tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post7436259566716834168..comments2024-03-28T12:35:59.082+00:00Comments on SCOT goes POP!: Where now for the Home Rule Alliance?James Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01516007141763230886noreply@blogger.comBlogger107125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-11290729639814302602019-08-02T06:20:49.160+01:002019-08-02T06:20:49.160+01:00Hi, thanks for sharing your nice blog. If anybody ...Hi, thanks for sharing your nice blog. If anybody needs a Election consultant, agency, political career path, you can contact at any time.<br /><a href="https://www.ipsworkforce.com/blogger/post/election-management-company-in-india/" rel="nofollow">Political campaign management companies in india</a><br /><a href="https://www.ipsworkforce.com/blogger/post/political-digital-marketing-agency-in-india/" rel="nofollow">political marketing in India</a><br /><a href="https://www.ipsworkforce.com/blogger/post/how-to-become-a-politician-in-india/" rel="nofollow">How To Become a Politician In India</a><br />ipsworkforcehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02510182614410829459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-57732005346001515862014-11-17T21:48:51.019+00:002014-11-17T21:48:51.019+00:00No need for a YES Alliance in 2016 as it's a p...No need for a YES Alliance in 2016 as it's a proportional election, we can vote who we like without fear of splitting the Indy vote (so long as it's an Indy party). That's the whole point of an Alliance for the FPtP Westminster election.<br /><br />"I get you and others do not like being railroaded into following one path. 2016 in my opinion should things go the way we expect," Should things go the way you expect Chalks, I will be over the moon. It's because we are not confident of that expectation (for all the reasons already given) that we do not like being railroaded. <br /><br />So you've decided to blame YES headquarters (with good cause in my opinion) but not the SNP who hired and set up the organisation, the head honcho's and supplied the strategists? Not into the blame game too much myself Chalks, (on account of thinking everyone who drew a salary let us down in some form or another) but that attitude does appear a trifle one eyed to me. <br /><br />I saw massive flaws in the SNP leadership during the build up to and throughout the referendum campaign as well as great strengths, (the same as all the other Parties and YES headquarters). That's why I am so keen to keep the part of the movement that actually delivered the votes (grass roots and activists of all parties) in the driving seat. What has just happened though, is the re assertion of 'the leadership' over that grassroots.<br /><br />braco<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-28939388774037026452014-11-17T19:36:33.522+00:002014-11-17T19:36:33.522+00:00I know of many stories concerning yes scotland and...I know of many stories concerning yes scotland and the poorness of it cannot be laid at the door of the snp. They bent over backwards to ensure the media couldnt call it an snp project. The greens for instance held a gun over their head jf they didnt agree to certain things. Why do you think 3 months before the referendum the snp moved their strategy team into hope street? They didnt have that much say before then,jenkins was sidelined and about time.<br /><br />I do not agree with the labour comparison, this strategy will hopefully, enable scotland to have more powers for the betterment of scotland. Its not politicians gripping on tightly to their expenses or waiting on an ermine call.<br /><br />I get you and others do not like being railroaded into following one path. 2016 in my opinion should things go the way we expect, would be a better chance to operate your yes alliance idea. Why? Because it will be harder for the unionists to call it a rerun as most people will want another referendum should they give us nothing or piecemeal devo. Throw in the eu in out ref and i would say then is the perfect time for it.<br />chalksnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-50701818934179264082014-11-17T17:51:19.054+00:002014-11-17T17:51:19.054+00:00Hate to break it to you Chalks, but the official Y...Hate to break it to you Chalks, but the official YES headquarters and the SNP were hand in glove as far as the strategies, media and other, that the official Campaign followed. It was the grass roots activist campaign that produced the 45% not the lackluster Official campaign (and that includes many of the parties including the Greens). <br /><br />What the Parties did bring however, was very important actual evidence of the referendum truly being about something other than the narrow Party Political crap that has effectively lost almost half the electorate to mainstream politics. <br /><br />The SNP seem to, as you yourself have acknowledged, be using old school cynical Party Politics to co opt all those that support Indy but do not support the SNP. This is a very high risk strategy if Independence is your first goal, but a win win situation if advancing the SNP as a Party within the Scottish Part Political system is your primary interest. <br /><br />I notice you do not deny the similarity of the SNP's Westminster election campaign logic to that used by Labour for decades. 