May 2011 Election

[Scary Bear]

I'm with you to an extent - I certainly think they should leave the Presiding Officer role to the other three parties.

As soon as I read John McGlynn's comments today, I knew Annabel was a goner. A shame - quite liked her, although didn't feel right not to utterly despise the Tory leader. McGlynn was described in the Scotsman as an "ally" of Jackson Carlaw MSP - is this guy the donor's chosen one to run for leader now?

http://news.scotsman.com/politics/Tory-millionaire-calls-on-Annabel.6764917.jp

As for the Lib Dems, can't see past Willie Rennie for leader.

Labour might as well go for Groundskeeper Willie to run them - they are set for a few years of in-fighting I think.

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/msp/memberspages/jackson_carlaw/index.htm

What an unhealthy looking speccy twat. He'll go down well with all the fat ugly sweaty right wing Scottish voters.

[Le Tout P'ti FC]

http://www.scottish....arlaw/index.htm

What an unhealthy looking speccy twat. He'll go down well with all the fat ugly sweaty right wing Scottish voters.

Grotesque - he looks like the offspring from an unholy alliance between Colin Montgomerie and Mags Heaney.

[paul-r-cfc]

http://www.scottish....arlaw/index.htm

What an unhealthy looking speccy twat. He'll go down well with all the fat ugly sweaty right wing Scottish voters.

He was running in my constituency. He's just as creepy in the flesh.

[Tryfield]

I've just been going through the details of the results. In the constituency scoreboard the SNP attracted 902,915 votes (45.4%). Those not voting for the SNP totalled 1,086,307 (54.6%). In the regional results the SNP got 876,421 (44%). Not voting SNP 1,114,630 (56%).

Keeping in mind that a fair few voters were out to kick the stane poke of party they usually vote for and voted SNP instead and we also have 4+ years of an SNP government to go through before any referendum, I'd say this should keep the SNP on their toes. Any slip ups and their chances of winning any separation will be doomed. On the other hand, they may prove to be less sleekit than what we are used to from other parties and get even more support. Time will tell.

[Reynard]

I've just been going through the details of the results. In the constituency scoreboard the SNP attracted 902,915 votes (45.4%). Those not voting for the SNP totalled 1,086,307 (54.6%). In the regional results the SNP got 876,421 (44%). Not voting SNP 1,114,630 (56%).

Keeping in mind that a fair few voters were out to kick the stane poke of party they usually vote for and voted SNP instead and we also have 4+ years of an SNP government to go through before any referendum, I'd say this should keep the SNP on their toes. Any slip ups and their chances of winning any separation will be doomed. On the other hand, they may prove to be less sleekit than what we are used to from other parties and get even more support. Time will tell.

Yes the SNP have it all to do really. They have been given a huge mandate to run the show at Holyrood and they wish to present us with a referendum that they will have to come from behind to get their wishes on. One problem which MIGHT play out for them is that they will have a fair amount of backbenchers with not a lot to do really apart from constituency work. There might well be a one or two loose cannons in there looking to make a name for themselves that could rock what has always been an impressively steady boat.

[capybara]

Do the Tories have anyone remotely likeable left? I heard that Bill Aitken on the radio and he was a fucking dinosaur. There was a debate about drugs and I found him really annoying. He's the only other Tory MSP who hasn't already been leader that I can recall and he's note a vote winner.

McLetchie and Goldie were likeable enough and if the Tories weren't a toxic brand (seems to be the jargon of the day) in Scotland more people might have voted for them.

Murdo will or would like to shift the party to the right. That will go down like a lead ballon. Poor old Annabel. What changed her mind? Methinks a wee call from number 10.

[capybara]

So the only Scots who will be in charge of arguing the case for unionism in the coming years will be parachuted down from Westminster or Holyrooders who nobody knows or were deemed sub-standard up until now.

Not looking particularly good.

