THE NEXT REVEAL IS JUST UNBELIEVABLE

Posted byiainlawson27Posted inUncategorizedTags:

SNP GOVERNANCE REVIEW
FINAL REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS: AUGUST 2021


THE NEXT REVEAL IS JUST UNBELIEVABLE.

I have already spilled the news about the proposed cull of NEC members. A cull that is entirely restricted to places that are elected by the ordinary membership, leaving the Woke anointed totally unscathed and in even firmer control than before. No need to re arrange the deck chairs like happened in 2019 when many were ejected in the elections, only for the clique to arrange their return, without any elections, almost immediately. One of them Fiona Robertson seemed to have an uncanny skill to be the  replacement representative on the NEC for multiple groups dependent on who couldn’t make it that day so Fiona could continue to take centre stage. She rose to the occasion leading NEC discussions on Equalities in preference to both the elected Equalities and Woman’s Convener’s, all the time with a giant 12 on her back. Ah to be a favoured one of the clique. She didn’t even blush as the Woke chair laid a path out for her. These affiliate groups have interchangeable delegates where substitutes can appear at will. Ordinary elected members have no substitute if for any reason they can’t make a meeting.

It is little known that the representatives of these affiliate groups are interchangeable, they move in the same groups. I remain convinced that at the same time as Angus Robertson was proposing the new framework that got rid of National Council and created all these affiliate seats on the NEC this little network of friends were sitting down sharing out these “appointments” for themselves. Readers should be aware that the hands of Angus Robertson are never far away when the clique need an enabler. He has leadership ambitions and folk should count their fingers after any dealings with him would be my advice. He likes the shadows these days but his tentacles are everywhere.

Now the great unanswered question about these affiliate groups is how many SNP members are members of each group because despite handing them a big number of seats on the NEC the wider membership, indeed other NEC members, have no idea about this information. Surely given that NEC seats that are being gifted to them, a minimum requirement for each should be that they must supply the National Secretary with a Full membership list showing numbers that would justify such a level of positions on the NEC? Asians for Independence have their own seat on the NEC. I am aware of complaints from the black community that they have been excluded unfairly from BAME representation and the current holder of the post is of Caribbean ancestry I believe. just how many members does he represent?. I know his partner is a MP, indeed the one that replaced Joanna Cherry on the Front Bench at Westminster so he is obviously well connected but I ask again how many SNP members are members of this Group and who elected him to be their NEC representative?. The new system gives them two places, a Convener and a Bame representative.

Given ordinary member representatives are to be reduced to eight amongst the entire Party there must be thousands of BAME members to justify 25% representation on the NEC when compared to the entire membership. Likewise the Equalities Convener from years gone by has been renamed the LGBT+ Convener in the new set up, just in case anybody used any other equalities to get elected! Now I know folk are scared to ask these questions because they know they will get called horrible names and accused of being racist or a homophobe or whatever but people need to raise their courage levels. This is how intimidation works. I am asking reasonable questions and these groups must answer them. The SNP is being taken over by them, it should not be left to non members like me to demand the answers but if needs be I will, because the SNP are in Government and the influence these groups have amassed, in my view unfairly, is now impacting all Scotland in the form of legislation like the Hate Bill and GRA.

The reason I ask for this is going to shock you,because the Governance REPORT states and these are direct, unedited passages,

“This would mean in practice, for example, that the National BAME Convener elected to NEC must be a member of the SNP BAME Network and receive a nomination from that group in order to be eligible to stand for the position at Annual National Conference.

It is worth noting that, under the current arrangements, a nominee doesn’t technically need to be a BAME member to stand for BAME Convener or a Councillor to stand for Local Government Convener.”

Now given the above, is it not a disgrace the case of Joan McAlpine who lost her place on the Regional lists because the current rules did not even require people holding these posts to even be members of those affiliate organisations or indeed hold nomination from them. When we talk about loose governance it can’t get looser than this. It was votes from these Affiliate representatives that allowed the Chair to use her casting vote in favour of the list fixing, going against tradition by not voting for the status quo. I had a discussion a while back with an African member of the Party who did hold a nomination from her BAME network but who was sidelined at the last minute in favour of a member of the ruling clique. Another who must be concerned about all this must be Joanna Cherry, who like Joan was identified by the Woke as a target. When they reduce the NEC to 32, getting rid of many of the NEC members elected by the ordinary membership they greatly strengthen their ability to deselect Joanna through the NEC rejecting her selection to the approved list. That is their plan and intention, they got Joan, Joanna will be next. Sturgeon will say or do nothing. Correction, she might smile.

