Andy Wightman

[Scary Bear]

I see he is running as an Independent candidate for the list vote in the Highlands and Islands and has a crowdfunder on the go.

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/andy-wightman-for-highlands-and-islands

Holyrood needs more independent voices. 

I can’t argue with that. Holyrood could probably do with a few more independent voices. The socialist parties, Margo MacDonald and that pensioner chap were involved in previous years, but now it’s all a bit stale and boring. Nearest thing you have to them is the Greens. There really should be more knowledgeable and hopefully passionate  independent voices rather than party seat-filler.

 

Edited March 9, 2021 by Scary Bear

[vikingTON]

Agree with the need for more independents, but I think the current restrictions will make it an uphill battle for even Wightman to get elected this time round. A campaign without all the usual opportunities to connect with voters is a default win for the political parties over candidate strength. 

[GordonS]

FWIW the pensioner wasn't an independent, he was just the only one elected from his party, and obviously the SSP weren't independent either.

From what I've seen independents have been no better than the average MSP so I don't really care if there are more, only if they're good. Bear in mind Derek Mackay and Mark McDonald are independents, and we have a bampot Reform UK MSP too.

The Greens got 7.2% on the H&I list last time and that was just enough to get John Finnie in. Wightman could split that vote and neither of them would be elected. I don't have much time for that argument because the votes belong to voters, not to parties or individuals, but it's something that will concern some.

[strichener]

Wouldn't be getting my vote as his latest communication on his legal expenses had a mistake in the wording that gave the entire sentence the exact opposite meaning.  Far too careless for me. 

Plus, I'm not in the area anyway. 

[strichener]

3 minutes ago, Pato said:

He's still to give back the dosh from his last crowdfunder, some brass neck asking for more

I smell a pyramid scheme in the making.  Either that or he is trying to raise sufficient funds to buy out Anders Holch Povlsen to have his own estate.

[Scary Bear]

40 minutes ago, GordonS said:

FWIW the pensioner wasn't an independent, he was just the only one elected from his party, and obviously the SSP weren't independent either.

From what I've seen independents have been no better than the average MSP so I don't really care if there are more, only if they're good. Bear in mind Derek Mackay and Mark McDonald are independents, and we have a bampot Reform UK MSP too.

The Greens got 7.2% on the H&I list last time and that was just enough to get John Finnie in. Wightman could split that vote and neither of them would be elected. I don't have much time for that argument because the votes belong to voters, not to parties or individuals, but it's something that will concern some.

 For the avoidance of doubt, I don’t mean we need more people who have been in a political party and then been forced to be an independent MSP.

Edited March 9, 2021 by Scary Bear

[GordonS]

40 minutes ago, Scary Bear said:

 For the avoidance of doubt, I don’t mean we need more people who have been in a political party and then been forced to be an independent MSP.

Yeah, I was being a bit cheeky there.

[Glen Sannox]

Wightman is a rare breed in Scottish politics. Erudite and well intentioned. I wish him all the best. The rest of us will just need to make do with the jakeys and failed councillors that plague the central belt.

[GordonS]

2 minutes ago, Glen Sannox said:

Wightman is a rare breed in Scottish politics. Erudite and well intentioned. I wish him all the best. The rest of us will just need to make do with the jakeys and failed councillors that plague the central belt.

I'm looking forward to possibly getting his successor on the Lothian list, Lorna Slater. Andy Wightman is brilliant on land reform and land use but I honestly can't remember hearing him mention climate change. Lorna's been pretty good around Edinburgh. I'd rather have both, obviously, but I'd rather Wightman wasn't terf-curious too.

[Glen Sannox]

5 minutes ago, GordonS said:

I'm looking forward to possibly getting his successor on the Lothian list, Lorna Slater. Andy Wightman is brilliant on land reform and land use but I honestly can't remember hearing him mention climate change. Lorna's been pretty good around Edinburgh. I'd rather have both, obviously, but I'd rather Wightman wasn't terf-curious too.

You’ll need to forgive me, I’m of a vintage where I had to look up what terf was. I then instantly realised that I preferred life 30/40 years ago.

[Sherrif John Bunnell]

Independents have always done well in council elections up this way, but I can't see Wightman getting close to a seat on the list. He might get a few votes from disgruntled Yes da's who love Salmond and hate the idea of trans people, but he seems to be fairly supportive of Sturgeon, so that'll put them off.

