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I think you’ll find that Wheesht for Indy means that the Ruling Party must not be criticised.
Who is attacking the SNP? All anyone has done is acknowledge that interfering with reserved matters and/or not following established protocol has consequences. It’s you doing the attacking here, not us.
Nice to see you accepting that talking to foreign Govts isn't purely "a reserved matter" - except I missed it.
Whilst you're looking at Higher/Nat5 Modern Studies courses I'd suggest Standard Grade English to clear up the and/or confusion 🙄
Doing wonders for the cause, just not the one you're fighting for. *slow claps*
I may be (wildly) wrong but was that bit about Scottish Ministers not being able to meet foreign diplomats without a UK chaperone introduced fairly recently? I don't recall there being the same response as regards previous such meetings.
Whilst foreign policy remains a reserved matter, the Scottish Government, and the First Minister, may promote the economy and Scottish interests on the world stage and encourage foreign businesses, international devolved, regional and central governments to invest in Scotland.
...and chatting to Erdoğan about Gaza achieves that how, exactly?
By jumping in and immediately belittling the FM...
Yeah, luckily I'm not in PR.
Let's be serious: Humza is the unelected leader of a subnational government on the edge of Europe who's heading for an electoral bruising thanks to his predecessor's high jinks and his own government's ineptitude. Erdoğan has been in power for 20 years controlling a population that's 15 times larger than Scotland, and with his claws in at least four wars. They're not in the same league at all - it's Maradona meeting one of those fisherman that plays for the Faroe Islands national team.
funny how Sturgeon etc have still not been up in front of a Judge – it’s almost like nothing illegal has occurred and the UK Govt is just stringing it along
● CONSPIRACY THEORY ALERT ●
Police Scotland and COPFS are not accountable to, or directed by, the UK Government. UK Govt couldn't give a shit about meddling in the Sturgeon investigation, they're too busy nuking the economy. Sunak and Braverman couldn't find Scotland on a map. If they could, they'd propose sending people there instead of Rwanda.
I may be (wildly) wrong but was that bit about Scottish Ministers not being able to meet foreign diplomats without a UK chaperone introduced fairly recently? I don’t recall there being the same response as regards previous such meetings.
I believe it's protocol for a wider range than just MSPs, it's standard to liaise with the FCDO to make sure whatever is being discussed isn't going against agreements/policy/etc already in place, or being worked on, it's standard stuff, same as you going to another company talking to someone about something that could have an impact on your companies relationship with the other company. It's nothing sinister, i believe opposition parties, other devolved areas, well anyone within the UK should liaise beforehand, or take an official with them during discussions.
As for this story, i'm more disappointed in the leak of the letter, that's pretty poor form, especially in the way they're using it for political gain here. Should've been kept quiet like it was beforehand, and worked out, focus on genuine politics, there's enough of it around these days!
As for this story, i’m more disappointed in the leak of the letter, that’s pretty poor form, especially in the way they’re using it for political gain here.<br /><br />
Who leaked it? Could be someone on Cameron’s team playing “keep the Scots in check” or it could be someone on Humza’s team playing “WM telling us how to behave” card…
It’s being used via a MSPs feed, so I’d say it’s leaked through the party. <br /><br />It’s also worth asking that whatever was said, made its way back to the FCDO, so guessing Erdogan and/or his advisors weren’t in full agreement with Humza.
Again, there’s a time for politics, Humza needs to understand this one is no win, bar to those already in the bag for votes.
@argee - I can definitely see the point in not having various officials stepping outside UK foreign policy but I'm fairly sure there was a recent change. I'll do some digging to confirm/refute that. In any case this recent incident seems to have attracted an attention denied to previous occasions. I also see that it wasn't just Erdogan that Yousaf met, at least four other foreign officials are now mentioned.
Given it was COP and that Scotland has energy policies not fully aligned to English ones, it's not unreasonable for Yousaf to have been there talking about them. However, the Cameron letter is also exactly the sort of thing that the SNP would lap up as showing how belligerent the UK Govt is. It's therefore a bit of a gift to them that a more intelligent politician might have avoided.
Further to my previous post... If this had happened when Alex Salmond was FM I'd have assumed it was all part of his plan. I don't believe Humza Yousaf is that clever/devious*
* - delete as appropriate.
