Thread 7 - No pitch forks or Pom Poms - Scottish political shenanigans

[TheShadowyFeminist]

New 🧵

@WouldBeGood

I think Patrick Harvie might be the unifying force on Scotsnet- no one likes him 😂

I think you're right there.

I think the speed and success thus far of the woke wave can be attributed to a combination (clusterfuck?) of big money from lobby groups/companies, capture of charities and online debate and a very surface level ‘fashion’ understanding of the issues where many people want to be seen as chilled out, tolerant and slightly off the wall and therefore pitted ideologically against folk they perceive to be foosty and old fashioned. There’s the usual deep rooted misogyny and ageism as well.
It’s quite incredible how surface level some of the historic commitment to child and female safeguarding seems to have been, as if it was just a phase! The current SNP lot do seem to have a problem with parents as well, with the HCB, named persons act etc. It wouldn’t be so hypocritical if they had put serious money or thought into youthwork provision and not just relied on schools to do everything and anything related to well-being in and out of school when their priority is to educate.

Has anyone seen this thing? Total trolling of feminists by the SNP shop!

Not sure why it posted 2 times. Twice the cringe

Yep both DH and I would be Green voters if they actually stuck to principled environmental policies such as they have on sustainable urban communities. Unfortunately the Greens pay only as much lip service to such concerns as even the Tories atm. Band wagon virtue signalling and self promotion seems to be far more of a priority than leading on Green change.

Surprised they haven't renamed themselves The Rainbow Party yet

@Blurberoo

I think the speed and success thus far of the woke wave can be attributed to a combination (clusterfuck?) of big money from lobby groups/companies, capture of charities and online debate and a very surface level ‘fashion’ understanding of the issues where many people want to be seen as chilled out, tolerant and slightly off the wall and therefore pitted ideologically against folk they perceive to be foosty and old fashioned. There’s the usual deep rooted misogyny and ageism as well. It’s quite incredible how surface level some of the historic commitment to child and female safeguarding seems to have been, as if it was just a phase! The current SNP lot do seem to have a problem with parents as well, with the HCB, named persons act etc. It wouldn’t be so hypocritical if they had put serious money or thought into youthwork provision and not just relied on schools to do everything and anything related to well-being in and out of school when their priority is to educate.

I agree with most of this. I also think people choose to be offended very easily as well.

There does seem to be a tendency, in certain circles, to seek offence. Almost anything can be turned in to an insult and it's almost impossible to actually talk about views or find a mid ground. There's "I'm right" and "You're incredibly wrong you raging uneducated thundercunt" and no room in the middle

Did anyone see this on the bbc?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-56656139

[quote riverrunning]Did anyone see this on the bbc?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-56656139[/quote]
"He says the current election campaign features good ideas for spending more, but little focus on how to make more money"

Can't argue with this. It's seemed to be a running theme since pre indyref - lots of discussion about how we would spend the same amount as we do currently (e.g. respending our share of Trident 93 different ways) or how we would increase spending, but little about how we would really generate growth and both strengthen and diversify our economy

@StatisticallyChallenged

There does seem to be a tendency, in certain circles, to seek offence. Almost anything can be turned in to an insult and it's almost impossible to actually talk about views or find a mid ground. There's "I'm right" and "You're incredibly wrong you raging uneducated thundercunt" and no room in the middle

Totally agree with this. I fear for the art of debating.

@forfucksakenett

The Greens annoy me generally because I really want to vote for them but they keep saying and doing really stupid shit.

We agree on something!

🥳

@Blurberoo

Has anyone seen this thing? Total trolling of feminists by the SNP shop!

This just makes me feel like they're a bunch of thugs. Somehow reminds me of Nicola's demented agro-cheering. A bit chilling. The level of it.

Forfuck I am not a lawyer though and could clearly be misinterpreting subtleties surrounding the home aspect and why people get so annoyed about it.

Both the Faculty of Advocates and the Law Society of Scotland reported considerable concerns with the bill. The Law Society of Scotland succeeded in modifying it to some extent, but obviously there remains real concern that private speech in your own home will no longer be private and that someone might report you (the potential for malicious reporting is also very real).

I'm just puzzled as to why legislation likes this keeps coming out of Scotland. The Named Persons bill was equally controlling and offensive towards privacy rights, and was clearly a no goer. Who thinks this stuff up and why does the Scottish Government think its such a good idea to control people in this way?

