Peter Murrell arrested

The post industrial legacy has left endemic problems in many parts of the UK, and Scotland’s poverty and health issues are related to that, just as they are in Wales, the North East of England, etc. There are no easy answers and it is quite wrong to lump those issues in with political decisions about bridges, ferries or whatever. In reality, the health systems and care systems in the whole of the UK are failing because of the investment policy decisions made by the UK government.

Hermother

I wonder why Accountants Johnston Carmichael have resigned as SNP auditors? Seems a bit sudden when they've been with them for 10 years.

Auditors may resign because they refuse to break the law if directed to by their clients.

This is a genuine question: what is the counterfactual ?

casdon has pointed out that things are much the same in the other Great Britain (and possibly UK) countries.

What, therefore, would have been different/better if the SNP had not been majority/minority government in Scotland? What would have improved, stayed the same, or worsened if any of the other parties had been either a sole, or minority government?

I’m off out, but it will be interesting to read your views this evening.

Curiouser and curiouser

I wonder why Accountants Johnston Carmichael have resigned as SNP auditors? Seems a bit sudden when they've been with them for 10 years.

As a teacher in Scotland, twenty five years ago, I was buying materials out of my own pocket. You can't lay the blame for that at the SNPs door. In fact we had an LA with a Tory Majority.
Before I retired, I thought things had improved, in respect of supplies.
I agree that NHS waiting lists are horrendous, but it seems to be the same across the UK.
I wouldn't describe life in Scotland as bleak, it's no worse than anywhere else.
Some people voted SNP, ( my self and DH included), because the alternative was worse. The thought of Douglas Ross and his cronies in power, terrifies me.

Oh come on Volver you know the basics - lowest life expectancy, highest number of drug deaths, plummeting education standards, infant mortality the same as 20 years ago, books that don't balance, costly failed legal challenges, the ferries, the smelter the list of failures, wasted money and opportunities to work constructively together for the benefit of everyone. It's just depressing.

I appreciate Katek coming on with her view of what's what. No sarcasm intended, please don't infer any.

I'm not even going to respond to the "other views are available post". I actually asked for other views. Don't even think that I don't respect other views, when somebody saying that the party that 50% of us vote for (give or take) is a "blight".

Bit of respect would be nice. No chance of that.

(Oh, and cos I can't help myself...how's that local Tory MP working out Katek?)

Katek

I can only echo what Aveline has said - it's not such a rosy picture up here at all. Our education system is starved of cash with many teachers buying supplies from their own pocket. I know this - we have three senior secondary teachers in the immediate family. Road surfaces are crumbling with giant potholes nearly everywhere. Free prescriptions? All well & good but somebody somewhere is paying and it's not sustainable. Waiting lists? It would be laughable if it wasn't so tragic in many cases. DH recently needed a minor surgical procedure - waiting list was 167 weeks. We went privately, not by choice but from necessity. Smoke and mirrors or Emperor's new clothes, take your pick, , but I think Pandora's box is opening.

I’m not sure that it’s fair to lay those issues at the door of the SNP when they all come down to funding Katek. All the countries of the UK are in the same position.

Aveline

Not obsessed just fed up with the situation here. I should probably not read the Scottish politics threads on here but if I didn't give the other side to life in Scotland all the other Grans might think that everything is rosy up here. Which it's not!
Not great down South either but that's another whole set of threads.

It’s good to hear all sides re the SNP and what’s going in in Scotland so well done for sticking to your opinion.

Volver3 that’s kinda amusing but OTT as usual.You need to accept that other views are available.

I can only echo what Aveline has said - it's not such a rosy picture up here at all. Our education system is starved of cash with many teachers buying supplies from their own pocket. I know this - we have three senior secondary teachers in the immediate family. Road surfaces are crumbling with giant potholes nearly everywhere. Free prescriptions? All well & good but somebody somewhere is paying and it's not sustainable. Waiting lists? It would be laughable if it wasn't so tragic in many cases. DH recently needed a minor surgical procedure - waiting list was 167 weeks. We went privately, not by choice but from necessity. Smoke and mirrors or Emperor's new clothes, take your pick, , but I think Pandora's box is opening.

I was just wondering... would other Scottish grans (i.e. anyone living in and committed to Scotland) care to join in and tell us how our Party of Government is a blight on the country because they don't behave the way you want them to, how we shouldn't be allowed to run our own affairs and how everything's just awful in Scotland?

And maybe at the same time, explain how we should have lived up to our stereotype for only caring about money when given the option of having a FM with social attitudes out of the 19th Century?

Facts only please, not prejudice.

Not obsessed just fed up with the situation here. I should probably not read the Scottish politics threads on here but if I didn't give the other side to life in Scotland all the other Grans might think that everything is rosy up here. Which it's not!
Not great down South either but that's another whole set of threads.

Ross and his gang - in particular Murdo Fraser - are saying what a good FM she would have made. That tells you something.

Yousaf has no positive track record and I don't think he will be a good FM.

I can only characterise what you say as hatred and you are starting to sound obsessed.

SNP are and remain a blight on Scotland. I will never give up pointing out their multiple failings which has become easier and easier.
Kate Forbes was their best hope as she seemed to understand the need to prioritise the economy but alas we're stuck with Yousless.

Aveline

Research is only as good as the researchers are. So much depends on who commissioned it, carried it out, sample selection and size etc etc etc

True to an extent, although most reputable organisations design those flaws out as far as possible.

It’s extremely unlikely that design flaws are a factor when results are consistent across widespread research, and over time, which is the case here.

Aveline given your last post suggests that anything you post cannot be relied on because yours is a sample of one and entirely anecdotal.

You'll never give up, will you Aveline?

🤦🏼

Research is only as good as the researchers are. So much depends on who commissioned it, carried it out, sample selection and size etc etc etc

Round of applause for Siope, please. 👏👏👏

Aveline but that’s not my point. You claimed the main driver for SNP voting was a desire for independence. I am merely pointing out that research does not support that view.

Whether your views or those of SNP voters is correct is neither here nor there in that context.

I live here and I don't see it.

Is everything perfect? No.

Would I rather be here, than trying to make life bearable elsewhere in the UK?

You bet I would.

Just look at SNP's dire record in actually running the country. I live here and see it. The information is widely available.

I couldnt care less about the membership of political parties in general, I was never impressed with the supposed triumph of Corbyn with regard to membership, it achieved the square root of bugger all.

Aveline

Sadly when it comes to elections up here independence is the major factor. It seems to excuse the SNP from actually dealing with the key aspects of their job such as Health, Education, the economy etc etc etc.
There's only SNP and Alba pro independence.

That was never my experience living and working with Scottish communities, the wider third sector and the Scottish civil service. Obviously, that’s anecdotal and thus to be treated with caution, but the statistics that are available on voting rationale do not support your view. For example, in 2011, support for independence was at c25% of the voting age population…

Key issues according to research by organisations as far apart as the Institute for Government and the LSE include voters believing that the SNP had Scotland’s interests at heart and would provide more robust defence of those interests at Westminster; and for both UK and Scottish elections: the SNP positioning itself clearly and consistently against austerity, and being seen to be trying to mitigate the (undeniably disproportionate) effects of this for Scots; Brexit, and Labour’s failure to be clear about its Remain position; the SNP’s social positioning (that is, reflecting the mores that Scots believe themselves to have); and (time will tell if this holds now) competence, particularly in the face of Labour imploding. Also, and this is clearly a challenge for the SNP now, the popularity of, and confidence in, Nicola Sturgeon, based on all the above factors.