However, the Cameron letter is also exactly the sort of thing that the SNP would lap up as showing how belligerent the UK Govt is. It’s therefore a bit of a gift to them that a more intelligent politician might have avoided.
the abusive response its brought on social media (& on here) is exactly what the SNP want though i agree it seems to have happened to yousaf rather than him plotting it
the Cameron letter is also exactly the sort of thing that the SNP would lap up as showing how belligerent the UK Govt is...
...and also the kind of thing that the Tories would lap up as showing how constitutionally oblivious the Scottish Govt is...
This is probably one of those unusual situation where the target and the perpetrator end up happy.
I think this is the latest Scotland gov thread. So we have a budget out for next year https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-67759183
For what the income tax would be for me (as it is - not to do with the changes), I could probably convince myself to consider it a small tax on every ride and walk.
I spoke to someone once who thought company pay bands should be higher north of the border to account for the higher taxes, which I thought was a bit odd. But I guess when you push costs onto anyone, they'll try to push them on to others, and market forces will determine what succeeds.
Ah, it'll not have a huge effect on most, tax increase is the headline, but it'll be the other issues that'll be the slow burners over the next year i'd guess, such as potential job losses, service cuts, etc that may occur to balance the budget, but that's just day to day running of a government and the politics that'll no doubt get in the way of that.
Apparently dangerous "English" Bully XL dogs are being shipped north because they won't be illegal in Scotland: https://www.reddit.com/r/Scotland/comments/18lzwet/more_xlbullies_with_a_history_of_violence_finding/
Perhaps the time pontificating about Gaza (which is outside the Scottish parliament's area of competance) should have been spent on dangerous dogs (which the Scottish parliament could have done something about).
https://www.gov.scot/news/scottish-parliament-votes-for-immediate-israel-gaza-ceasefire/
Don't know enough about Bully XLs, or how they'll be monitored and so on in Scotland, though not a fan of heavily manipulated dog breeds in the main, yes i know most are, but some more than others, pugs as well.
As for the Gaza thing, as in all responses i just state it is being politicised too much for my liking, let the UN do their thing, that vote has been delayed until tomorrow now, mainly due to terminology (i believe the word 'ceasefire' is still an issue, and a 'suspension' may be worded) and caveats, as the US is running the show and the middle eastern countries are being brought in to work out how it affects the region and work out solutions they can live with, the UK, including Scotland, aren't a player in this, bar through the UN.
Perhaps if every world leader had family living in Gaza the situation would look very different today.
Sometimes it's not politics and instead it's just someone being a human being.
politecameraaction does make me laugh on scots politics. Why such hatred for the Scots government? Its it because they try to ameliorate the devastating cuts the Tories have made while trying to look after the poor, the old and the sick?
If you are on benefits and have kids you are significantly better off in Scotland. the Scots NHS has not had the strikes we have seen down south because they will actually sit down with the unions. If you are disabled you are significantly better off with no private companies doing assessments that are incentivised to make folk fail the assessments instead the assessments are done by well trained public sector employees
Scots nurses are better paid than in England.
NO overt racism in our government up here
|If you earn less than the average wage you pay a bit less tax
If you are rich you pay a bit more tax.
Maybe if they had family in every conflict, every time, but they don't, maybe those human beings are working together for the best case outcome, via the UN vote, and wheeling and dealing behind the scenes with the US and those nations being affected by the conflict in the middle east.
Almost everybody wants a lasting ceasefire/cessation/suspension/etc and to work on rebuilding, but for that to happen a deal has to be reached that is agreeable to all sides and all actors in this conflict and affected by the conflict.
Perhaps the time pontificating about Gaza (which is outside the Scottish parliament’s area of competance) should have been spent on dangerous dogs (which the Scottish parliament could have done something about).
The Dangerous Dogs act is already a crock of shite, we don't need more knee jerk laws thanks.
As for the Gaza thing, as in all responses i just state it is being politicised too much for my liking, let the UN do their thing, that vote has been delayed until tomorrow now,
To put it politely you can gtf with calling it too politicised, what is being done to innocent civilians in Gaza with our leaders political backs being turned as our government and weapon manufacturers supply them with equipment to aid in the destruction of life is utterly abhorrent and should be on everyone’s minds and the number one talking point.
To put it politely you can gtf with calling it too politicised, what is being done to innocent civilians in Gaza with our leaders political backs being turned as our government and weapon manufacturers supply them with equipment to aid in the destruction of life is utterly abhorrent and should be on everyone’s minds and the number one talking point.
