Can one of our friends from the northern territories please explain Alex Salmond's latest stunt, i.e. taking legal action over the SNP's exclusion from the leaders' debate. Surely this is a debate by the leaders of the main UK parties, i.e those in with a fair shout of forming the next UK government. As far as I am aware aren't the SNP limited to Scotland? What relevance would they have at the UK leaders debate? Where do we draw the line on who gets invited to take part? Greens? BNP? Monster Raving Loony?

Or, as I suspect, is Alex Salmond an attention seeking cock.

Or, as I suspect, is Alex Salmond an attention seeking cock.

+1

Or, as I suspect, is Alex Salmond an attention seeking cock.

No, NO, NO!*

*Yes.

Wasnt he raising funds to legal challenge him not being allowed on the 3 leader debate.

If Ryanair ever lose their CEO he could always take over.

The Lib Dems are never going to form a government in their own right in this election.

So any party that may take part in a coalition should be represented on that stage. Even ones you don't like 🙂

MP in "attention seeking cock" shocker – hardly news?

As far as I am aware aren't the SNP limited to Scotland?

Back to school – they can get in to Westminster (IIRC Salmond is an MP)

So any party that may take part in a coalition should be represented on that stage

Yes. How many seats does the SNP currently have in Westminster though? 🙄

I think it highlights the absurdity of having a Scottish parliament and a UK parliament.

Just dissolve the Union and have done with it.

The Tories are the forth party in Scotland (with one MP) because there are only four parties in Scotland.

Love or hate the SNP, he is standing up for the party and democracy.

I think we can all agree the country is London centric and it could be argued that Scotland has been given an unfair hand.

could be argued that Scotland has been given an unfair hand

cut them loose.

I too despise Alex Salmond, although he kind of has a point I would reluctantly concede.

However this is nasty stuff, and thinly disguised anti-England posturing to try and garner the Ignorant Vote.

[/quote]However this is nasty stuff, and thinly disguised anti-England posturing to try and garner the Ignorant Vote

Or maybe he thinks Scotland could do better on its own

yep LHS +1
A – UK – same rules EVERYWHERE – 1 set of tossers, sorry MPs (think of the salary, building, expense, consultancy fees, hanger on posts and final salary pension scheme savings)
B – independence – various sets of tossers (funded SOLELY by OWN country) Suggest doing some history research into the Union – history has a tendency to repeat itself
http://scottishhistory.suite101.com/article.cfm/darien_scottish_colonial_disaster_in_1700

Or, as I suspect, is Alex Salmond an attention seeking cock.

That's pretty much how I see it.

Back to school – they can get in to Westminster (IIRC Salmond is an MP)

Well yes but he isn't standing for a Westminster seat as he is First Minister so why he thinks he should be allowed to take part in the debate is beyond me.

Yes. How many seats does the SNP currently have in Westminster though?

Smartass answer is none as Parliament has been dissolved, but before that I think it was 7 which is about 12% of the seats in Scotland.

Or maybe he thinks Scotland could do better on its own

By joining the "Arc of Prosperity" with Iceland and the Scandinavian countries as he suggested just before Iceland disappeared up it's own arse.

Cameron, Clegg and Brown are all leaders of parties contesting the upcoming election – so is Salmond and a bunch of other folk. Until we've voted they're all equal.

Thes debates have utterly dominated the election press – it's an utter %*@#-up.

By joining the "Arc of Prosperity" with Iceland and the Scandinavian countries as he suggested just before Iceland disappeared up it's own arse

Or maybe he thinks Scotland could do better on its own without England.
Happy now Coyote

Cameron, Clegg and Brown are all leaders of parties contesting the upcoming election – so is Salmond and a bunch of other folk. Until we've voted they're all equal.

C, C & B are all leaders of parties that any voter in the UK may support (or not), S is a leader of a party whose potential support is restricted to about 8% of the UK electorate, so they're not that equal really……

Why is it unreasonable that parties standing in the election are given what amounts to a massive amount of free advertisement of their wares. Are you lot really claiming the election broadcasts have not affected the vote for say the Lib Dems or even the election outcome? If we exclude parties from thsi democratic process surely that is inherently unfair whether it is the nationalists or the fringe parties like the [spit]BNP [/spit] or UKIP. As poster above notes they are not equal in terms of support but this exclusion promotes and reinforces the inequality when surely every party should get an even amount of air time /publicity?
He is trying to have it stopped in Scotland no tthe enitr country. This semms reasonable with only one MP the tories have no legitimate right [or point] to broadcast to the Scots.

As poster above notes they are not equal in terms of support but this exclusion promotes and reinforces the inequality when surely every party should get an even amount of air time /publicity?

