In truth we fought each other mair...

That title is a line from one of my dad's songs called Scotland Yet.  If you have an interest in Scottish folk music my dad is Davy Steele, and he wrote Scotland Yet just before the vote for devolution.  However, that song seems more relevant today than it did then.

One look at my Twitter feed from last night and this one line came to mind.  Unionists and Independence supporters at each other, and now unfortunately, we see that Unionist or British Nationalists will now vote Tory instead of Labour and LibDem in order to beat the SNP.  I wouldn't, couldn't vote for another Party if it went against my politics.  So shame on those Labour/LibDem supporters who will sell their souls to keep Scotland shackled to the UK.

When I suggested that free uni fees, free prescriptions and the best performing NHS in the UK were good results I was met with:

'Cutting grants means fewer students from poor backgrounds going into University' and 'Nobody who couldn't afford it paid for prescription and now well off folk are getting free toothpaste etc which is wrong'.

Maybe I am wrong, but it seems that if it's a good, working SNP policy then Unionists will still moan, no-matter-what, because people are having no difficulty in voting for a party that wants women to prove that they were raped, has taken mobility cars from the disabled and has implemented policies that has seen a sharp increase in the number of people using food banks, and the list goes on.  Their priorities are completely screwed up.  I don't know what's happening to Scotland, I thought the people there were better than that, evidently I was wrong.

We really do fight each other mair.

Independence or not...

I’m intrigued by this suggestion from Lesley Riddoch.  Is it possible?  Can the SNP and Scottish Green Party have some kind of joint manifesto?

Personally, I remain unconvinced, not out of spite or hatred for either party, far from it.  No, my doubt is there because I wonder what reaction this would get from the supporters of both.

The only question that both sets of supporters need to ask, in my opinion, is this: Do we really want independence?  If the answer is an unequivocal ‘yes’, then there really is only one choice and this is for both sets to vote for the SNP.  In a WM general election the Green vote can only succeed in splitting the votes for pro-independence candidates.

Now, this may not serve democracy, in that choice is being limited, but should the Scottish Green Party sit this one out and urge their supporters to vote for the SNP?  There are calls from Unionists for a Labour/LibDem/Tory attack on the SNP.  To me, every single supporter of independence needs to support the SNP at this one general election.  The ends will justify the means.

So, do they want independence?  Yes or no?

The gloves are off...

Bloody hell, I take a few days off for Easter, and missed being able to comment on the great Holyrood boycott from Ruth and her mates.  Ruth Davidson supporting the absolutely ghastly and inhumane rape clause.  Then today, St Theresa of May, she of the 'we are all as one' Party has gone and called a General Election in June.

Down here, in the office, they reckon that May has pulled a blinder and that this will neutralise the SNP in Scotland.  Naturally...I disagree.

In a very short space of time, the people of Scotland need to answer just one question:  what kind of country do I want Scotland to be?

If you are happy to be isolated in the world and tied like some third-rate appendage to England, then vote to stay in the UK.

If however, you want to live in: a forward looking, inclusive, progressive and modern country that makes its own decisions, then it has to be the SNP or the Green Party.

That's it, it's that simple.

Under-estimate...

During this last week I have learnt the value in not under-estimating people, on this particular occasion it happens to be my sever year old son.

Our eldest son is thirteen and is very bright, academically.  However, recently we had a parents evening at the school of our youngest and had a really good talk with his teacher.  We couldn't have been happier at what we were told; he works hard, is really polite, but he is doing really well at his subjects.

He has a bit of a speech impediment and is left-handed, so at times he has found writing awkward.  The quality of his hand-writing though has really improved and he loves English, both written and reading work.  He is, we were told, a bright boy.  

Maybe because he is our youngest, that we've treated him, at times, as if he is still a baby.  Perhaps we've even unconsciously allowed his speech impediment influence the way we look at him?  I don't know.  What I do know is that he is giving it his all at school and is a bright young man.

I won't make the mistake of under-estimating him again.