STURGEON IS QUITTING

[Clymene]

Just seen on BBC headlines

If true that’s a win for women’s rights

Quite something when women really can impact outcomes

If true I may take a trip down to Cardiff Bay and shout "DRAKEFORD, ARE YOU FUCKING WATCHING, ARE YOU FUCKING LISTENING?!"

Ooh! Got a link?

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11757669/The-end-Nicola-Sturgeons-dream-Scotland-SNP-plans-quietly-drop-legacy.html

This is the pertinent part, I think.

"The SNP's National Executive Committee is due to meet this evening to hammer out the terms of a leadership campaign expected to last two or three months.

The First Minister had vowed to defend the gender legislation after Westminster enacted never-before-used powers to block her bid to make it easier to change gender in Scotland.

Holyrood has until mid-April to challenge London's decision but the race to replace Ms Strugeon [sic] is likely to run until at least that deadline - plunging hopes of resurrecting the policy into serious doubt, even if it is not officially ditched.

An SNP source told the Telegraph: 'We need to get back on track by pursuing things that matter to the people of Scotland, not pushing stuff that the public is vehemently opposed to.

'I expect the gender reforms to be parked somewhere as quickly as possible. Any sensible new leader will want to get that off the front pages, and quickly.'
Standing down now means she will avoid running a legal challenge she was likely to lose, or not launching an objection at all, both of which would have severely weakened her position.'"

The typo suggests this story was typed up in a hurry.

The Telegraph is mentioned - it's behind a paywall though so I can't see if there's a story there.

Hopefully this is a first nail in the political coffin of the idea that the job of politicians is not to represent but to force the electorate to do what their betters think Is Best For Them. And a realisation that it can only be pushed so far before the electorate show signs of throwing you right out of power.

And that's a bloody salutory lesson for the entire political left.

She's not tweeted since 14 Feb. She's got way more class than us 😜

MN doesn't like links to webpages bypassing paywalls so I've looked at The Telegraph website and "used a ladder" to peek over said wall 😜

This is the relevant passage in their article:

She insisted that her departure was not down to “short-term pressures”, a reference to her gender reforms and the scandal over trans double rapist Isla Bryson being initially placed in a female jail. Instead, she said it was because she had run out of energy.

But one party source made it clear that the fallout over Ms Sturgeon’s transgender policies had been key to her demise.

The source said: “We need to get back on track by pursuing things that matter to the people of Scotland, not pushing stuff that the public is vehemently opposed to.

“I expect the gender reforms to be parked somewhere as quickly as possible. Any sensible new leader will want to get that off the front pages, and quickly.”
^^
Privately, senior figures within the SNP are highly critical of Ms Sturgeon’s failure to groom an obvious successor. They fear an unpopular new SNP leader would cause support for both the party and independence to collapse.

Per the BBC News site
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-scotland-64648879

"Whoever takes over from Nicola Sturgeon will have a "huge in-tray of problems" and the SNP needs a "refresh", says the editor of Holyrood magazine.

Mandy Rhodes says the gender recognition reform bill and the de facto referendum - whereby the result of the next general election would be seen as a referendum on independence - are closely associated with Sturgeon.

She tells BBC Breakfast that a new SNP leader will have some "very immediate problems to deal with" including legal action against the government in Westminster over gender recognition reform. "I suspect [the legal action] will be quietly dropped," adds Rhodes."

Will tray to check out Breakfast on iPlayer now.

Thing is though, the prison service and the police service have either gone against the tenet of the GRR, or spoken outright against it. Those are quite important public services you'd need arguing your corner if you were gonna defend it and challenge the UK government.

I mean, Scot Gov is welcome to do that. We'll have to do a lottery for ringside tickets 🍿

Thanks, Chersfrozenface!

This morning's BBC Breakfast is not yet available on iPlayer, though a message says it will be available soon.

No idea how long it takes for an editor to go through 3 hours of live programme looking for oopsies and embarrassing or actionable moments.

