Scotland Indyref 2

IIRC the threshold for representation is around 4 – 5 % of the vote on the list. Greens take 8-9% of the vote. If alba takes half the green votes and none of the SNP votes then none will get any representation from the list allowing tories and labour more MSPs

If alba takes half the green votes and none of the SNP votes then none will get any representation from the list allowing tories and labour more MSPs

I think you are attributing too much political sophistication to Mr Salmonds loyal fans / blind followers… I doubt they were Green voters on the list, too subtle for people who vote on personality rather than policy.

There won’t be many who are aghast at Nicola but think Alex is a better plan. They may not vote at all (a serious risk since it’s almost inevitable that there will be an SNP government regardless).

If I was Ross or Sarawar I’d be worried – it’s once again taken the conversation away from their agenda to the Nicola Alex show…

The interesting question would be – if Alex himself was their only elected MSP and SNP or SNP/Greens were one vote short would they work together on anything other than indyref?

No – and they should not. If Salmond gets into holyrood and I really hope he does not he should be ostracised and cold shouldered. Leave him with the choice to vote it down or not but do a deal with him? No. It would be a betrayal of women everywhere

I’m aware Salmond is marmite, but bear in mind the SNP has shed something like 50,000 members in the last few years because of unhappiness about the unsavoury and undemocratic goings on within the party. Not to mention the smell of financial malfeasance with half the audit committee resigning recently because they are not allowed to see the books.

do you KNOW that’s WHY the all / mostly left? My assumption was that other a few vocal people most had realised that being a party member costs you money and gains you little – and were first time members quitting after 1-2 yrs. if they were mostly 10+ yr members then I’ll believe you.

Guess where those voters will go.

Im not sure anyone leaving the snp on a “moral high ground” argument is going to leap to the handsy egotist. That would be like leaving the Tories because you think their policies on immigration were too racist and voting UKIP!

It would be a betrayal of women everywhere

found not guilty

Poly – there is this group that has the belief that Sturgeon and co are not interested in independence but are happier being a “colonial administration” and they will follow Salmond

Its batshit conspiracy theories IMO but its there is certainly a group that thinks this

i suspect its got a large overlap with people who do not understand the seriousness and significance of Salmonds admitted behaviour let alone what he denies or are prepared to overlook this behaviour because he is their hero even if he has feet of clay

found not guilty

Irrelevant – the behavior he has admitted to is enough. If I as a lowly staff nurse had done what he has admitted to I would have been sacked for gross misconduct

He’s living in fantasy land, nobody is going to vote for him.

tjagain
there is this group that has the belief that Sturgeon and co are not interested in independence but are happier being a “colonial administration” and they will follow Salmond

It is unhappiness at how democracy has been removed from the internal structure of the SNP, members no longer get a voice.

It is unhappiness at the concentration on minority issues, however worthy, at the expense of independence.

It is unhappiness on the attack on women’s rights represented by the GRA (I’ll take Joanne Cherry’s word on that any day).

It’s unhappiness at the totalitarian aspects of the Hate Crime Bill.

And above all it’s unhappiness at nothing being done about all the ignored open goals left by Westminster.

The SNP used to be a broad church, now it’s only for a subset of the independence movement.

That has left the field wide open for an alternative independence party, and guess what, one has sprung up.

It may be false news but there could already be over 10,000 new members. Apparently their server crashed from overload. Not bad in the first 12 hours of announcing its existence.

Even 1,000 would be good in that time span, and it’s definitely well beyond that.

It’s got the Tories shitting themselves. They’re trying to resurrect the Better Together alliance. It remains to be seen whether Labour and the LibDems want to participate in that suicide pact again.

As I said, life is a bit more interesting.

epicyclo

do you believe Salmonds admitted behaviour to be acceptable? Not the allegations he denies but the behaviour he has admitted to?

poah
Free Member
It would be a betrayal of women everywhere

found not guilty

Posted 5 hours ago

FFS Try doing what he admitted to in your job and see what happens.

You, Scotroutes and Salmond make a lovely trio.

There is a real risk that the Alba party splits the independence vote and let’s more pro union MSPs get elected. This would seriously harm the independence movement. It shows Salmond is more interested in his own career than independence. His ego is massive.

Indyref1 was all about trying to push those on the fence to vote for independence, but there was too any unanswered questions and it led to it failing.

Indyref2 is now at risk from this in-fighting, those loyal to the SNP and independence will again vote yes, no matter what, but it’s the ones who have changed their mind, or could change their minds that are now looking at this circus.

