Will Scotland Leave the UK?

[jfman]

I’m not convinced of her chances either - your analysis is quite sound. But I’m sure she’s delusional enough to believe she would have a chance.

Right now the party apparatus if it had any competence (I know, I know) would be trying to position someone as the obvious heir because right now Forbes would wipe the floor with any of them. There’s no more mud to sling, we all know who she is and what she believes.

I’m not even sure who the party approved candidate would be should a vacancy arise.

[Mad Max]

SNP MP Mhairi Black, what an utter embarrassment she is.

[denphone]

A bad night for the SNP last night in the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-scotland-67009605

On the basis of last night’s by-election result, or anything close to it, at the next general election, the answer to the thread title is still no, and rather more no than it’s been in quite some time.

The Nats crashed more than 16 points in Rutherglen and Hamilton West; Labour won with a 20% swing to finish on more than 58% of the vote. Say what you like about turnout, tactical voting and covid, that’s not a good look for Wee Humza Scooter and a swing of even half that size next year will see the Nats lose half their seats in Scotland.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-67024848

[Paddy1]

I'm not sure this swing can be taken as a significant fall in support for independence. To assume that a vote for anyone other than the SNP is a vote for the union and status quo is far too simplistic.

I would read this result as far more likely to be a determination that the next party to form a government in Westminster will not be the Conservatives.

While the SNP haven't exactly covered themselves in glory of late, people vote for many reasons and the priority would seem to be getting rid of the Tories above another vote on independence which, let's face it, is not on the cards any time soon.

Originally Posted by Paddy1

I'm not sure this swing can be taken as a significant fall in support for independence. To assume that a vote for anyone other than the SNP is a vote for the union and status quo is far too simplistic.

I don’t hear anyone suggesting this.

[Paddy1]

Originally Posted by Chris

On the basis of last night’s by-election result, or anything close to it, at the next general election, the answer to the thread title is still no, and rather more no than it’s been in quite some time.

More no implies a fall in support. I just don't think it's the primary reason for the swing by a long chalk. Support for leaving the UK will ebb and flow and I think turfing out the Tories is the bigger priority right now, regardless of the view on the constitutional question.

Originally Posted by Paddy1

More no implies a fall in support. I just don't think it's the primary reason for the swing by a long chalk. Support for leaving the UK will ebb and flow and I think turfing out the Tories is the bigger priority right now, regardless of the view on the constitutional question.

… in which I made no comment whatsoever about sentiment, but rather addressed the question of ‘will Scotland leave the UK’?

It doesn’t matter how popular independence is as a sentiment, at present there is no effective political vehicle for it other than the SNP (though I admit I’m stretching the definition of ‘effective’).

If the SNP’s electoral fortunes wane, then whatever likelihood there was of Scotland leaving, reduces. Hence, what I actually said, which was:

On the basis of last night’s by-election result, or anything close to it, at the next general election, the answer to the thread title is still no, and rather more no than it’s been in quite some time.

It’s a simple observation of process. Though I do understand it’s really difficult in Scotland right now not to assume the discourse consists of little more than ‘nat’ or ‘yoon’ crowing.

[nashville]

I am happy for Rutherglen and South Lanarkshire to win with such a great amount of votes , it was a horrible wet day so I was afraid people might stay indoors, but the ones who voted done us proud, Hope the rest of Scotland take notice and get rid of the SNP,

Originally Posted by nashville

I am happy for Rutherglen and South Lanarkshire to win with such a great amount of votes , it was a horrible wet day so I was afraid people might stay indoors, but the ones who voted done us proud, Hope the rest of Scotland take notice and get rid of the SNP,

Congratulations on your new MP Nashville

[nashville]

Originally Posted by Chris

Congratulations on your new MP Nashville

Thanks. Chris,

[1andrew1]

More SNP mess. Shuld not have denied it.

Scottish minister under pressure to quit over £11,000 data roaming bill

Labour says Michael Matheson’s position is untenable after admitting his children used his iPad while on holiday

Scotland’s health secretary was under pressure to resign on Thursday after admitting that his children had helped run up an £11,000 roaming bill watching football on his work tablet during a week-long family holiday last winter.

Michael Matheson’s admission on Thursday came after previous denials that his official device had been used for non-work related tasks while he was on holiday in Morocco.

The controversy threatens to derail first minister Humza Yousaf’s attempts to stabilise his scandal-hit Scottish National party, which has been reeling from a police investigation into its finances.

Scottish Labour said it was “unfathomable” that Matheson could keep his job.

The health secretary, who was appointed to the position after Yousaf replaced Nicola Sturgeon as first minister in March, has been under intense pressure since it emerged last week that the £11,000 roaming fees he incurred in Morocco were charged to taxpayers.

Initially, he agreed to pay £3,000 of the bill from his expenses budget, with the Scottish parliament paying the rest after accepting that the iPad had been used for work purposes.

Matheson told parliament on Thursday that he had been made aware last week that members of his family had used the iPad’s data while they were on holiday, and that he had reimbursed the money in full.

“In my statement issued last Friday, I made no reference to the use of data by my family,” he added, saying he wanted to protect them.

He had also denied, when questioned by journalists this week, that the large bill was incurred through personal use.

“As a parent, I wanted to protect them from being part of the political and media scrutiny associated with this, something I believe any parent would want to do . . . That was a mistake and I am sorry,” he told MSPs on Thursday.

https://www.ft.com/content/ee282626-...0-735bd7b69742

[Paddy1]

Other sources are quoting £7,345.69 for 3.8GB of data to stream a football match. That's an insane rate at about £2 per megabyte. I don't know where they were but it should be published because at that charge, even regular browsing could run up a painful bill.

It's hard not to have sympathy as it could have happened to anyone but most of us don't have a departmental budget to dip into and using public money to pay it should not be done.

I suspect he either denied it out of embarrassment or wasn't aware of the cost per MB. I doubt many people would imagine a football match costing anywhere near that. We are all too used to cheap, unmetered broadband these days.

[TheDaddy]

Originally Posted by Paddy1

Other sources are quoting £7,345.69 for 3.8GB of data to stream a football match. That's an insane rate at about £2 per megabyte. I don't know where they were but it should be published because at that charge, even regular browsing could run up a painful bill.

It's hard not to have sympathy as it could have happened to anyone but most of us don't have a departmental budget to dip into and using public money to pay it should not be done.

I suspect he either denied it out of embarrassment or wasn't aware of the cost per MB. I doubt many people would imagine a football match costing anywhere near that. We are all too used to cheap, unmetered broadband these days.

Morocco...

[Paddy1]

Doh! Teach me to skim read :-)

That's Morocco off my hols list