The Very Meh Humza Yousaf Thread.

[Aufc]

Two things

Why were some of the SNP politicians away to Dubai for Cop28? sounds like a complete jolly

Also reading about the SNP announcing a new tax band for higher rate tax bands. I have said this in the past but when will the SNP realise they can't just keep increasing tax rates on higher earners. They are so one dimensional. It wouldn't even raise that much additional money and it doesn't exactly encourage higher rate taxpayers to come to Scotland to work. At some point, they are going to have to offer up something else to reduce any deficit. Maybe focus on measures to force people to be healthier which would reduce the burden on the health service. 

[ICTChris]

From the media it's a 44% tax band for people earning between £75k and £125k.  Currently everyone earning between £42k and £125k pays 42% on that income, with people earning over £125k paying 47%.

I think the number of people who earn in these ranges in Scotland is pretty small.

A quick Google found this document, which shows that 17,000 people pay the top rate (0.4% of adults).  387,000 adults pay the higher rate, which is 9% of the adult population.  I've seen people mention that only 3% of people in Scotland earn over £75k a year, not sure if that's reliable.

[GHF-23]

It's quite a good microcosm of a week for understanding the current SNP.

The policy they twiddled their thumbs about implementing until it had become the most poisonous topic in the country and submitted through a highly flawed bill has been struck down in an expensive legal case they pursued largely because they wanted to look like good libs. And within days their first minister is smiling shaking hands with the leader of a truly despicable regime for what exactly? Meanwhile the state continues to crumble at a rate only very slightly less perceptible than the rest of the UK. 

[Freedom Farter]

1 hour ago, GHF-23 said:

And within days their first minister is smiling shaking hands with the leader of a truly despicable regime for what exactly?

On that, this isn't just a case of events abroad. Under current UK arrangements, Turkey is able to weaponise our state apparatus against Kurds in Scotland. 

 

Here's a specific case of it:

https://www.sacc.org.uk/news/2017/edinburgh-kurdish-families-raided-anti-terror-police

 

Here's Roza Salih co-signing a letter that gives an overview:

https://www.sacc.org.uk/articles/2018/persecution-kurds-seeking-sanctuary-scotland-must-stop

 

Yousaf not embracing Turkey would both be the right thing to do and offer the bonus of being a positive departure from UK policy.

SNP do now support NATO membership, though, which would lock in close relations with Turkey. So in that respect, Yousaf acted in line with party policy.

[O'Kelly Isley III]

3 hours ago, GHF-23 said:

Meanwhile the state continues to crumble at a rate only very slightly less perceptible than the rest of the UK. 

On that very point I've just read on the BBC website that Police Scotland is proposing to close circa 25 police stations across Scotland.  On that list is Dumbarton, Alexandria and Greenock, so unless this is just some wild exercise in sabre-rattling, then it is just, well, wild. And I think Possilpark and Saracen may be in there too

[HibeeJibee]

54 minutes ago, O'Kelly Isley III said:

On that very point I've just read on the BBC website that Police Scotland is proposing to close circa 25 police stations across Scotland.  On that list is Dumbarton, Alexandria and Greenock, so unless this is just some wild exercise in sabre-rattling, then it is just, well, wild. And I think Possilpark and Saracen may be in there too

Paisley...
Ayr...
Leith...
Gorbals...
Castlemilk...

Edited December 14, 2023 by HibeeJibee

[Jedi2]

National Care Service (which was a 'flagship policy' shelved for at least 3 years, and parts of the policy watered down), rising waiting times at A+E, police stations being closed, terrible Pisa Educational results, deep cuts to public services coming, exp3nsive legal case over the GRA lost,  and meanwhile Humza just wants to talk about his swanning about at the COP summit and Palestine.

Edited December 14, 2023 by Jedi2

[Pocketman]

33 minutes ago, Jedi2 said:

National Care Service (which was a 'flagship policy' shelved for at least 3 years, and parts of the policy watered down), rising waiting times at A+E, police stations being closed, terrible Pisa Educational results, deep cuts to public services coming, exp3nsive legal case over the GRA lost,  and meanwhile Humza just wants to talk about his swanning about at the COP summit and Palestine.

foCUs ON tHe DaY JoAb

[Crazy Days]

1 hour ago, Jedi2 said:

National Care Service (which was a 'flagship policy' shelved for at least 3 years, and parts of the policy watered down), rising waiting times at A+E, police stations being closed, terrible Pisa Educational results, deep cuts to public services coming, exp3nsive legal case over the GRA lost,  and meanwhile Humza just wants to talk about his swanning about at the COP summit and Palestine.

And in his absence we have Robison left in charge, with Mathieson along side her. Aren't we lucky.

[O'Kelly Isley III]

7 hours ago, Aufc said:

Two things

Why were some of the SNP politicians away to Dubai for Cop28? sounds like a complete jolly

Also reading about the SNP announcing a new tax band for higher rate tax bands. I have said this in the past but when will the SNP realise they can't just keep increasing tax rates on higher earners. They are so one dimensional. It wouldn't even raise that much additional money and it doesn't exactly encourage higher rate taxpayers to come to Scotland to work. At some point, they are going to have to offer up something else to reduce any deficit. Maybe focus on measures to force people to be healthier which would reduce the burden on the health service. 

