Nicola Sturgeon's reputation dubious.

[Corcory]

Great interview with Andrew Marr this morning where he stated lots of Scottish records that were worse than the rest of the UK - Covid 19 deaths in Care Homes for instance and the SNP's policy to level out attainment in schools which has actually got worse! He also played a piece from 2018 where she denied knowing about Alex Salmon's transgressions until April of that year when in fact she has now admitted she know about than 6 month earlier.

So many people are taken in by the cult of NS so I'm hoping this will start a conversation about what their results actually are. Spending all her time giving daily televised briefings doesn't make her good at governing. So I feel she really need calling out and properly questioned.

NS has just announced a £500 quid thank you, tax free, for all full time NHS staff and adult social care workers.

Don’t agree with that either. Care workers, police, prison staff and shop staff should be recognised too, and money for those who don’t have secure state employment

So many points to make on this topic, I'm going to have to get all bullet point-y (sorry).

• Communication style matters. As many have pointed out, on the raw numbers it isn't particularly obvious that Scotland has done a much better job than the UK, but the polling difference is stark.

• In general, we're over-focused on leaders as being able to influence the pandemic in a location. Ridiculously so, IMO. I'd put demographics, population density, culture, dominant industries, and capacity of the state WAY ahead of the the specific leader, in terms of how well a location deals with things.

• As we've gone on, it's becoming clearer that many / most non-Asian/ African countries are actually doing pretty badly. Asian countries are showing that a mix of high state competence, authoritarianism, and SARS experience is a winning combo. Africa is being saved by demographics. In Europe, only Germany has really bucked the trend (and even then only in comparison).

• As tempting as it is to blame Boris for the UK's woes, I actually put more blame on low state capacity and weak institutions. Which is something I thought we'd be good at. We are also relatively old, and we have an economy that makes us vulnerable to spread.

• In Scotland, Sturgeon can worry less about tax revenues, as Scotland is funded mostly via the block grant, which is only indirectly impacted by lower tax revenues locally. This skews her incentives, relative to what a UK PM has to worry about.

I don't think Sturgeon's done badly, btw. I do think she's a very effective communicator, clearly takes her responsibilities seriously, is intellectually sharp, has a superb work ethic, and actually has many qualities I like in a leader. It does not surprise me she is riding high in the polls - Boris could learn from her, even if the polls completely exaggerate the actual policy difference / outcomes.

The SNP look a lot less impressive when you look past Sturgeon, however. Not quite a one-woman-show, but not far off.

@MorrisZapp

NS has just announced a £500 quid thank you, tax free, for all full time NHS staff and adult social care workers.

To all NHS workers, regardless of whether they dealt with Covid or not? Why not recognise all the key workers who made the country keep moving during lockdown. It seems a bit unfair to give a bonus to an NHS admin manager but not the supermarket staff who were under a great deal of pressure while getting paid peanuts.

Her record on women’s rights is woeful. She refuses to condemn those who abuse Joanna Cherry.

The Hate Crime Bill is abhorrent. Creating offences of “hate speech” within homes; encouraging families to report each other; and again making women liable for speaking biological fact.

It will no doubt go the same way as the ill fated football singing and named person legislation and be binned as unenforceable snd ridiculous.

And speaking of ridiculous the palaver they’re making of the Christmas stuff makes them look insane and out of touch. They’re also very Central Belt centric

Oh, and education is in a woeful state with the attainment gap widening.

And healthcare and dentistry too, people given appointments a year away. Shambles. Both devolved.

And now wittering about another referendum. Nit really what we need to bring the country together and rebuild after all this.

I’m quite cross this afternoon.

She was interviewed this morning.

She corrected the stats for some things as rates Vs actual numbers.

She also admitted to making mistakes, hindsight being great about now knowing so many cases were asymptomatic and various things.

She still came across much better to me than BJ and MH who aren't even willing to admit some of the things were mistakes but at the time they were acting on the information they had.

It makes me sad to see the direction it is going- I was born in Scotland

I wonder that would happen if they do get independence as would have to not play the victim anymore and own their decisions, rather than blaming everything on England.

Oh, and education is in a woeful state with the attainment gap widening.

I disagree.
Free University tuition,
£10K grand for all student nurses.

@speakout

Oh, and education is in a woeful state with the attainment gap widening.

I disagree.
Free University tuition,
£10K grand for all student nurses.

I'm afraid this is rather emblematic. The examples you cite are the easy bit.

Unfortunately, turning around the sinking standards in basic maths and science, as measured by PISA rankings, actually requires serious thought and policy change.

Scotland gets more money per head of pop due to that formula (Barnett?) wonder what happens to that with independence...

Please all come to the Scots net forum on here. We have a thread on N.S.

@itsgettingweird coming across as better than BJ and Wanksock is a very low bar.

And @Torvean32 is that not the thread that you’re not allowed to criticise Our Leader?

Apologies if I’m wrong

[quote WouldBeGood]@itsgettingweird coming across as better than BJ and Wanksock is a very low bar.[/quote]
True.

Can't argue with that

Talking of Andrew Marr - any idea why he let Raab spout any old rubbish without challenge, not once? He trotted out the Australia Deal lie (Australia don't have a Deal - that's No Deal), defended risking everything on fishing. The GDP from fishing is less than the GDP of Harrods. But he grilled Sturgeon as if his live depended on it. Such open bias.

Its funny how so many people complain that she's only interested in independence, and yet so many 'yes' voters are complaining that she isn't interested enough, and complaining that she hasn't been moving fast enough on a second referendum!

Nothing that she does will be seen as right by everyone.

But I do like the fact that she is open about the fact that they haven't and won't get everything right. Can't imagine BoJo admitting that!

Scotland gets more money per head of pop due to that formula (Barnett?) wonder what happens to that with independence...

With independence the Barnett formula is irrelevant. Scotland won't need to get money from Westminster as it will keep the money it raises itself. Simple!

Ah yes.....independence! The only opportunity we had, the once-in-a-lifetime chance, I’m sick of her! She’s a one trick pony......

I would prioritise closing an attainment gap over free tuition fees. I believe the former is more important to social mobility.

Scotland has slid down the education league tables since SNP was in charge.
Public transport is crap and roads infrastructure poor. The promised duelling of the A9 hasn’t happened.
Twice now the Govt has lost a vote in parliament re releasing legal information in the Alex Salmond case. Twice they have ignored the result of the cross party parliament. There is no longer a democracy in Scotland; it is a one party state and a one-woman party, backed up by her husband the CE of the party. Total control and God help anyone (Joanna Cherry) who challenges the leadership. The hate crime bill is terrifying.

@MissEliza I agree. It’s so important.

The sooner Scotland fucks off the better.

The sooner Scotland fucks off the better.

Classy.