The problem with local government in Scotland is that we are still living with a system designed by Michael Forsyth in the 1990s on behalf of Major's government. Our councils are simultaneously powerless and unaccountable. And. of course, they are far too big. We need radical reform to restore local democracy and I don't see it coming. I understand from friends who still work in local government that they are worried about being able to meet even their statutory requirements in the near future.
As regards the independence "strategy"? Well, we've just come through the First Activist-led "Summer Of Independence" - still feeling the excitement and empowerment? Me neither. And, in case you didn't mark it on your calendar, tomorrow, 19th October 2023, is the date set aside for the second independence referendum that Nicola Sturgeon was going to hold, No Ifs, No Buts. No-one on the indy side believed them, and naturally no work was done.
The refusal of the SNP leadership to support Joanna Cherry's amendment that the plebiscite election should count the votes of ALL independence-supporting parties shows that this is just a tactic to blackmail independence supporters who have lost faith in the SNP to vote for them again and keep their careers ticking over.
The refusal to entertain Pete Wishart's amendment that the majority of VOTES count ensures that the international community will not recognise any claim made by the SNP on the basis of a majority of seats, which can easily be gained on a minority of votes.
This is not a party leadership that is serious about independence, they just want seats in Westminster.
Given the financial difficulties they are already in, the loss of short money, which will probably happen after the next General Election, will be the final nail in the coffin that Sturgeon built during her leadership.
Yea I think the SNP conference shows that the leadership is no longer actively seeking independence. It is the long term objective of course but they have come to terms with the UK veto. The idea of a constitutional convention is one way they will try to find a role in the post-Indyref landscape. The problem for Humza Yousaf is that the SNP has been subject to a leveraged buy out by the Scottish Greens. They have landed them with a range of unworkable policies, like Self ID, DRS, replacing a million gas boilers in next six years. SNP doesn’t really know where it stands.
The problem with local government in Scotland is that we are still living with a system designed by Michael Forsyth in the 1990s on behalf of Major's government. Our councils are simultaneously powerless and unaccountable. And. of course, they are far too big. We need radical reform to restore local democracy and I don't see it coming. I understand from friends who still work in local government that they are worried about being able to meet even their statutory requirements in the near future.
As regards the independence "strategy"? Well, we've just come through the First Activist-led "Summer Of Independence" - still feeling the excitement and empowerment? Me neither. And, in case you didn't mark it on your calendar, tomorrow, 19th October 2023, is the date set aside for the second independence referendum that Nicola Sturgeon was going to hold, No Ifs, No Buts. No-one on the indy side believed them, and naturally no work was done.
The refusal of the SNP leadership to support Joanna Cherry's amendment that the plebiscite election should count the votes of ALL independence-supporting parties shows that this is just a tactic to blackmail independence supporters who have lost faith in the SNP to vote for them again and keep their careers ticking over.
The refusal to entertain Pete Wishart's amendment that the majority of VOTES count ensures that the international community will not recognise any claim made by the SNP on the basis of a majority of seats, which can easily be gained on a minority of votes.
This is not a party leadership that is serious about independence, they just want seats in Westminster.
Given the financial difficulties they are already in, the loss of short money, which will probably happen after the next General Election, will be the final nail in the coffin that Sturgeon built during her leadership.
Yea I think the SNP conference shows that the leadership is no longer actively seeking independence. It is the long term objective of course but they have come to terms with the UK veto. The idea of a constitutional convention is one way they will try to find a role in the post-Indyref landscape. The problem for Humza Yousaf is that the SNP has been subject to a leveraged buy out by the Scottish Greens. They have landed them with a range of unworkable policies, like Self ID, DRS, replacing a million gas boilers in next six years. SNP doesn’t really know where it stands.