You have a point on higher tax bands but your closing line on 'forcing' people to be healthier is a much more complex issue.  And whilst poor diet, nutrition and adverse health conditions - physical, mental and alcohol and tobacco related -are more readily identifiable in lower-income groups they are certainly not exclusive to them.

And neither is the situation confined to Scotland.  Before any 'forcing' takes place there should be a chainsaw taken at Westminster to the army of lobbyists who infest the place on behalf of the food, drink, tobacco and betting industries.  There must be a complete reversal of the profit at all costs ideology, because it's coming at a huge cost in human and financial capital.

Food processors and supermarkets also need a rattle over their addiction to sugar and fat-laden but cheap-to-retail products.  And maybe it would be no bad thing if we stopped hailing the opening of a Greggs in Glasgow Airport as a Good Thing, if only to give diabetes a fright.

Just a few ideas...

(OKI -  13 & 1/2 stone and reasonably healthy, and likes a mince pie and a Highland Park, but never together).

[HibeeJibee]

4 hours ago, orfc said:

A victory for defunding the police no?

North/south of the border, there's towns of 20-30,000 people where basically you're on your fucking own from 5pm-9am purge style now

SIR KEIR will sort this out

Equally, let's not pretend PoliceScotland... 23,000 officers + staff and £1.4bn budget... or equivalent forces down south truly cannot retain a dedicated presence in some of our biggest towns; nor operate more than 1 traffic car nationwide overnight. It also reflects their leadership hierarchy - and the politicians - completely losing the run of themselves when it comes to priorities.

There are 80k people in Paisley; 60k in Leith; 50k in Ayr; 40k in Greenock... yet a force spending £4m daily and employing 50 people for every 10k citizens (town-&-country) now 'has' to close/downsize its police station in each. Many smaller towns and city areas named today are being withdrawn from entirely - even places with 'Medium' or 'High' counter usage, emergency response and community policing bases, etc.

EDIT: also confirmed 14 more will be named 'at a later date' - must know which if know it's 14!

Edited December 14, 2023 by HibeeJibee

[Billy Jean King]

5 hours ago, HibeeJibee said:

Paisley...
Ayr...
Leith...
Gorbals...
Castlemilk...

I'm not sure they are looking to end their presence in these towns. I suspect the plan will be to close and dispose of the buildings currently being utilised and relocate along the lines of what's just happened in Ayr where they left the current police building, sell that and relocate into an empty Council building half a mile or so away.

[HibeeJibee]

11 minutes ago, Billy Jean King said:

I'm not sure they are looking to end their presence in these towns. I suspect the plan will be to close and dispose of the buildings currently being utilised and relocate along the lines of what's just happened in Ayr where they left the current police building, sell that and relocate into an empty Council building half a mile or so away.

True in some cases they'll presumably retain/share offices/etc.

Tbf many named today are full relocations e.g.:


 

[Billy Jean King]

36 minutes ago, HibeeJibee said:

True in some cases they'll presumably retain/share offices/etc.

Tbf many named today are full relocations e.g.:


 

If the buildings currently occupied were anything like the one recently vacated in Ayr, they will probably be beyond economic repair. Not sure anything had been spent on maintenance since it was built in the 70s/80s

[Jedi2]

4 hours ago, KingRocketman II said:

foCUs ON tHe DaY JoAb

Would sure be nice if actually did.

[Jedi2]

1 in 4 children in Scotland continue to live in poverty, the Hospitality Sector sends a letter to Yousaf declaring a 'crisis', some Councils on the verge of bankruptcy, biggest cuts to rail timetables for 30 years, drugs and alcohol related deaths much more likely in the poorest areas..

ItS AlL ThAT WesMInSTeRs FaULt

[Jedi2]

17 minutes ago, Mr Parfect said:

They've decimated the Police too.

Sure have.

So apart from a poor record on health, education, transport, the Environment, poverty, policing, hospitality, and housing.....Humza is doing a cracking job.

[EvilScotsman]

40 minutes ago, Jedi2 said:

1 in 4 children in Scotland continue to live in poverty, the Hospitality Sector sends a letter to Yousaf declaring a 'crisis', some Councils on the verge of bankruptcy, biggest cuts to rail timetables for 30 years, drugs and alcohol related deaths much more likely in the poorest areas..

ItS AlL ThAT WesMInSTeRs FaULt

Exactly the same things are true in England.

[sophia]

1 hour ago, Jedi2 said:

Would sure be nice if actually did.

Aye, especially giving kids a decent education.

[lichtgilphead]

1 hour ago, Jedi2 said:

1 in 4 children in Scotland continue to live in poverty, the Hospitality Sector sends a letter to Yousaf declaring a 'crisis', some Councils on the verge of bankruptcy, biggest cuts to rail timetables for 30 years, drugs and alcohol related deaths much more likely in the poorest areas..

ItS AlL ThAT WesMInSTeRs FaULt

24 minutes ago, EvilScotsman said:

Exactly the same things are true in England.

But in Wales, where Labour is in power, there's no poverty, hospitality is booming, council services are well-funded & highly regarded, drugs are not a problem & Ivor the Engine is working overtime to provide the bestest train service sunce Mussolini,

It's a socialist paradise!