Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if you are voting SNP?

562 replies

SpiceAddict · 03/04/2015 11:10

How do you think they are going to 'end austerity'? How will this be financed? You can't just suddenly invest more in infrastructure etc to create more jobs if there is no.money.

If it is going to be financed by stopping trident, then we will lose US support - not really a good idea....

Labour are going to increase tax for higher payers, mansion tax etc in order to fund their investments.

I live in Yorkshire and we really don't get the support for SNP. They don't make sense to me, but as they seem to be so popular, please can someone actually why?

OP posts:
Apintofbest · 17/04/2015 09:48

With reference to SNP's stance on NHS (no privatisation), our local hospital uses many, many agency nursing staff and NHS patients are frequently treated in the private system. Their claims re privatisation are bollocks. Of course, the SNP will state that, despite their having control over health spending, it's still WM fault because the SNP don't have total control over their spending.

TheChandler · 17/04/2015 09:48

TheChandler If they are voted in on a manifesto that calls for a referendum and independence then that is what the electorate have asked for

Which is it? Referendum or independence? Because Alex Salmond seems to consider the terms interchangeable. He said that a referendum is only one of a number of ways to achieving independence: "That is to say that you establish a parliament and you establish successively more powers until you have a situation where you’re independent in all but name, and then presumably you declare yourself to be independent".

Constitutional? Legal? Who cares, if you are in the SNP!

PrimalLass · 17/04/2015 09:52

Well if Alex Salmond manages to sneak independence through without anyone noticing then I'll eat my bunnet.

Apintofbest · 17/04/2015 09:52

I don't think, despite SNP being a one trick independence pony, their manifesto mentions another referendum. And everyone seems to forget that you can't vote for Nicola Sturgeon on the GE. Wonder why Mr Salmond has disappeared from view considering he is actually standing for election in the GE?

tabulahrasa · 17/04/2015 09:58

"Wonder why Mr Salmond has disappeared from view considering he is actually standing for election in the GE?"

He's doing a book tour and a load of public speaking events...he hasn't disappeared.

Apintofbest · 17/04/2015 10:00

But the SNP seem to be keeping him well away from the GE publicity machine.

tabulahrasa · 17/04/2015 10:16

It seems to be just Nicola Sturgeon that's doing anything, I guess because she's the party leader and she seems quite popular so they're going with it?

I haven't seen much press activity about any of the actual candidates standing for election...but Salmond isn't being kept out of the way, he keeps appearing in book shop, I've now seen a ridiculous number of photos of him, lol.

TheChandler · 17/04/2015 10:29

But the SNP seem to be keeping him well away from the GE publicity machine.

I would hazard a guess that it is because NS comes across better in opinion polls and AS is seen as a bit of a liability, since he lost the Referendum. And to avoid allegations of him interfering in the party leadership.

Still, he has to win his seat in Banff and Buchan, which he should do (although its by no means a certainty).

TheChandler · 17/04/2015 10:36

2010 GE Election Results in Banff and Buchan:

Lib Dems: 17,575

SNP: 10, 827

Lab: 9,811

Cons: 9,111

Green: 752

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 17/04/2015 10:44

"That is to say that you establish a parliament and you establish successively more powers until you have a situation where you’re independent in all but name, and then presumably you declare yourself to be independent."

But unless you have some power in that parliament (ie voted for by the people) this is a moot point. Also, although it technically has to be agreed by WM, a referendum could only come about if there was a pro-indy majority at Holyrood, making it undemocratic for WM to refuse. The number if Scottish MPs at WM is never going to be able to force a referendum.

buddy If I understand your post correctly, SNP did not have the majority vote if you look at entire voting eligible population, as opposed to those who actually did vote? I completely agree with this statement, but if people don't care enough to vote, it is not unreasonable to assume they don't care full stop. You can't try and second guess their intentions.

The question of independence is so important though that I would hope those who do have a view all get out and vote at the next election.

Buddy2go · 17/04/2015 13:42

To clarify most people who voted did not vote for the SNP. The SNP won 53 of the 73 constituency seats with 45.4 per cent of the votes. Labour was second (15 seats, 31.7 per cent of votes) followed by the Conservatives (3 seats and 13.9 per cent of votes) and the Liberal Democrats (2 seats and 7.9 per cent of votes). There was only a turn out of 50%, which as I said was not he SNP's fault however it does mean that the 'landslide victory' gives a very distorted view.

