Why is there no opposition in Scotland?

[TheMurk]

Without googling, I could not tell you who the current leaders of the conservatives or labour are in Scotland.

I know it used to be Ruth Davison and Kezia Dugdale.

In WM almost every day the opposition parties strongly state their position on government policies. There is media coverage, debate, it’s discussed around the dinner table.

It seems to me that this isn’t happening in Scotland at the moment. Why?

Are people so scared of challenging the SNP or NS that they are gagged into silence?

I know the media in Scotland are thoroughly in the SNP’s press office pocket. The key journalists are openly pals with the press officers, they know what side their bread is buttered. So the media is broadly supportive, rarely interrogative, of SNP policies and actions.

But the role of the opposition is to call out folly, to pressure for change, to represent really the majority who did not vote for the ruling party. Where are they? Why aren’t they making noise?

Keir Starmer has certainly made his presence felt in WM. Isn’t his counterpart prepared to stick his head above the parapet?

Do you mean why is there no effective opposition in Scotland?

The official opposition is the Scottish Conservatives led by Jackson Carlaw. He leads First Ministers Questions which are every Thursday at 12 noon. They have 31 seats.

Richard Leonard is the the leader of Scottish Labour Party who hold 23 seats.

The SNP have 61 seats.

I didn’t need to google.

The lack of effective opposition in Scotland is depressing. I don't agree with Tory policies but I thought Ruth Davidson was a decent leader of the opposition.

The current leaders of the other parties are limp lettuce in my book.

I suggest you watch First Minister's Questions. The answer to your question will be abundantly clear.

I have to say that, post-Ruth, I am not sure I would be able to recognise the Tory leader, but I knew his name. No idea for the labour one. Do the lib Dems have a leader now?
In fairness I have never been too interested in Holyrood matters. A bit like when on Newsnight there was (or "is"?) Newsnight Scotland which is usually when you can watch something else :D
The interest has increased of late because of (lack of) education and now the zombie apocalypse.

Where are you looking?

FMQT is broadcast every week, the opposition parties all have very active facebook and twitter pages (follow the parties and main MPs you are interested in). Right wing papers such as the Daily Mail regularly report headlines to challenge the SNP, Jackson Carlaw writes articles in it regularly.

I don't agree opposition parties are gagged into silence, they are a minority in Scotland and the problem is the current leaders are ineffective and reliant on the UK parties, to whom Scotland is small fry, to promote them.

To quote Dennis Healey when talking about Geoffrey Howe, "it's like being savaged by a dead sheep".

That pretty much sums up the opposition. It's tragic and you can't blame SNP for taking advantage tbh.

Jackson Carlow certainly opposes everything Nicola sturgeon says,today it was the keep left signs in parliament

They're just poor. Going through a phase at the moment where I am not bought into independence for economic reasons, but can't vote for either of the other three parties because they're dreadful. The main 4 only stand candidates in my area so while I can vote for Green on the list I can't vote for them in my constituency

It’s because they’re shit.
But yes, watch FMQs.

From the perspective of someone English living in Scotland, there is only 1 pro independence party and it is generally left wing, slightly further left than Labour.

The UK wide parties are all pro union, but seem to have about as much of a clue about Scottish issues as they do about rural issues and not South/South East issues, so party political "stuff" is often irrelevant.

@randomsabreuse, fair point re: cluelessness. But it is also true that the pro independence party are in the same boat as they are a single issue party. It is bit like being ruled by UKIP or the Brexit party.

Because most of us don't really care what Scottish Conservatives and Scottish Labour have to say?

It’s difficult in that the unionist opposition, to independence and the SNP, is split between three parties. And as you point out, the Scottish media fawn over Sturgeon and never grill her on her abysmal record.
The SNP’s own economic advisers have publicly admitted that independence would cause a decade of severe financial hardship, so there is no credible basis for the party’s entire raison detre.
Given this, and their dire failings on education and healthcare, it should be an absolute open goal for the opposition to make mincemeat of them.
That they have failed to do so is partly down to their own lethargic performance, but also to the nature of SNP supporters, who do not understand basic economics and deal only in emotion.
“Scotland good, England bad” seems about the level of debate, judging by social media and that pathetic rag the National newspaper. Persuading such people to even consider their own financial best interest is a thankless task!

Problem is at the moment "Boris" = England so "England bad" is easy to justify! I think Scotland is generally more left wing than rest UK so the Conservative lurch to the right has unbalanced the situation in Scotland.

Corbyn was particularly unhelpful, typical "townie" socialist - Labour should be the natural opposition to the SNP, (pro union but socialist) with the Conservative Party offering a moderate right option.

Oh and Brexit. Bit of an about face from stronger together for Scotland/ UK to better off alone UK/EU ...

I feel you're pointing the finger at any other possibility other than the opposition, itself just not being up to the job.

We do have a strong Scottish government at the moment whose more recent actions have been more holistic in intent than partisan.

As we come through the crisis, we might see an emerging of opposing voices to domestic
Issues

The unionist parties have a fundamental issue of the vote splitting 3 ways in every constituency, which makes the snp vote look more solid than it is. Harder to keep and engage talent when electoral success thinner on the ground. The SNP have some talent lacking too - probably why so many mistakes in execution of government (see blended learning for latest). In general the constant social media barrage is putting a lot of talented people off from entering politics, there almost has to be something wrong with you for wanting all that scrutiny for yourself and your family.

SNP might be losing a lot of support in Central Scotland with Stirling Council's move to 4-weekly bin collections.

Folk lose sight of the 'bigger picture' when they mess with the bins.

Falkirk council have had 4 weekly bin collections for years. People can be fickle but they are not that stupid.

Clacks have 4 weekly bins and no glass collection and my friend lives in Falkirk their bins are never over flowing,. I live in Stirling and BINS!! Is hot topic but I think it will work out alright in the end.

Jackson Carlow squirming and unhappy when asked on Sky TV why Scotland is doing much better than England in eradicating Covid illustrates the issue well.
Even when people's lifes are being saved, he can't be happy for Scotland as his job is to represent a London based party for the elite and remind us how we're too thick to function on our own w/o Boris and Co ( for which I'm sure he'll get his seat in the Lords and £300 a day in due course ).
Oh and he has the charisma of a dead goldfish.
I actually pity Richard a little.

The opposition parties should’ve been focused on that Kate Forbes tweet about ‘the Scottish govt’ only benefiting by £21m - risible, displays economic incompetence and utterly misleading. Instead, the IFS had to take her on.
I agree with @MumofHunter actually that Richard Leonard seems too busy attacking WM tories and not understand who his opposition is, and Carlaw should’ve concentrated on the bailout the UK govt delivered.

Far too soon to say who has ‘won’ Covid across the balance of all the risks - Sweden’s death rate now falling fast for example. The crowing, absent of a vaccine and at this early stage is unpleasant.

@MumofHunter, eradicating the virus is pointless. It is not smallpox that can and has been eradicated. The debate should shift on finding an equilibrium that allows us to live with the virus.
The oppositions should ask questions on how the HS will cope with a possible strong resurgence of cases in the winter. Having zero cases now is just smokes and mirrirs, a decoy.
Instead, and alas, they are too busy asking the wrong questions.

The other parties are in a complete state and SNP are currently benefitting from it...

'Eradicating the virus is pointless ' yikes.
And no- one is saying we 'won'.

There is clearly some premature congratulation going on about Scotland’s lower covid numbers vs England - it may be warranted, it’s too soon to tell.