That is a serious mistake from Miliband,he just does not get it. Pauline McNeil,one of the ousted ones , was not happy about this on the radio this am. The Scottish Ex of the Labour party meets on Sat. Should be an interesting one. Just what input will they get?

[Reynard]

Do the Tories have anyone remotely likeable left? I heard that Bill Aitken on the radio and he was a fucking dinosaur. There was a debate about drugs and I found him really annoying. He's the only other Tory MSP who hasn't already been leader that I can recall and he's note a vote winner.

McLetchie and Goldie were likeable enough and if the Tories weren't a toxic brand (seems to be the jargon of the day) in Scotland more people might have voted for them.

f**k knows. They have a bunch of old dodderers and any young folk with any political ambition and a centre right philosophy arent going to waste their time and effort in Scottish politics either.

Salmond isn't likeable but he seems to do OK.

[Savage Henry]

Yes the SNP have it all to do really. They have been given a huge mandate to run the show at Holyrood and they wish to present us with a referendum that they will have to come from behind to get their wishes on. One problem which MIGHT play out for them is that they will have a fair amount of backbenchers with not a lot to do really apart from constituency work. There might well be a one or two loose cannons in there looking to make a name for themselves that could rock what has always been an impressively steady boat.

Dissent among the ranks is something Salmond has kept a Stalinist grip on. It will be interesting to see how he deals with backbenchers opposed to independence, or even critical of the referendum wording. It'll be interesting as well to see how the referendum is timed - it'll be at least five years down the line, and by that time the SNP will not be as smooth as is currently the case. Having said that, the party was all but discredited when Salmond went away, he is the only talent they have and there's unlikely to be anyone daft enough to rock his boat.

Miliband doesn't seem to be very good, does he? I guess he's going with the not unreasonable proposition that the Westminster MPS are more talented than their SP team-mates. Labour looks a bit fucked, to be honest.

[Reynard]

Dissent among the ranks is something Salmond has kept a Stalinist grip on. It will be interesting to see how he deals with backbenchers opposed to independence, or even critical of the referendum wording. It'll be interesting as well to see how the referendum is timed - it'll be at least five years down the line, and by that time the SNP will not be as smooth as is currently the case. Having said that, the party was all but discredited when Salmond went away, he is the only talent they have and there's unlikely to be anyone daft enough to rock his boat.

Miliband doesn't seem to be very good, does he? I guess he's going with the not unreasonable proposition that the Westminster MPS are more talented than their SP team-mates. Labour looks a bit fucked, to be honest.

No, he is an absolute clown. Labour once again, pick the wrong guy to lead their party.

Even in the local elections down south you can see that in spite of a wall of media commentary about " too hard too fast too deep" "cutbacks" and all the rest of it, Labour didn't make inroads into the Tories. Even the Tories were expecting to lose hundreds of council seats. Michael Foot did better in the early 80s local elections against a pretty similar economic backdrop and a seemingly even more hated Prime Minister.

Labour are at a low ebb just now. And when you actually stand back and look at things they SHOULD be. They nearly bankrupted the UK with their overspending. They then deny it completely and try to blame outside forces for them continually spending more than they brought in with taxation. They fully deserve to be given a kicking by the electorate and be given a thoroughly hard time by the media. AT least the electorate realise how pish they actually are.

[xbl]

Miliband doesn't seem to be very good, does he? I guess he's going with the not unreasonable proposition that the Westminster MPS are more talented than their SP team-mates. Labour looks a bit fucked, to be honest.

He seems to be pretty decent in England, despite the media perception. I honestly don't mind him. However, he clearly doesn't get Scotland! Everything he's doing in Scotland just seems to be making things worse and worse. I don't buy all the Miliband hate going around, I think its a bit unfair, but he's making a mistake by deciding to effectively write off Scotland.

[Tryfield]

No, he is an absolute clown. Labour once again, pick the wrong guy to lead their party.

