Scotland's Role in a "Balanced" Parliament

[marinello59]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

By cutting:

• £100bn for Trident
• £5bn for what is left of the ID card scheme
• Getting rid of the house of lords

We have a government in Scotland that are delivering on issues that matter to Scottish people: 1000 more police on the beat, free higher education, free prescriptions, council tax freeze, personal care for elderly, free bus travel for elderly etc etc whilst trying to tackle our chronic alcohol problem and implement a fairer form of local taxation.

Contrast that with the British Government in Westminster: Illegal War, ID Cards, Nanny state, Expenses scandal, gross economic mismanagement whilst GB was chancellor etc etc. It shows how far removed politicians are from the people and their needs.

The 100 billion figure for Trident is the vastly inflated figure that Salmond likes to quote. Regardless of the actual figure it would be a long term saving though, that doesn't help us out in the immediate future. Cuts are needed now. (I don't see the logic in replacing Trident but that is a seperate argument)
I won't argue about scrapping ID cards, a flawed policy at best.
Getting rid of the House of Lords? It will need to be replaced with something...........will that be cost free then?

A 1000 more Bobbies on the beat was the Salmond promise. How many have been delivered? We can file that one in the same box as his smaller class sizes pledge.
The rest are great populist policies which can only be paid for by diverting funds from elsewhere. i.e free prescriptions were available to those who genuinely needed that assistance anyway. That's funds being diverted from other areas of the NHS. Salmond loves to make spending pledges then blame Westminster when the funds are not there to implement them.

Are the SNP distancing themselves from the expenses scandal as well. Salmond was hardly squeaky clean over that one or has he properly explained his Westminster food bill now? (Not illegal but his head was in the trough along with the rest of them) How would Salmond have managed the economy differently from GB? He loved to big up the Scottish banks before the bubble burst....then basically said it wisna us when they proved to have foundations built on sand.

I would only vote SNP as a means to obtaining Independence. That doesn't seem to be part of their manifesto for this election so what is the point of the SNP?

[GlesgaeHibby]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

The 100 billion figure for Trident is the vastly inflated figure that Salmond likes to quote. Regardless of the actual figure it would be a long term saving though, that doesn't help us out in the immediate future. Cuts are needed now. (I don't see the logic in replacing Trident but that is a seperate argument)
I won't argue about scrapping ID cards, a flawed policy at best.
Getting rid of the House of Lords? It will need to be replaced with something...........will that be cost free then?

A 1000 more Bobbies on the beat was the Salmond promise. How many have been delivered? We can file that one in the same box as his smaller class sizes pledge.
The rest are great populist policies which can only be paid for by diverting funds from elsewhere. i.e free prescriptions were available to those who genuinely needed that assistance anyway. That's funds being diverted from other areas of the NHS. Salmond loves to make spending pledges then blame Westminster when the funds are not there to implement them.

Are the SNP distancing themselves from the expenses scandal as well. Salmond was hardly squeaky clean over that one or has he properly explained his Westminster food bill now? (Not illegal but his head was in the trough along with the rest of them) How would Salmond have managed the economy differently from GB? He loved to big up the Scottish banks before the bubble burst....then basically said it wisna us when they proved to have foundations built on sand.

I would only vote SNP as a means to obtaining Independence. That doesn't seem to be part of their manifesto for this election so what is the point of the SNP?

There are 1039 more police officers in Scotland since the SNP came to power.

Class sizes in Primary Schools are at a record low, although they haven't met the target of 18 yet.

Of the 4 main parties (SNP, Lab, Lib, Con) the SNP are the only social democrats, and the only party really fighting for issues that matter to common people IMO.

[marinello59]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

There are 1039 more police officers in Scotland since the SNP came to power.

Class sizes in Primary Schools are at a record low, although they haven't met the target of 18 yet.

Of the 4 main parties (SNP, Lab, Lib, Con) the SNP are the only social democrats, and the only party really fighting for issues that matter to common people IMO.

How many are on the beat?

The target of 18 per class has been all but abandoned hasn't it? They have failed.

Your last statement is just plain wrong.

[Mibbes Aye]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

There are 1039 more police officers in Scotland since the SNP came to power.

Class sizes in Primary Schools are at a record low, although they haven't met the target of 18 yet.

