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?

Cole Hamilton didn't do well did he?

Literally just come to ACH. His first question...wtf?

ACH in a nutshell. He's a clown.

Salmond says 'there were ways of responding that strengthened or amendment the existing (sexual harassment) policy.

"The last thing you do on subjects like this is rush them through in spatchcock fashion in a matter of days without consultation with the trade unions, in a manner which ended in the Court of Session in total disaster for everyone concerned," he says.

We see this time and again with SNP legislation, a rush-in of 'new' 'SNP branded' legislation that sounds good on twitter (hate crime bill etc etc) when it would've been better to incrementally augment existing legislation and looks as though the same problem with their policies.

Dinnafash

Exactly. Apathy plus an administration as opaque as Putin's whereby they hope people get bored to death rather than pay attention to their shenanigans.
Well, finally it seems that has come to an end.

AcH just seems to be asking totally inappropriate questions. He's clearly going for the "I support abused women" vote except he just sounds like an incompetent rude muppet

total disaster for everyone concerned is a pretty good summary too.

@PolkadotsAndMoonbeams

Scotland has Parliamentary elections in May

Off topic, but I really don't think it should. Parties can't campaign normally, and parties and voters need that. (Terminal floating voter here!)

I know the election was timetabled, but it's prioritising the ritual of democracy over actual democracy.

That's a very good description

Wow Murdo Fraser

Botched doesn’t cover it

It was unlawful

Convenor. Making up scenarios
🤷‍♀️

We see this time and again with SNP legislation, a rush-in of 'new' 'SNP branded' legislation that sounds good on twitter (hate crime bill etc etc) when it would've been better to incrementally augment existing legislation and looks as though the same problem with their policies.

Yes AS said that himself today ‘at pace’ if I picked it up correctly.

yes, that seems to be one of his main attacks coquovan he did say that and he's absolutely nailed that.

I think this stramash will cost the SNP the election. So goodbye to another Indyref

There's no indication whatsoever that this is having any impact on SNP electability. In fact, Scotsman's latest poll puts SNP voting intent up by 2%, and SNP voter support for Sturgeon at 95%

It's of interest to anyone who pays attention to politics, and possibly quite exciting for those who already dislike the SNP in the way that it promises scandal or intrigue, but in terms of the wider public, I think the majority of people have no interest in this whatsoever.

Sorry, Ipsos Mori puts SNP voter support for NS at 95%

StatisticallyChallenged
I'm at the point where Maureen Watt is asking (repeatedly) about the need for a specific sexual harassment policy. She's like a dog with a bone but is not coming across well, or sounding unbiased to me
Agreed. I also though Alex Cole Hamilton came across badly.

Doesn't he always?

They really should. Is this the start of a slippery slope where opposition is rubbished it’s set up and a one party state takes all? I think the Scots are Sleepwalking into very dubious practices. The prosecutor not being separate from the government. The DPP in England is not linked to the government or giving advice to it.

The only issue seems to be nationalism. Everything else is secondary. This is never a good scenario for good governance or democracy in any country. At this rate it will be Sturgeon for the next 30 years in a quasi dictator role.

The governments case was unstateable

Punitive costs against the government

Documents were missing

The whold thing is a disaster. Imagine that lot actually in charge of running a country.

At this rate it will be Sturgeon for the next 30 years in a quasi dictator role.

I can't imagine, in a state so overwhelmingly preoccupied with nationalism that it would re-elect Nicola Sturgeon for the next 30 years, that Scotland wouldn't be out of the UK and quench that thirst for nationalism long, long before then.

Government pleadings to the court were misleading

@PresentingPercy

They really should. Is this the start of a slippery slope where opposition is rubbished it’s set up and a one party state takes all? I think the Scots are Sleepwalking into very dubious practices. The prosecutor not being separate from the government. The DPP in England is not linked to the government or giving advice to it.

The only issue seems to be nationalism. Everything else is secondary. This is never a good scenario for good governance or democracy in any country. At this rate it will be Sturgeon for the next 30 years in a quasi dictator role.

But this is because of the structure of devolution and what the Scotland Acts set out.

When the labour gov in 1998 set up devolution you would that they spent about 5 min setting out how it would work. Since then changes to institutional structure has been mostly reactive and at pace.

There have been changes to the way devolution works since then but it’s been somewhat stealthy. I don’t think the prosecution (Crown - Lord Advocate) has to be in the government and this could be changed. You cannot be prosecutor and in the government in any stable democracy.

You cannot have Government committees that cannot hear all the evidence. Salmond has been threatened with prosecution if he submits all his evidence. This threat must be removed. If necessary the committee hears evidence away from cameras. As courts do. Silencing people is not what a democracy does. All evidence should be heard without threats.

I love the idea that, should there be independence, Sturgeon will fade away!!! No chance. She’s got a ling way to fall before she goes anywhere. Where’s the challenge coming from? A single second party might become an opposition but no sign of it yet. She’s currently unassailable and with independence why would it change?

You just think Fabiani's being prompted from the FM's office via her ipad all the way through.
What's with the pushing for people to not waste time and hurry up, hurry up? They're asking legitimate questions
What does she think she's doing?

Percy - if there were to be independence there'd be no more SNP as no more need for it. So she would have to win hearts and minds to survive. She's incapable of doing that.
She'd run away to live on her massive pension and savings from ther £3k a week plus eccies.