Liberal Democrat policy on quite a few issues was significantly different to Tory policy before the last general election. The 11 Liberal Democrat MPs representing Scotland were not elected to support Tory government policy, something which Scotland has comprehensively rejected for 35 years.
Of course we will never know to what extent because we can't run time twice but I'd argue that the Lib Dems have at least muted to very worst of what a conservative government [i]could[/i] have inflicted upon us. I thinking that's the most we could have expected from the minority party in a coalition. I think those 11 lib dems contribute 3 ministers to the government which is better than a slap in the face.
I'd argue that the Lib Dems have at least muted to very worst of what a conservative government could have inflicted upon us
You mean like the "VAT bombshell" ?
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Urge people not to vote Tory because they will increase VAT, urge them to vote LibDem instead.
And then help the Tories to increase VAT.
Well done Clegg, you must be proud.
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There are sensible Nationalist about, however no Yes vote is going to be acheived without the support of the radical anti English sentiment on show in Edinburgh the other day. This is a minority however it is not insignificant.
The Nationalists portray their campaign as positive however I often get a sense of constant victimhood from many independence supporters I know. If we effectively banish the Tories it will be someone else to be the baddie.
I am worried by the amount of people that regard that level of hectoring of political opponents as acceptible. Will Alistair Darling need personal security now?
Salmonds views expressed in the BBC interview on Farage would border on incontemptible if he wasn't such a pompous, smug a**e.
It's a coalition and he is in charge of the minority party so is going to have to be prepared to give from time to time. I'm not saying they have covered themselves in glory but I will say again that without rerunning history we have no idea how much "worse" a solo tory government might have been.
we have no idea how much "worse" a solo tory government might have been.
We have a very good idea how the Tories in government alone would have governed. Like other parties they produced an election manifesto which stated their policies and aims. Plus we have had many previous Tory governments to make comparisons with.
Nothing about this present government suggests that it is any less Tory than previous Tory governments, nor than it is any more "left-wing", in fact all the evidence is that it is more right-wing than previous ones.
The LibDems have simply given the Tories a majority in Parliament, something which the British electorate, especially in Scotland, had denied them. Cameron must be pissing himself at the political acrobatics that Clegg has preformed for the privilege of riding in a ministerial car.
And both the prime ministers (although the first one was only born in Scotland). Was that not good enough?
I assume the first is Brown, but who is the second? Blair is an Englishman who represented an English constituency (not that I think his nationality is important).
the radical anti English sentiment
[i]what[/i] radical anti-English sentiment?
I assume the first is Brown, but who is the second? Blair is an Englishman who represented an English constituency (not that I think his nationality is important).
Blair was born in Edinburgh and went to Fettes school there (kind of Edinburgh's equivalent of Eton) although his family moved from Scotland (Australia then Durham) whilst he was a child.
I have no doubt that the farage incident was unpleasant for him, ,but I didn't see or hear anything that I thought was anti English and certainly no threat to Mr Farage. I believe Mr Darling holds moderate views far from the right wing policies Ukip represent.
the radical anti English sentiment on show in Edinburgh the other day
i'm amazed that a complete falsehood can be reinvented as a statement of fact within such a short period of time.
Blair was born in Edinburgh
I do apologise, I knew he had been sent to boarding school in Edinburgh, but didn't know he'd been born there.
In any case, it's not relevant where he was born, only which constituency he represented.
I'll just leave this here....again
scotroutes - Member
And it turns out that one of the two anti-English, rabid Scotsmen arrested by the police during these events is actually.......
...
English 🙂
They are terrible these English scotroutes. (Pat on the back for you)
I don't know what planet some people live on. Comments going beyond normal banter are commonplace, although often drink fuelled. I notice as my wife is English. The thing is most people don't even know they are doing it.
I suppose mass booing of God Save the Queen doesn't make us look the most tolerant to the World.
Athgray you spoke about a specific incident
"the radical anti English sentiment on show in Edinburgh"
But you have not given any evidence.
I completely agree with you when you said that no one came out of that incident looking good and absolutely condemn prejudice in all its forms.
Massed booing of a song generally associated with the opposition is hardly restricted to Scottish fans.
