WHY YOU NEED TO VOTE

Posted byiainlawson27Posted inUncategorized

WHY YOU NEED TO VOTE

I know there are many people finding it hard to motivate themselves to go out and vote. Hopefully they are all located in wards where there is no Alba or ISP candidate standing. Even in those wards however I would urge you to vote, even if it’s just to spoil your paper. You can still send a message doing that. Staying home solves nothing.

Obviously in the 30% of wards where an Alba or ISP candidate is standing I hope you will give them your support. They deserve it. Alba is a very young Party, just over a year old. It has done well to build its membership and it is no mean feat to field well over a hundred candidates right across the whole country.

They have a good message, their five point plan is easily the most positive, constructive and pro Indy plan on offer on Thursday and deserves support.

How will Alba do? Well that is difficult to answer they have been studiously ignored by the MSM. THAT OF COURSE IS THE BEST SIGNAL THAT THEY ARE WORTH SUPPORTING. I would worry if Unionist newspapers were writing all sorts of promotional articles about a pro Indy Party. What do you think Nicola? Are you getting value for the millions of pounds of taxpayers money you invested in keeping them sweet?

I hope to see the Alba vote increase. To calculate whether that has happened or not it will be necessary to calculate the vote only in the wards where they are fielding a candidate so as a rough guide you can take their total vote then divide it by 30 then multiply it by 100. I mention this because it’s a dead certainty none of the mainstream media will be doing so. Alba suppression on behalf of the Union and the kid on Indy Leadership in the SNP are their allies.

Some things to remember

1. In the mid 1980’s the SNP membership was not a lot larger than Alba’s today

2.It took the SNP, eleven years to win its first seat, which they only held for a few months

3. It took a further twenty two years before they won another

4. The Alba Party is just over a year old.

I congratulate every Alba and ISP CANDIDATE in advance and likewise I have nothing but praise for those volunteers who have worked hard to get their message out to the electorate. It can be hard work, the more so when you are still trying to be known and accepted as a serious Party. It will take time but there are no shortcuts, especially when the media are so determined to be hostile, but console yourself in the knowledge that many of your political rivals recognise the potential danger you represent and will all be hoping you make no progress.

Think, and this comes from my personal experience. I remember the years when progress was slow, there were times when there were reverses but we were dogged and determined. We would not go away. Eventually we started making progress and it was all the sweeter for the disappointments and challenges we had faced along the road.

I hope it’s not long before you share those happy moments and if it’s sooner rather than later then that would be acceptable as well.

Good luck to all true and honest Indy candidates on Thursday.

I am, as always,

Yours for Scotland

BEAT THE CENSORS

Sadly some sites had given up on being pro Indy sites and have decided to become merely pro SNP sites where any criticism of the Party Leader or opposition to the latest policy extremes, results in censorship being applied. This, in the rather over optimistic belief that this will suppress public discussion on such topics. My regular readers have expertly worked out that by regularly sharing articles on this site defeats that censorship and makes it all rather pointless. I really do appreciate such support and free speech in Scotland is remaining unaffected by their juvenile censorship. Indeed it is has become a symptom of weakness and guilt. Quite encouraging really.

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73 thoughts on “WHY YOU NEED TO VOTE”

  1. I know Nicola Sturgeon made payments to the Scottish Press. Can anyone remind me how much she has given and more importantly what is was given for? what did she hope to gain from this largesse?

    Liked by 7 people

      1. That is OUR money is it not? No-one ever asked me if I would like to support the press and any other media – perhaps they knew the answer would be a big fat NO. The thought that they might triple the amount is truly disturbing.

        Liked by 12 people

  2. According to Sir John Curtice: “Alba Won’t Win any Councils in Scotland!”
    So Why Vote for Alba, Answer: We Wont!
    No One with a Brain Will Vote for These Quislings!!!

    Like

    1. There there Bill. Let me just spoil your day. Alba will make progress tomorrow. How much ? I don’t know. What I do know is they will still be there. They will continue to build and grow. How do I know? Because many of them were responsible for building the SNP until the gender deniers of Sturgeon’s cabal, most entryist’s since 2014, aided by Sturgeon took over the NEC AND STARTED TO DESTROY ALL THAT THEY HAD BUILT.