I don't think it's a matter of 'how much' support but the fact that 90% of the UK couldn't vote SNP even if they were swayed by Salmond's sparkling wit, engaging personality and cheery demeanour.

It's a debate about national (not nationalist) politics so is shown on national TV, seems logical to me…..

Only 8%, eh. Hardly worth representing.

those in Scotland could vote SNP and he has asked for it to be banned there so in the places he is standing they get free air time and the SNP get none…surely unfair?

Junkyard – who asked for what to be banned where?

Gordy – Member
Only 8%, eh. Hardly worth representing.

🙄

SNP election broadcast banned- transmission- scotland only.

Gordy – Member
Junkyard – who asked for what to be banned where?

SNP wanted debates not screened in Scotland but it was pointed out it was not technically possible to put the whole of Scotland under an 'information balckout' and that many Scottish voters may be in other parts of the UK at time of broadcast…..

Sheesh – you mess up one attempt at Colonial expansionism and nobody lets you forget it…

We have a building named after Darien at my work, have often wondered if it was tongue in cheek.

Salmond strikes me as a reasonably sensible guy (well, some of the time). I'm pretty sure he realises that he's not relevant to the vast majority of the broadcast's viewers, and to include the SNP (and by extension Plaid Cymru, Greens, UKIP) would be enormously impractical for the TV debates.

Seems likely that he sees this legal challenge as a (clever, cynical?) way to gain some form of exposure from the issue. I doubt that he really thought he'd realistically get a spot on the debates.

The SNP have said all along that they don't want to stop the broadcast but they want an SNP politician included.

They might be lying, right enough, or they might have changed their tune, but that's what they've been saying.

A rather foolish attempt to get some attention – managing to raise £50k to do the legal action when that £50k could be spent on better things…waste of time and a waste of effort that makes him look rather small-minded and childish…

A waste of time and I suspect has lost him a few more votes as it does look like a silly distraction…

Or maybe he thinks Scotland could do better on its own without England.
Happy now Coyote

No need to get chippy,I am in no way anti scottish and never meant to come across that way. Scotland is a fantastic place.

I was merely asking why the leader of a party that the majority of the population cannot vote for thinks he should share the same platform. Surely attending a debate relevant to the people who can vote for him, i.e. those living in Scotland, would be more appropriate?

The SNP have said all along that they don't want to stop the broadcast but they want an SNP politician included

really? I thought they were saying they didn't want it broadcast in Scotland without an SNP member. Which is probably fair enouigh seen as they're the biggest party in Scotland.
och, it'll all be easier once we give the English their independance.

but without the scots and welsh MP's that makes England Tory forever …he who laughs last laughs longest 👿

Surely attending a debate relevant to the people who can vote for him, i.e. those living in Scotland, would be more appropriate?

Back at the start, Plaid Cymru and the SNP suggested an extra debate to cover relevant topics to the devolved nations.

but without the scots and welsh MP's that makes England Tory forever …he who laughs last laughs longest

Totally wrong I'm afraid. I challenge you to find one election outcome when the govenrment of the day did not win the majority of seats in England (Hung parliaments excluded). Even in the last general election the Labour party had an overall majority of seats in England. The simple fact is that the government is decided by the voters of England and provided we don't end up with a tyranny of the majority this is perfectly right and proper.

Back at the start, Plaid Cymru and the SNP suggested an extra debate to cover relevant topics to the devolved nations

Sounds sensible.

There is no doubt that TV coverage of politics is badly skewed in favour of the main marties. The SNP are th largest party in Scotland and their votes could make the difference in a hung parliament. SNP could have 10 – 20 seats. I expect them to make serious gains.

Scenario – Cameron is 5 short of a majority – Promises Salmond a proper referendum on Scottish independence in exchange for supporting a Tory Queens speech. Votes for the SNP become rather important then? There is also the ulster unionists – they might support a Tory Queens speech.

So – its the latest in a series of structural issues that reduce media coverage for the SNP and other smaller / regional parties. Thats what he is whinging about. I think the court case is a mistake tho.

gonefishin

"The simple fact is that the government is decided by the voters of England "

"More people voted for the Conservatives in England than for Labour – but the Conservatives won 92 seats less than Labour within England (285 to 193). The Conservatives received 60,000 more votes than Labour in England."

http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/2005_british_general_election.htm

Salmond is Gordon Brown on an "E" We are a wee bit shown up by his constant sabre-rattling.A childish-small-minded bully IMO.I may be biased as I work in education,scene of his biggest foul-ups.

BTW;I liked the recent uk gov poll where 55% of Southern Britons said they would not be bothered if Scotland left the Union…….But 95% said they should not keep the oil if they did!