She's gone (or will be when a successor is appointed) So I ask you this?
What'll change? Nowt in my opinion! Her replacement will continue to (unsuccessfully I hope) try and break up our United Kingdom. She failed, so did her predecessor.
Also the replacement will spout "Scotland was taken out of the EU against its will" No it wasn't! I too voted to remain, and would do so again, but...................
Prior to the UK referendum, Scotland voted against becoming an independent country, preferring to maintain the Union, and subsequently, the majority of British people decided that leaving would be the better option. Whether that was correct is open to debate, but it was a UK referendum, so the fact that more people north of Hadrian's Wall voted remain than leave, therefore becomes irrelevant.
I say yet again, Dundee, Edinburgh, and John 'o' Groats, are just as British, as are Belfast, Larne, Cardiff, Wrexham, Widnes, and Monton!
Over to you, my fellow Brits!
Spelly.
For pro-leavers, they might have more luck with the independence push under a new leader. There was some animosity towards Sturgeon that was perhaps losing pro-leave support.
She's done a good job for Scotland, Scots should be thankful they don't live down here. We've had 5 dickhead PMs whilst she's been FM, she completely out-stripped the Westminster Govt in terms of leadership during the pandemic. So, whether they liked her or not, at least she stood up to be counted.
I'd love England to have a referendum to have our own independence, and leave Scotland, Wales & NI to their own governance, and see how they get on. They'd be 3rd world countries in a heartbeat. In my eyes, they bring very little to the party.
Paulie xx
Couldn't give a hoot I'm English not British and proud of it. Sturgeon has left her beloved Scotland in a right mess and never addressed the important things instead of wanting another referendum. Let them have their independence and good riddance to them.
I'm English and live in Scotland. People have praised her political skills, but the country is a mess financially. Average wage in Scotland is lower than in the rest of the UK. Companies have delayed in investing up here because of the cloud of Independence hanging over it. They couldn't have survived the Covid scheme without assistance from Westminster. I have no idea where she was planning to get the money for Scotland to run as an independent country now that the oil revenue as gone. Manufacturing up here has fallen dramatically. She tried to buy votes with no toll roads, no parking charges at most hospitals and no prescription charges. All seemingly worthy things, but that loss of revenue, and additional costs, has to be paid for somewhere.
I pay a higher income tax because I live in Scotland, although I am employed by a British company.
My missus and I said that if Scotland got independence, we would move South of the Border, and she is Scottish.
There are still question marks hanging over some of money wasting up here. The CalMac ferry saga runs on and on, the massive overspending on Holyrood, and the mess of the Edinburgh tram system that was over budget and smaller than planned.
She has divided the country in two, with the Pro Independence group being very vocal and intimidating. The final straw was, after losing the referendum, and then the High Court case, she decided, without any consultation with the rest of the party, that the next general election would be taken as a mandate for Scottish Independence.
I am not sure who will succeed her but there is no natural choice as there was when she took over from Salmond. I can't help but feel that there is something in the background, as her leaving was so fast, and so unexpected that she may be jumping before she is pushed.
You may guess that I'm not sorry to see her go.
The thing about the de-facto vote is that elections and votes aren't always black and white. Some might like some things 1 party does, and some another. Swing voters might have 1 issue that is most important to them and vote for the party that says what they want to hear on that, all of which might be completely separate to independence.
If that is their stance they all might as well not bother with any policies whatsoever for the election, as they're all irrelevant apparently!!
Be interesting to see what her legacy, seeing as there doesn't seem to be 1 particular area that she has massively improved, whilst lots have gone downhill.
She's gone (or will be when a successor is appointed) So I ask you this?
What'll change? Nowt in my opinion! Her replacement will continue to (unsuccessfully I hope) try and break up our United Kingdom. She failed, so did her predecessor.
Also the replacement will spout "Scotland was taken out of the EU against its will" No it wasn't! I too voted to remain, and would do so again, but...................
Prior to the UK referendum, Scotland voted against becoming an independent country, preferring to maintain the Union, and subsequently, the majority of British people decided that leaving would be the better option. Whether that was correct is open to debate, but it was a UK referendum, so the fact that more people north of Hadrian's Wall voted remain than leave, therefore becomes irrelevant.
