I don't buy that. It's not that I can't imagine the Greens doing a deal with Labour, it's just that I can't imagine them doing it in the probable circumstances where the only viable Labour-led government is one that is propped up by Reform UK. People say that Anas Sarwar wouldn't need to form a coalition with Reform in order to become First Minister, he'd only need Reform support on a single vote. That's true, but becoming First Minister is a bit pointless (other than holding the title for two weeks so he can put "Former First Minister of Scotland" on his CV) unless he can sustain a government in office, and he probably won't be able to do that without ongoing Reform support. It doesn't really matter whether that support is secured via a long-term deal or on a vote-by-vote basis - I just cannot imagine radical left figures like Ross Greer and Gillian Mackay being party to such an arrangement. And if anyone on the unionist side is harbouring any fond thoughts of Sarwar getting into office with Reform and Green votes and then staying in power by doing side-deals with the SNP, they can forget it. If the SNP are the largest party and are frozen out of power, they'll have just one over-riding priority - to bring Sarwar down and to form a government themselves.
So no, I don't believe John Swinney will have to make a straight choice between coalition with the Greens and a return to opposition. And that's likely to mean that the SNP will, with the bruising experience of the Bute House Agreement fresh in their minds, prefer to remain a minority government. Some people claim that what Mr Swinney would actually prefer is a coalition with the Liberal Democrats, but I can't really see any such arrangement being successfully sold to SNP members immediately after an election that was fought on the number one issue of Scotland's right to choose independence - a principle that the Lib Dems categorically and contemptuously reject.
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It's worth remembering too that the Liberal Democrats had a thoroughly bruising stint as junior coalition partners at Westminster.
ReplyDeleteI can’t imagine the Greens having anything to do with a genocide enabling Labour Party.
ReplyDeleteI think you'll find nothing is a red line for the Greens if it means having a bit of power.
DeleteAlba wouldn't write-off an arrangement with Labour - or indeed any party they feel would help them dilute the SNP.
DeleteTrue, but not relevant. Alba won't have any seats.
DeleteDifficult to predict that Alba are not likely to have any seats. Their means of needing to lure votes away from the SNP is highly cynical, full of pouty rhetoric, but naturally attracts the short-term quick fix damn the torpedoes for the real consequences audience. Alba are not accountable for anything and if some are elected to Holyrood, they still won't be taking accountability but as usual carping and goading others to hold the burden of accountability. They have an easy ride and intend to keep having an easy ride. They noticeably avoid criticising Labour and Labour and other UKplc parties in Holyrood avoid saying anything about Alba - which suggests they network as much with the unionist parties as Jim Sillars says he does when Sillars said the unionist parties were discussing all their strategies to weaken the SNP. Alba seem to be everybody's pal in their endeavour to down the SNP, or more so those they label 'the SNP hierarchy'. It's maybe very clever of Alba - but whilst they are very fond of saying the SNP always put 'party' first - you shouldn't be blind to how Alba network for their own benefit - as opposed to real 'allegedly' commitment to independence only!
Delete"Difficult to predict that Alba are not likely to have any seats."
DeleteNot difficult at all. They need 7% for seats and they'll get about 1%. Alba are dead. It's already over for them. Talk about something real.
Informal arrangement with the greens, on a confidence and supply basis. It has worked before. If Greens go into any arrangement with any unionist party in Scotland they are well and truly fecked. The no red line approach regarding Labour was disastrous for Slater. Lib Dem’s would be even worse. That is entirely media created shit stirring. It will take in the usual suspects on here. Don’t fall for it.
ReplyDeleteIt would be utterly absurd if the SNP go into coalition with the Greens after the Holyrood election having refused to work with them on independence during the campaign.
ReplyDeleteThere seem plenty alleged independence supporters doing the 'we won't turn out to vote' game playing again allegedly to reinforce the SNP getting a 'good kicking'. Though how that helps independence remains to be seen. They spout that the SNP should suffer some 'reflection' - though it seems these people don't seem to do any grown-up reflection themselves.
DeleteWhy have Alba never suggested, that if they get a decent showing at Holyrood, and the SNP get a reasonable showing, that they don't pair up as some kind of independence coalition? Guess that would be impossible though with Alba being a big part of the taking the SNP to court anent Salmond conspiracy case being a priority. Wouldn't do to be associated in any way if your priority intent is to have SNP bods 'banged up'.
Anon at 9.31. You are all over the place. Electorally Alba is completely out of it. As for SNP, what has J S proposed that will advance Indy? What has he proposed that will set Indy back at least 10 years, and possibly for the foreseeable future? Be honest. Then perhaps you should pause for some reflection. Indy is about to enter the political wilderness for a decade. When better to oust the devolutionists and reform/restore SNP to the Democratic Party it once was?