'Effectively' I here you say, but to who's benefit? Not the Scottish populations, not the democratic principle in Scottish politics and as we now see, not even their own long term benefit. That's why I and others have been on here trying our hardest to show that landslide can be achieved without deploying some of the worst antidemocratic techniques developed by Scottish Labour over my entire lifetime. <br /><br />In fact by deploying those techniques now, instead of embracing the new political consensus created during the YES campaign the SNP may be consigning Scotland's best chance at Independence (in the very short term) to the history books along with 74, as another glorious nearly.<br /><br />By the way, an example of the hand in glove nature of the YES headquarters, SNP and Greens during the campaign was their astonishing distancing and rebuke of the grass root anti BBC protests. I was at a meeting with a large hissing YES audience listening to Blair Jenkins defend the BBC coverage as fair and balanced while condemning the protests as naive and counter productive! I heard similar views handed down from the Party Political leaders. <br /><br />In fact I think the unconnected and dispirit voiceless nature of the remnants of the current YES movement can be layed squarely at the doors of YES Scotland and the SNP (who set it up initially). Would you believe me if I told you that YES headquarters never once bothered to create a simple list of YESshops to allow those activist groups the ability to contact each other directly and autonomously. No list, no network, no political threat post referendum.<br /><br />You will get no defense of the official YES campaign from me Chalks, so at last we have found something to agree on. :-)<br /><br />braco Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-68741583504010035362014-11-17T16:26:26.295+00:002014-11-17T16:26:26.295+00:00Candidacy is open to non-SNP members though Braco,...Candidacy is open to non-SNP members though Braco, they don't have to agree with the SNP policies, it would help, but I'd imagine in certain areas, where the 'I'm not an SNP member' worked the best, will also work in this regard.<br /><br />The fact is, the SNP in my opinion, did not co-opt Yes Scotland in time, they were 3 months too late, Yes Scotland was a shambles, only saved by the groundwork of the activists.<br /><br />The media responses and the output from them was shocking. It was only when the SNP decided enough was enough did things pick up. That's my opinion anyway, call me biased if you like.<br /><br />The simple fact is that there simply isn't enough time nor the inclination from the parties associated with the Yes campaign to join up again. Harvie can spout his pish all he wants, but they had a hand to play in Yes Scotland failing.Blair Jenkins and his 'crack' team can also take their share. <br /><br />If the SNP want to go off on their own and go for it, then so be it. It's in ALL of our interests to support them, whether you like it or not, there is a bigger thing in all of this.<br /><br />It's democracy, the majority agree with this direction, so go with it.<br /><br />P.s.<br /><br />I think in the future, when there is an indy ref, you'll see competing visions for an indy Scotland, rather than one all encompassing umbrella group.chalksnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-53984732210384061092014-11-17T14:46:02.535+00:002014-11-17T14:46:02.535+00:00Because they are not standing for Independence. Th...Because they are not standing for Independence. They would be standing for exactly what the Unionists promised the electorate during the referendum, 'Devo max, the closest thing to a Federal system when one country makes up 85%of the population' Gordon Brown, Cameron, Clegg and Milliband's Daily Record solemn 'Vow'. <br /><br />It's the same strategy that the SNP are pursuing except it helps to include all those folk who voted YES in September but who, at the time, expressed strong reservations over voting YES because of the SNP. You know, the Labour, Green and 'sickened by Party Politics' missing million that Sean keeps forlornly trying to explain could quite easily be needed to make up the killer tipping point in this Westminster FPtP election.<br /><br />These people were convinced to vote Indy by non party aligned high profile individuals, speakers from Women for Indy, the common weal, business for Scotland etc. as well as the raft of various other political parties that were willing set aside their party differences to all fight under a common banner for the betterment of Scotland.<br /><br />I don't think the appearance of a few of those faces reincarnated as SNP members or SNP approved candidates signed up completely to the SNP manifesto. That is not the SNP as part of the movement, that is the SNP co opting the movement. A cynical calculation that the disgruntled will not split the vote, hold their nose and vote tactically for a party they would rather not support. At Westminster 'Vote SNP to keep the Unionists' out. Sound a familiar slogan? <br /><br />We are simply expressing doubt that the SNP alone, when push comes to shove after the BBC and MSM work their usual campaign magic, will be able to rely on tactical voting to produce the minimum 38% needed for Landslide. Especially when their seems to us a perfectly workable and more effective alternative already tested and proven only two months ago.<br /><br />I hope I am wrong, but I always go by what has already been achieved rather than unnecessarily risking a repeat of the failures, (close but no cigar) the SNP (on their own) have managed to date.<br /><br />braco Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-89050792163070034782014-11-17T11:56:11.610+00:002014-11-17T11:56:11.610+00:00Sean/Braco
