Nicola Sturgeon...

[jack]

Not RIP, but good riddance...

Those of my family who live in Edinburgh & Glasgow (all "pinko liberals" bar one who is as left as can be) are heartily sick and tired of the SNP's monocular vision on devolution, neglecting education, health and the economy in order to pursue an idealistic goal that, at best, 50% want and for which support is falling...

I have a close relation who is senior in Scottish education (which was once a world leader and an exemplar to others, but is now a pale shadow of its former self) - the harrowing state of the schools he's responsible for beggars belief - huge breakdown in discipline, unchallenged violence against teachers and other students, refusal to use exclusion and other options to safeguard staff and students for idealistic reasons... (see the Scottish press).

What the hoi polloi want is to have the basics sorted, not this laser vision on confrontation with the UK parliament and idealistic posturing on devolution - most of my brother's academic colleagues at universities in that part of the world don't believe that the Scottish economy can stand realistically alone from the union, even with EU support. I would also argue that the SNP as a party (*) are borderline xenophobes wrt. England,

For the sake of the good folk North of the border, I sincerely hope the SNP can now get their books in order...

Note: Most of my family up there are Scottish born-and-bred, though my brother and his wife are English but have lived in Scotland for many many years - unlike me, he's not half Portuguese! Also, I've spent many summers (and some winters) sailing, climbing & camping up in the NW coast of Scotland - truly one of the loveliest parts of the world.

(*) As individuals, I suspect many MSPs would rather work constructively with their partners South of the border rather than be forced into line behind a leader who really doesn't seem to understand what her remit really is, i.e. governing Scotland for the benefit of its people, not chasing some idealistic fantasy.

[Nick]

Not sure how NS standing down affect any of what you spoke of. The same party will remain in charge unless you are suggesting that those points are NS's position not the SNP in general.

[Daniel Quinn]

SNP was Nicola , it will be interesting to see how it operates now .

Especially seeing as Alex is setting up a new party .

[Neal]

There was little harmony inside the SNP of NS dogged approach to independence, it seemed to be an obsession clouding her approach she was getting heavy push back from her own party

[Daniel Quinn]

Yet she carried on regardless .

Only with Alex returning and her poling going down for the first time ( but still higher than any other politician) did she leave.

[jack]

Not sure how NS standing down affect any of what you spoke of. The same party will remain in charge unless you are suggesting that those points are NS's position not the SNP in general.

If you read the last part of my post I think you'll see that the Scots I know feel that the SNP will start working harder on the important issues now...


From one of my Scottish colleagues...

IMG-20230215-WA0003.jpg (77.11 KiB) Viewed 4019 times

[Andrew]

There was little harmony inside the SNP of NS dogged approach to independence, it seemed to be an obsession clouding her approach she was getting heavy push back from her own party

I am not certain it wasn't the other way around, she wasn't dogged enough

Better the devil you know....

[pre65]

Seems that even Donald Trump has bid "tartan knickers" good riddance.

[Daniel Quinn]

Well done on the number of 'ism's' in one comment .

Seems Donald was as gracious as you .

Seems to me Nicola was to thoughtful and clever for her constituents , which is no doubt why she resigned .

Which funnily enough was my reason for not getting involved in politics

But before she went she accomplished a lot for Scotland , which people seem to have forgotten in the face of her trying to grapple with the sex and respect for the individual debate .

[andrew Ivimey]

Why, do you think, NS provokes so much comment and she isnt dead - nor does she have any contribution to make on valve amplifiers or even rock music.

Curious...

[Daniel Quinn]

This isn't a thread on valve amps .

Whilst I will never comment on valve amps because I know fuck all , Nicola well might .

It's a forum .

[andrew Ivimey]

That's why I said 'curious' ....

[Daniel Quinn]

Curious ?

Perhaps there are more important things than bulbs that glow

[IslandPink]

Classic stuff from the Telegraph - you'd struggle to make it up !

Classic_Telegraph.JPG (39.87 KiB) Viewed 3737 times