The lockout
There was an interesting line in The National yesterday:
“The monthly Scottish Questions in Parliament looks set to be an odd affair.
In other words, business as usual.
Both the new Scottish Secretary, David Mundell, and his new shadow, Labour’s Ian Murray, were interviewed on today’s Good Morning Scotland. Mundell ruled out full fiscal autonomy, and indeed any suggestion that the SNP landslide had represented an expression by Scottish voters of a desire for more in the way of devolution than the feeble Smith Commission proposals.
Murray, meanwhile, stated his intent as being to oppose both the Tories and the SNP, refusing several times when asked to say that he’d work constructively with the MPs holding 95% of Scottish seats. (Indeed, despite reiterating his own opposition to the renewal of Trident, he wouldn’t say whether he’d actually vote against it.)
So Scotland knows where it stands. Two MPs from parties with just 3% of Scottish seats between them both plan to spend their time blocking the aims of a party with 95% of seats. Indeed, that party will barely even be allowed to be heard in the single brief Parliamentary session devoted to Scottish matters each month.
To onlookers, it seems that Scottish Questions will continue much the same as it did for the last five years – Labour setting up softball anti-SNP questions to give the Tories a chance to bash the Nats while both parties’ MPs sit on the government and opposition benches hooting and jeering in open contempt.
(Or simply drowning out the debate entirely with disrespectful chatter as they wait for the much more important business of Prime Minister’s Questions which follows it.)
The policies Scotland voted overwhelmingly for, in other words, will be sidelined and blocked by two parties who were both humiliated last Thursday with their lowest vote shares of all time, teaming up against the party which secured 120,000 more votes from Scots than any party has ever done at any election in history.
Are you feeling the love yet, readers?
Paula Rose,
“@ Rock – do you have a problem with democracy?”
Paula, “honey”, “dear”, do you believe that a Westminster election where millions of votes are wasted votes is an exercise in democracy?
I was referring to the democratic structure of the SNP and the Green Party – neither are top down, leader-knows-best systems.
The FPTP voting system used for UK general elections is profoundly undemocratic and needs reform, something that the majority of parties that stood would agree on, but unfortunately the biggest two do not.
Paula Rose,
“The FPTP voting system used for UK general elections is profoundly undemocratic and needs reform, something that the majority of parties that stood would agree on, but unfortunately the biggest two do not.”
Paula, “honey”, “dear”, surprise, surprise, we are of the same view on that.
But that doesn’t make me any less angry about Patrick Harvie and the Scottish Green leadership for acting as spoilsports in the Westminster election.
Patrick Harvie is a known SNP and Alex Salmond hater who didn’t miss any opportunity to criticise them during the referendum campaign.
I wonder how Greens like yourself could be happy celebrating the SNP victory while posting on this site when your leaders’ stance could have easily hindered more than the one they almost certainly did.
Hate disagreeing with Paula but Rock’s right about Clatty Pat, I’m as green as the next man but support for independence comes first and always.
He didn’t like Salmond possibly because Salmond didn’t abide fools gladly and the business about appearing at Holyrood looking like Stig of the Dump is pathetic.
I think Patrick’s nose is still out of joint over not being in coalition in 2011, and possibly being Deputy First Minister. This was after all widely predicted and I think even the SNP were anticipating it – possibly even hoping for it, not believing they could get an overall majority on their own.
When the SNP got 69 seats, leaving no necessity for a coalition partner, he was reportedly quite disappointed. Especially as his party got far fewer seats than anticipated.
Patrick Harvie is not the Green Party folks, I thought I’d explained it all – but never mind I’m not going to dwell on this.
I am a bit disappointed that a previous post I made was not shown. In it, although it was off topic slighty, I attempted to answer Dr Ew in regards to his question to Brian Powell about JFK and Scotland.
I have read the rules of this site but am not quite sure why it was not shown.
Also, in The National on Tuesday it mentioned that the leaked memo inquiry is still ongoing according to official sources. Deary me. If as it has previously been stated the leak was from one individual and that individual is known to the powers that be then why is it taking so long to get the information out to people? This whole sorry episode stinks worse than my toilet after curry night, and that is honking I can tell you!
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Fred,
“Hate disagreeing with Paula but Rock’s right about Clatty Pat”
Morag,
“I think Patrick’s nose is still out of joint over not being in coalition in 2011, and possibly being Deputy First Minister.”
That is exactly what I have been pointing out but have been accused my many here of causing division and being a troll.
If we want independence, the bitter truth will have to be expressed.