Why won't the unionists just out-v...Sean/Braco<br /><br />Why won't the unionists just out-vote a Yes Alliance in nearly every constituency ala the Referendum?chalksnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-41484147166510019792014-11-16T23:16:28.634+00:002014-11-16T23:16:28.634+00:00Braco: you're debating with people who can'...Braco: you're debating with people who can't yet see that the Yes Alliance ethos has several strands and purposes. IMO it's my/our job to explain YA better and hope folk cop on. <br /><br />Three main pros of the Yes Alliance for May 2015:<br /><br />1. Appeal to the “missing half million” who voted in indyref but traditionally don’t vote in GEs.<br />2. Combining SNP and Green votes (the only aspect this site's regulars have really been discussing).<br />3. Appeal to Labour Yessers.<br /><br />Each of these could be worth an extra 3-5% IMO, meaning a conservative total of 10%. In FPTP that extra 10% would be the difference between 35-40% (my predicted SNP vote without a Yes Alliance) and 45-50%, which would translate to a difference of thirty seats. <br /><br />Can we guarantee the above? Of course not. Frustrating/silly/WTF that those potential thirty extra seats have been written off with barely a discussion? Of course it is. <br /><br />Much more clarity today about the problem, which is primarily not the SNP as I'd been informed but the Greens, no matter how they've tried to spin it. So we just need to forget about party political cooperation for the moment, while leaving the door open for the Greens to reconsider. <br /><br />But remember, party political cooperation was only one strand out of three (at least). Discussions are taking place among several Yes groups about pressing on with the others and we'd like you and your project to be part of that. I will email you tomorrow with further info -- today has been too busy trying to find out what the hell is happening.<br /><br />We'll never get through to the party fundies above until we've made a much clearer case for the whole philosophy of the Yes Alliance, which goes way beyond mere party politics. The Yes Alliance if properly constructed and explained is a project at least as ambitious as Common Weal, having not just an electoral purpose but a social and ethical one as well, on behalf of the people parties don't gaf about. Sean McNultyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17417132693074694333noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-18856146233985372932014-11-16T21:15:33.412+00:002014-11-16T21:15:33.412+00:00@braco
So you are telling me that the SNP will no...@braco<br /><br /><i>So you are telling me that the SNP will not be standing on a pro Independence ticket in May, because their new aim is Scottish Devo Max? Are you sure of this?</i><br /><br />The SNP will not be standing on a pro-independence ticket in May. They will be standing on a Devo max platform. Devo max is not the new aim of the SNP, independence remains the aim. However, it was rejected by the majority of voters in the referendum only a matter of months ago. The SNP are now concentrating on winning significant new powers for Holyrood, which we were promised by the unionist parties during the recent campaign. The opportunities to hold the balance of power at Westminster are obvious and significant. The SNP can secure major concessions. The gradualist approach adopted by Salmond, Swinney, Sturgeon etc has brought significant results so far. Reverting to fundamentalism is a sure fire way to failure and ignominious defeat.muttley79noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-12448989695525835792014-11-16T20:53:22.182+00:002014-11-16T20:53:22.182+00:00Braco,
I implore you to please do what you have t...Braco,<br /><br />I implore you to please do what you have threatened and stop. <br />Muttley and others are not misreading you, they are disagreeing with your narrow-minded view.<br /><br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-33761528400354262962014-11-16T20:38:11.536+00:002014-11-16T20:38:11.536+00:00So you are telling me that the SNP will not be sta...So you are telling me that the SNP will not be standing on a pro Independence ticket in May, because their new aim is Scottish Devo Max? Are you sure of this? Are you not mixing up a tactical nicety with a founding principle? I think a lot of SNP folk will be rather shocked to find out that their party is no longer aiming for Scottish Independence at the soonest possible opportunity, whenever or however that may arise. If you are correct, which I don't think you are, I would have to rethink my vote in May. <br /><br />You say, 'Independence supporters must accept that to achieve the desired goal of indy, No voters have to be persuaded of the merits of independence." Yes, but as I have already stated many times on this thread, not at the Westminster FPtP elections! They can quite easily be won by landslide through somehow mustering the current and proven pro Independence vote that turned out for us not less than two months ago. <br /><br />Even if we won all 59 Westminster seats in May, it would not result in Independence would it? No. So we do not need to persuade NO voters of anything to win the elections to Westminster. Is that not clear enough? Winning at Westminster does not, in itself create Independence and the rules for winning in Westminster elections, set by Westminster, have never required anything near a majority vote for a Landslide. <br /><br />This is doing my nut in muttley.