To ask if you are voting SNP?

[SpiceAddict]

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?

Excellent post from nolassie

I voted for them once - never, ever again. Economic policies that don't stack up and broken promises from a narrow minded, parochial party that took us to one of the most divisive moments in our history. Loathe them with a passion.

I will be voting SNP, as will many others in Scotland I believe.

Yes, I will be voting SNP, they have the most policies that I agree with & I like how my country is. Free uni education means I am currently studying at the grand old age of 35.

Great post nolassie They are no better than any of the other parties out there. It's all self-interest and they are as dodgy as the rest, full of spin and lies. All that talk of AS retiring after the vote. As if! He's in a stronger position than ever. What a piece of political manoeuvering he's done - I guess you have to hand it to him in that regard. The referendum was just horrendous and, although not a vote for the SNP, it was certainly driven by their party. I'll grant that they are very effective marketeers and know how to put a campaign together. Whether they can deliver for me is in doubt - it will play out over the coming years.

Nationalism is divisive, short-sighted and very dangerous. I would never vote SNP and really struggle to understand why people do. They are up there with UKIP for me. Still, that's the fun of democracy - lots of millions would disagree with me :)

It's going to be a very interesting election.

Yes the lack of Scottish pupils from deprived backgrounds going to top unis is a problem but I don't see how this can all be laid at the door of the SNP Holyrood government.

Education is the responsibility of councils and if you look at the recently published list of top schools (so probably those sending quite a few to top unis) you will find they are often councils that have an SNP coalition. The councils with the worst performing schools usually have labour controlled councils.

Not that the low academic performance of kids from deprived backgrounds is a problem the schools themselves can 'fix'. A lot of the wider societal issues are controlled by Westminster. Hence the need for the SNP and a desire for Indpendence.

The 17 year olds applying this year were born in 1998 so have grown up with 12 years of new labour and 5 years of condem austerity. Surely these parties should be taking some responsibility for their failings rather than blaming the SNP government that has only been in majority for 4 years who only have control of c. 10% of spending?

I am Scottish. I won't be voting SNP.

When that SNP Holyrood government is using free fees as an example of their benevolence, it is their problem.

A lot of the wider societal issues are controlled by Westminster.
Oh really? Health, education, housing and social work are all devolved. The government at Holyrood are in charge of it, and blaming it on councils and Westminster is quite frankly not good enough- it's their responsibility.

They've been in power since 2007, when those 17 year olds were around 9.

Also agree with Nolassie
In Scotland I can't get past a vote for the SNP (and sadly the greens) is a vote for another referendum - doesn't matter what other policies they have that is the bottom line.
If you want or don't mind another referendum/ independence vote for them ...if you don't vote to keep them out.

My issue is exactly that with the schools though. They've done nothing different, the 10 lowest performing schools decades later are still regionally and generally the same. Because the application of policies when it's drilled down to the day to day have been more or less the same as every previous Scottish Government. But the SNP package it in tartan and it's lapped up. Oh we're deprived, but at least we've got our freedom. Or something like that.

Glasgow is as poor as a church mouse. I cannot even speak the phrase Commonwealth Games without revulsion.

Bairns over bombs? How about jobs for the jocks? Teachers doing supply for 7 years at a time. No way of fixing that until schools stop ammalgamating and compressing hours.

Vote them in if you want. But they've done nothing to impress me. (I actually wished the MNP to be non-April fools).

How can a vote for MPs - as opposed to SNPs - be a vote for another referendum? It's a vote for SNP representation in Westminster, nothing more, nothing less. If there was to be another referendum that is an issue for the Scottish government to decide.

MSPS

Put it this way. If the could walk the talk we'd be independent. 1 in 4 children in Glasgow live in poverty. 1 in 4 people in Glasgow didn't vote in the referendum. If they were truly socialist and progressive they would have enfranchised those they trot out for photocalls at the bloody Fort.

If there was to be another referendum that is an issue for the Scottish government to decide.

No it's not. Westminster has to allow it to go ahead.

*How can a vote for MPs - as opposed to SNPs - be a vote for another referendum?

The SNP's whole existence is about independence. Last year was supposed to be a one off, once in a lifetime, we'll respect the outcome... until it wasn't the outcome they thought and all that changed. They will always have independence as a goal.

Kid, if a high number of SNP MPs were returned to Westminster you don't think they would use that as a bargaining tool to try and secure another referendum?? Of course they would. They'd do a deal with the devil to secure that.

Oh and I'm waiting with bated breath to see an improvement with NHS Scotland's approach to mental health care. It's far far worse than what I experienced in England yet they have such a fantastic opportunity to get it right which so far is being squandered. I am not impressed with the SNP's record thus far in healthcare in general either. If they can't get it right here then I don't see how they can best represent my interests at a UK-national level.

nolassie Nurses are paid a grade lower than their English counterparts. The reaction in trying to tell people the realities of his working life ? To be told to f off home, we didn't need the likes of him in the country being negative (he's English).*

Believe me, he's not the only one - I'm Scottish, and when I've tried to criticise Scotland (because criticism can be constructive and enable improvement), I've been called all sorts and told to get out of Scotland numerous times. I'm sure you know that very quick change from conversation to vile abuse, usually accompanied by swearing and rude names.

