To ask scots if they actually like Nicola sturgeon

[Karen85]

Just out of curiosity really because she and her voice make me cringe when i hear her on tv or radio.

Love scots though please don't get me wrong.

If only the normal people in England could get rid of London and Scotland.

Ruth Davidson? Top flight politician?

Okay goodnight.

Did a quick count up of the thread and it's roughly 59 like to 76 dislike. I may have double counted if people commented twice and there were a few that were on the fence so I discounted them. There were at least half a dozen who said that they weren't Scottish but liked her so it's interesting to see that she seems to travel better than she does at home. I did count the non Scots votes btw - I'm not a racist...

The "dislikes" tended to be a stronger view than the "likes" - it's more "like v''s loath" rather than "love v's loath".

Overall quite encouraging from my side of the fence but i don't think MN is particularly an even demographic so I'm not reading anything into it.

On that note I'm going to bed.

FFS we have the same wish but I guess we see different things. What I meant was that Holyrood is less accountable because it is missing a layer of challenge that is built into the Westminster system. I don't see how delivering another SNP government in or out of the Uk or the EU is ever going to change their behaviours so that they evenly represent those who voted against them as well as those who voted for them.

I think there is more chance of getting that in the Westminster system and I also think that there is more chance of changing the representation status in westminster than there is Holyrood.

I actually despair at this pish.

Another layer of challenge? Are you talking about the House of Lords? Are you actually claiming that our government are more democratic for being held to account by a group of unelected peers??????

I might have over reacted here. I don't think you mean that. I will return to hear this hopefully tomorrow.

Lets not forget that the SNP have been in power for 10 years. 10 years in which we've seen a decline in most of the things that the SNP say that they are prioritising and that they have direct power over.

The saddest thing is that people have been left with nowhere to go in terms of voting because there is a lack of talent and conviction in our politics. this is why the SNP have been successful. they've filled a void and convinced people that they are the future. It's a sad state of affairs that the Tartan Tories as was, have stolen everyones policies and shoved themselves into the political void that existed. I hate them for it but can't fault their political machine for they way they've gone about it. I'd just like to see all the elected politicians be allowed to have their individual opinions and represent their constituents rather than the SNP itself.

No, I didn't mean that. I mean that all sub committees have to be chaired by a member of the opposite party to provide proper and rigorous challenge. There is no proper and rigorous challenge and that makes for poorer legislation.

Everything is better when it's been properly challenged - even for the party in power. It makes bills stronger and more representative.

When the SNP stop allowing even their own MPS the ability to challenge even their own stuff, it makes it weaker and less representative.

I'm not saying it's a dictatorship but...

I'm equally angry with the other parties and the media for allowing them to get away with it. Nobody properly calls her out on the stuff she says. She should be welcoming challenge as a way to make things better.

I don't hate her. I just feel sad that her unwavering obsession with independence at all costs continues to overshadow the real needs of Scotland. She would be a true great leader for all of Scotland if she put independence to one side and focused on fixing the mess that is Scottish education, sorting out the impending crisis in NHS Scotland and having trust that the switched on and generally capable people of Scotland don't need to be told what's good for them all the time.
Devolution gives us opportunities to have the best of both worlds and we could be a fabulous wee country if personal agendas and nanny state policies were put to one side.
She's incredibly clever and a fabulous debater but I feel hugely disappointed that independence overshadows everything else.
On a more childish note did anyone else who saw the article about her wanting to mentor a younger female visualise her as Dr Evil with MiniMe?
No?

I am deeply suspicious of the SNP silence on the increase in Rateable value for businesses.
Many businesses in the hospitality sector have reported proposed increases of up to (and beyond) 200%!!!

For a country that is fighting unemployment and lobbying for the living wage this would be the nail in the coffin.
Mass unemployment. A further Deepening of the canyon between rich and poor and it will turn our towns and cities into ghost towns (even more so.)

Ruth Davidson lobbied on it today. That's the first time it's had any acknowledgment despite repeated outreach to NS for comment.

Still no response.

Divide and conquer Troll

The oldest political trick in the book. The rich get richer the poor get poorer. Blame it on the baddies at Westminster. Boom - calls for another referendum.

An underspend at the end of the financial year when education and health are crying out for funds? Blame the funding crisis on Westminster austerity policies and not the overall mismanagement of the Scottish budget. Boom -referendum anyone?

If Independence does come at some point will be interesting to see how the blame game play out.

I sometimes feel like I'm standing in the crowd watching the townspeople hurrah the Emperor's new clothes, it's nice to feel that some of the people also see he is naked.

Yep!

I can't even really pinpoint when things got so

It's like I was off the day they did the mass recruitment to the cause.

Strange times.

Not Scottish, but love her - a politician with principles who stands up for what she believes in, not one who feathers her own nest and lies to the electorate. I may not be a fan of her political position, but I wish we had more like her down here.

What has improved over the last 10 years of SNP in power?

Lelly Not Scottish, but love her - a politician with principles who stands up for what she believes in

The problem is that her insistence that she knows what the people of Scotland need (ie independence) is at odds with what the majority of Scots actually want. The fact that MPs and MSPs aren't allowed to disagree with the party line or speak out is a worry. As I've said before the Scottish electorate is mostly switched on and engaged and generally fairly capable. We don't need or want to be told what's good for us (all the flippin time)

forfucksakenet What has the SNP done that isn't democratic? Changing the police force into one unit for a start, there is evidence showing its more democratic having several different forces like it used to be, trying to bring in the Named Person Scheme and also she keeps pushing another referendum when again a democratic vote already spoke and said no! How is any of that democratic, she pushes her own agenda and if we were independent then it would be even worse. I don't think any other party would have a chance of getting in if we were independent so she/the SNP would have even more control to do what they wanted. They are hardly accountable now with disregarding a democratic vote yet still pushing for independence!

When the First Minister says Independence is more important than the economy, you would have to be out of your tiny mind not to be even slightly worried. When a referendum is put to the people with no agreement as to even what currency this brave new world is going to us - you know, to trade and other small technicalities - than you would have to be blinded by nationalistic fervour to think this is a good option, and not see the wider picture.
Oh, and ffs it's raze to the ground. Just saying.

This says it all really

stv.tv/news/politics/1379732-snp-branch-complained-about-rising-business-rate-costs/

If only the normal people in England could get rid of London and Scotland.

The 'normal' people of England would then get extremely pissy when their healthcare and benefits are cut as a result of getting rid of London.

never meant to have one party in the majority. When that happened, the constitution should have been reviewed. However, as it suits the party in power to keep it like that, it won't be changed until there is a coalition again which is willing to sort it out.

The SNP isn't in a majority Hence why it had to work with the Greens to get the budget through.

Is it a coalition then itsall? Nope, didn't think so...

No-one has answered my request for reasons that Scotland is better off without independence or how SNP (or any govt in Scotland) can 'sort out' NHS, education etc without having the economic levers to grow the economy and while still within the union.

Scotland needs independence in order to get away from Westminster's mismanagement.

How can any 'proud Scot' want its neighbour to govern Scotland?

Asking again as can't see any answers.

This is why I think Nicola Sturgeon says indy at any cost. I believe it. Also why I think people outside the UK like her better. They haven't been 'project fear'-ed into seeing a devil in her face.

I can't bear her. She is a highly effective communicator and debator but has an extreme agenda and is blind to the weaknesses in it. She is risking the unity of the UK and the future financial and social security of the Scottish people with her rubbish about Scotland being able to be financially independent.