[hibeejim21]

As a regular SNP voter and Independence supporter over many years, I found it interesting today that John Swinney marked the 10th Anniversary of the Independence Referendum vote with a positive speech and numerous interviews. As the title of the thread points out, many consider him to be a safe pair of hands - perhaps too safe? To coin a phrase from many years ago, "softly, softly, catchee monkey" might be the plan.

Despite both the Brexit disaster and Tory austerity hitting Scotland hard over the past decade, support for Independence has barely changed. Could it be that the Scottish voters do smell the coffee, but with no sugar to sweeten it and the self-inflicted taste of sour milk, don't like what they are being asked to drink?

I genuinely think the SNP are just best letting Labour xxxx things up and then make their move. Starmer is a face painted on a balloon, it could be anyone in charge really so intertwined are their policies with the tories. The main purpose of government now seems to be taking bungs and handing out contracts to your mates for jobs later down the line.

He is already deeply unpopular a complete charisma vacuum, and that sop thrown at Aberdeen as "GB energy" increasingly looks like a vehicle for PFI and further pilfering of Scotlands natural resources across the border.

I still think independence is the way forward, mainly because the systems and institutions of the UK are completely bent and unfit for purpose, will never change and indeed will continue to push politics that are at odds with our peoples best wishes.

Swinney isn't a "wartime consigliere" though and the SNP badly needs new blood and fresh ideas.