fanatics, fantasists, romantics and nutters will disagree.
” I fully expect she would have a major role in the policy on independence & the constitution going forward . ”
North Chiel.
There is no indy plan under Forbes as leader that’s it, Forbes wants to build support and then ask Westminster for a S30.
Like I’ve said on several occasions, if the membership doesn’t elect Regan (if the fix isn’t in for Yousaf or Forbes, and it looks like it still is) then independence is over for a while, and we’ll then know for sure that the SNP membership doesn’t want Scottish independence and we can ditch the SNP and fully back Alba.
I think those hoping for a massive clear out of the SNP are in for disappointment.
Given the dear leaders appearance on morning TV and Kate accepting the vote result I suspect a deal has been done to limit damage to the party as a whole.
Chas – I don’t think that was the issue with Kate. It’s more a disagreement about the mechanism. She wants to continue with the failed Section 30 request.
We know that independence sits around 50% just now. So how much longer do we wait for a vote? Sturgeon had 7 years of perceived confident government. The last year not at all. But that’s the point. Who decides when we go for it? Surely the ballot box, is the true reflector. So if people vote 51% for indi-parties, then that is the most fail safe mechanism. Not opinion polls and others perceptions of competence.
The question we are asking Kate is. How long are you going to wait?
Well this just got interesting.
Big Jock 4.04pm.
As a good Christian, allegedly, Forbes should be asking herself “What would Jesus do?” You can be sure there’s one thing he wouldn’t do, and that is stab the only decent person involved in the back.
@big jock
Sturgeon is rubbing the country’s nose in it, it’s the same behaviour we saw during the Alex Salmond saga. She’s so assured of her untouchability that she’s gone full 1984 again and is denying what everyone else knows to be fact.
The only positive I can see out of this is if the law catches up with her this sort of brass necked behaviour is going to come back to bite her at sentencing. IIRC mike Watson got double the sentence for his lack of contrition and arrogance during his trial for setting fire to those curtains at Prestonfield so it sets a nice precedent for sturgeon. She wee witch deserves 15-20 years for what she’s done.
“Wings also provides the means for the conspiracy theorists, fanatics, fantasists, romantics and downright nutters to air their views with a degree on anonymity.”
Chas.
And don’t forget wee Britnat tosspots who write the above.
I don’t know what that arsehole (swbf) was thinking, posting that on here. Is he/she trying to scupper the site.
Big Jock
The last poll I saw had Independence falling to 37% however I put little faith in polls.
Forbes is correct in stating that the majority of people will be convinced of Independence working only AFTER a sustained period of sound Government starting now.
I am not averse to Independence but if there was a vote tomorrow I would have to vote NO. I suspect I would not be in the minority. The SNP Alba or whoever have got to persuade the electorate to want it. First step is to get rid of the Greens.
Whoever wins the race to be FM will still have to face the fact that the current SNP MSP’s and MP’s have presided over 7/8 long years of bad governance. It will take years for any improvement, if that is at all possible given the ‘talent’ within the current ranks of the SNP.
Be realistic-Independence is miles away.
A Bruce says:
20 March, 2023 at 4:45 pm
“I don’t know what that arsehole (swbf) was thinking, posting that on here. Is he/she trying to scupper the site.”
Probably trying to engineer a situation where an interdict could be served on the hosting company before the real shit hits the fan over the next couple of weeks.
I’m sure the SNP would be delighted to take WoS offline for the next few weeks. Ditto Craig Murray’s site….
That was some stunt. Someone at SNP HQ getting desperate? What better way to avoid scrutiny than to get one of the few journalists who call you out closed down/jailed?
I can magine, as others have mentioned above, that the SNP becomes the “Devolutionist Home Rule”Party. Independence is a lovely aspiration. It would be nice to have it sometime, once Westminster agrees to an Art 30, but we’re not gonna do anything to get it but meanwhile we’ll keep on carrot dangling before elections.
