The uncertain future
Finally, after an astonishing four and a half days of “counting”, the SNP have released their candidate rankings for the regional list in this year’s Holyrood election. We’ll give you the results first, and then something much more interesting.
NO SKIPPING STRAIGHT TO THE END, THOUGH.
As a bonus for those of you who didn’t skip straight to the end, here’s a fun fact to start off with: an extremely reliable SNP insider tells us that the candidates haven’t been told ANYTHING about these results except the final rankings.
That is to say, they haven’t been told how many votes anyone got, they haven’t been told what turnout was, they haven’t been told whether the rankings are based only on votes or on the dodgy mechanism for promoting BAME/disabled candidates, and they haven’t been told who, if anyone, declared themselves to be in those categories.
The point of this is that it makes it basically almost impossible for anyone to launch a legal challenge – something the party was told it would lose expensively – if they think they’ve been unfairly discriminated against. Which we feel fairly sure must be illegal in itself, but that’s a matter for another day.
Anyway, to the rankings.
CENTRAL SCOTLAND
Danish Ashraf
Christina McKelvie
Neil Gray
Michelle Thomson
Anum Qaisar-Javed
Fulton MacGregor
Stephanie Callaghan
Grant Ferguson
Iain Sinclair
Paul Welsh
Josh Wilson
Ali Salamati
Nothing very interesting there. Ashraf is very woke but unlikely to get a seat.
HIGHLANDS & ISLANDS
Emma Roddick
Kate Forbes
Maree Todd
Fergus Ewing
Tom Wills
Mike MacKenzie
Robert Leslie
Rhiannon Spear
Jamie Szymkowiak
Qasim Hanif
Ken Gowans
Sarah Fanet
The absolutely awful Emma Roddick comes top and will probably get a seat. Glasgow-based Rhiannon Spear proves as popular with the membership as ever and limps in in 8th spot, amusingly. Will she EVER take a hint?
MID SCOTLAND & FIFE
Eva Comrie
John Swinney
Keith Brown
Annabelle Ewing
Jim Fairlie
David Torrance
Ross Cunningham
Fiona Sarwar
Moraig Henderson
Stefan Hoggan-Radu
Lee Robb
Rosemary Hunter
A terrific result for the excellent Eva Comrie, although sadly on current polling there’s very little chance of an SNP list seat in MS&F either.
SOUTH SCOTLAND
Emma Harper
Joan McAlpine
Paul Wheelhouse
Màiri McAllan
Richard Walker
Heather Anderson
Siobhian Brown
Stacy Bradley
Paul McLennan
Ali Salamati
Stephen Thompson
Laura Brennan-Whitefield
Another dreadful Emma takes top spot, but unless something very odd happens Joan McAlpine should hold onto her seat even if she doesn’t win her constituency, so yay.
GLASGOW
Roza Salih
Nicola Sturgeon
Clare Haughey
Ivan McKee
Bill Kidd
Alex Kerr
Suzanne McLaughlin
Kaukab Stewart
Katy Loudon
Christina Cannon
Abdul Bostani
Roza Salih could be the first ever refugee MSP if the SNP gets a list seat in Glasgow (again currently unlikely), but that’s not the story here. Stay tuned for a minute.
LOTHIAN
Graham Campbell
Angus Robertson
Fiona Hyslop
Ben Macpherson
Catriona MacDonald
Sarah Masson
Irshad Ahmed
Greg McCarra
Alison Dickie
Alex Orr
Douglas Thomson
Andrew Ewen
Bit of a nightmare result here as dodgy Glasgow-based carpetbagger and super-wokie Graham Campbell takes the top slot, but again list seats in Lothian are a long shot.
NORTH EAST SCOTLAND
Fatima Joji
Christian Allard
Fergus Mutch
William Duff
Julie Bell
Nadia El-Nakla
John Cooke
Lynne Short
Gillian Al-Samarai
Joshua Mennie
Fatima Joji is another woke horrorshow, but you’d need a heart of stone not to laugh at Josh “Aaron-“Mennie and Gillian “Al-“Samarai coming stone dead last.
WEST SCOTLAND
Michelle Campbell
Stuart McMillan
Kenneth Gibson
Rona Mackay
Christopher McEleny
Colm Merrick
Lorna Douglas
Annette Ireland
Debra Torrance
Gavin Lundy
Jonathan McColl
Daniel Kennedy
And yet another woke winner to round things off in the BAME-reserved region.
But what are we teasing, readers? Well, here’s a thing.
Because of the BAME/disabled weighting, what we’ve arrived at is a situation where Nicola Sturgeon is not at the top of the Glasgow regional list. And if we were Scottish Labour in particular, we’d be pricking our ears up at that news.
Word from our Scottish Labour mole – and we should note we don’t have quite such impeccable sources in Labour as we do in the SNP – is that Anas Sarwar is very likely to contest Glasgow Southside, because it would look just too poor if Scottish Labour’s branch manager didn’t at least try to win a constituency seat. And indeed according to Wikipedia he already is.
Glasgow Southside’s MSP is Nicola Sturgeon.
The current First Minister won the seat very handily in 2016, with over 61% of the vote, although she was up against total no-hopers from the other parties. It doesn’t seem beyond all possibility that the Salmond affair could cost her a chunk of votes.
Sarwar is the sort of Labour MSP that Tory voters could feel very comfortable backing, and the seat also has a sizeable Asian community. In the event that the opposition parties came to a quiet “understanding” similar to the one Ian Murray benefits from in his Westminster constituency – which he turned from Scotland’s most marginal seat into its safest one in the space of two elections thanks to Tory tactical votes – things could get unexpectedly interesting.
There was no real motivation for the opposition parties to contemplate a decapitation pact in previous elections, because if they’d somehow unseated Sturgeon in Southside she’d have been all but guaranteed a list seat anyway with nothing but a bit of mild embarrassment to cope with.
But a scandal-weakened SNP leader, vulnerable to tactical voting and now operating without a safety net, must have Labour salivating like hungry lions outside a home for old blind antelopes. Sarwar would be a huge underdog and would have nothing of any consequence to lose, but a potentially gigantic win.
(The same thing, of course, applies to would-be next FM Angus Robertson in Lothian.)
You’ve got to admit, it’d be quite the surprise twist.
Having listened to, and blethered with, Tommy Sheridan on independence since 2014, I would crowdfund him to stand for Glasgow Southside – an’ eh’m fae Dundee, iye?
Upsets happen when you try to mess around with electorates.
If the ISP weren’t standing a list candidate I’d be staying home. Emma Roddick indeed!
“The absolutely awful Emma Roddick comes top and will probably get a seat.”
——————————————————
Ah FFS!
I hope she has resigned by then. But still, it’s interesting!
Unlikely. But good grief, talk about irony…
Labour would have to be idiots not to stand Sarwar
A Jo Swinson moment for Nicola would be very poetic 🙂
I thought the pile of laundry with a face was standing?
hahaha! Eva – it’ll be the price of you if you get elected
I will be relaxing in my garden in the summer
What goes around comes around.
private joke with the bionic lady, guys. Ignore me
I’ve a feeling I’m not allowed smilies – sorry
Upsets happen when you try to mess around with former First Ministers
don’t worry – the postal votes will sort it out
No wonder they are keeping the total votes secret. In Lothians, I am surprised at who topped the vote, even allowing for the BAME element.
The more a liar gets away with telling lies, the more lies are told. Any request for information regarding the SNP allocation of list seat rankings will result in a largely meaningless drip drip of irrelevant and unrequested statistics, comment, polemic and finally, months or years later, numbers scribbled on the back of a bus ticket with no referential information to say they are anything more than phone numbers.
Is it inconceivable Murdo Fraser might finally win something if the media choose to hammer Swinney over the reluctance to release info to the Inquiry, and the inevitable GRA / HCB stuff…
Wouldn’t it add to the fun if some indy minded independents were to stand in Glasgow Southside and Edinburgh Central on the FPTP ballot. Unless they were really big names it would obviously be unlikely they’d take the seat but splitting the pro-indy vote might rid us of a couple of horrors and be a means of drawing public attention to the state of the SNP.
@Derick fae Yell – that Eva will be worrying about her tattie harvest if she has to cart that bionic up to Edinburgh to kick ass.
Confused says:
5 March, 2021 at 7:54 pm
“don’t worry – the postal votes will sort it out”
I ironically got an invite to apply for a PV from the SNP yesterday. Now I know what happened to the Indy Fighting Fund.
I did ask what if the ones parachuted to the top got few votes? The members need to demand to see the actual count.
Anas could do OK, as you said, large ethnic community, lots of annoyance at lockdown restrictions.
The local park is chock a bloc with residents and few masks.
Humza Yousaf is not on the list at all. So if a credible anti-Hate Crime, anti-Gender Self ID, pro-women candidate stood against him in the constituency, then he might be out.
Emma Roddick is obviously Sturgeons poodle. I don’t believe for a second she would get more votes than Kate Forbes in the Highlands.
@Brian Doonthetoon
Sheridan is not eligible for election having an unspent conviction for perjury if you recall. There was some talk of him standing for AFI, I wonder if they have realised his ineligibility. Though word is they are standing 4 on the list in each region. That is both optimistic and expensive.
It costs £500 to register a list candidate.
“It costs £500 to register a list candidate.”
Isn’t it £500 for a list, however many are on it?
And the Justice Minister’s partner is sixth on the North East Scotland. Exactly where she was at the last SNP selection event I attended. Nothing new there. It’s not just Labour or Tories that would vote for Sarwar. If I was a voter in that constituency seat I would vote for him myself. However I am in Yes City. Blanket SNP will be the result as usual.
this has fair brought a smile to my face, maybe even a hint of laughter! C’mon you people of Glasgow Southside and Lothian, you know what you have to do now, peg on the nose or no [wide grin].
Would an unexpected loss on the constituency do anything significant to the divisor? Using the list vote in 2016, losing Southside would still not get the SNP a list seat. In fact, they’d be in third place for the seventh list seat.
So if NS loses Southside, the only way for her to get a seat is for the SNP list vote to increase substantially or for the SNP to lose other constituency seats.
Where’s Wally? (Umm, I mean Humza)
Hi Betsy says at 7:56 pm.
You typed,
“Wouldn’t it add to the fun if some indy minded independents were to stand in Glasgow Southside…”
May I refer you to the first comment btl on this page?
link to wingsoverscotland.com
It’s a terrible time really. What other option but to vote for a Party for no other reason than to show Westminster that we are serious about Scotland’s future. After another dreadful performance locally and nationally (when really they should have shown themselves to be not only competent but compassionate), I’ll still have to back the SNP. Neither the UK nor the Scottish Government (?) gave us the help we should have had considering it was their actions which have lead us to where we are today, still in Lockdown.
Well Angus certainly isn’t getting my vote in Lothian, and neither is the truly awful Graham Campbell, as I’ve already told him.
Labour voters, Libdem voters, Tory voters, Greens, AND PISSED OFF INDY VOTERS could join forces to de-throne that Bastard Sturgeon.
If this grand coalition were to happen, then it would surely be IMPOSSIBLE for Sturgeon to win, would it not???
