UK Politics Thread

[Jimbuna]

Nicola Sturgeon has warned Theresa May that she is not "bluffing" on the promise of a second independence referendum if Scotland is "driven off a hard Brexit cliff".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotlan...itics-38543547

Theresa May should respond by saying, "Neither am I, you will not be allowed one."

One problem being that kind of response would probably send quite a fews Scots into Sturgeons camp.

[MGR1]

There is some element of risk in that, but I also think that Sturgeon's played her hand out. She's stuck between what the party faithful want and what the electorate at large want. The two ain't the same.

There's been every indication via polling that:

1: Support for independence hasn't risen post Brexit vote.

2: A majority of Scot's do not want to be asked to vote in another referendum at this time.

It should be pretty obvious that if she wants to risk another indyref, she should wait until after the Brexit negotiations are complete that way the people of Scotland can make a more informed decision. However, she has to deal with the radical wing of the party, led by one Alexander Salmond. There are plenty of internal tensions within the SNP, they're just better at hiding them than the Tories and Labour are.

Mike.

[MGR1]

Sturgeon has now ruled out a vote during 2017:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-38560646

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson calls for single market access:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotlan...itics-38553851

Moving on, sometimes the contributer's on Reddit come out with something cogent:

https://www.reddit.com/r/ukpolitics/..._the/?sort=new

[–]ShooblyGoobly 1 point 6 hours ago
The union will last for at least another decade but considerable constitutional reform is required if it wants a future beyond that.
England is just too powerful. It's so big it gets anything it wants at the end of the day. If Scotland gets anything it wants it's either a coincidence that it's also to the benefit of England or, simply, a gift. To quote a Scot-Nat my friend on the matter:
"In the UK, Scotland sometimes gets what it voted for. If it were independent it'd always get what it voted for"
You can't really argue with that logic. It's actually pretty sound. At best Scotland can tip the balance in favour of one direction or another but that's simply saying "England is pretty much 50-50 on this so, Scotland, you can decide how it goes".
You mention Brexit and I see Scottish independence and Brexit being quite similar in some regards. If you claim to have voted to leave for constitutional reasons then you hated the idea that a larger country/group of countries could tell England what to do. In the EU parliament England is a minority. It can't always get its own way. It's a democratic system but it's not one England recognises as its interests can be shoved aside to please a larger group of people. It's damned annoying and that inevitable leads to the idea that if it left the union could get everything that it wants. Ironically these same people that voted leave also seem to be the ones most adamant that Scotland stay in the UK, that England is good for Scotland even if Scotland doesn't always get everything it voted for.

Very true - Brexiter's and SNP supporters have a lot in common. Sometimes they're actually one and the same.

Mike.

[Jimbuna]

Could we be witnessing the first signs of a 'crack' in the cabinet?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-38568577

[MGR1]

O-ho. that's interesting - Aberdeen City Council leader opens London Stock Exchange:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotlan...tland-38568609

This is after ACC was awarded an Aa2 credit rating by Moody's:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotlan...iness-37600311

https://www.moodys.com/research/Mood...ook--PR_355968

And has already issued bonds on the stock market:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotlan...tland-37847671

So that's where they've been getting the extra funding for all their fancy projects from. They haven't exactly been trumpeting that to us plebs!

Mike.

[STEED]

No crust for Cameron.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk...-a7517606.html

[Jimbuna]

Quite frankly if Mr Cameron was capable of getting his own muesli then he would cut the crusts off his own toast...or, more likely, eat the crusts.

I suspect a little closer to the truth.

[Oberon]

Obviously scared of getting curly hair.

Although to be fair, I've always ate my crusts and I lost my curly hair...so...

[Catfish]

Originally Posted by Oberon

[...] Although to be fair, I've always ate my crusts and I lost my curly hair...so...

No details please !

[Jimbuna]

I think Jeremy would be well advised not to speak publicly on subject matter that brings his hypocrisy to the fore.

Jeremy Corbyn has set out plans to curb boardroom pay while seeming to back away from the idea of a maximum wage.

Labour's leader initially appeared to back ceilings on earnings, an idea one economist claimed was "lunatic", but later said it was hard to enforce.
A spokesman said Mr Corbyn had "misspoke" during a BBC interview in which he said he personally favoured a limit on maximum earnings.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-38568116

[STEED]

So much for Jeremy Corbyn's fresh new start, first he backs down over the maximum wage idea and today another Labour MP is stepping down!

Labour MP Tristram Hunt is quitting Parliament triggering a by-election in his Stoke-on-Trent constituency.

http://news.sky.com/politics


I see from the BBC News..

The former TV historian was elected to represent Stoke-on-Trent in 2010 and was re-elected in 2015 with a majority of 5,179. UKIP came second.

If old JC looses one will be bad if both this may trigger a third attempt to topple him from power.

[Jimbuna]

The good ones are leaving the sinking ship leaving the rats to fend for themselves.

Shouldn't be surprised if UKIP win Stole and the Tories take Copeland.

If that does come about Jeremy still won't budge.

[Oberon]

Death by multiple by-election?

[STEED]

I see old JC promises us all the land of milk and honey at his speech today. Same old rubbish same old slogans, don't get me wrong I'm not outright attacking him as I hear this rubbish from the other party's as well.


Moving on to our Hospitals and A+E crises first of all Mrs May you are talking utter claptrap about GP's surgery's. My one is open 7am to round 6:30pm and if you Mrs May think opening up at the weekend is going to take the strain off A+E you need to wake up.

The NHS mess is the fault of under funding for years by the Conservatives Labour and Liberals, you are all to blame so stop point scoring off each other and blaming everyone else and get this bloody mess sorted out now.

[Moonlight]

The NHS will get sorted out after the Tories have privatised it.