Leah Gunn Barrett
In today’s Scotsman, John McClellan claims that the First Minister’s wish to see all Tory MPs voted out in the general forthcoming general election is tantamount to disenfranchising Scottish voters. Nonsense.
First, he doesn’t acknowledge the deep unpopularity of Sunak’s government and the concomitant decline in support for a party that has presided over a recession, falling living standards, rising inequality, increasing poverty and failing public services. Given this abysmal record, who in their right mind would vote Tory?
Second, the Scottish People haven’t voted for Tory since 1959 but have had to endure their execrable policies for half that time.
Third, in 2010 a single Scottish Tory MP was elected but there were no accusations that Scottish voters were being disenfranchised. Rather, the feeling was that the Tories deserved it.
Fourth, the reason Scotland may not elect any Tory MPs in 2024 is because of the first past the post (FPTP) voting system. If Westminster used a proportional representation (PR) system like the one imposed on Scotland, Scottish Tory MPs would in all likelihood be returned to the Westminster cesspit.
PR is why the Scottish Parliament has 31 English Tory and 22 English Labour MSPs out of 129. English Labour chose the d’Hondt PR system for the Scottish Parliament because they were sure it would never yield an SNP majority. But it did, which shouldn’t be surprising. Half of Scots support independence and Scots are to the left of the rest of the UK on almost every issue.
What’s disenfranchising voters is FPTP. Under this system, if a party wins large majorities in some constituencies, then those additional votes above the nearest challengers don’t help the party win any more seats. This means a huge number of votes go to waste because they don’t count towards the national result. The Electoral Reform Society revealed that nearly 23 million votes didn’t count towards electing MPs in 2019. It called the result “disenfranchisement on an industrial scale.” In that same election, English Labour returned a single Scottish MP.
The two main English parties, Tories and Labour, back FPTP, a system that routinely ‘elects’ parties to government who are not supported by the majority of voters. Sir Keir Starmer broke his manifesto pledge to bring in PR because FPTP is the best way for English Labour to achieve power. He doesn’t care about democratic representation.
It’s simple. To escape this anti-democratic dystopia and regain their voice, the sovereign Scottish People must end the failing union.
Ed: More on McLellan at: https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2021/03/20/would-you-trust-a-tory-councillor-and-adviser-to-ruth-davidson/
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
The Hootsmon previous owners were offered £50 million for the title.
I bought the paper (when it WAS a paper) for 20 years.
Its profits were used to prop up the Times, and it has been ransacked and defiled by every “proprietor” since.
They would have to pay me now, to read it. Shameful and sad decline into a Britnat Toadie propaganda rag, just like the Herald!
gavinochiltree
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John certainly has a winning smile in the photo above.
what a soor puss!
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but, but, but in 1997 after the Westminster election Scotland was “Tory free”. BBC Scotland just lies and lies and lies.
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Absolutely so – zero Tory seats. Did anyone speak then of disenfranchment of Tory voters? Me neither.
The 1997 results for Scotland were also as good a demonstration as you’ll find of the warping of democracy that FPTP brings:
Labour got 77.78% of the seats with just 45.56% of the votes which works out at an average of 22,917 to gain a seat.
Lib Dems got 13.89% of the seats on 12.97% of the votes, equal to 36,536 votes per average seat.
SNP got a measly 8.33% of the seats from 22.06% of the votes which works out at a huge 103,592 votes per average seat.
Thus are the odds stacked at Westminster, with the only reward being that the Tories got no seats from 17.5% of the votes.
Coinneach
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Another example of colonial white settler rule – how many of the 53 English MSPs are elected rather than appointed via the divide and rule list system?
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I think the performative outrage in the letter Kaye Adams read at length and Mr McLellan’s article are examples of ‘the news where we are’ according to the scriptwriters in Elizabeth House.