It goes to show just how horrible sturgeon has become, that even a unionist liebour candidate from the scum of the earth party might just be preferable to her.
How times have changed under this witch.
Campbell is the list choice that narks me the most…..an absolute carpetbagging chancer whose political allegiances change as often as his underpants
As for angus robertson……I reckon he’s got something to hide!!
Who wants to place money on Roza Salih suddenly not being able to take her list seat if Nicola Sturgeon doesn’t get elected in the constituency?
As a member in the Lothians who voted for Graham Campbell to be bottom of the list I am definitely voting ISP 2. If Sturgeon loses her seat that would be a bonus.
I feel the same way about this as my own situation.
I.e. the absurdity of what is happening.
We have tried satire – which does not work for everyone. Very hit and miss.
Try this. Not irrelevant to what Wings is about.
I think we need to inject some humour into wha has been going on, as dark as it may be
link to tns2019.org
All of a sudden snp 1 and 2 takes on a whole new sense of urgency
If tactical voting is possible to give guaranteed results in some instances, we need to be cute about it.
A pro-indy coalition is required to run the Scottish parliament and that means the SNP being the majority party in that. The price of doing this? A few of the ‘big hitters’ being reduced to having to sneak into Holyrood on regional seats.
If that does happen then a picture of all the Red, Yellow and Blue tories who can only get elected on list seats with the caption ‘I stand with Nicola (as list candidates’)?
Thanks for putting it out there, nice to get all the insight into the lists.
I didn’t vote for Emma Harper, no leaflet, and bland online guff .
At least the Highlands and Islands had a zoom meeting of all the candidates.
Which I watched down here in South Lanarkshire.
Do you know the percentages by which each candidate came in.
Nice to see Christian Allard there, for Torry, Nice bloke.
Onwards and upwards
??
Tactical voting against Sturgeon in Glasgow Southside looks like the business to be in. What a political slap in the face that woudl be for her if she loses that contest. Well deserved. Its not like me to call for union supporters to vote tactically but they could scalp here there.
-Liz-
Aye that’s a fair point. It’s a very young constituency. They’ve been screwed most by the restrictions. But then again they do tend to be the most woke too. I do think this is a very long shot. But stranger things have happened.
Neil in Glasgow says: 5 March, 2021 at 8:20 pm
This is being sold on another website that shall remain nameless.
The purpose of it is not to send a message to Westminster about Scottish independence but maybe because the natives are getting restless and not doing what they are told?
Wee Gingerbread Man’s contributors know that if Sturgeon has her evil way, then Trans weirdos will have free access to women’s toilets.
I think that says a lot more about the weirdos who contribute to his website, who don’t seem to have a problem with this.
Nicola’s weirdo Army.
A wee word about midlothian… ok a long one… colin Beattie is the MSP.. thats right , the former treasurer who was in charge of the ring fenced indy fighting fund that’s somehow gone missing.
I mean come on. If you lost 600,000 youd be heart broken or in jail probably.
But the snp thinks this is all ok because it has an overdraft arrangement.
The MP is owen Thompson. I dont normally mention his name as he is so boring I dont want to elevate him .
He is a sturgeon loyalist who’s only function in life is to promote himself. He has never done a days work in his life and is a careerist to the core who never mentions independence , far less campaigns for it.
It’s important to out these people because, so determined to suck up to sturgeon, he tweets Rape crisis scotland and trans rights whenever AS or stu puts out a post highlighting the corruption of the SG.
They need to be outed and the membership needs to select true indy supporters. Not those freeloaders who benefitted from the hard work done in the past by those who campaigned for independence.
So I wont be voting for these freeloaders anymore. I know plenty other who feel the same way.
How ridiculous you wouldn’t have your cabinet and finance person in top spot, but instead a ultra woke candidate just so they’re in.
They’ve lost the plot. Just keeps getting worse.
On another note. It won’t matter what’s in the SNP manifesto. They will not honour it. They will probably omit the wokie stuff purposely, but you can bet it will be the first things they create bills for and try and push through, including the hate crime legislation.
The complete lack of transparency is the most worrying aspect, essential in any democracy. Only those engaged in wrong-doing need fear scrutiny.
So be it then,,,a Grand Coalition.
Vote Sarwar!!!
Saffron Robe says:
5 March, 2021 at 8:30 pm
The complete lack of transparency is the most worrying aspect, essential in any democracy. Only those engaged in wrong-doing need fear scrutiny.
But when will that come?
“Fatima Joji is another woke horrorshow, but you’d need a heart of stone not to laugh at Josh “Aaron-“Mennie and Gillian “Al-“Samarai coming stone dead last.”
🙂 🙂 🙂
Lawrence says: 5 March, 2021 at 8:26 pm
I see that Paul has put a paragraph at the end of his last couple of posts that his site is promoting Scottish independence. That is the first time that subject has been mentioned on his site for a while.
Is that why it took so long to count…because there’s no numbers?
2011 Holyrood election SNP got 16 list places from 876,000 votes,
2016 Holyrood election SNP got 4 list places from 953,000 votes,
what numbers do the ISP need to win any seats and are they a viable option.
Having watched the lion king recently, I cant help thinking about the scene where the betrayer is left to the ferocity of the hyenas.
This post makes me think that sturgeon could be facing her own demise!
Trending this May…
#IStandWithoutNicola
If, as I expect, SNP lose a lot of constituency seats then they’ll get a few list seats. I’d expect Sturgeon might need that. And if they only won one each in Glasgow and Edinburgh then the BAME/Disabled move will backfire badly. I’m sure the NEC would then put pressure on the list winners to suddenly “retire” to spend more time with their families.
Betsy has said what I was thinking. Imagine we found an independence supporting independent candidate to stand against Robertson. What could happen is you split the SNP vote maybe letting a unionist in. Unionist would maybe get list seat in any case. Robertson might get in on the list as well (I’m not sure how that works) but it would be very embarrassing for him. I would happily give to crowdfund it. I’d also canvass doors if it is allowed. What would something like that cost ? Can I ask can Independent candidates get list seats ?
Alex Salmond might still stand on the List.
How deliciously ironic if woke inspired gerrymandering resulted in the head of the antiSNP rolling into irrelevance
Who ever thought Anas Sarwar would become useful?
Lothianlad says on 5 March, 2021 at 8:39 pm
“This post makes me think that sturgeon could be facing her own demise!”
Somebody somewhere will be forced to step aside to accommodate *it*.
Funny how it took them 4 days to communicate these results but half a morning to announce the “news” about 7,000 new members eh. Here’s hoping Rhiannon Spear in particular decides to move onto a different grift.
Brian doon the toon
says:- Having listened to, and blethered with, Tommy Sheridan on independence since 2014, I would crowdfund him to stand for Glasgow Southside – an’ eh’m fae Dundee, iye?
Do you think we should put the yes Bus through to help out 🙂
Runner 118, if the SNP lose two Glasgow seats and if the list vote is much the same as 2016, the SNP would have one list seat (the sixth) and be in a three-way fight with the Conservatives and Greens for the seventh.
Mind you, if people don’t vote SNP in the constituency, why would they do so on the list?
If the unthinkable happened then Ms Salih would have to do the decent thing and commit hara-kiri for the sake of the leaderene!
I disagree that lack of information makes challenge impossible.
Anyone on the list could challenge and demand the information .These are salaried posts and therefor a whole different area of law opens up and ironically that area of law deals with equalities and rights!
I’m sure that all the activists who worked their asses off getting Emma Roddick elected to Highland Council just over a year ago will be delighted by her ambition to move on, and cause a byelection
Despite jolly appearances, Sturgeon is a sociopath. I’d like to see her is a psychiatrist’s chair!
Thinking of starting a prog rock band SPS, Swinson, Portillo and Sturgeon.
No f***ing way that Harper beat McAlpine. I don’t believe them.
Thinking of staring a new prog rock band called SPS , Swinson, Portillo & Sturgeon.
@Scot Finlayson at 8.39
If you have a look at the ISP website and look at the drop down tab on the right entitled “Scottish Voting System” you should see all you need to know for your own area.
For example in Glasgow, should the SNP receive 96333 votes in the list and the ISP receive 14768 then the SNP would not win any seats and the ISP would win 1 seat. This is replicated throughout Scotland.
I just might fancy a small wager on Anas Sarwar for Glasgow southside – should he stand there.
It’s an amusing prospect, but Sturgeon does not need to get 61% of the vote again, or anything close to it. She only needs more votes than any other single candidate. If she can’t beat Anas Sarwar in a straight fight, she has worse problems than anyone has yet imagined.
Emma Roddick?
Leaks to the press like a seive, sacked from her short stint at Holyrood for working her way through journalist pool and covered up for sicko Cllr Richard Laird who should be in jail and not training as a lawyer. I doubt it will be long before she causes big problems in Holyrood.
Emma Roddick?
Leaks to the press like a seive, sacked from her short stint at Holyrood for working her way through journalist pool and covered up for sicko Cllr Richard Laird who should be in jail and not training as a lawyer. I doubt it will be long before she causes big problems in Holyrood. Her only disability is being and a******e.
Wee Chid says:
5 March, 2021 at 9:03 pm
No f***ing way that Harper beat McAlpine. I don’t believe them.
Tin foil hat time. Next thing you will be claiming Jie Biden did not get 80 million votes to make him the most popular President of ALL time.
This is interesting, huge billboards displaying ResignSturgeon.
“The “#ResignSturgeon” message appeared on electronic advertising boards in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen as part of a campaign by Unionist groups The Majority and Scotland Matters.”
link to msn.com
As for the article above it would be a real embarrassment for Sturgeon if Sawar ousts her. Maybe she’s overly confident.
I’m not very au fait with the Holyrood voting system so I may be completely wrong about this. If Sturgeon is defeated for the constituency seat could Roza Salih not just “voluntarily” withdraw leaving Sturgeon to top the list?
Forgot to post earlier Rev.
Kudos on the picture – very apt.
Spear has been chucked again.
Many names above Mennie.
Good news.
My Lothian list-vote will NOT go to the carpet-bagger, he’s a total fud ??
WGW 8.56PM
“…I’d like to see her in a psychiatrist’s chair!”
WGW,,,I’d like to see her in a coffin.
Hope Labour put of a crowd funder for the battle of the leaders.
Ali Salamati is listed in Central Scotland and South Scotland – are they related?
Alan Scott, yes. That could easily happen. However, there is no guarantee that the SNP will win any list seats in Glasgow if they hold all constituencies except Southside.
Lawrence, that comment was not cool.
Graham Campbell doesn’t seem to like white people very much. He certainly spews the American intersectionalist white privilege/supremacist/fragility racist swill quite fluently. A joke.
It’s not the vote that counts but who is counting the vote!
Would NS really stand back and let another candidate take the list seat if she has lost her constituency vote? Hmmm!
All is not lost and how Boris would laugh!
One BAME candidate in West Scotland and she tops the list – no surprise – she’s woke; has one speech she uses in council decrying white privilege; she dusted the speech down again yesterday. the rest of the time you can’t find her; former Labour activist and No voter – it would be interesting to see how many actual votes she got
Vote Anas to unseat the anus.
