Jedi2

I have been a teacher in a state school for 28 years now as well, and don't disagree about extra tax, if you can see it reinvested into education and health particularly the areas you suggest. Also agree that Labour could (and should) have got away with an 'extra 1p for Education and Health' approach. However being a teacher and due to various 'issues' to say the least with the SNP and Education over the past few years is one of the main reasons I couldn't vote for them.

Unlikely, as if the result doesn't go well, he will be replaced soon..probably by Nicola

There are indeed a good number of Undecided.. and you are right, probably disillusioned Tory and SNP voters. However, on the day that still makes them likely to not bother or just 'go with what they usually do' 24-22 SNP probably feels 'about right'. If that is the result, it renders a Labour win in England and Wales pretty meaningless in Scotland, as the 'narrative' is still with the SNP, and they still hold control of 'most' powers at Holyrood in any case

And there you are..Scotsman and Independent reporting the Savanta poll which gives the SNP a comfortable lead over Labour and should see SNP 24 Labour 22 Libs 5 Tories 6 SNP lead for Holyrood also stretching away now.

Left school without being able to read or write, and haven't gained either skill since. On the Survation Poll, still can't see the Tories as low as that, or the SNP. There will still be that 'can't admit to voting Tory in polls' element. Chance of them still being over 100. SNP could be anywhere from 15 to 40...polls in Scotland have been all over the place Reform...probably 2 or 3.

1. Celtic 2. Rangers 3. Aberdeen 4. Hearts 5. Motherwell 6. Hibs 7. KIllie 8. United 9. St.Mirren 10. Dundee 11. St.Johnstone 12. County

Unlike France, Italy, Spain, Austria, Hungary the UK has never had actual Communists or Fascists (or at least far-left/far-right) elected to parliament in any numbers, and indeed has always avoided 'extremes'. Yes, Brexit was largely built on smears about Immigration, but it's a whole different matter actually electing far...(either side) to Parliament let alone govt. Hence why Reform might win 2 or 3 seats this time (with maybe 14-15% of the vote or maybe less). Can't see how they go from there to potentially forming the next govt. Howling at the moon about Immigration can only carry so far. I genuinely think the majority of Tory voters (in England) care more about low taxes, not spending too much on public services, being able to keep 'most' of their money and Pensions, than they do about Immigration overall.

Reckon Reform might win 2 or 3 seats (on a good day) for them on Thursday..even Farage will struggle to win his seat. In 5 years time they will probably be called something else (again)..Brexit Party to Reform to..? They will influence the Tories to move further to the right, but electorally will disappear as 'traditional' Tory voters return to them rather than whatever Farage's latest vanity project is

Swinney has already got his in..'this election doesn't really matter as we have a mandate from 2021 so let's get on with that Referendum' Other than that... The weather Folk being put off politics by the result in the French election The Euros The fact that too many folk couldn't find ID The Glasgow Fair is coming up

Mean £35K Median £28K

So the conclusions leads to: Taxing Private School parents more Taxing Oil and Gas Giants more Taxing Property Developers more Trying to claw back non-dom.tax avoidance..... All 'unfair' and 'unmanageable' But....Taxing people earning £8000 less than an average wage and going after teachers, nurses, police and Social Workers with tax hikes is 'progressive' and where we should be clawing the money in from? Certainly removes any doubt about the clear right-left wing gap in economic approach between Labour and the SNP. If you want to protect private schools, large multinationals, large landowners, and bankers, the SNP is clearly on your side.

The average wage in Scotland is around £35,000. Under the SNP's 6 bands these 'high earners' start at £26,562 (or around £8000 below an 'average' wage. Of course there is then the fiscal drag between £43662 and £43,663 which takes a lot of public sector workers (nurses, teachers, police, Social Workers etc) into the 'Higher' band...these are the people the Scottish govt are going after to up their tax revenue (worth around £1 billion more in the next year with the rates higher than rUK So for all the 'we settled teachers/nurses/police etc pay disputes (eventually)..award these workers a rise then hit them with Higher tax, which kind of defeats the purpose of the pay rise and makes it smoke and mirrors. On the Windfall Tax, the proposal is to increase it by around 3% at present (less of an increase than the Tories made in the last 2 years). Ultimately I would still rather see oil and gas giants, Private School parents and property developers paying a bit more in tax, than an average public sector worker, as, in most considerations they are most able to afford it. 20% Intermediate £26,562 - £43,662 21% Higher £43,663 - £75,000 42% Advanced £75,001 - £125,140* 45% Top Above £125,141

Apology? For your condescending arrogance and constant 'intellectual superiority',continual inference of my uneducated numbskullness and your colossal intellectual capacity by comparison.

You mean like when Shell (profit £22 billion) BP (profit £14 billion) and others, fled the UK when Jeremy Hunt slapped a 35% Windfall Tax (an increase of 10% from the previous year),on their profits in January 2023..think they are still here. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60295177.amp Or the whole 5% of kids who go to Private Schools will mostly be leaving? Don't think so. Rather think that they will be more than able to afford an 'increase'. After all, fees of between £20-30K a year already aren't an issue. Meanwhile it's fine and dandy to slap tax hikes on 'high' earners (by the SNP's definition) on £28,000 a year, but not oil and gas companies, private schools, or property developers. It's interesting that you mention 'disappearing' for 'ten years or so', a decade in other words, that the SNP plan to use to 'disappear' even moderate functioning of public services in Scotland for.....but its all worth it in the 'long term'. How long it would take to rebuild those public services is anyone's guess.

