The Mock Turtle

Tommy Sheridan has joined Alba :woteva:

Another man that any woman would feel comfortable around

Why are all these people defecting? Are they devotees of Salmond or don't like NS or what? I am fascinated by this but know NOTHING.

Tommy Sheridan??? I thought he was still in jail.

Yeah, the usual party politics I suspect. TS isn't currently in the SNP as far as I know, but he'll jump on any bandwagon to keep himself in the spotlight. I'm sure he was in George Galloways party prior to this, his ego is on a par with Salmond.

The worrying thing is that Alba are promoting themselves as a safe party for women, I suspect because they see it as an opportunity to win votes from the SNP, rather than any actual ideology or belief, or any desire to protect women's rights.

It's a bit like when Steve Baker suddenly developed a passionate interest in the rights of pregnant women because of vaccine passports.

Yes, or when all those Tory MPs started professing their support for reducing period poverty as a way of having a boot at the EU

It's interesting that both the women's convener and equalities convener (both female SNP councillors) from the SNP NEC have also joined Alba though. The women's convener, Caroline McAllister, has expressly said it's to promote women's rights. There are so many different lines of division that it's all pretty messy.

sally maclennane wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 9:19 am
The worrying thing is that Alba are promoting themselves as a safe party for women, I suspect because they see it as an opportunity to win votes from the SNP, rather than any actual ideology or belief, or any desire to protect women's rights.

I agree with the first part, but I don't think they are trying to take seats away from the SNPs. The way I understand our system to work will mean that voting SNP 1 and 2 will mean a unionist party (Probably The Torys) will end up with a lot of seats*. That's why a lot of independence supporters will vote Greens for 2 because they also claim to support independence. I don't think Alba have any interest in women's rights at all (and I'm worried ISP are playing the same game), but they do want independence. That's why we're hearing a lot of this 'super majority', being thrown around. From what I'm reading on twitter, people don't seem to think NS has any intention on holding another referendum.

*I think the exception is the Highlands and the central belt. It's also why a lot of people are confused why The SNP keep pushing for people to vote for them in 1 and 2.

Pootle wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 12:17 pm It's interesting that both the women's convener and equalities convener (both female SNP councillors) from the SNP NEC have also joined Alba though. The women's convener, Caroline McAllister, has expressly said it's to promote women's rights. There are so many different lines of division that it's all pretty messy.

It's because the SNP have gone fully for self-id for transwomen. I mean, the issue of protecting women's rights is important but I'm not sure you solve it by joining Alex fucking Salmond.

I am really dubious about the SNP. Obvs I am speaking from a place of relative ignorance because we done see them here in local politics, so my experience is limited to what I saw during the referendum. But Nicola Sturgeon and Joanna Cherry are the only ones I think seem OK - a lot of the men seem like twats.

The Northern Independence Party, on the other hand, is nothing but an embarrassment for all concerned.

I can't even bear to follow the Northern Indy Party on Twitter for interest because it's too painful.

Ruby wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 7:00 pm

Pootle wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 12:17 pm It's interesting that both the women's convener and equalities convener (both female SNP councillors) from the SNP NEC have also joined Alba though. The women's convener, Caroline McAllister, has expressly said it's to promote women's rights. There are so many different lines of division that it's all pretty messy.

It's because the SNP have gone fully for self-id for transwomen. I mean, the issue of protecting women's rights is important but I'm not sure you solve it by joining Alex fucking Salmond.

Plus Tommy Sheridan and George Galloway! You couldn't find 3 less appealing men, I wouldn't get in a cab with any one of them!

I generally find SNP OK, they're not perfect but many of their policies are broadly in line with my politics, and people like Jeanne Freeman and Kate Forbes seem very competent, as is NS. I've been at quite a few conferences through work where ministers have spoken and they're usually pretty decent.

At local government level, they took control of Glasgow City Council, after decades of Labour control. Female Council workers had been involved in a long running equal pay claim, and Labour ( and the unions!) had dragged it through the courts, stalled and pissed about for years, essentially hoping the women would get fed up. Within a year of the SNP taking over, they settled in full.

I totally agree the Alba party looks shit, my point was that those bothered about women's rights still think they look better than the SNP. And I've never been as taken by Nicola Sturgeon as so many are.

To be fair, I also loathe Alex Salmond and always have done!

Talking to myself a bit but I'm reading an excellent book at the moment about the handling of the beginning of the pandemic by the Johnson government. It's called Failures of State, written by two investigative journalists from the Times and it's both excellent and horrifying. It lists all the terrible decisions and reads like the results of an enquiry - you know they're going to try and squirm out of holding one so it feels really important that journalists are holding them to account. Totally recommended if you have the stomach for it.

Pootle wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 7:39 pm I totally agree the Alba party looks shit, my point was that those bothered about women's rights still think they look better than the SNP. And I've never been as taken by Nicola Sturgeon as so many are.

This is definitely the impression I'm getting too. I was throughly pissed off with the way Nicola treated Joanna Cherry (who btw has put out a statement to say she is staying with the SNP)

ISP are also standing down all their candidates, so now I have no idea who to vote for at all.

I totally understand that, Rhod, I would feel exactly the same.

Also is George Galloway in Alba now, Sal? I thought he was a Unionist and had started his own party for that? That might have been last week though (Agreed about the taxi though)

Oh that's my mistake! I thought he (GG) had joined but I think he was just spouting his opinion on it.

They have recruited an ex boxer (Alex Arthur) who is a candidate, Twitter is full of his tweets, which indicate that he's an anti vaxxer, and also quite racist :woteva:

I've never heard of him. Sounds like another absolute charmer though

Galloway has his own party - my mum got a fantastic shit drivel filled flyer last week. I am waiting for mine so I can share it with you all, although I fear I might not get one now.