The graph of the last 40 weeks, a time of uninterrupted media carpet bombing of the SNP and protection of Labour from scrutiny and the wider movement narrows the gap with no apparent effects from either.
It’s been a bad time but we’re still on the same road.
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Although it was largely PR, Starmer’s visit yesterday to meet John Swinney seems to have been positive and tone and implied a better working relationship. Mind you, after the arrogance of Alistair Jack, anything would be an improvement.
The question is how will the Scottish Labour Party and their media chums react. I suspect their gut reaction is to be bombastic and contemptuous. Since 2007, they have been largely unconstructively oppositionist and have few viable policies.
Listening to Anas Sarwar, all they seem to have in their sights is the next Scottish Parliamentary elections, not because they have any proposals for Scotland but because of their sense of a divine right to rule.
The unionist media are stoking the flames of SNP discontent and further attacking Nicola Sturgeon.
Alasdair Macdonald
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‘Mind you, after the arrogance of Alistair Jack, anything would be an improvement.’
Ian Murray?
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I grudgingly think we have to give the Scottish labour crew their moment in the sun, they had their comeuppance in 2015 and I’m sure felt like our lot do now. Hopefully Starmer’s talk about respect for the devolved nations will see him reign in gloating or posturing once the buzz has worn off.
Maybe we should turn our energies to campaigning for 2026? What role can we TuSkers play?
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The backlash could come at Holyrood. A backlash against Labour. Independence supporters going out to vote. 2014 IndyRef and 2016. Unionist backlash.
NE two Tory MPs. Independence supporting Glasgow voting Labour unionist. Murray etc crowing. A face for every dial. The masons marching. The SNP need a new elected leader. People to join to push for Independence. Come together.
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After all the hurrahs and gloating subsides Scots will quickly come to their senses and realise Labour will be unable to deliver on most of their promises for very simple reasons the UK is SKINT (see C4 documentary of the same title) and economist Richard Murphy (Youtube).
Regretfully now the UK has passed the ‘tipping point’ (thanks to our English cousins at Westmonster). Against that background it is now a great opportunity for the SNP to drive home that message and explain why an Indy Scotland can avoid the inevitable outcome ie:- only Home nation that has a consistent positive trading surplus (at least it did before BREXIT), self sufficient in Renewable energy, Natural resources, better GDP, 1st Class Universities, best educated workforce etc etc alongside all the other tangible improvements the SNP have made to see that Independence is the ONLY ALTERNATIVE LEFT ( ie it removes that’ leap of faith’ that has perhaps faced some doubters before.
I would contend that the GE result IMHO in a perverse way almost assures Scotland’s Indy so let’s redouble our efforts to ensure this further opportunity is not wasted.
Gerry Robertson
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Have to agree with Gerry.
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“Scots will quickly come to their senses and realise Labour will be unable to deliver on most of their promises for very simple reasons the UK is SKINT”
I believe rather depressingly that the Unionist media will continue their “sterling job” of brushing out unionist parties lies and deficiencies as they arrive.
A lot of people in Scotland look no further than the front page/TV news headlines.
We have cowards who wallow in their ignorance amongst us.
I’ll be glad to leave when I can.
convince me otherwise .
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I agree with Gerry Robertson (above).
I am a member but I feel that the SNP has been woeful in promoting its own successes and allowed the SLab lie of 17 years of failure to take hold, not easy I grant you with a biased media and duplicitous opposition. The rebuttal unit has been in operation (allegedly) for 9 months but I am not aware of anything coming out of it.
For the sake of Scotland we MUST redouble our efforts, stop focusing on process but refine and make the compelling case for Indy in the new context of a Labour run wasteminster
Stewart McMutrie
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O/T The BBC News website’s Wales section today has this headline: ‘Low Welsh voter turnout appalling, says Kinnock’.
It reports that: ‘In Wales, only 56% of voters filled out their ballot papers, compared to 60% across the UK, and 67% in Wales last time out in 2019.’ (In Scotland the overall turnout was 59%, down 8.4% from 2019.)
And: ‘Despite winning the majority of seats, Labour’s vote share in Wales actually dropped, down from 40% to 37%.’
‘… every Welsh constituency saw a decline compared to the previous election.’
So the impact on the 2024 GE of Labour having a long record in government in Cardiff whether on (I) on voter engagement in what was a GE election to get rid of a Tory government; or (ii) on positive expressions of popular support for the Labour Party, was hardly a ringing endorsement! Despite this, Labour in Wales won 27 seats,, up nine compared to 2019.
Labour’s share of the vote in Wales dropped by 3.9% since the 2019 GE: Plaid Cymru’s share went up 4.9%.
The Scotland page of the BBC News website today has this: ‘Starmer sets his sights on Scotland’. James Cook tells us that Starmer’s plan for the Holyrood election is (in terms) to ask voters here: ‘ “is your life better after 19 years under the SNP?”
If the response of the electorate in documented above is anything to go by, voters in Wales are less than convinced about Labour’s track record in government in Cardiff.
But then – unlike in Scotland of course – Wales and its Labour government over more than a decade now have been very badly impacted by actions and inactions of the Tories in Westminster. Or so Labour tells us!
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Given the size if the Labour majority it also dispels the myth perpetrated by Slabour that how Scotland votes somehow matters. IT NEVER HAS nor indeed will it matter in the future. Even if every seat contested in Scotland voted for the SNP the sad reality is they will still have zero influence in what policies emerge from this Labour Government despite all the promises that Scotland will be at the heart of his government (where have we heard that before?). Starmer knows full well that only policies that effect the English electorate and adress their problems will matter and depend on a second term. Yes we may see more funds from Consequentials but given the cosy relationship in using the Private Health sector more I would doubt that will be very much.
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