Jedi2

Think this is all fair. As you say he doesn't scare the horses, and for Tory voters thinking of switching, gives them that 'he might not change too much 'reassurance''. Still have to hope that they at least stick to the main substance of the Green Energy plan, the VAT on private schools, cracking down on non doms, nationalising rail, and properly funding public services

Quite right...carry on with your turbo charged austerity plan and Humza at the helm ..both should go down a storm at the election

Your hope has to be that the SNP sort themselves out..and soon Ditch the comedy act as FM..put a serious candidate in place instead. Come up with a credible plan for post-Independence which isn't a bankers bonanza, but seeks to fund public services properly. But, yes, the current political climate is a mess. If the SNP get a shoeing at the GE with the Humza at the helm and 'most seats does it' defeated, they will set the case back some time

Sorry, nodded off half way through your insightful post there..

While we know that the Tories will always be mired in sleaze and corruption (Tories gonna Tory after all), the difference now I that the SNP are 'also' mired in sleaze and corruption. Whether it's an industrial scale deletion of WhatsApp (yes, same as the Tories), 'gold' Command meetings (unminuted), Matheson I-Pad, Humza's 70K trip to New York, Branchform, the Salmond Enquiry...the list goes on. It's not a 'plot' by the BBC, M15, or whoever...its their own fault for getting far too comfortable with the snouts in the trough over the last decade or so

Don't disagree. Starmer has become so terrified of losing this election through trial by Tory media now, that he is stripping back way too many of the proposals which make them both different from and better than the Tories...Green Energy, proper funding of public services, sorting out the bankers, taking on multinationals and non doms etc. The outcome of this could be enough Tory voters in England who were thinking if switching, now wondering if they should just stick with the full fat version. Meanwhile it turns off potential 'new' Labour voters..who could go Lib Dem instead. He could end up handing the Tories a road back at this rate.

While technically true..it would be the SNP who would be in charge of the initial negotiations for Independence, as they would have 'won' the most seats/Referendum, whatever. Yes, while they could be voted out if/when their austerity pledges were more apparent, I reckon they could still have enough core support to see them back in at the start (and off the back of the euphoria of winning Independence). The best bet is for them to ditch these plans now, and come back with a much better prospectus...as said, get on board with an EFTA route, thereby negating the need for deep cuts to public services. Outline where the funding for public services will come from, how they are intending to trade, and have a timescale for a Scottish currency. 'Then' their plan for Independence becomes more appealing.

No question that Labour have had a shocking couple of weeks, from rowing back on Green Energy (which I thought was a good policy and provided clear distance from the Tories), to abstaining on the Rwanda Bill, and now not capping bankers bonuses It's heading into 'none of the above' territory.

Just takes a quick glance across Social Media Twitter etc to find the usual suspects claiming that 'support for Independence will be soaring now after Nicola's 'magnificent performance' today, and 'Scotland stands with Nicola' Deary me.

Tbh politics across the UK is in a sorry state at the moment. In their current guise the SNP...horrific. The Tories are, well the Tories, and Labour have had a shocking last few weeks, from rowing back on Green Energy, to abstaining on Rwanda, and now not capping bankers bonuses. It's heading for a 'none of the above' (not including the Lib Dems as they are clearly an irrelevance)

Er.. Gordon Brown was the Prime Minister at the time during which he was most vilified on a pretty much daily basis by the right wing tabloids, TV and social media. Last time I checked, Scotland was part of the UK between 2007-10 during Brown's tenure, therefore he was hardly 'far removed' from a country's 'duly elected government' (a govt which was elected across the whole of the UK in the 2005 GE in which Labour won 41 seats in Scotland to the SNP's 6)...so the right wing media were hounding the elected Prime Minister of a govt put there by a sizeable majority of Scottish voters.

Give it time..the tabloids will be going into overdrive to target Starmer, closer it gets to a GE

In fairness to her on this one, don't think there have any blows landed during today's Enquiry.

Again, take time to read either the Growth Commission, or the more recent Independence Policy Papers and try to reach the conclusion that's its not advocating an 'Independence for the Bankers and those with the most'

Which bit? The 'Himmler' style propaganda, which has 'only' ever been directed by the media against the Scottish govt?

So, Brown, Milliband, and particularly Corbyn weren't 'hounded' and vilified by the mainstream media, on different platforms, newsprint, TV, radio, and Social Media? It's 'only' the SNP who come in for 'any' criticism....seriously?

I give you... And that was just a tiny selection of tabloid media directed towards Comrade Corbyn..never mind social media, radio and TV.. Bear in mind that this man was democratically elected as leader of the main opposition party in the UK, and then had to endure being cited as the Most Dangerous Man in Britain etc etc from right wing media (and yes, unsavoury types in his own party as well), day after day. And if you think 'oh well, Corbyn was an exception and it was mostly from his 'own side'..check out tabloids/TV/ radio, during Gordon Brown's time as PM It's 'only' the SNP who are criticised in the media?....Gies peace.

Not to worry...you will be able to draw your wee cross in the yellow Tory box at the GE, safe in the knowledge that you are saying Yes to decimating Scotland's public sector, privatising any assets that aren't nailed down, keeping tax low for the bankers, and making sure the B of E still calls the shots. Win, win for you there.

#decadeofausterity

I don't think Sarwar would be 'out on his ar*e' if Labour increased their Scottish seats from 2 to say 20. It would give him something to build on for the Holyrood election. Yousaf has committed himself to a majority of seats means we are Independent line though....he has a far riskier time with that..if the SNP 'don't' win most seats, how far back does that set the campaign? Even losing around 20 seats for Yousaf couldn't be spun as a ' we still did well'

I would like to see both Labour and the SNP advocate for EFTA membership...there is no reason why both parties couldn't do so. Set out to sell that to the public as a step to working much more closely with the EU. In the SNP's case, it would allow them to buy a lot more time, in building up the economy before trying to meet the requirements for full EU membership. In Labour's case it would just make sense, and also buy time for trying to rejoin further down the line. I still think any offer of another EU Ref at this stage would simply hand the Tories a victory. Of course Better Together promised continued EU Membership in 2014, not denying it, but that didn't forsee the poorly run Remain campaign which helped the gammon vote no end.

I don't entirely have a 'staunch' backing of the Starmer project, as of course I would prefer to see a more socialist orientated Labour Party. No question that Starmer needs to both accept genuinely left wing voices in the party and try to work with them, not ostracise them. He also needs to be far more consistent on sticking to positions he takes up, and not try to row back on previously held pledges..there is no argument from me that he does that, and it needs to change. I do have genuine concerns about the SNP's current vision for Independence..I am not now or ever have been, opposed to Independence as a better overall future for Scotland. However, I wouldn't want to see it potentially wasted by a near decade of austerity, but rather to hear more left orientated voices in the SNP speaking up, and making the case, not for a 'socialist paradise' as I don't think its realistic they would do that, but at least for a prospectus which doesn't look to put the bankers, multinationals and big business interests in the driving seat.

Given a current total of 2 Scottish seats, you would have to think that getting around 20 would be a 'good result' for Labour..they don't have to beat the SNP..its asking rather a lot to go from 43-2 down and overturn that in one election. Doesn't matter if the SNP have had a meltdown or not..they still have a core vote who will turn out for them whatever they do, and that takes a long time to shift

Whether the Tory is wearing a blue rosette, or a yellow and black one doesn't really matter...the turbo charged austerity, low tax, big business obsession is still the same

For the umpteenth time...have never been 'banned'. Chose to leave for a while due to exasperation.(Although I am well aware that questioning of the SNP is deemed to be a banning offence)