That pesky IFS again: Here they are, speaking this time on June 22nd, about not being able to make projections beyond March 2025: We have already discussed the fact that the lack of department-by-department plans after this year means that we are uncertain about the path of spending on particular public services, and that we are unable to evaluate the 'cost' of committing to a given path of spending We do not know how total spending will be allocated between public services after next March, and, with a few exceptions, neither manifesto offered much light. https://www.morningstar.co.uk/uk/news/AN_1719049537523141900/uk-party-manifestos-suggest-cuts-likely-in-next-government---ifs.aspx I know that an extra 2 minutes of the Radio Scotland interview was 'too long' for you to listen to, but still no acknowledgement, weeks later, of the IFS estimate of a decade of public sector cuts under the SNP's plans.

Can folk 'change' class though? ie grow up in a Council House, manual labourer, but 'come into money', and then go onto live in the 'best' parts of Edinburgh, shop at Harvey Nics and join the golf club sort of thing.

Thought it was all rounded off nicely, though a bit rushed in the last 10-15 minutes. Reckoned that Ruby's mum being 'just' an ordinary person worked, though appreciate the 'how did that fool a villain as powerful as Sutek?' was a challenge. Some really strong episodes in the Season, some not so much, but overall Ncuti and Millie have both grown into their roles as its progressed.

2500 'should' be enough. With prices of flights etc having gone up quite significantly, difficult to see more than that travelling. If the worst comes to the worst with a 30,000 capacity stadium, surely a good chance to get in somewhere

You need to keep up with the IFS old bean: From 20th June (bit of an update on 'April' and 25 mind into the Interview for the IFS spokesperson: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002080n Where he points out that 'potential' cuts to unprotected budgets 'could' be between £6 and £16 billion, not the £18 billion the SNP lied about. There is also an admission that these figures are based on a one year projection not the 5 year term. In other news..the economy is also growing more quickly than expected https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c6p2r9xzde4o.amp Up by 0.7% in the first quarter according to the ONS, which will lead to both inflation remaining lower and the B of E being able to cut interest rates now, which in turn means the UK govt can borrow more than expected, and again in turn, that 'cuts' to unprotected budgets would be lower as a result. The IFS spokesperson in the Radio Scotland interview, (he was on for a whole 8 minutes) did also points out that the SNP's plans for Independence would lead to a decade of cuts to public services without significant tax hikes. So, Labour plans not 'just' reliant upon Windfall taxes on oil and gas, but, in a growing economy, more space now for borrowing (as well as VAT on private schools, taxes on property developers profits, increase in Capital Gains tax, and, with more people in employment (unemployment currently falling) more comes in from income tax and NI. 'None of the above'. It would be quite something for any party to spend 5 years implementing 'none' of their Manifesto.

There you go...you are miles ahead of me in the qualifications stakes already.. I couldn't even aspire to getting in the pool never mind get a certificate as I couldn't read the map to get me to the building.

Indeed. @lichtgilphead has already 'proved' that I left school at about 15 with 0 qualifications naturally.

Mention number 27 (by you). I thought you had already 'debunked' the said PhD some time ago with a series of graphs, charts and 39 citations

Austerity is of course deep cuts to public services pretty much across the board (kind of like the Growth Commission plan), not 'between £6 and £16 billlion) of unprotected budgets which miss out the 'big' areas of Health, Education, Benefits etc Let's imagine for a moment that the SNP's Manifesto was implemented so: Call for a Ceasefire in Gaza and recognise Palestine as a state (seems to be a 'top' priority at the moment going by their Social Media). But, they get their wish..presumably the Israeli govt shrugs and says 'so what' We are imagining that they have most seats, so ask for a Ref...UK govt says No. Spend £28 billion a year on Green Energy....as well as no cuts to public services. So public debt is pushed up significantly over 100% in order to borrow the money. Money markets are spooked, the pound plummets and inflation goes back up along with prices..or of course you can hike up taxes on those high earners on £28,000 again...they must have more disposable income by now. Devolve Broadcasting..fair enough..more time for BBC Alba Scrap Trident: Saves £3 billion a year (drop in the ocean for public services), but decommissioning costs...around £3 billion as well. Rejoin the EU: Should be a smooth enough process without another Referendum...or maybe not Scrap the Two Child Benefit Cap: Fair enough...suspect that will happen in the next 5 years anyway. Can see why a large cohort of SNP MPs will make a significant impact at Westminster over the next 5 years.

@lichtgilphead will be along with a full 5 page dossier with 17 citations 'proving' that an Independent Scotland wouldnt work with Le Pen

Whether in or out of the LEZ, a Right Said Fred Tribute Act maybe ain't the best look for the First Minister.