The Scottish Politics thread

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I've always seen Salmond as an establishment figure.

Makes me wonder who's funding his party?
 
My gut take on it. It seems Salmond will indeed give the snp a bit of a headache, and a distraction, whether or not he actually takes any votes off them.

But it also appears he will give them a bit of a buffer. And equally a distraction tonthe opposition party. Bit of an attention And scrutiny vortex.

He will have an angle, whatever that is.
 
Coatigan said:
My gut take on it. It seems Salmond will indeed give the snp a bit of a headache, and a distraction, whether or not he actually takes any votes off them.

But it also appears he will give them a bit of a buffer. And equally a distraction tonthe opposition party. Bit of an attention And scrutiny vortex.

He will have an angle, whatever that is.
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Sturgeon feels there are some questions over his previous behaviour so he shouldn't really be in politics - I hope she holds her own innocence in higher regard. I personally feel she is right and he's a sex pest, but she probably needs to accept that he wasn't found guilty of anything much like herself. I don't see any of the other parties benefiting from SNP votes going to the new party, and apart from the public spat between their leaders they seem to have the same aims. You could argue that it gives any voters who do have a dislike of either Sturgeon or Slamond an indy option.
 
Mazzarelli's Swiss Cheese said:
Sturgeon feels there are some questions over his previous behaviour so he shouldn't really be in politics - I hope she holds her own innocence in higher regard. I personally feel she is right and he's a sex pest, but she probably needs to accept that he wasn't found guilty of anything much like herself. I don't see any of the other parties benefiting from SNP votes going to the new party, and apart from the public spat between their leaders they seem to have the same aims. You could argue that it gives any voters who do have a dislike of either Sturgeon or Slamond an indy option.
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Probably. Although they already have that option with the Greens.

Maybe they are the one party that might be affected by it.

Which is a shame, because they make a really positive contribution to parliament and within communities. Which is a safe bet Salmond's party won't.
 
Coatigan said:
Probably. Although they already have that option with the Greens.

Maybe they are the one party that might be affected by it.

Which is a shame, because they make a really positive contribution to parliament and within communities. Which is a safe bet Salmond's party won't.
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Just saw something else about Salmonds party only affecting regional or national elections or something? - won't pretend I understand it tbh. As you say it seems it may impact the greens at some level. Unless Salmond and Sturgeon prioritise their feud over all else it's hard to see this damaging the indy cause. If anything two parties demanding another ref rather than one gives it greater legitimacy I'd have thought.
 
Mazzarelli's Swiss Cheese said:
Just saw something else about Salmonds party only affecting regional or national elections or something? - won't pretend I understand it tbh. As you say it seems it may impact the greens at some level. Unless Salmond and Sturgeon prioritise their feud over all else it's hard to see this damaging the indy cause. If anything two parties demanding another ref rather than one gives it greater legitimacy I'd have thought.
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The SNP want both votes.

The greens would want to, but they really mostly get the second votes, that's what got them their seats.

Salmond will only target the second votes
 
Coatigan said:
The SNP want both votes.

The greens would want to, but they really mostly get the second votes, that's what got them their seats.

Salmond will only target the second votes
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What do you think he wants? Is it just his seat/status in hollyrood, vengeance, or something else?
 
Mazzarelli's Swiss Cheese said:
What do you think he wants? Is it just his seat/status in hollyrood, vengeance, or something else?
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Partly, probably an ego thing, wanting to be relevant and feeling like he might prove he still is a player in politics.
He Has spent his whole life pursuing his independence dream and being anti-westminster. Including the SNPs biggest leaps. Maybe he can't let that go, or wants to nurse a bruised ego.

I still am not convince it is as bitter between him and nicola as the media suggest, myself. Or that it will stay that way if it is. So I really don't think it is 'revenge'.

Partly, he maybe genuinely beleives he can do something to influence things. He, and those within the snp that support him, are known for feeling Nicola is too passive, slow and cautious with independence, and there is probably a layer of voters that would rather a more blunt pursuit of it. Maybe he feels he can spur that on and prod the snp with it. The way ukip pushed the tories for example, for fear of losing votes to them.

Maybe he thinks if he gets into parliament, it tips the proportion from 2 parties vs 3, to an equal indepence vs union. If that has any real significance, beyond some poetic portrayal.

Maybe he's just bored.
 
Coatigan said:
The SNP want both votes.

The greens would want to, but they really mostly get the second votes, that's what got them their seats.

Salmond will only target the second votes
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Looking from the POV of an SNP voter that votes SNP with their first vote, the 2 options for the second vote are to try and get a SNP majority and vote SNP with it or try and balance the SNP majority which has usually meant using the second vote for Green. I can’t see the first group going to Salmond and don’t think too many of the second group would.
The only votes for Salmond I can see are those that prefer him personally, or those think the SNP are weak on independence and the Alba party being in Holyrood can deliver it quicker, can’t see there being too many voters that think either of those 2 things.
 
blueparrot said:
Looking from the POV of an SNP voter that votes SNP with their first vote, the 2 options for the second vote are to try and get a SNP majority and vote SNP with it or try and balance the SNP majority which has usually meant using the second vote for Green. I can’t see the first group going to Salmond and don’t think too many of the second group would.
The only votes for Salmond I can see are those that prefer him personally, or those think the SNP are weak on independence and the Alba party being in Holyrood can deliver it quicker, can’t see there being too many voters that think either of those 2 things.
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Exactly. Anyone voting for the SNP as a party and on policy and record (on both sides of the union question), rather than as a party for independence, will most likely still vote gor them. Anyone voting for them because they feel other choices are dire (which sadly they are), will still vote for them, Salmond's party won't give them some new hope. The Greens are an interesting one. Many green voters are genuine lefties and/or greenies. They won't change, for Salmond Or Nicola. But there are some that vote for them simply to spread out the snp influence . They may potentially give it a go. The SNP were so strong in 2016, following that GE sweep, and the polls, that many voters felt comfortable to give the Greens a hood push, without it affecting the snp or independence drive. Their missing out on a majority, and losing seats at Westminster might push those to play it safe this time and just back the snp.

I struggle to see any of the three unionist party voters going for Salmond. Unless it is some mental protest vote.
 
It'll be interesting to see how many and which snp representatives follow him and swap over.
 
One of the funnier aspects of this is when Ross reached out to Labour and Lib Dem’s to ‘work together’ to counter any tactical voting for Alba. He got told to ‘do one’ in pretty basic terms. His politics were described as too dark and divisive.
 
Coatigan said:
It'll be interesting to see how many and which snp representatives follow him and swap over.
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So since I've said this, kenny mcaskill, naele hanvey, and some local councillor have left the snp to join him. Two of them aren't small players.

I wonder if nicola will secretly welcome, a bit of a braveheart purge. He will aim for some of the big hitters though, I'm sure, and a surprise or two might happen closer to the election.
 
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Coatigan said:
The SNP want both votes.

The greens would want to, but they really mostly get the second votes, that's what got them their seats.

Salmond will only target the second votes
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There are constituencies where it is better to use yiur second vote for the Greens. SNP in those areas among gain any advantage and it is obviously a no brainer for us to vote another pro Indy party. There is a map thst shows where to do this. The borders, West of Scotland and Edinburgh. The rest use both to SNP.
As for Salmond, he just wants back into the limelight. His ego knows no bounds, just like his hands where attractive younger women are concerned. I was surprised to see so many from the party fled to his banner. People are trying to make this out as problematic. On the contrary, it's good. Flushing out fifth columnists now mean they are defeated and sidelined. Amateurs.
 
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