      Liked by 18 people

      1. Too right Iain.

        Alba is full of people who built the SNP. People with commitment, people who worked hard through the lean years as the SNP. People whose interest was Scotland and not personal enrichment.

        These people are an absolute loss to the Nu SNP and in their transition to the new Alba I am sure they will be the building blocks,and the guiding hands that will create a new party equal and in fact more capable and committed to take us to where we want to be.

        And yes, the establishment fear the growth of Alba and the resurgence of the independence movement. And make no mistake Alba and the wider independence movement will grow.!

        Liked by 14 people

    2. “Alba Won’t Win any Councils in Scotland!”

      Is Alba putting forward in any council at all a number of candidates that surpasses half of the total number of candidates that will be selected for that council?

      Because if the answer to that question is “no”, the only pertinent words you can say in response to Prof Curtice “earth-shattering”, “mastermind” assertion would be

      “no shit, Sherlock”

      Liked by 11 people

    3. I dont think you get it, there would be no Alba if the SNP were genuinely committed and campaigning for independence. 8 years we have had of capitulation, procrastination and shit poor Leadership from the colonial quisling administration of Scotland in the shape of Sturgeon. Its Its time for a Change , prehaps you should put your efforts to reclaiming the SNP from the Unionists cabal that currently running it , you are in denial comrade.

      Liked by 10 people

    4. “Why Vote for Alba”

      Because as today, of all the political parties fielding candidates in my ward, Alba is the only political party who appears to be serious about Scotland recovering its statehood and ending this toxic political union. On top of that, they care about women, children and respect the rights of parents to protect their underage children from harm.

      Liked by 9 people

      1. A good judgement, Mia, but I am not so fortunate in having an Alba candidate. With a choice of 2 LbDem (!), and one each Conservative, Labour, SNP and Green, plus a ‘supporter of family and marriage’ so I rated them all 7th equal, thus deliberately spoiling my ballot paper.
        I take no satisfaction in doing so as I feel that, in a so-called democracy, it is appaling that there is no local candidate that I can trust with my vote. It was the same in last year’s Constituency election for Holyrood so now, in over 60 years of voting in all kinds of elections, I have twice not been able to support any of the candidates available.

        Liked by 3 people

    6. I will go to bed tonight and sleep well knowing that I never voted for the British Unionist party that you represent! Again do some adult research and define “Quisling!” and you will find it refers to yourself and not this site!

      Liked by 3 people

  3. I have never been so indifferent to voting as I am at the moment. We have two pro-devolution parties in our ward but no genuine pro-indy parties.
    Haud yer nose jist yin mare time? I’m struggling.

    Liked by 11 people

    1. Holding my nose is no longer an option for me, Scott. As we have no Alba or ISP candidate, I had intended to spoil my paper. However we have a good candidate standing for the Green Party and, as I think she would have a lot to contribute to the council, I gave her my one and only vote and posted my ballot paper last week.

      Like

  4. I wonder how many names Bill Tosh uses these days?

    Well “Bill” I ranked SNP 6th. and 7th. Only seven candidates so I couldn’t put them any lower.
    Thankfully I have an ISP candidate ( Number 1 on my list). I even put the Tory candidate above the SNP.

    Unlike Bill I have experience and know that his rants do nothing to win people back. The SNP zealots sound just like the Labour faithful of a decade ago “ It will never happen…” until it does. It also happens very fast.

    Does Bill really think the YES movement will have the same energy as 2012/14? My entire Family ran stalls every week….I will not be doing it again for the cretins who want to ruin Scotland.

    Bill Tosh and the TransCult are going to win over No voters in under 18 months and win a Referendum?

    The SNP plan is to lose a last minute Referendum and keep the business empire going…you can stuff that.

    Liked by 13 people

  5. I’d agree with Iain. Vote even if it is to spoil your paper. If all the candidates are gender woo ones note your opposition to Self id or write something like “dissolve the union” etc. I’ve an Alba candidate so will have something to vote for. Please vote for Alba, ISP or any non aligned candidate that is pro indy e.g Martin Keatings.