SNP members and voters who are not happy with this position will move to Alba or ISP which will declare Independence (and nothing less) as soon as possible
@ scotlandwillbefree
Stop it and stop it now. Your comments at 3.59 and 4.19 are neither invited nor welcome. They are not helping the readers of this blog nor its author. I have no clue if they are helping you in particular, but they only will help the losers who are desperate to close the scrutiny of their actions through this blog down. If you want to play silly, how about you go and play silly somewhere else?
It is perfectly clear what you are trying to do: you are trying to fabricate a problem that did not exist until you arrived so there is an excuse to close down this site. You are not even creative, so don’t take us for fools.
As to why you are doing this, I can only guess: this site is throwing much needed light on the filthy sewers of the SNP, the Scottish Government and the Green Party, so the comfortable seats in the gravy train/ministerial car for many passengers have now been put at serious risk. Are you one of those perchance?
There is a much more effective way than your current playground tactics to protect those seats in the gravy train/ministerial cars: get the SNP and Green MSPs to call a snap plebiscitary Holyrood election on the single subject of independence and get ALL the SNP to start campaigning, seriously and credibly, for independence.
Alternatively, get the SNP MPs to put their personal interests aside, get them to grow a backbone, get them to withdraw from Westminster, get them to either transfer their powers to Holyrood or reconvene Scotland’s old parliament, get them to put the Treaty of Union under temporary suspension and to call a referendum on Scotland’s independence on Scotland’s terms, fully controlled by Scotland, with no interference from Westminster and with international observers.
Are you up for this far more creative and grown-up game or you just have the talent to play the playground idiot?
Some have already posted this, however I think it needs to stay out there to try and get the message across to the SNP membership, there’s far to much t stake here.
“Statement on ballot:
Due to the volatile nature of recent events Ash Regan has held off from media to forge a path forward in conjunction with SNP HQ.
The campaign team thanks Mike Russell for stepping in and understanding the situation.
There has been a surge in traffic in our campaign mailbox and social media from concerned members, looking for guidance on whether the ballot will go ahead unaltered or if the ballot will be reset.
My team have put forward proposals that provide assurance to members with minimum disruption to the election process that we can move ahead constructively on.
In 2015 selection contests for Westminster candidatures had varying end dates. In some cases, candidates were removed from the ballot before a race ended, where this happened members were able to update their vote. The facility exists within the Mi-Voice system.
This would have the benefit of not disrupting members who are happy with their vote while providing an opportunity to reconsider for those who are not.
In addition each candidate would be allowed to send one email to the members using the SNP mailing system – allowing a last minute updated message that reflects current events.
We thank Mike for taking this suggestion seriously and lend our support to the integrity of the ballot. It is important that all parties respect the outcome of the ballot and give full support to the new leader of the SNP.”
link to twitter.com
On a side note, with Mike Russell stepping into this role, shouldn’t the runner up in the SNP President race Craig Murray, be appointed to the position?
So not content with handing the opponents of independence the sacrifice of Humza you are now targeting Kate. I repeat that I have not cast my vote I would like to get this right but good grief how many demons do you people see
@ scotlandwillbefree
Stop it and stop it now. Your comments at 3.59 and 4.19 are neither invited nor welcome. They are not helping the readers of this blog nor its author. I have no clue if they are helping you in particular, but they only will help the losers who are desperate to close the scrutiny of their actions through this blog down. If you want to play silly, how about you go and play silly somewhere else?
It is perfectly clear what you are trying to do: you are trying to fabricate a problem that did not exist until you arrived so there is an excuse to close down this site. You are not even creative, so don’t take us for fools.
As to why you are doing this, I can only guess: this site is throwing much needed light on the filthy sewers of the SNP, the Scottish Government and the Green Party, so the comfortable seats in the gravy train/ministerial car for many passengers have now been put at serious risk. Are you one of those perchance?