Another worrying factor is this statement relating to the surviving regional representatives because they plan to interfere with their election as well. Again quoting directly from the report

“Our proposed Culture, Equalities, Organisation and Training Committee would therefore have to consider any alternative gender balance mechanisms required as part of elections to NEC.” 

So get ready for more gerrymandering about who you can pick and where. If they don’t like a man from one area they might suggest an all women list. Conversely if it’s a women they don’t like it could be an all male list. What is for sure is free choice will be out the window. Their choice, not yours will be the objective and remember we are discussing the only eight ordinary posts on the entire executive which ordinary members can still elect. It is a ludicrous undemocratic farce that would not be out of place in any banana republic.

You see the WOKE really hated those regional reps that were elected by the ordinary members. This is what the Governance Report said about them. These are completely unedited.

“The role of Regional representatives within our party and on the National Executive is crucial but has, to date, come with less accountability compared to National Office Bearers and representatives from Affiliate organisations. This has led, in some instances, to individuals acting in their own interests rather than on behalf of the party and their local members.

Our recommendation to reduce the number of Regional representatives to one per Scottish Parliamentary region aims to enhance the sense of accountability to local members and comes with a clearer role description”

Remember these are the folk unwilling to go against legal counsel advice, who wanted to see the financial accounts, who voted AGAINST fixing the regional lists to take out people like Joan McAlpine. This is the BIG LIE technique in action, rubbish and remove the decent, fair minded folk who were not blind to the injustice. How anyone can praise the actions of the Woke is beyond me, it can only be coming from Unionists because the Woke are well on the way to destroying the SNP.

The SNP “democracy” is finished. I have more bizzare behaviour to report which I will do later in the week as I have a store of guest articles which I must publish first as they were delayed last week because of the importance of publishing the leaks on the NEC as a priority but have no fear I will return with more, much more. The clique are active my friends I live in eternal hope the ordinary membership will awake to their games and move urgently to bring them to a halt. Up the Revolution!

I am, as always

Yours for Scotland

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76 thoughts on “THE NEXT REVEAL IS JUST UNBELIEVABLE”

  1. “This has led, in some instances, to individuals acting in their own interests rather than on behalf of the party and their local members.”

    Whilst this is aimed at ‘non-conforming’ regional representatives it is a perfect description of the Wokerati within the SNP themselves.

    It’s like 1984 crashing into Animal Farm.

    Liked by 17 people

  2. No point in being a member of the SNP. That is the top and the bottom of it for it is an undemocratic clique with no interest in independence and member participation.

    By comparison ALBA now has over 10,000 members and branch meetings are attracting numbers many times in excess of the few that turn up to SNP branch meetings. In fact the tawdry pictures of the SNP’s big beast President Michael Russel and his two bit horse box the other week typified where the SNP actually are.

    Keep the expose’ coming Mr Lawson. The SNP membership, although a secret, is understood to be under 50,000 now with that figure counting members who have lapsed and not rejoined.

    The difference could not be more stark.

    Liked by 22 people

    1. Indeed Willie. Absolutely no point being an SNP member. They as a party are finished, they are now in my opinion, beyond redemption.

      The mantra about staying to fight them within the party is no more. The woowoo brigade have taken over, and about to complete the takeover by the look of things. Save your money folks, cut the finances off the SNP, and seriously consider joining ALBA or one of the other independence party. Under this lot, with that creep Robertson waiting in the wings to take over, you are going precisely nowhere.

      Liked by 14 people

      2. I think it unlikely the last official announcement was it had passed 6000. I am sure many have joined since but I think we should await an official update. It may well come at Conference next month.

        Liked by 1 person

  3. “Readers should be aware that the hands of Angus Robertson are never far away when the clique need an enabler. He has leadership ambitions and folk should count their fingers after any dealings with him would be my advice.”

