Scottish Politics / Independence - Vol 11

[Roderick Spode]

Janluke said:

SNP are generally very keen on PR voting but the whole nature of PR is to encourage collations so they can't really complain when its used to their disadvantage. I really hoping it's a move towards more unity amongst the unionist parties

Indeed so. They are perfectly happy when it works to their advantage, but are none too pleased when others organise themselves to exclude the SNP. It's delightful to see the outpourings of displeasure all over social media from affronted nationalists, deeply upset at the use of proper democratic process.

I see that Aberdeenshire Council has nominated to form a coalition of Conservative, Liberal Democrat & Independent councillors, again shutting the SNP out & relegating them to opposition. The squealing from the commenters incapable of accepting this brings me great cheer on a Friday morning. The SNP really do consider themselves untouchable, and when things don't quite go their way, they are utterly incapable of comprehending it.

[alangla]

It'll be interesting to see what the response is. In the Stirling case they could respond with a Trump style "we woz robbed" type response and with some justification. As previously mentioned, I'm no fan of the SNP, but I do tend to think that the largest party should generally be the one forming the bulk of the administration. As for the other ones where they were tied with Labour and deals were done between them & the Tories/Lib Dems, they don't have a leg to stand on & that's exactly how PR is meant to work. Unfortunately Glasgow has gone the other way with its SNP/Green coalition, but this does represent just shy of 50% of the votes and it's hard to see how anything else could really be legitimate.
Edinburgh could be interesting - Labour/Lib Dem/Tory coalition would be a majority, but I suspect it'll be an SNP/Green or just an SNP minority administration.

[Roderick Spode]

alangla said:

As previously mentioned, I'm no fan of the SNP, but I do tend to think that the largest party should generally be the one forming the bulk of the administration.

In theory yes, but if the largest party is unable to negotiate a coalition agreement with a smaller partner to form a working administration, and if a conglomeration of smaller parties are able to negotiate and form a majority administration, then this quite rightly trumps the largest party. In the case of the SNP, they have made themselves so toxic, that no party in their right mind wants to work with them. The Greens in Glasgow are no surprise, they will abandon their principles for a sniff of power, but uptake elsewhere in the country has been somewhat limited thankfully.

[alangla]

Roderick Spode said:

In theory yes, but if the largest party is unable to negotiate a coalition agreement with a smaller partner to form a working administration, and if a conglomeration of smaller parties are able to negotiate and form a majority administration, then this quite rightly trumps the largest party. In the case of the SNP, they have made themselves so toxic, that no party in their right mind wants to work with them. The Greens in Glasgow are no surprise, they will abandon their principles for a sniff of power, but uptake elsewhere in the country has been somewhat limited thankfully.

I don't think that necessarily stands - looking through the current control list, Aberdeen City, Angus & Highland are SNP coalitions (Lib Dem for the first, Indies for the others), in East Dunbartonshire their group is small enough that a Labour/Lib Dem/Indie coalition would have been enough, even without Tory support to get to half the council, similarly Perth & Kinross could have been a Tory/Lib Dem or Tory/Indie coalition, but the SNP obviously feel they can run it alone. If anything, it's the Tory party that appear to be the "toxic" ones - if others were keener to form coalitions with them then there would be significantly fewer SNP minority councils.
Dumfries & Galloway will be an interesting test of this - Tories are the largest group, but an SNP/Labour/Indie coalition would be able to push them out. Tory/Labour coalition would be the logical one, but will Sarwar allow it?

Control information taken from here as of 19th May - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_Scottish_local_...

[57 Chevy]

alangla said:

It'll be interesting to see what the response is. In the Stirling case they could respond with a Trump style "we woz robbed" type response and with some justification. As previously mentioned, I'm no fan of the SNP, but I do tend to think that the largest party should generally be the one forming the bulk of the administration.

In the previous council election in Stirling the Conservatives had the most councillors but it was a SNP/Labour administration. That’s just how it goes. Obviously Labour will no longer play with the SNP in Stirling.

[Ecosseven]

Janluke said:

Roderick Spode said:

Pastor Of Muppets said:

alangla said:

Janluke said:

I've often been critical of the unionist parties reluctance to work together to beat the SNP so I'm delighted to see in my own council(South Lanarkshire) a Labour/Lib dem/Indie collation helped across the line but the Tory councillors voting in favour

Wonder if that’s what happened in Stirling- https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-cen... - as much as I’m not a fan of the SNP, the third place party forming an administration does seem to be the opposite of what the electorate appeared to want.

And another, Fife Council has voted to become a minority administration with Labour, Liberal Democrat and Conservative councillors voting together to agree a governance structure. Cllr David Ross has been voted Council Leader and Cllr David Alexander is Leader of the Opposition. Shutting out the SNP.
Looking forward to seeing the final picture with the local authorities, and hearing the SNats squealing about democracy (whilst supporting a party
where a different point of view is career ending).