Quite the diplomatic charmer.
link to twitter.com
Apparently it was 10,000 new members for the SNP this week – according to an e mail received from them today.
I wonder how many resigned last week after hearing Alex’s sessions with the Committee?
Denise says:
5 March, 2021 at 7:50 pm
I’ve a feeling I’m not allowed smilies – sorry
He’ll kill you with hammers
Is it a good time to say people should take Graham Campbell’s advice from 2016, and vote for someone other than the SNP on the list?
“When it comes to the list vote there is some evidence that suggests there can only be more pro-indy MSPs elected if nearly all the vote transfers (i.e most of the switchers who will vote SNP on the constituency ballot but choose another party on the list vote).switch to the next best placed pro-indy party (other than SNP).”
“You will also send the message to the SNP Government that will take office on May 6th and the massive left presence amongst the SNP membership, that the Yes movement for independence is not to be taken for granted as a single party vehicle. ”
[from: link to archive.is
Isn’t this all a bit reminiscent of Labour ahead of the 2007 elections?
Emma Roddick was keen to let us all know that has borderline personality disorder and would be self identifying as disabled for the list:
link to archive.is
Here are the 9 symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder:
– Fear of abandonment. People with BPD are often terrified of being abandoned or left alone.
– Unstable relationships.
– Unclear or shifting self-image.
– Impulsive, self-destructive behaviors.
– Self-harm.
– Extreme emotional swings.
– Chronic feelings of emptiness.
– Explosive anger.
Meet your new MSP for Highlands and Islands, folks. An actual law maker. I kid you not.
New SNP are literally off their heads.
Friend of mine is literally (really!) exploding with anger over the Lothian list. To quote “How the f*** is some guy from Glasgow, who only joined the SNP ‘yesterday’ in the top spot, I don’t know anybody that voted for him”.
Seriously, the SNP have imposed a councillor from Glasgow (Graham Campbell) above all the excellent candidates who actually LIVE in and KNOW Edinburgh?? What an absolute fiddle.
More to the point, that Glasgow councillor bloke must have some brass neck, walking over the Edinburgh candiates, many of whom have been dedicated SNP workers for a long time. He joined the SNP when???????
FOR REFERENCE: Lothians SNP top of the list candidate
link to glasgowtimes.co.uk
AND
link to heraldscotland.com
…And the SNP gravy train for woke careerists and opportunists just rumbles on. What an utter shambles.
For reference, Catriona MacDonald (much lower down the list) is an absolute star.
O/T
For a very long time I have read the writings of an indy supporter on the internet, called grousebeater. I actually don’t know very much about him, except that I have enjoyed his excellent writing. So, I just want to say thanks to him for all of it. People like grousebeater are what this movement is really about.
Despite having several popular, vote winning, potential representatives in the NE we are saddled with Fatima Joji.
I’d like to see the actual votes to see how many people actually voted for this woke clown.
How the fuck are we supposed to vote for the SNP in the list now ????????
Graham Campbell doesn’t seem to like independence much either, or Glaswegian working class people. Only ever see or hear him banging on about slavery and BLM (which are fair and noble things to do), but trying to mention indy or the interests of your constituents would be nice now and then Graham. Wonder which party he’ll be in next year, and the following year…
re ClanDonald
I am left hoping that the SNP by some miracle will win Orkney and or Shetland and give them enough Constituency seats to keep Roddick out.
Giesabrek says:
5 March, 2021 at 9:46 pm
Graham Campbell doesn’t seem to like independence much either, or Glaswegian working class people. Only ever see or hear him virtue signalling.
There, sorted it for you.
Very kind your comment on Eva Comrie.
She IS one of the best.
Been a very good friend for many years.
No doubt whatsoever my second vote will be for her (and incidentally the SNP).
I pity the people in some of the other regions.
Sarwar strikes me as being a bit of an over-privileged lightweight. But this post almost makes me wish I lived in Govan (not quite) so I could help him put NS in her place.
The turnout last time was only 48% so anything could happen.
President Xiden says:
Graham Campbell is a poser who is full of shite and after the money.
There, sorted for us.
How very Sturgeon National Party that they refuse to disclose any numbers or facts behind the vote. Like the NEC decision, members weren’t supposed to know how it was made or who voted for it. Now why would you want to keep that kind of democratic information from members? Unless you had something to hide, and didn’t want members having the nerve to query the decisions and results. Like the Stasi, you are not allowed to know how the elite make decisions or count votes, because they of course know what is best for you. You don’t even know if the vote counts were fair. You know nothing. Just vote for them and don’t ask any questions. Ok, Commissar Nikla, got it.
I’d be supporting Sarwar.
What a thought!
Another, what would Eck have made of the legal advice at his appearance, if it hadn’t been held back until the main players had been up before the committee?
Sir Fortescue Wankworthy. Are you off the Perthsire Wankworthy’s, or the Surrey lineage?
The SNP is so anti-democratic and run worse than the pettiest wee bowling club social committee. Basic democratic and legal requirements of any association, society etc. are ignored by Scotland’s governing party. Pathetic.
So, I thought, just why is their a picture of a car?
Sometimes, the most obvious of things can elude us.
Danish Ashraf and his partner are expecting a child, congratulations to them. link to twitter.com However, he seems to be assuming the child will be a boy or a girl, so is possibly not as woke as we might fear.
Bob Costello @ 8:52
“Having listened to, and blethered with, Tommy Sheridan on..”
It really is telling that Solidarity is the only indy party proposing a plebiscite election on independence.
If any political party wants to clearly differentiate their manifesto offer to indy voters a plebiscite is the way to do it.
I was once told that membership of the Ruling Communist Party was by invitation only. The SNP Lists have the smack of that about them. Thank God there are no Armour Brigades in Sturgeons Scotland and also that our Foreign Rulers have decimated the Army here.
Ian says,
“Who wants to place money on Roza Salih suddenly not being able to take her list seat if Nicola Sturgeon doesn’t get elected in the constituency?”
That would be a sure winner.
Sturgeon is the most wicked woman in the history of Scotland.
Even if they still burned witches, they wouldn’t have been able to touch her.
She owes everything she has politically to Alex Salmond, yet she conspired to put him in jail on false charges of rape, for the sole purpose that her position in power could not be at any risk from him.
She is pure evil.
The only way to damage her is not to give either vote to the SNP.
Folks don’t complain afterwords if you give either of your votes to the SNP.
The first consequence almost certainly will be the Rev. Stuart Campbell giving up Wings Over Scotland.
That would be a double victory for the corrupt and criminal leadership of the SNP party and government.
Shame on Craig Murray, who claims to be a friend of the Rev. Stuart Campbell, for advocating both votes SNP.
He often posts on this blog. Could he come and post his reasoning for both votes SNP.
Tommy Sheridan gave a very good explanation as to why the list vote should not go to the SNP.
Every vote for the SNP will be treated as a vote for Sturgeon to bring in legislation we all know is against the interests of the vast majority.
It’s Roddy Dunlops Robert.
We helped buy it.
🙂
Ruling Communist party of China I meant to say.
So Kate Forbes was promoted into a job quicker than expected after the last guy sent sleezy texts to a teenager, has done a not bad job despite being young and relatively inexperienced, made hard and difficult decisions and as thanks she gets punted into 2nd place because she doesn’t have a disability? How’s that for a kick in the baws?
We’re in a pandemic fgs, we need people who are going to get us out this, preferably people that are experienced in government.
SNP are surely going for the scorched earth policy. Are they determined to lose this election?
Can’t imagine Roza Salih not stepping aside if NS lost the seat.
Oh, that’s a wee shame about Rhiannon Spear.
And after all her attempts to win us over with her sparkling wit and repartee.
I pointed this out weeks ago when this was originally announced. It takes a special kind of hubris to forget how the list has been used as a tactical belt and braces to retain the “rejected elected” in Holyrood against the wishes of the people.
Should Nicola Sturgeon lose her seat she needs to rely on enough other constituencies being lost to keep her in the game.
link to anindependentscotsman.wordpress.com
A few years ago I petitioned Holyrood to bring an end to constituency MSP’s using the list to prevent them being sacked by the electorate. The SNP rejected that for reasons listed in the parliamentary response below. It now seems through their own gross stupidity they have decided to adopt it anyway.
link to anindependentscotsman.wordpress.com
@ Lost
It is also of note that Kate Forbes has been in the sights of some of the rainbow coloured faction within the SNP since she took on the post of finance minister last year.
Time to sit back with a wee dram or three of Bunnahabhain and listen to Grateful Dead’s Simple Twist of Fate….
What is it they say. My enemies enemy is my friend! Lol.
Nicola took a while to get a seat in Glasgow. She was a list MSP for a while from memory.
Govan people can be fickle.
Why don’t we club together, buy a flat in Govan, and all register as voters?
Please if you live in Lothian speak to everyone you know from now to polling day NOT to vote SNP on the list. Graham Campbell is the most obnoxious of the Wokerati. He is also a racist in the true sense of the word. I know there are other bad candidates but he is truly awful. Vote for anybody but SNP on the list.
We have enough incompetents without Campbell. The “Socialist” who went to a select Private School in England (yes you guessed correctly)
link to caltonjock.com
Within three hours of the Government being served notice of the interim interdict application, details of the charges of sexual harassment against Alex Salmond were illegally released to journalist David Clegg, a writer for the Daily Record, by a Government source. Clegg immediately posted all of the information to his Twitter account. A “spoiler” designed to pre-empt the imminent issue of the interim interdict thus preventing any disclosure of any matter pertaining to the investigation.
Vote out the Sturgeon regime by not giving either vote to the SNP.
Launch a genuine independence supporting party.
Make the next Westminster election a plebiscite election on independence. The Rev. Stuart Campbell has already written the manifesto for the plebiscite election to be adopted by the new party.
I am sorry to say that at the moment the rag tag list only independence parties are in no credible position to offer a plebiscite election. Who in their right mind thinks they will achieve more than 50% of the vote in total?
In any case, an election for a devolved parliament on such a platform is highly unlikely to be accepted internationally.
Weaken the SNP as much as possible in the Scottish election and then lay the ground to take the battle to Westminster in 3 years’ time.
Alex Salmond waited for 3 years to give us a referendum which almost brought us independence.
In 3 years’ time from now it should be possible for a genuine independence party to win a plebiscite Westminster election.
TNS2019 says:
“The complete lack of transparency is the most worrying aspect, essential in any democracy. Only those engaged in wrong-doing need fear scrutiny.”
But when will that come?
When and from where is the question TNS2019. Hard to say, but we must hope that it does or we are all doomed.
In reply to Brian Doonthetoon:
I’d vote for Tommy Sheridan, I’ve never met him and I don’t know him personally. But I’ve listened many times at the All Under one Banner rallies. The guy speaks my language. He would ruffle the feathers of the Edinburgh elite. He’s incredibly passionate. That’s what Scotland needs in its fight for Independence. I’m voting Action for Independence on the list for Tommy Sheridan.
Definitely want to see numbers as can’t believe Roddick came top in Highlands & Islands! Only good news is no one fell for Spear’s wee Island girl act. Looks like I will be voting ISP.