    Yes he has all the credentials to be the SNP’s next leader. That is, Nicola’s booby prize gift to the party.

    Liked by 14 people

  4. Every day that passes I live in fear as to what this undemocratic governmnet is going to foist on the nation. Keep it coming Iain, Maybe and I mean maybe the N.S idolisers will come to the conclusion we are being betrayed on a daily basis. It’s unbelievable.

    Liked by 14 people

  5. As far as the SNP NEC goes, Iain Lawson is woke.

    That’s right Iain: You are woke. (Don’t worry Iain – it doesn’t mean that you are a pedophile, just linguistically challenged).

    I don’t get the feeling that Iain Lawson is a alt-right nutter, but perhaps I am wrong.

    Liked by 3 people

  7. Most of the SNP party members that I know do not get involved with the party and neither know or care about internal party politics. They pay their membership fees and still trust and believe that the SNP is going to bring about independence and that there is no other viable option.
    Many of those I know who do get involved also seem to be of the opinion that “Nicola has it covered”. I give up.

    Liked by 9 people

  8. The New SNP are simply sticking two fingers up at the members! ( and the public). They continue to insult the principles of democracy by these tactics.
    However none of these tactics would work if the rank and file membership walked away instead of listening to the fake endless promises of Independence…almost there, just send more money.

    The New SNP clique have destroyed the Indy movement.

    The couldn’t do what they are doing without the rank and file members staying quiet….mesmerised by the snake oil salesman.

    For the first time in my life I now consider voting NO in a Referendum….a safer bet for my family. A Scotland of Hate Bills, thought Police and the destruction of Women’s Rights is not my vision.
    My grandchildren being pushed towards medical procedures and being subjected to the propaganda of perverts in school is not my vision of an Independent Scotland.

    We now have a trans activist able to call upon 5 members of the Scottish Police force to remove a woman because he does not like how she THINKS.

    I will not weesht for Indy.

    Liked by 16 people

    1. If we don’t have Indy we will NEVER get rid of Sturgeon and her ilk, never. That is their game, stay in power by dividing the vote.
      She is using the exact tactics as the Tories and Brexit.
      Choose any divisive topic, run with it and you can stay in power for ever.
      That is why i think the tories keep testing the waters with things like hanging and fox hunting. They are looking for divisive strategies. Brexit was their golden goose.
      They will use the trans issue too. It is The Times (rightly) spilling the beans on trans issues on a daily basis.
      We have to get Indy so we can have real parties to fight for Scotland’s people. Poverty, equality, drug legalisation (christ one of the easiest problems to solve – just copy countries which have succeeded), alcohol problem etc.
      What has Sturgeon done? Fuck all.

      Liked by 12 people

      1. I concur. If they do not deliver IR2 or secede in the next 18 months then abandon them by all means. But do not ever contemplate voting NO. The reason the dictator gets elected is on the back of indy voters. After independence voters can vote along economic or social lines again. It is most important we have a proportional voting system. But we will be subsumed by greater England if we do not sieze the opportunity and escape from the Empire. A strong constitution, a strictly independent judiciary and a fair voting system are what we need to keep tyrants out. Two out of 3 do not exist in the UK, and the third is open to debate.

        Liked by 2 people

  9. We desperately need to find some other word for this ridiculous power clique than “woke” because that word did have a meaning which too many people still think it means – anti racism and progressive. But these people are not progressives, in any way. Their ideology is the most regressive I’ve seen in my lifetime – misogynistic, homophobic (especially towards lesbians), rolling back women’s rights and medicalising children who “don’t conform” to gender stereotypes. And at base they are bullies out for power, money and influence (and I suspect for many their aim is the destruction of the SNP and yes movement).

    Yet too many people think “anti-woke” means right wing and regressive and that lets these people play a sympathy card – “Oh it’s just those old right wing anti-woke dinosaurs who hate progress”. We need to take that away from them and name them in some much clearer way.

