Meanwhile in Scotland 2

silence from the "scottish cringe brigade" who it seems still think Westminster should be our imperial masters.Regardless of our democratic vote we must accept what the tories tell us to.
The prime example being the drug rooms issue.Westminster says WE cant have them yet they are planning them for Bristol ...now I know Bristol has drug issues ,my nephew lives there but Scotland has a much higher need and the funding has already been put in place for the drug rooms the mental health services and live in rehab places

.I suppose its OK for Scots druggies to die though ....my Scottish cringe grans ...because we're second class citizens in the disunited kingdom .People from Bristol must have priority ,much like Johnsons pound spent in Croyden being worth more than a pound spent in Strathclyde

At least 'Scottish cringe' Grans aren't blind to the catastrophic mess the SNP are making of our country. Just reread previous posts outlining our downward trajectory in economic and social welfare. It's all been pointed out so often before. However, do feel free to resort to name calling and grievance manufacturing if it makes you feel better.

we must accept what the Tories tell us too

Unfortunately, the rise of the SNP has destroyed any chance of having a Labour Government, at least for the time being.

Scotland always returned a healthy number of Labour MPs to Westminster but the balance of power has been upset.
Scottish Labour MPs were never just focussed on one thing, independence.

It is a sad fact.

There’s not enough evidence from the research to show that drug rooms work. In any case, if they were opened in Scotland, the country would be flooded with drug users from elsewhere. Still, Scotland needs more migrants so that’ll be a plus!

SueDonim If we all took that attitude, then there would be no point in trying anything new! There is some evidence to show that that drug rooms work - how much evidence is enough ? Perhaps you have a better idea of how to tackle the Drug Problem that you could share with us ........ ?

Callistemon ... WE voted SNP into power ,there aren't 48 SNP MP's and more SNP MSP's by accident ..the PEOPLE of Scotland voted for them .To suggest that we are incompetent ,or the arguement given by Johanne Lamont ..ex Labour leader that Scots aren't genetically programmed for politics is complete and utter rubbish .
Remember if you will that the Labour movement was born here .
Jne 10 you tell us you are an intelligent woman ,please try getting facts from somewhere other than MSM .Police Scotland figures show a huge drop in crime ,the lowest in 40 years
NHS Scotland performs best out of all UK countries ..fact
There is still more young people in higher education here than any other part of the UK and that figure includes students up to and including 30 year olds.Just under 48%
In England iand Wlaes the figure is 5% lower
Infant mortality rates dowmn.
Heart attack deaths down
Police,nurses,teachers all on higher pay scales than their southern counterparts
And much much more ...green issues.WE lead the way with over 22 MILLION trees planted in just one year
We will be 100% renewable sufficient by the end of 2020
But please you sit in your little bubble and believe WM...thats thesame WM that issued accounts saying India was in deficit for decades while WM pilferred 45 TRILLION pounds from that country .They have been pilferring from us for centuries too.While people here live in poverty .
Surely someone with half a brain on a brain share can see the benefits of cutting WM loose ?
From these threads ,apparently not

paddyann please try getting facts from more independent sources than SNP propaganda. Surely you must know how bad things are. Even sneaking out the information that exam passes are down by 10% at 8 o'clock at night hoping it wouldn't be noticed. Just one example of the sort of thing going on.
So much more I could say but there's none so blind as those that will not see.

The SNP are grossly over-represented in the HOC. If we had proportional representation in the UK parliament as is the case in Scotland, the SNP would have 24 MPs, not 48.

Varian Yes - and it would not make the slightest difference if they did have all the Scottish Seats or the 24 that you think would be fair. Everything they propose or try to amend would still be voted down by the huge majority of English based MPs.

Jane 10 The SNP do not have an overall majority at Holyrood, therefore every piece of legislation requires cross party support to become law. A good example is the latest Labour Party (not SNP) proposal re Period Poverty, passed with support from all parties. If Scotland became an Independent, Sovereign Country, then the SNP would lose its raison d'etre and would fade away or split, leaving voters to choose their own preferred Party, left, right or centre or Green

Every part of the UK can be voted down by every other part. Folk in various parts of England may have more common interests with Scots than with folk from other parts of England. At least in the Scottish parliament there is fair representation of voters from every part of Scotland.

Granny23 my thoughts on the drug problem are that we should follow Portugal’s lead and decriminalise some drugs. They’ve had great success. Picking up bits of their plan such as drug rooms won’t work. You need the whole package for the whole of the UK.

I’m sorry, PaddyAnne simply saying that Scotland isn’t as bad as the rest of the UK is not an argument. You seem wilfully blind to the way Scotland is in decline in so many way. Are you happy that 14,000 well-qualified Scottish school leavers were denied university places last year in favour of English and overseas students?

Are you happy that I’ve now waited longer for an initial outpatient appointment than the Scots Govt target for appointment and treatment?

Are you pleased that Scotland is falling down the PISA education rankings and that an official enquiry into the state of Scottish education has had to be launched?

Is it something to be proud of that Glasgow’s flagship hospital has killed some of its patients and that the Sick Kids in Edinburgh is years overdue? That Aberdeen’s new family hospital is now delayed by five years?

Don’t tell me that it’s okay because it’s worse somewhere else. Whataboutery isn’t an argument. Instead, tell me where all this extra Scottish income tax has gone? Because I’m not seeing it helping anyone up here, that’s for sure.

paddyanne
I stated facts about why we may never have another Labour Government which represents the whole of the UK, including Scotland - because the rise of the SNP has all but scuppered that.

I did not say any of the other things of which you accuse me.

It was you who mentioned the word incompetent in relation to the SNP, not me!

SueDonimI totally agree that the whole package for the whole UK is precisely what is required, However there is not a sno'baws chance in Hell of Westminster instigating this in the near future. I cannot understand why they are so against a trial run in Scotland, at no cost to Westminster, which might prove whether this approach is efficacious or not.

Surely Scotland can go ahead with a Referendum on Independence without Johnson's permission. They could just go ahead and do it.

Without approval of the UK government a referendum for independence would only be advisory. For it to be binding a section 30 Order from the UK government would be needed or an amendment to the Scotland Act 1998 by UK Parliament.

advisory or not, if Scotland went ahead and results were very clear, 70% and over- it would be difficult to ignore.

I imagine the next Scottish elections will give a real inkling of intent.

I agree, difficult to ignore but without the input of the UK government or UK Parliament, Scotland couldn't implement the result.

Funny how these old threads pop up, usually when a random spam bot appears. I always check the dates now.

And yet you've posted Blossoming.

ah I have been called many things in my life, but a random spam bot, never. Made my day.

Gosh smileles2012 so I have! I commented because this is not the first old thread that’s popped up today. The others had obvious spam which I reported and I was wondering if this was perhaps another example that somebody else had reported.

biba70 I am sure you are well aware that I was not referring to you.

Well as I am the one who refreshed this thread today...

Jane, how do you think the Scottish election will go?