Why do people still think the SNP are doing a good job?

[cdtaylornats]

They aren't even doing a competent job

Because wheest for indy

I think it's become such a cult following with the SNP that even when things go wrong, people are adamant she's doing it to keep people safe.

Reality is she has no more of a clue than Westminster and they are all just winging it. I actually get that, it's an ever changing situation but the constant lectures. I mean today she was telling people how to shop in the supermarket for god sake. I doubt she even does her own shopping.

She's loosing grip from what I can see. Everywhere still busy, people using grand parents for childcare etc. There are so many areas of deprivation in Scotland that sticking to a lot of these rules just is not possible for many.

@IncludeWomenInTheSequel yes absolutely. I think it goes to show that you can't just look at the testing data and draw easy conclusions. Excess deaths do seem to be the most reliable measure.

No idea. She’s done just the same as Boris really so no idea why people think she’s done a good job

England seemed to massively ramp up in recent months whereas we, well, didn't

I believe England is including lateral flow testing in its numbers whereas the other nations aren't?

So maybe hospital admissions are a good measure? I’ve been using this from here www.travellingtabby.com/uk-coronavirus-tracker/

If you click on the figures you can see what they are, and be reassured that they seem lower, relatively?

@MadameBlobby

No idea. She’s done just the same as Boris really so no idea why people think she’s done a good job

Well I guess that's the answer.

100,000 people dead in England but the Tories will will the next election, because the perception is that there's no competent opposition.

Same here really.

I mean,I'll vote SNP to gain independence and then possibly never again. Right now there is literally no credible alternative.

@ItsAllGoingToBeFine yes, I believe so. I'm not sure it matters though - if these kinds of tests are producing positives that are contributing to England's numbers, it only seems right that they be included. The mixed data again just underlines the difficulties involved in cross-Nation comparisons of case numbers I suppose.

@IncludeWomenInTheSequel pro rata for our share of the population we aren’t doing much better in deaths.

I didn't say we were

Complete cult of personality around Nicola. She’s on tv every day. What is it Goebels said about how to spread propaganda successfully?

Any questions she doesn’t want to answer, she doesn’t have to. She is in every living room, spinning every success as Scottish and every failure as Westminster.

When you think of what Wendy Alexander had to resign for compared to all this shenanigans around redacted this and that, coaching for civil servants, cash for charities that support nationalism and the absolute state of most of the ministers as completely unqualified for their jobs it is actually quite terrifying.

Even that independence is seen as an answer to all ills- in a global pandemic- without any actual detail (oh there might be debt but it will be our debt) is all fine, because Nicola is at the helm.

There’s no political satire in Scotland directed at the SNP and the MPs all vote with one hive mind.

I wonder how this period will look when we have the benefit of hindsight.
And this is completely irrespective of all whataboutery/ Boris/ Dominic whatsit travelling unnecessarily etc.

"Any questions she doesn’t want to answer, she doesn’t have to. She is in every living room, spinning every success as Scottish and every failure as Westminster."

How does that work with her being on tv every single day for ten months, and with a weekly FMQs in there too? She must answer ten times the amount of questions Boris Johnson ever puts himself in danger of being asked.

@IncludeWomenInTheSequel

I think much of it is communication style. The approaches between the nations haven't differed all that much, but England's endless U-turns when anyone could see they were making the wrong decision have made them seem worse in comparison.

Public health communications lesson number one is: get a stable and familiar face to lead all comms. NS does that, like her or not.

Johnson, on the other hand, appeared so rarely for weeks at a time that there were regular rumours that he had sneaked away for a holiday abroad. The ever-changing faces at the briefings weren't helping anyone to feel consistently armed with correct information.

I think the Scottish government comms plan is excellent. That has helped them a lot.