    Liked by 9 people

    1. You make a good point, I refer to Nikla as the Cuckoo in the Nest, and the Woke Brigade as Trans Extremists.

      However it’s worth pointing out, this ‘new’ language terminoligy – ‘woke’, ‘cis’ ‘terf’, has been deliberately introduced by the Trans Extremists in order to slip things in under the radar – sensible people, find it annoying and self indulgent and switch off…. which is what it is designed to do.

      Liked by 14 people

      2. Yes refuse these words. They only belong on Queer Theory.
        You don’t start using terminology of a cult. If we do we are enabling them.
        Q: how are you today
        A: Very clear
        Not even the scientologists did that. Force their beliefs on primary school children.

        Liked by 7 people

      1. In answer to nnellie I know the term “woke” is an old term, so I will now call you lot The Boke; a good old Scottish term.

        Liked by 6 people

    3. Indeed, but it doesn’t stop with those referred to as “woke”. Terminology is important and that cuts right across the whole political sphere. The English government should be called the English government not Westminster nor UK Government. It grants them sole authority of the state when folk refer to them in that manner rather than being equal partners. Being in power makes it sound as though the government are in charge when they are mere servants of the people. The term is office. The “woke” should be referred to, if at all, under the premise of what they are doing or are viewed. Take an example from the above: “A cull that is entirely restricted to places that are elected by the ordinary membership, leaving the anointed totally unscathed and in even firmer control than before.” – No need for woke as the use of anointed said it all.

      Liked by 7 people

  10. ‘I live in eternal hope the ordinary membership will awake to their games and move urgently to bring them to a halt. ‘

    Its too late for ordinary members to do anything even if they wanted to. The SNP is finished as a force for independence. Hopefully people will start to move on.

    Liked by 9 people

    1. The National looks to me like a Nicola Fanzine – maybe I am wrong but I don’t see them publishing for or driving YES.

      Liked by 8 people

    2. I agree steelewires, This has to be widely publicised; eyes have to be opened, but I wouldn’t be optimistic about The National going for it. I had thought the same about Alf Bairds excellent 10 part treatise. For many it would be a revelation.

      Liked by 7 people

      1. That you regularly exceed the National readership does not surprise me Mr Lawson!

        Good informative timely pieces and decent comments.

        Liked by 8 people

      2. Iain, I couldn’t believe that recent front page of the National saying the new SNP/Greens deal had Indyref2 at its heart. What a sick joke. A few unclear sentences in a 51 page policy document.

        The National is a Sturgeon propaganda sheet. Any sensible person looking at the policy document can see that independence is hardly that important them.

        We need an independence supporting paper not a Sturgeon fanzine.

        Congrats on your blog going from strength to strength.

        Liked by 2 people

  12. “It is worth noting that, under the current arrangements, a nominee doesn’t technically need to be a BAME member to stand for BAME Convener or a Councillor to stand for Local Government Convener.”

    I’m at a loss to see what the problem is with that. After all a woman doesn’t technically need to be a woman as far as they are concerned /sarc/.

    As for Joanna Cherry I’d be amazed if she stood for selection at the next UKGE, at least for the SNP, but they’d try to get rid of her if she did.

    Angus Robertson – no just no. And that’s all I’m saying on him.

    Liked by 8 people

    1. And perhaps they could be bold and stand in front of the on coming disaster but they sure are taking their time.

      I find myself astonished by the cowardice or self preservation being shown by their silence.

      Liked by 8 people

    2. I suspect that many of them realise all to well just what is going on. However, just think for a moment, out of that total of over 100, just how many may be altruistic enough to say:

      “No! I will refuse these riches beyond the dreams of avarice which have been showered upon me by the taxpayers of this land! Instead, I shall cry out when there are wrongs, injustices, falsehoods and shuggly things which I do not agree with and I know my constituents do not agree with either.”

      However, many of these 100+ SNP politicians will then surely take a step back and have second thoughts:

      “Och! Ha’ad on a minute! Divvee realise hoo much I hev tae lose if I open ma yap!! I have seen what has happened to others who did not toe the line!”

      Aye, Aa’ had better Wheesht for Nicola!

