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30-08-2017, 13:30
(This post was last modified: 30-08-2017, 13:34 by 0762.)
And the Scot Labour Party's awful leader, Kezia Dugdale, finally 'falls on her sword' and resigns after a failed tenure and maybe she recently 'saw the light' after Corbyn's visit drew some form of Labour Party support to see him rather than have any association with her. So the SLP must find another leader to try and 'change their fortunes' up north - a 'tall order' IMO as the SNP regroups and begins to impose itself on the middle ground of Scottish politics. They still have the main support of the Scottish people and the 'latent support' is there to be embraced and taken in and that target is still achievable as well as gradually pushing towards Scot indy.
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I see that today The Queen opened the new Queensferry Crossing, after 50,000 people were given the "once in a lifetime" opportunity over the weekend to walk across the bridge, which will have no permanent pedestrian access. I eagerly look forward to Nicola Sturgeon's announcement in a couple of years' time that plans for the bridge to be opened to pedestrians once more will be put forward to the Scottish Parliament.
Cabbage is still good for you
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04-09-2017, 22:22
(This post was last modified: 04-09-2017, 22:24 by 0762.)
Thankfully there are pedestrian foot paths on the Forth Road Bridge which will still be used and are closer to the normal ped or cyclist 'desire lines' from and to Edinburgh anyway. As for the 'purring' queen formally opening the bridge to the tune of 'God Save the Queen' (yukkkk!!!), the SNP/Scottish Govt really 'missed a trick' in not giving that honour to a Scottish icon like Billy Connolly or similar!!! We've really gotta get away from this traditional 'pomp' and push on to a far more pragmatic and 'Scottish' way of doing things our way!
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The article suggests that the latest polls show just over 50% would back succession from Spain not 65-70% as you state, but like in Scotland it would be interesting to see if they actually followed this poll question by putting the X in the independence box or not. I still don't want Scotland to leave the UK, but I do think they have more of a case than Catalonia seems to have as regards history and certainly as regards being a separate country. Their economy, while about the same size as Scotland's though is nowhere near as strong as Scotland's is and that would be a major concern I am sure. I can just imagine the dismay in the corridors of the EU of the hassle this would cause right in the middle of the Brexit negotiations, this would become another headache for them to figure out exactly what will happen if this goes ahead as once again it will be uncharted territory!! Current EU rules could also mean that Spain would be able to veto Catalonia from entering the EU as well as it requires a 100% acceptance from current members. Definitely going to be interesting to see what happens.
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08-09-2017, 12:09
(This post was last modified: 08-09-2017, 12:17 by 0762.)
My poll figure didn't refer to the Telegraph reference - taken from Catalonian sources re demographic choices within the region. As usual, it depends how much accuracy one can attach to certain polls as opposed to other ones but the 60%+ figure has been commonly referred to. I'll be in Catalonia in the coming week and there could well be a 'hustings feel' in Barcelona and elsewhere that will be quite interesting to observe. It will indeed be curious to see if this situation concludes into an 'acid test' re EU membership or not and if the Spanish govt 'goes negative' in trying to forcibly block this 1 October referendum, IMO a very bad and damaging political move if they try to do it that way. IMO the Madrid govt would then compound a constitutional crisis if arrests were made, a democratic crisis for the Spanish state and the EU - an EU member apparently stifling debate, contrary to European values re democracy and participation.
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Catalonia has nowhere near as strong a case as scotland does for independence.
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10-09-2017, 16:28
(This post was last modified: 10-09-2017, 16:30 by 0762.)
Aye! I totally agree re that view Jim but wouldn't it be so ironic if Catalonia did succeed in establishing what many of it's people regard as their historic and democratic right to self-determination while up here in Scotland we have this mixture of unionists and 'cringers' who demographically 'dilute the Scot indy cause' and will not entertain a Scottish referendum or ultimately Scot indy for lotsa bizarre reasons other than the simple notion that we can govern our country independently, do it very well indeed and certainly do it far better than any British govt could ever run our nation!
