EU Referendum: Webchat with Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland, Tuesday 21 June at 10.30am

[BojanaMumsnet]

Hello

We’re pleased to announce a webchat with Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland, on Tuesday 21 June at 10.30am. Ms Sturgeon is campaigning for the UK to remain in the EU.

As well as being First Minister since 2014, Nicola is also the leader of the Scottish National Party. Before entering politics she was a solicitor, and she represents the Glasgow Southside constituency in the Scottish Parliament.

The EU referendum will be held on 23 June.

Please do join the chat on Tuesday, or if you can’t make it, please leave a question here in advance. And do bear in mind the webchat guidelines - one question each only (follow-ups allowed if there’s time) and please do be polite.

Thanks
MNHQ

@ExctraCrunchyNutBrexit

Hello Nicola, thank you for being the voice of reason in all of this.

As one of the much maligned EU citizens living here in the UK I can say I am completely bricking it. I (like many people) didn't come here for a job I came because I met and fell in love with a British citizen. I worked the whole time I lived here (and until I had my kids, who are still young).

Should Brexit happen what do you think would be the most fair way of dealing with people who are already living here?

Hi,

Thanks for your question. We hope the scenario you present doesn’t arise, which is why I am arguing so strongly for a Remain vote. But the First Minister is ensuring that appropriate planning for all eventualities is being undertaken by the Scottish Government. Should Scotland face the prospect of being taken out of the European Union against our democratically expressed will, all options to protection our relationship with Europe and the EU would need to be considered.

• SNP Team

@SirChenjin

Excellent. So when are you going to start allowing LAs to raise council taxes to fund public services and funding the NHS properly - given that it's been a devolved matter for many years? You've also had tax raising powers for several years now - again, raise them and pass on that money.

The evil Tories aren't responsible for many millions of an underspend in Scotland, Nicola - that would be your Govt.

Hi SirChenjin,

The SNP set out plans to reform Council Tax in this years election, including lifting the Council Tax freeze from April 2017. You can find more information about our plans here: www.snp.org/pb_what_do_the_snp_s_reforms_to_council_tax_mean

From this year the Scottish Government has some control of Income Tax and full powers are set to be devolved. We have set out plans to raise an extra £1.2 billion over the next five years through the changes we propose. You can find more information here: www.snp.org/pb_what_are_the_snp_plans_for_income_tax_in_scotland

• SNP Team

@BeatrixBurgund

Hi Nicola,

as someone who has lost friends due to the IndyRef, and has observed with increasing concern the at times extremely abusive online discourse during this referendum, I'd be happy never ever to take part in another one.

Do you think that referenda are a good way of engaging the public in political decisions, and if so, what would you propose to ensure that future votes are less divisive and poisonous?

Hi BeatrixBurgund,

Thanks for your question.

During the independence referendum we saw a great amount of enthusiasm and engagement in politics, as well as disagreement of course. Where political disagreement is passionate and robust, open, honest and conducted with respect, it is welcome. However no one should be subject to threats or abuse of that nature as a result of sharing their views. Nicola will continue to set a good example online, and encourage other politicians to do so, to debate the issues not the insults.

• SNP Team

Can you answer my question about what the SNP is going to do to tackle the hate speak we see from some of their MP/MSPs against no voters?

@trixymalixy

What are you going to do to tackle the hate in Scotland aimed at No voters and unionist MPs, which has been brought into focus given the tragic death of Jo Cox? SNP MPs are feeding that hatred by calling them yoons, quislings, traitors, saying they want to "put the nut on them" and that it's fine to dispense "community justice" by hunting and harassing labour MPs?

I know that SNP MPs get abuse too, which is completely unacceptable, but you need to do something about your MPs and MSPs as this hate is poisoning Scotland.

Hi Trixymalixy,

Apologies we didn't get to your question during the live Q&A. Nicola has made it clear that no one should be subject to threats or abuse of that nature as a result of sharing their views, whether they do so in a parliament, a pub or on the internet.

When tweets or postings from SNP members that cross the line are brought to our attention, we will act – as we have done before. We have a code of conduct and online guidance for our members, and where that code is broken, members should have no doubt that we will use our disciplinary processes.

As you say, anyone who suggests that Twitter abuse is one-way traffic is wrong, and it's important that all politicians in Scotland, regardless of their party, set a good example by debating the issues, not the insults.