@Lost says 10 05pm
Generally I like Kate Forbes. She needs too develop her own persona rather than be a mini me Sturgeon. Perhaps a future leader?. She’s wrong about LBTT. After all we need to he able to get out.
Expect a broadside from Josh Aaron’s ma.
I hope the first thing Emma Roddick does is apologise to the victims of Richard Laird and her involvement in preventing him being prosecuted by the police. She talks (rightly so) about the victims of sexual crimes but has done nothing to protect children from this beast. Apologise now!
OT Anyone ken whit’s with several Indy twitter accounts putting cherries images in their names?
Hmm… Cherry… Jeggit was on about something the other day.
link to twitter.com
By whatever means: she’s gone.
So Graham Campbell says Rasta la Vista to Glasgow and will be, until May at least, in his beloved Edinburgh.
Alas, I think the chances of Sarwar winning in Glasgow Southside are basically zilch.
That said, I still have hopes that new options will be made available to us in the election; allowing us to focus power more effectively in just the right spots.
Well it all will be interesting, I will watch with interest. I certainly won’t be helping with canvassing.
In Mid Scotland SNP are crowd funding for May election by email. I imagine this is across the whole of Scotland, given they have no funds for the election.
Does the list work by the single trans vote system or what?
The “Play stupid games, win stupid prizes” award goes to the SNP for this lolerific turn of events.
The British nationalists haven’t forgotten how she celebrated after the Lib Dems were decapitated in 2019. Oops.
There are still many missing the point. We need to hit the SNP hard to convince them that corruption is NOT an option. I will be NO VOTES SNP this time. I do not wish to endorse them in any way. If I have options on the list for ISP or Solidarity or AFI, then I will use my list vote for one of them. However, I will not support the Greens either.
The SNP need held to account. I know that people will vote for them (as the YES movement is split), but it will not be me. Nor will it be family members, I believe. This will be repeated elsewhere and should take a chunk away from them, but still leaving them many votes, but nowhere near as many seats as before. The list vote will generate more seats for ISP, AFI or Solidarity than it ever could for the SNP with the d’hondt system.
The best situation In my opinion would be for the SNP to need the ISP and/or Solidarity, or candidates under the umbrella of the AFI In order to form a majority. So we need to make this happen. The only way to do this is to vote ISP, AFI or Solidarity on the list to guarantee enough seats.
Voting for SNP twice would be a disaster.
Skip_NC 9.30pm
Skip, do you know why Sturgeon and the English walk over the top of Snowflake pricks like you,,, BECAUSE YOU ARE ALL JUST TOO FUCKIN NICE.
@David H 10:25 pm
I have only 2 transactions with Tommy Sheridan. He impressed me both times. I don’t share his politics but the sort of person I want in Holyrood.
@Aquarius,
cheers for that , will check out the ISP web site,
link to isp.scot
How much did the inquiry we just had cost us? I sometimes wonder if, like the Salmond and Hirst trials, which cost the perpetrators nothing to stage, cos they don’t pay for them, if loon-filled lists like the ones above…
…ah, you know what? I don’t even care anymore. Sick of even thinking about this braindead shite. In the immortal words of Hunter S Thompson, “FUCK THESE PEOPLE.” I feel my IQ lowering the second I start contemplating these vapid, careerist, selfie-serving fucks.
@Dan
I believe it is in support of Joanna Cherry.
Bill Cowan says:
5 March, 2021 at 9:51 pm
Very kind your comment on Eva Comrie.
She IS one of the best.
Been a very good friend for many years.
No doubt whatsoever my second vote will be for her (and incidentally the SNP).
I pity the people in some of the other regions.
Agree wholeheartedly with this comment. I have been wondering how to vote in May and I’m planning to wait to see the manifesto before making a final decision but Eva being top of the List means NOT voting for Swinney will give her a better chance. Could be an interesting constituency vote here!
I agree with Skip, wishing death on NS is completely out of order- and apart from anything else just gives the moral high ground to her supporters. I have a feeling that “Lawrence” might have been “Ronald Fraser” or various other trolls in a past life.
Also, Graham Campbell is such a roaster that the unionists will gleefully use him as a bogeyman. His ludicrous US-style race politics is crucifying Labour in England and will have the same effect here. He will be a real liability to the party, the guy brought up by unionist commentators time and again.
So the one actual transperson on the H&I list is last?
@DickieT 5 March, 2021 at 7:49 pm
“I thought the pile of laundry with a face was standing?”
I thought Ian Blackford was staying an MP anyway.
Someone was wondering if rhiannon would end up standing in the Neil gray by-election (that’s still a thing for MPs right)
Get a grip. We can’t celebrate Tory and Labour taking SNP seats.
In well hacked of with SNP and cancelled my membership but I’d
vote Attila The Hun before I’d vote for more Westminster abuse
and blocking Scottish democracy.
SNP nor Attila will be getting the second vote. That’s ISP.
Loosing lots of seats by any means is then taken as the sign we
want the Union for ever and ever and steps to lock us in will be taken.
A Person
Sturgeon and the English just love a Snow flake.
So we’ll just continue to be ever so nice to these BASTARDS, shall we?
That strategy is working a fuckin treat isn’t it?
Get real folks. There is absolutely no chance of Nicola Sturgeon losing Glasgow Southside, Anas and his mum and the voters from every other unionist party don’t have the votes to unseat her. If she did lose and the rest of Glasgow turned against the SNP – and that’s what it would take then 2 things: 1. The SNP has no majority or close to a majority in Holyrood so someone else would be FM, and b. The top SNP candidate on the list would resign from her new msp status, and allow Nicola at No2 to take her place. Either way, not going to happen.
@Tannadice Boy at 10:42 pm
“I have only 2 transactions with Tommy Sheridan. He impressed me both times. I don’t share his politics but the sort of person I want in Holyrood.”
Isn’t he banned from standing anyway for the time he spent sewing up mailbags for Lizzie ?
Roza Salih is a nice lassie, with I reckon a fair conceit of herself. First time I spoke to her, she introduced herself as, which I knew, one of the “Glasgow Girls”. Hardly even turned out for canvassing. School, university, then, I believe, given a job with a union. Live experience, not a lot.
Maybe I could volunteer for Sarwar. My enemies enemy.
@Effigy 11:02pm
Scottish democracy look no further than getting rid of Sturgeon. I am glad you used Attila the Hun as a reference point and not me. Tomorrow a long awaited catch up call with my brothers. The 4 of us SNP voters including my policeman brother, double gallantry award, as we are never tired of hearing. However it’s my other brother hard case SNP, as we call him the ‘Luca Brasi’ of the SNP. I will be in listening mode. What is he going to say?.
Stu, you always rated the chances of Sturgeon leaving office over the Salmond scandal of around 80%.
Even though she looks guilty as sin to anyone who has been following things properly, she seems to have breezed through things so far. And even if Hamilton rules she has broken the code, I have no doubt she will just point at Boris/Patel and have no issue in getting through things. Its a shame, but it seems to be the reality.
So what chance is there now of her going, in your opinion?
Well under 50%?
If Tommy Sheridan is the answer then we really are asking the wrong question. Sorry but true.
No doubt Salih would be well compensated for withdrawing to allow the next on the list to replace her, as I believe is how it works with list MSPs.
@Budgie (11.28) –
What has Tommy Sheridan ever said or done to justify that comment?
Seriously?
What is your problem with someone who just wants to see general fairness in society?
Not ‘pragmatic’ enough for you?
Kryst. This is democracy “new SNP2” stylee? This from the party that used to take great pride in it’s democracy and transparency?
Even funnier if Alex salmond stood as a list candidate and got in
@Budgie 11:28pm
True to you. Not to me. We need characters in Holyrood not the sort we have at the moment. Parliamentarians? They have to ask Nicola if they can be excused to go the toilet. I don’t share Tommy’s politics but I share his passion for his country. And he is a Celtic supporter! but I would shake his hand. Anyway I have Luca Brasi on tomorrow his opinions about the SNP are important.
Please let Sarwar win. Anything is possible, I mean, Trump became President and the Herald has hired some real journalistic talent in recent weeks…
James- Events dear boy, events.
There is still time for something to come out about Sturgeon. Salmond has been kind to her so far, but there will be seedy things he knows about her.
Also with group cover ups. There is usually one who’s moral conscience gets the better of them, and kaboom they leak some evidence.
She has bought time, not won a victory.
Budgie says:
5 March, 2021 at 11:28 pm
If Tommy Sheridan is the answer then we really are asking the wrong question. Sorry but true.
What is the right question, wise and mighty budgie?
Beaker- I bet the words Sarwar and win, would have been the most unlikely thing you would have said a year ago.
We live in strange times, and sometimes we have to court one enemy to remove the real enemy.
Vote for Sarwar?
Decisions decisions
People who stand in the constituencies should not e allowed to stand in the lists!
Big Jock 11.55
Totally agree
Would you really want Sturgeon in control of an independent Scotland???
Budgie says:
5 March, 2021 at 11:28 pm
If Tommy Sheridan is the answer then we really are asking the wrong question. Sorry but true.
For concentrated,impacted faeces in word form, you take the world fucking cup;
If Tommy Sheridan is the answer
If the question is ‘who is the host of tommy talks’ then it is, or any other question relating to the person.
I am sure tommy has a robust sense of self,and he’s fucking needed it, but I have never heard him declare that he is ‘the answer’.
As TS is not an abstract noun, so he cannot be another.
Sorry but true.
How and why?
Wing over Dodge Viper?
Vertical supports look a bit spindly.
Lawrence says:
6 March, 2021 at 12:10 am
Would you really want Sturgeon in control of an independent Scotland???
No, but that is a very speculative concern.
steelewires says:
6 March, 2021 at 12:07 am
People who stand in the constituencies should not e allowed to stand in the lists!
That would work against established parties, who are so sclerotic in their popularity,membership and hence candidates, might evaporate like the dust they are.
Dixon Inform, Me? A snowflake? Aye right. If I were in Scotland, I would oppose Nicola Sturgeon with every fibre of my being (no, I’m not David Cameron). However, that is a long way from wishing death on someone. If Lawrence were referring to a metaphorical coffin (ie, for her political career) I would agree, although I daresay John Swinney wouldn’t.
How many of us, of a certain age, remember arguing politics, without rancour, with opponents who were also friends? I know I do. That is what any democracy needs. Has that died out in Scotland as it has here in the USA?
How I would love the embarrassing situation, but this is a man who’s family paid below minimum wage to their employees , who’s family have had their own corruption trials. C,mon . Let her be beaten by someone who is honourable and support someone who is a good politician. Asians will not vote on mass with Sarwar. Their name is mud in the South Side A wee friendly £5 wager from a Crossmyloof boy that will not happen.
@Morgatron says:
6 March, 2021 at 12:35 am
“Their name is mud in the South Side A wee friendly £5 wager from a Crossmyloof boy that will not happen.”
Perhaps, but everyone laughed when Trump said he was entering the Presidential race.
I really hope For Women Scotland follow through with the idea of standing independents in some of these key seats. Robertson’s and Humza’s in particular. They have already said if those candidates got elected they would abstain on any constitutional issues or votes.
Beaker perhaps that why Trump only served one term.
