:scotchland: The Adventures of the SNP

Reasonably serious discussion
41

This is partially the reason why the SNP got so many votes in the GE - passionate and engaged politicians wanting to actually try to make a change and ruffle a few feathers.

I’m a permanent resident in Wildling territory now and I was dangerously close to voting for the SNP in the election, only to be swayed by my sandal-wearing Green Party leanings. Mhairi Black and her compatriots are doing a fine job so far I think, people are actually sitting up and taking notice of political discourse now rather than just flitting from scandal to scandal.

1 Like
42

A comment I saw frequently made on social media.

“Why can’t the SNP stand in England?”

Made as a wry quip, mostly, but there is a seriousness about it that Labour really need to consider. If English voters find the SNP an ideologically attractive bunch, says a lot for the established “left” (I know, I know) party.

43

Bump!

Good reason. SNP to introduce rent controls.

1 Like
44

Tartan tory Nationalist party, its funny the English are the only Country who have a National party and yet are called racist for having one and yet one up the road is the darling of the media.

The sandal wearers would do well to remember that.

45

The horse has bolted but in principle yes of course.

46

I’m confused :-

New model tenancies will also increase security of tenure for tenants and prevent landlords from asking tenants to leave simply because a fixed-term contract has ended.

Does that mean that your tenancy has ended yet the landlord won’t be able to kick you out?? So you sign up for a 6 month tenancy and towards the end the landlord decides he wants his house back (for whatever reason) but he can’t kick you out!!

47

Originally posted by @Barry-Sanchez

Tartan tory Nationalist party, its funny the English are the only Country who have a National party and yet are called racist for having one and yet one up the road is the darling of the media. The sandal wearers would do well to remember that.

Do you try and make sense at all? Or just throw words together and hope something sticks?

48

The problem with the six month tenancies is that they offer no protection when you’ve got a bad landlord. You can complain, but they can use the lapsing of a six month agreement for revenge purposes.

Private renters need a load more protection than they’re currently getting, and if the landlord can’t get his house back, it’s probably not one he needs to live in, is it? Still getting the money.

49

You do know that’s what they were and are still nicknamed by some?

50

The problem is that is a smokescreen, simply commit to building more houses and sticking to it would solve this issue.

51

Originally posted by @Barry-Sanchez

The problem is that is a smokescreen, simply commit to building more houses and sticking to it would solve this issue.

I agree with you, but there’s no reason we can’t do both. Housing could become a very interesting battleground if Corbyn gets into the Labour leadership. Previously, the debate has all been “it’s fine as it is” vs “it’s fine as it is”. Labour made noises about building social housing, but didn’t do anything like enough during their time in office. I think it’s an essential issue. More housing and more affordability has got to be key, otherwise the price of everything is unnecessarily high, or we pay housing benefit to cover the difference.

Building gives you the supply we so desperately need. Rent controls might chase some of the dodgier landlords out of the picture, possibly increasing supply by indirect means, but definitely providing immediate relief, or at least security, to people who need rented accommodation.

We had a problem with a letting agent this week. My daughter had this place sorted for her 2nd year of student life in London. One of her friends, not a resident of these parts, made the mistake of telling the letting agents that she was making a flying stop to London on her way to Italy, and would only have an hour to sign her part of the contract. Curiously, all the prospective co-tenants received an email at 1AM in the morning, telling them that the previous tenants wanted to stay there, and that the prospective tenants could avoid this by paying an extra £100 pcm, it would all go away.

Fair play to the girls, they found another (cheaper) place and put a QC on the naughty letting agents (multi-generational social mobility FTW!), but London student property expert Tokyo-Saint, who has been a real help to me the past two years, tells me that this happens all of the time. Tokes is white knight though. He just organises homeshares and nice London stays*.

*Well that’s what he says, but did anyone suspect Fritzl?**

**Not saying Tokes is Fritzl, but London. Lot of underground.

52

Building more housing is stupid when private landlords eventually buy it all and rent it out to students/those who ensure rent is paid.

Perhaps a change of view to mirror other countries where it is both unnecessary to ‘own’ a house (and still be secure) and where certain controls are put in place to ensure that those who look to have more than the one house and mortgage (if that method is still to be used) find that it is not such a good idea after all.