DeleteWhy have Alba never suggested, that if they get a decent showing at Holyrood, and the SNP get a reasonable showing, that they don't pair up as some kind of independence coalition?
DeleteWasn't that exactly what they did originally propose? The "supermajority" stuff? It was the SNP who dismissed the idea, as I recall. Anyway, as others have said none of this matters because Alba are a corpse
Keaton you are spot on with that post.
DeleteMcWhirter is just trying to stir up noise where there's none, he's a rumour monger out of panic that the SNP look like getting an overall majority and hoping the idea of a coalition with the Greens might bring SNP numbers down
ReplyDeleteStirring the pot
Sorry, on what planet do the SNP look like getting an overall majority? No poll has shown that.
DeleteYou'll have to excuse Dr Jim, he doesn't really follow politics.
DeleteHe is a shit stirrer but there is no prospect of SNP getting a majority. Why would you think that?
DeleteMacWhirter needs to earn his wages from his employer! When Eck died, In one of his articles, MacWhirter said he would miss Eck ringing him every day to tell him what he should be looking into. That was only bound to fuel MacWhirter's antipathy towards the SNP. Tough competition for journos more than ever these days, they need to bend to bucks.
DeleteMcWhirter is a good example of the Overton window.
DeleteDr Jim ( 1.07am) operates in a different universe. In his universe the SNP are saintly and we are not independent because of the nasty English and the lazy Scots.
DeleteWho knows if Alba's conference invite to 'kindred spirits' will result in some calibre SNP defectors and other wee indy party individuals to fill up the Alba 2026 candidate list making them more attractively electable than in their past efforts and labelling themselves under some common independence name for Holyrood 2026. They are obviously strategising to co-opt the movement for alleged mutual benefit. The movement seems to have a lot of 'I'm more indy than you' judgementals, but if they can get over some individuals wanting to be seen as more important to the movement than others - they ought to be able to be less dependent on just downing the SNP - and actually putting forward coherent actual pro-independence arguments to attract the much needed soft independence potential voters. The dependence on divvying up lured away SNP members by only downing the SNP all the time isn't going to bring numbers enough and they need to expand their strategy to including more vision of independence - IF indeed their aim is actually independence and not just 'down with the SNP leadership'. Time they alleviated the repetitive boring rhetoric.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Alba will invite Regan back. ?
DeleteOct 21 2025 at 8.44pm - I agree that there is likely no prospect of the SNP getting a majority - but in the good old days before the emergence of Yes movement fiefdoms and factions - it would have been the kind of challenge the entire movement might have had the guts to rise to and go for. These days, for all the superficial talk about unity, the movement seems more about who thinks they are more deserving of the 'top independista dog' label and who gets paranoid if any other individual gets more attention on any given day than any other. A movement talking to itself all the time - is just that - a movement obsessed with talking to itself - whilst Scotland and the world moves on.
ReplyDeleteThere is an anti-SNP element in the 'Movement'. Their idea of achieving Indy is having a nice day out at Bannockburn.
DeleteThere is an anti independence element in the SNP. Their idea of independence is something that happens to others in some far off future.
DeleteThey don’t need a coalition just vote together when it matters.
ReplyDeleteAnyone but Ross Greer. If you thought the last two were incompetent, Greer is a pain-in-the-neck zongo and the absolute opitome of a career politician, rather than someone who got into politics as an unpaid hobby. His qualifications and experience run to supermarket security guard territory.
ReplyDeleteFrom the National: "Labour under fresh pressure to strip Prince Andrew of titles as SNP motion tabled"
ReplyDeleteThere are just 9 SNP MPs left, and limited opportunities to table motions at Westminster, so what on earth are they doing wasting a motion on him, rather than for the benefit of Independence or even their constituencies?
The SNP need to change their priorities.
They know their priorities. They currently involve devolution and not Independence. Thus the Swinney plan.
DeleteSo on you go ANON 1048 lead the way. I have to say I attended a planning event of importance to local communities many years ago. He turned up and the other local MSP and others did not. Still he is doing better than you.
ReplyDeleteGreat to see the SNP demanding that lying, paedo-pal Andy gets completely stripped of all his wee titles and that the decision making in all of this is totally taken away from his big brother and that subsidised dysfunctional dross of a 'royal family' and I am absolutely sure they speak for the vast majority of us Scots in doing so.
ReplyDeleteAlso fantastic to see that the Macabi scum supporters gave now been confirmed as not attending the Villa game.
They are sad but true a reflection of the racist apartheid and genocidal attitudes of the majority Israeli population.
