Tag: elections

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Major fixes are required for a failing UK state but the two main parties are in denial for partisan electoral reasons

johnrobertson834

From stewartb There have been some escoriating assessments of the Tory and Labour manifestos for the upcoming General Election. They include the one below from the establishment-revered Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS). When reading the extracts, written from a London/England-centric UK perspective, reflect on just how ‘distant’ – how lacking in effective agency — Scotland’s electorate and government are in all of this! The IFS is essentially arguing that major fixes are required for a failing UK state but that the two main parties are in denial for partisan electoral reasons. Within this Union, Scotland’s ability to influence the nature … Continue reading Major fixes are required for a failing UK state but the two main parties are in denial for partisan electoral reasons

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Holding government to account depends on the “attitude” of the ruling party in what is “one of the most executive-dominated parliaments in the world”

johnrobertson834

(Director, Institute for Government, 18 June 2024) – Scotland’s 21st century democracy, UK-style! By stewartb A comment piece by the Director of the Institute for Government (IfG) – the London-based, centrist think tank close to the Westminster and Whitehall establishment – got me thinking about the democracy and associated agency we in Scotland experience within the Union. We are only too well aware that Scotland’s electorate is in a small minority in this Union; that Scotland now has a diminished number of elected members in the Union parliament; that we have a modern history of prolonged periods of rule by … Continue reading Holding government to account depends on the “attitude” of the ruling party in what is “one of the most executive-dominated parliaments in the world”

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Ayrshire MP’s team helps local people nearly TEN THOUSAND times in only four and a half years

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Allan Dorans was MP for Ayr Carrick and Cumnock until 30th May 2024 and will be standing for re-election on July 4th Since my election in December 2019, with my team, I have responded to requests for help and advice nearly 10 000 times. We have helped, many times with constituents in real difficulty, struggling to survive, by making sure they get the benefits they are entitled to, better housing or disability support. Many write to demand fairer treatment for animals, an end to the abuse of human rights in numerous countries where the UK has influence, or improvements in … Continue reading Ayrshire MP’s team helps local people nearly TEN THOUSAND times in only four and a half years

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Will Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock Reform candidate condemn his deputy leader’s liking and sharing of holocaust denial, Hitler admiration and the Royal Family are lizards theory?

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Andrew Russell, Reform candidate for the Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock constituency. Today, the Ferret factchecker has revealed: This is not a spoof. Continue reading Will Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock Reform candidate condemn his deputy leader’s liking and sharing of holocaust denial, Hitler admiration and the Royal Family are lizards theory?

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Survation and YouGov stuck in 2014 to bias their polling

johnrobertson834

In their most recent poll, in January 2024, Ipsos Scotland got: Yes 50% No 44% For Westminster SNP 39% and Labour 32% Last week and being trumpeted as more bad news for John Swinney, Survation got: Yes 38% No 45% SNP 28% Labour 31% YouGov had identical results the week before. Survation had this sample ratio weighted according to the 2014 referendum, 10 years ago: Of those who voted in 2014, Yes 44% and No 55% with 22% of the poll those who had not voted. YouGov had the same ratio. Ipsos had this sample ratio weighted according to trends … Continue reading Survation and YouGov stuck in 2014 to bias their polling