I would not be surprised if the wokesters get to work attacking constituency candidates in order to assist their #1 list woke pals.
Skip
Skip_NC says:
6 March, 2021 at 12:30 am
Dixon Inform, Me? A snowflake? Aye right. If I were in Scotland, I would oppose Nicola Sturgeon with every fibre of my being (no, I’m not David Cameron). However, that is a long way from wishing death on someone. If Lawrence were referring to a metaphorical coffin (ie, for her political career) I would agree, although I daresay John Swinney wouldn’t.
I am not with dixon
How many of us, of a certain age, remember arguing politics, without rancour, with opponents who were also friends? I know I do. That is what any democracy needs. Has that died out in Scotland as it has here in the USA?
It hasn’t died out.
Like the rest of the world it’s just under threat, with only first or last responders.
All we have is us.
Just to put out there, I detest what Sturgeon and the SNP have become and that’s as a party member for 40 years. But Sarwar is not the answer or the Anwar. It’s a dedicated, honest politician , that’s all I want, who will fight for independence. Not much to ask for.
Skip NC – Scotland nicks all its worst political riffs from America. Hence the mess we are tragically in.
Any suggestion that the Government legal advisors considered the Procedure itself to be flawed?
.
BOY GEORGE AND GIRL NICOLA DUET
KARMA CHAMELEON
If I listen to your lies, would you say
I’m a man (a man) without conviction
I’m a man (a man) who doesn’t know
How to sell (to sell) a referendum.
Nick comes and goes without a decision.
Karma, karma, karma, karma, karma chameleon
I will be voting no, I vote oh no to the Woke.
Loving would be easy if your promises were true and clean
Buy your wicked words are all lies and you ain’t no Queen
You used to be so sweet I heard you say
That there’d be a referendum one day, was I wrong?
Your words they pong. Nicola Soon your gone to Dreghorn.
The big joke is a Woke has done you in.
First Minister Sturgeon’s in the bin, for her sin
The pockled list and names all have a game
But like a Woke boomerang they’ve stuffed your BAME
When you go (you go), you’re gone forever
You string along, you string along
Our referendum to you is just so wrong
Like Cosy Pete’s smelly feet, your words
All pong, how they pong.
It’s strange, but the lyrics of the actual song resonate a wee bit with Nicolas possible political fate…
link to m.youtube.com
————————————————
#IStandWithoutNicola
Hi Guys and Stu thanks for another informative and interesting article. My name has featured in a few posts tonight so I thought it would be appropriate to clarify a few matters. Firstly to those who mentioned me fondly thank you. The world is already a cluster-fuck so the odd bit of kindness now and then is necessary to challenge the hate and spite. Clearly I am not everyone’s cup of tea and that is absolutely fine by me. I stand for an independent socialist republic in Scotland but realise the only way to ever attain that goal is via independence first. My vision is not shared by everyone. I despise the royal family. Detest NATO. Believe we should have our own currency. And would oppose rejoining the EU. However me and my party Solidarity are not standing candidates at this election because we have joined Action For Independence (AFI) in response to their appeal for smaller pro-independence parties to come together under a single policy platform and banner – independence.
Some will argue more policies are required but when you seek to build an alliance of individuals and parties around a common cause the simpler the message the better. AFI is for a socially just and environmentally sustainable independent Scotland. That is a progressive Scotland. A fairer Scotland. Elected AFI MSPs will of course pursue other progressive issues and oppose repressive legislation but their priority number one will always be independence. The May election should be a plebiscite election. It won’t be because the SNP leadership lack the guts to declare such a position. However an independence majority Parliament must not be allowed to backslide further and avoid the single most important issue – IndyRef2. We have been promised it at least five or six times without meaningful intent. The SNP government have had no one holding their feet to the fire on the issue. The Greens have let the independence movement down in that regard. A proper pro-independence group is required.
It is unpopular to suggest voting SNP with your constituency vote amongst some readers and contributors on Wings. That is fine and I respect your views. However I believe you are wrong. I believe, despite the deceit and malice directed against AS and others like Mark Hirst and Craig Murray, we need to argue for both votes independence, Scotland the cause before any single party. Until another vehicle is formed, if at all, the SNP remains the principal and most credible party of independence. It is wrong to endorse or promote any of the unionists. They are all for Britain. We are for Scotland. They are never our friends. They are our opponents and sometimes our enemies.
So as far as Solidarity and AFI is concerned we believe SNP 1 and AFI 2 is necessary to deliver a super independence majority and maximise the power of the independence vote. I realise this position will deter some of you from supporting AFI. That’s life. I am not willing to bend principles to suit particular audiences. Integrity is priceless and principles are non-negotiable. Breaking the rotten British Union is our priority and a super-Indy majority after May 6th is a step toward that goal.
Being liked is all well and good. No one wants to be hated or unpopular. But being up-front and honest is much more important. I implore the ISP to join with AFI before the AFI National conference next weekend. Bring your candidates and policies and share places on the eight regional lists. Failure to do so will weaken the potential of ISP and AFI to win electoral breakthroughs. Combatting the disastrous and selfish Both Votes SNP strategy will be hard enough with a united alternative Indy party List but will be significantly tougher with two options competing for the same 2nd votes.
The number of constituencies the SNP win will increase. Their resultant List placings will decline further. They rose from 53 constituencies to 59 in 2016 but lost 12 List seats as a result. That is how the mixed D’Hondt Party List system works. It is not sophistry it is fact. Hundreds of thousands of 2nd votes are up for grabs or they will assist unionists being elected again. Even the 4 List seats SNP won in 2016 are likely to be lost. Check out the Report and explanations on the AFI website http://www.afi.scot
We are all here collectively disappointed and angry that a good and decent man has had his reputation traduced and his liberty threatened so maliciously. It is disgraceful. However the cause of independence remains to be fought and pursued regardless. I wish Alex would re-enter the political arena with his own organisation or join AFI and lead the List challenge. That would raise our spirits and guarantee a genuine pro-independence group was elected, perhaps even the official opposition in Holyrood. But Alex may be physically and mentally drained and exhausted now and not willing to pick up the baton. That is understandable but still a pity and missed opportunity.
The fight goes on. My old friend the late Bob Crow, the RMT trade union leader, used to always opine that if you you fight you might win but if you don’t fight you’ll never win. That was sage advice. AFI is fighting for independence and 2nd votes in May. I hope you consider joining us or at least supporting us.
.
Ah,
That is the real Tommy Sheridan posting under his own name.
Tommy, thank you for writing such an interesting and helpful post.
You are spot on about this not being a popularity contest, but an honesty contest.
As alway, you speeches and words resonate, even if there is sometimes disagreement.
It is the well argued case that Stuart Campbell, Craig Murray, Kenny MacAskill and now Tommy Sheridan presents that helps direct votes to where they can do the best for Scotland.
Thank you Tommy.
The fight goes on. My old friend the late Bob Crow, the RMT trade union leader, used to always opine that if you you fight you might win but if you don’t fight you’ll never win. That was sage advice. AFI is fighting for independence and 2nd votes in May. I hope you consider joining us or at least supporting us
Quite right, an snp constituency vote + an alternative list vote would be ideal, if both had the same ambition.
I have no faith that a sturrell led party would ally with an active, pro self determinition party.
Thay would/will call them unsophisticated brutes, with no respect for the law, or the intracies of power.
@revstu
Can you ask your labour contact to tell Ansar to back independence? Then we could all vote labour.
Dr Peter ISP says:
5 March, 2021 at 8:02 pm
Sheridan is not eligible for election having an unspent conviction for perjury if you recall. There was some talk of him standing for AFI, I wonder if they have realised his ineligibility. Though word is they are standing 4 on the list in each region. That is both optimistic and expensive.
* * * * *
Let’s be clear about this: Sheridan was convicted in 2011 for three years, so his conviction has long passed (five years from the date of conviction as it was a “corrupt practice”).
And I quote:
“You are also disqualified under the Representation of the People Act 1983 (as amended), if you have been convicted or have been reported guilty of a corrupt or illegal electoral practice or of an offence relating todonations.
The disqualification for an illegal practice begins from the date a person has been reported guilty by an election court or convicted and lasts for three years.
The disqualification for a corrupt practice begins from the date a person has been reported guilty by an election court or convicted and lasts for five years.”
Source: link to electoralcommission.org.uk
The Independence for Scotland Party having been using the comments section to give themselves free plugs daily for a while now.
Fair enough, so have others.
When however it turns into telling what appears to be a downright lie about the elligibility of the “competition” for the pissed-off Nat vote to even stand, all they’re doing is confirming fears they’re just more of the same that’s got so many of us disillusioned with Scottish politics in the first place.
@ Rev. Stuart Campbell at 12.42
Yes, “the deposit is £500 regardless of how many names are on the nomination form” (link to tinyurl.com) – page 14 (labelled 13 because of blank page earlier).
Ha. I bet the Twitler Youth are having kittens while reading this. Hahahaha. My system doesn’t do smiley Howling faces.
@ Mark Boyle at 1.56
Ah, I see Rev Stu’s question which I’ve just answered was prompted by the post you’ve responded to, from the Commenter-formerly-known-as-muscleguy, who made the same error about costs a few weeks ago.
Back then he claimed the ISP could not afford more than 2 candidates per region. I drafted a post to enlighten him (and anyone else interested), but felt too much time had elapsed, and changed my mind.
Now that it’s been mentioned again, it is worth posting.
I hope someone else in the ISP is better-informed.
.
HI Brian Doonthetoon,
I must live near you if you are in Dundee (not asking, just weird that we’ve probably walked past each other at Dundee Law or by the statue of Desperate Dan).
Especially as we were both SNP before all this Sturgeonite McWoke alleged framing of Alex Salmond took place and Dundee was rightfully proud of being a YES city at IndyRef1.
Brian, I am with you in being happy to help with a crowdfunder for Tommy Sheridan to stand as an AFI MSP candidate (hopefully AFI combined with ISP by then).
Are he hearing that Tommy? ? ???. Best get your crowdfunder going. I’m a Weegie, born and bred and Anas Sarwar’s family name is a mud on the south side. Tommy, are ye up fae it?
It’s a false dichotomy to consider the answer at Glasgow Southside to be a choice between Nicola the McWokeist dirker of Alex Salmond OR the Unionist Anas Sarwar.
Far, far better to have a GENUINELY Scottish IndyRef2 guaranteed candidate for us pro-indys to support than God forbid voting for Sarwar to get rid of Sturgeon, Especially if south Weegies had a barnstorming speaker who will be part of the LIST campaign to elect 15 to 30 IndyRef2 guaranteed MSPs.
It would be unlikely Alex of Kenny/Joanna/Craig Murray would stand against Nicola Sturgeon LIST wise. But Tommy Sheridan is one of the most eloquent firebrand speaker’s in the country. He would be an asset to Holyrood to boot if BACK in as an MSP at the LIST overarching the south side.
Also, I trust Tommy to work to achieve Scottish Independence first.
.
—————————————
Brian Doonthetoon says:
5 March, 2021 at 7:38 pm
Having listened to, and blethered with, Tommy Sheridan on independence since 2014, I would crowdfund him to stand for Glasgow Southside – an’ eh’m fae Dundee, iye?
