Sturgeon - true voice of the Scots?

ICBM

The problem was that the two referenda were in the wrong order. Part of the fundamental assumptions about why Scots would want independence (or not) has now changed.

But as a result we need to wait and see what the outcome of the UK leaving the EU is before there's any sense in asking the question again.

The deficit is certainly a serious problem, compounded by the SNP's foolishness in basing their economic strategy on the price of oil. While I'm sure it will go up in the long run - it's a finite and diminishing resource - when and how much are far from known.

It might also be wise to wait and see what happens to the Euro...

ToneControl

ICBM said:

The problem was that the two referenda were in the wrong order. Part of the fundamental assumptions about why Scots would want independence (or not) has now changed.

It might also be wise to wait and see what happens to the Euro...

So assuming Brexit means Brexit,
would you vote  to leave the UK?

The Euro is  unlikely to have a happy future

ewal

doogz84 said:

ewal said:

She also apologised for the sticking the nut comment which was made immediately in the aftermath of the Independence referendum result - an exceptionally heated moment. She also stated that she felt guilty that Douglas Alexander had lost his job as a result of her getting elected. It's difficult to judge how well she is representing her constituents, although she seems to be easy to contact and advises on surgery times frequently.

MP's of course serve a multiple purpose, one of which is to represent their constituents, but that is not the only thing. She seems refreshingly honest about how she sees her role, and her experience at Westminster in all the interviews I've seen.

And do you really think it is fair to judge the performance of Nicola Sturgeon for a rat infestation in her constituency?? That is what the Environmental Health dept in the local authority is there for! Now if Environmental Health is struggling to deal with matters like this because of a lack of funding, then perhaps Sturgeon is more culpable, because of the Scottish Government policy to freeze Council Tax over several years. But then SNP are also campaigning against the UK government's austerity policies, which is arguably the biggest challenge for any local authority trying to deliver decent public services.

Easy to contact, in that she has an e-mail address. Difficult, in that according to statistics revealed a few months ago, she's one of the worst for actually replying, with 3/4s of correspondence sent to her going ignored.

And Nicola, she's our first minister. People have been trying to get in touch with her about this issue in her constituency, but it's so bad she'd had to vacate her office there, and didn't leave a contact address or number. Good work...

The Scottish government has had revenue raising powers since day 1, and have never used them, because then they wouldn't be able to blame it all on someone else.

I'm not even in favour of a Scottish Parliament, it's been nothing but an enormous waste of time and money IMO, and for what?

Ah well we are at least agreed that we don't need both Holyrood and Westminster :-)

I'll have a word with Mhairi about the lack of email response stats next time I see her at the football. Although to be fair, I haven't seen her there this season :-(

ETA: I'm also against another referendum at this time - it is clearly too soon and certainly a proportion of the 'general public of Scotland' are all independence referendummed out, plus there is too much uncertainty politically at the moment. However, I think it would be very strange for the leader of the SNP not to makes noises about this given the long term ramifications of Brexit. Having said that I think Sturgeon's priority is to minimise the negative impact of Brexit  from within the UK and she knows it.

ewal

doogz84 said:

 

I'm not even in favour of a Scottish Parliament, it's been nothing but an enormous waste of time and money IMO, and for what?

@doogz84 Just out of interest - are you in favour of any form of devolution? Do you think Scotland should have separate Health, Education, Legal systems from the rest of the UK? And if so, how should they be governed?

AliGorie

Hmm ,Scots to reduce a deficit it doesn't actually have: the Scottish Gov isn’t allowed to run one. 
I'm sure I've read somewhere

ICBM

ToneControl said:

So assuming Brexit means Brexit,

would you vote  to leave the UK?

The Euro is  unlikely to have a happy future

It depends what Brexit means . Other than wordplay.

So-called 'hard Brexit' - probably for independence. So-called 'soft Brexit' - wait and see what the terms are. I still favour a looser federation with England, if that could be compatible with retaining some form of EU membership too. Moon on a stick? Probably, but a compromise that keeps everyone happy is worth at least trying for I think. It's not a good idea to make it more difficult by recklessly calling for another independence referendum yet, until we know what's going to happen.

Chalky

ICBM said:

ToneControl said:

So assuming Brexit means Brexit,

would you vote  to leave the UK?

The Euro is  unlikely to have a happy future

It depends what Brexit means . Other than wordplay.

So-called 'hard Brexit' - probably for independence. So-called 'soft Brexit' - wait and see what the terms are. I still favour a looser federation with England, if that could be compatible with retaining some form of EU membership too. Moon on a stick? Probably, but a compromise that keeps everyone happy is worth at least trying for I think. It's not a good idea to make it more difficult by recklessly calling for another independence referendum yet, until we know what's going to happen.

Sounds like you want a divorce but still enjoy sex with the ex when you want it... 

ewal

The whole EU thing is a pain in the nuts really - totally complicates any dissolution. Maybe we should just do a Czechoslovakian type velvet divorce - just ignore the polls and go for separation anyway ;-) Both countries seem to be more than capable of co-existing with very little friction. Quite healthy economic growth too.

holnrew

I mean isn't it kind of her job to get as much as she can for Scotland?

ewal

I actually think the current political leaders in Scotland come across as a reasonable bunch

https://www.facebook.com/bbcthesocial/videos/1455432777819816/

Blueingreen

I'm not a nationalist or as left-wing as Sturgeon, but she does strike me as a pretty fair reflection of Scotland politically.  Where she is on the left-right spectrum seems to me about average for Scots - we're a pretty left-wing country.  (Alex Salmond, an oil economist to trade, always seemed to me instinctively more right-wing and pro-business than the average Scot).

A majority are not separatists, but there's a big group of folk who are emotional nationalists, even if when push comes to shove fear or cold reason means they won't vote for separation.  So although they disagree with Sturgeon they get where she's coming from and will sympathise unless there's an immediate threat of independence.  If you add that group to the separatists you probably have a pretty decent majority of the country.