Jackson Carlaw

[AgentProvocateur]

Well, that’s a surprise. My guess is he’s been up to something unsavoury or else he’ll come out in support of independence in a few months. (Did Keizia Dugdale ever change direction?)

I am an SNP supporter but I think they need a credible opposition. Carlaw wasn’t and Richard Leonard (who?) also isn’t.

Who do you think should lead Scottish Conservatives/Scottish Labour?

I thought that. Or maybe he just thinks that the Westminster govt don't speak for Scottish Tories.

Hopefully they hand it to Murdo Fraser or Annie Wells so they continue to be a total irrelevance. Scotland needs a strong opposition, but that doesn't have to be the Tories. Labour needs to get its act together. The Tories can do us all a favour and fire themselves into the Sun as far as I'm concerned.

@XDownwiththissortofthingX

Hopefully they hand it to Murdo Fraser or Annie Wells so they continue to be a total irrelevance. Scotland needs a strong opposition, but that doesn't have to be the Tories. Labour needs to get its act together. The Tories can do us all a favour and fire themselves into the Sun as far as I'm concerned.

Yes, cos exactly what we need is less choice and less representation for everyone in society.

Personally there needs to be something for people in the center so either Labour or the Tories need to pick up the votes there.

I'm not sure that that either of those reasons are the truth OP, but couldn't rule them out. I think that either he is smart enough to realise that he isn't the man for the job and will get humped at the next election or that someone else is primed for the role and he's stepping out the way either voluntarily or not. I wouldn't rule out Ruth coming back.

I don't know anything though, just supposition.

If the rumours are correct then Ruth will be sitting in the House of Lords. A nice position for her, can't knock her though I wouldn't vote for them.

I think it's just become obvious that he's no match for Sturgeon and the Tories would get a thumping at the next election with him in charge. There has apparently been internal pressure to that effect (although I don't know, it's all supposition). Recent polling might have been the final push.

I personally hope they find someone electable to replace him, Ruth would be perfect if she can be persuaded to run again as she has a strong track record of standing up to NS. I hope Labour replace Richard Leonard too as he's equally ineffective and we could do with strong leadership from all main parties.

Must have got to him, going to work in a place every day that he doesn't even believe should exist. This afternoon was particularly woeful.
Yes I think Ruth will be getting her £300 a day soon.
I'd love Jackson to be replaced by Douglas Ross. He's an absolute cretin.

@Y0uCann0t We are agreeing again. 🙈 We really do need a decent Labour Leader. Richard talks sooooo sloooow. It's painful to watch.

Yes, cos exactly what we need is less choice and less representation for everyone in society

There would still be plenty of choice without that lot polluting Scots politics with their own particular brand of vileness. UKIP are still on the go if xenophobic exclusionism is your thing.

I think there is well enough polluting politics in Scotland from the SNP.

I had literally just said to dh that it's not good for the SNP to have such crap opposition before I saw AgentProvocateur's post (Hi AP ).

And I say that as an SNP supporter

I support Independence, which at the moment means de facto SNP. I don't agree with all their policies, nor do I like all their politicians, but even I am becoming bored of the total lack of competent opposition in Scotland.

I keep reading that Scotland is a one party state. That's only because the opposition is so dire. I was briefly interested to see the launch of a new pro-independence party then saw the two headliners would be Alec Salmond and Tommy Sheridan. No thanks!

@Mochudhu

I support Independence, which at the moment means de facto SNP. I don't agree with all their policies, nor do I like all their politicians, but even I am becoming bored of the total lack of competent opposition in Scotland.

I keep reading that Scotland is a one party state. That's only because the opposition is so dire. I was briefly interested to see the launch of a new pro-independence party then saw the two headliners would be Alec Salmond and Tommy Sheridan. No thanks!

100% agreeing with this!

Technically there is already another pro-Indy party: the Scottish Greens. And interestingly, its co-leader Patrick Harvie is one of the few politicians who succeeds in landing any blows/holding Nicola/the SNP to account at Holyrood.

As it happens, we were talking about just that this evening with my dad, who was over for a meal.

Between the SNP and the Greens, the Scottish Parliament currently has a pro-Indy majority.

The Greens are losing a lot of female support over the GRA, and have never really.performed particularly well. The Independence for Scotland Party (ISP) is, I think, the only new kid on the block who have actually registered with the Electoral Commission, though Sheridan's Alliance may well do.so soon. There has been much speculation about a Salmond return, but the man himself has said nothing. And there's going to be the big review, which may be a game changer.

As for the Tories, looks like Ruth is heading to the Lords and Ross will be heid bummer in HR. Annie Wells would be more entertaining... but yes, SNP do need a decent opposition, and there isn't one.

If the new hate crime bill goes through you soon wont be able to complain about the SNP.

There are so many groups (including the police) lining up to gell them the hate legislation is suss, I don't think it will go ahead. Thank fuck.

tell them, not gell.

I know it's been a while since there was any credible opposition but I miss Nicola, Ruth and Kezia locking horns. Feels like a million years ago. Scottish opposition is so poor and Scotland is the poorer for it.

Yup I turned off today moments after JC started talking as the discussion was so crap.

or that someone else is primed for the role and he's stepping out the way either voluntarily or not. I wouldn't rule out Ruth coming back.

Looks like you hit the nail on the head @WaxOnFeckOff

@cdtaylornats

If the new hate crime bill goes through you soon wont be able to complain about the SNP.

On the contrary, if the new Hate Crimes Bill goes through, the police will receive multiple complaints whenever the fringe Nationalists make anti- English tweets etc - the Bill catches the stirring up of hatred in respect of nationality and national identity. Hoist with their own petard!

There is this campaign against the hate crime bill

freetodisagree.scot/scenarios/

Douglas Ross standing would be interesting. He'd have to commit to resigning as an MP is he wins a seat as an MSP next May. But would the Conservative Party want to take the risk of a by-election in the Moray constituency, where he only has a majority of 512 and potentially reduce their representation in Scotland still further? not that that seems to matter to them

Actually re Douglas Ross, I've checked and although I thought they'd stopped allowing it, MSPs are allowed also to be an MP, so he would be able to stay with the dual mandate and not trigger a by-election.

There's talk of Ruth Davidson stepping up on an interim basis to take the lead in responding to FMQs. Given that the Scottish Conservatives have two deputy leaders, it doesn't say much about the party's confidence in both their abilities if they were to do that

I don't care how many deputies get their noses put out of joint - Scotland desperately needs a decent opposition and Ruth was brilliant at keeping NS in check. Like yesterday: the Scottish government had essentially been caught fiddling the numbers and making political capital out of them - I bet Ruth would have landed a few punches on the back of that.