I loathe the Scottish Government

[Dineasair]

I loathe the Scottish Government. I want to see the SNP/Green Party coalition roast in hell! They can take any MSP who voted for the Gender Reform Bill or the Hate Crime Laws with them. Is it now a hate crime for a Scottish Woman to say that?

This! Their obsession with independence has been to the detriment of ever aspect of life in Scotland.

So that's Kate Forbes been rewarded for standing aside and letting Swinney take it. Wonder what Graeme McCormick will get...

Ooof: Swinney's grinning face today (his wife & son look pleasant enough!)
Is there any chance that an election will happen in Scotland prior to 2 yrs time?

what did KF 'get'?
(I wondered if she is playing the long game - let JS take the flak now, distance herself from some of her less politically correct statements & 'return' in 2 yrs?)

KF has been rewarded with the deputy FM role.

Ah - thanks! @Rainbowshit
I can't check the news right now so helpful to know.
Still think she's waiting in the wings then (even more now :)

Interesting - that’s going to upset Gilruth and the other rainbow nutters. Excellent!

💷💷💷

@whistablenative I don’t know 🤔 I reckon Stephen Flynn is on manoeuvres to head to Holyrood for the top job in a few years. He’s a 🐍 I reckon 🤣

I think they've done a deal, don't contest the leadership get deputy & later "honest John" will step aside /endorse her - plus she then has "leadership " experience to cite.

Does he step aside before or after their next (hopefully disastrous) election?

Perhaps he’s trying to appeal to the broad church? Remember she was the public’s favourite for FM - before they foisted Yousless on us. Maybe he’s hoping that she can bring a bit of balance to the madness and persuade more of their voters to return to them, esp the GC ones who may be thinking of turning to the Alba party.

(I wondered if she is playing the long game - let JS take the flak now, distance herself from some of her less politically correct statements & 'return' in 2 yrs?)

I agree @whistablenative
It's a poison chalice while operation branchform is going on. Any SNP leader is tainted by being associated with corruption and scandal.
KF is young yet, better to wait a few years

It's not like she is competent either folks. The only thing that separates her from most of the rest is that she knows what a woman is and is willing to state it publicly. 🤷

Exactly.

But I don’t think she’s renowned for her incompetence in the same way that pretty much every other SNP MP / MSP is which makes her stand head and shoulders above everyone else.

Absolutely this. Leaving the whole politics to one side - Swinney is 60. His wife is unwell and has a progressive illness. He's not in this for the long haul, is he?

Glad that others have noticed the saltires and Scot gov stamp on about every aspect of daily life.

I do think its a bit selfish of him to do this when his wife is unwell and I say that as a disabled person myself.
Whilst I wouldn't want my DH looking after me or giving up his career, there's a big difference between being 60 (as Swinney is) and being 43 (as my DH is).
So I doubt he's in it for the long haul and Forbes will be lined up to take over.

Only because she wasn't really in office long enough. She was the one who put through tax rises in the budget but forgot to apply the Barnet formula to the expected income, so the story goes...

If he has a final salary pension then it might be very much financially worthwhile for them for him to take on the role for a short period of time.

Unlike at Westminseter, the First Minister's pension does not work like that. The amount received is dependent on the number of years they hold the job. They receive either 1/40 or 1/50 of final salary (depending on which funding option they choose) for each year in office.

Humza will receive around £2k per year but only after he reaches retirement age.

From the Scottish Parliamentary Pensions Act 2009 Explanatory Notes

Under the First Minister and Presiding Officer pension scheme both the First Minister and Presiding Officer are entitled to an annual pension equivalent to 50% of their office-holder salary payable from the day after ceasing to hold office, irrespective of their length of service in the post or their age. There is also provision for a pension for surviving widows, civil partners and children or any person entitled to benefits (with any pension payable based on the relevant office-holder pension entitlement).

Has that changed?

She was responsible for first tax rise which having not taking the Barnet formula into account meant it raised nothing but collected £250 million less - nae sae bright

Must have.

https://www.thenational.scot/news/24291168.scottish-parliament-calls-massively-wrong-story-humza-yousaf/

Interesting - that’s not what the Act quite clearly states. It would be helpful if the SP could clarify that in the context of the Act.