Scottish political mess. Is Devolution working?

Witzend I totally agree. Both here and in the US there seems to be a complete lack of competent politicians of integrity and practical experience.

Maremia

Delighted as ever, that Scottish affairs are being given such attention on Gransnet, and much as I appreciate your concern about the votes soon to be taken at Holyrood, may I remind you of an equally important vote taking place in England on the 2nd of May. For your own sakes, identify and support DECENT people, and I think you know what I mean by decent, who will fight for funding, for essential services, like Education. I am prompted to say this by Sally Weale's report in the Guardian online this morning, telling us that Teaching Assistants routinely cover lessons in England and Wales. Now, she doesn't mention Scotland. Perhaps her research didn't cover this country, or perhaps it doesn't happen here to that extent. With 6000 TAs being questioned, 2 in 5 admitted that they were covering classes for at least 5 hours per week, and that it was getting worse.
Yes, maintain your interest in Scottish affairs by all means, but please, use the 2nd of May to fill your councils with Candidates who genuinely have your interests at heart.

A vote concerning the First Minister of Scotland is equivalent to council elections in England. Says it all.

eazybee

Scotland has a small population therefore much less choice.
Mind you, looking at the leaders of all political parties in Britain I cannot say I am impressed by any of them at present.

And as for America….
It would seem that the sort of politicians most of us would want, don’t want the jobs any more.

I worked in North Wales, a number of years ago, however only for 1 year and the Welsh reminded me of the Scots. They are a proud people and like the Scots there are folk who would like Independence. I personally would never consider Wales part of England. What I see is a real movement in Northern Ireland with exceptionally strong leaders taking their country forward. I hope the same happens in Scotland. Wales I believe is strongly labour and that may be difficult for them considering the Labour party's view on independent countries.

OldFrill

Katie59

I don’t really care if devolution is working or not give them independence and let them stew in their own chaos.

Why should you force independence on a country where the majority don't want it.

and ironically, the majority of Scots had Brexit foisted upon them.

Delighted as ever, that Scottish affairs are being given such attention on Gransnet, and much as I appreciate your concern about the votes soon to be taken at Holyrood, may I remind you of an equally important vote taking place in England on the 2nd of May. For your own sakes, identify and support DECENT people, and I think you know what I mean by decent, who will fight for funding, for essential services, like Education. I am prompted to say this by Sally Weale's report in the Guardian online this morning, telling us that Teaching Assistants routinely cover lessons in England and Wales. Now, she doesn't mention Scotland. Perhaps her research didn't cover this country, or perhaps it doesn't happen here to that extent. With 6000 TAs being questioned, 2 in 5 admitted that they were covering classes for at least 5 hours per week, and that it was getting worse.
Yes, maintain your interest in Scottish affairs by all means, but please, use the 2nd of May to fill your councils with Candidates who genuinely have your interests at heart.

Wheniwasyourage

Thank you for your opinion, Urmstongran - it's always good to hear from someone who doesn't live here just how bad things are. We can work that out for ourselves. It seems that even those who are not for independence are happy to continue with devolution.

I'm sorry you think it has "backfired spectacularly", but then you and I do not agree on political matters at all, so probably we will not agree on this either.

Scotland is still part of the United Kingdom, or was last time I looked, so surely we're allowed to discuss this Wheniwasyourage*?

What do your Scottish MPs think of this?

eazybee

Scotland has a small population therefore much less choice.
Mind you, looking at the leaders of all political parties in Britain I cannot say I am impressed by any of them at present.

You have a point.

I expect someone will be along in a minute to tell us it's all a dastardly plot by the despised English.

OldFrill

Katie59

I don’t really care if devolution is working or not give them independence and let them stew in their own chaos.

Why should you force independence on a country where the majority don't want it.

Or where the Government seems incapable of running a booze-up in a whisky distillery.

SillyOma

I'm Scottish, lived and worked all over the world, I still have a house in Germany as I feel European despite being taken out against our democratic will. I strongly believe in Independence and feel Scotland should and hopefully one day will be independent. Ireland or the Irish people will decide on a united Ireland. What I would love to see is the English people having the confidence to be independent and run their country the way they choose, while having Scotland and Ireland as good neighbours and friends with a positive economic partnership.

Are you counting Wales as part of England, SillyOma?

It's a mistake so many make who do not live here. 😡

The SNP is unfortunately a joke, every leader a lead weight. Just how anyone could take them seriously is puzzling, even more so is the question of the sanity of those voting
such leaders in.

Katie59

I don’t really care if devolution is working or not give them independence and let them stew in their own chaos.

Why should you force independence on a country where the majority don't want it.

Scotland has a small population therefore much less choice.
Mind you, looking at the leaders of all political parties in Britain I cannot say I am impressed by any of them at present.

Katie59

I don’t really care if devolution is working or not give them independence and let them stew in their own chaos.

Well that’s a nasty comment! The majority of Scots did not want independence. You’re speaking about the minority. I’m a Scot, I’m also as British as you probably are.o

As a Scot living in England, I have my opinions on the SNP which do not need to be aired here, but I really cannot stomach the thought of the gurning face of Alex Salmond being back on public view.....can't abide the man.

Fine by me ronib!

I think this is working well for the Labour Party.

I don't think it has worked in Wales either.

I'm Scottish, lived and worked all over the world, I still have a house in Germany as I feel European despite being taken out against our democratic will. I strongly believe in Independence and feel Scotland should and hopefully one day will be independent. Ireland or the Irish people will decide on a united Ireland. What I would love to see is the English people having the confidence to be independent and run their country the way they choose, while having Scotland and Ireland as good neighbours and friends with a positive economic partnership.

I'm Scottish. Like most Scots I like being part of a United Kingdom.

Thank you for your opinion, Urmstongran - it's always good to hear from someone who doesn't live here just how bad things are. We can work that out for ourselves. It seems that even those who are not for independence are happy to continue with devolution.

I'm sorry you think it has "backfired spectacularly", but then you and I do not agree on political matters at all, so probably we will not agree on this either.

Me too.
But I wish Blair had never set up these devolved administrations. I think he only did it to favour Labour control. It worked in Wales but backfired spectacularly in Scotland.

Now I think independence for Scotland is a dead duck. The Union will survive. It’s time to wrap up Blair’s experiment.

Same here GG13

I am all for a United Kingdom, I would not like to see Scotland, Wales or N.Ireland leave the union.

Devolution is a good thing. You should try it.