Israel pretty much produce their own weapons and military equipment, with assistance via the US, not even sure if they UK provide any 'weapons', and again, what does having side votes in parliament do that the UN aren't already doing, with the UK sitting as a permanent member?
No - we export loads of guns and bombs to Israel - as we do to other countries in conflict. UK is one of the biggest arms exporters in the world
The UK has licenced arms worth over £442 million to Israel between May 2015 and August 2022, according to analysis of Government export data by the Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT), a UK based pressure group that seeks an end to the global arms trade.
https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cdp-2023-0223/
F35 is a joint programme across many nations, the F35 is licensed and sold by the US, not the UK. The 'arms' sales relate pretty much in totality to technology, i.e. systems, not weapons, i don't see any mention of UK 'guns and bombs', to my knowledge, we don't really make any these days, we tend to buy from other nations, such as the US, France, Sweden, Switzerland, etc.
i don’t see any mention of UK ‘guns and bombs’,
I did not mention “guns and bombs or weapons” in my post above, we do supply the targeting systems for such weapons though, and provide training and continual support
The UK provide export licenses, not the above, that’s done by companies based in the UK
P.S before this goes completely off path, this argument is all about how much sway the UK has over Israel, pretty much none these days
The budget is interesting reading. I feel that whatever Scotland does can put some pressure on Wales to follow in some way. I think both countries currently want to position themselves away from the Tories and separate themselves a bit from England. Down here, there is probably an element of self justification as well.
The things you won’t read about in the “Scottish” media:
I called for a doctor’s appointment for persistent ear ache - got an appointment the next day and an apology from the doctor that I wasn’t seen the same day. Last time I had this problem down south 5 years ago due to an infection I was initially fobbed-off with having to go for a private ear wax removal procedure and had to wait over a week to see a nurse, who identified a chronic infection requiring anti-biotics. No prescription charge for the painkillers and ear drops at the pharmacy either.
Friend had a cancer check yesterday after a melanoma removal earlier this year. Doc identified some suspicious lumps and has appointment for a further scan/biopsy next month. Wife’s friend in Hampshire has been waiting 18 months for a scan.
For these things people are happy to pay more tax.
It's not really apples for apples with the NHS across the UK, i've family in Scotland who have had nightmares with doctors and hospitals, same as bad experiences myself with the NHS, but the wife's family in the next county over had a much better experience for the same thing, it's more postcode lottery than country lottery unfortunately, personally i'm more concerned with the push towards timings for appointments making private more beneficial than ever, and it's not improving.
Again, the budget is much ado about nothing, it'll cause arguments from all sides as always, i do think that the SNP MSPs do need some better orators though, they've lost a lot of their best in front of the camera, and the FM isn't the greatest at it either, he's certainly no Sturgeon in front of the press.
Yes the NHS is pretty variable. My parents (in England) had a nightmare the other day in one Hospital, and their other hospital in a different trust called them and took care of them. We don't even know how the second hospital even knew anything was wrong.
It's Catch 22 for any Scottish Government.
Raise taxes to increase spending on essential services and they get pelters for "forcing the wealthy to leave". Don't raise taxes and get crucified for not using all the devolved powers available.
Still, at least the current lot are spending all the money allocated back to them by Westminster and not just handing some of it back again because they couldn't think what to do with it.
I’m afraid I thought it was spineless and depressingly unimaginative, they went straight for the easy targets (paye), I’d be more accepting if they done something about ‘other’ income methods (self employed, company director etc etc etc ) as well and actually had a go at already existing ‘wealth’.
So long as the Scottish budget is linked to the lowering òr raising of public expenditure in England Scotland will never really be in charge of its own budget.
I’d be more accepting if they done something about ‘other’ income methods (self employed, company director etc etc etc ) as well and actually had a go at already existing ‘wealth’.
I'm not sure ScotGov has the powers you'd need - certainly not within the quite narrow confines of Income Tax variation. Some sort of Land Tax might be possible though and we've already had promises (long since dropped) of Council Tax reform.
Wouldnt say the NHS is much better up here tbh. My mum fell out the front window (she has Alzheimers and was trying to get out to see her pal while my dad was upstairs). Badly swollen ankle, went to the docs 2-days later who promptly told her and my dad to go to A&E, 8hrs later saw a consultant who told her it was just a bad sprain and sent them back home. A week later the swelling is still there, back to A&E, xray after a further 6hrs waiting and she has a broken tib and fib. Absolutely sh*te. Understand the pressures these docs and nurses are under but that is seriously poor.
