Peter Murrell arrested

But membership and popularity with voters are two different things.

How many members did the Tory party have when it won the 2019 election?

It's votes that matter, not members.

If so many people were disillusioned with the SNP long before 2 years ago, how do you explain them increasing their number of seats in the Scottish Parliament in 2021?

Cross post Siope

volvet3, indeed. And while you were postin, I was looking up those stats.

Conservative members c172,000. Votes in 2019 election c13 million.

Thanks Siope 😊

However, under pressure to be more transparent about who will vote in its leadership contest, the SNP yesterday revealed its membership was 72,186, or just over 30,000 down on the figure reported in the SNP’s accounts
But was that information in the newspapers? That will never do!
Some posters will be back any minute now with funny, sweet and bless.

How many members did the Tory party have when it won the 2019 election?

Is that the whataboutery you mentioned earlier? If you want to discuss the Tory party, you'll need to start a new thread.

Hermother

^How many members did the Tory party have when it won the 2019 election?^

Is that the whataboutery you mentioned earlier? If you want to discuss the Tory party, you'll need to start a new thread.

I am not discussing the Tory party. I am providing indicative figures to illustrate the point that membership and popularity with voters are not synonymous.

But if it makes you happier:

SNP membership c70,000 (lowest figure quoted in this thread), votes in 2019 general election 1,242,380.

Dear me. The deletions... 😜

SNP only benefits because the opposition to independence is split three ways. Their combined total exceeds the SNP vote. Just think, tactical voting could make a big difference

So in other words, more people vote SNP than vote for any of the other parties and the only way they can draw equal is by ganging up together.

But, Aveline, doesn’t that assume that independence is the only factor that features in Scottish politics?

Also, aren’t there two pro-independence parties (excluding Alba)?

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.

Oops. Forgot the Greens. Tiny number of voters and currently prop up the SNP and have massively disproportionate influence on matters up here.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

Round of applause for Siope, please. 👏👏👏

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

You'll never give up, will you Aveline?

🤦🏼

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

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.

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.