Webchat with Nicola Sturgeon - 1pm Tuesday, 5th May

[JustineMumsnet]

We’re pleased to announce that Nicola Sturgeon MSP, the First Minister of Scotland and leader of the SNP, will be joining us for a webchat at 1pm on Tuesday 5 May - just two days before the General Election.

Nicola is the MSP for Glasgow Southside. Before becoming an MSP she worked as a solicitor at the Drumchapel Law Centre. She has the distinction of having been called 'the most dangerous woman in British politics' by the Daily Telegraph (among others).

Whatever your hopes for the outcome of the election, there’s no doubt that the SNP’s surge in Scotland is one of 2015’s biggest stories of this election, with, most likely, big ramifications for UK as a whole.

So we hope you’ll join us and put your questions to Nicola on Tuesday 5 May at 1pm - and if you can’t be there on the day, please post up your questions in advance.

Please remember our webchat guidelines - do be polite/civil, and only one question each please as we reckon this is going to be a busy one!

[OOAOML]

re my name Cheddar although I dread to think what Mary-Lou would have made of Scottish politics.

[blowinahoolie]

"she chooses to answer an irrelevant question and states that women must be confident enough to take part in politics yet uses the word 'girl' about herself. Feminists take note!"

It was a bit light hearted banter, can you not take a joke? Why get uptight about an answer? Nicola has been articulate with all the serious answers, no harm in being light hearted during the chat as well.

I think Nicola is an inspiration, regardless of how you intend to vote, and has put herself across extremely well in this chat session on MN.

[OOAOML]

Obviously, everyone who's encountered me knows I'm not a fan of the SNP, but there are generally some light-hearted questions on the webchats which is good. Obviously policy statements and challenging questions are what people want - but the 'novelty' questions can be fascinating as well. I went to a hustings where the candidates were asked what album and app they had most recently bought/downloaded and it was really interesting to see the way they handled it.

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

I think Nicola Sturgeon always comes over well - she is really good at what she does, and I respect her for her achievements, even though I don't share her political convictions.

I also think the webchat was nicely balanced - mostly serious questions, but a bit of lighthearted stuff too.

[TooExtraImmatureCheddar]

OOAOML, she'd have been all 'move over, Nicola, I've got this'!

[tabulahrasa]

I think she always comes across well as well...and I like that she mentioned Ruth Davidson and Kezia Dugdale positively.

I'm just in a huff about the caramel wafers because I didn't actually ask...and suspiciously it's another Scottish biscuit

[Justusemyname]

MmeLindor - it's my opinion. That's all though respect to Nicola for answering me. I agree I was a tad rude. That's not normally how I'd want to be and I won't bother trying to excuse myself. I do still think the same though.

[OnlyLovers]

if posters ask questions about hairwashing and tiredness, why shouldn't she answer? If she didn't, she'd be accused of being po-faced.

Exactly. Sometimes women just can't win.

[LineRunner]

I got my question in very early on - yesterday - and very politely, about a very important issue for women and it wasn't answered.

Ffs.

[HirplesWithHaggis]

Tabulahrasa, Tunnocks came out for "No" in the indyref. I think the fact that Nicola still name-checked them shows a generosity of spirit. conceals biscuit wrapper

[blowinahoolie]

"I agree I was a tad rude."

A tad? You were bang out of order. Would you have said that to Nicola Sturgeon's face?

[whattheseithakasmean]

I noticed she dodged all questions about the cuts to college funding & courses - or did I miss her answers?

[WildFlowersAttractBees]

I too mentioned college cuts yesterday but no reply .

[Raintown]

NS is clearly popular with SNP/Yes voters and those in the rUK who, with respect, have only a superficial knowledge of her & her party's policies.

She's compared favorably to Alex Salmond, however was part of a leadership team who orchestrated a bitter and manipulative "once in a generation/lifetime" Referendum campaign, which set friend against friend and divided families. Who invented agreements on EU membership and the continued use of sterling. Who grossly exaggerated oil revenue estimates and projected GDP on a best-case scenario, with no regard for the potential downside of leaving a Union on which c.65% of Scottish jobs & trade depend. In short, she attempted a massive confidence trick on the Scottish people.