I’m afraid I thought it was spineless and depressingly unimaginative, they went straight for the easy targets (paye), I’d be more accepting if they done something about ‘other’ income methods (self employed, company director etc etc etc ) as well and actually had a go at already existing ‘wealth’.
it’s not just PAYE - it’s income tax thresholds, they apply to all earnings, whether employed, self employed, dividends, overseas income etc. It’s the only tool they have. BUT whilst they can set the % and threshold they don’t define the rules - so eg the well off can divert more of their income to to a pension which ensures they have a wealthier retirement, and the gov gets less money.
a brave holyrood gov would actually introduce a level between the 21 and 42% levels for the not that bad off (say a 30% level on everything over 35K) but that would be as popular as a fart in a space suit. Their current policy of never increasing the threshold for 42% whilst earnings are increasing at about 7% pa is a “clever move” that means people inflate themselves into become higher rate tax payers - but it’s quite a culture shock when they do, and the motivation for overtime/bonuses/promotions is diluted when basically half the extra you never see. <br /><br />
i suspect they get away with it because most people don’t understand income tax!
I'm pretty sure Martin Lewis explained on the last leg a few weeks back that lag in rates rising but increase in wages leads to a drop in living standards. Fiscal drag. I'd never really thought of it. So I partially get income tax.
Shall we say the language used was frank and forthright?
Why don't we get more credit for not being as shit at communication as them?
That's like me saying, 'Why don't I get more credit for my maths skills when I'm clearly less shit than a daffodil?'
The Fraser of Allander Inst had what I thoight was a good suggestion for Scottish tax rates. Revenue neutrl and would get rid of the anomaly where you pay 52% income ax and NI between £43 and £50k.
Up to £12,570 0%0%
£12,571 – £14,732 19%
£14,733 – £25,688 21%
£25,689 – £50,270 23%
£50,270 – £125,140 43%
Over £125,140 47%
"This reform would smooth out the distortion in marginal tax rates for earnings between £43,663 – £50,270 and bring in, on average, an additional £15 million of tax revenue for the Scottish government each year and £77 million over the 5-year forecasting window."
https://fraserofallander.org/potential-reforms-to-income-tax-in-scotland/
In my case they would get somewhere around an extra £1k in tax because I would happily pay 23% rather than making a pension contribution to avoid 42%.
Shall we say the language used was frank and forthright?
It was the will of the people I hear.
The things you won’t read about in the “Scottish” media:
<br />Being told by the Scottish Ambulance Service that they couldn't help my son who'd just broken his collar bone at Unit 23. We drove for 1h15m to pick him up and take him to hospital. <br /><br />I'm so glad the SNP p!ssed my taxes away.
Being told by the Scottish Ambulance Service that they couldn’t help my son who’d just broken his collar bone at Unit 23. We drove for 1h15m to pick him up and take him to hospital. I’m so glad the SNP p!ssed my taxes away.
It's a collarbone, most of us make our own way there - why didn't he just get a taxi if it was such a big deal?
And remember your taxes are high because Sunak has made them high - all the Scottish Govt can do is play around the edges.
The UK has the highest taxes since the early 50's, consequence of 14 years of Tory Govts - remember that when you go to vote.
Being told by the Scottish Ambulance Service that they couldn’t help my son who’d just broken his collar bone at Unit 23. We drove for 1h15m to pick him up and take him to hospital.
I imagine they have folk who are suitably qualified in first aid that can cope with the situation.
Last time I formally treated a cyclist with a collarbone fracture at an event, a large teenager, I simply asked his mother to take him to the nearby A&E rather than unnecessarily tying up a crew & vehicle. An otherwise healthy teenager with a ?#collarbone will be so far back in the Q for an ambulance that the best outcome for the patient is for family to convey to A&E. It's not a medical emergency, sorry to say @bearGrease.
I’m so glad the SNP p!ssed my taxes away.
On paying NHS staff more so avoiding the strikes that has crippled NHS England. On mitigating the worst effects of tory benefit cuts to keep children out of poverty, on boosting public transport, on a whole raft of measures to reduce poverty and ill health, on stoipping predatory parking fees at NHS hospitals, on keeping older folk at home rather than in homes, on creating fair benefit assessments done inhouse ratyher than a privitised service intended to block folk from getting benefits
They have been far from perfect but they have genuinely made an effort to reduce poverty and its associated health effects and on protecting public services. Attack them for mistakes made by all means.