There is a much more effective way than your current playground tactics to protect those seats in the gravy train/ministerial cars: get the SNP and Green MSPs to call a snap plebiscitary Holyrood election on the single subject of independence and get ALL the SNP to start campaigning, seriously and credibly, for independence.
Alternatively, get the SNP MPs to put their personal interests aside, get them to grow a backbone, get them to withdraw from Westminster, get them to either transfer their powers to Holyrood or reconvene Scotland’s old parliament, get them to put the Treaty of Union under temporary suspension and to call a referendum on Scotland’s independence on Scotland’s terms, fully controlled by Scotland, with no interference from Westminster and with international observers.
Are you up for this far more creative and grown-up game or you just have the talent to play the playground fool?
Forbes wins makes Humza deputy because its the msps who determine who becomes FM
“Someone at SNP HQ getting desperate?”
After the tombola of resignations, I wonder how much of HQ is left. I would be more inclined to think it might be an envoy of one of the gravy train/ministerial car riders.
“ republic of Scotland @0459 pm “ if Regan is denied a major say going forward on independence & the constitution after the ballot and at the very least is not appointed deputy leader ( after her courageous campaign) then certainly a party “split” would be on the cards, and yes Alba , ( as Independence supporters ) would be our only option .
RoS
I generally quickly scroll past any post of yours, they are virtually all the same anyways, but the use of my name did catch my attention ……..this time!
I refrained from naming anyone as Stu stated previously that he would not tolerate such proceedings.
However, in the interests of fair play, I am happy to add your name as one who covers all the bases.
“Wings also provides the means for the conspiracy theorists, fanatics, fantasists, romantics and downright nutters to air their views with a degree on anonymity.” with special emphasis on the nutters.
Try and get out a bit more. Fresh air is good for your physical and mental well being. Being chained to a keyboard, typing shite umpteen times a day, is not.
The poster involved with now-deleted posts above has been placed on pre-moderation to ensure no repetition. Thanks to the many people who alerted me.
Scotlandwillbefree 4.19
Your a nutter an thats no allegedly
NOO PISS OFF
Is Smitty ok
Rev U need to get that contact form fixed just as well some on here have twitter I don’t
Glad you’ve caught up with those posts
PA Media reports “Ms Sturgeon recalled that when she saw Jacinda Ardern announce she was stepping down as New Zealand’s prime minister, she thought: “I wish that was me.”
That’s funny; so did we!
ALANM glad she could recall something!
Nicola declined an invite from Pete Wishart to share her experiences with his committee.
Said she’d be too busy ensuring a smooth transition.
Pitches up on Loose Women instead.
“the “Devolutionist Home Rule ”Party”
Hasn’t that title already been claimed multiple times by members of Labour over the years?
Here are some examples of Labour’s jargon when talking about home rule:
– Home rule as close to federalism as possible with a partner that is over 10 times Scotland’s size in population
– home rule within a confederal United Kingdom
– federal solution
– federal state
– federal lines
– federal system
– confederalism
– confederal system
– fully confederal state
– federal constitutional set-up
– radical federalism
– far-reaching federalism
– the champions of devolution
quotes:
“This would mean a radical reshaping of our country along federal lines where every component part of the United Kingdom – Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the English regions – take more responsibility for what happens in their own communities, but where we still maintain the protection of being part of a greater whole as the UK,” (Dugdale, December 2016)
“A federal solution would uphold the democratic will of the Scottish people: a strong Scotland in a secure United Kingdom, with a close relationship with Europe” (Ian Murray, Labour Conference in Perth, February 2017)
“Whether we call it radical federalism or not, let’s push for further devolution, not as some kind of quick political fix, but because we mean it and we are truly the champions of devolution.” (Anas Sarwar, Labour and radical federalism, September 2021)
“Only a new federal structure for the UK could repair the shuttered trust in politics” (Starmer, January 2020)
…
If the SNP is now going to champion home rule, then it is no longer the SNP. It is a rebranding of labour.
