Salmond and Sturgeon Want the English Fish for More Fat Subsidies

HAMISH_MCTAVISH

Shakethedisease wrote: »

pathetic tactical voting

Well that obviously has you rattled.

The SNP want to break up the UK, it's their principle aim and main reason for existence, but separatists are a minority of Scots.

Unionists are the majority in Scotland, but our vote is split between three parties, so at the moment the SNP will likely win the vast majority of seats despite having only a minority of support.

Tactical voting makes sense in such a situation, because the choice then becomes do I waste my vote on one of the unionist parties that have no chance of winning in my area, or do I change it to the one that has a chance of winning....

Although my preference is for one of the three, the fact is that preserving the Union is more important than the colour of tie a Unionist wears, so I'll vote for whoever has the best chance of beating the separatists.

I've had both Labour and the Tories canvassing my area this week, and I've told them both I'll be voting tactically for whoever has the best chance of beating the SNP.

Their response was that "a lot of other people have said the same thing this week" and whilst they can't officially promote it, they absolutely understand it'll be widespread and why people are doing it.

You talk about the long game Shakey, but I don't think you have any idea where this is headed.

If the Separatists win landslides at the next election and in 2016 with a minority of the vote there will be a coordinated Unionist response from the majority, and then we're heading towards Northern Ireland style politics.

This is not a positive thing....

As yesterdays attack by SNP supporters on the Conservative and Labour offices in Aberdeen demonstrates.

Police are investigating after the Labour and Conservative party offices were vandalised in Aberdeen, in what is thought to be a nationalist attack on the two major parties.

A swastika sign and the word "scum" were painted in white on the front of the Conservative offices in the city's West Mount Street.

The letter Q, believed to stand for "quisling", or traitor, was also painted on the blue office door.

Scottish Labour's office in nearby Rosemount Place also had a large Q painted on the door.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/11530000/Police-investigate-swastika-attack-on-Conservative-party-offices.html

.string.

Do you think, Hamish, that there will be a realignment of the political parties after the GE? Maybe it's time for a split between Scottish Labour, Lib Dems and Conservatives from their English counterparts. Otherwise maybe a grand coalition, but that also would require some form of split.

MumOf2

HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »

You talk about the long game Shakey, but I don't think you have any idea where this is headed.

If the Separatists win landslides at the next election and in 2016 with a minority of the vote there will be a coordinated Unionist response from the majority, and then we're heading towards Northern Ireland style politics.

This is not a positive thing....

As yesterdays attack by SNP supporters on the Conservative and Labour offices in Aberdeen demonstrates.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/11530000/Police-investigate-swastika-attack-on-Conservative-party-offices.html

So it starts again...


Thank goodness we left when we did.

HAMISH_MCTAVISH

.string. wrote: »

Do you think, Hamish, that there will be a realignment of the political parties after the GE? Maybe it's time for a split been Scottish Labour, Lib Dems and Conservatives from their English counterparts. Otherwise maybe a grand coalition, but that also would require some form of split.

I think after the GE is too soon.

They'll take their knocks, and try to come back for 2016.

If that election has a similarly skewed outcome, then yes, I think we'll see some major changes to Scottish politics.

But remember we do have a form of proportional representation in the Scottish elections so how it happens is still very much up in the air.

But that it will happen, that a coordinated Unionist response will emerge, is I think beyond doubt.

.string.

MumOf2 wrote: »

So it starts again...


Thank goodness we left when we did.

Good to see you're still around here MumOf2.

MumOf2

.string. wrote: »

Good to see you're still around here MumOf2.

Thanks, String. More of a lurker now...

Shakethedisease

HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »

Well that obviously has you rattled.

The SNP want to break up the UK, it's their principle aim and main reason for existence, but separatists are a minority of Scots.

Unionists are the majority in Scotland, but our vote is split between three parties, so at the moment the SNP will likely win the vast majority of seats despite having only a minority of support.

Tactical voting makes sense in such a situation, because the choice then becomes do I waste my vote on one of the unionist parties that have no chance of winning in my area, or do I change it to the one that has a chance of winning....

Although my preference is for one of the three, the fact is that preserving the Union is more important than the colour of tie a Unionist wears, so I'll vote for whoever has the best chance of beating the separatists.

I've had both Labour and the Tories canvassing my area this week, and I've told them both I'll be voting tactically for whoever has the best chance of beating the SNP.

Their response was that "a lot of other people have said the same thing this week" and whilst they can't officially promote it, they absolutely understand it'll be widespread and why people are doing it.

You talk about the long game Shakey, but I don't think you have any idea where this is headed.

If the Separatists win landslides at the next election and in 2016 with a minority of the vote there will be a coordinated Unionist response from the majority, and then we're heading towards Northern Ireland style politics.

This is not a positive thing....

As yesterdays attack by SNP supporters on the Conservative and Labour offices in Aberdeen demonstrates.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/11530000/Police-investigate-swastika-attack-on-Conservative-party-offices.html

No Hamish. It doesn't have me rattled. I was countering your post with some impartial commentary ( rather more impartial than yours or the Telegraph's incidentally ). One sided. But that's taken as read unfortunately.



I don't think tactical voting will work, no. Not least because as the Prof points out the polling data shows Labour voters, if faced with a choice, half of them will jump SNP-ward. The polls show very little sign of tactical voting appearing as yet in the data for this coming election either.. surely you must've noticed ? And in 2016 under a PR system, it's likely to backfire. Labour supporters in Scotland voting Tory is always going to be a HUGE ask. And there are many, many more of those than the ( remaining few ) Lib Dems and Scottish Tories.

That it's pathetic, I should've qualified as my own view. And a sad state of affairs when people don't just vote in something, or someone they ( even vaguely ) believe in any more.

No-one knows where this is headed. You included. You just like to think you do. I think you will find though however, I pointed out a few months before the referendum.. that SNP Westminster voting intentions were looking very interesting.. and wouldn't it be a shocker if the SNP lost the referendum only to hold the balance of power at Westminster with Salmond at the helm. You laughed.. not laughing so much now I suppose. Forced to vote for a party, any you have no belief in, simply to try and stop the SNP from the scenario I put to you ages ago. I'd say my political radar may be slightly more finely tuned than yours.

The SNP have always played the long game. In power in 2007, and waited till 2014 for the chance at a referendum. Jim Murphy had Adam Bolton tonight incredulous with disbelief that Labour is now set to block further powers, a few months after he, and Gordon Brown were all over the media perceived as promising just that. Murphy had no coherent answer when Bolton asked 'so you're in favour of Scotland receiving exactly as it does now then if you're in power ?' and ' thought you said that Scottish Labour wanted to be more autonomous in Scotland re economics ?'..All over the place. Bolton left as perplexed as most Scots voters will be with the latest 'win em back strategy'.

Generali

HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »

Northern Ireland style politics.

This is not a positive thing....

As yesterdays attack by SNP supporters on the Conservative and Labour offices in Aberdeen demonstrates.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/11530000/Police-investigate-swastika-attack-on-Conservative-party-offices.html

Very poor form but unfortunately exactly the sort of thing that the SNP want to foment. Nationalists thrive in an atmosphere of hatred and division.

Generali

MumOf2 wrote: »

So it starts again...


Thank goodness we left when we did.

A question whilst you're on de-lurk mode. What do you mean by 'it starts again'?

Tromking

Shakethedisease wrote: »

I don't think tactical voting will work, no. Not least because as the Prof points out the polling data shows Labour voters, if faced with a choice, half of them will jump SNP-ward.

That`ll be the Labour voters with Irish and/or catholic roots perhaps?