@Morgatron says:
6 March, 2021 at 12:42 am
“Beaker perhaps that why Trump only served one term.”
He still won. No one is infallible in politics.
This is something I’ve been mulling over for a while. Closed/open list in a true proportional representation (PR) system vs. consistuency+additional member system as used in Scotland.
Lots of ire and ridicule have been directed at Murdo Fraser, who never won a consistuency seat but always got in on the list.
Now, if 15 or 20 or whatever percent of people in that region vote tory, they should be represented in parliament. That it’s always Murdo is up to the local tory party: they place him on top of the list and the tory voters don’t seem to mind.
When Holyrood was first concieved in 1997,1998, the main architects were the British Labour, LibDem, Conservative parties. I don’t know how much input the SNP had, but they probably went gladly along with the closed list system. Party retains control. All politicl parties have that authoritarian streak.
Closed list system means that a party controls the election. They decide who gets to run for consistuency seats and who gets to run, and in what order, on the list.
It means a political party can force feed you a candidate you eeally don’t like because you like the party in general and want to vote for them.
The parties are still in control.
Full, free PR systems have OPEN lists. Each party puts forth a number of candidates, in alphabetical order (so Aamos Aalto does have an unfair advantage over Zachris Zetterberg), each are assigned a number. Voting is writing the number of your preferred candidate on the ballot card.
Then it gets interesting. The votes are counted and each party list is ranked according to how many votes each candidate got. Zachris Zetterberg is well-known and well-liked locally, Aamos Aalto is some nobody, so ZZ gets more votes than AA. Kaarina Koponen and Maija Meikäläinen and all the others get ranked by the voters. Not by the party, not by their names – although up the alphabet names have an advantage – people are lazy and they know they’re mostly voting for the party so they tend to pick the first acceptable name to them.
So the first round of counting votes ranks the candidates within each list. Then you count how many votes each list got (usually a party, sometimes an election pact of two or more parties standing on a common list).
The d’Hondt method we use means that after counting raw votes, the top candidate on each list is allocated all the votes for that list, the 2nd allocated a half, the 3rd a third, the 4th a quarter, the 5th a fifth of the total votes for the list.
Now the votes are turned into a “comparision number” for each candidate (your votes/your ranking x total votes for your list). Simpler than it sounds.
These “comparison numbers” are then compared across each list. Say, the electoral region has five seats. The five candidates with the highest “comparison number” get elected.
It’s not a perfect system, but one of the beauties is that the parties don’t get to decide the ranking. So each seat is more “earned” than Murdo Frazer’s.
One of the problems is parties inviting celebrities (sportspeople, musicians etc.) to stand on their list to boost votes for their list. The eventually highest ranked candidates, who get the best “comparison number” might not be the ones a party might’ve wanted. Haha!
(That said, some former “celebrities”, who got elected kind of accidentally the first time, have become decent parlamentarians, re-elected on their political merits.)
None of this is possible in the UK, Scotland, because the parties decide the list ranking, and that’s why it’s such an unedifying, gerrymandered scramble within parties.
Anyway, I think this way is better than a party deciding the ranking for us.
lumilumi
“ Each party puts forth a number of candidates, in alphabetical order (so Aamos Aalto does have an unfair advantage over Zachris Zetterberg),”
—————
Why in alphabetical order?
Why not choose position on the ballot paper by chance so that the front of the alphabet does not get an unfair advantage?
That’s how it’s done in Australia. An official from the Electoral Commission, in the presence of the candidates, drawers candidates names from a hat in the order they will appear on the ballot paper.
🙂
@ Rikali
I don’t know why alphabetical order. Maybe because that was how it was first done when we moved from a closed list system to an open list system. Maybe all the A to K MPs voted down all the L to Ö MPs? (Ö is the last letter in our alphabet. After X Y Z, we have Å Ä Ö.)
Anyway, drawing the names = order from a hat sounds like a great idea. Whoever gets the unfair advantage of being the first name on the list would’ve been decided by chance. The others still have a fair chance if they’re well-known locally, run a good campaign etc.
The main point is that a party does not decide the order of list candidates when votes are counted. The voters do.
In a closed list system party top brass might really want candidate CC to be elected so places candidate CC first on the list. If the party gets one (or more) list places, candidate CC is elected to the parliament, and party top brass is happy.
In an open list system, party top brass favourite candidate CC is there among all other candidates of the party. The people, the voters who vote for that particular party, decide the ranking.
The party top brass might campaign for candidate CC more than their other list candidates, but candidate CC might be quite loathsome, so few but party faithful vote for CC and CC ends up 5th ranked on the list. The party itself does well and takes 4 places. But party top brass favourite CC is left out, nahnahnah, because the voters didn’t like CC. So there.
Seen some comments from SNP wets that it is ‘out of order’ egging on people to vote against Sturgeon.
You gotta laugh really… It was not ‘out of order’ apparently to attempt to stitch-up a political rival and send an innocent man to likely die in prison but egging on people to vote against the ring leader of the aforementioned plot is ‘out of order’…
My views on this have crystallized. Two things have emerged with complete clarity.
I am a massive supporter of independence.
I am massively opposed to this incarnation of the SNP.
I don’t see a contradiction in this anymore and in fact I am shouting it from the rooftops at this point.
I supported independence when the SNP were nothing (MP and MSP wise) and I see this as just the same situation now. I support independence but I have no representation.
I don’t think I am alone in this stance. Give me an independence party to vote for because there is no chance whatsoever, NONE, that I will vote for this abomination SNP we have today under Nicola Sturgeon (or that fat rat wank Robertson either).
I feel like that fecking movie… “Build it and they will come”.
That is very true of a new independence party. We desperately need it at this point.
So looking at this list, it looks like there will not be a BAME candidate elected if current polling is correct. So this has been a complete waste of time fir BAME candidates. Emma Harper did not need to declare herself to get into the top 3 who are likely to get a seat, but she did it to get passed her two current parliamentary colleagues. So there was no real need for for this mechanism for disabled candidates as the parliament already had MSPs with hidden disabilities. So what this has done is ensure that Emma Roddick gets past Tom Wills who would be a genuine addition to parliament. The same Emma Roddick who had to be forcibly removed from Holyrood for her bizarre behaviour and being utterly useless when she worked for the party.
This has backfired spectacularly and all it has done is lose votes and ensure that the truly awful Emma Roddick will get into Holyrood with only a handful of votes. The only saving grace is that Rhiannon Spear will be nowhere near the reins of power and will hopefully take the hint. Maree Todd only scraped through as a list MSP in the Highlands last time, so if there is a big constituency vote and Andy Whightman takes votes off SNP then Roddick may be blocked from getting a seat.
I think if Sturgeon was in charge of an independent Scotland. This site would be closed and half of us arrested.
That’s how dangerous she is.
Although I believe he might a wokie, Stefan Hoggan-Radu deserves some respect for not declaring a disability. He would have topped the mid Scotland and Fife list rather than being near the bottom.
I’d be worried if I were Angus Robertson, there are rumours of a high profile spoiler candidate in the constituency!
Do Rastas not believe women are inferior and homosexuality is verboten?
@Dr Peter ISP
I think you’ll find that under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, for those adults who were awarded a prison sentence between two and a half and four years, their conviction is spent after the period of their sentence, plus 7 years.
Consequently, in the case of Mr Sheridan, he was sentenced to 3 years in prison in January 2011, meaning that his conviction was spent in January 2021.
Why won’t the ISP join AFI? Why weaken the second vote? A sure sign they don’t get politics
So the smooth ascent of the bogus rasta ( Jah no irie with dem Manlady tings mon , seen ? ) Mr Haile Unlikely himself Colin Campbell continues apace , amazing what having the ” right ” credentials and connections can do to facilitate promotion in New Scottish ( don’t mention ) National Party .
All the people in Castlemilk , Pollok , Easterhouse etc must be so grateful and admiring of CC’s brave stance against the evil of Glasgow street names , that will secure their jobs and guarantee their futures eh ?
Babylon ? Na , just babble on CC . And remember any criticism is just that heinous cocktail of ” White Privilege and White Fragility ” and can be safely dismissed as such .
Given the utter carnage that the corrupt liar Sturgeon and her husband have waged on the country and the SNP could this present an opportunity for a well organised campaign by disaffected former SNP members to kick her out of politics for good?
We all know she needs to go, in fact we also all know that in any fully functioning democracy she would currently be awaiting criminal trial for what she has done but if by some miracle she manages to limp to the election and then get re-elected what we have seen over the last couple of years will be nothing compared to what she will do next! I believe she would finish the job of corrupting government and justice beyond repair and the next time she tries to jail a political opponent it won’t even make it into the news let alone be the subject of a car crash holyrood inquiry.
Further I believe that when she is finally gone from power the lee l of corruption that would be uncovered by any even semi competent successor would be jaw dropping.
So is this a possibility? Can the country rid itself of this wannabe tinpot dictator?
President Xiden says:
5 March, 2021 at 9:13 pm
Nothing to do with tin foil hats. I believe Harper has played the disability card – and over one who has far more reason to do so but who is far more principled.
MSM still defending Sturgeon today.
You know you are on the wrong side, when the likes of Brian Taylor are sticking up for Sturgeon’s performance.
The truth is gradually seeping out though.
Another quirk of the open list system. Parties can form “electoral alliances” to stand their candidates on the same list.
Say, there’s an electoral region with 7 seats up for grabs. Polling shows big parties Z, Y and Z will take at least 5 comfortably. Smaller party A and smaller party B might not take any seats alone but if they make an electoral alliance, they might take one or two seats between them.
Say, party A has a well-known national figure with a huge personal vote and hopeless no-name candidates, party B has several well-kent local candidates and a fairly strong local voter base.
All the votes for party A big name and no-names count towards the list total. All the votes for party B solid candidates count towards the list total. Thanks to party A big name the list alliance now has enough votes to get at least one (party A big name), probably two seats, the second going to the most popular party B candidate, who ended up ranked second on their shared list. Alone, neither party would’ve got a seat but together they got two.
Yeah, electoral methematics in a fully PR D’Hondt method system sometimes gets a bit weird. But we know it. We’re taught it at school. Our political culture is different.
Scotland is still so hung up on the archaic FPTP system and the political culture it engenderes. Like one-party majority governments being the best thing, duh. Most of the democratic world has PR and multi-party governments, just as long they have the confidence of the parliament. Votes of no confidence happen more often than in Westminster or Holyrood. Usually the government (formed by several parties) wins, they command an uneasy parliamentary majority.
The FPTP system engourages one-party governments – banana republics we call them unless it’s the UK or the US or USSR, sorry, Russia.
The SNP has got quite used to and comfortable with being a one-party government. Aspiring despots. Not even aspiring now.
Shocked. Correct. A new leader would uncover the hornets nest and there would need to be an inquest and charges brought.
This government are absolutely corrupt.
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” ? Edmund Burke
@tommy Sheridan 1.06am
Quite a convincing post. Worth a read folks.
It is quite disturbing how soft a press the MSM is giving to NS.
It would be extraordinary if the UK press went with the fluff that a PM has been throwing up around every aspect of an affair yet ignored so much solid evidence and clear evasion.