Nope incredibly dodgy. Mr Russell a safe pair of hands?
I have a horse box to sell you..
Maybe Kate’s done a deal to keep the skeletons hidden.
Lizzie 5.11
Open your ears n eyes Both Humza & Forbes have said they would continue with asking for a S30 order + Humza will contest the Section 35 of the Scotland Act over the GRR costing Scots more wasted monies on court fees .
Whats more important to you Independence or the Snp Party .
Eric says:
20 March, 2023 at 5:46 pm
Nicola declined an invite from Pete Wishart to share her experiences with his committee.
Said she’d be too busy ensuring a smooth transition.
Pitches up on Loose Women instead.
Poor old Pete, imagine him swaggering around giving it “I’ll invite my friend the First Minister and getting ditched for Loose Women.
The last 48 hours have been crying out for leadership and all three challengers have comprehensively failed.
This continuous and ongoing imbecilic fuckup is a disgrace to the people of Scotland , not only are people (members of the snp) the nonce party voting for a leader ha,ha,ha of a corrupt and rancid political party but that election will ultimately result in that leader becoming FM of the nation of Scotland , I don’t know about anyone else, I am NOT a member of any political party but I don’t want my country to be led by either a lying corrupt adulterer whose incompetence in government positions is legendary, or a coward who avoids voting for her own sex by claiming to be on maternity leave,
IMO the position of FM requires someone of integrity, honesty and bravery I do NOT consider KF or HY to have ANY of those qualities , much like the betrayer of Scotland who at present holds that position
“Nope incredibly dodgy. Mr Russell a safe pair of hands?
I have a horse box to sell you..
Maybe Kate’s done a deal to keep the skeletons hidden.”
ScottieDog.
Even if she hasn’t (and I’m leaning more to that she has) she wants to wait until Westminster issues a S30 which as we all know will be never. Forbes has been pushing the S30 route from the very first hustings, she to is in effect, the continuity candidate.
@Izzie,
“How many demons do you people see?”
How many did you see one year ago?
You would never have believed what has come to pass a year ago would you? However here we are.
” if Regan is denied a major say going forward on independence & the constitution after the ballot and at the very least is not appointed deputy leader”
North Chiel.
I fully expect Ash Regan to be deselected if Forbes or Yousaf wins the leadership contest, Regan has already hinted in a early hustings that there would be no place in government for her fellow candidates.
Ian Smith…
Let me fix that for you:
The last 8 years have been crying out for leadership and Sturgeon’s rancid SNP has comprehensively failed.
You’re welcome!
Mia
I don’t recall any senior Labour politicians suggesting a confederate state as this normally describes a union where sovereignty is retained by the component parts of the state. Whereas British Labour preach the English / UK constitution of parliamentary sovereignty. So, can you or anyone point me to Labour suggesting a confederal UK state?
I’m warming to Ash Regan. She has shaken up the corrupt SNP and is open to discuss how to really achieve indy.
She is also “the other candidate” or missed out from the UK unionist media reports, so they obviously fear her.
Mike Russell shoots down Ash Regan’s appeal for the membership to be allowed to recast their votes in a more open and transparent contest, I fear the fix is already in place.
The SNP membership IS the party, and one man (Mike Russell) temporarily standing in to see this contest through has decided the membership can’t have clarity and transparency with this contest in mind.
If I were a member with a vote I’d be bloody livid right now, because Mike Russell has said in a sense no you cannot have clarity and transparency in this contest, so just shut up and vote.
Without clarity and transparency this contest is nothing but a complete farce, this is the kind of thing that happens in tinpot dictatorships.
Colin Alexander says:
20 March, 2023 at 6:28 pm
Mia
I don’t recall any senior Labour politicians suggesting a confederate state.
