He’s correct. SNP needed 65 seats, but won 64. Their argument was that the election was all about Independence, so give us a mandate by giving us a majority.
If they’d won the 65 seats, Johnson would have no real argument to deny them a second Independence referendum. The fact that they came so close, in a parliament designed to prevent outright majorities, is impressive but also presumably very depressing for SNP.
Now the SNP’s argument is, “if you include the greens, there’s a majority for pro-Independence parties”. While that is correct, it’s probably not true that everyone who gave the Greens a preference actually wants out of the UK. Scottish Greens have always been very pro-independence, but unlike the SNP it’s not their raison d’etre. Johnson will make this argument.
I hope Scotland gets its second independence referendum, and votes to leave, but it might get complicated.
Bitnboxy
Hmm. There are reports that Bojo plans to love bomb Scotland with cash in the next 18 months bypassing Holyrood (without attaching his name to the goodies as he is toxic there but Teflon-like in England) and actually granting a referendum. Refusing it and fighting Sturgeon in the UK Supreme Court plays into her hands. You never know, Bojo might even repeal the Fixed Term Parliaments Act and go the country again sooner than expected forcing the SNP to fight a general election (this is highly likely).
While the cult of Brexit which is a synonym for English nationalism and the sheer disregard for the Scottish and Northern Irish votes against makes me lean toward independence, in the secrecy of the polling booth, the majority won’t vote for it (whatever the prevailing circumstances) especially those lightly in favour at the moment. Irish and Scottish independence are two very different things.
delacaravanio
There’s two big risks with that: First, it’s only a matter of time before the negative economic and social effects of Brexit can no longer be written off by the Tories and their friends in the national press (especially the BBC) as consequences of Covid. Eighteen months of showering cash on Scotland from Westminster isn’t going to hide the fact that Scottish whiskey distilleries, smoked salmon and mussels producers, fishermen, etc. are all being squeezed. In time, more factories will close. Unemployment will rise.
Secondly, more sleaze about Boris and chums being revealed will damage people’s perception of Westminster. The SNP can look forward to many more months of exposes about no-bid contracts, cash for curtains and Dominic Cummings slinging mud. All of which will reinforce the perception of Boris and co as a bunch of blithering, aloof fools. Unlike in England, where Johnson somehow has convinced voters that everything is a big joke, one long Carry On film which they are starring in with him, the Scots look at him as a dangerous fool.
Sturgeon’s administration already appears very competent. It will look even more so as, invariably, calls for an inquiry into the British government’s completely botched response to Covid-19 can no longer be resisted. Civil servants in front of cameras explaining how the prime minister ignored all of the warnings, etc. will damage the already pi55 poor reputation of Westminster in Scotland.
The only hope for keeping the United Kindom together would be federalism and a written constitution. I can’t see that happening quickly enough to stop Scotland leaving, however.
Unreal
I’d like to see Scotland apply to join the EU first before any new referendum. If Brussels and SNP are clever that’s the way they will play it. Just look at what’s happening with the Unionist pro Brexit leaders up here in our own place. The jig is up.
Cú Chulainn
Scotland ceased to exist ling before the battle of Culloden .. it doesn’t actually exist other than as a concept of further north… they are a spineless race: https://youtu.be/29-LRuuqFT0
Who deserve everything they get.
Unreal
Steady on old boy
Cú Chulainn
I lost a number of years of my life working there.. I’m entitled to it…
Formerly known as @ireland.com
@del
SNP 64 + Greens 8 is a lot more than 65. The SNP won 85% of the constituencies. Bozo’s Tories claim a big mandate with 43% of the UK vote. There is no doubt that an independence referendum is on the agenda. Denying it because Bozo may not like the outcome is not democratic.
Donald McCarthy
Not for the first time, it appears the front page of Doomerati Impartial Explorer has gone missing. DIE is one of the leading west of ireland doomer publications and it was reliably dispatched to Dublin on the back of our second-best pigeon, chaperoned by our number one peregrine. The front page was all about self-reinforcing feedback loops and how these were now generating their own loops which in turn……. Anyhoo the upshot is that doomerati scientists are pleased to announce that extinction will most likely arrive ahead of schedule. I have had to bring forward my pedicure date but luckily the metal-worker with the only nine inch grinder in the parish has managed to squeeze me in for Nov. 2024 so I won’t face the shame of going extinct with nearly new socks. That would be so un-green. If you like big surprises, please disregard this post.
Unreal
The insights about the metal working hierarchy in your parish are riveting.
Fergalito
Alloyed with a brass neck and steely determination he nails it every time. Always well polished and a stainless reputation too. While his mettle may be tested from time to time only a fool would deny this comment hasn’t copper fastened it. Welder will always be some who’ll deny it of course…
Rosette of Sirius
The irony! Hammerite?
Unreal
Sheet!
Johnny
Dowd still has it,just a great read.
..When Ewan McGregor was but a wee lad in a sleepy town in Scotland in the ’70s, some 3,200 miles away in a Manhattan townhouse on East 63rd Street, Roy Halston Frowick was living on a diet of baked potatoes with beluga caviar, chilled Stolichnaya, rent boys and mounds of cocaine piled in Elsa Peretti silver ashtrays. (With silver straws to match.)..
Somehow, an Aussie journalist sees the Scottish result as a setback for Scottish independence.
https://www.theage.com.au/world/europe/divided-down-the-middle-scottish-independence-suffers-an-election-setback-20210509-p57q6k.html
He’s correct. SNP needed 65 seats, but won 64. Their argument was that the election was all about Independence, so give us a mandate by giving us a majority.