You might recall around 10 years ago The Scotsman was for sale and a potential buyer – a Canadian, I think – proposed to appoint Alex Salmond as editor-in-chief. The entire Scottish media had kittens! ‘With complete lack of self awareness, they spluttered, ‘This will upset the traditional BALANCE (sic) of the Scottish media’.
Alasdair Macdonald
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I was rather taken by the proposition from another that all of it was a setup – A stage managed upsetathon orchestrated with alleged ’emails and text messages’, it’s not as if James Cook is a stranger to such antics, and does have a history of Tory arse covering…
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SCOTSMAN RAG TOTALLY SUPPORTED BY ENGLISH MEDIA BARONS
who think the Rag IS READ BY ALL ‘SCOTS’
THAT SUMS UP THE EDUCATION OF THESE PEOPLE
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Voters can vote for who they want. Whoever decides to stand and follows the correct. The majority in Scotland support Independence. So in theory they should vote for Independence supporting candidates/Parties. To vote out all the Tory/unionists in Scotland is more likely to bring Independence, obviously. Less opposition.
D’Houdt /STV was imposed by Unionists without a mandate. There is a quota with D’Houdt. First preference SNP votes go in the bin. To let 3rd unionists in with a few votes. The list. Voters who support Independence are obliged to vote for unionists. To try and get Independence supporting candidates elected. Devils choice.
The majority of voters prefer FPTP as the Liberals found out. When they tried it introduce PR to suit themselves. To get more candidates in. AV Ref. Many people did not turn out to vote. Low turnout. The LibDem betrayed the students and let the Tories in. Austerity and Brexit followed. Ruining the economy.
The US/Chinese caused toxic Covid. Killing millions of people and destroying the world economy. Wuhan Clinic.
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The letter that as read out was hatred towards the Scottish FM. Get the Polis. It might take over 3 years, and counting, to come to a conclusion.
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There is an official ‘stop the Tories’ campaign in the south. Are they racists and facists? Or is the ridiculous claim only in Scotland.
Owen Jones has no idea how the Scottish budget and finances work. The Barnett Formula. Totally ignorant. The UK whole accounts. June 2022. Scottish Gov accounts. Internet.
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Very well put Leah.
The disenfranchisement line used in the original message sent in to Kay Adams and also cited by McClellan is how FPTP works, an arcane electoral system both Tories and Labour have ensured stays in place, as they effectively carve up England’s hegemonic political tradition.
I’ve lost count of the number of posts I’ve read on English forums wishing the SNP were standing – That’s not a joke, those in favour of progressive politics are furious over Labour having ‘abandoned them’, and there is now insufficient time to establish a new party for the next GE – They’re positively envious of the Scots.
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Following on from that Bob, I have had recent conversations with a number of relations living in England, right enough only one English, the others either Scots or Irish, North and South. Previously they were all solid Tory, one a former Deputy Mayor of what was John Major’s constituency, and now none of them will vote Tory. At the moment, they will never vote Labour, so most are saying they won’t vote at all. A quandary indeed.
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BBC Scotland Politics TOP story headline “Why is Humza Yousaf Targeting the Tories” (a piece written 7 hrs ago)……
As if to Scotland that would be a mystery…..gonnae no dae that kind of thing…..
The writer of this piece then…..laughingly states “The language our politicians choose to use is always pored over endlessly – especially when one of the most potentially transformative UK general elections in years is getting closer by the day”.
“Some particular language that’s being deployed by Humza Yousaf as he revs up his party’s campaign engine has been raising eyebrows”
Meanwhile we, in Scotland, were subjected to, some pretty choice “language” read out ‘Live’ by Kaye Adams on the radio this week….which did more than raise “eyebrows” indeed so bad was the comment she, Adams, read out that for many it raised our blood pressure sky high…..as it was so offensive. (which is , as “language” used , conveniently ignored as an occurrence within this ‘piece’ )……as is, many a time, some of the “language” often used by those in opposition to the SNP against the SNP….as in ignored as occurrences by the BBC themselves)……
The article also states “The first minister has also been careful to present himself as holding out an olive branch to UK Labour. He knows that the Scottish electorate, by and large, would prefer to see Sir Keir Starmer in Downing Street than Rishi Sunak”.