I'm sure I seen that the Highlands and Islands are one of the few lists where voting SNP/SNP is the best way to get a pro indy majority, so that's where my votes will be probably going. We have had the shame of having 3 Tory list MSPs since 2016 (including that tosser Ross briefly), so it would be nice to get one of them punted.

[GordonS]

1 hour ago, Glen Sannox said:

You’ll need to forgive me, I’m of a vintage where I had to look up what terf was. I then instantly realised that I preferred life 30/40 years ago.

I would agree with you, but then I remember it was gay people getting the same treatment in those days.

28 minutes ago, Sherrif John Bunnell said:

I'm sure I seen that the Highlands and Islands are one of the few lists where voting SNP/SNP is the best way to get a pro indy majority, so that's where my votes will be probably going. We have had the shame of having 3 Tory list MSPs since 2016 (including that tosser Ross briefly), so it would be nice to get one of them punted.

As the Lib Dems will likely take 2 of the 8 constituencies in H&I, it means the SNP would have likely have a much lower threshold to clear to get someone off the list. It also helps them that there are only 8 constituencies in H&I (as opposed to 9 everywhere else except West and NE, who have 10) - so when they're apportioning the list seats it means the SNP's divisor would likely be 7 rather than 8 or 9 as it would be in any other region where the took all but two constituencies. On top of that, the Lib Dems will get a reasonable number of Regional votes but it probably won't elect anyone as they'll have two constituencies, so the number of votes you need to get someone off that list comes down as a result.

That's how Maree Todd was one of only 4 regional MSPs the SNP got last time, along with 3 from the South list.

The only other region where it could be worth voting SNP on the list is NE, but their share would need to go up by a lot compared with last time. Everywhere else, it's extremely unlikely the SNP will get any list seats. But you never know, elections always spring surprises.

[Juanhourjoe]

Don't mind Andy as an MSP. But is kind of lightweight and disinterested in areas not of his expertise. I don't think he will get in. And think all this will do is keep the numbers the same, keeping out a second green. SNP and green will still have 1 seat each on the list whatever.

[vikingTON]

The problem with the list is that the regions are so large that you still need to stack up votes from all over the place to stand a chance; this makes it much harder for independents to win and easier for parties to just top up their seats with jobber candidates (see no. 5 on the West of Scotland SNP list - Chris McEleny). Margo MacDonald won in a more tightly defined region, but it's actually the constituency vote that's easier for an independent challenge. 

[SandyCromarty]

Wightman was virtually an unknown up here prior to the Salmond stooshie,  I would say he's doomed to failure so to ask for money is a bit of a cheek.

[SANTAN]

Seems an alright chap. 

 

[Scary Bear]

1 hour ago, SandyCromarty said:

Wightman was virtually an unknown up here prior to the Salmond stooshie,  I would say he's doomed to failure so to ask for money is a bit of a cheek.

I only know him from his work on land reform. You would have thought land reform would be quite high up the agenda in a country like Scotland. Sadly not at this current time. 

[SandyCromarty]

1 hour ago, Scary Bear said:

I only know him from his work on land reform. You would have thought land reform would be quite high up the agenda in a country like Scotland. Sadly not at this current time. 

About 15 years ago the local village community where I lived at the time made a bid for a community buy out, as per the 2003 land reform act, of the large woods behind my house, I was unaware of the act so looked into it's background, I was astonished to find that even before the bill was passed in 2003 landowner representatives were lobbying the Scottish government and managing to get meetings to lay down what they saw as their rights, the public in general were totally unaware of the bill yet the landowners were ahead of the game, fortunately the reform was passed and it looks after the right of the public for land access and ownership.

[strichener]

2 hours ago, Pato said:

I think it's an important point you've made there. While Andy Wightman's done a lot to raise the profile of land issues and will continue to do so, he didn't have these ideas in a vacuum and other people have got useful laws onto the books to help people make community purchases.

Papering over the cracks. 

[Benjamin_Nevis]

About 15 years ago the local village community where I lived at the time made a bid for a community buy out, as per the 2003 land reform act, of the large woods behind my house, I was unaware of the act so looked into it's background, I was astonished to find that even before the bill was passed in 2003 landowner representatives were lobbying the Scottish government and managing to get meetings to lay down what they saw as their rights, the public in general were totally unaware of the bill yet the landowners were ahead of the game, fortunately the reform was passed and it looks after the right of the public for land access and ownership.

One of the early highlights of the various COVID-related tantrums were landowners around here demanding access laws be "temporarily" revoked. Thankfully such ridiculous pleas were filed neatly in the bin where they belonged.