J&J - The no more Tiers formula...

[WaxOnFeckOff]

Another new Fred...

Woke, not worke.

And Andy Wightman too - you're a TERF if you think rape victims should be able to have a say in the sex of their examiner.

Loads of people celebrating Joanna cherry being kicked out in Twitter. My reading of it is that NS thinks her approval and polls are so good that she can get rid of some people now.

I hate the trans 'debate' I am for people being exactly who they want and it's a shame it's come to the point where saying that women in vulnerable situations need protections leads to calls of bigotry.

@Y0uCann0tBeSer10us

Much as I'm enjoying watching the SNP tear themselves to pieces, this purge of people who believe in biological sex is a very worrying development when coupled with other SNP tendencies towards shutting down debate and criminalising 'wrong think'. It seems likely that the SNP will still be in some position of power after May as so many will vote for them literally no matter what they do, and the thought of being stuck under an ultra-woke SNP who seem determined to erase women and pass laws to prevent people even expressing an opinion on the matter is pretty terrifying.

For all Joanna Cherry's flaws she at least stuck up for women and understood that there was a conflict between self ID and women's rights. Sturgeon shows no indication that she gives a crap about sex-based rights at all. What kind of Scotland is that for our daughters?

Yes, this scares me too. I confess I'm not up to speed with the whole trans thing, but I can see that there would be a conflict with single sex spaces/ sports/ protections if taken in a particular direction, which seems to be the direction the SNP were (or probably still are?) heading.

But it's not just that issue... As the SNP are really the only independence game in town, they can basically do anything, and people will still vote for them "cos independence" (even if they intend on voting for someone else afterwards). That just seems really dangerous to me. There are other issues where the SNP government have taken a very shortsighted but populist approach to policy development (through lobby groups, consultation documents weighting numbers over quality of responses or whatever). Loads of their supporters then jump on the bandwagon without any understanding of the deeper issues, but shouting down any opposition whether from their "own side" or the "other side" politically, though the former end up caving "cos independence" . It is very frustrating and really quite nasty to see.

Oh god don’t vote green! They’re worse😂

I never thought I'd be saying this (strange times indeed) but perhaps what Scotland needs is more variety of independence-supporting parties to break the stranglehold of the SNP. It would provide an outlet for those who feel the need to vote for independence but don't like (or actually hate) the SNP, but we would also have a range of views on other issues which has to be healthier than the status quo. Perhaps there already are some that just don't get as much press.

Oh god no Greens are way worse, and it's essentially a lost vote anyway.

Honesty if Labour supported independence - or were even open to a referendum - they'd be back on top in a heartbeat.

@ladylunchalot

I really hope ASN students can go back soon, ds (and the rest of us!) are struggling. They always seem to be the forgotten ones.

Most of our pupils with asn have been offered places. It's been a mixed uptake though. Some have struggled with the changes.

So hard for Labour though to turn its back on one of its founding tenets of being against nationalism. Whereas the SNP has become more left leaning because it supports their nationalist narrative.

So hoping for schools early years good news...

@Y0uCann0tBeSer10us

I never thought I'd be saying this (strange times indeed) but perhaps what Scotland needs is more variety of independence-supporting parties to break the stranglehold of the SNP. It would provide an outlet for those who feel the need to vote for independence but don't like (or actually hate) the SNP, but we would also have a range of views on other issues which has to be healthier than the status quo. Perhaps there already are some that just don't get as much press.

I completely agree! My understanding is the Scottish Parliament was never supposed to have an outright majority of any one party anyway, and was planned so that there should be much more coalition/ consensus building going on rather than one party railroading policies through as per Westminster. So not voting SNP shouldn't be seen as "splitting the vote" any more than voting for one of the unionist parties is splitting the "opposed to independence" vote. The independence- supporting parties can work together on that, but vote separately on other matters as appropriate. It would make things much more healthy, I think, as ultimately the constitution is only one thing in Scotland. There is absolutely nothing to suggest that all independence supporters have or should have a hive mind on everything else. I do feel quite sorry for independence supporting people on the righter wing economically (the old landowners, maybe, who would be tories in an independent Scotland)... there surely still has to be the odd one, and I'm not sure where they fit at the moment!

@groovee ds' ASN school were very strict about who could attend and out of 150 pupils only 18 are attending. I totally understand as they should be staying home where possible, the staff there are amazing.
It's very challenging for ds, to him school is school and home is home and never the twain shall meet!!

I don't support independence, but I'm also politically homeless. I might go back to voting Labour now that Corbyn is gone. Starmer seems okay and Sarwar is more centre of the party which I like.

However, Monica Lennon seems more open to more devolution, possible referendum and whilst I don't want the latter, it could get them more votes.

@IncludeWomenInTheSequel

Oh god no Greens are way worse, and it's essentially a lost vote anyway.

Honesty if Labour supported independence - or were even open to a referendum - they'd be back on top in a heartbeat.

Scottish Socialist Party? Kind of like a Yes version of old labour. They were the ones with the megaphone at the east end of Princes Street every Saturday (when it wasn't the pan pipes). Their spokesperson Colin Fox is fab - I would actually like to go to the pub with him (pubs... remember them?). But I'm not sure if they even stand everywhere and may be a bit out there. Not sure on their wokeness.

Know plenty of kids with asn that are at home and would be much better in school, the schools have been asking parents to keep them at home unless they really can't even so.

Librarybooksandacoconut oh that sounds very promising 🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞

@anon444877

Know plenty of kids with asn that are at home and would be much better in school, the schools have been asking parents to keep them at home unless they really can't even so.

Same here, will be very difficult for them to readjust when schools do go back. It's also hit home just how much guidance and support ds needs with his work.

I used to vote SSP @NotAnActualSheep

@IncludeWomenInTheSequel

I used to vote SSP *@NotAnActualSheep*

Ha! They could be a rebound option then... I keep seeing their van round our way. They've got a logo now and everything.

Just reading that infection rates and illness from covid has fallen quite dramatically in Israel as a result of vaccinations, this is good news

It is good news and hope for the coming weeks for us.

@fluffyugg when did they start vaccinating? What age groups did they prioritise do you know?

@fluffyugg great news!

3.9% behind England now

@shouldistop don't know exactly when they started...beginning of the year I think but at a really rapid rate.

Wow a logo @NotAnActualSheep

I remember sitting in the Union reading their manifesto haha!

Just found a link

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/31/israel-covid-vaccination-data-offers-hope-exit-pandemic

Good news