[0762]

Now Tony Blair convening his own conference with the British media and unsurprisingly "in with the tackety" boots" to slam Corbyn and the Labour Party leftist policy not to embrace the centre ground because that is where Labour victories have been won and remember that there have only been 3 victories since the 1960s when Harold Wilson took over the British govt - mind-boggling and indicative of how the establishment rules almost undeterred in England. Re the choice of new Labour leader, Blair, who is not that highly regarded by a huge portion of Labour members for various reasons incl the wrong participation in the Iraq war and the terrorist consequences that followed, is not commenting but must realise that the LP membership is predominantly left-wing. Therefore their choice of leader will centre on the policies that Blair is condemning - what a conundrum - to be electable and at least "have a chance" to win an election but this could be scuppered by the choice of LP leader favouring left-wing views. I said before that I don't see the Labour Party winning any election in the next 10 years and that means 10 years endurance of a political party that is actually the Brexit Party flying an English nationalist flag above the Houses of Parliament - that is the reality of this awful situation unless something of colossal political consequence arises during that ten year period and the people "rise up" in the streets to forcibly remove them!! Highly unlikely because the people in this country are generally passive and the opposite of the likes of a French population that react violently if eg a reduced pension remuneration is imposed as well as a higher retirement age limit, say 75 years of age, on future generations!! The French would be burning cars in the streets of Paris and there would be "hand to hand combat" with the Police and security servs and rightly so because there is a limit of tolerance and reason that any citizen can endure from a dictating govt that is not listening!

[Lord Snooty]

As for Brexit. How scared of losing a 2nd referendum were the Brexiteers?
Labour's manifesto was to get a good deal, then vote on it. You would still have your Brexit. Probably with a bigger majority than 52/48.
How did that message not get through?

[0762]

That was one of Labour's mistakes in Scotland - they were still classified as a Brexit supporting political party as well as many of their critics up here slamming them for "sitting on the fence". Nicola Sturgeon now "handing out an olive branch" to the Scot Labour Party and telling them to unite with the SNP against Brexit and for Scotindy2 because their grassroots support has deserted them in droves, apparently their worst election result since 1905!!! She is "playing a blinder" again in gathering any remaining Scot Labour support under a banner of unity and marginalising the remaining poisonous Tory/Brexit Party in Scotland which is in a minority position anyway and definitely living in a politically and culturally different country that scoffs at their shit and divisive Brexit/unionist ideology. If the Scot Labour Party refused the offer and stuck to their previous unionist shit, they lose anyway but UNITY IS STRENGTH AND STURGEON IS CLEARLY LOOKING AHEAD TO THE NEXT PHASE OF NEGOTIATION!!!

[Lord Snooty]

Scotland voted to stay in the UK last time. Given the support the SNP now have, how confident are you that another vote would go the other way?

[ritchiebaby]

In my view, the SNP would win IndyRef2 next time, although that could be at least 5 years away. I can't see Boris granting permission to hold another referendum and like it or not, Nicola can only request a Section 30 Order, not demand one as a right. A huge SNP majority at the next Holyrood elections might put an extra bit of pressure on Boris, but he'll just go his own way. To be honest, Nicola is playing the "nippy sweety" card perfectly in building up even more resentment against the Tories, but, to me, it's becoming extremely tiresome and possibly counter-productive.

And thank god we're not like the French. Our police are under enough pressure as it is and it would be stupid to put them under more.

Keir Starmer would be the best bet for an electable Labour Leader, but he's not Left-wing enough for most of Momentum. The same goes for Lisa Nandy, who might get there in another 10 or 15 years.

[spireitematt]

In my view, the SNP would win IndyRef2 next time, although that could be at least 5 years away. I can't see Boris granting permission to hold another referendum and like it or not, Nicola can only request a Section 30 Order, not demand one as a right. A huge SNP majority at the next Holyrood elections might put an extra bit of pressure on Boris, but he'll just go his own way. To be honest, Nicola is playing the "nippy sweety" card perfectly in building up even more resentment against the Tories, but, to me, it's becoming extremely tiresome and possibly counter-productive.

And thank god we're not like the French. Our police are under enough pressure as it is and it would be stupid to put them under more.

Keir Starmer would be the best bet for an electable Labour Leader, but he's not Left-wing enough for most of Momentum. The same goes for Lisa Nandy, who might get there in another 10 or 15 years.

Might not be a Labour Party in another 10-15 years.

[0762]

I'd counter Ritchie's assumption right away by saying IMO the SNP had a fairly good idea that Johnson would win a majority and they believed in their strategy of gleaning the anti-Brexit and pro indy2 vote up here in Scotland - IT WORKED A TREAT!!! They didn't "play a blind hand" on this and there is a strategy to overcome Johnson's intransigence. I'd also add that there is a possibility of them "lobbing a grenade" into the proceedings but I'm not saying too much re that possibility as the democratic argument is a strong one from Sturgeon's perspective. You cannot have a mandate for England and try to impose a colonial argument against a similar but different direction for Scotland and it will not take 5 years!!! IMO that bogus undemocratic argument is unsustainable!!! I listened to another "rolled out Tory" on a tv politics prog and he spoke about moving this "country" forward. Which country? If he means the country on which he was standing to be interviewed, i.e. England, he may do as he pleases. He has no such right in "my country", Scotland, where his political party were soundly defeated last week and it is high time he and his ilk remembered that the UK is not a "country" but a political construct of partners!!!!! The usual disregard and arrogance is something most Scots have become accustomed to anyway but we'll never accept subservience shit that many of these morons preach!!
Here's a story for everyone plus Ritchie to mull over: A pal of mine mentioned that his brother-in-law moved to Swindon about 25-30 years ago and the kids have lived there almost all their lives. His nephew went to a pub he used to frequent and had a quiet beer alone at the bar when he was approached by a guy he'd known before and who said to him, "Why don't you just go back to Scotland"? His nephew speaks with an English accent!!! This was an unsolicited encounter and I'd just say: HASN'T BREXIT POISONED BRITAIN? Racism is now deemed acceptable and overt. How much more difficult must it be when one is from an easily identifiable ethnic minority in England?
This is different to the inclusive Scotland I recognise. Aren't we Scots clearly on a different moral path to Johnson's fascist Tory England? And don't we need to break the Union if we want to live in a country with higher and respectable moral values? In fact, being deemed to be British shames me TBF!! I'm a Scot and I am better than what Britain, Tory Brexitannia, has descended to!! Scotland needs to move on and there are different ways to do it!!

[ritchiebaby]

Nicola and the SNP have been very consistent on their aims following this election - they want another Scottish Referendum next year. It didn't matter whether Boris or Jeremy got in. The SNP's primary aim as far as the UK was concerned was to stop Boris becoming PM - no more no less. They didn't reckon on the Labour vote collapsing in England.

I will remind you that I voted for Independence in 2014 and I will do so again, if I last that long.

[0762]

Good to hear that Ritchie! BELIEVE AND BE PATIENT!!!!!!!!! And just observe the events that are gonna unfold in England as we soon enter the 2020s. I've said to my kids that we are witnessing a "piece of political history" unfolding in front of our eyes. Observe, learn and come to your own conclusions and pass it on to my grand kids. I trust they will do exactly that on my behalf.
And PS: Hibs for the cup!!

[ritchiebaby]

I'd like to comment on 0762's addition to his original post #257.

Thankfully on all my visits to various parts of England, I have never come across any negativity towards the Scots as encountered by your nephew. I have met English people on holidays abroad and have been welcomed as a friend and acquaintance on every occasion. Long may it continue.