Gordimhor. I admit I was not there. Information from newspapers though not the tabloids. The Times mentioned "racist" remarks used against Farage however I would prefer the term bigotted. If someone there can prove otherwise then I will hold my hands up to that.
I do strongly believe however that it not for Nationalists to decide who's opinions we hear and who's get drowned out. Farage may be more extreme than many but where do you draw the line on free speech? Many would argue that Cameron should be run out of town also.
Frankly some of Salmonds remarks on the issue border on comedic if the ramifications were not as serious.
Mass booing of National Anthems is unpleasant and not common place.
[quote=athgray ]
I do strongly believe however that it not for Nationalists to decide who's opinions we hear and who's get drowned out.
Small "n" surely?
Yes Scotroutes you have me there. Did not mean the SNP. Free and easy use of the shift key there.
🙂
Take your point athgray. I will try to get a copy of The Times. I read Allan Massie's blog in today's Torygraph I don't know which side he is on but it is an entertaining piece though some of those who have commented on it don't seem to know what a blog is.
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/culture/allanmassie/100069375/judging-by-his-response-to-a-bit-of-scottish-barracking-nigel-farage-is-a-more-sensitive-soul-than-we-realised/
Link to massies blog Edit the end of Massies blog make it pretty clear he is a unionist
This thread reminds me of one of my faourite trolls of all time. Just before that last general election I posted up that I was going to vote for the National Party. Cue lots of posts calling me all sorts for voting for the BNP..... 😀
The Times yesterday certaintly came from a different angle. I see the Torygraph agrees with me about Salmond's smugness though.
Salmond is allowed to be smug. He is running rings around every other politician in the UK at present and has been doing so for a long time.
glupton1976 - MemberSalmond is allowed to be smug. He is running rings around every other politician in the UK at present and has been doing so for a long time.
Yes, the story line is a bit like the Aussie bloke fighting for freedom when Edward Longshanks was diverted to deal with the French.
Move forward to present day the same thing happens again with Britain trying to deal with EU matters, while Salmon builds up his "army" slowly under the radar.
I wonder what would happen if the dust settle with EU and the focus is switch back to Salmon.
I don't see why Scotland should not be given independence put it this way. Less mouth to feed etc ... just charge them interest accordingly for using Sterling Pound and using the banking system since they don't have one. Business as usual ... It will probably take them few generations to get their finance sorted before they can call themselves a truly independent nation. Perhaps after few generations later they would change their minds to become part of the Union again who knows ...
But before they become financially viable they have to sell their bodies ... 😆 or land to attract inward investment to get their finance going ... Imagine Scotland an independent nation in the name only while everything belongs to "foreigners" ... 😆
The Scots are brave people with strong heart but they lack the pen pusher ability ... you know the bureaucratic prowess ... unless they become powerful bureaucrats they can never defeat pen pushers.
^^^^^^^^ Don't feed it 🙄
What you talking about gordimhor, chewkw is STW's political sage. One of the reasons I come here is to hear the pearls of wisdom which he so generously dispenses.
It is such a shame no one finds you or your insights as funny as you do.
Not really sure why folk are getting wound up about prejudice - he is a politician and his views are well known he is being judged on what he stands for not his nationality .
Anti immigration and anti unionist person goes to another country to preach about Union and then claims racism ..it is the death of satire
To buy his trite argument re racism/bigotry or anti englishness is foolish- they dislike what he stands for not where he comes from
I really cannot believe the right wing press keep peddling this racism /bigotry line unchallenged and that people are buying it [ I can actually but really it is BS.
Surely he should commend their anti immigration anti unionist stance
There's something fushy about Chewkw's political knowledge, but I can quite put my finger on it.
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oldnpastit - MemberBut it was 39 out of 59 in 2005..
Yes it was- sometimes we get the government we voted for, which is awesome, but doesn't really change the fact that often we get the government practically nobody voted for.
True when was the last Time Scotland voted Tory?
How many times have they have a govt they did not vote for ?
Just got in JY? 😀
Have you missed me 😉
The last three or four threads I opened had "latest reply by Junkyard" at the top. 😀
Get a room you two
I wish piemonster. I wish...
🙂
😆
@Junkyard- 1955 I think. Or rather, the Unionist party but it's more or less the same thing, all gets a bit vague if you go back far enough.