I quite clearly remember this pretendy option being pushed forward by either Labour or libdems, cant quite remember, but it was most certainly proposed by unionists. Much like Browns maxiest of max powerful devolution in the world.
robertkknight says:
17 February, 2023 at 11:13 am
Captain Sturgeon meanwhile gets picked up by the SS British Establishment and is lauded for a job well done, her regular guest slot on ITV’s Loose Women in-the-bag.
I am Uri Geller’s love child and I claim my £5.
@ Ronnie
Izzie still in a tizzy even after weeks of leadership hustings, and after all that has unfolded recently it still isn’t enough for them to decide which of the continuity candidates they want to plead with Westminster for a Section 30.
T’was never going to be Ash for them…
link to wingsoverscotland.com
Now that Mike Russell has given his e Dicked from high time for Ash Regan to issue a edict of her own & lob a grenade into Mikes horse box / she’s nothing to lose by getting a Interdict & bring this farce of a election to a halt
Yousaf is Yousaf. NO CHANCE.
Forbes is from the 19th century in terms of morality and bit rightesque. NO CHANCE.
Regan is good on indy, but always appears like a clueless PR officer and speaks faster than Murrell’s shredder is running. NO CHANCE.
VOTE FOR SPOIL THE PAPER!
It really has come to the point where you can’t trust anyone in the SNP. I probably discount Ash Regan from that though. She has done the heavy lifting for Forbes.
If Forbes just strolls in and keeps any of the current Sturgeon nut jobs in her cabinet. Then we know the games a bogey. She has compromised in the pursuit of position.
She hasn’t done that yet, so I give her the benefit of the doubt. However I am definitely now suspicious of her sudden silence. It does look like she has been spoken to.
Nah, today was the day when Regan should have got a legal challenge in. Instead it was have a wee chat with Mike Russell and get nowhere.
So now they all trust the process despite Regan ever only getting an answer to one of her questions from last week.
Pointless exercise now.
@Colin Alexander
“Mark Lazarowicz: Labour needs to develop its vision of what a federal UK would look like – and Gordon is the man who can help” published in Labour List, 7 December 2016
Quote:
“So the mood in Labour for a properly federal UK is clearly strengthening. But how can that general mood be turned into firm policies, which can then be put made into a reality?
First, there needs to be more clarity about what is meant by “federalism”. From the range of views expressed, it is clear that for some people “federalism” simply means some more devolution for those parts of the UK which want it, which does not in reality change the UK into a federal state.
Others recognise that federalism inevitably means that all parts of the UK must have its own legislative assembly, whether that is in the form of an English Parliament, assemblies for English regions, or a system like the current EVEL arrangements to give MPs from England enhanced decision-making, on matters which only affect England.
Still others want to go as far as turning the UK either into A FULL CONFEDERAL STATE (my capitals), or one where different parts have shared competence over at least some areas of legislation – an idea for which Gordon Brown expressed some support in November”
FionaN
Thanks. I don’t want to side track the discussion about the SNP leadership election to a discussion about the fundamental differences between a federal state versus a confederal state.
I will simply say I agree that British Labour’s further talk of constitutional reform is really motivated by the desire to keep Scotland under England’s control.
Mia , thanks for the quote.
So Forbes and the other guy win the rigged vote. Two continuity candidates, who will then pursue the same policies as previous. Everyone gets off the hook and wanders off to the sunny uplands pissing themselves laughing at the stupid Scots. Leaders contest, don’t make me laugh.They are a clear and present danger to the Scottish people.
Republic @ 6.44.
Ball firmly back in Regan’s court as to legal action now Forbes has been turned to the dark side.
Star Wars Episode 1V perhaps.
robertkknight says:
20 March, 2023 at 7:07 pm
robertkknight says:
17 February, 2023 at 11:13 am
Captain Sturgeon meanwhile gets picked up by the SS British Establishment and is lauded for a job well done, her regular guest slot on ITV’s Loose Women in-the-bag.
