Aye, and mesh netting is there to stop loose rocks from falling onto the road, it would be as useful as a chocolate fireguard at the Rest and be Thankful.Quote:
Originally Posted by greenginger
Printable View
Aye, and mesh netting is there to stop loose rocks from falling onto the road, it would be as useful as a chocolate fireguard at the Rest and be Thankful.Quote:
Originally Posted by greenginger
Not so sure. This is essential to keep connectivity for a chunk of the Scotland instead of a healthy detour every time there’s a closure.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stairway 2 7
HS2 is IMO a vanity project to get quicker connection measured in Minutes. Is that really needed in any part of the country when there’s infrastructure projects that are better merited on a health and safety basis alone for starters.
The cost of HS2 that might benefit England will be eye watering.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Moulin Yarns
dont think anyone is suggesting mesh netting being utilised at Rest and be Thankful
Horses for courses. It works, so no need for the tunnel at Holyrood ParkQuote:
Originally Posted by McD
Especially on a road that they regularly just shut for fun anyway.[emoji23]Quote:
Originally Posted by Moulin Yarns
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
It’ll be shut again for another six months soon enough when a few more rocks slip through the netting.Quote:
Originally Posted by Moulin Yarns
https://twitter.com/glennbbc/status/...dxJXScFNwz8V4A
Another blow for devolution.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
aint that a fact :agree:
https://scontent.fman1-1.fna.fbcdn.n...5A&oe=648B8FC7
If Scotland becomes independent. It won't be via any legal routes, as there are no legal routes to independence.Quote:
Originally Posted by cabbageandribs1875
I see Alba commissioned a poll which shows Yes ahead. I think that’s two in a row showing Yes ahead.[emoji106]
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Just because it won't be seen as being legal in the eyes of the UK dosen't mean it won't be seen as legal in the rest of the world.Quote:
Originally Posted by HarpOnHibee
Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk
One thing is for sure the best vehicle for Scottish Independence is not the snp, they treated supporters like mugs with the indyref2 funds, then look what happened first the wheels came off the motorhome then the doors fell off, and the horn went weh weh. :na na:
The vote in 2014 was legal.Quote:
Originally Posted by HarpOnHibee
Indeed. Sadly we're not "allowed" to have another legal vote.Quote:
Originally Posted by Skol
Build the support and there will be another referendum
The support is there and that is exactly why there won't be another referendum. It was granted(still can't believe folk hear that and think it's ok) in 2014 because the unionists didn't believe for a minute that it would be successfulQuote:
Originally Posted by Skol
Just like the brexit referendum then...Quote:
Originally Posted by Skol
Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk
Like winning elections?Quote:
Originally Posted by Skol
Says no one in any power at Westminster either red or blue.Quote:
Originally Posted by Skol
Do you genuinely believe the Unionist parties will allow a referendum when all the evidence points to them losing the vote?Quote:
Originally Posted by Skol
Of course not, I don't think even you believe that.
They don’t which is why they don’t say it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Since90+2
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
This is absolutely incredible to listen to.
Yesterday's Scottish Affairs Committee at Westminster, twat Allister Jack reads out a long list of times when SG ministers have spoken to overseas Governments about "reserved matters".
It's a list of times when SG ministers have said that "Brexit is crap". And he thinks they shouldn't be saying this??
https://twitter.com/HolyroodDaily/status/1668277706591444992?s=20
Quote:
Originally Posted by cabbageandribs1875
Yeah, but can you really trust the word of someone who studied at a place called Brasenose College?
I used to enjoy reading his work in the Guardian, in the 1990s and up to about the time of the millenium. He wrote well on globalisation and environmentalism and he was brilliant on raising awareness of human rights abuses in Timor, I think - which ultimately led to the Australian Defence Force going in and restoring order.Quote:
Originally Posted by Keith_M
Over the years he has descended somewhat into self-parody though. I also remember him in 2010, when he was butterflying about from supporting the Greens to Plaid Cymru and finally settling on the Lib Dems and saying people should vote for them at the GE that year. Thanks for that George, another enabler of the Coalition government.......