If they’d won the 65 seats, Johnson would have no real argument to deny them a second Independence referendum. The fact that they came so close, in a parliament designed to prevent outright majorities, is impressive but also presumably very depressing for SNP.
Now the SNP’s argument is, “if you include the greens, there’s a majority for pro-Independence parties”. While that is correct, it’s probably not true that everyone who gave the Greens a preference actually wants out of the UK. Scottish Greens have always been very pro-independence, but unlike the SNP it’s not their raison d’etre. Johnson will make this argument.
I hope Scotland gets its second independence referendum, and votes to leave, but it might get complicated.
Hmm. There are reports that Bojo plans to love bomb Scotland with cash in the next 18 months bypassing Holyrood (without attaching his name to the goodies as he is toxic there but Teflon-like in England) and actually granting a referendum. Refusing it and fighting Sturgeon in the UK Supreme Court plays into her hands. You never know, Bojo might even repeal the Fixed Term Parliaments Act and go the country again sooner than expected forcing the SNP to fight a general election (this is highly likely).
While the cult of Brexit which is a synonym for English nationalism and the sheer disregard for the Scottish and Northern Irish votes against makes me lean toward independence, in the secrecy of the polling booth, the majority won’t vote for it (whatever the prevailing circumstances) especially those lightly in favour at the moment. Irish and Scottish independence are two very different things.
There’s two big risks with that: First, it’s only a matter of time before the negative economic and social effects of Brexit can no longer be written off by the Tories and their friends in the national press (especially the BBC) as consequences of Covid. Eighteen months of showering cash on Scotland from Westminster isn’t going to hide the fact that Scottish whiskey distilleries, smoked salmon and mussels producers, fishermen, etc. are all being squeezed. In time, more factories will close. Unemployment will rise.
Secondly, more sleaze about Boris and chums being revealed will damage people’s perception of Westminster. The SNP can look forward to many more months of exposes about no-bid contracts, cash for curtains and Dominic Cummings slinging mud. All of which will reinforce the perception of Boris and co as a bunch of blithering, aloof fools. Unlike in England, where Johnson somehow has convinced voters that everything is a big joke, one long Carry On film which they are starring in with him, the Scots look at him as a dangerous fool.
Sturgeon’s administration already appears very competent. It will look even more so as, invariably, calls for an inquiry into the British government’s completely botched response to Covid-19 can no longer be resisted. Civil servants in front of cameras explaining how the prime minister ignored all of the warnings, etc. will damage the already pi55 poor reputation of Westminster in Scotland.
The only hope for keeping the United Kindom together would be federalism and a written constitution. I can’t see that happening quickly enough to stop Scotland leaving, however.
I’d like to see Scotland apply to join the EU first before any new referendum. If Brussels and SNP are clever that’s the way they will play it. Just look at what’s happening with the Unionist pro Brexit leaders up here in our own place. The jig is up.
Scotland ceased to exist ling before the battle of Culloden .. it doesn’t actually exist other than as a concept of further north… they are a spineless race: https://youtu.be/29-LRuuqFT0
Who deserve everything they get.
Steady on old boy
I lost a number of years of my life working there.. I’m entitled to it…
@del
SNP 64 + Greens 8 is a lot more than 65. The SNP won 85% of the constituencies. Bozo’s Tories claim a big mandate with 43% of the UK vote. There is no doubt that an independence referendum is on the agenda. Denying it because Bozo may not like the outcome is not democratic.
Not for the first time, it appears the front page of Doomerati Impartial Explorer has gone missing. DIE is one of the leading west of ireland doomer publications and it was reliably dispatched to Dublin on the back of our second-best pigeon, chaperoned by our number one peregrine. The front page was all about self-reinforcing feedback loops and how these were now generating their own loops which in turn……. Anyhoo the upshot is that doomerati scientists are pleased to announce that extinction will most likely arrive ahead of schedule. I have had to bring forward my pedicure date but luckily the metal-worker with the only nine inch grinder in the parish has managed to squeeze me in for Nov. 2024 so I won’t face the shame of going extinct with nearly new socks. That would be so un-green. If you like big surprises, please disregard this post.
The insights about the metal working hierarchy in your parish are riveting.
Alloyed with a brass neck and steely determination he nails it every time. Always well polished and a stainless reputation too. While his mettle may be tested from time to time only a fool would deny this comment hasn’t copper fastened it. Welder will always be some who’ll deny it of course…
The irony! Hammerite?
Sheet!
Dowd still has it,just a great read.
..When Ewan McGregor was but a wee lad in a sleepy town in Scotland in the ’70s, some 3,200 miles away in a Manhattan townhouse on East 63rd Street, Roy Halston Frowick was living on a diet of baked potatoes with beluga caviar, chilled Stolichnaya, rent boys and mounds of cocaine piled in Elsa Peretti silver ashtrays. (With silver straws to match.)..
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/07/style/ewan-mcgregor-halston-netflix.html?referringSource=articleShare
Shorter-new Netflix series on Halston-trailer.
https://youtu.be/yCgdWHwEnrg
Not by any means my favourite ’Dom Dolla – Take It’ mix but as we say up north- let’s run up the flag and see who salutes?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UteIWaw5y4c.
You are come home (to paraphrase a Scottish phrase)
I would have gone with “Out, damned spot!”
Nice to see you back SOQ.