53

So Sturgeon has announced there will be a consultation on a second Independence referendum. Dangerous move, imo - especially given the justification. Their financial model isn’t as strong as it was when oil was commanding higher prices. If it’s a case of seriously diminishing returns, it could be the end of the SNP as a movement. Still, she’s got to keep her people happy.

54

It seems the perfect time for her to announce it. With the rest of the EU suitably pissed off at the UK for our destabilising antics, they would likely welcome Scotland with open arms. With many people up here passed off at Brexit, she may even convince enough people to side with her. Hell, even I’m wondering which is the lesser of two evils.

The fact that theresa may seems to be doing all she can to look like Thatcher will no doubt stoke the bigoted fires in some folks bellies as well.

Likely to be a close thing if it were put to vote.

If it fails, it can still be used as a tool to lever influence on Brexit discussions, which is, I think, her main motive.

As usual, a very shrewd move by Sturgeon. I may not agree with a lot of her policies, but she’s good, I’ll give her that.

2 Likes
55

NOt sure the ‘economics’ will matter if she can convince enough of those (us) who voted no last time that getting pulled out of theEU when 63% of Scotland voted to remain is a classic example of how the will of the local people is never gpoing to be reflected by centralized Government. The dilemma for many 'NO’s is that whilst we are for UK union, we are also for EU union - there is something hypocritical about wanting to be part of the EU and not UK, which smacks of some sort of anti-English bigotry - so a YES to indy 2 is still a tough call even if there were guarrantees to continued EU membership…(which there are not)

3 Likes
56

It’ll cause all kinds of problems for the UK in the Hard Brexit environment Theresa and co seem to be aiming for. If we don’t have freedom of movement, and an “independent” Scotland bends itself over the barrel for the EU, there will be clamour for a hard border.

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57

The sooner they go the better . Can you imagine what Krankie would be like if the boot was on the other foot and there was an English Parliament and not a Scottish one . FFS they’ve got a big enough chip on their shoulders despite the English bending over backwards to pander to them .

58

It’s caused a lot of interesting debate up here - a lot of people don’t see the validity in Indyref2 as there was a vote just over 2 years ago, however the circumstances of the previous vote have been completely invalidated by the EU referendum as quite a prominent part of the No campaign’s strategy centered around voting No to stay in the EU. The huge gulf in the EU ref showed the difference in political climate between Scotland and the rest of the UK - now it’s up to the SNP et al to convince a pretty doubting population that Scotland can stand on its own two feet as an independent nation.

I’m involved in the Scottish Greens now which is the other main Scottish political party in favour of independence, and i’ll be out canvassing for our local elections in May so it’ll be interesting to talk to people about their views on it. I recognise that the impact of falling oil prices has been huge but there’s a really big potential for renewables in Scotland that can be capitalised on for the future benefit and security of Scotland’s economy - the issue being that until that technology can be developed and implemented we could be in for some rough times ahead.

Even though some powers have already been devolved to the Scottish Parliament they’re pretty tokenistic and the Scottish Government doesn’t have too much fiscal control as it’s overruled by Westminster on the main economic factors. Although certain tax controls have been devolved, the nature of Scotland’s relationship within the UK renders those powers pretty useless as it’s far too easy to escape any kind of changes that the Scottish Government could make.

It’ll be a very interesting campaign and I wonder if we could see a date set for early next year to quicken Scotland’s exit from the UK before we leave the EU and too many bridges are burned. The question over whether Spain would veto Scotland’s membership of the EU is a big question mark for me, but a Norway model is potentially possible going ahead although a large stimulus package would be necessary to avoid any big impacts on living standards in the country after independence should it happen.

59

I don’t buy into the arguement that the Bexit vote changed anything . Surely they knew that by voting to stay in they were participating in UK wide elections and uk wide decisions . Part of deciding to be in the uk is accepting uk wide election result It’s not like they didn’t know that the Tories were committed to a referendum when they had their indie vote

60

Don’t buy that at all LD, David Cameron himself was campaigning for No on the basis that it would secure Scotland’s membership in the EU - the referendum pledge only popped up on the Tory manifesto a year after the first Independence referendum.