Mr Rational Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 It's a three-line whip, so yes. Any SNP MP voting against the air strikes will lose the whip and most likely be deselected. It's desperately sad. Not insane, not bizarre, just sad. I'm actually surprised at that. Following a few MPs feeds on Twitter and actually knowing one in the flesh, I would have thought the no vote would have been unanimous anyway. It just gives the impression that maybe the group isn't as solid as folk make out. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Rational Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 70,000 what? I genuine have missed what that number refers to. Moderate fighters who would hold the ground vacated by ISIS after they retreated. 'Not a single blade of grass was held by any air strike anywhere' - I think I read that quote in a book about the American Marines in Iraq. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagfox Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage Henry Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 (edited) I'm actually surprised at that. Following a few MPs feeds on Twitter and actually knowing one in the flesh, I would have thought the no vote would have been unanimous anyway. It just gives the impression that maybe the group isn't as solid as folk make out. It's how the SNP generally organise votes. They tend to be all in and all out. The lack of dissension in the ranks is one of the SNP's greatest achievements as a political party. For a while there, the SNP were unelectable renegades. It took Salmond's return to create a party singing, ostensibly, from the same hymn sheet. Edited December 2, 2015 by Savage Henry 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage Henry Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 Moderate fighters who would hold the ground vacated by ISIS after they retreated. 'Not a single blade of grass was held by any air strike anywhere' - I think I read that quote in a book about the American Marines in Iraq. Okay. That number seems to me highly controversial in that ghost soldiers have made the counting of troops in Iraq a bit of a lottery. I'm not saying it's an exaggeration, but unless someone knows better, it's highly unreliable 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Rational Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 Agreed. The branch meetings can be eventful, we had an absolute belter of a debate over Trident and NATO before the vote and it was the only time we mandated our delegates going to conference. Real passion, arguments left right and centre and it was a joy to behold. Once the door opened though, the branch spoke as one (which was to vote in favour of joining NATO). I expect the parliamentary group will be exactly the same way. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Rational Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 Okay. That number seems to me highly controversial in that ghost soldiers have made the counting of troops in Iraq a bit of a lottery. I'm not saying it's an exaggeration, but unless someone knows better, it's highly unreliable It's just a random number plucked from thin air. I would divide it by three and it might be closer to the real amount, it's what most folk do in similar circumstances 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage Henry Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 Agreed. The branch meetings can be eventful, we had an absolute belter of a debate over Trident and NATO before the vote and it was the only time we mandated our delegates going to conference. Real passion, arguments left right and centre and it was a joy to behold. Once the door opened though, the branch spoke as one (which was to vote in favour of joining NATO). I expect the parliamentary group will be exactly the same way. Yep. Not saying right or wrong, but it's how the party operates. Major's Conservatives, torn asunder by the European question, seems to be the antithesis of the current SNP. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage Henry Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 It's just a random number plucked from thin air. I would divide it by three and it might be closer to the real amount, it's what most folk do in similar circumstances I put almost all my faith in the Kurdish Permerga. What they want, seems to me to be the right thing. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Rational Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 Saying that, I've stopped all activity and I'm no longer a member of the SNP. The branch meetings these days are painful, the newbies do my nut in and I have a few concerns about things I would not air online. I hate to think what they are like these days. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparky88 Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 It just gives the impression that maybe the group isn't as solid as folk make out.I'd be stunned if a group of MPs that contains tasmina Ahmed sheikh and mhairi black doesn't agree on everything. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Rational Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 I put almost all my faith in the Kurdish Permerga. What they want, seems to me to be the right thing. So why aren't we arming them with heavy weapons? Answer on a postcard to the Turkish PM, Ankara. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Rational Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 I'd be stunned if a group of MPs that contains tasmina Ahmed sheikh and mhairi black doesn't agree on everything. It won't, but there will be debate and votes behind closed doors and once they are open, it's a unified front. I'm stunned folk can't grasp this.... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparky88 Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 It won't, but there will be debate and votes behind closed doors and once they are open, it's a unified front. I'm stunned folk can't grasp this.... I'm not entirely sure it is a positive that MPs have to lie through their back teeth for the sake of maintaining a mirage of party unity. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Rational Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 It's not lying. It's democracy and a collective way of doing things. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OFFS DUNDEE!! Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 Can I hope for a NO vote tonight ( ain't gonna happen ) and for the billions of pounds we will spend on these futile airstrikes to be re-directed to help the UK intelligence services in the fight against the sympathisers and radicals of IS within these shores? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparky88 Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 It's not lying. It's democracy and a collective way of doing things.The democracy will happen with the vote in parliament. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Rational Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 And we will have a vote as a party to decide our position. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparky88 Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 And we will have a vote as a party to decide our position.You might as well have a vote on whether the party should back the poll tax. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage Henry Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 I'm not entirely sure it is a positive that MPs have to lie through their back teeth for the sake of maintaining a mirage of party unity.Right. Everyone grasps what's going on. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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