Does it matter if Sturgeon is guilty - do you know or care?

[sessell]

Evidence of a conspiracy to frame Alex Salmond has been building. There are compelling reports in the Times, Herald , Sky News and across the internet. But there is less reporting in Scotland and a lot of people seem to not know or care. I'm Scottish but I don't live there. I've been hooked by this as a story of power and corruption. I'm on the fence re independence, just don't know enough so don't have an axe in that debate. I've never been an SNP member. But I do care about justice and that no-one should be above the law, especially politicians when they are seeking to imprison their potential rivals.

After reading this affadavit from Craig Murray which brings it all together and is incendiary I'm pretty convinced there has been a conspiracy and that Sturgeon and her collaborators should face justice. Although the justice department (Crown office) also seem to be mired in this. Here is the affadavit www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2021/01/my-sworn-evidence-on-the-sturgeon-affair/

I've shown this to a few people and have been shocked that a couple have said, yes it stinks but I like Sturgeon. I'd be interested in the views of Scotsnet. How much do you know about this? Do you care? Is it OK for our politicians to imprison their rivals, like Putin and co do, if you like their other objectives. Has Scotland become a corrupt nation? Is that OK?

If - big if - it's true that it was essentiallya stitch up; how did Salmond "have it coming?" How are you somehow due false allegations of attempted rape and sexual assault?

I'm still on the fence with this. I'm struggling to understand what NS would be gaining from stitching AS up? She's FM, he's not.
I've read Craig Murray's account and it seems very biased against NS but he is a huge fan of AS so it's not really a surprise.
I'm sceptical about it all as NS is a lawyer and would know how to cover her tracks and not leave herself wide open.

I do think it's the wrong time to be pursuing it though, let's get through the pandemic and then focus on it.

Don't like either of them and want them to disappear from Scottish politics. Anything that reduces the SNP influence is a good thing.

@ladylunchalot

I'm still on the fence with this. I'm struggling to understand what NS would be gaining from stitching AS up? She's FM, he's not. I've read Craig Murray's account and it seems very biased against NS but he is a huge fan of AS so it's not really a surprise. I'm sceptical about it all as NS is a lawyer and would know how to cover her tracks and not leave herself wide open. I do think it's the wrong time to be pursuing it though, let's get through the pandemic and then focus on it.

You can't just stop society due to a pandemic. The corruption in the SNP is staggering. As is their incompetence in multiple areas - drugs deaths soaring, crown prosecution seen to have acted maliciously, no defense of Joanna cherry who was second most attacked female politician on Twitter and receives death threats. Now sacked. Etc etc. The pandemic could go in for a while - should this all be ignored?

@YawnyOwl I just don't think it's really the right time, I'd rather efforts be concentrated on getting everyone vaccinated, kids back to school.
Don't think I've yet met a politician that isn't corrupt, they're all as bad as each other, and that includes all parties, SNP aren't exclusive to this.

I don't think we can just pause everything- especially when there is an election rapidly approaching.

I care. NS has placed herself and the SNP as being so much 'better' than the Conservatives and Johnson. If you're going to paint yourself as a saint you can't afford to be involved in corruption.

I hope the SNP eats itself.

Over the last week we've had NS' video regarding transphobia in the party. We've had the meagre rate of vaccine rollout. We've had Joanna Cherry being pushed off the front bench. And Angus MacNeil and Kenny MacAskill (incidentally all GC). We've had the shortlists, Craig Murray/Salmond. It's not going so well.

It's the things that the SNP has stuffed up which always makes me doubt the robustness on their claims for independence - they put in place policies even after they've been told it's unwise (GRA/named person), the mess education's in, drug deaths, no support for Cherry and McAlpine when they have been badly abused by TRAs etc etc etc

I'm sceptical about it all as NS is a lawyer and would know how to cover her tracks and not leave herself wide open. I hope I'm picking you up wrong and you don't mean as long as she covers her tracks this behaviour if she did do this is ok?

Was there not also the. Millions and the men who were involved in the rangers case.

Will have a google.

@MichelleScarn

I'm sceptical about it all as NS is a lawyer and would know how to cover her tracks and not leave herself wide open. I hope I'm picking you up wrong and you don't mean as long as she covers her tracks this behaviour if she did do this is ok?

No, you misunderstood my point. NS appears to be an intelligent woman who I would like to think wouldn't do anything illegal as she will know the law better than most due to being a lawyer and must know that she is scrutinised more than most, and rightly so being in such a position of power.

It’s in Scotsman but I have read all my free pieces

@ladylunchalot so because she is a lawyer she wouldn't do anything illegal? Hm

I’m Scottish and don’t care at all. I think she’s done a far better job than Boris with coronavirus and though I’m a Labour supporter I still feel comforted with her in charge.

[quote YawnyOwl]@ladylunchalot so because she is a lawyer she wouldn't do anything illegal? Hm [/quote]
Who knows?? I'm remaining impartial as I don't have all of the information so I can't make an informed judgement.

Hmm. Interesting. So you wouldn’t care if our First minister knew about something illegal but you don’t care as she is comforting

What if the something illegal was against you or your family

When do you care ?

littlebrowndog - figure I read on Saturday was £24million, for malicious prosecution by the Crown Office

Our crown office ?

Thanks for figures

@Scottishmum1984

I’m Scottish and don’t care at all. I think she’s done a far better job than Boris with coronavirus and though I’m a Labour supporter I still feel comforted with her in charge.

I watched the update today as had a day wfh. She can't do right for wrong.