    If you have a good SNP candidate vote for them but if it’s a gravy trainer or TRA…

    Liked by 5 people

  6. Just spotted a local leaflet distribution guy is advertising for individuals to deliver “Get out the Vote” letters to SNP supporters tomorrow and Thursday, paying £10 per hour.
    Changed days from when they could rely on the activists to deliver.

    Liked by 7 people

      1. Hi Iain, The info below is on a thread on the Dunfermline Athletic fans forum.Cheers Tony Connor 

        If anyone is available Wed and Thu (probably not Wed, I suppose) I could use a few hands to get some reminder to vote leaflets out in Duloch. Targeted at confirmed SNP voters rather than every door.  Text me on 07979960427 if interested£10 per hour for this one. I am also puting  together a database of willing workers for casual work delivering booklets and individual clients flyers, for Squealadeal. This will be ad hoc work but could be quite regular. More details on request.Wages for this work will match national employment guidlines.  Maybe with a bit extra when possible. Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android

        Liked by 3 people

  8. As soneone who has spent hundreds of hours delivering SNP leaflets as well as stuffing envelopes etc, is there any chance of claiming back money for it? How the mighty have fallen.

    Liked by 6 people

    1. Thanks Ian, for your hopeful view. No Alba candidate in my ward and, for the 1st time in my life I’ll be putting SNP 1 above the Tory candidate at the bottom of the ballot paper. With tears…
      Voting for Independents.
      Sorcha

      Liked by 4 people

  9. Thankfully, both my wife and I will be able to vote for Alba. Otherwise, we fully intended to spoil our ballots. What a sorry, bloody state of affairs!

    Liked by 11 people

  10. No Alba candidate in my ward but will be voting No 1 for an Independence supporting Independent candidate.As for the media.I religiously buy The National but having second thoughts as it is not so much a Independence supporting paper now, giving every Independence supporting party coverage.It is turning into a Nicola fanzine and a daily publicity sheet for the SNP, of which I was an active member for almost 30 years, but became totally disillusioned with present leader and the path the party is being led down.

    Liked by 8 people

  11. No Alba or ISP candidate here. Seven candidates in all, with the two SNPs and the Green being the only ones claiming to be indy-minded. One of the SNP people will make a good councillor, the other is very woke. So good SNP 1, Green 2, Labour (why not?) 3, Woke SNP 4, LibDem 5 (You can’t trust them an inch and they’ll ally with the Tories), and Tories 6 and 7, though I may just leave them out. No Independent as such, but I’m always wary of them as invariably they seem to ally with the Tories, or indeed are disguised Tories (and not a very good disguise at that)..

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I normally find myself in agreement with your posts but I’m full of good horse sense. Regrettably, I’m disappointed this time.

      In your situation, I would leave blank spaces opposiste “Woke SNP” and “Green” candidates.

      The scrutineers of ballot papers will notice and report back if enough of us do this.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Curse of predictive text/spellchecker!

        A key phrase in the first sentence should read, “ …that are full of good horse sense”.

        I did not mean to blow my own trumpet!

        Liked by 1 person

      2. I’ve said in previous threads that in council elections it is every bit as important to consider the personal merits of the candidates as well as their party affiliations. Normally I wouldn’t consider the Greens, but in this instance the Green candidate is quite exceptional and would, I believe, do far more for the community and the council than any of the other candidates. I may even put him at number 1 – I still haven’t made my mind up! It’s a bit like you putting your thoroughly decent LibDem at number 2, and quite right too.

        Having said all that, I think I might just adopt your suggestion with regard to the Woke SNP candidate!

        Like

      3. daveytee19
        5th May 2022 at 8:36 am

        You are quite right. Similar situations with exceptional candidates worth a second (at least) preference.

        Like

  13. With no Alba in my constituency, for the first time in my life I will be spoiling my ballot paper.

    Now here is a wee thought, proviso – I’m no llawyer – however, Spoiled Ballot papers are publically adjudicated on at the count, the Secret Ballot Act 1872 protects the identity of the voter… so if, instead of a rude drawing, the spoiling took the form of some Interesting Info, that certain politicians would rather were kept secret, then I think the voters ID would be legally protected. As far as I can see.