Fife Council made the announcement on their Facebook page, and thereafter followed hundreds of comments from incredibly salty Nationalists all bleating about democracy, and extremely vexed that Toaaarrreees would now form part of their council administration. Hilarious to see. Someone did point out that the SNP at Holyrood were a minority administration propped up by the unelected Greens, but apparently that scenario is "completely different". The mental gymnastics are breathtaking. Fife has traditionally been a left leaning electorate who voted Labour, but the area has become a hotbed for nationalism over the last 15 years. I remember when a Conservative local councillor was voted into Cowdenbeath last time out, there was uproar and disbelief - I mean, who voted Toaarree in Fife?! Turns out he is a very effective councillor, and was re-elected, despite a concerted and nasty campaign from the local SNP to unseat him.

Only a week ago the Nat Seps were crowing all over the various social media platforms that they had won the election, that there was a huge surge in support for another referendum, that they were unstoppable. The reality is that they had no overall control of any council apart from Dundee, and it was perfectly possible for coalitions of lesser parties to make agreements to form administrations, and shut the SNP out of power. That's how democracy works at local authority level, something the salty Nat Seps refuse to understand. All the pro-Union parties need to refuse to engage with the SNP at any level. Disappointed that Labour have chosen to work with them in Aberdeen.

SNP are generally very keen on PR voting but the whole nature of PR is to encourage collations so they can't really complain when its used to their disadvantage. I really hoping it's a move towards more unity amongst the unionist parties

Politics in Scotland is dominated by the nationalist / unionist divide at every level. I'm not surprised to see coalitions that would previously have been very unlikely.

[sherman]

Peace and quiet for the next few days
Sturgeon met the Sinn Fein leader. Sturgron now has covid

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tests positive for Covid-19 https://mol.im/a/10838473 via https://dailym.ai/android

Edited by sherman on Friday 20th May 20:14

[Pastor Of Muppets]

Oh no that's dreadful news. How is this even possible. Get well soon my wee darling.

[A.J.M]

If only she had worn a mask

[Pastor Of Muppets]

I wonder what monstrous SNP scandal is about to hit the headlines now.

[cuprabob]

Thank god she can work from home. I would hate to think of our country left without any leadership.

[McGee_22]

As a distraction to all the good news resulting from the SNP governance of Scotland I would ask for some local knowledge and advice please.

My better half is just back from a business trip to Scotland during which she was presented with some 'local' speciality produce - the square sausage and haggis were very much welcomed and have already been heartily consumed by (mostly me) us, but the bottle of Buckfast came with the challenge of trying to mix it with something/anything to make it palatable - any and all suggestions are welcome or is it best neat, quick and from the neck a la 'the street corner method'?

[750turbo]

Ans is Poor Peter stuck at home with her...

[cuprabob]

McGee_22 said:

As a distraction to all the good news resulting from the SNP governance of Scotland I would ask for some local knowledge and advice please.

My better half is just back from a business trip to Scotland during which she was presented with some 'local' speciality produce - the square sausage and haggis were very much welcomed and have already been heartily consumed by (mostly me) us, but the bottle of Buckfast came with the challenge of trying to mix it with something/anything to make it palatable - any and all suggestions are welcome or is it best neat, quick and from the neck a la 'the street corner method'?

Buckfast is best drunk neat, preferably chilled.

[A.J.M]

Buckfast is best enjoyed by pouring it down the sink.

[Pastor Of Muppets]

A.J.M said:

Buckfast is best enjoyed by pouring it down the sink.

That's exactly what I was going to say. The Thalamus and Cerebellum will benefit from that wise choice.

[57 Chevy]

I went to the US last week and caught Covid too, I guess multiple flights and airports, contact with 1000s it’s bound to happen.

[hotchy]

McGee_22 said:

As a distraction to all the good news resulting from the SNP governance of Scotland I would ask for some local knowledge and advice please.

My better half is just back from a business trip to Scotland during which she was presented with some 'local' speciality produce - the square sausage and haggis were very much welcomed and have already been heartily consumed by (mostly me) us, but the bottle of Buckfast came with the challenge of trying to mix it with something/anything to make it palatable - any and all suggestions are welcome or is it best neat, quick and from the neck a la 'the street corner method'?

Goes very nice with red bull. A bucky bomb they call it.

[Ridgemont]

McGee_22 said:

As a distraction to all the good news resulting from the SNP governance of Scotland I would ask for some local knowledge and advice please.

My better half is just back from a business trip to Scotland during which she was presented with some 'local' speciality produce - the square sausage and haggis were very much welcomed and have already been heartily consumed by (mostly me) us, but the bottle of Buckfast came with the challenge of trying to mix it with something/anything to make it palatable - any and all suggestions are welcome or is it best neat, quick and from the neck a la 'the street corner method'?

Have no fear Buckfast has a website just for that very purpose:

https://www.buckfast.com/recipes/cocktails

This one looks quite nice:
https://www.buckfast.com/recipes/cocktails/buckfas...

That said you are taking a bottle of ste and making it better by drowning its taste.

[Silverbullet767]

McGee_22 said:

As a distraction to all the good news resulting from the SNP governance of Scotland I would ask for some local knowledge and advice please.

My better half is just back from a business trip to Scotland during which she was presented with some 'local' speciality produce - the square sausage and haggis were very much welcomed and have already been heartily consumed by (mostly me) us, but the bottle of Buckfast came with the challenge of trying to mix it with something/anything to make it palatable - any and all suggestions are welcome or is it best neat, quick and from the neck a la 'the street corner method'?

As others have said, bin it. Maybe it would have use as a toilet cleaner?