Actually the approaches are completely different. The SG have a preventative approach. The EG, to put it politely, do not. For example, before Christmas 1 in 18 high school children had covid in London. The PHE pushed for schools to be closed. The EG's initial response was that they would take legal action if this happened.
At the start of this term, Johnson pushed the message that it was safe to open schools. They were opened for one day. ( Of course , the SG made the decision re schools weeks earlier). I could be here all night listing the bad decisions that have resulted in England having the worst death rate in the world.

• IncludeWomen I'm not meaning to be snarky at you, it's the other posters on this thread that don't have a grasp on reality.

Have to say I object to my SNP being reduced to a cultlike adoration of the leader of the party. Vast amounts of the electorate, y'know, read and stuff, and have informed opinions on the issues.

Thank you @StarryEyeSurprise I'll admit I waded in gently because I've been burned on this board before for not hating the SNP or calling NS a NicBot or fucking Jimmy Krankie or something.

@IncludeWomenInTheSequel

I didn't say we were

I know, sorry, I think I am agreeing with you on the no credible opposition point!

All good

Is your question around vaccinating the over 80s in comparison to England or is it a general question?

If it’s a general question then you might want to share some other statistics and sources.

But why miss an opportunity for yet another SNP hating thread.

Much like Labour 15 years ago, my pet Labrador could stand for election and people would vote for it if it was wearing the snp rosette.

Because Nicola has better presentation skills than Boris. She speaks clearly and authoritatively. For some people, the content of what she's saying doesn't matter. It's all about the delivery.

And also agree that Labour is tearing itself apart, the Lib Dems don't really have enough oomph to make a difference and there are a lot of people who wouldn't ever vote Tory at gunpoint.

Lots of usually sensible people I know are really lapping up the "isn't Nicola wonderful keeping us all SAFE" bollocks, usually either retired people or public sector workers.

It's not just presentation skills though is ? During PMQ's he doesn’t answer the questions asked because he simply doesn't know. He didn't even read the full impact of covid in winter report as he ' had a lot on with Brexit .' Similar to his minister being too busy organising a nativity to read a Brexit impact report.

@ItsAllGoingToBeFine

England seemed to massively ramp up in recent months whereas we, well, didn't

I believe England is including lateral flow testing in its numbers whereas the other nations aren't?

Hmmm I think Scotland do as well - if you do an LFT you do have to record it on the portal and give your results along with a serial number.

Per twitter:
"I quietly note that supporters of the Scottish Government who have deliberately ignored demographic and geographic reasons why COVID-19 infection rates might be lower than elsewhere in the UK are now citing demographic and geographic reasons why vaccine rollout might be slower".

If you compare Scotland to SW (similar population and demography) we have a bit more excess deaths. Compare with NW (relevant since it has the only other hospital in the UK comparable to the QEUH in size) we have a bit less ph. Wales was doing better in April but has now caught up. Suspect we will all end up about the same.

Suspect the different vaccination strategies will also end up in the same place within a couple of weeks and since England appears to be in no rush to risk opening up first it will make no difference if they roll out slightly ahead of Scotland.

I don't think it matters who is perceived to have done better to date because it will be quickly eclipsed by what happens next and the post match analysis.

The SNP could benefit in May if current perceptions remain but then they risk carrying the can for the future while trying to run an Independence campaign. If I were them I would be hoping to do badly in May so that some sort of coalition had to deal with the clean up operation and get all the blame. The SNP would then be free to regroup and campaign for Indy in 5 years.

BJ doesn't answer as many questions, not because he can't, but because he delegates to the minister with responsibility for that area - education, health, chancellor, home sec etc.

NS rarely delegates. if she does, she's got to be on the podium beside them. It's all about her and her image you see. That's also why she travels to Edinburgh every day to deliver news and have meetings that she could do from home easily. She needs her fancy podium and background.

I hope to god the Salmond situation, l brings her down or at least seriously damages her. And I don't like that bastard either.

I also really hope the SNP lose seats in May (if they don't manage to delay it with Covid as an excuse cause they know they'll lose seats)