#wearethe45

[mhanlon94]

Three of my works currently on display in a graduates show open till 8th October!-03/10/2016 #painting #politics #voteyes #uk #scotland #eu #brexit #art #scottishindependence #wearethe45 (at Butterfly Fine Art)

[frugalmouse]

[frugalmouse]

(she's looking at Cameron).

[frugalmouse]

Poll Shows Voters Still Support Labour for Westminster

* If a Scottish Parliamentary election was held tomorrow, who would you vote for with your constituency vote? SNP: 42% Labour: 27% Conservative: 15% Liberal Democrat: 5% UKIP: 5% Other: 5%

* And who would you vote for with your regional vote? SNP: 37% Labour: 27% Conservative: 16% Liberal Democrat: 5% Greens: 9% UKIP: 4% Other: 1%

* If a UK Parliamentary election was held tomorrow, who would you vote for? SNP: 34% Labour: 32% Conservative: 18% Liberal Democrat: 5% UKIP: 6% Other: 5%

Poll by Panelbase commissioned by the SNP, carried out over three days up to 1st October, 2014. Source: SNP website 18.10.14

This poll shows current voting intentions would give the SNP significantly more votes than any other party in the Holyrood election, but, despite a swing to SNP, not so many more for the Scotlandshire seats at Westminster. Could this be because of tactical voting in Scotland for the Westminster election (i.e. that Labour still seen as the only way to keep the Tories out)?

I want the SNP to take as many seats as possible at Westminster so that, in a coalition situation, it can exert as much influence as possible to protect devo-max and Scottish interests generally. If the vote is split with Scottish Labour, who hate the SNP and have shown over the referendum that they would rather ally with the Tories than the SNP, we may not get enough seats at Westminster to have any power at all.  The hysterical “smash Scottish Labour” voice I’m hearing sometimes is just the other side of the hate coin and doesn't help persuade those who genuinely struggle with a feeling that in voting against Labour they would be abandoning the working class and siding with the party that was once described as “Tories in kilts” (I’ve walked that road myself). Things have changed now but to win over loyal Labour hearts and minds we need to convince, not threaten, and we need to remember that the vow wasn’t the only reason people voted no. In fact only a minority of those who voted no in the referendum did so because of the vow, so why is it the only issue we seem to be focussing on? There is other work to be done to convince Labour voters that the SNP is the way forward. 

[frugalmouse]

This is the detailed submission by the Scottish Government to the Smith Commission, arguing for devo-max. I admit its 34 pages appear to be a daunting read (and this from someone who actually read "Scotland's Future"), but it is well worth the effort. If you haven't go time to read the whole document, just read the first three pages which are Nicola Sturgeon's foreword. If you are serious about moving the yes alliance forward you need to have this under your belt.

[frugalmouse]

Iranian Common Sense

Wings Over Scotland retweeted

Sean Jones ‏@seanjones11kbw Oct 3

If Human Rights can be trimmed to match "British Values", what's our answer when Iran hangs gay people saying that reflects Iranian values?

[frugalmouse]

Whose Common Sense?

Proposal: The Tories will scrap the European convention on human rights, and put British "common sense" in its place.

Question: Who would then define what is "common sense" for Britain? Answer: The Tories.

Thought: Oh shit.

Source: BBC News 03.10.14

[frugalmouse]

Ladies and Gentlemen: The UK Media

No regrets 27

Posted on September 24, 2014 by Rev. Stuart Campbell

Or some regrets. It’s so hard to tell.

The UK media, ladies and gentlemen.