I don't how many people actively avoid listening to politicians though. A bit like avoiding listening to adverts.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!
And now? (Not the White Paper thread)
(693 posts)-
Posted 10 years ago #
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"Er - the referendum?"
No...
The aftermath of the referendum.
And importantly, the confounding of any notions that the losers would cry into their beers and say 'Scotland is not worthy'.
Posted 10 years ago # -
As a naive question, what does joining a political party entail and what are the roles/responsibilities?
I kind of get that you may pay some subs to help party funds and get invites to the party conference (where you can vote on the direction of the party) and no doubt many communications on the party's view on various issues and invites to help canvassing.
Is that about right?
Posted 10 years ago # -
@HankChief, that's broadly correct, but it depends on the local branch structures of the particular party, its size, and so on. Personally I've found the Green party to be quite participatory. If I'd wanted to, I could have got more involved, joined committees, and so on.
Some folk will remain just party members, not particularly active. Others will become involved and participate in a variety of ways in campaigning, shaping policy, etc.
Posted 10 years ago # -
"Is that about right?"
I would say so, though I've never been a member of a political party!
Posted 10 years ago # -
From Farcebook:
"SCOTTISH GREENS THANK OVER 3,000 NEW MEMBERS
The Scottish Greens are thanking over 3,000 new members who have joined the party since the close of polls on Thursday evening.
This means total membership has just passed the 5,000 mark."Posted 10 years ago # -
So they gone from 2000ish members to 5000?
That's quite a jump.
There's some stat about for every person who writes to their MP there are n other people who think the same way.
I wonder if there's something similar for party membership?(I came to regret not following the "White Paper" thread, but wasn't going to plow through it all to catch up. So I am going to lurk here (until I get bored, and go back to looking at pictures of kittens)).
Posted 10 years ago # -
Scottish referendum: 'Yes' parties see surge in members
"Scotland's pro-independence parties, including the SNP and the Greens, have reported a surge in membership in the wake of the referendum "No" vote.
The SNP now has more than 42,000 members compared with 25,642 at 17:00 on Thursday, the party said.
The Greens also said thousands joined their party over the weekend."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-29311147
Posted 10 years ago # -
I can't be the only one thinking that "English MPs for English votes" could be a big step forward for Scotland?
If Labour no longer felt it had a major incentive to oppose progress north of the border (because our MPs couldn't contribute to forming an effective government) it might make life considerably more straightforward.
In the worst scenario it would mean that a westminster government potentially couldn't carry English-only laws because it didn't actually have an English majority. Hardly a crisis of democracy (quite the reverse).
For the same reason I think we should encourage the banks to relocate their registered HQs to London as they threatened. It will make little difference in practice, but disarm that play so it can never be threatened again.
Posted 10 years ago # -
"
And let me tell you this Scotland - you have been heard.That’s why I will not rest until you get all that you have been promised - not just more powers for the Scottish Parliament, but the full use of the whole range of powers to build the kind of Scotland we all want to see.
"
http://press.labour.org.uk/post/98143660534/speech-by-margaret-curran-mp-to-labours-annual
Posted 10 years ago # -
"
@angeuk1: If you VotedNo then support Lab/Cons/LibDems - Links herehttp://t.co/FLxA7wHkuu
http://t.co/fsM8kRogiR
http://t.co/wUo5dP1qzE"
Posted 10 years ago # -
Hang on a minute...
If you can't work with in the system there is always the unilateral declaration. Should we expect a watchman running through the streets shouting that the Red Coats Are Coming.
Can he do that??
Posted 10 years ago # -
If you read what he said and ignore the headline and the mixing of his interview with the Sillars tweets, it seems pretty clear he's not advocating UDI. But even if he were, the guy's probably hurting and should be allowed to vent a little.
The leadership in waiting seems pretty clear that they are going to work to maximise the powers transferred to Holyrood. There's been noises from various people and I suspect they'll wait a little for a formal announcement of that and use things like Marco Biagi's article today to keep making the point until Nicola says it clearly. There's possibly a fair few people will take it badly.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Well I did read it and it didn't seem clear to me. The question I asked though was "can he do that" rather than "will he". In other words, is that actually possible?
