To the polls again....

The Scottish political situation has become just a little more complex after the elections. Not as complicated as the Greek situation, not as dangerous as we perceive the American situation to be.

We were voting for our members of the Scottish parliament and for our local councillors. It was all a wee bit mesmerising and I think most of us just tuned out because we couldn't take it any more. The three parties (sorry the three MAIN parties ) are all led  by woman- (two of them  in same sex relationships which shows how open minded the average West Coaster has become!)) and some of the debating sank to a level of fishwives shouting over the PA at an ACDC concert. I had to turn the TV off to protect the dog's hearing.

So to recap. What is a Scot? Traditionally this greatness is achieved by being born in Scotland or having Scottish parents or being raised and educated here.  ( If you are good footballer we can adjust accordingly).  The marvellous of Scottishness can  also be achieved through heritage.  In 2011 there were 5.2 million residents in the (wet) Scottish homeland and over 50 million of Scottish ancestry living elsewhere ( probably somewhere dry and sunny). So it is good that  tourism and hospitality are our biggest industries, despite the weather. 

According to government, being Scottish is a state of mind and 62% of  Scots identified themselves as Scottish rather than Scottish and British, or Scots then British  but as yet there is no such thing as Scottish citizenship unless you count that teary eyed feeling when hearing a lone piper or a desire to thump people when they say ‘Oh your Scottish, that’s so cute.’

Was it a big mistake for the SNP to copy an old Tory slogan... and not just a Tory one-- a Thatcherite slogan. Like a cockerel quoting the fox to the hens. 

 In the 2014 Scottish Independence Referendum, Scots were ‘those living in Scotland whose name was on the electoral register, regardless of their origin or upbringing. Voting powers were extended to 16 and 17 year olds ( but recall that one of their policies is that all under 18’s should have a named guardian??) 84.5% of the population voted… 3 619 915 in all.

So you recall we voted no to independence.

“Scotland has voted to stay in the United Kingdom after voters decisively rejected independence.

The margin of victory for the Better Together campaign - 55% to 45% - was greater by about 3% than that anticipated by the final opinion polls. The winning total needed was 1,852,828.”

Then at the next general election we voted in a huge majority SNP to go to Westminster and there has been a lot of talk  that there will be another indyref… in fact they never shut up about it… talking about if the public mood meets certain criteria… but never define what that criteria actually are.

So then we had the local and Scottish elections last week… and

“SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon has declared that her party has won a historic third victory in the Holyrood election - but it did not manage an overall majority.

                              

                                     Ruth Davidson, smiley, witty and nobody's fool

The SNP won 63 seats - two short of a majority which it enjoyed in the last parliament with 69 seats”

The tories took a few seats from the SNP which is almost unheard off.

If the SNP are the party of independence and the Tories the party of the union, what does that say? Or have the old SNP – the tartan tories as they used to be called  been put off by the SNP’s move to the left. Is it the clever, witty Tory leader… Ruth Davidson, who many see as the only leader who will stand up to Nicola in a debate.

                                               

                                                          Kezia, now leading the remains of the crushed Labour Party.

Ruth said  "I hope the message that was resonating was of being a strong opposition, to hold the SNP to account, to saying no to a second independence referendum, to respect the decision that our country made, and to really focus on the things we're paying a government to focus on, on schools, on hospitals, on public services."

But Nicola then  dismissed suggestions the idea of a second referendum on independence had been "put to bed" now after the failure of the party to secure another majority.

How many times do they have to be told, we want more self government, not separation.

I think it might be time for the gloves to come off.

Caro Ramsay 13/05/2016