Scottish independence

Ha yeah times that by 100...and you might get close.

Indeed its a shame, but the SNP were never really focused on Scotland in the sense of trying to maximise its economic or social potential, there where and are focused on using it to maximise their own potential via the independence crusade and I use the word crusade intentionally, the result is failure on all standard metrics and now we seem to be scratching the surface on the 600k leading to some awkward questions for quite a few.

Sadly the opposition parties are a mess, Labour in Scotland I think would stand for Scotland rather than Westminster to an extent but their problem is a lot of their potential swing voters are SNP nats, so they can't run on a unionist stance, but equally independence is a poisoned chalice.

Scotland is a fantastic land but its gone backwards in the last 10yrs under the SNP hopefully class is permanent and form is temporary.

The new leader of the SNP will simply pick up the baton and continue with the drive for Scotish independence. If Westminster does not agree to a new referendum on Scottish independence, the next general election will serve the same purpose. A strong showing for the SNP will herald the end of the union and Scotland`s re-entry to the EU.

The problem for the new leader is that he is very much associated with the outgoing leadership that is now mired in controversy.

During the race and when elected Yousaf was said to be the "continuity" candidate.

That was all well and good until the party was plunged into crisis with the arrests, searches, resignations etc.

By being a "continuity" candidate Yousaf is seen to be closer to that scandal than Forbes would have been.

And seeing as he alienated Forbes and her supporters the way he handled his cabinet appointments he is in an even worse position.

So the baton he is picking up is likely covered in and stinking of s**t, and no one will want to go near him.

Labour can make great strides in Scotland by reminding the Scots that they can remove the Tories with each others help, and I'd imagine for many Scots the removal of the Tories is good enough for now.

Scottish Nationalists want independence, no question. Their simple problem is, under the current rules, they have to convince over half the voting population in a referendum.

It's not that simple. The Parnell split in the Irish Party in the 1890s probably held up progress towards home rule (and ultimately independence) by twenty years or so. An existential scandal for the SNP (which I think they are shaping up to have) could have a similar impact on the progress of the Scottish cause.

It doesn't get any better for the SNP does it?

Seems there was an unusual delay in issuing the search warrants on the Murrell/Sturgeon house.

So much so that the search took place after the leadership election, rather than before.

But it is not a good look for the SNP.

So just add it to the list of "not good looks" like

The female prison debacle.

The Sturgeon resignation.

The membership and leadership voting questions.

Forbes and her supporters not getting any jobs in the new cabinet.

The arrests and house seraches.

The high end RV.

Yousaf needs to start doing something, or at least be seen to be doing something good before he and the party become victims of the legacy of the previous leadership.

If Scots want the Tories out a lot of them will start lending their votes to Labour to do it rather than sticking with the SNP.

But more Labour MPs mean they have a better chance of forming a government and thus a poorer chance the Conservatives have of forming a government.

And one place Labour can get more MPs is Scotland

And the argument would be that an SNP-supported Labour government would deliver more for Scotland than a Labour government on its own.

Why would the SNP want electoral reform when FPTT gives them 88% of the seats with 45% of the vote in a GE?

Sturgeon has been taking the Scottish voters for a ride for nearly 20 years. I think she was only voted for her Scottish accent and the attitude she had towards Westminster, voters with an nationalist view liked that naturally. In the event of Scottish independence Scotland would have to deal with a corrupt and incompetent government and even worse, they wouldn't be able to blame anything on Westminster anymore....

Also as somebody with a law degree Sturgeon should have known better.