I am Uri Geller’s love child and I claim my £5.
Afraid not, since unlike Uri Geller one of your predictions actually proved correct … *cough!* Terry Waite killed * *Cough! Splutter* Suzy Lamplugh found *Gasp! Cough! Cough!* Al Gore Presidency *Wheeze!* Exeter City Premier League status …
Ash Regan should take out the interdict. I’ve no idea how much these things cost.
But you can’t put a price on Scottish Independence.
Go on Ash. You’re tremendous. You’re amazing. You’re inspiring. With you all the way.
Ash Regan. She’s principled. She’s got the plan. She’s got the brains. She’s got it all.
First Minister, Ash Regan. It would be an honour. A feminist freedom fighter. Standing up for women’s rights and for Independence.
The photograph of her outside of Holyrood, in the suffragette ribbons was powerful.
I’d have no qualms about another female leader. She’s got it all.
Kate Forbes is doing a fair bit of blinking during that very short clip. Just saying!
“ republic of Scotland @0616pm” If there is no leading role for Regan within the leadership of the SNP after this watershed then I agree the SNP is no longer an “ independence “ party .Thereafter , it would be the Yes movement & Alba “ All the way” . Ash Regan is the “ grassroots choice “ , however, it remains to be seen if she is the SNP member’s choice .
It’s probably too late to raise a petition, and I’m not good at internet stuff so the only address I could find to protest to Mike Russell is info@snp.org which is where I sent my protest, as below:
I can understand how desperately saddened and overwhelmed you might be feeling now, I have gone through all the stages of grief myself with the disappointment of watching the SNP strangle itself and abandon it’s pretty impressive past integrity. But you are now responsible for the entire country’s public image. Scotland’s profile is in the international eye right now, and currently it is as a victim of scandalous dereliction of duty by our governing political party. All our hopes are in a fragile balance. To be seen now as a country who would now, deliberately, put into power a First Minister who could never under any circumstances have any political credibility would be a demonstration that we are prepared to accept the lowest possible standards of political administration and governance. Really the only way in which integrity can be demonstrated now is for you to bite the bullet and cancel the current campaign, which was disgracefully inept from the beginning. Perpetuating it is a tacit acceptance of it’s crooked tenets. Yours would be the act of an SNP where the sovereignty of the people is heeded again after years in which this concept has been stamped on almost to extinction. It isn’t for you to consider the administrative dust-up Head Office would experience in cancelling the entire previous vote and starting again. It isn’t that hard. You would need to appoint an independent transparent operator to wipe out the placed votes, write an explanation to the membership, and start the vote again. All of us in Scotland are involved in this. You do not have the right to make this an internal SNP matter. Please act in accordance with being an inhabitant of Scotland, beloved of millions of whatever political or non-political allegiance, all of whom deserve a fairer deal than the one you are currently offering. You have a real duty to perform here and now. Please cancel the received vote and give a new date by which SNP members can place their choice taking into account a) the new information they have regarding what the candidates offer and b) showing all of Scotland that their First Minister has been chosen by the SNP honestly. With regards,
I just think we should do something to stand up for ourselves.
This election is about winning the contest for FM, nothing else and KF has been very single minded on acquiring the right result.
Independence may or may not be a possibility in the future but it will be in the late future, as the rebuilding of a viable Party and purging the effects of Sturgeonism will take at least five years.
The only option is sticking to the existing Party line, which would mean accepting all the social horrors which have been in the pipeline and that is certainly not acceptable to me.
I’m amazed that members here think that open warfare under an ill prepared and politically naïve AR is in any way a positive result, as it would mean the disintegration of the whole Scottish Independence movement.
Throwing toys out of the pram is counter productive as a large portion of the electorate already believe we are spoilt weans living in LaLa Land. A cool head is required and KF is nothing if not “COOL”
She’s certainly ‘cool’ on Independence.
Not as cool as your irony Natal! :0)