For Women Scotland Election Guide

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

There are numerous parties standing in this election but we will concentrate on the six who are most likely to make up the new Parliament, and examine their track record and see what promises are being made to women in the manifestos

forwomen.scot/election-2021-guide/

In summary:

SNP 1/5
Greens 1/5
Lib Dems 1/5
Conservatives 4/5
Labour 3/5
ALBA 5/5

The full post is fairly short if you want to see the criteria around how these rankings were created.

[ArabellaScott]

Fab, thank you!

[Babdoc]

You should add a warning, OP, that Alba are only standing to support the SNP and try to make independence more likely.
An independent Scotland would be run as a woke republic by the SNP who are fully committed to erasing women’s rights to single sex spaces. No sane woman should be supporting either of them.

[TheLovleyChebbyMcGee]

Definitely agree that women should not be supporting the ALBA party, they've got some right wrong un's involved with them!

[littlbrowndog]

Why is politics in Scotland so crap

There is no one party for me to vote for

Just crap

[Babdoc]

littlebrowndog, I would recommend tactical voting for whichever unionist party has the best chance of unseating the SNP in your area.
If we can deny them a majority in the regional assembly, they will be less likely to get their wretched independence referendum, and less able to push through their anti women legislation.

[littlbrowndog]

Ok babdoc

So fed up with our politicians and our government

[ArabellaScott]

littlbrown, I have to say the STV system also means that it's largely a matter of chance who actually gets in - it's a ridiculous system

makes voting a very blunt instrument

[ArabellaScott]

I'm personally going for whoever is most likely to lose the SNP a seat

[ArabellaScott]

this will vary by area

[ArabellaScott]

• and fwiw I am an ex SNP/pro indy voter.
  

Sorry for so many comments, had too much coffee and hyped this morning!

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

@TheLovleyChebbyMcGee

Definitely agree that women should not be supporting the ALBA party, they've got some right wrong un's involved with them!

It's difficult - do you vote for policies, or do you vote for people?

[TheLovleyChebbyMcGee]

Mostly policies, but Alex Salmond gives me the heebie jeebies with all the sex pest stuff.

[littlbrowndog]

The system is really hard to understand

No one I knows understands it.

So complicated

[Merename]

Oh god this is awful to read in black and white from ForWomen - a terrible day when a party headed by Alex salmond is top of the charts for respect for women’s rights. I know asking this will likely lead to a rammy, but are there any GC women who remain pro independence and what will you do? I couldn’t vote Alba because I believe the women who came forth about Salmond. I believe independence is best for Scotland but fear what will happen to our constitution under current SNP policy. I will no doubt be told I am naive but am hoping that with independence the current snp administration would not be favoured, and that in a few years the multiple harms associated with gender identity ideology are more widely recognised.

[ArabellaScott]

are there any GC women who remain pro independence and what will you do?

I'm sure there are probably plenty. The only pro indy parties are SNP and Alba, though, so you're in a bit of a bind!

I cannot see the SNP relinquishing power. At all. Ever. Independence or not. Some seem to think they are actively avoiding independence - I have stopped following the internal politics really, so am not sure how true that is.

'We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it. Power is not a means; it is an end. One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship.'

[Babdoc]

Merename, are you aware that Sturgeon claims she hasn’t done any financial planning for independence? She flustered terribly during the Marr interview, and basically said she’d look at it at the time!
How do you think she is going to handle a 25% national deficit? Tax rises, benefit cuts?
Good luck with your dream of living in a poverty struck, woke republic with no women’s rights, but I will not be voting for it.

[ArabellaScott]

FWIW it's not even just women's rights that has me so worried about the SNP.

It's their attitude towards power and responsibility. The state looks to me to be absolutely rotten. Riddled with problems, which are unacknowledged, brushed aside, the rules are manipulated, the bodies that should be scrupulously independent are partisan, the politics that happen are about soundbites and showmanship, not actually addressing problems.

They push issues down the road, avoid dealing with anything of any import, it's all spin, hot air and internecine struggle. God knows what all the mess was with the NEC. And I understand SNP politicians are not allowed to discuss problems or criticise their own party? Not a healthy way to operate.

If they had a transparent, open and honest culture that I trusted then I might be willing to consider the SNP again, but I just think they've been taken over by massively ambitious people with not enough skill, or integrity, to actually serve the electorate.

I mean, it's not to say there there is a good alternative, unfortunately. The other options are also largely pretty dismal.

[2Rebecca]

I'm voting Tory for both for the first time. Last time I was lib dem constit and SGP list. I know my constit candidate for the Tories and she is GC and a middle of the road Tory who is pro women friendly policies.

[SmokedDuck]

@ArabellaScott

littlbrown, I have to say the STV system also means that it's largely a matter of chance who actually gets in - it's a ridiculous system

makes voting a very blunt instrument

Off topic, I know, but could you briefly expand on this - I am curious as voting reform is a topic where I live and I'm a little concerned that people will choose something with unanticipated consequences.

[Diaryofamadwoman]

Any thoughts on Wightman?

I'm torn on Tory/Tory or Tory/Alba (only ever voted SNP or Green before, I could never have anticipated this mess)

[BlackForestCake]

I know asking this will likely lead to a rammy, but are there any GC women who remain pro independence and what will you do?

Most of them are supporting Alba because they believe policies on women’s issues are bigger than the past sins of individuals.

If you make Salmond a deal-breaker you are basically saying that you think there is nobody in the leadership of other parties who has ever been inappropriate or unfaithful.

[Babdoc]

Interesting use of “inappropriate” there, Blackforest! And no, I don’t recall any Tory candidates ending up in court on 14 sexual assault charges...

[2Rebecca]

I like Wightman.

[2Rebecca]

I like Wightman.

[Merename]

Arabella, I don’t think the SNP will relinquish power either, in the event of independence, but they would likely split, new parties would form, we would have more options. And we would have the option of voting reform that actually allows a range of parties that represent views.

Babdoc, I don’t think the SNP are perfect by a long shot, but I think independence is a far better way to tackle poverty than continuing how we are under the Tories and Westminster. I want tax rises, borrowing, investment. We need a radical overhaul of our priorities, early intervention rather than expensive mopping up of all our social problems.

While I am horrified by what’s happening to women’s rights in Scotland, I am also horrified by ideological austerity, widening inequalities, state sponsored racism... could go on. I just hope that we can effect change and help people see what is going on.

BlackForest, I have no words...don’t you think there are ‘women’s issues’ for the 10 women who accused him?