She still purports to act in Scotland's best interests, yet is committed to the ideological ‘Full Financial Responsibility’, which independent experts have calculated would cost Scotland a minimum £8BN per year (by comparison, the "swingeing Tory cuts" would equate to less than £2BN and our share of any Trident replacement c.£0.2BN).

This would normally entail massive reductions in public services &/or tax increases. However NS contends that a fiscally-autonomous Scotland would magically grow at a rate of over 5%, roughly twice that of any developed country!

Voters would do well to consider this economic track record when evaluating her proposals for a "modest" £140BN increase in UK spending.

As others have touched on, her quest for power has seen SNP numbers swelled by many from the darker side of democracy, the aggressive harassment of Labour's Jim Murphy being the most recent example.

This can be added to a charge sheet which includes Cybernat online abuse of anyone holding opposing views, patriotic 'No' voters described as traitors, attempts to intimidate the BBC and perhaps most disgracefully, the First Minister's toleration of parliamentary candidates who've made anti-elderly and sectarian comments.

Scratch the surface, as occasionally occurred in the Scottish Leaders' debates, and you'll find a less palatable personality.

[Iggi999]

Didn't divide my family or friends, who I would say where about 50:50 yes/no.
I get tired of this being trotted out all the time. It may have caused issues for you but don't say it as if this applied to everyone in Scotland.

[DowntownFunk]

Agree Iggi.

[AgentProvocateur]

Agree - my sister, parents and best friend all voted no. Didn't cause any divisions at all even though they are clearly wrong

[OllyBJolly]

Agree Iggi. I have a very wide circle of friends and a big family, a mix of yes/no and Labour/SNP/LibDem and I don't see any division.

Similarly, having been interested in politics for most of my adult life, I'm not aware that this campaign has been any more disruptive or bitter than previous ones. Yes, there have been eejits on all sides, but no more than usual. I understand that yesterdays "chaos in Glasgow" (as it was reported), featured 3 loudmouths shouting at Jim Murphy. Back in the 70s, if you only got 3 hecklers you moved on!

[APlaceOnTheCouch]

Didn't divide my family or friends,
Nor mine. However we all enjoy a lively political debate and find we can still stay friends afterwards. I'm assuming we're not the only ones since the recent thread on here about partners voting differently showed that many couples don't share political views.

Also, regarding the incident in Glasgow yesterday with Jim Murphy. I'm assuming you do know that the person who organised the 'heckling' is not a member of the SNP? The BBC confirmed that was the case in its online report of the incident. Also, the individual involved has a certain 'reputation' for organising such events on a range of issues and targeting a range of politicians (including SNP). Which party should we try to hold to account for the occasions when he has targeted the SNP?

[MmeLindor]

It didn't divide my immediate family, and I didn't bother trying to discuss this with cousins on FB as I knew where they stood, but it was a cause for estrangement with people I considered good friends.

Do you really deny that it has caused tension in Scotland?

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

The SNP has suspended two of the guiding lights of yesterday's shameful events in George Square.

[Behooven]

He might not be a member but he has close ties so it's not too much of a stretch to align him to the SNP
Nicola Sturgeon has had the other two numpties who are SNP members suspended so that's a good thing.

[Behooven]

X post

[AgentProvocateur]

MmeLindor, you are one of the few people I usually agree with wholeheartedly on here, but I can honestly say that I don't think it caused any unhealthy long-term tension (obviously there was some in the day before and of the referendum) I feel it has invigorated and energised the country. My children's generation (late teens) have become policitised, the way we were at uni during the poll tax. Certainly in Glasgow now, I could go to any pub on any night of the week and talk to people about how to make Scotland better - organised and ad-hoc events.

I think it has brought people living in Scotland (not just Scottish people) working together for a better future, regardless of how they voted.

[blowinahoolie]

"which set friend against friend and divided families"

Nope, have not found this in my life when the Referendum was happening last year. I still talk to people who openly voted No. We're all friends still! Life moves on and bigger things are at stake, cannot get in a tizz about other people's voting intentions or decisions. Strikes me as a very petty argument when others around me I've noticed have not felt 'divided' as you describe.