• SNP Team

@bkgirl

It is accepted there is a democratic deficit in the EU, that is spin for it is undemocratic. Only one of its institutions is elected. Juncker and others have expressed a desire for a Euro army, in or out - is it not terrifying that a massive european army will get instructions from unelected people in Brussels?

The EU isn’t perfect and we’d like to see it become more democratic. However, it is important to recognise that the EU has only two law making bodies: one is the Council of Ministers which is made up of ministers of democratically elected governments; and the other is the European Parliament which is directly elected.

We think that if there is a real problem with unelected people making laws in the UK, it’s the House of Lords.

We do not think there is any realistic prospect of an EU army.

• SNP Team

Thank you for acknowledging my question. If only I could believe your answer. Every day I see tweets from SNP politicians using pejorative language. Many are still followers of that hate merchant wingsoverscotland. It encourages others to spew hate. It needs to stop.

The SNP set out plans to reform Council Tax in this years election, including lifting the Council Tax freeze from April 2017

Which is not before time - given the levels of austerity and cuts to public services that have resulted in Scotland over many years as a consequence of the council tax freeze. Are we now supposed to applaud the fact that the SNP Govt has now woken up to this fact?

From this year the Scottish Government has some control of Income Tax and full powers are set to be devolved. We have set out plans to raise an extra £1.2 billion over the next five years through the changes we propose

You've had the power to raise/lower income tax by 3p in the pound for 17 years - that power has never been used. 17 years of cuts in public services which could have been avoided by the SNP Govt.

I'm aware that this is digressing from the OP however, so will read the remainder of the thread with utter fascination.

NB - I'm aware that the SNP have not been power for 17 years although it feels like it and that other Govts are equally to blame.

I'm not a fan of the SNP (I used to be, but the hate language and aggressive jingoism that trixy mentions has put me off entirely).

However, I am a fan of the way they have handled this Q&A, with Nicola leaving a team behind to answer questions that she didn't have time to do. Other party leaders who have come on here could take a leaf from their book.

Yeah, good way to mask the fact that Nicola was only with us for 25 minutes.

....ah, QueenStromba, I missed that!

Still, in principle at least, it's a good idea, and at the minimum means that they seem to have thought their appearance here through in advance, instead of winging it, buggering off without answering anything, and expecting us to be grateful.

What - Nicola turns up with one person, makes a half-hearted attempt to put the SNP spin on a few questions for 25 minutes, then gets him/her to stay on for an hour or so to evade or fudge further questions, and that's to be admired?

SirChenjin it's a very low bar to overcome! But I take your point entirely.

I still find it staggering the number of politicians who don't do their homework before coming on MN. It wouldn't take much (and indeed it hasn't taken much for me, here) to think they are doing at least a tiny bit better than some of the other showers we've had here. At the very minimum they should turn up, stay the whole time they promised, don't patronise us, answer at least one hard question, don't cut-and-paste boring rote scripts but answer like a real person, and offer some follow-up.

Also I may have misunderstood what Nicola meant by "team". The follow-up didn't seem to last very long, which is a pity.

I completely agree Annie - I suspect that we're just one of many stops on the PR trail and that the 'Mum' in Mumsnet leads them to believe they're in for an easy time of it, therefore no research required.

Poorly done Ms Sturgeon.

She gave the same answer several times... I don't think she really got her teeth into this...

I think we heard the main point of info, though. Which is: A vote for Brexit is a vote to break up the United Kingdom.

Beaky more specifically a vote for Brexit with a large remain vote in Scotland will lead to Indyref2. Logically therefore, people who aren't that bothered about the EU but want to avoid Scottish independence should vote to leave the EU to reduce the difference.

That's people in Scotland, obviously!

It's not as straightforward as that. There is, as usual, much posturing and nationalist rhetoric on behalf of Ms Sturgeon in order to appease her faithful. However, the polls are very clear - there is no appetite for indy2. Given that the figures make even less sense now than they did 2 years ago, and the euro would be the currency of choice, she would have an even harder time selling the prospect of an independent Scotland to that No majority - and she's fully aware of that.

I am pretty sure don't think that Nicola would want to call another Independence Referendum unless the polls are saying consistently that the Scottish electorate is 60:40 in favour.

Agree prettybird

That's a first!