Well , “by and large” , the truth is many of us care not a fig who it is that sits in “Downing Street” as for many of us they are both cheeks of the same you know what….and as the writer of this piece knows only too well many of us want independence thus care not a jot which type of Tory party (over) rules within their UK……and why would the FM be holding out an “Olive branch” to a party that has proven to be hostile to his party ? (and she , the writer of this piece, obviously forgot about the Starmer/Hoyle Gaza vote stitch up in the HOC which clearly demonstrated that Labour HQ were more than willing to make a hostile manoeuvre against the SNP…one of many ).
Then she writes “So it’s a careful dance between battling a resurgent Labour in Scotland and not wanting to be accused of trying to shore up the Conservatives in Number 10 by appearing too hostile to the prospect of the UK Labour government”.
“Resurgent Labour in Scotland” ?…….is that not counting your chickens before they are hatched ? Or is for the BBC in Scotland wishful thinking ? Is this writer not aware as a “Journalist” (?????) that Labour are as hostile (perhaps more so) to the SNP and the question of a second independence referendum as the Tory party are (as are the BBC)……Labour HQ are no friends to the SNP(neither is the BBC)…..they will, like the Tories, (and the BBC) do their utmost to ensure that the SNP are destroyed as a political force in Scotland and too in trying to stop Scottish independence happening….and HQ (and the BBC) will seek to try and implant their branch office colleagues into government within Scotland……so tis fantasy to suggest that Scotland and our FM needs to stay on side with Keir Starmer PM…..as absolutely ‘no quarter will be given’ by Labour HQ (or it seems the BBC either)……does this BBC writer of this piece actually watch and read the news ?…..obviously she does but chooses to be, like Labour HQ, very selective on how she promotes it and interprets it….and as to “not wanting to be accused of trying to shore up the Conservatives“….oh aye many in Scotland would believe that as a credible tactic the FM would want to promote….about as credible as trying to cosy up to the Labour party….she is aware of the ‘Bain principle’ as endorsed and implemented by the Labour party …..of course she is but chooses to ‘Wheesht for Labour’ instead.
The piece then goes onto another sub headline “How big a challenge is the SNP facing from Labour”?
Just a challenge from Labour…..surely the “Challenge” that this writer promotes that supposedly faces the SNP is mainly down to the formidable and constant challenge the SNP face via the British broadcaster known as the BBC in Scotland (and other Pro UK media)…..based on their, BBC, obsessive and relentless articles, radio programmes, debate shows, news programmes in Scotland that does so much to undermine and criticise the SNP and the FM’s every action and utterance….as in for example this very article !…while omitting any #BAD associated with the Labour party to try and aid them, Labour HQ, in winning seats in Scotland…..for reasons all too obvious to any canny person who lives in Scotland…..
Then the article also headlines “What have people said about Mr Yousaf’s message”?
Yep what have the “people” said about our FM’s message ?….well this article in this part once again failed to note the offensive remarks (language) Kaye Adams read out ‘Live’ on air ……or even failed to acknowledge that they happened and that they were hugely offensive (and thus should not have been read out by a state broadcaster) or perhaps that would ‘spoil’ the general overall tone of this article which was just yet another #SNPBAD piece badly disguised as a supposed (dis)honest and (non) objective piece …..with the real objective being to try and shore up support for Labour HQ in Scotland while doing the opposite for the SNP…….
Another part of the Pro UK stitch up…..
NMRN
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It’s yet another example (how many hundreds, thousands is that now?) that when it comes to the media, there is one rule for the SNP and a completely different rule for Unionist parties. It is all a bit unhinged to say the least.
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It doesn’t matter whether you’re the lion or a gazelle-when the sun comes up, you’d better be running.
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