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SNP candidates ‘and how their policies would affect Edinburgh’

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  1. chdot
    Admin

    Kate Forbes talks about SNP and how her policies would affect Edinburgh if she becomes First Minister

    “

    On transport, she promised she would “carefully consider” government support for the expansion of the tram network and said congestion charging had a place. “But you have to ensure there are alternative sources of transport for commuters and for those trying to get around Edinburgh; and you also have to provide support for those who are going to be hit hardest, for example taxi drivers. to enable them to transition.”

    …

    The result of the contest to become the next SNP leader and First Minister will be announced on Monday. The other candidates, Humza Yousaf and Ash Regan are speaking to the Evening News over the next two days.

    “

    https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/politics/kate-forbes-talks-about-snp-and-how-her-policies-would-affect-edinburgh-if-she-becomes-first-minister-4075528

    Posted 1 year ago #

  2. Morningsider
    Member

    No politician seems to see the existence of large numbers of commuters for what it really is - a dramatic failure of industrial, economic, housing and land use policies.

    Rather than trying to facilitate mass car commuting, politicians should be looking to remove the need for it wherever possible.

    Posted 1 year ago #

  3. neddie
    Member

    Morningsider for FM!

    Posted 1 year ago #

  4. chdot
    Admin

    “

    When the SNP first came to power in 2007 it tried to pull the plug on Edinburgh’s tram project, but now the city council is hoping for Scottish Government funding to expand the existing network. Mr Yousaf, a former transport minister, said: “I'm a great supporter of what's been done with the tram network and I also really applaud Edinburgh city council under successive administrations for the active travel initiatives brought forward. They lead many other local authorities when it comes to the active travel footprint they are creating. I would look to see what more we could do to support Edinburgh in relation to access to public transport. It's not just the trams – I think they have been a great success – but I’m really impressed by Lothian Buses and the bus network too.” On the possibility of a congestion charge for the Capital, he said matters like that, and a workplace parking levy, were best decided locally. "These are decisions which, if I’m First Minister, I will leave in the hands of the local administration to decide what’s best in their city.”

    “

    https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/politics/humza-yousaf-says-he-wants-a-new-deal-with-local-government-if-he-is-scotlands-next-first-minister-4077377

    Posted 1 year ago #

  5. Morningsider
    Member

    The SNP didn't just try to "pull the plug on Edinburgh's tram project", they actively tried to scupper it. Ministers prevented Transport Scotland from providing project management assistance. They let the city carry the burden of extra spending as costs spiralled - rather than providing the type of extra cash lavished on over-budget road projects, such as the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route. Ministers sniped from the sidelines - delighting in project failures, rather than offering help and assistance. All for perceived political gain over the then Labour/Lib Dem administration, regardless of the costs to the taxpayer.

    Lest we forget, they also cancelled the Edinburgh and Glasgow airport rail link projects, de-scoped the Edinburgh-Glasgow rail improvement programme, butchered the upgrade to the Highland Mainline and "value engineered" the Borders rail link to the bare minimum - meaning it is highly susceptible to disruption.

    Not everyone has as short a memory as these leadership candidates might like.

    Posted 1 year ago #

  6. Arellcat
    Moderator

    Morningsider for FM!

    Finding it hard to determine a compelling argument against this motion.

    Posted 1 year ago #

  7. chdot
    Admin

    Seems AR didn’t bother to talk to EN.

    Now we just wait for the result with excitement, trepidation or indifference.

    Posted 1 year ago #

  8. chdot
    Admin

    “

    Part of the reason for relief and some guarded optimism is that upset also brings the possibility of reset. And boy does Scotland need it. A weekend conference organised by the Yes group Scotonomics heard a Plaid Cymru politician describe the considerable advances being made in Wales, despite a smaller population and weaker devolved powers than Holyrood. The Labour/Plaid Welsh Government has cancelled major road-building projects, ploughing cash into improved public transport, announced plans to set up a publicly-owned renewable energy development company, a national construction company and a national care service. Wales has also appointed a future generations commissioner – one outcome of the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act 2016, which prompted former Labour MP Tom Harris to describe Labour Wales as “the wokest country in Europe”. What – woker than Scotland?

    “

    https://web.archive.org/web/20230327082238/https://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/viewpoint/23413325.will-no-continuity-new-snp-leader---whoever-wins/

    Posted 1 year ago #

  9. chdot
    Admin

    https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/snp-leadership-humza-yousaf-elected-new-party-leader-after-bitter-contest-to-replace-nicola-sturgeon-4081108

    Posted 1 year ago #

  10. chdot
    Admin

    “

    Congrats @HumzaYousaf

    As #TransportMinister you understood the value of #activetravel and *acted* boldly

    “

    more -

    https://twitter.com/spokeslothian/status/1640358334736785409

    Posted 1 year ago #

  11. Yodhrin
    Member

    Well that was probably the best outcome to be hoped for. Some(me) might disagree he acted all *that* boldly given the givens, but when the alternatives were Kate "MOAR ROADS" Forbes or Ash "But What About The Poor Oil Industry?" Regan and neither of them would have had the Greens to help restrain them, you take what you can get.

    Posted 1 year ago #

  12. Frenchy
    Member

    As #TransportMinister you understood the value of #activetravel and *acted* boldly

    Also, of course, approved the Sheriffhall scheme...

    Posted 1 year ago #

  13. gembo
    Member

    At least his vote was more than the 22000 members who didn’t vote.?

    Posted 1 year ago #

  14. Morningsider
    Member

    Humza Yousaf Tweet from 1 March 2023:

    HY: "In terms of the A9, absolute commitment to dual it. We have got to, for safety, for transport accessibility to the north of Scotland, make sure that we're demonstrating urgency when it comes to dualling the A9, a plan of how we'll push that forward."
    And quoted in the P&J on 6 March 2023:

    “I am absolutely committed to dualling the A96 Inverness to Nairn, including the Nairn bypass.

