Nicola Sturgeon throws Joanna Cherry under the bus

Aaah, Eresh. Yes, that puts it all into clear perspective.

This is what drives me nuts about nationalism - it is very much "don't like my values? I have others". So a vote to leave the UK in 2014 was very much a vote to leave the EU, as confirmed by the EU commissioned x 2 letters to the Scottish government. Scroll forward, now EU membership is a deal breaker and justification for another referendum.

The moveable feast that is their principles applies to everything including gay and women's rights, and can assume trans rights too.

Days before social media pile ons, politicians could get away with publicy starting they were going to talk to both sides. I think this is partly what is causing us relative "oldies" such agitation, namely that we keep expecting issues to be dealt with in a more even handed way as they once were, but times have changed and the way politics is done had moved on.

Wings Over Scotland piece where he is attempting to join some dots. Interesting read with some pertinent observations.

wingsoverscotland.com/the-silent-witness/

You (general you) gender critical women are fooling yourselves if you think Sturgeon is ever going to be "gender critical"

Who thinks that?

Ah, very interesting links to Sturgeon's history with Section 28, thanks for sharing. I'd almost forgotten about Soutar and his donations.

Just in case anyone missed it here is Cherry talking about the lack of support from Sturgeon. You (general you) gender critical women are fooling yourselves if you think Sturgeon is ever going to be "gender critical"

www.heraldscotland.com/news/18908168.snp-mp-joanna-cherry-pleads-nicola-sturgeon-call-abuse-smears/

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/snps-joanna-cherry-pleads-with-nicola-sturgeon-to-condemn-smears-directed-at-her-rf7k3bs7h

If I remember correctly this was the reason Soutar stopped backing the SNP.

No continued making substantial donations until Sturgeon became leader; including £1,000,000 for the separatist campaign in 2014 (I'm glad he wasted so much money on that)

If I remember correctly this was the reason Soutar stopped backing the SNP.

But it’s Sturgeon’s statement that’s interesting.

Scottish National Party education spokeswoman, Nicola Sturgeon, said the result confirmed that many Scots were concerned about repeal.

Like a wise politician, she promised to address the concerns that over a million people claimed to have, whether justified or not.

What she did not do is call them bigots and threaten them with prison.

She was far less wrong then than she is now.

proposals that people shouldn’t be arrested for stating facts

I just find it a bit boggling that to get a piece of legislation through they're adding a bunch of amendments listing things you are permitted to say.

If you find yourself needing to write such a list, maybe there's a larger problem?

Soutar was a big donor to SNP although hasn't done so since Sturgeon became leader.

Well well well.

Wbeezer
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/769639.stm
I don’t think you misheard

I wonder if NS is happy about abuse like this...

It would seem that the vote really did not go their way. Shame eh...

Some of the abuse Joanna gets

It doesn't matter that both outside of the Anglosphere and inside there are far more economists who know an independent small state as rich in resources as Scotland is viable (and no, I'm not thinking of oil and gas which makes up less than 7% of our GDP). It doesn't matter that recent history knows many examples of small countries thriving after independence or that European small countries in particular are thriving regardless of their size. Or that the claim that Scotland cannot possibly thrive because its economy isn't thriving now is an argument for change and against the status quo.

This is an emotional and emotive issue, and unfortunately, fear of the outcome one does not wish to happen leads to people lashing out. Don't take it to heart.

P.S. In my view, the most damaging issue to the independence movement is the Scottish Government's position on women's sex-based rights. I've lost count of the number of veteran independence campaigners who have told me that if they are now asked to choose between an independent Scotland where those rights don't exist or staying in this Union where they do, their sex-based rights have to take precedence. And certainly within the movement, the same thing is happening that has happened in the history of all political movements - women are told to put the fight for their own rights on hold until after the indy movement has achieved its aims. And then, honest promise, their male comrades will join them in their fight for women's rights. We all know what to make of that promise.

So, with a ruling party drunk on the power they have as a devolved government which has no real appetite for an independent Scotland where other parties will come to the fore again, and its government support for a movement seeking to dismantle women's rights, those worried about the independence movement succeeding have little to fear right now.

I’m quite frankly sick of being accused of being transphobic just because I would like to retain the rights I have had all my life.

I agree with Nicola Sturgeon that trans people should be safe secure and valued for who they are. Of course they should.

However I’d bloody love her to say that same sentence with ‘women’ in the place of ‘trans people’

And she doesn’t. And will not back those who say that women matter too.

You are standing up against injustice?

Admirable.

But only if you stand up for injustice for all and do not throw the rights of women under the bus.

Inclusion does not mean exclusion.

Quite @MissBarbary. There are a small number of honest nationalists who acknowledge that the country will be poorer but for them it is a worthy sacrifice - this to my mind is an honourable position. Not something I would ever sign up to, but logical and fact based.

However, the vast bulk of Scottish independence supporters say they believe they are going to be the same or better off, and that magical thinking like modern monetary theory is going be a salve to the country's dire finances.

If you are willing to go along with something so fanciful and untrue as a foundational part of your belief, then is it any wonder than TWAW also becomes part of that political movement? It isn't about fact, narratives or postures are deployed in service of nationalism (ie evil English tories being transphobic therefore virtuous Scotland isn't transphobic). And also, it is about factionalism as noted.

Can't help think that Ms Sturgeon did this last night to deflect from the shit she's up to her neck in with Salmond and the poor roll out of vaccines.

Ooohh Wbeezer please share the link here to the video or the Twitter post please.

Their resignations followed the decision of Humza Yousaf, the justice secretary, to table an amendment to the hate crime bill, enabling trans campaigners to be challenged in debate without their critics facing the threat of arrest for a hate crime.

Excellent journalism there! Accurately captures the issue. 😂😂😂
I really wish I could see the face of someone who isn't aware of the onslaught on women's rights reading that line and going .... Huh?!

Their resignations followed the decision of Humza Yousaf, the justice secretary, to table an amendment to the hate crime bill, enabling trans campaigners to be challenged in debate without their critics facing the threat of arrest for a hate crime.

Anyone know what the text of Humza Yousaf's amendment was? I can't face Twitter today.

@HubertHerbert they are called the Tartan Tories because in 1979 the 11 SNP MPs did a deal with Margaret Thatcher to vote with the Tories so that she could bring down Jim Callaghan's government.

How do we check where our MSPs stand on this? Other than writing to them. Mine has not said anything publicly that I know of. My MP is one of the ones who's nasty about Terfs so no mystery there.
Interestingly scrolled down quite far on the Twitter thread and can't across the video of a very young NS requesting caution about the removal of section 28 in Scotland, i should probably watch it again to make sure i heard right because i was watching in bed with the sound down to avoid disturbing DH and Im a bit deaf...

That sentence caught my eye too Gibbons how can they not see how bad this is?