I wouldn't even think of calling an ambulance for a collar bone. I didn't when a guy from my hockey team broke his 40 years ago. I didn't when I broke mine 45 years ago
I imagine they have folk who are suitably qualified in first aid that can cope with the situation.
You imagine wrong. I guess you've never been to Unit then, they want nothing to do with any injuries.
It’s a collarbone, most of us make our own way there – why didn’t he just get a taxi if it was such a big deal?
Cos he was a 14 year old boy a long way from home in a lot of pain. Get a grip.
Humza Useless has fubarred the Scottish NHS the same way the SNP has fubarred Scottish state education.
Highlandman is a professional with real expertise. Even pre devolution a collar bone injury would be low priority
You imagine wrong. I guess you’ve never been to Unit then, they want nothing to do with any injuries.
Well you should take that up with them then. they should have first aiders on site IMO
The Scottish NHS is performing better than the English NHS simply because of better governance
The quickest way to get him treated would have been by taxi. Instead you made him wait while you drove there? Why?
This is nothing to do with the Scots government - you would NEVER have got an emergency ambulance for this.
These are the categories for ambulance triage
Purple: Our most critically ill patients. This is where a patient is identified as having a 10% or more chance of having a cardiac arrest. The actual cardiac arrest rate across this category is approximately 53%.
Red: Our next most serious category where a patient is identified as having a likelihood of cardiac arrest between 1% and 9.9%, or having a need for resuscitation interventions such as airway management above 2%. Currently the cardiac arrest rate in this category is approximately 1.5%.
Amber: where a patient is likely to need diagnosis and transport to hospital or specialist care The cardiac arrest rates for all of these codes is less than 0.5%
Yellow: a patient who has a need for care but has a very low likelihood of requiring life-saving interventions. For example, patients who have tripped or fallen but not sustained any serious injury.
Green: a patient does not fit the above categories and there is potential for an alternative care pathway, rather than needing to go to hospital.
P
You imagine wrong. I guess you’ve never been to Unit then, they want nothing to do with any injuries.
I wouldn't say that, what I would say is they have nothing in the way of decent first aid training. I caught my front wheel and swan dived onto my head and they didn't really know what to do when I reported in and told them I couldn't remember why I was there.
This is definitely a Unit problem and not necessarily an ambulance problem. I've had to deal with worse (kidney stones) and still been driven in.
Yes, the NHS is in a shit state but this was pre-Yousaf (please don't tell me you're on that ****ing Facebook group, the guy running it has Dick Tice as a **** fantasty)
Its gonna be great fun after the next Holyrood election when the likelihood is that we will have a tory / labour coaltion in charge. Thats gonna make for real good governance 🙂
You think? I think the true believers will still hold on.
My local incumbent isn't going anywhere, his competitors are Katy Clark (was ****ing useless as a Labour MP) and potentially Todd Ferguson, a Millport tory councillor. Plus a.n. other Lib who nobody has heard of.
I think if the Tory List MSP was in another party he'd walk it.
Its gonna be great fun after the next Holyrood election when the likelihood is that we will have a tory / labour coaltion in charge. Thats gonna make for real good governance 🙂
I'm looking forward to telling them to give up their obsession with unionism and focus on the day job instead.
You think? I think the true believers will still hold on.
Yes - if the current polling is anything like reflected in the next holyrood election SNP / Green will be short of a majority by around 10- 15 seats. No one else will work with them. Labour and lib dems together will be even shorter off a majority so the only way to have anything like a majority is a labour / tory coalition possibly including lib dems
Its the way the arithmetic works and labour have been practicing for it with their coalitions with the tories in multiple councils. check Edinburgh council to see how it will work. labour are pretending there is no deal with the tories but they gave them important posts to support the "minority" labour council and rely on tory votes to get anything thru.
That's council politics, I seriously doubt it's going to happen this time if Westminster have anything to say about it (but when did Slab idiots ever consider that)? Also realised you were on about MSP's which is an even deeper barrel to scrape. Labour hopeful is soundbite by numbers, lots of words but **** knows what she's actually touting. Can see Jamie Green making the move to MP at some point but not now, reckon he's too clever for that.