<br /><br />Pro Indy is what the SNP MPs will be and pro Indy is what any YES Alliance MPs would have been too. Can we now stop talking semantics and address the meat of the discussion now please? If not, I don't really see the point in continuing scratching away at your continual and seemingly willful misreading of what is being said to you, over and over again.<br /><br />braco Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-39122829743352983462014-11-16T19:54:11.746+00:002014-11-16T19:54:11.746+00:00@braco
The SNP are a pro-independence party, who ...@braco<br /><br />The SNP are a pro-independence party, who will not stand on a pro-independence ticket for the 2015 general election. They will stand on a Devo max or home rule ticket. They will do this because they have accepted the result of the independence referendum, as should every democrat in Scotland. The SNP will appeal to both Yes and No voters to vote for them in the 2015 general election in an attempt to further the interests of Scotland, which is the second main aim of the SNP. Independence supporters must accept that to achieve the desired goal of indy, No voters have to be persuaded of the merits of independence. We will not achieve this by continuing to argue for independence at next year's general election. muttley79noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-30657493999136047742014-11-16T18:25:21.964+00:002014-11-16T18:25:21.964+00:00Another post which, for some reason, pointedly fai...Another post which, for some reason, pointedly fails to point out the flaws in my argument. Not very helpful.<br /><br />bracoAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-79670093627706797822014-11-16T18:13:06.717+00:002014-11-16T18:13:06.717+00:00Muttley 79,
your post makes no sense to me. Are th...Muttley 79,<br />your post makes no sense to me. Are the SNP a pro Indy party and will their MPs stand on a pro Indy ticket? Of course they are and will. So please stop this willful straw man argument about a YES alliance some how, upon election, declaring UDI or something. <br /><br />We are talking about how to best maximise the pro indy MP count at the Westminster Election. This will also remove pro Union MPs from Westminster, which is (in my view) will have the single biggest impact on the psychology of the Scots electorate, when it comes to any future referendum or conflict of national interest between Scotland and England (=Britain).<br /> <br />Secondly, the electorate of Scotland were divided into two during the referendum just as they get divided into 5 during Holyrood elections and however many they get divided into during Westminster elections. This is a banal electoral truth. <br /><br />This truth is at the root, and is the simple basis of data collection and analysis done by ALL modern political parties and think tanks. This is the information campaigns are fought on. The SNP are famed for their understanding of the electorates divisions (or more commonly known as voter history and voter intention). You are making yourself sound incredibly naive. <br /><br />This understanding of how the electorate is 'divided' becomes even more important within a first past the post election. Divide your own vote, you lose. Unify your vote against a 'Divided' vote and your opponents lose to a landslide! This is basic.<br /><br />The Westminster election's most important single factor is the REMOVAL wholesale of a large majority of pro Union MPs. Not in the amount of SNP Mps we can send down to a Parliament which in all reality will do what is necessary to ignore the lot of them. In other words, the power of a pro Indy landslide at Westminster is not in what those MPs can do in London but what that landslide says to the Scottish population.<br /><br />The Scottish electorate need to see themselves and witness first hand their tangible rejection of Westminster as the primary political authority over Scotland. The moment that happens the game will have changed and it's irrelavent from which pro Indy party (or none) those Scottish MPs are made up.<br /><br />This is where the entire argument on this thread started 90 odd posts ago. Have another read through what has been written in it and you will fully understand my, and others, position on this. You and others may disagree, but at least do us the courtesy of trying to understand our arguments instead of repeatedly superimposing straw men onto us, so as to better suit your pre conceptions.<br /><br />braco Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-20758053412102574332014-11-16T18:11:34.892+00:002014-11-16T18:11:34.892+00:00No you don't, and therein lies your problem. P...No you don't, and therein lies your problem. Perhaps open your mind to the flaws in your argument.