As for the MSPs, it’s all a bit weird, could push other parties down the list, but i fear it’ll just start many fights between SNP/Alba because lets be honest, those moving to represent Alba will be ex SNP with inside knowledge!

Looking around social media on a few pro independence sites the lack of support for Salmond is obvious and the understanding that voting for his party will damage the independence cause by splitting the vote is clear. there were a lot of – ” I used to respect him but no longer do”

Its early days and a long way to go but that gives me hope that the scots will not be taken in by him and understand that voting for ALBA will lead to more unionist MPS

the idea that a party led by Salmond will be more left wing and less centralising is absurd given that Salmond was always right of centre and a control freak.

Epicyclo – you do realise that the GRA has not been passed by parliament precisely because of the issues raised by the likes of Cherry?

Alba now has more members than the LibDems and is aiming to overtake the Labour and Tory parties.

There have been several high profile defections from the SNP. It now has 2 Westminster MPs as well.

Independence matters more than any other issue to the members.

The SNP trollbots flinging abuse about unacceptable behaviour seem to be quietening down as exSNP supporters come forward alleging that also applies to Sturgeon and her very particular appetites. She apparently has recently taken out 2 super injunctions out muzzling something or other, we can only wonder why and what for.

There may be a few MSPs in other parties hoping the Me Too doesn’t spread to them as well.

However, TJ, if you are worried about women’s attitudes to Alba, you may be interested to know that the SNP Equalities Convener and the SNP Women’s Convener, Lynne Anderson has joined Alba and will be a candidate, and that nearly half the candidates are female.

Epicyclo – its a simple question – do you think Salmonds admitted behaviour is acceptable?

If there was any real truth in these rumours about Sturgeon do you not think someone would have used parliamentary privilege in Westminster to expose them

the idea that Sturgeon does not want independence is absurd.

Those Ex SNP are those who are careerists whos career is faltering in the SNP>

Some very dubious people amongst them.

Alba is putting moderates off even voting YES in an independence referendum The idea of Salmond and his coterie having any say over the country is abhorrent to many

Epicyclo – its a simple question – do you think Salmonds admitted behaviour is acceptable?

Its a simple yes or no answer.

She apparently has recently taken out 2 super injunctions out muzzling something or other, we can only wonder why and what for.

BS or any substance to this?

Those Ex SNP are those who are careerists whos career is faltering in the SNP>

Some very dubious people amongst them.

Alba is putting moderates off even voting YES in an independence referendum The idea of Salmond and his coterie having any say over the country is abhorrent to many

Same people have had a say in the SNP in Westminster and Holyrood over the years and would still if Alba hadn’t been born…

Their political careers have been built in the SNP. Are they only unacceptable now they have split?

Sheridan? Alex Arther?

and those who have left the SNP to join Salmond have shown by their actions to be unfit for office. simple as that.

Were they unfit before? Perhaps but by doing this they have proved it.

Irrelevant – the behavior he has admitted to is enough. If I as a lowly staff nurse had done what he has admitted to I would have been sacked for gross misconduct

I suspect that your expectations should you behave as he has admitted to are correct, he got away with it as many do by being in a position of power. Plenty of organisations compromise out the more junior member of staff to keep the one at the top. We should have higher expectations of those in power but the reality is that we get less than we should

Latest polling puts SNP/Green/Alba parties with a projected 29 seat majority in Holyrood. Tories now using the Baroness as the face of their campaign as DRoss is so useless.
Wonder how Westminster is going to spin this?

The will use Salmond as dirt to throw at the SNP, they will accuse Salmond of gaming the system, they will point to internal arguments within the independence movement as showing they are unfit to run the country, they will point out Salmond is unfit to be an MSP, they will use Sturgeons comments to attack Salmond and they will pretend ” once in a lifetime opportunity” is a legally binding declaration

Latest polling puts SNP/Green/Alba parties with a projected 29 seat majority in Holyrood.

Same polling is showing the indefatigable George Galloway as a MSP

Tories now using the Baroness as the face of their campaign as DRoss is so useless.

Why wouldn’t you use one of the best political communicators in UK politics?

Wonder how Westminster is going to spin this?

What do you mean by Westminster? The three main parties standing candidates? Some amphorus conspiracy? Scots living outwith Scotland? Mainstream media?

What do you mean by Westminster?

pretty simple. the unionist parties based at Westminster ie just what it says.

Hmmm 30 seat Pro indy majority (10 seat majority for the snp)!?!

Holyrood Voting Intention:

Constituency:
SNP: 53% (+1)
CON: 20% (-3)
LAB: 18% (+2)
LDM: 6% (+1)
GRN: 2% (=)

List:
SNP: 38% (-9)
CON: 21% (-1)
LAB: 18% (+4)
GRN: 12% (+4)
LDM: 6% (=)
ALBA: 3% (+3)

Via @IpsosMORIScot, 29 Mar – 4 Apr.
Changes w/ 15-21 Feb.

