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Holyrood- the next five years

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Started 7 years ago by chdot
Latest reply from I were right about that saddle

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chdot
Admin

The election is over, the results are in.

The radio, TV and press pundits are still analysing what/why - especially in party terms.

With or without Independence sometime/soon/never, the primary issues remain and revolve around people and how they live (in no particular order) - education, work, housing, food, health, energy, climate change, transport etc.

'We' are particularly interested in some of the overlaps - where people live and work and how they travel, and related issues of planning, land use, air pollution etc. (generally things influenced by and legislated for at the Scottish Parliament).

To some extent this is focussed via the walk/cycle agenda - notable progress through PoP over the period of the last Parliament.

A recent development has been WalkCycleVote, which attempted to discover what SP2016 candidates thought.

Now that the new Parliament has been elected there are fewer people to deal with.

If if any of these people represent you, you might like to ask them what they will do over the next five years (or what you hope they'll do).

Ruth Davidson (Conservative, @Ruth_E_Davidson): not yet responded
http://walkcyclevote.scot/candidate-info/?cons=134935

Ash Denham (SNP, @ashtenRD): not yet responded.
http://walkcyclevote.scot/candidate-info/?cons=134936

Ben Macpherson (SNP, @BenMacpherson): responded.
http://walkcyclevote.scot/candidate-info/?cons=134937

Gordon MacDonald (SNP, @GMacdonaldMSP): not yet responded.
http://walkcyclevote.scot/candidate-info/?cons=134938

Daniel Johnson (Labour, @D_G_Johnson): responded.
http://walkcyclevote.scot/candidate-info/?cons=134939

Alex Cole-Hamilton (Lib Dem @agcolehamilton): responded

http://walkcyclevote.scot/candidate-info/?cons=134940

Posted 7 years ago #
chdot
Admin

http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/first-minister-urged-to-reform-city-planning-rules-1-4121615

Posted 7 years ago #
chdot
Admin

All here -

http://www.parliament.scot/msps/current-msps.aspx

Though some of the new ones haven't had emails added yet.

Posted 7 years ago #
chdot
Admin

"

Ben Macpherson (@BenMacpherson)
07/05/2016, 1:02 pm
@StartOnFriday @POPScotland @SpokesLothian Thanks for the tweet and info. I normally walk but may start cycling too.

"

Posted 7 years ago #
chdot
Admin

"

But speaking on the steps of Bute House, Ms Sturgeon said: “We won a clear and unequivocal mandate, and I secured the personal mandate I sought to implement the bold and ambitious programme for government that I asked the country to vote for.

“So, I can confirm that when it reconvenes in the coming days, I will ask the Scottish Parliament to formally re-elect me as the First Minister of Scotland. It will then be my intention to lead an SNP government. With such a large group of MSPs elected, I don’t intend to seek any formal arrangement with any other parties.”

"

http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/politics/nicola-sturgeon-vows-to-go-it-alone-in-new-government-1-4121625

Posted 7 years ago #
crowriver
Member

Holyrood 2016: Sturgeon seeks 'consensus' with opposition

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2016-scotland-36233674

The headline is a bit misleading really, because unfortunately Sturgeon carries a distinct air of hubristic arrogance in her statements regarding co-operation with opposition parties. She seems to forget it's a minority administration rather than a majoritarian elective dictatorship.

"To opposition parties - we won overwhelmingly and we will compromise where in the best interests of the party but we have a clear and unequivocal mandate to govern on the manifesto on which we were elected."

"I want - not because I have to, but I want to - reach out where I can to build common ground on issues where there are agreement between the parties. But I am also clear that the SNP has an unequivocal mandate to implement our manifesto."

That "unequivocal mandate" phrase. We'll just have to see about that, eh Ms Sturgeon?

All I can say is thank goodness the SNP don't have a majority.

Posted 7 years ago #
LaidBack
Member

Watched BBC news tonight out of curiosity but the show has moved back to London Mayoral politics and how Corbyn relates to it.
Leicester City were also featured.

Posted 7 years ago #
chdot
Admin

"

EDINBURGH has established itself as Scotland’s most politically diverse city as the Tories, Labour and Liberal Democrats each took a seat from the SNP and the Greens increased their strength on the Lothian list

"

http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/politics/electorate-shows-true-colours-as-city-divides-1-4121642

Posted 7 years ago #
chdot
Admin

@Ruth_E_Davidson is now @RuthDavidsonMSP

Why change now??

Admin edit

She seems to have had both but now only one

Posted 7 years ago #
sallyhinch
Member

Most of the MSPs who had twitter handles with MSP in them changed them during the election to non MSP ones and I guess they're now changing them back. Very annoying for me as we had gathered all the MSP ones for Walk Cycle Vote!

Posted 7 years ago #
Firedog
Member

Not sure what you're getting worked up about Crowriver. Most impartial observers would accept that it's a strong mandate if you consider the SNP got more votes than Lab, Con and Lib Dem combined, and I think most political observers would concede that the SNP doesn't have to reach out, simply because the government is unlikely to be defeated on many issues (it may even tactically choose ones eg APD to lose on, as they did last time with the trams).
I don't see that as arrogance - its robustness was most likely a riposte to Ruth Davidson who seemed to believe her views carried a mandate despite getting a fifth of the votes.
I hope the SNP does 'reach out' and I think they should. But it doesn't look to me like a political imperative.

Posted 7 years ago #
acsimpson
Member

Whatever mandate she feels the election result gives her independence is not one of them. The results of the neverendum made it painfully clear that there is currently not an appetite for the country to declare independence and she should respect that.

