Scottish General Election

[Differentforgirls]

Who are Scottish people voting for next month?

As always, I’ll have to vote for whoever has the best chance against the SNP

They’ve destroyed Scotland whilst in government, and the idea of them trying to set up a new country is terrifying, the mind boggles

An absolute fortune spent defending indefensible court actions, from the woman stuff to the bottle returns

And being in tow with the weirdo Greens

The referendum was a horrible time: divisive and unsettling and I don’t think there’s genuinely an appetite for a repeat or the massive waste of money when Scotland is in such disrepair. We need education and healthcare fixed not more flag waving

Brexit has also shown the foolhardiness of nationalist separatism and its effect on lives and the economy so it’s anybody but pro independence parties (or reform) for me. I also think many people will vote SNP because of the state of politics overall and not through ideology

My DC is 17 and despises the SNP and the parochial nationalist mindset, especially after the abuse he got in 2014 as his dad is English

The SNP couldn’t run a ferry build in a ship yard never mind a country. It makes me very sad what they’ve done to mine

Sorry you feel that way.

I'm glad I don't live in England as due to its government it's far worse there.

My disabled friend is trapped there as she can't afford to move back. She waited 2 years to see a neurologist, who then decided to take a 'wait and see approach'. She is going blind and collapsed leaving the GP, needing a wheelchair to reach her car. Her GP is trying to get her another neurologist but can't so far. She's only 46.

I had a serious neurological issue too, for over 12 years. But in Scotland I was seen as an emergency, treated in hospital, given access to a biologic through a NICE request which NHS England would have refused on cost grounds, and as of 2 months ago I was signed off. I have my life back, but I'm really scared my friend could lose hers, and has spent years living in disability as well.

But, hey, you aren't happy with ferry services.

👏👏

How do you think people on the islands with medical issues feel about the ferry problems?
Residents on Mull who require kidney dialysis need to take the ferry to Oban from where they are driven by taxi to Lochgilphead (60 miles) for the dialysis and then back, they need to do this several times every week.
The local hospice charity has fitted out a flat for cancer patients from the islands to stay when they need to travel to/from the mainland for medical appointments because the ferry service is so unreliable now, people have to travel days ahead to be sure they make it and risk getting stuck on the way back.
And you know what, it wasn't always like this, I've lived here long enough to know that this running down of vital rural services has happened under the SNP government.

And under the UK Govt.

Running down of rural services has happened because of austerity, both under the last UK government and this one.

SG only get the block grant funding that Westminister will give them. There will be the same lack of money under any Scottish Government, run by any party, because Westminister spend most of our money on our behalf.
So no money for Scotland after HS2, defence, Trident renewal have all been prioritised. Independence is the only way this situation will change.

Please can you explain why a non-SNP government would be more successful with ferries using the same amount of block grant money, which won't change under dependence?

The ferries and the NHS Scotland and Scotrail are Scottish government responsibilities first and foremost. I would have a lot more respect for the SNP and their supporters if they would grow up and accept their responsibilities and their shortcomings.

It's the Scottish government's decisions how it spends the money it has and it was the SNP government that decided that giving the ferry contract to a local shipbuilder was more important than having functioning ferries on time. They heeded no warnings, same as for the QEII hospital. It's all show, bugger the eventual outcome.

I don’t get why people can’t see that the whole of the UK is a shit show riddled with debt yet the SNP are to blame even though we’re better off here than rUK.

Um, the QEII hospital problems were the responsibility of the Greater Glasgow Health Board, not the Scottish Government. Maybe gets some facts correct before you accuse me of not taking responsibility?

You haven't answered how electing another party would help ferries?

I agree the ferry service is not good and I've got sympathy with everyone affected. But compared internationally to other ferry services it performs well in terms of cost and efficiency, moving 17 million passengers a year. And keeping the work inside the UK is important as it benefits our economy, these ferries have given us jobs as well as cost money. No jobs if they are made abroad.

Because the SNP claims that Scotland would be better out of the union but then they run the devolved bits of Scotland utterly incompetently.
Who are you going to blame whne things aren't getting better if/when Scotland is independent? I suppose you are still going to blame the UK (specifically the English) for decades into the future.

Um, the QEII hospital problems were the responsibility of the Greater Glasgow Health Board, not the Scottish Government. Maybe gets some facts correct before you accuse me of not taking responsibility?

It's always someone else's fault. Nothing poor Nicola or John could have done about it, out of their hands. That is pathetic.

I think the opposite is true. Scottish cringe is based on the UK stereotype of us being too poor too wee and too stupid to manage ourselves.

We need an identity outside the UK to break free of negative historical connotations created to keep us in our place. Self governance is positive for country.

And the reason devolved things aren't run properly is that they aren't funded properly, and we've got no discretion to do so.

That is the truth, and 10 member of Scottish Labour were on that board and took that decision.

But you can't cope with the truth, can you?

So the SG Health Minister had no input into this at all?

This unwillingness to take any responsibility really doesn't bode well for an independent Scotland.

'As of April 2026, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde have admitted to fatal infection links after years of denial.'

No, he was not.

What is point of a Scottish health minister then?

How exactly is asking for full independence and governance of your country 'not taking responsibility'? Surely it means we want more responsibility?

Do you mean what's the point if he can't be scapegoated for things he didn't do?

Are you purposefully obtuse? I'm blaming the SG and its supporters for refusing to take responsibility for the problems in the devolved areas, it is always someone else's fault, usually Westminster.

But he should have known and be involved. This is how politics should work and how it used to work. Even if he (or she, this might have started under NS) wasn't directly involved (and for a project this size, s/he should have been involved) the ultimate responibility what happens in their department ends with them.

No need for the xenophobia.

That isnt how infrastructure spending happens anywhere in the UK, it is always the responsibility of the Health Board to run hospitals.
In this case, they failed in their responsibility so it is their fault.
You just seem desperate to blame the SNP in every scenario.

If you think all Ministers should be held responsible for things they didn't know about, surely Kier Starmer should resign over Peter Mandelson's appointment? He didn't know he failed security but by your criteria it doesn't matter as it happened in his government, he is responsible.

And that's not how things work in the UK, is it?

Yes, ministers are ultimately responsible for what happens in their department and if they don't know what is going on it's even worse.
Are you seriously suggesting a project of this scale is done without the input of the minister? What are they doing all day long?