I know many people who are willing to sweep anything under the carpet for the sake of unity.
I am not one of them,gladly!
Bonobo- Maybe they are biding their time. Maximum impact!!
When David Clegg refers to Wingers as crazy zealots. Then you definately know you are on the right side.
A zealot is someone who offers blind obedience, is non critical and will not deviate.
Now ask yourselves. Who does that actually describe?
Not really, because he is still advocating Sturgeon as first minister and keeping the rest of the corrupt SNP leadership cabal in power and that means not just more of the same but worse than we have now.
Make no mistake, if sturgeon and her allies get in they will take a shredder to government, law and justice in this country. These people care for nothing beyond centralising and hoarding power for themselves. People need to understand that Nicola Sturgeon has never cared for a single person other than herself and in Peter Murrell she found a like minded psychopath and together they made a plan to obtain absolute power and destroy anyone who gets in their way.
I have to say I find Tommy’s logic as warped as Craig Murray’s. Both of them advocating re-electing someone they know tried to jail Alex Salmond out of spite, someone they know has utterly corrupted the state and turned Scotland into an international laughing stock and in Craig’s case someone who may need up succeeding in sending him to prison – meaning that he might not even be able to vote in the election where he want everyone else to vote for his potential jailers!
It’s little wonder Sturgeon and Murrell have turned out the way they have when they know that even their supposed fiercest critics fold under pressure and turn into little more than election campaigners for them.
The only way this country is going to move forward is when Sturgeon and the rest of her gang are far gone from politics and hopefully enjoying long prison sentences and if that means ensuring that the SNP do not form part of the government of this country until it become a functioning democratic party that respects the rule of law then so be it because at the moment the SNP is so far away from that it would be more at home in some failed former soviet republic!
If people fold under pressure like Craig and Tommy then if Sturgeon succeeds the next time she tries to jail an opponent I hope they have the decency to at least visit the poor bugger in prison.
PacMan says:
5 March, 2021 at 8:34 pm
“I see that Paul has put a paragraph at the end of his last couple of posts that his site is promoting Scottish independence. That is the first time that subject has been mentioned on his site for a while.”
He basically said that independence was not my priority because I was more concerned about my sex based rights and freedom of speech to vote for Surgeon and Co. I wonder if he would be so keen to vote for them if they were banning homosexuality and deporting all Americans. To me his statement revealed him to be another “I’m alright Jack”. Also seems oblivious to the fact that the SNP don’t have independence as a priority either. I used to like his blogs and thought he was a decent guy. Not so sure now. He seems perfectly willing to throw women under the bus and gag anyone who complains about it. Surprising he hasn’t seen through the TRA’s attempts to erase homosexuality by transitioning non gender conformist children.
“A zealot is someone who offers blind obedience, is non critical and will not deviate.
Now ask yourselves. Who does that actually describe?”
Look no further than pat Kane’s latest piece in the National.
Wee Chid says:
6 March, 2021 at 8:44 am
President Xiden says:
5 March, 2021 at 9:13 pm
Nothing to do with tin foil hats. I believe Harper has played the disability card – and over one who has far more reason to do so but who is far more principled.
You need to learn to recognise irony when you see it.
Big Jock says:
“I think if Sturgeon was in charge of an independent Scotland. This site would be closed and half of us arrested.
That’s how dangerous she is.”
Yes, if Yousaf’s Hate Crime Bill doesn’t get Stu Campbell, Craig Murray and others shut down, WM’s Online Harms could easily be employed to do the trick anyway.
We are living in very dangerous times for free speech.
@Scot Finlayson at 8.39
ISP website gives detailed information for each region under Scottish Voting System:
link to isp.scot
link to yoursforscotlandcom.wordpress.com
Indy supporters are between a rock and a hard place come may, but if we somehow cannot stop the squabbling and get a good pro indy showing, then those bbc and westminster barstewards will be crowing from the rooftops about how the “people” of Scotland have rejected independence. So c’mon ISP and AFI get united for the list vote.
The list system is blatant gerrymandering.
Set up by an over-entrenched party system (all parties) that needs to be broken.
Vote for the best candidate standing in your seat is the only transparent way to do it. Centrally-controlled parties are the problem, the energetic unelectable always have the stamina to seize control.
-if you have to make constituencies larger to have 2,3,4 seats and give better chance of electees being representative, so be it.
@Tinto Chiel
100% this… and when people like Craig Murray, who could end up being jailed, and his friend Tommy Sheridan are advocating voting for these criminals we are have truly gone through the looking glass.
Make no mistake, the SNP have already labelled wings a far right hate site and would not hesitate to use the corrupt justice system to prosecute anyone involved with it. If the SNP win in may watch the fuck out because they will come for you.
The only option is to do as advocated by Jim Sillars has said and (I believe Alex Salmond believes too), accept that the SNP in its current form is corrupted beyond repair and until all remnants of the sturgeon/Murrell leadership axis are gone you cannot vote for them. No exceptions to this and no amount of mental gymnastics by people like Sheridan who are desperately trying to ride on the coat tails of Sturgeon changes that.
It’s time to accept folks that years of people offering unquestioning support to Sturgeon has backfired spectacularly. We handed a psychopath the keys to absolute power and she grabbed them opened the door and has thrown the keys away meaning we cannot even lock the door again until she is gone and is rotting in jail. It’s time to not just close the door but rip the entire house down and start again because we aren’t going to have a supposedly free and democratic independent country born out of the bastard corrupt state the current SNP leadership has created. Those corrupt Eastern European former soviet shitholes we read about is where we are heading. We are not heading to a free country. All of the SNP leadership are tainted and all of them need to go.. and quite a few of them and their flunkies in the civil service and crown office need the jail.
It’s got soo serious folks we need to accept where we are, learn the lessons and move on.
So, as Sam Vimes put it, we have several “interchangeable Emma’s (plus one good one). And in Lothian we have Graham Campbell. Like others above I was wondering how that came to pass? Imagine my surprise when I noticed one Anne McLaughlin (MP) harrumphing on twitter about people wanting to view the granularity of the election results. Oh dear, not a good look.
ClanDonald says:
5 March, 2021 at 9:43 pm
Emma Roddick was keen to let us all know that has borderline personality disorder and would be self identifying as disabled for the list:
link to archive.is
Here are the 9 symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder:
– Fear of abandonment. People with BPD are often terrified of being abandoned or left alone.
– Unstable relationships.
– Unclear or shifting self-image.
– Impulsive, self-destructive behaviors.
– Self-harm.
– Extreme emotional swings.
– Chronic feelings of emptiness.
– Explosive anger.
Meet your new MSP for Highlands and Islands, folks. An actual law maker. I kid you not.
New SNP are literally off their heads.
Scottish Neurotic Party. ?
To Kenny J at 11.11
Roza is a capable, hardworking member of Chris Stephen’s staff. She turned out consistently during election campaigns. She is more than capable of achieving No 1 on the List on her own merits. She did not need to be gerrymandered on to the List. However, even without the futility of voting SNP/SNP I could not vote for her because of the gerrymandering.
On another topic, I was once called a rascist by Graham Campbell for asking him to be quiet during the speeches at an Independence Rally – I can’t recall which one it was now. He was creating such a din that he drowned out parts of the speeches. An obnoxious individual.
Well said, Tommy Sheridan.
As far as I am concerned, you are a bit OTT at times, BUT unlike so many of your detractors here and elsewhere, you have real solid political and social achievements to your name that have made the lives of thousands of vulnerable Scots so much better, less stressful, less shameful. For that, I and many others thank you.
I think those who continue to snipe at you are almost as bad as the Sturgeonists who continue to judge and snipe at Alex Salmond, apparently believing what they read in the record or mail and what they hear on the bbbc, and holding petty personal grudges above and in front of Independence.
I didn’t follow your own case very closely so I haven’t really judged it myself although I am pretty sure you were stitched up at least to some extent, but you have done your time, whether deserved or not, and it is shameful that so many are prepared to damage the yes movement by continuing to smear you due to personal dislike/personal clashes/personal agendas combined with obviously biased media reports. As said, you have achieved very real and important changes for the better for the Scottish people.
It is vital that the Yes Movement hauls together now to face the common enemy – Nicola is very much an enemy of Scotland as we have seen, but for the moment she has loyal support among Yessers, so while we must hold her and her clique to account, we must do so without handing Scotland to Westminster. Even when that requires some painful nose pinching and perhaps even some vomit.
Thus, Maxing the Yes is a vital step at this moment, while also giving a ‘bloody nose’ to the snp hierarchy. For this reason, the small parties should be working together, as AFI has proposed, in order to avoid splitting the indy list vote. Those small new parties which don’t want to see that and don’t want to work together with others, those to whom cooperation seems to be a dirty word, are the very ones, it seems, who are playing into unionist hands, for their own careerist agendas.
IMHO, the best outcome we can hope for at HE is for the snp to hold on in a minority but with a much-increased pro-indy presence and that can only come about through strong and willing and enthusiastic cooperation of the small new indy parties. A weakened snp presence along with failure of the new indy parties to gain any list seats may help us prevent GRA and HCB and any other dangerous moves by snp, depending of course on Green presence, but will give westminster the stranglehold it needs to kill Scotland off over the next few years.
Firstly, in response to Budgie’s comments about Tommy Sheridan, I would rather ten Tommy Sheridan’s in our Parliament than one Nicola Sturgeon or Graham Campbell.
Tommy is a great fighter for Scotland and is on the side of the little people. If he stood in my constituency, I’d have no hesitation in voting for him.
However, I am in the Highlands, and my choices will be Emma Roddick or Andy Wightman, and mebbies someone from ISP or AFI.
I look forward to them releasing the names of their candidates.
I cancelled my membership this week. I was Convener in our branch for the last six years. I have thought long and hard about how I will vote.
I have concluded that although it might set back independence for now, I cannot give my vote to an utterly corrupt Party. Sometimes you have to play the long game, and if waiting a few more years for indy means we can collapse Sturgeon’s SNP, then it will be worth it. They aren’t interested in indy anyway. They are not listening to us members, so we have nothing to lose and everything to gain from voting them out.
It’s not just the stitch up of an innocent man. The Party is now riddled with corruption, with only one or two honourable exceptions. Think what they did to Cherry. They will do it to every decent and honest MP or MSP. The game is up, I’m afraid. We have to bring down this SNP gov whatever way we can, and start to rebuild.
I hope with every fibre of my being that the Inquiry will find her guilty of her many crimes,but I have my doubts. The corruption has spread to most of the panel too.
It’s heartbreaking to get so close, but Sturgeon is never going to get us indy. She is now surrounded by her cabal who want anything but justice for all. It’s all about them.
Never mind Scots living in poverty, and shell fisherman out of business in the Highlands because of Brexit. As long as their middle class friends can get promoted in an illegal ballot, and men with fetishes can invade women’s spaces, that’s ok by them.
I will never forgive them.
Lots of useful information here but currently not enough to help me decide what to do in Edinburgh Central.
I cannot vote SNP on either ballot to support Robertson and Campbell so may have to spoil 1st vote and go for whoever out of ISP or another pro-indy party looks most likely to succeed.