Fair enough as a single policy party they could play the long game in persuading people we would be better as an independent country. Who knows perhaps if they were to actually govern the country well they might persuade many of those who are currently convinced that Westminster and Holyrood rhetoric differs on very little other than accent.

I also think that for any party to assume that all voters for them are unconditionally supportive of every line of the manifesto is incredibly arrogant. Although I do also realise that delivering on manifesto pledges is important.

Posted 7 years ago #
chdot
Admin

"I do also realise that delivering on manifesto pledges is important"

(Historically) few politicians seem to be desperate to deliver everything - anyway 'things change' and better ideas (maybe based on evidence?!) come along.

Obviously I haven't read any of the manifestos in detail (quick search for key words), but I don't think 'delivering independence' was actually a pledge.

It's a shame NS has to spend so much time thinking about it (as a party politician) on top of delivering the manifesto (as leader of the SG).

If things are not in the manifesto can they even be dealt with??

Posted 7 years ago #
Firedog
Member

acsimpson: I don't know anyone who has claimed the election gave a mandate for independence. What the new government has is a mandate for implementing the policies and commitments it laid out in the manifesto: (50,000 affordable houses etc.) That's what it should be judged on.

Using expressions like 'neverendum' and referring to the SNP as a 'single policy party' betray a visceral view too strongly held to argue with, but on your point that 'if they were to actually govern the country well they might persuade...'. Wasn't that the point of the whole 'Re-elect' SNP campaign (irrespective of the motives of some voters)?
The irony is that of all the parties, it was the Tories who campaigned on the issue of independence.

Posted 7 years ago #
Firedog
Member

chdot: on question of whether things not in the manifesto can be dealt with - yes, nothing to stop that. But such things likely to be reactive to events, whereas initial programme of government would aim to put in place only manifesto commitments.

Posted 7 years ago #
acsimpson
Member

Firedog, I'm not totally against being persuaded (and my list vote went to a pro indy party), however breaking pledges for the referendum to settle the matter for a generation is likely to entrench a lot of people's views. Running another referendum within 5 to ten years when nothing long term (eg brexit) has changed seems like playground politics. If they fail to respect the majority of the people who voted to remain within the union then why should anyone respect them?

I don't for a minute suggest there wasn't foul play on the side of the unionists however given that the separatist side was just as bad with the misinformation and foul play this certainly isn't a reason for rerunning anything.

For the record I am fully aware that the SNP has many policies other than Independence. However they are more likely to find the funding for projects which they think will further that cause than for those which wont.

Posted 7 years ago #
chdot
Admin

"

Mr Briggs said he already had a pile of emails to deal with – and the first one was about potholes. “It was from a woman I met during the campaign. I said if I was elected she should get in touch – and she has, straight away.”

"

http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/politics/first-day-at-school-for-new-scottish-parliament-msps-1-4123483

Posted 7 years ago #
chdot
Admin

"

Given the SNP leader’s commitment to appointing a Cabinet with a 50:50 gender split, the success of Jeane Freeman on Thursday gives her another option when it comes to appointing her ministerial team. Freeman, formerly an adviser for Labour’s Jack McConnell, is tipped for at least a junior post.

"

http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/politics/angela-constance-set-to-to-lose-education-cabinet-post-1-4122119

Posted 7 years ago #
wee folding bike
Member

", however breaking pledges for the referendum to settle the matter for a generation"

What pledge was this?

Posted 7 years ago #
Roibeard
Member

Possibly Salmond's "view" in response to being asked for a pledge on the Andrew Marr Show.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/scottish-independence/11095210/Alex-Salmond-This-is-a-once-in-a-generation-opportunity-for-Scotland.html

Regardless of whether this was a pledge or not, it's clear that targets become aspirations become visions, so pledges can become views, and can be overtaken by events.

Although, I suppose all politicians play this game, not just the SNP.

Robert

Posted 7 years ago #
chdot
Admin

"targets become aspirations become visions"

I thought that was just for 'cycling'...

Posted 7 years ago #
chdot
Admin

"

Nicola Sturgeon outlines plans for SNP government

"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-36266762

Posted 7 years ago #
gembo
Member

47% of 55% of the electorate is a mandate to govern in a minority govt. That is fair enough. But arithmetically that is not a mandate for another referendum. Extremists such as Michael Gove and Boris Johnson prevailing in BRexit on the other hand.....

Posted 7 years ago #
fimm
Member

This appeared via my twitter feed; I liked it just for the headline (which contains a word slightly unsuitable for this forum...)

It is quite a long analysis of all the parties' fortunes. I don't normally read the politics threads but thought it was worth sharing.

Posted 7 years ago #
gembo
Member

applecarts? We rarely use that word for sure

Posted 7 years ago #
wee folding bike
Member

They're always upset.

Posted 7 years ago #
chdot
Admin

"

Tories accept there was a lot of tactical voting going on. Ms Davidson herself acknowledged that not all those who voted for her in Edinburgh Central were “true-blue, dyed-in-the-wool Tories”.

"

http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/ian-swanson-expect-the-unexpected-after-tory-triumph-1-4125110

Posted 7 years ago #
chdot
Admin

"
Scotland's new class of MSPs have begun arriving at Holyrood. In total there are 51 new representatives arriving at the Scottish Parliament, and BBC Scotland met some of them as they checked in for their first day of work.

"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-36247940

Posted 7 years ago #
chdot
Admin

I wonder what else all opposition parties will find they agree on -

http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/snp-facing-pressure-to-axe-plans-to-cut-air-passenger-duty-1-4128823

Posted 7 years ago #
crowriver
Member

Repealing the offensive behaviour act too, I think. Oh that's in the article too, I see... :-)

Posted 7 years ago #

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