— Election Maps UK (@ElectionMapsUK) April 7, 2021

Ross approval rating has plummeted, too
Sarwar doing well

And Alex who?

Scottish Leader's Net Satisfaction Ratings:

Sturgeon (SNP): +29% (-3)
Sarwar (LAB): +26% (New)
Harvie (GRN): +14% (+2)
Rennie (LDM): +7% (+1)
Ross (CON): -23% (-11)
Salmond (ALBA): -55% (New)

Via @IpsosMORIScot, 29 Mar – 4 Apr.
Changes w/ 15-21 Feb.

— Election Maps UK (@ElectionMapsUK) April 7, 2021

pretty simple. the unionist parties based at Westminster

Are they an amphorus blob, do they conspire to do Scotland down in darkened smoke filled MSTeams/Zoom meetings

ie just what it says

Which it clearly doesn’t it’s a continuation of the SNP propaganda and othering. It’s the evil empire which the “civic” nationalism of the SNP fights against

Anyone would think that Scots didn’t go there, didn’t lead governments and hold the high offices of state there.

Are they an amphorus blob

Err Yes

do they conspire to do Scotland down in darkened smoke filled MSTeams/Zoom meetings

No they do govern make laws for Scotland though without any basis of electoral support in Scotland unless you amalgamate all their support together into an “amorphous blob”

Ross approval rating has plummeted, too

Good, the Sturgeon inquiry made him look like an opportunistic weasel.

The entirety of his political ambition is to stop the SNP getting a majority and it looks like that will fail too.

They offer nothing beyond constantly bleating “SNP Baaaddd” and probably mention independence more than any other party.

I hope he and the BritNat rabble that support him get friction burns from dry humping the Union Jack

Are they an amphorus blob, do they conspire to do Scotland down in darkened smoke filled MSTeams/Zoom meetings

Labour will be wary, they got burned by supporting Indy last time

The Tories meanwhile, I’m not so sure they have a plan, they banked it all on Andrew Neil taking down Sturgeon, beyond that the seem to be all about the Frost confrontational approach, which I think will only backfire.
At least Gove seemed to get it, his sidelining didn’t bode well for the union

No they do govern make laws for Scotland though without any basis of electoral support in Scotland

They make UK laws after winning a UK election. Most of the day to day stuff in Scotland is done here. Education, health, police, fire, local govt etc. After 14 years in power most day to day problems are owned by the SNP.

It’s a pretty dire state of affairs really when there is no credible repose to the SNP.

Kimbers If Labour supported independence last time they did a good job of disguising it.
IRC Yes much of the day to day stuff was done by the SNP and they should be held accountable for that. There’s some extenuating factors though. They have very limited tax raising power and economic policy is determined at Westminster. Health and social care in particular will never be addressed by nhs funding alone. Food standards ,working time, housing stock etc all have major impacts on that. Thanks to the Internal Market Bill Westminster can now act on those issues as it also can on Education without seeking the consent of the Scottish Parliament.

Kimbers If Labour supported independence last time they did a good job of disguising it.

Sorry meant to say opposing indy!

Sorry meant to say opposing indy!

I knew that but never could resist the obvious joke.

Alba taking seats from Tyne Tories?

Scottish parliament voting intention(s):

Constituency:
SNP: 49% (+1)
CON: 23% (-)
LAB: 18% (-2)
LDEM: 6% (-2)

List:
SNP: 40% (-)
CON: 21% (-3)
LAB: 18% (-)
GRN: 9% (-1)
LDEM: 7% (+1)
ALBA: 3% (+3)

via @SavantaComRes
Chgs. w/ Mar

More data:https://t.co/JjWbsqg4qI pic.twitter.com/vbv3B6Mlr7

— Britain Elects (@BritainElects) April 8, 2021

Meanwhile Galloway 🤯

George Galloway getting VERY ANGRY in this car crash interview on the Nine tonight ???? (1) pic.twitter.com/pPFbEfn1Xk

— indy swim ??????? (@indy_swim) April 7, 2021

We live in what is supposedly an SNP/Tory marginal, but you wouldn’t know it. We get literature through the post from the tories almost every day. It doesn’t seem to say much other than vote for us to stop another referendum, but it is relentless. We’ve had stuff from labour about once a week, the lib dems a bit less often and even one from a bunch called the Scottish Family Party. But I don’t think we’ve had a single thing from the SNP yet.