Kate Forbes would be a fool to run. Not only has she not long had a baby, she's also got christian beliefs which would put her at odds with both transwomen and biological women. She's not been an MSP for long so potentially not experienced enough. If she's smart, she won't stand, at least not right now. I fully expect Humza Useless to stand, not so sure about John Swinney.

But I thought it was only the 3 of us on here who were against this and the rest of the known universe was all for it?

I find it quite disturbing that you think a Christian shouldn’t run, do you think a Muslim shouldn’t either? And surely an atheist is ‘at odds’ with all those of religious faith?

BordoisAgain · Today 11:26

But I thought it was only the 3 of us on here who were against this and the rest of the known universe was all for it?

Yes; and aren't we all smelly, homophobic racists as well? I must say, I'm rather confused now.

The relevant part of @NicolaSturGONE's post is "she's also got christian beliefs which would put her at odds with both transwomen and biological women" (my emphasis).

It's her specific Christian beliefs that are under discussion. She is against gay marriage and against abortion in most circumstances.

if Kate should not run because she is a Christian ( I don't think she will run because her family is based in the Highlands and her daughter is not yet 1) the Humza should not run because he is a Muslim, some others should not run as they are Catholic, Rishi is a practising Hindu. Relgion is also a protected characteristic according to UN everyone should have freedom of religion ( including having no faith) both in public and private life and the right to educate their children in the same faith. Excluding people of faith from public life is just as discriminatory as excluding people on the basis of no faith, or any other characteristic

So? Why should she not run? Do your beliefs not put you are odds with transwomen and biological women such at Kate Forbes?

most Muslims Jews, Buddhists, Sikhs and Hindis also share those beliefs

I don't want to speak for @NicolaSturGONE but I haven't seen that poster or any other say Kate Forbes shouldn't run.

But, given her strongly held beliefs and 1) does she have a chance of succeeding and 2) could she act as First Minister in the interests of all groups?

I think all the new leader talk and what nuanced fresh independence hell will be brought onto Scotland is a moot point; there will be no real change in the SNP if Peter Murrell, Nicola sturgeon’s husband, is still CEO of the party.

I find it quite disturbing that you think a Christian shouldn’t run, do you think a Muslim shouldn’t either? And surely an atheist is ‘at odds’ with all those of religious faith?

It's not that she's a Christian, but that she's a 'fundamentalist' Christian. She's a member of the Free Church of Scotland. They're quite hard core. And she's been absolutely explicit that people know that about her. I feel she's kind of saying, 'vote for me but know what you get, my faith is everything, it's who I am'. Which is honest, but we'd better heed the warning.

Free Church do not believe in abortion, for example. They don't celebrate Christmas or Easter because those aren't in the Bible (I think). I don't think they work on Sundays ... again, not 100% sure. But they are probably the most hard core Christian faith in Scotland.

I don't think anyone's religion should stop them from running, but it would be naive to think it won't impact their leadership bid and/or their experience as leader - as we saw with Tim Farron when he was Lib Dem leader.

news.sky.com/story/tim-farron-resigns-as-leader-of-liberal-democrats-10915873

The SNP has positioned itself and the ultimate lefty, progressive party in Scotland, and in the UK to an extent. I am sure that part of the GRR's wider purpose was to distinguish the SNP from those mean, old-fashioned, Westminster parties like the Conservatives and Labour. Remember the SNP has chased the youth vote hard as well, with campaigns to lower the voting age, and free university tuition. The youth vote is going to be more difficult to get with a traditionally religious party leader. Possibly more difficult for a Christian than any other religion tbh, as Christianity tends to be the religion our society sees as fair game for mainstream criticism and mockery, which tends not to be targeted at Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs for fear of accusations of racism / xenophobia / islamophobia.

Add in the standard level of misogyny as well, and Kate Forbes will definitely have an uphill struggle on her hands if she decides to go for it.

Oh most certainly. She’s probably enjoying sitting back and watching the show.

Maybe she should start her own party? I would move to Scotland to join it😀

I kept checking her Twitter yesterday. I wonder if she's had someone take away her phone / laptop to keep her from temptation or if she's just got astonishing levels of self control!

I couldn't do it.