Support comes with momentum. Momentum that would come with the commitment to another independence referendum. By effectively refusing to commit to another independence referendum, Westminster prevents further momentum from building. The last thing they want is a repeat of the previous campaign when support went up from around 25% up to 45%. No referendum commitment = no campaign.Quote:
Originally Posted by Skol
“Blame the English”.Quote:
Originally Posted by HarpOnHibee
See what I did there? I saved you 54 words :greengrin
Yep, of course. If we see sustained polling in favour then Westminster will not be able to refuse. Right now we see occasional and short term small majorities in favour.Quote:
Originally Posted by Since90+2
Why should Westminster build momentum for independence. That’s about the most stupid thing I have read on here. It’s for the snp to build momentum.Quote:
Originally Posted by HarpOnHibee
They shouldn't. But it's clear that their motive for refusing to commit to another referendum anytime in the future is to prevent a revitalisation of the YES Campaign. Support for Scottish Independence never would have grown to the level that it did if a referendum hadn't been committed to in the first place. Westminster won't want to make that mistake ever again.Quote:
Originally Posted by Skol
I see what you did.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye
Sent from my SM-A528B using Tapatalk
Westminster have refused what would stop them doing it again.Quote:
Originally Posted by Skol
Of course they could keep saying no. Clearly we will never agree on this as it suits your view to keep saying there is no legal route
It’s my opinion but I don’t believe Westminster could keep saying no If a clear and sustained majority are in favour.
Right now for the most part it’s less than 50% and so they are right to say no.
Westminster parties have a history of calling votes they think they are going to lose, do they?Quote:
Originally Posted by Skol
So there is a legal route, but only if Westminster decides to allow it. Glad we've cleared that up.Quote:
Originally Posted by Skol
Before the brexit vote did a majority exist for it?Quote:
Originally Posted by Skol
Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk
Yes, we need to convince a majority of English mp’s to vote for it.[emoji106]Quote:
Originally Posted by Hibrandenburg
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
[emoji1787]Quote:
Originally Posted by Ozyhibby
Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk
https://twitter.com/conor_matchett/s...dxJXScFNwz8V4A
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Check mate.Quote:
Originally Posted by Steven79
They thought it was almost guaranteed they'd win the vote. That's what they do.
The only way we are getting a referendum is by electoral chance that the SNP hold the balance of power in a hung parliament.
Which wouldn't happen anyway. As the 2 largest parties at Westminster who pretend to be different would simply join forces (like they did in the independence referendum) to ensure the SNP can never hold the balance of power.Quote:
Originally Posted by Since90+2
Im fairness, Westminster is the legislature of our country, Kind of what happens in a representative democracy.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hibrandenburg
Scotland is treated as a colony by London but I assume you are okay with this?Quote:
Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye
Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk
I reject your view that Scotland is treated as a colony by London, so it doesn’t really matter what I am or am not okay with.Quote:
Originally Posted by Steven79
What is ‘London’ even meant to signify anyway?
Is it just a glib generalisation based on the the fact that centres of power are often viewed negatively by those further away?
I can tell you there is no shortage of people in Inverness who feel like poor cousins to the Central Belt, when it comes to the SG.
And I can tell you that there is no shortage of people in Wick and Caithness more generally, who feel they get a raw deal compared to Inverness.
That's pretty poor MA , even I get that in this context London = Westminster Parliament.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye
Yer.no that daft :greengrin
On the rest of it, this is where I get genuinely confused ...
It's OK for Wick to feel they're getting a poorer deal than Inverness and for them in turn to have similar thoughts to Wick but in relation to Edinburgh/Central Belt but it's not OK for Edinburgh/Central Belt to have those same views regarding Westminster/London.
Apologies if I've misunderstood, my own preference is to have the maximum viable devolved government at Council level.