    “Within my first few weeks in office, I will ensure the statutory orders are signed off to start the work on this important commitment.

    “I will bring urgency and pace to the review of options being considered for the dualling of the rest of the A96, a vital project for our communities in the north and north-east.”

    Sounds like "MOAR ROADS" to me.

    Posted 1 year ago #

  15. acsimpson
    Member

    If his commitment to 1960's roads is unshakeable I wonder if it's worth lobbying him to ensure that the roads come with parallel and world leading cycle infrastructure?

    Posted 1 year ago #

  16. Morningsider
    Member

    Looks like we are getting a new transport minister, although cycling probably still in Patrick Harvie's remit.

    Posted 1 year ago #

  17. chdot
    Admin

    Herald

    “

    2:40pm
    Humza Yousaf has unveiled his first cabinet.

    Shona Robison, the new Deputy First Minister, will take on the Finance portfolio, including responsibility for the Scottish Budget

    Michael Matheson becomes the Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care

    Jenny Gilruth joins Cabinet for the first time as Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills

    Màiri McAllan joins Cabinet for the first time as Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Just Transition

    Neil Gray joins Cabinet for the first time as Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy

    Mairi Gougeon remains Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands

    Angus Robertson remains Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture

    Shirley-Anne Somerville becomes Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice

    Angela Constance returns to Cabinet as the new Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs

    “

    Posted 1 year ago #

  18. Baldcyclist
    Member

    I'm just really surprised that our new FM hasn't got round to calling a Scottish Parliamentary election yet, given how adminent SNP were that others should call elections after leadership changes.

    Posted 1 year ago #

  19. chdot
    Admin

    “

    @KevinStewartSNP has been appointed as transport minister, who is listed below Net Zero and Just Transition Secretary @MairiMcAllan in the new Scottish Government line up,

    “

    https://mobile.twitter.com/alastairdalton/status/1641167389470457857

    Posted 1 year ago #

  20. Yodhrin
    Member

    @Baldcyclist pop back in once they've changed leadership and policy platform two or three more times since the previous election & crashed the entire economy with their budget and maybe that equivalence will ring a little less false.

    Posted 1 year ago #

  21. Baldcyclist
    Member

    @Yodhrin wasn't the principle argumnent about democracy though, and new leaders not having the democratic mandate of the people?

    Both the Torys, and also the SNP's record of failure is laid out plain for everyone to see, but the arguments before were about mandate. :)

    Posted 1 year ago #

  22. chdot
    Admin

    “I'm just really surprised that our new FM hasn't got round to calling a Scottish Parliamentary election yet“

    I get the irony and it’s a reasonable point!

    Obviously there’s no point in expecting politicians to be consistent…

    The ‘democracy’ of allowing party members to choose a new leader who will then become First/Prime Minister is highly questionable, but that’s “The System”.

    ‘We’ the punters/voters/subject/citizens vote (if we do) for a person.

    Generally they have a Party label attached. We may or may not hope that enough people in that Party are elected and take on ‘government’.

    At the time of voting, each Party will have a leader. One will then head the Gov. BUT ‘we’ are involved in electing a Party not the P/F M.

    If a leader is subsequently changed - for whatever reason, by whatever means - ‘the government’ usually continues.

    Not sure that leaders being able to choose the date of the next election is democratic.

    FPTP is essentially undemocratic.

    Coalitions are undemocratic in the sense they ‘weren’t on the ballot paper’.

    Arguably minority rule (CEC style) is very undemocratic!

    ‘We’ deserve better. ‘We’ want it now.

    But

    Posted 1 year ago #

  23. Baldcyclist
    Member

    Recent events starting to make a bit more sense now:
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-65187823

    Posted 1 year ago #

  24. Morningsider
    Member

    Hmmm - the Scottish Government's new prospectus "Equality, opportunity, community New leadership – A fresh start" is possibly a new low in poorly written policy documents. Cycling gets two feebly re-heated policies. By 2026 the Scottish Government commits to having:

    Made progress on our target to reduce car kilometres by 20% by 2030. This will include having more 20mph zones, improved road safety and Low Emission Zones in our four largest cities.

    Delivered a significant step-up in investment in spaces where people can walk, wheel and cycle safely and confidently, when undertaking short everyday journeys, and ensured there are more spaces that put people first, not cars, with the development of active travel freeways underway.

    Looks like we will have to keep Pedalling on Parliament for the forseeable.

    Posted 1 year ago #

  25. chdot
    Admin

    “active travel freeways”

    Ooh

    What?

    Where?

    When??

    Posted 1 year ago #

  26. chdot
    Admin

    P.s.

    Does “development” mean ‘planning’ or delivering?

    Posted 1 year ago #

  27. Morningsider
    Member

    They were first announced in December 2020 (Climate Change Plan update, page 122) and have been re-announced at fairly regular intervals since then. No real detail of what they are, where they might be built, who will build them or when they might see the light of day have ever been announced.

    Posted 1 year ago #

  28. chdot
    Admin

    Thanks…

    Posted 1 year ago #

  29. DdF
    Member

    And the commmitment to 'active freeways' in the Climate Change Plan Update (below) was for "identification and design development" not implementation. The sum allocated was anyway far too small for building anything "throughout Scotland." They remain a mystery.

    "To build on this we are committing an additional £50 million to ‘Active Freeways’ which will involve identification and design development of the strategic active travel network, to
    provide segregated active travel routes on main travel corridors to city and town centres and major trip attractors linking communities throughout Scotland.    "

    Posted 1 year ago #

  30. chdot
    Admin

    Thanks

    Nonsense then!

    Posted 1 year ago #

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