      Liked by 4 people

  14. Rotten, absolutely rotten, right through the very heart of Scottish government.

    There used to be a column in Private Eye* a few years ago called “Rotten Boroughs” which exposed sordid details of the happenings in many Town Halls/Councils/Local Authorities etc., throughout the UK. It relied on local people bringing wrongdoings to the attention of the column.

    It is high time that a Scots political microscope was properly focused on the daily happenings of this bunch of over-rewarded cronies in Holyrood.

    Never mind occasional exposés – a weekly post of the latest sordid/crooked happenings should be broadcast far and wide across the land.
    (I wish I could do it myself but now have not the energy or skills needed to do this. Though I am now too old to properly carry out such a task, I would heartily support financially any site willing to carry out *AND PUBLISH* the many, many shortcomings of this alleged Parliament. As I said at the beginning:

    It is Rotten! Rotten! Absolutely Rotten!

    *(I stopped subscribing when the editor became a BBC stooge)

    Liked by 10 people

  15. In football, before diving to win a penalty became commonplace, I remember desperately waiting and wishing for just one referee to stop the rot and issue a straight red card at the first example to discourage others.
    Of course no referee was brave enough and diving to win a penalty is now the expected norm.

    The same is now true with these PC zombies and automatons. I desperately await someone, anyone to raise their head above the barricades and show these loonies ‘the Red Card’.

    Scotland used to be proud of the fact that she had never been conquered. Scotland no longer can be proud.

    Liked by 6 people

    1. Scotland used to have well earned pride in many things and to me the greatest pride of all was *EDUCATION*.
      The pride of having a Scottish education from “Infant School” through to “High School” (these are the terms I remember) would see you well on your way in the world had you chosen to “stick-in” at school.

      The chances of moving forward to even higher education were at one time phenomenal for Scottish pupils.

      Today … well … one not dare to say too much for you will be decried should you dare to venture even a part truth about the state of education in Scotland these days.

      Never fear though, for all upcoming wee young Scots, whilst mebbes no’ learnin’ their “Reading and Writing and ‘Rithmetic, taught to the tune of the hickory stick”, and therefore not being quite au fait with their ABCs, will *MOST DEFINITELY* know everything there is to know about their LGBTQs+ etc., even if their parents object.

      Liked by 7 people

    2. I saw a player sent off for “simulation”, as diving is definied in football, in a major cup final in 1994. He only actually got a yellow card, but, it was his second. The action never caught-on. The will to do it, and keep doing it, has to be there, in football and in politics. That day is, I fear, still some way off.

      Liked by 4 people

      1. Don’t know if you remember but there was a bit of a stooshie among the BBC presenters during the 2016 World Cup when a player from, I believe Belgium, bucked the trend and refused to enact ‘the dying swan’ scene in the opponent’s penalty box.
        I’m sure it was Gary Lineker who suffered the derision of his fellow panellists for applauding the player’s stance.
        The majority view was that said player (I’m almost sure it was De Bruyne) was stupid for not diving.
        I remember thinking, even then that the lunatics were in the process of taking over the asylum.

        Liked by 3 people

  17. I was going to just refer to the strangely titled “Culture, Equalities, Organisation and Training Committee” within the SNP, and wonder aloud about what that committee is actually supposed to do. However, I find myself agreeing with folk here who say the SNP is finished.

    As a democratic organisation, it has died. As a political force, I think it will continue for a while through public expectation and lack of deeper awareness (supported by certain media outlets), but I don’t see how it can achieve the large number of votes it used to get 10 years ago. For whatever reason, the leadership has removed the essential hope and optimism from the so-called party of independence to which many of us have given a lifetime’s work.
    Even if there is a referendum sometime soon, I would not expect it to be won by the SNP. A governing party of devolution may be happy to lose an independence referendum. I can see the crocodile tears already.

    We have to choose a different route.

    On the question of the best words to describe gender zealots, I agree that “woke” isn’t right. Maybe we could try some humour (Woo-Woo!), but I think it’s now gone way, way beyond a joke. “Sex assigned at birth” and “Trans women are women”. Aye, son, that’ll be right!
    Mentally ill or disturbed may be an accurate description for some, and narcissistic may apply as well as intolerant, and dictatorial. The definition of Fascist doesn’t quite fit, but what about Fascistic?