And for me, at least, independence is a step down that road.... only a step mind!
https://twitter.com/FreeThinker2030/...7THSqxWCw&s=09
Sent from my SM-A528B using Tapatalk
I know, but I think it is on other people to say what they mean rather than making sweeping generalisations. It's a bit like the Tories moaning about the Blob. Back it up, for heavern's sake.Quote:
Originally Posted by Just Alf
I agree with you about genuine devolution - I would go further down than council areas. Some of them are based on decades-old assumptions and projections, even the most recent are what, thirty years old?Quote:
Originally Posted by Just Alf
I'm not going into it at length because I did it a couple of times before to show why I thought there was a better way that wasn't the status quo and wasn't the nationalist goal. It was a very lengthy post! But based on my experience and understanding, and my opinon to be fair, I think you could extend participatory budgeting to a sub-council level, perhaps along the lines of where community councils sit, under the umbrella of a regional government - South-East Scotland, for example, based on Edinburgh, the Lothians, and maybe what are essentialy commuter dormitories now, in parts of Fife and the top of the Borders. Anyway thats too much detail.
I don't think independence is necessarily a step down that road. The SNP have talked loudly about localism but cut its legs off across the board. Council revenue-raising powers blocked, Police and fire centralised. Social care shfting from councils to ministers. One-year funding settlements. Disproportionate ringfencing. It's all a power grab away from local decision-making.
This also touches upon your other point about SG/HMG - when it comes down to it, most things that affect us on a daily basis - the schools oour chldren go to, the carers who look after our aged relatives, the GPs, dentists, nurses and consultants we see (if we are lucky), the roads we drive on to see them or the buses we take to see them, the state of the streets outside our windows etc etc etc all sits away from Westminster and under Holyrood anyway?
So why do we have a secretary of state for Scotland and not England?Quote:
Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye
Why do we have a devolved Parliament in Scotland but not in England?
If we really were a "union" of equals then...
Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk
That sort of thing reminds me of Stewart Lee, in Glasgow, doing his Braveheart routine.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kato
You would have to be ridiculously thin-skinned not to laugh with Lee's jokes.
Yeah, totally the same - a stand up comedian and a politician in WestminsterQuote:
Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye
There's more truth in that statement than first appears to be fair
Sent from my Pixel 7 Pro using Tapatalk
First point - Scotland has a separate, similar but different legal system touching on many, many aspects of our lives. Prior to the Scottish Parliament you needed a department of civil servants to deliver policy in line with legislation. And if you have a department you need ministers to instruct the civil servants.Quote:
Originally Posted by Steven79
Second point - public opinion waxed and waned but increasingly grew to a desire for Scotland to have more decision-making powers. The Campaign for a Scottish Assembly was a pluralist group who argued for this and built up popular support. The CSA was superceded by the Consitituional Convention with support for devolution continuing to grow. New Labour, led by ony Blair made a devolution referendum for Scotland (and Wales and London IIRC) a manifesto pledge. Labour were elected and delivered the referendum. The people said yes in big numbers, yes to tax-raising powers in less big numbers and we had a Parliament (the actual building itself took a bit longer)
Third point - ....?
I can laugh at Lee's jokes, the Braveheart skit is ballsy given he told it to Scottish audience.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye
The people in the video aren't in Scotland telling their "joke" to a Scottish audience though so I don't see the relevance of your comparison. They are in the UK parliament.
Nothing to laugh "with", just a bunch of entitled twats revealing themselves.
Sent from my SM-A528B using Tapatalk
It was her maiden speech in the HoC. Her constituency is the birthplace of Oliver Cromwell.Quote:
Originally Posted by Callum_62
She actually apologised in the Herald for it afterwards, when the whole backlash thing started.
I'm Scottish by blood and birth and I thought it was harmless enough, a weak joke, nothing else. My only issue was the referencing to slavery which I don't think was appropriate, it risks making light of something which is as endemic today as it ever has been.
Only catching half this discussion. Is someone saying they find Lucy Frazer's speech funny?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kato
If only the one in four Scottish children living in poverty got the same level of knickers in a twist.
Sorry, I'm not sure what you are on about there. Crap attempt at deflection, but on par with others you've came up with. Stewart Lee it ain't.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye
The speech is a disgrace and like many on that side of the house pandering to their base, reactionary leanings.