Of the 4 main parties (SNP, Lab, Lib, Con) the SNP are the only social democrats, and the only party really fighting for issues that matter to common people IMO.

Social democrats who accepted half a million from a man who used his fortune to try and stop the repeal of Section 28.

Very good.

[JimBHibees]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Social democrats who accepted half a million from a man who used his fortune to try and stop the repeal of Section 28.

Very good.

Try being the operative word. The only party with 3 MP's being charged by a court for fraud is Labour and reflects how morally corrupt that party under the stewarship of Bliar and Brown has become. Cash for honours, MP's offering Companies favours and a pint with Tony , illegal war with only principled exceptions like the now sadly departed Robin Cook with a backbone to fight against the party machine. Mandelson the twice disgraced and resigned MP now getting a new more powerful role as Business Secretary, Brown now admitting maybe he should have regulated the banks more - thanks for that Gordon. 2.5m people officially unemployed.

How anyone can seriously consider voting for that shambles needs certifying?

[Woody1985]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Try being the operative word. The only party with 3 MP's being charged by a court for fraud is Labour and reflects how morally corrupt that party under the stewarship of Bliar and Brown has become. Cash for honours, MP's offering Companies favours and a pint with Tony , illegal war with only principled exceptions like the now sadly departed Robin Cook with a backbone to fight against the party machine. Mandelson the twice disgraced and resigned MP now getting a new more powerful role as Business Secretary, Brown now admitting maybe he should have regulated the banks more - thanks for that Gordon. 2.5m people officially unemployed.

How anyone can seriously consider voting for that shambles needs certifying?

I thought that there was one Tory as well but he didn't try to claim legal aid.

[Mibbes Aye]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Try being the operative word.

Right.....

So it's okay to accept money from bigots, just so long as they're not very good at convincing other people to be bigots

[steakbake]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Right.....

So it's okay to accept money from bigots, just so long as they're not very good at convincing other people to be bigots

What about support and backing from bigots and criminals?

Bigots: http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/p...b-snp-1.926891

Criminals: http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/p...iser-1.1019813

[Mibbes Aye]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

What about support and backing?

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/p...b-snp-1.926891

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/p...iser-1.1019813

Don't see anything about financial backing there. So it's not really the same is it now?

Certainly nothing in your links about several hundred thousands of pounds, say, from a man who tried to use his influence and wealth to stop the repeal of Section 28.

I've not even mentioned that a month after getting the donation the SNP dropped their policy of re-regulating the bus network .

Bear in mind, this is in response to the description of the SNP as the "only social democrats"

[RyeSloan]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

There are 1039 more police officers in Scotland since the SNP came to power.

Class sizes in Primary Schools are at a record low, although they haven't met the target of 18 yet.

Of the 4 main parties (SNP, Lab, Lib, Con) the SNP are the only social democrats, and the only party really fighting for issues that matter to common people IMO.

From the Scottish Govermnents own website:

The average primary class now has 23.2 pupils. In 1996, the average was 24.9. We don't collect data on the size of secondary classes.

Hardly a vindication of the now abandonded 18 pupil per class pledge...which if anyone is being honest everyone knew was not acheivable but did not stop the SNP claiming as a pledge then when not acheived simply blamed on local councils.

Of course the fact that this pledge would need substantial investment, larger schools and more teachers is glossed over by claiming the mimimal increases given to local authorities who, almost to a man, were all facing substantial budget pressures across their operations were supposed to deliver this fanciful ideal.

As ever with a lot of SNP policies they claim they are for the 'common man' but really they are simply poplularist moves that are either not costed, a slight of hand or in the case of bridge tolls provide severe restrictions on future investments.


Prescription charges - Reduces revenue to the NHS just when all budgets are coming under pressure, effectively this policy has meant reduced spending elsewhere in the NHS.

Free hospital parking - Zero infrastructure upgrades to allow all the extra cars that now try to park meaning people who HAVE to drive to hospitals can now no longer get parked

No bridge tolls - Has removed the easiest and most effective way of raising revenue to maintian the infrastucture and of course to build more (new forth bridge crossing)


Salmond was on the TV two night ago saying that he could maintain current spending and not raise taxes by simply growing the economy to cover the deficit. This is not even school boy economics and is a down right lie, still didn't stop him spouting it on national TV though did it!?!