    Liked by 8 people

    1. Perhaps we should call them what they are – Marx was an ideologist and Stalin was a monster hiding behind ideology. For me, Sturgeon and her crew look very Stalinist:
      the theory and practice of communism developed by Stalin from Marxism-Leninism and marked especially by rigid authoritarianism, widespread use of terror, and often emphasis on Russian (replace with “Scottish”) nationalism
      – Hate Crime Bill
      – Asking kids to snitch on their parents
      – Strong focus on invading the hearts and minds of kids
      – Centralization of all power
      – Corruption of our legal system
      – State police
      – Use of and control of the MSM
      – Show trials and political prisoners

      So many decent societies have gone down this path before us and like us none of them believed what was happening – until it was too late.

      I think we should take these “attributes’ of Sturgeons regime and put together the clear exposé of the actions going on under the radar of the voting public. Then we have to protest – often – outside Holyrood – to ensure the acts in the shadows are seen in the light of day. right now, Sturgeons regime still fears the people but it won’t last.

      Liked by 9 people

      1. For what it’s worth: I prefer to think of Marx as a philosopher. Were I to be asked to typify, the SNP, I would say, with reference to your list, that they are, as near as not to matter, fascistic by inclination. I’m being very kind.

        Liked by 4 people

  19. Woke theory is designed to empower women and ethnic minorities. Which means the SNP are not WOKE, they’re simply criminally incompetent parochial authoritarians. They appear to have been offered a free hand and legal protection by the Crown, who must simply be loving Sturgeon and the Tartan Talabangelicals.

    Liked by 9 people

  20. Nothing we learn about this lot is unbelievable any more, Iain. Literally nothing. If they plumb the depths any deeper, they be promising a referendum sometime, in the future, unspecified to the Australians or New Zealanders, whose pseudo wokerati, Nicola Sturgeon so admires.

    Liked by 6 people

  22. It just keeps going from bad to worse with regards to the SNP, are they becoming unelectable, the grassroots movements are calling on Sturgeon to name a date for indyref II, will she just ignore them, and plough on with her own agenda, and a bit of the Greens agenda.

    Someone commented on another blog that Alba’s membership is now up to 10,000. is it inevitable that we’ll need to wait until Alba rises and the SNP wanes before an indyref II is really on the cards, or will ordinary members take action before then to shake up the SNP, and focus on what the party was originally founded to do.

    Liked by 3 people

  23. Another name for WOKE theory is “intersectionality” theory, which was designed to tackle the structural racism and sexism embedded in Anglo-American educational and legal practice. Which was intended to enable global resistance to Neo-liberalism and cultural patriarchy, so I think it worthy of rescuing from the Scottish government’s criminal incompetence. As patriarchy hurts the poor and destroys the planet.

    An intersectionality-based policy analysis framework: critical reflections on a methodology for advancing equity
    https://equityhealthj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12939-014-0119-x

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Just for clarity, intersectionality theory was designed to tackle the neo-liberal nature of Anglo-American educational and legal practice. And if there’s one thing I know about the science of sustainability, a woke APPROACH is essential to achieving sustainable open democracy. So you’ll not support intersectionality if you deny the nature of material reality.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Too late for us to think in these terms – Sturgeon has abused the intent of woke to further her own agenda. It has been poisoned and it turn has itself become toxic here. The betrayer then uses the true intent of woke to discredit those who see clearly through her pretenses. I don’t see woke ever being accepted as anything ore than a weapon used to crush the people in Scotland today. And that crime rests with Sturgeon

        Liked by 4 people

    1. I wish you luck Cameron – I think you need to find a new term though – maybe “awaken”? We really do need to wake up …

      Liked by 6 people

    1. Ah, well, consider this wullie,,,

      I would not in any way want to rely on the SNP to campaign for or even do any of the transitional work for independence – they have no plans and they don’t have a clue what needs done or the skills to do it, and the public will reject independence if the SNP were doing the campaigning (take note that Sturgeon was in charge of SNP campaigning in the last indyref. Just saying).