Tories/ press- You're sitting on the country's full allocation of vaccines.

SG- No we're not, we'll release the figures if you keep misquoting them in the press/ parliament .

• Has a 4 nations call on Saturday and agrees not to release the amount of vaccines in Scotland at the UK Gov's request.

Sunday- Alistair Jack releases 'vaccine numbers in Scotland '

The Press- Why are you sitting on your full allocation of vaccines.

The SG-:We're not. If we're in receipt of our full allocation, England would have 7 million they're 'sitting on.

The press- How many do you have then?

SG- Well, all 4 nations agreed to the UK Government 's request not to release numbers.

The press- but the Scottish Tories briefed the press yesterday on numbers.

So the Tories are lying ( what's new) and purposely briefing the press with false vaccine numbers or they're going against their own request and agreement re commercial/ security issue.

littlebrowndog - yes, I think it's our Crown Office. Article includes "Scotland’s chief prosecutor has admitted in open court that these charges were brought maliciously", so must be ours.

I watched the update today as had a day wfh. She can't do right for wrong.

Tories/ press- You're sitting on the country's full allocation of vaccines.

SG- No we're not, we'll release the figures if you keep misquoting them in the press/ parliament .

Has a 4 nations call on Saturday and agrees not to release the amount of vaccines in Scotland at the UK Gov's request.

Sunday- Alistair Jack releases 'vaccine numbers in Scotland '

The Press- Why are you sitting on your full allocation of vaccines.

The SG-:We're not. If we're in receipt of our full allocation, England would have 7 million they're 'sitting on.

The press- How many do you have then?

SG- Well, all 4 nations agreed to the UK Government 's request not to release numbers.

The press- but the Scottish Tories briefed the press yesterday on numbers.

So the Tories are lying ( what's new) and purposely briefing the press with false vaccine numbers or they're going against their own request and agreement re commercial/ security issue.

So, has she said the reason that we are behind everyone else on the vaccine roll out is because she hasn't been given the vaccines? Because if that was true we'd know about it. As far as I understand she said we were behind because they aren't doing enough on Sundays. Fact is that even if they were doing the same on Sundays as every other day, we would still be lagging behind. People just want to know why and she is dodging the response and blaming Westminster for her hiding the truth - again.

I do think it's worrying that there is such confidence/ trust in one person, that even if they are found guilty of a criminal act, there are people ready to say "oh, but she's doing such a good job, she's much better than Boris...and anyway he had it coming to him". I also think it's worrying that there is such a dearth of strong, competent politicians in Scotland that we really can't comprehend of anyone else taking over and doing as good a job or better as someone who had committed a criminal act (obviously I'm not saying she has... I don't know any more than anyone else does, but in theory). I mean, being better than Boris can't be that high a bar?

I hope she hasn't... I'm no fan of the SNP or NS but I do recognise she is doing what she thinks is best (even if I disagree), and she is doing it at least semi-competently (again, even though I may disagree about the details or motives and think some aspects are totally wrong). It would bugger with my head if she was proven to have actually acted maliciously and/or illegally because she doesn't strike me as that kind of person. Probably / maybe I'm horribly naive. There are other politicians of all flavours I feel the same about, and others who I wouldn't be surprised at all, though it would still make me angry.

I don't like AS and I confess I was surprised when he was found not guilty (though that may just be the media playing me, and directing me to what to think - I obviously wasn't in the courtroom and didn't hear the evidence for both sides) but no one deserves to be maliciously accused of something criminal for political ends, even if they are a bit of a sleazebag. Though I have to say the same applies to NS and there may well be some anti NS agenda going on too.

Why can't everyone be nice to each other, hey?!

I’m absolutely appalled at what is slowly coming out about NS and the Scottish Government. I’m no fan of the SNP but even this is beyond comprehension. I see that it is being reported this evening that Peter Murrell has ‘turned down’ an invite to give evidence before the committee again, in other words, he’s refusing to attend to clarify his earlier evidence.

Why would the Crown office eventually hand over evidence but specifically remark it’s not in the public interest to publish it?

Why would the Scottish government decide to proceed with a legal case when an opinion taken from a top QC advises against it due to lack of evidence, saying they would fail.

Why would the Scottish government spend £50k of public money coaching witnesses before they gave evidence to the committee?

Why is the press barely covering this?

I am going to enjoy watching them implode as surely they must when everything eventually comes out.

What matters more is that the SNP seems to be pretty much the Mr & Mrs Murrell show. If you would be happy to forgive Nicola Sturgeon any sin that surely says you don't have much confidence in the rest of the Party.

I would be more comfortable with the whole affair if there was credible cabinet around her. Even in terms of managing the politics of the pandemic Freeman is marking time to retirement and so will take all the health service missteps with her and Swinney is clearly hanging on to be the fall guy for the decimation of education.

The lack of internal dissent is not healthy in terms of debating issues and finding best solutions. Sacking Cherry today just highlights the "put up or shut up" mentality.

@NotCornflakes

Live in Scotland, SNP voter, like Nicola, do not know or care if this is true. Salmond had it coming.

Live in Scotland, former Labour voter, now Tory loathe Sturgeon and Salmond. I care a lot. I hope this the end of her and the SNP.

@Scottishmum1984

I’m Scottish and don’t care at all. I think she’s done a far better job than Boris with coronavirus and though I’m a Labour supporter I still feel comforted with her in charge.

She hasn't actually. Proportional to population the deaths are the same and Scotland is falling behind on vaccinations.