Posted 10 years ago # -
No, of course he can't. He doesn't have the constitutional powers to do so. He is no more able to declare UDI than Boris has to declare London a separate city state. It is a bit of bluster (funny that eh?)
Certain aspects of this are now getting a wee bit hysterical. In both senses of the word.
Posted 10 years ago # -
That is a relief although he may have just hurt the SNP by saying they could do that if they had a majority, given that the majority didn't want independence.
That Jim Sillars fellow seems a wee bit differently sane.
Posted 10 years ago # -
The absence of a constitutional basis is implicit in the "unilateral" part of the unilateral declaration of independence. It's hard to see how that would stop someone intent on doing it. It would be a barking mad thing to do though.
More likely the idea harks back to an old SNP position, pre-dating the existence of the Scottish Government, that a majority of Scottish MPs from the SNP would represent a mandate to open negotiations for an independence referendum. But since the recent referendum is the result of the SNP gaining a mandate by having a majority in the Scottish Parliament, that avenue is, I think, no longer available.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Looks like this has sprouted a Social Media movement and a boycott movement. Even Tommy Sheridan is calling for Yes people to vote SNP instead of SSP.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Sub-states can declare themselves to be independent - a recent example being Kosovo. The main difficulty is convincing other states to recognise your new statehood. Typically, it's a very nasty business - normally involving civil wars.
Posted 10 years ago # -
100years ago, The Irish Parlimentary Party was gradualist and democratically got home rule passed by the Liberal party only to lose it to WW1 timing. Gradualism was ditched & the result was a UDI (& partition & civil war).
100 years later in Alba the Yes campaign lost to the establishment in a straight out vote on independence. The SNP cannot escalate now to UDI, they now have to go gradualist & seek home rule.
History throws up some strange parallels. I wonder what the Welsh make of all this talk of English & Scottish devolution but nary a mention of them.Posted 10 years ago # -
Well, there is if you look. As one might expect, people in Wales would be happy with more powers, but fewer with independence. Support or not for Scottish independence is similarly divided, and along similar political lines as in Scotland.
Posted 10 years ago # -
"
“How do you explain to people in Rochdale that they are subsidising people in Raith?” he added.
"
Aye, they'll be dancing in the streets again...
Posted 10 years ago # -
"I wonder what the Welsh make of all this talk of English & Scottish devolution but nary a mention of them. "
I would have said the Welsh are equally proud of their country (there must be some stats on this e.g. do you feel Welsh, Welsh/British, British etc). The Welsh culture is very strong these days. I guess though there is a good deal of pragmatism leading to less support for independence currently: it's an even small country, less rich than Scotland, and has a long and populated border with England.
Posted 10 years ago # -
"
“How do you explain to people in Rochdale that they are subsidising people in Raith?” he added.
"
I am not sure that he understands the economics fully.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Not sure he understands "Raith" either.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Could have been
"How do you explain to people in Port Vale that they are subsiding people in Raith?"Or my ex-local team
"How do explain to people in The New Saints (formerly Total Network Solutions) ...."Posted 10 years ago # -
i had hopes for him - at the HoC hearings on cycling he spoke very sensibly indeed.
(also saw recently guido fawkes claiming he was about to defect to UKIP)
Posted 10 years ago # -
@RJ Agreed that there is awareness within Wales, but the coverage of the Labour conference & the Chequers house party, it is all about England & Scotland. No awareness of Wales among the elite, Labour taking them for granted like they did here to their cost.
Posted 10 years ago # -
I recollect that the turnout for the devolution referendum in Wales was barely 50% of which barely 50% voted for yes so it seems that most people there just aren't interested. Or weren't back then at least.
"How do you explain to people in Port Vale that they are subsiding people in Raith?"
Lol, very good! (I had to look that up)
Posted 10 years ago # -
"No awareness of Wales among the elite"
One of the Tories wanting more Englandyness for the Englishmost MPs was Redwood, who was once secretary of state for Wales, though perhaps he doesn't remember or didn't notice seeing as he never even
[+] Embed the video | Video Download Get the Flash Video learnt their national anthem.
Posted 10 years ago #
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