      BUT – a referendum is NOT party political – anyone, any group, can campaign for either side. So, any party – and the numerous groups (non-political) that have been working on plans – that have plans and a vision (or two), should get the opportunity to put that forward – and political parties can also gain the same popularity the SNP gained after 2014. The referendum was how ‘grassroots’ became a thing – the SNP appropriated that, took ownership as though they’d done the work; well, no they didn’t, it was actual and real engagement by the general public.

      With the extreme negativity seen in the SNP now, they’d no doubt be a hindrance (a nasty vindictive divisive hindrance) – but if an indyref is called, we should back it – it’s still an opportunity; not the happy-clappy opportunity Sturgeon wants to portray, but if she’s sidelined (which is feasible in a referendum campaign) and the activists – who are champing at the bit (no horse box analogies, please) – go hell for leather (hmm, is that another horse-related idiom? Dammit) – it’s still going to be a real possibility we can push through.

      The SNP does not *own* the independence movement – that belongs everywhere and nowhere – they just need to call the referendum itself, that’s what ‘vehicle’ means. I’d still prefer one of the alternative methods – a referendum will put too many constraints on the vote and smacks too much of asking permission (and it’s better to start on a stronger footing) – but if that’s what we get first, I won’t be praying for it not to happen. Don’t worry about people keeping up the pressure – if she’s forced into doing it, all well and good, and if she avoids it,,, plummeting popularity ratings for she/her.

      Liked by 4 people

  26. I share your worry, Iain, about the bogey man lurking in the shadow of the FM. I really do not want to contemplate Mr and Mrs Murrell being replaced by Mr and Mrs Robertson – a Hell appointed prospect for Scotland.

    Liked by 6 people

  27. In the post 2014 election in 2015, the Labour vote in Scotland collapsed from 42% in 2010 to 24% and with the Libdems also suffering a huge drop, those votes clearly went to the SNP who went fron 20% in 2010 to 50% in 2015. It seems clear then that while voters may give a Party the benefit of the doubt for longer than they probably should, it’s not locked in and they will switch when something better seems to be offered. In 2015 that better option was provided by the SNP. Given the current state of the UK Party’s and the SNP, I’d bet than a similar massive change could happen if voters had a better option than what’s on offer. The SNP have failed hugely since 2015.

    It’s no shame on them that Alba, who sprung onto the scene far too late to make a difference in May, especially with them effectively being ignored by almost all TV and newspapers, didn’t do as well as they’d hoped. However the membership numbers do appear promising. The collapse of support for Labour & LIbdems in 2015 does clearly show what can happen when people give up supporting the status quo and a better alternative also seems to be available. The SNP are trying, among many negative tactics, to convince people that there isn’t an alternative to the SNP, yet the track record of so many achievements that the SNP boast of (free prescriptions, NHS hospital parking & tuition) were all introduced under the pre-Sturgeon period. They are still running largely on the success of others rather than on anything that the post 2014 SNP have done and that is becoming more apparent by the day. GRA & HCB!!

    The bottom line is that voters support seems to be there for the taking. Given the speed and scale of changes that have happened since 2015 and the dithering that has become a hallmark of the SNP along with all the main UK Party’s, the SNP will no doubt also have failed many of those that switched to them in 2015. The recent blog from Alf Baird made quite clear what options are available in seeking independence, but that needs a political Party to push them. I suspect that a lot of support is ready to make a switch from the SNP now that the they are widely being seen as a lost cause or worse. All that’s needed is a viable alternative to make the SNP go the same way as Labour and the Libdems.

    https://www.statista.com/statistics/1057795/scottish-election-results/

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  28. Well. Utterly bizarre, Iain. The SNP are actually in government, yet this is how they demonstrate their governing abilities?! Nothing to do with the SNP makes any kind of sense anymore. Do I have it right that this document says there was not enough accountability in the elected members? Those that get elected, and so can be unelected? Interesting logic if so.

    I think you are right – people need to put aside the fear of discussing minority groups’ representation. What appears to be the issue is not that any minority group should or should not be represented, but perhaps that they shouldn’t all be overly represented on the NEC – which I assume – being an EXECUTIVE – is the controlling body of the party. And as the controlling body should really be representative of ALL the membership – if that membership does not include enough minorities for the leadership’s taste; then perhaps they need to look at their policies more closely rather than rig the system. You would think every position on the NEC should be elected, no?