I'm pointing out she feels comfortable saying that about Scottish people in that chamber as it is seen by those in video as seperate from Scotland.
If an SNP mp said similar about English people I don't they'd be chuckling.
Why do you think the joke is taken so lightly by those in the video?
Sent from my SM-A528B using Tapatalk
Stewart Lee is hilarious, I love his Paul Nuttall from UKIP routine. Chucking national identity away for a second, I get the feeling that Stewart Lee would share a roughly similar set of values with the vast majority of people in Scotland therefore he's welcome to laugh with us and laugh at us as he pleases. As has been pointed out, it takes balls to do that to a Scottish audience, knowing that some may disagree.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye
Tory backbenchers can get firmly TF when they laugh at us like that. There's a world of difference between that snidey nonsense in the House of Commons and an edgy comedian coming and doing it to your face so you can laugh with him.
Thanks Mibbes Aye, that all makes sense and much we agree on.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye
I hesitate to think what your 'long' post was like if this is your short version! :greengrin
It's a bit like a Stewart Lee routine, in that it's available on youtube and there are people in it laughing.Quote:
Originally Posted by grunt
It didn't quite break the internet but it near enough broke me :greengrinQuote:
Originally Posted by Just Alf
As someone who disagrees with MA on the independence question, his "long version" is actually very thought provoking and appealing as an alternative to all the options that are currently on the table.Quote:
Originally Posted by Just Alf
I'd heartily endorse him getting that version back out again at some point, although maybe not if the process were to finally break him.
Oh what an oppressed nation we are.
If an SNP mp said similar about English folk it would be first item on news at ten and front page of the newspapersQuote:
Originally Posted by Kato
The UK? Yup.Quote:
Originally Posted by Skol
Sent from my SM-A528B using Tapatalk
I don’t normally post much on here these days, for some reason I’ve got less political after I became more political 😏 if you kinda know what I mean 😉Quote:
Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye
I might agree that Independence isn’t necessarily a step down that road (although get that there could be reasoned arguments that it is) .. but if we are talking about the here and now then I can’t agree with what you threw in after that statement.
I could go into it in more detail (if I wasn’t so busy with all the work I’m doing at local government level 😉) but I suspect I’d be wasting what little free time I have these days.
If you mean the bit I said about social care and buses and streets and stuff, I think you are right and I worded it clumsily.Quote:
Originally Posted by StevieC
I've posted before that the biggest impact on most people's lives, especially vulnerable people, in Scotland has sat with local authorities and the territorial health boards. I'm sure you are no stranger to people talking about services they value and need but dont know that they are supports that the council provides or pays for.
It got caught up in another point about the shift to the centre. No doubt you will know Perth and Kinross Health and Social Care Partnership well, you might be one of the elected members with voting riights on the IJB. The proposals to reorganise social care are a good example of a power grab - COSLA, SOLACE and the unions have found common ground there I think.
:agree:Quote:
Originally Posted by JimBHibees
Running with the "independence supporters are all anglophobes" angle. But it's just a harmless laugh when Westminster ramble on about those sweaty socks under their thumb.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...791f173520.jpg
Support for Indy remains solid.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
We should have a referendum every year until No can prove their isn’t support for independence by consistently polling 60% plus.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ozyhibby
All those long-winded condescending attempts at grandeur are somewhat let down by bizarre and totally irrelevant replies like this.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye
I’m not on the IJB, but I’m on the committee for Environment and also vice-convener on Education, which is a huge responsibility and encompasses so much more than just schools and teaching. There’s a huge amount of work around additional support needs, attainment, positive destinations and linking that in with families, support and fighting poverty. On top of that you have an SNP led administration that is focussed on making serious changes at local level (right down to trying to change a “council mindset” that has been endemic for years).Quote:
Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye
This is why I challenged your earlier statement on the Scottish Government v Local Authority. Power still lies with Local Authority (assuming you have a committed local authority focused on making a difference) and the limits are around budget constraints, not Scottish Government interference.