The thing is, you hardly ever hear negative stories or criticism about living in Scotland, because the SNP supporters police the internet and media so much that anyone daring to speak out is shot down. Nice, normal people don't want to get involved in that, so tend to stay silent. I often wonder how long it can be until less pleasant things happen to anyone speaking out - tax investigations, refusal to be considered for promotion, etc..

fibromum Anyone who dares to question the SNP in anyway is shot down. We are called nawbags, anti Scottish, pedophile lovers etc. Westminster is called westmonster, very mature. I do not wish to live in a country where I am not allowed to question or disagree with the party in power

Well, I actually sold my house and moved just after the Referendum. I could always move back, but the SNP smug consensus and ignoring of the corruption that is very much part of Scottish public life and particularly the local authorities, while bringing in more and more legislation designed to regulate and control your life, is not something I currently want to be part of.

I guess they might just achieve independence eventually if they drive away enough Scots who would vote against them. I think they've already damaged the Scottish economy to some extent because of the referendum, but it is being cushioned by the UK as a whole, and the effect of those who have been put off investing in Scotland is hard to measure and will only be seen long term - but what is there to compare it with?

Who in their right mind would invest in locating a business in Scotland when you can't even say with any certainty whether it would be part of the UK or the EU in 10 years time, or what the laws will be, or what tax rates will be?

Firstly, Westminster could not, pragmatically, prevent a referendum taking place that has been passed by the Scottish government. That would be outrageous. Besides which, have the SNP actually made any real statements that they want another one, because I don't think they have. Sounds like scaremongering to me.

Secondly, yes, the SNP want independence. We all know that. The question was how does a vote for a member of the UK parliament help that cause?

At most, the SNP will be able to return 59 MPs, and that's assuming that they are running in every single Scottish constituencies. It seems unlikely that they would gain enough support across the other Westminster parties to split the union up.

A lot of better together supports are coming across rather hypocritically. Yes, Scotland should stay in the union but oh, you want a say in how it operates? That won't do at all.

I want our MPs to have an input into how the UK is run....I do not want our MPs to work towards breaking up the UK.

Hypocritical my arse. Yes we want a say in how it operates. It's just that the say the snp would have does not speak for us.

Their demands are not ours. Mostly because they are pure shite and fantasy.

Well, if enough people vote to return SNP MP's than I'm afraid that they do speak for the people they represent. Chances are that come May the 8th the SNP will be the 3rd largest party in Westminster unless they have a terrible day at the polls and the lib dems do far better than expected.

The truth remains though that the SNP cannot realistically break up the union by returning SNP MP's. You can dislike them for whatever reason you like, of course, but do remember that people vote for them for all sorts of reasons, not just because they are pro-independence. The disparity between the result of the last Scottish election and the way the referendum went should show you that.

And if only they (snp) would realise that!

Or people would realise that Thr whole existence of the party is intended to get independence by hook or by crook - whatever lies and backdrop shenanigans are required to do so are regarded as completely legitimate by the leadership.

Tax and benefits are controlled by Westminster as the budget for everything else so yes I think it's fair that Westminster parties should take some responsibility for the problems Scottish 17 year olds now face.

Firstly, Westminster could not, pragmatically, prevent a referendum taking place that has been passed by the Scottish government. That would be outrageous. Besides which, have the SNP actually made any real statements that they want another one, because I don't think they have. Sounds like scaremongering to me.

I'll refer you to the subtitle of the Edinburgh Agreement: Agreement between the United Kingdom Government and the Scottish Government on a referendum on independence for Scotland.

Besides which, have the SNP actually made any real statements that they want another one, because I don't think they have. Sounds like scaremongering to me.

15th September: “That’s my view. My view is this is a once in a generation, perhaps even a once in a lifetime, opportunity for Scotland.” Salmond.

12th November: Asked whether he would live to see an independent Scotland, Mr Salmond said: "Yes. I don’t have any intention of finding myself in a position to be less ambitious than Ms Sturgeon. Yes, indeed."

14th November: Scotland WILL become an independent nation... They thought it was all over… well it isn’t now.... AND THAT IS THE CHANGE WHICH WILL CARRY US FORWARD – FORWARD TO INDEPENDENCE [http://www.snp.org/media-centre/news/2014/nov/first-minister-alex-salmond-conference-address here]]

Yes, Scotland should stay in the union but oh, you want a say in how it operates? That won't do at all.

No. If you are part of the union, you are part of a greater whole. Your party's reason for existing may be to 'argue Scotland’s cause' (Salmond) but that does not mean that you continue to push independence over all else. And they will- because, as Salmond ended his speech- they see only one way FORWARD – FORWARD TO INDEPENDENCE (the caps are his). Either you work for everyone, or you get out.

I'm English and in England. If I were in Scotland I'd vote SNP in a heartbeat, and am rooting for them from way down south. I thought Nicola Sturgeon came actoss brilliantly in the debates (as did Leanne Wood) and it left me slightly gutted that we dont have a similar party in England. I'm not hugely left or right wing by the way, am usually a Lib Dem voter (and will be for this election at least) but I really liked the policies and attitude that came across from NS. And I broadly agree with the decisions the Scottish parliament has made about tuition fees and prescriptions etc.

Tax and benefits are controlled by Westminster as the budget for everything else so yes I think it's fair that Westminster parties should take some responsibility for the problems Scottish 17 year olds now face.

But the beloved, sainted SNP take no responsbility? What have they been doing with all of the money they've been given?

No. Of course it's big bad Westminster.