    The solution would be, of course, to have the minority groups’ committees feed into one or two posts – they could each have a weighted average of voting rights depending on proportion.

    The thing is, if your party policy is fairness and equality, then the only real need is for minority groups to provide advice and feedback – there shouldn’t be a need for them to have controlling authority over the majority. You’d have thunk. Too democratic?

    I see the usual objections and discomfort about using the term woke – I don’t feel any discomfort about it, just so you know – it’s how they describe themselves so isn’t an insulting or pejorative term. I think that’s good – there isn’t any reason to go around insulting folk at every turn. It adequately explains which group you are discussing. Whether or not they ARE woke – whatever the definition is – is neither here nor there; woke is identifying a group and not insulting a group (so isn’t discriminatory). I personally, in my own head, apply as much sarcasm to the term as seems appropriate – I did watch an African American activist in a short video describe something of the origins of the word, where it was implied the origins were sarcastic in nature as applied to white middle class virtue-signallers – and have no problem with that too. The thing is, no one outside of a discriminated-against group can ever really know what it’s really like to be part of that group – we can sympathise, empathise even, and listen and learn to try and make those lives better – but if you aren’t already part of it, you can’t pretend to understand fully what it’s like.

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    1. If we allow the SNP to tarnish intersectional theory and practice with their negligent incompetence, it will make it all the harder from us to defend ourselves from neo-liberal nationalism, and the authoritarian legal practice it produces. So we need to stop associating the SNP with WOKE, as they are making all the mistakes I’m trained to advise government against making, when they engage with post-colonial legal theory and practice. So I think we need to call it as it is, they’re simply parochial and authoritarian clowns on the make.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. It’s already done Cameron, factions of the SNP are already associated with woke; you really can’t stop it by telling people not to use the term. Words are regularly and frequently misappropriated – I have plenty of pet hates and irritations myself, but once it’s done, it’s done; it’s time to move on and try and find some replacement terminology.

        You can also adopt words – cybernat was invented as a slur on independence supporters – but was embraced by those people it was aimed at ,,, and of course then stopped being an insult, so the MSM stopped using it. I’m just saying word misappropriation isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but if it’s a technical definition you are used to using in a specialised subject, it can be very annoying. It’s just the way ‘popular definitions’ work, and why there is an etymology of word definitions – society changes, and we just have to live with it.

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  29. Plenty interesting comments above. It’s a crying shame that we’re having to deal with and discuss this situation, but we are where we are.

    Thinking a bit further about that “Culture, Equalities, Organisation and Training Committee” in the SNP, I wonder if it will be arranging compulsory re-education classes for those party members who have not swallowed the Gender doctrine. Yup, that’s my bet.

    Reading earlier a report of the weekend experience of Marion Miller and her friends in an Edinburgh pub, I’m suddenly reminded of the writings of US psychiatrist M. Scott Peck. In his book “People of the Lie”, as I recall, he describes the techniques used by people who deny reality while pretending not to. The idea that gender zealots are victims may fit into that scenario, and the way that party of women is described as having been treated led me to think about the treatment of Jewish people in 1930s Germany.

    Yes, “fascistic” may be an accurate description. Just don’t let them know what you’re thinking, or else!

    Liked by 6 people

    1. “Pluralistic ignorance” is another lens, which suggests individuals within groups will go along with an idea they think the rest of the group think acceptable, even if they reject it themselves. It’s thought to have fed into the rise of the Nazis, and probably plays a significant role in supporting Scotland’s latent yoonery. ‘Our’ institutional yoonery speaks for itself, and will happily misapply the law in order to stands in the way of Scotland’s political Enlightenment, a.k.a. political emancipation.

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  30. Contrary
    True but that the sort of linguistic practice that supports alternative facts and kills democracy. Which Scots are unlikely to ever experience, given the legal incompetents at the top of our justice system.

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  31. Under the New Constitution the Regional Delegates were meant to report to the Regional Committees but these Committees were never set up in most areas. If they had been set up and branches had been able to communicate with each other then they might have been a power base to challenge the leadership.

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