Oh, I’m also the Council administration representative on Live Active Leisure, who were on the news recently around possible closure of the Perth Leisure Pool and the Dewars Centre (the hub for Scottish curling). Both of which were averted (for the time being) because of the Council Administration and their focus on health and well being.
So, do you know what Humza meant by a 'wellbeing economy then? :greengrinQuote:
Originally Posted by StevieC
I think councils and their community planning partners play a vital role in all our lives but a lot of services have suffered, withered even, as a consequence of a number of things - increasing demands in social care due to demographic pressure, inflation driving up staffing costs etc etc, but also policy decisions from the centre. The problem for local authorities is, as you know, that education and social care are the two biggest spends and to an extent your hands are tied because they cover services that you have to deliver.
Services that are early intervention or preventative have suffered, because of the council tax freeze and then the 'flat cash' settlements, which are cuts in real terms. The CTF was a deliberate move by the SG, it was a populist move and it didnt benefit the poorest in society, it actually caused harm because it wasnt fully funded and when the books don't balance, the stuff that is 'nice to do' loses to the stuff that is 'need to do'. But it is the stuff that's 'nice to do' - the early intervention, prevention and wellbeing initiatives - that help services afrom being swamped by the need to do' and help steer people away from needing more formalised care - in itself generally a positive outcome.
The NCS proposals are essentially taking your social care budget away from you and keeping it for ministers to allocate. That's not localism. I don't know which ward you have but I suspect you know a fair bit more about resource pressures for care in Kilspindie or Balbeggie than Maree Todd, or more likely, a few civil servants at St Andrew's House or Victoria Quay do. Just as an aside I have high hopes for Todd. She has direct professional experience in primary care and she should understand the issues around rurality and remoteness, given her constituency.
Anyway, you're an SNP councillor and I dont expect you to be scathing about SG on a messageboard, thats unfair. I will repeat the point though - COSLA and SOLACE and the unions have all expressed significant concerns about this and wth the first two, it is worry about SG diminishing the autonomy of local authorities. And as you will know, COSLA's president and three of the five spokespersons are SNP, hey are calling it out for what it is.
Lee's jokes are funny and extremely well crafted, and the butt of the joke is patriotism and natiinalism, not Scotland.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye
The MP in westminster is being flippant about her own country's awful history, and the butt of the joke is Scotland and its people.
I'm not 'offended', i just think it shows what smug, colonial tossers there are in westminster, especially in the tory party.
I don't have a problem with being scathing, for example I'd agree the council tax freeze was a disaster. Thankfully no longer in place, but it will take time to recover from it. I can't agree that the SG is diminishing autonomy away from local authorities. Maybe it's because we are an SNP led administration that a lot of the SG directives are pretty much aligned with that of the administration, and directives can have additional funds provided by the SG.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye
The budgets that local authorities receive is not enough, that much is pretty clear. Of course you could blame the SG for that (and the CTF was certainly a factor) but ultimately .. whether you like it or not .. it's a fixed budget and when you have to utilise large proportions of that to SG initiatives (such as mitigating bedroom tax, free prescriptions, free schooling, etc. etc.) then it is clearly going to have a detrimental effect. Yes, you can blame it all on the SG that local authorities are struggling but it's also not fair to point out the areas that have suffered without also stating that it is wholly wrong for them to use part of the budget for some of the other things mentioned.
If, for example, you are saying that free prescription, free schooling, etc. are things that benefit those that are dealing with poverty you've got to accept that there will be other areas that could suffer. If you can't, then you are effectively using the Labour model for budgeting whereby they simply say they will pay for everything (despite the reality being somewhat different).
Anyway, I'd better stop before I say too much and find myself hauled up by the leader of the council :wink:
:greengrinQuote:
Originally Posted by StevieC
Fair play and I think it's a good point about how the cost of those universal benefits means maing difficult choices elsewhere.
Local authorities have seems like a near-impossible challenge in reconciling what they need to do as a statutory requirement, while knowing that there is so much they could do with more funding upstream but not being able to. SG keeping the funding for social care, if the proposals are implemented, will certainly make for some interesting times!
