[jfman]

Originally Posted by Chris

Red Card has been in post for mere days and I’d be surprised if he, or the exams fiasco (why the “”? it is undeniably a feck up on a grand scale) will filter through quickly under present circumstances.

Only pointing out that there's no Red Card bounce, that's all.

My use of "" is to represent that I think the "fiasco" is broadly manufactured given the system proposed wasn't substantially different from that proposed in England (Tories) or Wales (Labour).

Our left-leaning members were quick to claim Boris’ popularity has been merely the rally round the flag effect inherent to any major crisis, but oddly enough they’re all still in awe of Nicola Sturgeon, whose decision making on Covid issues has been near identical to those taken in Westminsterland. The Natbots on social media have been waxing lyrical about differences that amount to a few days here or there, or a few more or a few less people in any given space.

Cases are lower per capita and deaths lower per capita. Nor are the Scottish Government urging everyone 'back to the workplace' to get buying coffee and muffins to get the economy going.

These nuanced differences could be the difference between a chaotic winter of 'whack a mole' lockdowns or relative stability, while observing some restrictions.

Election time will bring it all out ... exam estimates that were 20% over-egged was a blatant political hot potato to all those with sight of it long before results day but they let the moderated grades out and then had no choice but to damage the credibly of the vast majority of accurate grades by backtracking. That’s A-grade political ineptitude.

So what alternative mechanism exists? Poor schools didn't become good schools overnight. Every year students open their results to disappointment.

This is where the criticism falls down - the lack of alternative ideas and vision.

13 years of mudslinging hasn't worked in persuading SNP voters back across to a Unionist party

Meanwhile the £230 million ghost ferry MV Sannox slinks into a dry dock in Greenock, more than twice its budget already spent, more than 2 years late and still not in service thanks to an ill-judged deal to save a shipyard run by one of Nicola’s mates. Ferguson couldn’t cope with the job, scot gov owned Cal Mac couldn’t make up its mind what it wanted ... a perfect storm with Nippy sitting at both ends of it.

They’re a sad shower and a poor excuse for a government, and if Red Card Ross (assisted by the newly ennobled Ruth Davidson) play it right they will get a very hard time in next year’s election. Their message needs to be, “we already know there isn’t going to be another Indyref, so let’s talk about...” and then relentlessly target schools, hospitals, police, island ferries, and everything else the SNP has violently screwed up while spending the last decade or more obsessing over independence at the cost of everything else.

I'd love to see the Scottish Conservatives offer an alternative vision however I suspect they will not and the same old tune plays out next year.

Your first line "we know there isn't going to be another Indyref" immediately a) talks about independence and b) irks a substantial part of the population who think it's right for Scotland to decide it's own future (be that independence or not) as and when it chooses to.

It's essentially a trap, and the SNP have them hook, line and sinker. Unionists saying "we know what's better for the people of Scotland" paradoxically increases the SNP vote.

Unionists shouting into the echo chamber of unionists doesn't appeal to the soft end of the 50% of the SNP vote.