    In a way it would be kind of natural justice… they pay for interdicts to hide their sins, so that the voters will not punish them at the ballot box, and then the ballot paper becomes the method by which the truth gets out…. Ohh, tempting.

    Liked by 4 people

    2. According to The Guardian Notes and Queries, votes can be traced by matching the numbered ballot paper to its similarly numbered counterfoil; the numbered counterfoil also bears the voter’s registration number from the electoral register which is hand-written by the Polling Clerk when the ballot paper is issued. Thus anyone having access to those documents can trace the name and address of every voter and how they voted. It has been claimed that using this method back in the 1970s British Intelligence was able to identify everyone who voted for the Communist Party of Great Britain. So if I was you, Daisy, I’d maybe be a bit careful as to what I wrote on my ballot paper.

      Liked by 3 people

      1. There is no such thing as a secret ballot in the UK.

        It is why it was such a big deal when the marked up register went missing in the 2008 Glenrothes by election. Lindsay Roy was elected for Labour despite being expected to lose. The marked up register could have been used to prove/disprove ballot fraud, but it had been ‘thrown out in the trash’.

        Liked by 7 people

    3. “….. … they pay for interdicts to hide their sins, “
      =======

      or falsely complain of sexual assault for the SOLE purpose (in at least one case) of securing anonymity to protect, not herself, but her boss.

      Liked by 4 people

  14. Sorry Ian, no alba or isp in my ward. For the first time ever I won’t be voting for the snp,and certainly not voting for any yoons. It’s a shame because alba would have gotten five voters fae ma hoose. I’m sad cos we had a decent snp councillor here in Andy Steele.

    Liked by 5 people

    1. Tony same here, no Alba or ISP, just the britnat parties snp or greens and two independents who are just trying to kid us on, one was the snp cooncillor last time, but wont say whether he has left the party or still a member, Mmm, just so.

      Spoiled my paper at the GE, but I will note vote for any of them no even holding my nose. Sorry, just can’t bring myself to do it, and I really don’t feel too good about it. I was talking with my son yesterday and he said much the same, he won’t be voting. I know a few others who feel the same.

      Liked by 5 people

  15. I don’t have an Alba or ISP candidate to vote for, but I hope they both do well where they are standing.

    I’ll probably end up ranking some independents or minor party candidates at the top of my voting list.

    The SNP wants us to vote for them 1 and 2 to “send a message to Boris”. In not voting them 1 and 2 I’ll be sending my own message to Sturgeon – I won’t vote SNP if you’re not serious about independence.

    Liked by 4 people

  16. So many people utterly disillusioned with the SNP.

    Lifetime voters all saying that they can’t hold their nose and vote SNP. That is the reality of what many think of the SNP. And it will get worse. With the SNP now being a mirror image of the despised Labour Party the stall is set for support for parties like Alba, the ISP, or good independents, or independence groups yet to emerge, the days of the SNP’s comfortable, non delivering hegemony is coming to an end.

    My own view and that of many is let’s get the show back on the road and vote out the time servers and start getting good committed independence people back into position. Yes, the Indy Movement is bigger than the now devolutionist and unionist SNP.

    Send the message. Get our movement back. Vote em out tomorrow.

    Liked by 8 people

  17. Good stuff, Iain.

    We should all be exhorted to do our civic duty and vote.

    Happily, I DO have an Alba candidate in my ward. My other preferences (holding my nose) shall be as follows:

    LibDem 2
    Labour 3
    Tory. 4
    Green.
    SNP

    The Liberal is an old neighbour and a thoroughly descent guy- hence his high ranking.
    I would not give the time of day to the parties whose Holyrood members are failing to hold the corrupt and rotten Sturgeon regime to account.

    Liked by 5 people

  18. The presentation of candidates/parties for the electorate to choose from should in a truly democratic system allow for a rejection of them all. Such rejection should count as a valid vote, a true expression of popular opinion.
    Any political colour as long as its sort of beige is not democracy.
    The possibility of an election being rerun as a result of a majority rejection of all might make candidates/parties less smug and cavalier regarding their supposed electoral base.