We’ve gone a bit off topic, in regards to the workings of local authorities and Independence (although there is potentially a big link around funding if you believe we could be a prosperous country with Independence).Quote:
Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye
I will respond to your last post though, and then call it a day.
As someone that started a business 32 years ago, at a time when there was lots of local funding available to support new businesses, I’ve had my eyes opened. It’s almost as if prudent practices and common sense have been replaced by phrase such as “that’s not how we do it”, “we can’t do that”, “it has to be done this way”. That mindset in itself is a major fault within local authorities, and I don’t think it will be any surprise to hear me say that I’ve been shocked by some of the levels of wastage, and more so the fact that it is accepted.
That said, the Administration that I am involved in genuinely wants to make real changes and individual Councillors are being supported in their ideas.
I would love to chat about the proactive things I (and others) have been doing, and the changes for the better that could do, but a message board isn’t the place … because a certain Murdo Fraser would find it, twist it, and put it out in his Twitter that the Perth SNP were in chaos and messing things up 🙄
I’ll mention one thing though .. being involved in a charity, and how crucial the purchase of a minibus was for Dnipro Kids, I’d asked about the disposal of council minibuses and our ability to support local charities that might benefit. I was told by a fleet manager that they had to go to an independent auction (that they had a contract with), that there were procedures in place that had to be adhered to and it just wasn’t possible. Now I’ve never really been one to just accept that something can’t be done 😉🇺🇦 so I took it to my group (one of whom had said he’d asked previously and also been told it wasn’t possible) and they were all, along with the council leader, supportive of my idea. So I went back to the fleet manager and we sat and discussed how that might be changed if there was a willingness to do so. We got on quite well, and he is currently drafting a workable policy that will allow PKC to provide a way for local charities to submit applications that would allow them to bid for vehicles that would benefit them (and ultimately PKC residents with a need). As with many council related things the process to implement is not a fast one, but if it comes off it will hopefully be one of many things I’ll be able to look back on during my time as a Councillor and be able to say I helped make a difference. 😉
i've been convinced for years now an Independent Scotland would see huge investment Scotland more attractive to foreign investment than UK and Europe | The National
only British Unionists want to convince us otherwise :agree:
I think NI might start to pull ahead in next couple of years. UK govt putting a lot of effort into huge trade shows in Belfast just now trying to show NI protocol works. Biden has promised big American business setting up there as well. They now have a huge advantage over Scotland.Quote:
Originally Posted by cabbageandribs1875
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
And yet the UK government have told the Scottish one that they're not allowed to pursue inward investment etc in the same way. They've even stopped a conference on the future of Artificial Intelligence involving all.4 home nations because it was led by the Scottish government (according to the BBC the other week)Quote:
Originally Posted by Ozyhibby
I am not saying the editors at the National are stupid, but have they not just run a story there that says Scotland is doing well on foreign investment and that’s building on earlier success?Quote:
Originally Posted by cabbageandribs1875
Or to put it another way, isn’t devolved, non-independent Scotland doing well?
If you are making an argument for the union, you are going to say “Look! Scotland is doing well! Why risk that” whereas the argument for independence is, well, I’m not really sure but I’m guessing they need to go with “doing well, and this wouldn’t change or would get better if there was independence”.
Now, I’m a starry-eyed dreamer, if you want to offer me hope and broad, sunlit uplands, then I will be instinctively minded to give you my vote. But a lot of people aren’t. Global markers aren’t.
I guess the National isn’t looking to play the role of persuading the undecideds though, it is playing the role of boosting morale for the front line. Which is absolutely fair enough
Doing well is pushing it. Doing better than rest of UK outside London? Fair enough.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye
We’ve brought in some investment but in nobodies mind is the Scottish economy doing well.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Fair comment, but the thrust of my point stands. The National are not doing pro-Indy any favours by printing thatQuote:
Originally Posted by Ozyhibby
I think that it’s interesting that two areas with a bit of autonomy to go out and promote themselves internationally are doing the best. London and Scotland. There is nobody out there promoting Yorkshire or Somerset.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye
So a little bit of autonomy works. Although it is now being taken back in Scotland case and we are no longer allowed to promote Scotland abroad.