Look at the numbers!
snp 64
tory31
labour 22
Lib dem 4
Now I expect SNP to lose around 15 seats and the tories 5 - 10 with all those going labour. so that would give roughly<br />SNP 50
tory 25
labour 42
Lib dem 4
Green 8
try to find any way of having anything like a majority without lab our and tory working together given that labour, tory. lib dem will not work with the SNP
I think its almost certain.<br /><br />the only alternative is an SNP / labour coaltion or SNP / tory coalition
You read it here first - next holyrood government will be labour / tory coaltion possibly disguised as they have done on Edinbugh council or overt and formal as they have done on other councils
Calm down.
1) SNP have been a minority government in the past.
2) Labour & Tories going into a public coalition is never going to happen. Ever. Regardless of anything else neither head office will stand for those optics.
All I see is a parliament that can do **** all without growing the **** up.
The minority governments were only a vote or two short of a majority and had either overt or tacit support from the greens
The numbers come out like that and a minority government will not be possible for the SNP. Labour lib dem and tory would vote them down
All I see is a parliament that can do * all without growing the * up.
Fat chance of that from Scottish labour and I very much doubt it from the tories tho the first SNP minority government did have some stuff passed with Tory support rather than green as they did have an adult in charge - Annabel Goldie. No one of her calibre in there now.
We can only wait and see and I am sure yo will remind me of this later but given the way Scottish labour, tories and Lib Dems behave I stick to my predictions. they will block any chance of an SNP / Green minority government and will work with the tories instead leading to a labour / tory coalition
Still sure it won't happen. It's a complete stalemate.
There was an unoficial pact between the snp and tories from 2007-11. Not sure that could be successful this year as times have changed and the current leaders of both parties seem less skilled than Salmond and Goldie were.
Just keep having ejections until we get a sensible result.
I'm not sure it was a pact as such but certainly there was some horse trading between the SNP and the Tories to get stuff thru. Similar with the greens in that parliament. thats how PR parliaments such as Holyrood normally work - coalitions either formal to get partners places in government ( which did not happen in this case) or informal around certain issues as happened in this case with tradeoffs. You vote for the finance bill and we will include your pet schemes. I cannot remember what it was the tories wanted included as a cost for voting or abstaining
The thing is that labour and lib dems have refused to do this just acting as wrecking agents since and the tories have joined them. Labour could have had significant influence but instead just swat on the side benches sulking
If the numbers come out as I suggest and the SNP remain the largest party but well short of a majority and labour, lib dems and tories continue to refuse to work with them then the choices are as Squirrelking says stalemate or as I suggest a labour / tory coaltion then I do not think the electorate will forgive labour for their continual wrecking efforts
The idea that the current SG are exemplars of good governance is laughable. The Nolan principles which underpin governance rules in UK public service organisations are:
- Selflessness: Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest.
- Integrity: Holders of public office must avoid placing themselves under any obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence them in their work. They should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends. They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.
- Objectivity: Holders of public office must act and take decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias.
- Accountability: Holders of public office are accountable to the public for their decisions and actions and must submit themselves to the scrutiny necessary to ensure this.
- Openness: Holders of public office should act and take decisions in an open and transparent manner. Information should not be withheld from the public unless there are clear and lawful reasons for so doing.
- Honesty: Holders of public office should be truthful.
- Leadership: Holders of public office should exhibit these principles in their own behaviour. They should actively promote and robustly support the principles and be willing to challenge poor behaviour wherever it occurs.
The current SG score null points.
Hurricane - examples?
I think there is more appetite for horse trading or pacts with Tories amongst the hierarchy of Labour in Scotland than there is amongst ordinary membership
I'll bite (though all self evident)..
Selflessness: Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest. The ongoing ferry scandal. The launch of the Glen Sannox with painted on windows to allow the then FM a moment of glory.
Integrity: Holders of public office must avoid placing themselves under any obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence them in their work. They should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends. They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships. Operation Branchform.
Objectivity: Holders of public office must act and take decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias. The £500m guarantee (and the highland estate) provided to Gupta.
Accountability: Holders of public office are accountable to the public for their decisions and actions and must submit themselves to the scrutiny necessary to ensure this. The attempts to avoid FoI legislation (and to suspend during the Covid epidemic). Currently the SG is fighting the CoS judgement in favour of the Information Commissioner re Hamilton (not mentioning the redactions in his report).