I say yet again, Dundee, Edinburgh, and John 'o' Groats, are just as British, as are Belfast, Larne, Cardiff, Wrexham, Widnes, and Monton!
Over to you, my fellow Brits!
Spelly.
I just hope Scotland First Ministers keep a Fishy Surname.... Salmon(d), Strugeon, maybe a Carp or Turbot maybe in the ranks.
@robbo I never knew Scottish income tax was any different to ours! Can I ask what rates are. Funny how that is never mentioned when some people talk about free prescriptions, but as you say, it has to be pad for somewhere!
I also agree her departure was sudden and though the trans prisoner farce was hinted as the reason, it didn’t really feel a justified cause. Maybe all will become clear in the coming weeks?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-51407239
I think there are a few things that will come out when she's gone, as long as nobody blocks them or puts an injuction on them.
- As before, the Scottish ferry disaster rolls on and on, this documentary shows how much the tender process was manipulated. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001cdcz
- They misled the membership on actual member numbers. https://www.itv.com/news/2023-03-20/sturgeon-says-husband-murrell-didnt-intend-to-mislead-media-over-snp-figures . Chief executive Peter Murrell resigned over this but Nicola Sturgeon denies knowledge, despite being married to him!
- A doctor friend told me that the free prescriptions was more publicity than anything else as about 80% of Scotland was entitled to free prescriptions anyway. My old doctor said he refused to give prescriptions to people who rang up asking for aspirin and paracetamol for free. His response to "but I'm entitled" was, it costs 50p to buy them in the shops, and £9 for him to write a prescription. A friend of mine showed me a cupboard full of boxes of cocodamol he was still getting from the doctor, but never used but he kept "just in case". I asked why he didn't just tell the doctor to stop prescribing them. His response was "it costs me nothing", at which point I said that whilst it may cost him nothing (he's a pensioner), it costs me and my partner and all other taxpayers money. We're paying for it.
- I could go on, but the SNP is good on rhetoric but peel away the layers and you realise that they are not the curer of all ills they like to make themselves out to be. https://www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/23221107.dose-reality-snps-top-ten-achievements/
Well, now you can call me a cynic but the timing for me seems to be far to coincidential.
Nicola Sturgeon's husband Peter Murrell arrested in SNP finance probe
Well, now you can call me a cynic but the timing for me seems to be far to coincidential.
Nicola Sturgeon's husband Peter Murrell arrested in SNP finance probe
Had you heard of Sturgeon's successor prior to him standing for leader? I hadn't.
The auditor has now resigned, adding to their woes.
It's not been good for the SNP during the last few weeks has it?
It'll be interesting how they perform at the next election(s)
Dare I suggest that the "I" word is as far away as ever?
Spelly.
Times change, and quickly. Do the 45% of Scots who supported independence under Sturgeon now not support it? Does a different leader change that?
Look at the 48% who didn't support Brexit in 2016. If there was a referendum for that today, remain would win easily, I think that's obvious.
I do agree, it looks like the push for an independent Scotland is on the wane, and I'm pleased about that.
Well, after last night's disaster for the SNP, it looks like independence is as far away as ever!
The recent bad publicity obviously influenced the vote at Rutherglen, meaning the Labour Party has a new MP in Westminster, but........................
In my opinion anyway, it's another death knell for those people north of Hadrian's Wall, who want to dis-unite this United Kingdom!
Spelly.
And things get even worse for the SNP!
Their MP for East Kilbride has defected to, wait for it...................................
The Tories!
What a kick in the independence wotsits that is for 'em!
Will she resign her seat, and create a by-election? Words like "holding" "breath" "not" and "my" spring to mind!
Spelly.
The SNP are now beginning the push for Independence again. IMHO, this is to try and cover up all the crud that's been happening underneath and take the focus on the Independence argument and away from all the dodgy goings-on, mismanagement, and poor budgeting. I think they also see that the tide is turning and want to try and make the move before their level of support is too low.
If Scotland gets Independence, we will be heading South of the Border. I cannot see any way they will fund the running of the country. The manufacturing just isn't there.