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-19629232235087969112014-11-16T17:14:57.109+00:002014-11-16T17:14:57.109+00:00The pro-independence parties have to try and gain ...The pro-independence parties have to try and gain the support of No voters as well as Yes voters. They do this by backing Devo max. Unfortunately because of the FPTP voting system, only the SNP have the resources to have a realistic chance of making significant gains. I really do not think it is a good idea to divide the electorate in Scotland into two, those who voted Yes, and those who voted No. Lets us be honest, we have to win over more No voters to independence to achieve what we want to. This cannot be done by campaigning for independence at next year's general election. If this happens, then it is sticking two fingers up at No voters. muttley79noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-16018483830566621282014-11-16T16:48:38.534+00:002014-11-16T16:48:38.534+00:00The core of my argument is that I am not sure, and...The core of my argument is that I am not sure, and there is no hard evidence that, the SNP have that 45% available to them alone. They have never had it before, or even close. Especially in the Westminster election setting. I.e 'vote labour to keep the Tories (and now UKIP) out!<br /><br />That 45% was of 85% turnout. The Westminster election is unlikely to produce an 85% turnout. You seem commited to triangulation when none is required. A landslide is available if we can get our YES vote out again in May. I really don't see the difficulty in grasping this concept.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-88443344471595241822014-11-16T16:05:25.375+00:002014-11-16T16:05:25.375+00:00"We need 38% voting SNP for Westminster to st..."We need 38% voting SNP for Westminster to start the avalanche. We know we have 45% (of 85%) available and registered and motivated"<br /><br />This is the core of your argument. The core of the SNP strategy is that there is 45% available PLUS the 20-25% extra people who want a form of Devo Max. That is their platform, and it seems wise to me - that's why I predicted it weeks ago, when others were wanting furiously over the benefits of a YES alliance.Boabnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-1527110050604932802014-11-16T15:56:29.336+00:002014-11-16T15:56:29.336+00:00Just to clarify, I am not advocating refusing to v...Just to clarify, I am not advocating refusing to vote SNP. I do however understand the sentiment and feelings expressed though.<br /><br />bracoAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-81886513698927076922014-11-16T15:55:33.949+00:002014-11-16T15:55:33.949+00:00Yup.
The SNP will be using the platform of the 201...Yup.<br />The SNP will be using the platform of the 2015 election to wrestle as many powers as possible from Westminster. This isn't about independence, it is about using the majority of Scots support who want to get a form of Devo Max.<br />Going all out for Independence, just months after it has been rejected at the ballot box, is simply going to alienate voters and piss people off.<br />The SNP aren't stupid - get a form of Devo Max first, and then they can again begin campaigning for independence, whether that be from a majority in Holyrood in 2016 or an EU referendum in 2017 as a starting point.Boabnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-8707658824615468782014-11-16T15:48:20.377+00:002014-11-16T15:48:20.377+00:00What don't us two understand about the devo ma...What don't us two understand about the devo max situation Chalks? We agree that the way forward is to get as large a group of pro Indy Mps to Westminster (and just as importantly, as few pro Union MPs at Westminster). We are disagreeing about the best way to achieve that aim. <br /><br />I am expressing my doubts that the SNP alone will be capable of holding the wide range of pro Indy political philosophies (and none) together in a grand scale tactical vote come May. They have never achieved this before, why so confident now? The polls? <br /><br />We need 38% voting SNP for Westminster to start the avalanche. We know we have 45% (of 85%) available and registered and motivated. We also know that many of those people are not and never would be SNP (different party affiliations or more normally anti political party all together) just as were many of the people responsible for engaging, converting and registering them to vote YES in the first place. (Me for example). <br /><br />This was the explicit strategy of both YES and the SNP. That is, SNP talked to SNP, Labour for Indy talked to Labour, Celtic supporters for indy talked to Celtic supporters, Rangers to rangers, socialists convinced socialists, non party political activists converted the sickened by party politics section of the electorate etc. etc. etc. If you were involved in the YES campaign at all Chalks you will know this as a basic fact.<br /><br />I and many, many others, including SNP activists spent hour after hour telling people this is not about the SNP, this is about Independence and democracy. People like me and other non affiliated activists, of whom there were many (that's where the new SNP membership has come from after all) were used as living breathing proof of that truth. <br /><br />Now, 2months later and the SNP boldly announce, sorry actually No, it is all about the SNP after all. (just as all those folk I argued with, many of whom I convinced, said it was all along) Was it just an SNP tactic Chalks? Did they believe it at the time? I don't know what's changed, but now they simply expect that incredibly dispirit voting group to tactically start supporting the SNP. From being a main reason quoted to me against voting YES, to their obvious tactical vote come May? All in less than 2 months Chalks? <br /><br />BAD Politics. Many YES voters will be lost to us in May, as the SNP would rather court NO voters than try and hold the broad based and proven Independence supporting alliance together. It's that simple!