The great unwashed...

Well it would seem that in Scotland, politically at least, the SNP have become the great unwashed. No-one wants to work with them.  Arguably, we could agree that along with the Greens, Labour and the Liberal Democrats, these parties have worked either on the Left or centre Left.  No any more. Labour and the LibDems seem to be rather happy working with the Tories.  Take Aberdeen for example.

You may find these tweets by Guy Ingerson very helpful:

They have 4 Cllrs so could have supported SNP admin (19 Cllrs, 23 if Lib Dems had supported them)

SNP reach out to Labour (9 Cllrs)

— Guy Ingerson (@guy_ingerson) 17 May 2017

This new admin would have a Co-Leadership to soften the pill (legality still in question). However, Scottish Lab HQ ruled out ANY deal.

— Guy Ingerson (@guy_ingerson) 17 May 2017

While Labour implode internally, their Tory allies decide to 'help' by electing Lab leader as the Council leader (de facto their leader)

— Guy Ingerson (@guy_ingerson) 17 May 2017

Labour claim to have 'won' & that their manifesto will be implemented in full

Tories support as they have no manifesto... (No #IndyRef2 )

— Guy Ingerson (@guy_ingerson) 17 May 2017

Meanwhile the Lib Dems sit on their hands -1 Cllr, the SNP cry foul, Labour in chaos, Tories rubbing hands with glee & we Greens despair...

— Guy Ingerson (@guy_ingerson) 17 May 2017

Up-date. The Labour Cllrs are now, temporarily, not Labour Cllrs (Lab now -9 Cllrs, Ind Cllr +12).

Shambles.https://t.co/hnJZwU0TzK

— Guy Ingerson (@guy_ingerson) 17 May 2017

 

All eyes are on Kezia Dugdale.  What will she do.  To her credit she did say no deals with any Party that supported austerity.  If it were me I’d sack the lot of them. They’ll continue as independents or maybe even join the Tory Party.  I don’t really care, I’m more interested in seeing if she has any moral backbone as a leader.

As for the people of Aberdeen, and really this is a country-wide issue.  If you are stupid enough to vote for Tories and Labour then you’ll get what you deserve.  You were all warned before the Local Elections. Unfortunately, the people in Aberdeen may pay a heavy price.

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?