Dawson Park Boy

What Scotland gets is determined by the Barnett formula. Very beneficial. Starving children should be fed by their parents who, if they are unable to do just that, should receive the appropriate benefits to allow them to fulfill their parental duties. I can’t be any clearer. If you disagree, that’s fair enough.

Yes

Look, please all calm down and just read what I’m saying, I totally agree with the welfare state when it is required to meet specific needs. I just don’t agree with getting the state rather than the parents to feed children. If a parent has a problem, then the welfare system should kick in to enable that parent to feed the child. Its a long time since I’ve had a school dinner but as I recall, they were poor. As such I would much rather parents do the feeding rather than a dinner lady. Where does such a policy end up ? Meals coming to houses by deliveroo paid for by government Complete nonsense. A compliant citizenry fed and clothed by the state. The conservatives were correct and should have stuck with their principles.

Anyone unable to work should be getting furlough from his employer (80% with less NI and tax and xpenses). If self employed there is a scheme to pay based on last tax return. Obviously, some folks will fall through the safety net and there is universal credit available. Which category of person are you specifically highlighting who are unable to feed their kids?

IMO, a correct decision. It is the job of parents to feed their children , not the state. If the parents don’t have enough money due to Covid related problems, then benefits policy needs to be looked at. This was the principle espoused by Beveridge who founded the welfare state. Benefits were to meet short term problems but not to be a permanent state of affairs.

According to GERS, per SG figures, it does.

Absolutely correct. Im a Tory and believe in self determination with welfare in place to deal with hardship when it occurs and only as a temporary respite. Certainly don’t agree with subsidising all and sundry.

Can’t be bothered either starting a full debate on child poverty but, suffice to say, as a parent and grandparent, I start with the premise that it is a parents duty to look after their kids, not the state, not local government, not an agency but the parents. To go along with Judge Judy ‘if you can’t afford them, don’t make them’. However, it is not the fault of a child to have rotten parents, and, in exceptional cases, it is necessary to take kids into care and this is a necessary fact that has to be faced. In addition, it is the responsibility of the state, through its welfare policies to ensure that families have enough income to feed and clothe themselves.What is enough will always be a big political issue and rightly so. Let’s not go there today. I don’t, however like the idea of state nannyism and I just feel that free school meals falls under that category. Where does it end? Free clothes, free haircuts, free everything? On meals, during this Covid pandemic, I have spent much more time than normal in supermarkets with my wife and it is incredible to see how many nutritious meals can be cooked for very little. A cheap chicken with a few vegetables can produce a good few main courses along with superb soup, all for very little. Maybe we should be allocating more resources to teaching people how to cook and manage their budgets? After all, it’s not just a case of income but how you spend the income you get.

She’s been saying that for as long as I can remember and Scottish education continues to decline by world standards. Empty words, I’m afraid.

Too many seem to be people who have done little else in their lives.

Hard to think of anything, to be honest. Holyrood is just a glorified council talking shop for second rate politicians.

I certainly think that it is the duty of parents to feed their kids, not the state. If benefits are not high enough then that of course is a political debate to be had. However, to expect the state to be looking after every aspect of our lives is demeaning and ridiculous. Part of the responsibility of having children is the ability to feed and clothe them.

You’ve got to be careful you don’t sign up for a season ticket!

On the Forfar website where you sign up for the stream, they are clearly asking for a volunteer. Take a look.

For the final time, I went for Brexit and factored in a drop in income of around 10%.for the first 5years. To me sovereignty was the clincher. As it stands, I don’t think that will happen but who knows? Surely, it is the same with independence. You should go with your gut feeling, or sovereignty, if you like, but whether you believe the experts or not, it must be sensible to factor in some pain whether or not it bothers you or otherwise. Also, it may not happen. There may be no pain at all. It might be a glorious success story. Who knows? If we had followed the experts Brexit would never have happened. Likewise, if you follow the experts, independence won’t happen. Like Brexit, you just need to convince a sufficient number of people. Surely we can now agree.

I agree that I am a true believer in Brexit, as you are regarding independence. All I’m saying, and you never address it, is that it’s quite a big sell to the public at large. You obviously think you can win the pitch. Fair enough. Many folks were Remainers because they believed the experts. On that basis we agree.

Didn’t the Andrew Wilson report (forgot its name) predict years of austerity post independence? However, for the true believers, that’s a price worth paying. The problem is selling it to the public at large.

They were asking foe volunteers to do the commentary

I’m just saying that I don’t believe in self identification. Nothing wrong in changing sex if you have had drugs and operations and your birth certificate has been amended. However, I don’t think blokes can just decide to be women.

I have never voted SNP in my life and, realistically, am not likely to. However, I’m not so set in my ways that I can’t look at the independence issue as a possibility. One of my sons is an independence supporter, doesn’t like the SNP, too lefty,but votes for them. I find I’m getting tired of all this constant warring over independence and would love to see Holyrood filled with politicians from parties representing a variety of political perspectives as you find in most countries. We’re very like Northern Ireland where everything is seen through the prism of unionism or republicanism. Surely there must be a constitutional solution which satisfies unionists and nationalists alike without causing a massive upheaval. Perhaps some kind of federalism could be the answer along US lines? Ill return to this theme later as I have an online bridge match coming up. All ideas welcomed.

I certainly am put off the SNP with the GRA. I appreciate the SNP are separate from the independence movement but this science defying stuff is not to my liking at all.

Once the vaccine stuff is sorted and this awful virus fucks off... people will see the harsh reality of brexit I think the opposite will be the case. I understand that things are improving regarding imports and exports. Things were always going to be tricky for the first few months and Covid hasn’t helped. Out of interest what is the harsh reality of Brexit or is this just some slogan you’ve picked up?

It’s this kind of language that puts me and others right off.

I agree with your analysis about Britishness v Scottishness. Yes, it’s how you feel that counts. In my own case, I feel Scottish for some things - football, sport but British for others - international affairs, currency, economy. When I’m abroad, I’ll say I’m Scottish and explain where it is in the UK, especially in America where geography isn’t there strong point. I suppose I’d be classed as a yoon but not so set in my ways that I wouldn’t consider independence. What needs to happen for me is someone credible explaining currency, whether they anticipate joining the EU (a negative for me), forecasts of government income and expenditure and the type of economy they envisage Scotland becoming. The Wilson plan wasn’t exactly encouraging and seemed to indicate years of austerity. The status quo, I find quite comforting, as we can do a fair number of things through Holyrood but can rely on the UK to subsidise us and provide the support of the BoE, as it does to all the regions out with London and the southeast. This is what the ECB doesn’t do and why some of the fringe EU countries suffer so badly. The Nats tend to rubbish the annual GERS report but the SG happily produces it without explanation? Maybe it’s because they used to love it when oil was a big factor? Times have changed. Theres obviously a fair head of steam for independence but I really just wonder if people have really thought it through properly? Actions have consequences and we need a lot more information. Anyway, just a few thoughts and maybe some folks on here have some of the answers.

You can start with me. I only post for myself.