<br /><br />I can do no better than quote anon. from yesterday. Maybe you missed what they said, it's worth re reading even if you didn't.<br /><br />"The real issue here is that the SNP has not even tried. There were issues to be overcome for sure but to not explore them or even debate them internally is an insult to the spirit of the Yes movement.<br /><br />Instead it has made a (really quite pathetic) token gesture at inclusion which will do absolutely nothing to change the narrative of the election. It is just going to be SNP v Lab v Con v LibDem just like any other year.<br /><br />Rather than trying to maximise the pro-Yes vote, the SNP is now risking its own vote being squeezed. There are people who voted Yes who will never vote SNP. There are people who want to vote SNP but won't because of the way the campaign will be portrayed in the media i.e. Cameron v Miliband or, even worse for the SNP, Cameron + Farage v Miliband.<br /><br />There is not a shred of evidence of any kind of long-term strategic thinking in the SNP - it's all about how the party can capitalise on the current mood. It is a return to inward looking party politics just when we need our leaders to reach out and embrace everyone.<br /><br />The SNP might still win next year but the movement loses in the long run. There is no way I'm voting for a party that tries to selfishly cash in on the legacy of a movement while abandoning its principles.<br /><br />It is assuming ownership of the Yes movement and is totally misreading the motivation of its new members.<br /><br />But the saddest thing of all is that none of this surprises me at all"<br /><br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-68695488128599012942014-11-16T15:42:48.466+00:002014-11-16T15:42:48.466+00:00Couldn't agree more with Jake. There is some a...Couldn't agree more with Jake. There is some almighty slagging of the SNP's decision making process going on here, despite the fact that support for the SNP is at an all-time high.<br />Did they just stupidly stumble their way there?!<br /><br />I don't agree with a Yes Alliance as a strategy for gaining the highest number of MPs at Westminster, and it's quite clear those who make the key decisions within the SNP don't either.<br /><br />The SNP need to focus on changing the perception that the SNP can make no difference at WM, and you can see them beginning to roll out that strategy now, and I believe as the months roll on, that strategy will keep the SNP high in the polls.<br /><br />You may disagree, and that is your prerogative, but I reckon you're wrong, and thankfully, so too do those that are calling the plays.<br /><br />Head firmly out of arse btw.Boabnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-4624732039789797682014-11-16T15:01:57.679+00:002014-11-16T15:01:57.679+00:00testtestAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-78353402187618496522014-11-16T12:36:35.045+00:002014-11-16T12:36:35.045+00:00I'm not going to vote SNP just because it is t...I'm not going to vote SNP just because it is the only option. Look at Slab to see what happens to parties when people vote for them because they are the 'least worst'.<br /><br />The decision is bad enough but it is the way it has been arrived it that is so insidious.<br /><br />And, isn't it a huge slap in the face to the tens of thousands of new members for them now to be told that someone who has made no commitment to the party can be fast-tracked as their candidate.<br /><br />Have a proper debate and decide whether you want a pact or not. If you don't that's fine. If you do, do the bloody thing properly.<br /><br />This proposal is just a political fix to avoid having the debate while making the SNP look inclusive. But it does so at the expense of both the wider Yes movement and the rights of its own members. <br /><br />It is the kind of horrible proposal and manoeuvring that you'd expect from Westminster apparatchiks.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-930120922627919768.post-61779349592003491022014-11-16T08:27:55.160+00:002014-11-16T08:27:55.160+00:00Seeing as how you two are unwilling to understand ...Seeing as how you two are unwilling to understand the devo max situation. Can you explain exactly how 55 is smaller than 45?<br /><br />You see, if we campaign on independence for may 2015, people will tactically vkte to keep the snp out or a yes alliance out....they have more voters and we are all expecting the snp support to fall in the run up, as more go back to labour inevitably. So what does that tell you?<br /><br />A massive majority of people in scotland, want devo max. Including yes voters, to say we are not taking these people into account is bollocks. New members can and WILL be standing for westminster as well.<br /><br />Perhaps you should ask yer mate harvie why the greens do not want devo nax.<br /><br />I would also suggest you ask him what seats he thinks the greens would have a better chance of succeeding in than the snp?<br /><br />Lastly, I would ask that you consider that the indy question is off the table until we sort the devo max question and answer session out. <br /><br />chalksnoreply@blogger.com