Rumour of a high profile indpendent candidtate is intriguing but I wont hold my breath – or even my nose at the poll.
“The May election should be a plebiscite election. It won’t be because the SNP leadership lack the guts to declare such a position”
You don’t need to wait for the SNP to call the shots, Tommy. and telling us we have to wait because the SNP is not playing ball comes across as best as uncommitted to independence, at worse as deliberately misleading. AFI appears to be very large step down from Solidarity, which if I am not mistaken, had no problems offering a manifesto with a vote for them being a vote for independence.
The only thing we need for May to be a plebiscite is ONE political party, just one, that finds the backbone to include in their manifesto a mandate to end the union, being that party in the constituency or in the list.
Is AFI that party, or it is just another concoction that is attempting to fool voters by pretending to pursue independence but that will not do anything until a corrupt to the core SNP actually decides to move a finger?
Because we could be waiting for another 5 years if that is the case. Meanwhile we are expected to vote to endure the destruction of female’s rights, more malicious prosecutions, the destruction of our freedom of speech, more eyewatering levels of corruption, more breaches of the ministerial code and civil service code and of course more of our money wasted in political vendettas. It is a bit too much to ask.
So, is AFI really an independent umbrella for Scotland’s independence or just an spin off excuse to game the system and prop up the SNP by giving them seats by the back door?
After 6 years of being taken for absolute fools by Sturgeon, either we vote in this election for independence or there is no point in voting at all.
No plebiscite? No vote.
Something no right with that list… whaurs Humzar’s family, his wife? his cousin?
So, Fiona Sarwar, the lovely shy lassie, who got parashuted in to be a counclir fir Coupar Angus, by the mighty John Swinney, and who is so painfully shy, that she cannot do door to door campainging, can’t do community council meetings, can’t even get round to putting her campaign photo up on local notice boards, and with that kind of start is unlikely to have set the heather on fire in council.
That coupled with a CV that – from memory goes – used to live here, moved down south, married, had kids, moved back around 2014, now want to be a politician, have very little work experience, but am ever so brave having suffered bouts of depression.
So, other than that, and most definitely not having set the heather alight in any professional capacity, but Swinney and Wishart like to hold her hand (professionally only, as far as I’m aware) – other than that, she now gets a shot at the big gravy train. Cause you know, raising a family, a daily commute to Edinburgh isn’t going to make that any harder is it.
I say this a professional female – but this is not ‘leveling up’ the playing field. This is powerful men, chosing complacent, unqualified, unthreatening wee females, and placing them in positions of power, where they will do what they’re telt.
Normally when this happens, there is a sexual motive. In fairness to Swinney and co, I don’t think that is what is happening here. But just because the motive is different, it does not mean it is any less blatently sexist.
Might be interesting if the Tories won in May and they had to handle the post Brexit/post Covid economy & all the protests.
Where is Douglas Ross standing? Is it Edinburgh Central?
Five years of Tories could be what is needed to get the YES VOTE up to 70%
Hi Bob Costello at 8:52 pm.
You typed,
“Do you think we should put the yes Bus through to help out ?”[Sheridan standing against Sturgeon]
That would be bra’! Have YES and Sheridan posters in the windows and spend a Saturday having a rolling picnic on the bus, all across Glasgow Southside!
Hi Cenchos at 10:38 pm.
You asked,
“Does the list work by the single trans vote system or what?”
link to wingsoverscotland.com
Interesting comments from Tommy, and also Lindy and Mia. I am tending more with the latter two. SNP has scunnert too many of us. They are clearly now too bourgeoisie for independence. None of their MSP’s or candidates or policies give me any cause for optimism.
Tommy knows better than most why we need independence – to get rid of colonial oppression in aw its mankit naitur. This is seldom understood by the bourgeoisie whether unionist or ‘nationalist’, both still buying into and hence favouring colonialism, which is what we see in the treatment of Alex Salmond and others.
The election is in two parts – constituency and list. Both amount to national measures of political support. We need this to be a plebiscite election one way or another and take that national majority in favour of independence, even if it is on the List, to the UN and others. Are AFI and/or ISP going to deliver? Or are they really telling us we have to swim or sink alongside the SNP shark?
Giesabrek says:
5 March, 2021 at 9:46 pm
Graham Campbell doesn’t seem to like independence much either, or Glaswegian working class people. Only ever see or hear him banging on about slavery and BLM (which are fair and noble things to do), but trying to mention indy or the interests of your constituents would be nice now and then Graham. Wonder which party he’ll be in next year, and the following year…
Let’s be clear comparing the situation in Scotland or even Britain as people like Campbell and others do to the US is disingenuous to say the least. Despite the Sheikhu Bayo incident, and some others the only thing these divisive people can bring up is Scotland’s tobacco slavery past. STV are screening a histrionic BLM rant on STV by a privileged middle class sounding “film maker” about Glasgow. ‘What do you expect from a city whose buildings shout slavery.’ He opines. . It’s contemptuous of the people and delivered without any context or appreciation of Glasgow’s politics or the warmth, decency and fairness of its people . The Mandela party in George square, the Glasgow Girls even could have been cited but no.. I get the concern but let’s not allow opportunity knockers hiding behind their crafted identities to slag Scotland as though it were anything like the US. Oh and while we’re at it let’s call out Rastafarianism for the backward sexist and homophobic cult it is.
Jeezo, thare’s a lot of false flags on here these days, eh?
Jontoscots20 @ 11:42 am
You are right, and many people who come to live in Scotland fail to appreciate that the Scots have also been colonised and displaced, our culture and languages destroyed, in what was one of the largest mass removals of a people in western Europe for a country of our size, the loss of 3-4 million people over little more than 200 years, and the constant import of an Anglophone meritocracy, now accelerating according to the census.
Colonialism is a country and its people being run by another country; decolonisation is independence. The Irish got that, the Welsh national party leader Adam Price gets it, its time the Scots got it too.
Unless there is a change, vote em out.
It’s as simple as that. What is masquerading as the current SNP is not the party I joined nearly four decades ago.
Voters have choices and there are alternatives and these alternatives will become clearer as we approach the close out for candidates registering to stand in the elections. And so there will be a choice in each and every constituency.
Similarly, voters will have the choice to vote for a list party, who unlike the undemocratic SNP are supporters of independence.
And last comment if I may, and this is directed at remaining SNP members but what do you think about your party that has just announced list rankings for candidates but will NOT disclose to either members or candidates how many votes were cast and what candidates attracted what votes.
That ladies and gentlemen tell you why you CANNOT vote for the SNP.
“SCOTS DUN SLAVERY” is a popular, and tedious unionist “attack from the left”, popularised by the BBC, Guardian and, fratricidally, by Bella.
– the moneyshot is :
you Scots don’t -deserve- independence because you are evil, colonialist oppressors, who were equal hands in the empire – but now England is multicultural and Black Lives Matters, so wanting away is RACIST as well …
a lot of Scots will accept this CRINGE, especially the educated middle class, who have the fetish of “black worship” baked into their psychology.
In a rare bit of comedy and unusually for them – Bella published an article on the fortunes made by the (minority of rich, unionist bastard) Scots who participated in the slave trade; the conclusion was unexpected – far from benefitting from the trade, the (majority of) Scots were, in fact, SECONDARY VICTIMS of slavery because –
the immoral fortunes made in the slave trade were spent on ASSEMBLING VAST ESTATES, robbing the common Scots of their land and possessions
“behind every great fortune there is a crime” – for sure, a clever quote, but also
– a great fortune will be used to commit new crimes.
Scots have nothing to be guilty of and should challenge these con-men at every opportunity.
So sad about this. Emma Roddick, granddaughter of Anita Roddick of Body Shop fame might be ‘a powerhouse’ but she has as experience to offer as representing an area bigger than Belgium and more inaccessible, 27 months working as a Councillor for Highlands Council where she has been Housing and Property spokesperson since 27.10.20 and has served on a Social Justice and Fairness (!) Committee for 5 months. She has been put into a position of preference by a system that has not been agreed at Conference and has been disputed by elected members of the NEC, over Kate Forbes, and Maree Todd, experienced fighters and familiar with parliamentary methodology (if anyone is now) who know what is needed in this region. Well I am an incomer and have been treated here with a much appreciated degree of friendship and support, but one warning I was given when thinking of moving here, was never upset a Highlander. I quite hope Emma Riddock finds out why.
The SNP and Richard Lochhead must be really confident of holding Moray since he isn’t on the Highland list at all. I think losing Moray will almost certainly see that Emma Roddick will get elected.
Red Card Ross didn’t have the neck or the courage to stand in the Constituency I see. Considering he bucked national trends and held Moray at the Brit GE then this should have been an easy gain for the White Settler Brexit Party on paper but maybe not.
@Shocked 10.32: forgot to mention that the Covert Human Intelligence Sources Act gained royal assent on Wednesday, effectively indemnifying employees in a long list of government departments and agencies plus police, etc. against prosecution for committing an otherwise criminal act in the interests of the state.
Add that to the sweeping powers of the Coronavirus Act and the still to-be-enacted Hate Speech and Online Harms bills and you have the perfect recipe for a totalitarian state where people with the wrong opinions can be censored or much worse at the whim of the government.
Covid has been the perfect cover for the potential dismantling of many of the freedoms we have gained in the last hundred years.
@Ann Rayner
The Labour candidate in Edinburgh Central is Maddy Kirkland, who’s fully signed up with trans ideology. Given a choice between her and Angus Robertson (I will never vote for a Tory) I suspect I will end up writing in Joanna Cherry’s name.
Lost says
if Kate Forbes had baws she’d have been in first place.
“we need to argue for both votes independence, Scotland the cause before any single party. Until another vehicle is formed, if at all, the SNP remains the principal and most credible party of independence.”
Sorry Tommy, the current SNP has zero credibility as a party of independence.
Every vote for the SNP is a vote for corruption and criminality.
Every vote for the SNP will be rammed down our throats as having been a vote for Scotland’s Criminal in Chief after the election.
The SNP has no shame left.
I am not advocating any votes for the unionists, but spoiling the ballot for the constituency vote.
More the SNP is weakened, more the clout of genuine independence supporting MSPs in holding them to account every step of the way.
Colin Beattie MSP National SNP Treasurer already has a few skeletons in his cupboard
Taking “£250 donations” for tours of Holyrood link to heraldscotland.com
Probe in failed Charity link to heraldscotland.com
@ David H 5 March, 2021
“I’d vote for Tommy Sheridan, I’ve never met him and I don’t know him personally. But I’ve listened many times at the All Under one Banner rallies. The guy speaks my language.”
But how do you know what he tells you is the truth ?link to heraldscotland.com
Do you really think all this sort of stuff is what Scotland needs more of ? link to athousandflowers.net
President Xiden says:
5 March, 2021 at 9:13 pm
Joan McAlpine 32.3
Paul Wheelhouse 17.4
Emma Harper 13.2
Màiri McAllan 13.1
Richard Walker 6.8
Heather Anderson 6.7
Siobhian Brown 4.5
Stacy Bradley 2.1
Paul McLennan 2.0
Ali Salamati 0.7
Stephen Thompson 0.7
Laura Brennan-Whitefield0.4