    Liked by 10 people

    1. I was thinking something similar Otto eg ” What if there was an election and no one turned-up ? ” . The quality of political representative is so abysmal currently , it would be the best thing that could happen . Rejection of the lot of them ( with a few , very few exceptions ) and the system that rewards mediocrity and faint-hearted compliance whilst rejecting anything bold ,original that seriously challenges the hegemony of the bland .

      Liked by 5 people

      1. The devil in the detail is that the rejected candidates are disqualified from running again.
        Rejecting candidates is a vote, only an establishment would call such wasted or spoiled.
        If you do not like the brands you do not buy and you are free to reject all of them until one is offered that you may like.
        Politics is just the same.

        Liked by 5 people

  19. Well eleven to pick from and no ISP or Alba. Sat through a 2 hour hustings video and despite intending to spoil my ballot a few of the independents spoke well so I ranked them at the top. One SNP candidate had a novel approach and managed to get drunk while sipping from a mug of what was certainly not herbal tea. Not sure it will help his vote. Those that did not turn up for the hustings Labour and Libdems went bottom of the pile. I just hope the right four get in as there was at least four I was happy with.

    Liked by 3 people

  20. If you think it’s depressing where you are…

    Four out of six will be elected from my ward. No Alba, ISP or Green. One SNP candidate. There is an independent who is just another tory. Two more tories, one Labour and one Libdum. Pass the razor blade.

    Liked by 3 people

  21. Well in the end I didn’t spoil my ballot and voted purely on the individuals concerned.
    It seems this ward is on course to lose an SNP councillor though – and gain a Tory.
    I’m hoping this is rock bottom..

    Liked by 3 people

  22. I do feel sorry for some SNP supporters they have had a hard time from us today, but the remedy is in their own hands. Purge the Cabal and rot within the SNP starting with the murrells and GRA freaks. Then we can all move forward together.

    Liked by 6 people

  23. I don’t know how the SNP did today, but now we have Nicola Sturgeon telling us that she has had to turn the heating down in her house because of rising energy costs.

    She really does think that we are stupid and gullible.

    Liked by 5 people

  24. For the first time in my life I spoiled my ballot paper. Two people were outside the polling booth; one with an SNP rosette, one with a labour rosette. I asked them ‘Can either of you guarantee that girls will have their own safe space toilets in our primary schools?’. The SNP person looked at me and said ‘I’m just an agent’. I said ‘you are a party representative’ At which he rolled his eyes and said ‘I know…but that lot (pointing at labour) are just as bad’

    The labour person, who turned out to be a candidate said ‘I don’t think there is a problem in primary schools’
    I said ‘I work in prisons and there is a big problem there with biological men invading women’s spaces’
    ‘Yes that’s prisons, but not primary schools. You can’t change your gender until your 18.’
    I said ‘the reforms allow primary aged children to change gender at school without parents being informed’
    ‘Do they?’ he said
    ‘Yes’ said the old SNP agent sadly
    ‘Well that’s their problem’ said the labour person smugly.
    ‘And your lot are supporting them’ I said
    ‘Are they?’ he said. ‘I didn’t know that’

    I went in and was faced with the choice of SNP/Green/Conservative/Labour
    I couldn’t bring myself to vote for any of them
    Sad

    Liked by 9 people

  25. Well, the results are coming in, and I couldn’t help but note that the Isle of Arran result gives plenty of ammunition to those who believe that in any forthcoming referendum the franchise should be restricted. In Arran, part of North Ayrshire, nearly half the properties are second homes and the average house price is by far the highest in North Ayrshire, meaning that many locals are priced out of the market. Today’s election result? Tory vote up by 19%, SNP down by 14%, Labour down by 30%. Con gain.

    Liked by 6 people

    2. Some of those falls in voting could be explained by justifiable voter apathy which is a way of punishing those parties while Tories rarely suffer from voter apathy since Tory voters can always rely on their candidate protecting their status quo which is what Tory voters demand and also means protecting them against independence, of course. The only occasion when Tory voters might switch their vote would be tactically in order to vote against any party which might threaten their political goals. When safe to do so, they will always vote Tory. In that particular situation you describe, knowing their own electorate, coming from the same demographic, they would feel very secure. It would appear that the rest of that electorate might not feel the same sense of security.