The question is, if a little bit of autonomy works, does a big bit work better?
The SG does ok promoting Scotland abroad but not great. I know this because my mate works for DiT. He’s very much a unionist and anti SNP but recognises the advantage Scotland and London have in being able to promote themselves abroad. He’s also the one who tells me that NI is going to smash it over next few years due to their position still in the EU. It’s Ireland without the high property prices. Very attractive for investment.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I agree with you on NI and I know your info will be 100%.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ozyhibby
I'm not sure what's holding Yotkshire and Somerset back is autonomy though :greengrin
But if it is, and that's the case for Scotland too, then we should be embracing Gordon Brown's constitutional review, no? More power to the nations and regions, and even better, more power below that.
Think I’ll wait and see if Starmer embraces it? Will it make the manifesto?Quote:
Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
(drum roll)Quote:
Originally Posted by Ozyhibby
Scotland gets international attention because in the last 10 years we've forced ourselves into global consciousness through the referendum in 2014. It's piqued interest.
Good point. That and the fact we beat everyone we play at football.Quote:
Originally Posted by Glory Lurker
Scotland can't cut its own trade deals without Westminster rubber stamping them. The best marketing and products in the world will only go so far if the deals made don't get authorised.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye
The big but is that and independent Scotland would need to be very business friendly. I know Ozyhibby is keen on that, but I wouldn't think many independence supporters here would have that view. From what is posted here anyway.Quote:
Originally Posted by cabbageandribs1875
I think there is a majority for a more business friendly outlook in the SNP, Labour and Tory party. Forbes would have won but for her ridiculous social policy views. I very much doubt they would have affected govt policy but they were enough to cost her the leadership. Which is a great shame as she would have been the best choice for FM and would have given us a nice change in direction.Quote:
Originally Posted by archie
If Humza doesn’t see that he needs to change course soon then he will lose seats to Labour at the GE and will be removed. Upcoming by-election will be an early test for him.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
https://twitter.com/joebrolly1993/st...dxJXScFNwz8V4A
Union dividend.[emoji106]
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I've told you before about stats. The link there about pensions uses a table that measures them as a % of average earnings.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ozyhibby
But average earnings are not the same across the OECD.
And neither is the cost of living.
Or the cost of healthcare.
So until you factor those in, using pensions as a % of average earnings is really not helpful.
I think I've said it before, it's like Top Trumps cards. If you put down Gordon Strachan you wouldn't go with height but you might go with caps, Dave Narey vice versa.
"Find a stat that fits my cause and put it on Twitter as if I'm Moses coming down from Mount Sinai with tablets of stone" is one of the most excruciatingly inane aspects of modern life.
Rant over :greengrin
noooooooo the EU wouldn't want us, we're just too wee :(
https://scontent.fman1-2.fna.fbcdn.n...Bw&oe=64976F76
Perhaps you should direct your rant at the Financial Times and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. I'm sure they'll appreciate your input as much as we do 😆Quote:
Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye
What does the OECD know? Far better to listen to dot netters.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jack
Quote:
Originally Posted by cabbageandribs1875
That will fit in nicely with the EU's own net zero target then.
Cutting greenhouse gas emissions by more than half of their 1990 level, by 2030.
Climate-neutral by 2050.
Oil is the unwanted guest at the dinner party. and so it should be. I'm not interested in funding saltire wet dreams at the expense of the planet.
Perhaps I will decide if I reply to Ozy's post or not. Because I was replying to his point.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jack
This is meant to be a place for discussion or debate. Unfortunately some people seem to struggle with that concept.
Do you really want an echo chamber?
What's far better is to appreciate the difference.Quote:
Originally Posted by grunt
The OECD, amongst other things, is very good at producing data.
What that data might imply is a discussion point. For dot nettere, as an example.
The OECD does indeed know https://www.oecd.org/publications/oecd-pensions-at-a-glance-19991363.htmQuote:
Originally Posted by grunt