Even in the local elections down south you can see that in spite of a wall of media commentary about " too hard too fast too deep" "cutbacks" and all the rest of it, Labour didn't make inroads into the Tories. Even the Tories were expecting to lose hundreds of council seats. Michael Foot did better in the early 80s local elections against a pretty similar economic backdrop and a seemingly even more hated Prime Minister.

Labour are at a low ebb just now. And when you actually stand back and look at things they SHOULD be. They nearly bankrupted the UK with their overspending. They then deny it completely and try to blame outside forces for them continually spending more than they brought in with taxation. They fully deserve to be given a kicking by the electorate and be given a thoroughly hard time by the media. AT least the electorate realise how pish they actually are.

He certainly is. His speeches and interviews sound so false.

Cue the "New Nu Labour" re-branding. Labour are well and truly fuckt after showing themselves for what they are, thieves, liars and self centred businessmen who dished out peerages to their buddies. Don't get me started on Mandelson either.

[banterman86]

Dissent among the ranks is something Salmond has kept a Stalinist grip on. It will be interesting to see how he deals with backbenchers opposed to independence,

Excuse my ignorance but, is this a common thing?

[Reynard]

He seems to be pretty decent in England, despite the media perception. I honestly don't mind him. However, he clearly doesn't get Scotland! Everything he's doing in Scotland just seems to be making things worse and worse. I don't buy all the Miliband hate going around, I think its a bit unfair, but he's making a mistake by deciding to effectively write off Scotland.

No he isn't. He has a friendly media down there including a state broadcaster that actually uses soundbites his spin doctors send to them. He has been given a tremendously easy ride down there and is still falling well short of making a decent impact

I'm sure he doesn't "get" Scotland. He isn't Scottish. I don't really "get" Scotland either and I AM Scottish.

[xbl]

No he isn't. He has a friendly media down there including a state broadcaster that actually uses soundbites his spin doctors send to them. He has been given a tremendously easy ride down there and is still falling well short of making a decent impact

I'm sure he doesn't "get" Scotland. He isn't Scottish. I don't really "get" Scotland either and I AM Scottish.

Friendly media? I wouldn't say so, he gets mocked from all sides. Lets face it, your mind was made up even before he was elected, so nothing he could have done would have changed your mind. He seems a decent guy, he gives alright speeches, and his front bench actually seem not too bad. They are also going about their rebuilding thoroughly, and so in a few years will have a decent set of new policies and a decent front bench, less tainted by Blair and Brown. Look at how long it took the Tories to come back. So I think the criticism he gets in general is well off the mark.

In Scotland though, as I said, he's miles off.

[H_B]

In Scotland though, as I said, he's miles off.

I quite like him too.

I'm not sure about your Scotland point either. We'll need to wait til the next General Election to find out. I think Labour will do very well in it (again) when that time comes.

[Granny Danger]

I don't really "get" Scotland either .

Think that may be reciprocal.

[Reynard]

Think that may be reciprocal.

I don't doubt it.

[xbl]

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/politics/federalist-future-talked-up-1.1100467

LABOUR figures last night began to talk more constructively about a federalist approach to the United Kingdom and the prospect of Holyrood having so-called full fiscal autonomy.

Lord Foulkes, the former MSP and Scotland Office Minister, said the Scotland Bill did “not go far enough” and that there should be “greater fiscal responsibility” within it.

The peer suggested all income tax should be raised in Scotland and that a precept for foreign affairs, defence and welfare should then be paid by the Scottish Government to Westminster.

“I’m a federalist really,” he told The Herald, adding Labour had been too cautious in the past and it should consider a more stable constitutional settlement under a federalist model.

Wow! Coming from Foulkes too!

[Savage Henry]

Excuse my ignorance but, is this a common thing?

It's probably going to involve party whips anyway, but I don't doubt there are some considering how little emphasis they have put on the issue, just as there are die in the wool "craven" unionists who voted SNP.

I'd be interested to find out which SNP MSPs oppose separatism.