Voting numbers of course will be up this time. The SNP quickly sussed that the poor and disadvantaged would be their main supporters and I was appalled at how quickly they started up registration campaigns in the poorest villages surrounding me, promising not jobs or opportunities but more generous benefits, no caps etc. They'd even 'help' postal votes be cast. Nobody came to my middle class professional area to check that people had registered, it wasn't an altruistic act just a very calculated one done Under the guise of course of helping the most vulnerable.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 17/04/2015 14:14

Voting numbers of course will be up this time.

I certainly hope so, I think one lasting positive result of the referendum has been the fact that people in Scotland I still more politically engaged than previously.

I can't remember the source, but I saw somewhere that turnout in Scotland for this GE is meant to be significantly higher than previously, and significantly higher than rUK.

So it looks like you are correct, which is good Smile

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 17/04/2015 14:16

2010 GE Election Results in Banff and Buchan

I think they have changed their candidate since then which may have an impact?

muminhants · 17/04/2015 14:51

Lib Dems: 17,575

SNP: 10, 827

Lab: 9,811

Cons: 9,111

Green: 752

So are all parties standing, or have the other parties agreed to have one candidate oppose him?

Where I live we have a community group for the local council. They don't stand against the Libdems and vice versa. By not splitting the vote they have more chance against the Tories (who still win a substantial number of seats). I don't like it, I think it belies the "independence" of the community group and takes us all for fools, but I can see how effective it is. Presumably if it was a Libdem versus Salmond contest, with no other parties, Salmond might not have it all his own way? I guess the Greens would vote SNP.

HirplesWithHaggis · 17/04/2015 15:15

Salmond isn't standing in Banff and Buchan. He's standing in Gordon.

Jackieharris · 17/04/2015 15:32

The only way there's going to be another referendum anytime soon is if there's a EU referendum and England votes to leave and svotland votes to stay. I think that's a legitimate reason to have another Scottish independence referendum regardless of how you feel/voted at the last one.

TheChandler · 17/04/2015 16:58

Why on earth did I think AS was standing in Banff and Buchan? Wasn't that where he last stood? As an MSP? There are now so many MPs and MSPs (never mind useless local councillors, which they usually spawn from), its hard to keep track.

What connection does AS have with Gordon, which is rural Aberdeenshire, is it not? Isn't he from Linlithgow? (I notice the glottal stops were conspicuously absent in his SNP leader resignation, post-Referendum speech). They seem to flit about as much as his seat does!

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 17/04/2015 17:16

Why on earth did I think AS was standing in Banff and Buchan?

He used to represent there as an MSP before his current constituency.

What connection does AS have with Gordon, which is rural Aberdeenshire, is it not? Isn't he from Linlithgow?

He lives in Strichen. Like many people I guess he doesn't spend his whole life living in one place...

MoustacheofRonSwanson · 17/04/2015 18:31

Probably not, but I keep telling the pollsters I am undecided between Labour and the SNP to put the shits up Jim Murphy and to try to remind the Labour Party that it cannot keep on lurching to the right and taking it's traditional base for granted in the process.

IMHO, that's what the SNP have very effectively capitalised on- the fact that the UK wide political parties don't offer a properly left of centre option anymore, when there are still plenty of voters who want that. I think there are loads of people in England (particularly the North and large urban areas) who would very happily vote for SNP-type social policies, but there isn't someone offering that option.

starwarslegoboy · 18/04/2015 12:28

Jim Murphy 9 points behind in East Renfrewshire. East Ren was a safe Tory sear until JM took it in 1997. It's astonishing that it could be SNP

www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/apr/17/labours-jim-murphy-and-douglas-alexander-set-to-lose-seats-to-snp-poll

Springheeled · 18/04/2015 13:33

Not so astonishing that JM could lose seat to those of us who had the misfortune to have him as our NUS president! Would be just desserts.

starwarslegoboy · 18/04/2015 13:48

It will certainly be a Portillo moment...

Jackieharris · 18/04/2015 14:28

If it does go the way the polls are predicting it's going to be a night full of Portillo moments!

Jackieharris · 18/04/2015 14:30

I imagine AS has spent most of the last decade living in Edinburgh?

He worked as an economist there too didn't he?

DowntownFunk · 18/04/2015 15:15

Great news starwars the sooner Creepy Jim Murphy fucks off to the far side of fuck, the better.