Scottish General Election

I see the SNP faithful replying ti themselves with the usual mince

Of course I do, there is no need to be so patronising. And seeing as I can guess your next question, second vote Greens, first vote depends on who is standing and how I feel their policies will impact my local area and wider Scotland.

But that is literally not how it works in Westminster, neither Foreign Secretary David Lammy nor Prime Minster Kier Starmer had any idea about Mandelson's vetting?

Why should politicians only be ultimately responsible for things in their department they knew about in the UK, but Scottish Government ministers be responsible for issues the Health Board handle and don't tell them about?

I realise this comment is a few weeks old, but had to reply.

Yes, I was rather surprised to read that comment too. I live in what was Mr Kennedy's constituency and it was absolutely disgusting how he was treated. It went way beyond the standard political attacks and banter and really opened my eyes towards some of my neighbours. I haven't voted SNP since.

Labour returned money to Westminster because they didn't have the imagination or vision to explore what they could do with it. They live in the past, a past where one day if they keep doing the same thing and have the same message eventually the people will return to them.

I think politics in Scotland is in a dire state, but I think voting Labour to try and keep the SNP out is a pretty desperate mindset, too, because they have zero to offer anyone.

Yes, ministers are ultimately responsible for what happens in their department and if they don't know what is going on it's even worse.
Are you seriously suggesting a project of this scale is done without the input of the minister? What are they doing all day long?

That isnt how infrastructure spending happens anywhere in the UK, it is always the responsibility of the Health Board to run hospitals.
In this case, they failed in their responsibility so it is their fault.
You just seem desperate to blame the SNP in every scenario.

If you think all Ministers should be held responsible for things they didn't know about, surely Kier Starmer should resign over Peter Mandelson's appointment? He didn't know he failed security but by your criteria it doesn't matter as it happened in his government, he is responsible.

And that's not how things work in the UK, is it?

But he should have known and be involved. This is how politics should work and how it used to work. Even if he (or she, this might have started under NS) wasn't directly involved (and for a project this size, s/he should have been involved) the ultimate responibility what happens in their department ends with them.

Are you purposefully obtuse? I'm blaming the SG and its supporters for refusing to take responsibility for the problems in the devolved areas, it is always someone else's fault, usually Westminster.

Do you mean what's the point if he can't be scapegoated for things he didn't do?

How exactly is asking for full independence and governance of your country 'not taking responsibility'? Surely it means we want more responsibility?

What is point of a Scottish health minister then?

'As of April 2026, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde have admitted to fatal infection links after years of denial.'

No, he was not.

This unwillingness to take any responsibility really doesn't bode well for an independent Scotland.

So the SG Health Minister had no input into this at all?

That is the truth, and 10 member of Scottish Labour were on that board and took that decision.

But you can't cope with the truth, can you?

I think the opposite is true. Scottish cringe is based on the UK stereotype of us being too poor too wee and too stupid to manage ourselves.

We need an identity outside the UK to break free of negative historical connotations created to keep us in our place. Self governance is positive for country.

And the reason devolved things aren't run properly is that they aren't funded properly, and we've got no discretion to do so.

Um, the QEII hospital problems were the responsibility of the Greater Glasgow Health Board, not the Scottish Government. Maybe gets some facts correct before you accuse me of not taking responsibility?

It's always someone else's fault. Nothing poor Nicola or John could have done about it, out of their hands. That is pathetic.

Because the SNP claims that Scotland would be better out of the union but then they run the devolved bits of Scotland utterly incompetently.
Who are you going to blame whne things aren't getting better if/when Scotland is independent? I suppose you are still going to blame the UK (specifically the English) for decades into the future.

Um, the QEII hospital problems were the responsibility of the Greater Glasgow Health Board, not the Scottish Government. Maybe gets some facts correct before you accuse me of not taking responsibility?

You haven't answered how electing another party would help ferries?

I agree the ferry service is not good and I've got sympathy with everyone affected. But compared internationally to other ferry services it performs well in terms of cost and efficiency, moving 17 million passengers a year. And keeping the work inside the UK is important as it benefits our economy, these ferries have given us jobs as well as cost money. No jobs if they are made abroad.