      Liked by 2 people

  26. The West Dunbartonshire Council results just out and the SNP are sunk.

    With Labour securing 12 seats ( going up 2) and the SNP securing 7 seats ( going down 2 ) out of 22 available seats the message is clear.

    But what of Clydebank Waterfront. A four seat ward returning 2 Labour and 2 conservatives and no SNP in an area where the current MSP was one of the councillors.

    Time for change perchance?

    Liked by 4 people

  27. Forget Alba. Forget the SNP. There are still council areas in Scotland returning a majority of Tory councillors. What is wrong with us?

    Liked by 2 people

  28. ALBA’s time hasn’t come – Yet. Lots of days of reckoning approaching.

    I remember leafleting in 2010 thinking there were going to be SNP breakthroughs at the GE. It didn’t happen. It was disheartening, yet looks what happened in a few short years.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Do you really think so? Here in Angus there were Alba candidates in three wards. Between them they managed a total of 276 first preference votes out of a total of 19,398 votes cast, i.e. 1.4%, whileas the SNP increased its share of the vote. It sems to have been like that throughout most of Scotland, with Alba failing to get any councillors and losing the two it had. Sadly I’m beginning to think that Alba may be a busted flush, a good effort but one that just isn’t going to work. I’ve often thought that Alba is to ther SNP as UKIP was to the Conservative Party, and UKIP of course eventually achieved what it wanted. It was however able to prey on the innate xenophobia and British nationalism of Middle England for which there was no ther outlet. Things could change, I suppose, if, for example, the SNP became mired in a massive scandal, but I’m not at all confident that even then voters would turn to Alba.

      Like

      1. Davey, for one thing – The great retreat has already began..

        Liked by 1 person

  29. Do not dishearten. 2023 will enlighten the sheep when no referendum comes .The flame of change is but an ember yet it will spark and catch light .Keep the faith Brothers and Sisters. Dissolve the Union.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I’m not at all sure that the sheep want to be enlightened. If you haven’t already done so, I recommend that you read Stuart Campbell’s latest tour de force “A Game of Two Halves”. Every SNP member and Sturgeon acolyte should be required to read it.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Which I hasten to add is not to suggest that Alastair is and SNP member or Sturgeon acolyte!

        Like

  30. Hi Iain et al – One wee piece of welcome news from the (fairly dire) Scottish local authority election results was the win by Andy Doig in Renfrewshire Ward 9 – I leafletted for the SNP with Andy many, many moons ago – Andy recognised (or, at least – permitted himself to do so) the rot in the SNP leadership well before I did. Some years back he stood as a pro-Independence independent and has been elected + re-elected several times now. His win (I believe he topped the 1st pref. vote in the ward) does demonstrate that there are opportunities to take the truth to the electorate and win their trust – I certainly take my hat off to Andy for demonstrating that you can, successfully, take a message to the electorate of ‘a better Scotland being there for the taking -f we dare to do it’ – despite all the odds being stacked against one by the cozy SNP/britnat powers that be. I suppose we all just have to hold the faith and keep building Scotland’s constitutional rescue plan – Thanks, Ludo

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I know and have been friends with Andy for years. His win this time is even more commendable because it was achieved without the help of his very talented election agent the late Bruce McFee. I was delighted for him and you are right. He did top the poll!

      Like

  31. I thought it quite intersting to see how many second choice SNP votes went to the Alba candidate. That’s difficult to work out, because usually the second SNP vote would go to the other SNP candidate who hadn’t made the quota of first preference votes, and by the time they got round to further allocation the Alba candidate had been eliminated. However in one ward here there was only one SNP candidate. He was duly elected on first preference votes,and when his second preference were distributed 40.5% went to the Greens, 17.3% to Alba, 17.2% to an independent, 16% to the other independent, 6.5% to the LibDem, and (for reasons I find difficult to understand) 2.5% to the Tory. While it’s good that 58% went to indy candidates, it’s a little surprising that the remaining 42% of SNP votes didn’t, although I have no idea as to the stance taken by the independents save that in Angus they invariably oppose the SNP.

    Like

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