Who to vote for in the Scottish elections?

[RaidersoftheLostAardvark]

My main priority is voting for a candidate who will stand up for my sex based rights. I am left of centre & usually vote Labour, but do not feel confident supporting them currently. But are Scottish Tories any better? I don't know! I did email my MSP about the Hate Crime bill and had a polite response but no indication of his views on women's rights. I will email again to directly ask for his views, and will be looking at how he votes on the hate crimes bill. Any knowledgeable Scots out there who can comment on the local landscape? Suspect I will be voting Tory for the first time! I do not want to spoil a ballot paper - might as well not bother voting.

there is a lot of drama happening in the Scottish Gov just now - no shit! Sturgeon may be history before the election.

SNP list, SNP constituency.

If you genuinely want rid of the SNP and a return to competitive, constructive politics in Scotland, the best way to do that is get out of the UK, remove the SNP's main raison d'etre, and then we can assess what is best for Scotland without being dictated to by a lunatic, incompetent and corrupt right-wing government in London, hell-bent on ideologically persecuting the poor and infirm, and elected purely on the whims of English voters.

@XDownwiththissortofthingX

SNP list, SNP constituency.

If you genuinely want rid of the SNP and a return to competitive, constructive politics in Scotland, the best way to do that is get out of the UK, remove the SNP's main raison d'etre, and then we can assess what is best for Scotland without being dictated to by a lunatic, incompetent and corrupt right-wing government in London, hell-bent on ideologically persecuting the poor and infirm, and elected purely on the whims of English voters.

The Scottish Parliament voted to seek a second independence referendum in March 2017. It had a mandate from the voters, it confirmed a mandate from the voters via an SNP + Greens majority vote at Holyrood: www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-39422747.

And yet, nothing has changed. Nothing is in the process of changing.

What is a vote for the SNP (or any pro-independence party) going to accomplish in 2021 that it didn't in 2016? How do we know?

It pains me to say it but Tory. Can’t now vote Labour and will die before I vote SNP

John Nicolson is my MSP and I really don’t think I can even hold my nose to vote for him now. No idea what I’ll do as I can’t bring myself to vote Tory either.

@MrsLangOnionsMcWeetabix

John Nicolson is my MSP and I really don’t think I can even hold my nose to vote for him now. No idea what I’ll do as I can’t bring myself to vote Tory either.

My deepest condolences about Nicolson; he is the worst of the worst from all parties. But I think he's an MP, so firmly entrenched at Westminster/in the House of Commons until 2024, which gives you a bit of breathing space. You may have better choices in Holyrood for the upcoming May 2021 elections - I think we still have some time (til first week in April) for candidates to declare so I am waiting to see which of the smaller/new parties will stand a candidate in my area, and who's on the list for the main parties. Hope you find someone decent in your area!

John Nicolson is my MSP

I'm so sorry.

Ah balls yes MP so we’re truly stuck with him

Is there anything good about him? Does he do anything for the constituency?

Conservative for the first past the post and the list as I've been doing since lunacy of the Holyrood parliament was ever thought of.

My choice has nothing to do with trans rights or women's rights.

@buckerrucker

Is there anything good about him? Does he do anything for the constituency?

No he's horrible. He lost his seat in 2017 - what a great result that was- so many SNP casualties. Unfortunately most of them got back in 2019- lord only knows why.

I mean I've heard the ridiculous excuse "Scotland doesn't want Boris" as if Boris is going to be here forever. He won't, but breaking up the Union and trashing the economy will.

@XDownwiththissortofthingX

SNP list, SNP constituency.

If you genuinely want rid of the SNP and a return to competitive, constructive politics in Scotland, the best way to do that is get out of the UK, remove the SNP's main raison d'etre, and then we can assess what is best for Scotland without being dictated to by a lunatic, incompetent and corrupt right-wing government in London, hell-bent on ideologically persecuting the poor and infirm, and elected purely on the whims of English voters.

I don't want out of the UK.

Scotland is already being run by "a lunatic, incompetent and corrupt left- wing government" in Holyrood.

If you think that bunch are going to go away if they achieve separatism you are deluded. They will still be there but without any control from Westminster and without the access to UK funds.

I think the best way to send the message that you don’t support SNP or Labour is to vote Conservative- if the Tories start making gains in Scotland the other parties will have to actually look at why !

I don't live in Scotland but what about SDP Scotland?

I mean I've heard the ridiculous excuse "Scotland doesn't want Boris" as if Boris is going to be here forever. He won't, but breaking up the Union and trashing the economy will.

People are going to vote in the here and now. You can say "Boris" doesn't matter, but three Conservative UK Prime Ministers in a row have trashed the UK (and Scotland, for those who see it as distinct): Cameron, May, and Johnson.

Hate Sturgeon all you want - I don't love her - but when it comes down to it the SNP often does field the strongest candidates. I'm completely open to voting "not SNP", but to be honest - the other parties leave an open field, either not bothering to show up and campaign at all or making a spectacle of themselves so as to make my SNP MP and Constituency MSP look like the most reasonable choices. It would be easier to vote "not SNP" if there were a viable alternative to the SNP. It's an own goal for the Conservatives, Lib Dems, and Labour - and an indictment of their collective and ongoing weakness - that there is not.

I was just talking about this with my dh and for the first time ever, I really have no idea.

I hate SNP and all that they are doing to women’s rights which is making m consider voting either Tory or labour as there is not much between them in voting patterns here. But could I really vote Labour when they don’t know what a woman is and that leaves Tory which makes me really uncomfortable as I am typically left of centre.

I guess I will have to see who they field and see which one is the most normal.

It's so tough. I hate every party to the extent that I don't think I'll be able to vote at all.