Starmer and Labour should be ashamed of linking themselves to the defence of such degenerates.
Righty, now the dust has settled after the SNP conference, it's time to up the pressure on the SNP to actually deliver in detail. From the National Karen Adam SNP MSP:
ReplyDelete"Win a majority again, 65 seats or more, and we will have the democratic mandate to hold another referendum."
But HOW are you going to hold it without Westminster's "permission"?
THAT is the question you are going to have to answer before you get my 2 votes in May 2025 - and to actually get the mandate from the People of Scotland in the 2026 democratic election to empower Holyrood regardless of opposition from Westminster.
In other words, Swinney's so-called secret plan can remain secret until mid-April, but must be revealed before the election, before the postal votes go out. Or you lose. And we lose.
The plan is pretty clear, no? I don't know what you think the secret part is. JS has been very open that "they say a one-party majority is needed for a mandate", so he's hoping to satisfy that condition and then ask again. Only problem is that no one in the world has ever said any such thing
DeleteKeaton - you are correct. The question Swinney needs to answer is who are “they”?
DeleteYesindyref2: John Swinney made pretty clear at conference that the "secret plan" would remain a mystery to all of us until and unless 65 seats is achieved. But my guess is that there's not much more to it than the judicial review wheeze. If there were nods and winks, that's what they all seemed to be pointing to.
Delete12.11 I saw that Scottish Independence wasn’t high on the list, or indeed anywhere for Greer during his conference speech so why should we, as people who ‘supposedly’ want Independence vote for a party that will never become the biggest party at Holyrood?
ReplyDeletePeople voting Green on the List for Independence - it's just as much a waste of a vote as voting for Alba, Liberate Scotland or any other party. For the Greens it's not a priority, and the others have no chance at all of getting an MSP elected on the list.
DeleteGreens just want to push devolution to its limits, Alba have self-destructed and nowhere near so many ordinary voters have heard of McAskill compared to Salmond, and outside a few thousand active indy supporters, nobody at all has heard of Liberate Scotland, they won't be in any opinion polls, not on TV, not in the leaders debates. They'll get no more votes than the Family party.
The only chance for Independence is the SNP and no, I'm not going to give any odds on how much chance there is that they are actually genuine, or just a deceitful bunch of career clowns. I'd say though, no more than 50-50.
Yesindyref2 - you never address the fact that in theory there has been an independence majority in Holyrood since 2021. But the Independence majority has not been used to progress independence so why should anyone think the same people in the same parties will do something over the next five years if there is another independence majority. Their words say independence but their actions say devolution.
DeleteCan you give us hope and tell us one SNP politician who you think will actually do something about independence. Someone genuine and not a career clown.
What happened in 2021 was the totally disastrous BHA, and on top of no progress on Independence with the Greens playing politician, now Biffa have started suing for £166m of our money for Slater's disastrous and moronic DRS. If we get another BHA then there is no chance of Indy during that Holyrood term 2026-2031, the Greens will be busy with other distractions.
DeleteAs for Swinney, as I said earlier, Swinney's so-called secret plan can remain secret until mid-April, but must be revealed before the election, before the postal votes go out. It's Swinney - or nothing. Sh** or bust as the expression goes.
And if you're not convinced by the election itself, don't vote SNP at all. I won't unless I'm convinced.
Yir2 I note you do not name an SNP politician who you think will actually do something about independence.
DeleteIt looks like people do not really believe the SNP will do anything about independence but vote SNP because they are not the Tories or Labour or Reform or Lib Dem and other micro independence parties are a waste of a vote. Oh for the old days when a majority vote for the SNP at Westminster would result in independence.
Independence has been taken off the table. Who did this I want a word with them.👿👿👿👿
Swinney is the only person at the moment who can do anything about Independence. Whether he will or not is anybody's guess.
DeleteAsk him!
I see tv radio is all about some Prince guy. Nice diversion from listening to the evidence of Ex PM Johnson and his role during the covid issue. How many deaths again — 232000.
ReplyDeleteYes, he is a very handy diversion for us proles, and the SNP MPs have fallen for it hook lineage and stinker.
DeleteClearer than ever, as James rightly says, that giving both votes to the SNP in 2026 is, by far, the best option for Yessers.
ReplyDeleteForget the fringe no-marks of Alba, Liberate etc... and ignore the Greens.
And also ignore those on here and elsewhere who either tell you not to vote at all, or to use your ballot to 'teach SNP a lesson'.
Those folk are simply not worth bothering with.
1.57pm why are you bothering then!
DeleteAs far as I can make out, the SNP's priority is the Royal family.
ReplyDelete