Theres also a tendency in Scotland to mistrust professional qualifications. One example is that anyone who wants to work as a letting agent in Scotland must attend a pricy two week course resulting in a SCQF level 6 qualification. The Law Society also objected against that particular rule, given that lawyers spend around a year studying property law, leasing and agency, and theres no requirement for anyone teaching the course to have any relevant qualifications! Theres similar rules throughout various trades - its an increasing tendency in Scotland to micro-manage and refuse to recognise relevant professional qualifications and I suspect there is quite a little niche industry and a lot of money in providing such courses for a few people.

Strange how they never require places like car repair garages or MOT centres or publicans or restaurant owners to abide by similar rules, although people's lives are at risk if they don't work to a good standard.

@sessell it’s so aggressive!

I thought so too statistically - what struck me is the argument that having control of 'economic levers' would lead to more foreign direct investment is partially busted here, Scotland isn't bad or failing at attracting FDI currently per this report, we ARE bad at turning it into long term productivity gains.

This should be worrying unionists and Indy fans alike - and plays to my underlying thoughts about both the current and post Indy weakness of the private sector here.

What else is interesting is that business creation, businesses scaling up and innovation active was already falling well pre covid - those numbers must look awful now.

Too few companies taking advantage of our high education levels - this needs to be talked about, as we often hear how educated we are, but 35 percent of employers say they are employing people over educated for those roles.

Anas must be spying on me. Strap line for today's ad is:

"Green Labour - unveiling our climate recovery plan.

If you care about confronting the Climate Emergency, but don’t want to go back to the old arguments, then vote Labour."

Would argue education at schools is only a small part of the problem. Lack of opportunities afterwards is more pressing. Still losing far too many to the brain drain. Also evidence that the Uni cap and attainment gap initiatives taken together are adversely affecting choices for non-deprived children.

I saw the green Labour thing too - good strategy, I hope they pick up green votes. They'll definitely pick up one of mine.

@Blurberoo

Has anyone seen this thing? Total trolling of feminists by the SNP shop!

“The ruling party” is a bit tone-deaf for a party that relies on a clear and persistent cultural and political distinction between Scotland and the UK. The idea that Scotland’s sovereignty lies with Scotland’s people is the cornerstone of Scottish law and something that genuinely DOES distinguish us from the wider UK, where sovereignty lies in the monarch and with the Parliament at Westminster. Scotland and Holyrood don’t have a ruling party, or shouldn’t. Leading or largest in the Parliament, sure. Or why not just say “the party of government”?

There’s also an “Eat, Sleep, Nicola, Repeat” T-shirt. I get (or at least hope) that it’s tongue in cheek - I also laughed at the “Nicola Sturgeon is my waifu” reddit polandball meme - but the people who need to be won over to support independence aren’t going to take it that way. I’d probably find it funny if some local indy business offered these, but it’s dodgy coming from the party itself and promoted on the SNP official store. It’s an interesting contrast to the advice offered above to engage with and evaluate the message/statement, rather than worshipping the (undoubtedly fallible) person.

Today’s bribe- free breakfasts for ALL school children🧐 Just wondering if extra staff will be provided too, in order to facilitate this ‘breakfast shift’ or is the plan for a 9am/school start time feed, which is way too late, especially for those that didn’t even have a decent meal the night before. If we opt out and feed our own children something other than government-issued cornflakes, could that money per head go back to charities who provide food for families in poverty? Or does that £650 per pupil, per year spend for meals not really exist?
Aware I’m not meant to ask about the finer detail, think I’m meant to just applaud this announcement like a good sheep, but if someone could enlighten me?

@Bytheloch

Today’s bribe- free breakfasts for ALL school children🧐 Just wondering if extra staff will be provided too, in order to facilitate this ‘breakfast shift’ or is the plan for a 9am/school start time feed, which is way too late, especially for those that didn’t even have a decent meal the night before. If we opt out and feed our own children something other than government-issued cornflakes, could that money per head go back to charities who provide food for families in poverty? Or does that £650 per pupil, per year spend for meals not really exist? Aware I’m not meant to ask about the finer detail, think I’m meant to just applaud this announcement like a good sheep, but if someone could enlighten me?

I wonder if it will be a state-sanctioned breakfast, provided by a company owned by an ex crony.

Its hard to see how this would work without staff coming in earlier or additional staff employed to supervise, and that will no doubt impact on parents who take their children to school on their way to work and indeed on family routines. So uptake seems likely to be limited.

If I'm sounding cynical, its because I probably am.