Oor Nicola Sturgeon thread.

[Cheese]

Reckon Murrell will step down too ?

[Lyle Lanley]

Mhairi Black anyone? 

[Arch Stanton]

I thought it was one of the better resignation speeches I've heard.

In fact...

Spoiler

It was fandabidoze.

 

[Cheese]

Just now, Lyle Lanley said:

Mhairi Black anyone? 

It'll be someone from Holyrood.

[RiG]

The biggest losers today are the weirdo Union Jackers using phrases like "Wee Nippy" and "Krankie". So, much like any other day then.

[scottsdad]

6 minutes ago, RiG said:

The biggest losers today are the weirdo Union Jackers using phrases like "Wee Nippy" and "Krankie". So, much like any other day then.

These roasters are probably all convincing themselves that they somehow defeated her today. 

[VincentGuerin]

Being SNP leader is pretty much the hardest major job in UK politics. It's like being a Hearts supporter on Hibs.net every day.

Everybody you deal with in public, all the major political parties, all the major media outlets, fundamentally oppose what you stand for and will almost never give you a fair hearing. You have to be patient, you have to be engaging, you have to be very calm under provocation, you need an excellent command of your brief and able to get your message across while everyone around you is screaming noise at you, and you need to accept that any errors you make will be rounded on by the whole gang and amplified.

In short, it's an incredibly difficult job that requires a huge amount of skill and a certain type of personality. Scotland has been very fortunate that in Salmond and Sturgeon we've had more than a generation of excellent leaders who have done a frankly incredible job for the SNP and the Yes movement between them.

I don't see anyone with remotely the level of ability required to carry on their work. Pains me to say it, but this is a massive blow to the independence movement that will set things back years. Whichever of the major candidates gets the job next will be well off  the level. It takes a very special candidate to do it.

Edited February 15, 2023 by VincentGuerin

[Mr. Brightside]

The issue isn't Forbes being a "god-botherer" each to their own and all that, it's the fact that she's a bigot because of her religion.

[Chefki Kuqi]

When the big jobs in Scotland come up, there's only one man qualified to apply

[renton]

It's the 10,000 word essays from the likes of Jonathan Shafi and Robin McAlpine that I'm holding out for....

[scottsdad]

3 hours ago, oneteaminglasgow said:

Buzzing for the London-based takes about how thrilled we all are about this. 

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/feb/15/nicola-sturgeon-resigned-united-kingdom-survive-scottish-independence

Here you go!

Quote

It has been a commonplace among those who track Scottish politics that Sturgeon has been in what one columnist called her late imperial phase for many months. She had begun to lose her touch – and hence her hold – especially when compared with her mother-of-the-nation mastery during Covid. Even within the ranks of her Scottish National party, the most self-disciplined and tongue-holding political force in these islands outside Sinn Féin, criticisms and disagreements were being voiced.

 

[Pocketman]

hoping to get into triple figures before the day is out on Yogi Hughes/Scottish journey man caretaker manager references - my own reference will of course be counted. 

[Ludo*1]

Angus Robertson is the only real viable candidate for me at the moment.

As I said in the other thread, I think Robertson is the Gordon Brown to Sturgeon's Blair when it comes to mass appeal but I can't see anyone else that ticks enough boxes otherwise.

[StellarHibee]

1 minute ago, Ludo*1 said:

Angus Robertson is the only real viable candidate for me at the moment.

As I said in the other thread, I think Robertson is the Gordon Brown to Sturgeon's Blair when it comes to mass appeal but I can't see anyone else that ticks enough boxes otherwise.

He'll be disappointed when he tries to flog off Scotland's gold, only to find that the pot has long since been raided.

[Elixir]

1 hour ago, Donathan said:

I assume her god bothering ways will appeal to the thinly veiled transphobia wing of the party? 

Serious question: how do the SNP hope to progress both gender recognition and independence, and succeed at both? Particularly if, rightly or wrongly, a majority of the population did not enjoy what they just tried to sell them, and it then subsequently puts them off the party and its main cause - as opinion polls have since suggested. Unless the attitude of people changes, I am inclined to believe that both cannot be mutually progressed at this time.

[LIVIFOREVER]

[vikingTON]

Sturgeon was a highly effective politician, but like all politicians has a limited shelf-life. She missed the ideal opportunity to leave after the acute phase of the pandemic but has done well to go now before it goes down the pan. 

There's a lot of doomcasting about a replacement, but the reality is that a new leadership won't automatically be choosing from the narrower and narrower group of ministers in favour with the old FM. You would have had to be a political anorak of the highest order to identify the SNP's new leader at Westminster twelve months ago.

A leadership change is far better done mid-term with the opportunity to draw a line under the mistakes and to freshen things up. 

[DeeTillEhDeh]

2 hours ago, Double Jack D said:

Pretty surprised by this but whether I'm disappointed or not really depends on what plays out in the short term.

If SNP simply appoint another leader and we carry on regardless then this news is of enormous disappointment and, whoever is the replacement, will be a significant downgrade and significantly dents the chances of securing independence or the performance of the SNP at the next elections.

If this results in the dissolution of Holyrood and a Scottish Election as a defacto indyref this year then this would be a superb move and using Sturgeon as a martyr for this cause would be a fucking masterstroke. She has significant goodwill amongst the soft no/ pro european scots, many of whom will probably be the most upset by this development.

That can only happen if the post Is not filled within 28 days.

[gordon9736]

Everyone seems to be saying Angus Robertson, but remember he was the one who lost his seat to Douglas Ross and had to go to a safe seat ( I assume) to get re-elected. 

[Antlion]

1 minute ago, Elixir said:

Serious question: how do the SNP hope to progress both gender recognition and independence, and succeed at both? Particularly if, rightly or wrongly, a majority of the population did not enjoy what they just tried to sell them, and it then subsequently puts them off the party and its main cause - as opinion polls have since suggested. Unless the attitude of people changes, I am inclined to believe that both cannot be mutually progressed at this time.

It has only to pursue independence and change minds. Gender recognition is not allowed in wee pretendy regions, as the separatist UK Nats in Westminster have made clear.

Literally the only thing the SNP should be doing is pushing the independence narrative, as there’s no such thing as a UK union, or devolution. Anything “devolved” can and will be slapped down by an autocratic UK government, no matter how many actual people in Scotland it hurts.

Sturgeon was far too “nice” in playing the UK game, which was always going to end in failure. Because the UK simply makes up the rules as it goes along.

Essentially, to progress independence, we need a charismatic figure who is unafraid to expose the UK for what it is, and to play as dirty as the leaders (and collaborators) of Brexit Britain.