Openness: Holders of public office should act and take decisions in an open and transparent manner. Information should not be withheld from the public unless there are clear and lawful reasons for so doing. See above. The mass deletions of WA messages revealed as part of the Covid enquiry.
Honesty: Holders of public office should be truthful. The former FM was found to have misled the SP by the Committee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints.
Leadership: Holders of public office should exhibit these principles in their own behaviour. They should actively promote and robustly support the principles and be willing to challenge poor behaviour wherever it occurs. The current FM's inability to do anything about the continued presence of Michael Matheson on the SG front bench as a Cabinet Sec.
Hurrican - you are wasting your time, TJ has a huge blindspot where the SNP are concerned. Almost nothing in Scotland is better than it was 14 years ago.
A9 dualling? A96 improvement? Rest and be Thankful. A new Forth Crossing which was planned to be unable to meet current traffic levels. Replacing a 4 lane bridge built for 1960s traffic levels with another 4 lane bridge.
"One of the fundamental aims of the Forth Replacement Crossing Project is to maintain traffic capacity at 2006 levels and not to increase capacity except through public transport improvements. "
https://www.gov.scot/publications/foi-17-02563/
Mathieson attempting to bill the taxpayer for an £11k bill for watching football them lying about it when caught. Still in a top govt job. That the best the SNP can do?
Oh I am quite happy for the SNP to be called out for things they have got wrong. What I will challenge is the spurious made up claims that appear.
the boats for example - clearly a huge cockup with layers of hubris, cover up and so on.
One of the fundamental aims of the Forth Replacement Crossing Project is to maintain traffic capacity at 2006 levels and not to increase capacity except through public transport improvements
this I agree with - where is the traffic from a 6 lane bridge going to go?. Its well known and proven that increasing traffic capacity on roads leads to increases in traffic. a six lane bridge would just have meant increased congestion elsewhere particularly on the roads into Edinburgh.
Mathieson should have been sacked as well - not for the cockup but as usual for the coverup. He should have come clean, been contrite and paid up straight away then its a non story. The ridiculous coverup he attempted should have led to his sacking for lying.
I'll also add its time for the SNP to have a spell on the side benches out of government. Like any government after 10 or more years in power they have run out of ideas and energy and cronyism and self preservation becomes more and more prevalent.
Ive never voted SNP.
Im looking forward to the labour / tory calition that I believe willbe the next scots government. thats gonna be fun 🙂
On a technical point:
SNP are the political party, which is different from,
Scottish Ministers, who are the cabinet, the ministers, the group of elected officials who make policy decisions, which is different from,
Scottish Government, who are the civil servants and neutral - serving the Ministers of the day.
The fact that the post above confuses and conflates all these groups does not help with credibility and I won't start on the non-facts, misinterpretations etc.
Thank you hels. I was also twitching at some of the mixed wording and misinterpretations.
I'm an SNP member and I qgree with TJ the ferries contract is at best a shambles , they should never have been anywhere near Gupta I worked that out with a couple of hours online research. They're also in danger of being seen as a party for the central belt, and not for the rest of Scotland. There have been successes in reducing the impact of various Westminster policies but you can't keep doing that forever. The mps have been pretty ineffective at campaigning for independence in Westminster.
Do I want a period in opposition? No but it looks likely.
Am I here to campaign for a party that wants to run a devolved administration? No
Scottish Ministers, who are the cabinet, the ministers, the group of elected officials who make policy decisions, which is different from,
Scottish Government, who are the civil servants and neutral – serving the Ministers of the day.
Not quite the case. From the SG's website...
The First Minister
The First Minister is head of the Scottish Government and is ultimately responsible for all policy and decisions. The First Minister:
- oversees the operation of the government and its agencies
- appoints members of the government (cabinet secretaries and ministers)
- is the principal Scottish Government figure in the Scottish Parliament
The First Minister is Humza Yousaf. The official residence of the First Minister is Bute House in Edinburgh.
The Deputy First Minister
The Deputy First Minister supports the work of the First Minister.
Cabinet secretaries
The Scottish Cabinet is made up of the senior members (cabinet secretaries) of the Scottish Government.
Ministers
Ministers are aligned to and support the work of the Scottish Cabinet.
Every Tuesday, during the Scottish Parliamentary term, the Cabinet meets to discuss the most important issues for the Scottish Government.