Over the last month or so, as the SNP have been winning bye elections by margins that the other parties can only dream of, I have been seeing more and more of the One Party State nonsense, even from my own party the Liberal Democrats in the Liberator mag and other places. From the Spectator to Twitter, from Scotland2015 to the Daily Rancid to new pleadings from unionists to vote tactically again next year at the Holyrood elections to keep the evil one party state SNP out, it is really getting annoying and boring.
So for all the idiots, the trolls, and the many many journalist and opposition representatives from a variety of places and parties a one-party state is a country that uses a one-party political system, meaning only one political party exists and the forming of other political parties is forbidden. Some countries have many political parties that exist, but only one that can by law be in control, which is called a one-party dominant state(Wikipedia). SCOTLAND IS NOT AND HAS NEVER BEEN A ONE PARTY STATE.
As has been noted by many over at http://munguinsrepublic.blogspot.co.uk/ and on Wings the fact that the opposition in Scotland at this time are rubbish is not the fault of the SNP. I would really like the other parties to up their game, my own party have been publishing polls regarding GPs working hours and class sizes, both important issues for some people but offering no ideas on how to alleviate the concerns raised, just the negative points. I suppose the really stupid thing is that given how shit the rest of the parties are in Scotland we only have one party that appears to function. A wee suggestion to the others, start working with the government to find solutions to our problems rather than just adding to them.
For my own party, the Liberal Democrats, we need to really think about what we want to be, that will involve looking at what we stand for, and that should be working for the majority of people in this country and not the few, it should be about electoral reform, about devolving more power to communities, about facilitating the opportunities for people to grow, to live, to feed their families, to learn, to work . We need to talk less about the left, right and center and one party states, and talk about what matters to people, paying the bills, feeding their kids, providing the opportunities for the next generation to have decent life chances, idealistic I know but I think that is what people want to talk about and not the implication that Scotland is some form of dictatorship.
grumpyscottishman.wordpress.com 
Well Bruce that was sense you were using, now if only those other Parties, you know those ones who seem to think they have some sort of divine right to be in Parliament telling people what to do instead of listening to them would sort themselves out. Here we have the Labour Party electing Kezia Dugdale as Leader of the Labour Group in Scotland, so we know they are made mad. I can only hope that the Lib Dems end up in the wilderness for a good few years, and come out with some sense as well. There is an infection about called SNPbad, they are all infected, but if there was a media which held all parties up to the same scrutiny as they do the SNP they might come to their senses. I doubt that is going to happen any time soon. If you pardon me I am hoping I never have to look at the silly face of Willie Rennie ever again.
What a reply. Hectorsmum.
Says it all . But they will never change. just continually try and drive us away with apathy.
SNPbaditus is a catchy but can be cured by voting SNP and YES in the next referendum. And once your cured it’s very rare ever to return.
Nice one Bruce. But pointless because we will never trust the Fibs again. Once bitten twice …..?
As for kezia…. Blabbermouth will help us bury LIEbour for good. Kezia FFS. Pissing myself laughing. And you think they would have learned something from the GE. and Smurphy’s appointment. 😀 😀 😀
🙂
YESGUY
They need to change or die, it really is as simple as that. As I have noted the lack of opposition is not a good thing at all in any shape or form, we need decent opposition to ensure good governance. Just look at what the scumbags in blue have done since may and we have over four years to go. I know for many trust is important but to be honest I don’t think I have ever trusted politicians or parties at all really, I don’t trust the media either but I do trust the voters to make the right choice in Scotland when given the facts. We do need the other parties to step up to the plate though.
Thanks for commenting.
Bruce
Hektorsmum
I don’t disagree with you regarding the state of the other parties and there will be a period of wilderness I don’t doubt. However, and as noted on many blogs, zero decent opposition is not a good thing for the country or the SNP. Dugdale is not the answer for Labour as Rennie is at the end for the Lib Dems but there is little to choose from but we do need them for the Government to be held to account and for ideas to flow. We don’t live in a one party state but the others need to sort themselves out for the sake of all of us.
Thanks for commenting.
Bruce
Scotland will only ever be a 1 party state if the people choose to vote 100% in one way, only then will it happen.
Sod
That will never happen, the whole one party state stuff is a nonsence to fear the voters into not voting SNP. The other parties need to up their game and come up with alternatives, however, I suspect it would be too little too late for many.
Thanks for commenting.
Bruce
The point is no whether that will ever happen or not, the point is Scotland is democratic and only a party with 100% of the vote can have a mandate to form a “one party state” because they would have the right to command the entire will of the electorate.
This is unlikely to happen, but because Scotland has SNP in almost every office does not make us a one party state, as other parties are also in office.
Sod
Fair point.
Thanks for commenting.
Bruce
Bruce
It’s good to read your thoughts & you are quite correct. The SNP would be the first to say (indeed Nicola has said so several times in the last year) that all governments need a properly functioning opposition to ensure that they govern for all & that governance continues to improve.
Look at Wesminster now & the absence of an opposition that can hold UK government to account. Basically, it allows the tories to get away with absolutely anything it wants to do.
It’s almost as though the Labour, LibDems etc have all turned into blue tories & adds to the belief that UK has turned into toryland. I don’t believe that for one minute & as you say, we really need the other parties to up their game in both Holyrood & Westminster.
Working together for the benefit of all is the only solution but will others see that or just keep on carping from the sidelines? Only time will tell.
Lollysmum
I hope that the parties can find some common ground and unite against what is an ideological attack by the posh party but I sadly won’t hold my breath. By joining the Lib Dems, and being very clear that my yes vote is non negotiable in the main, I hope that I can get some people to think a bit more about what is going on. The SNP will be stronger for the new members they have and the members having more control, the other parties have to follow suit or they will just simply become even more irrelevant than they are now.
Thanks for commenting.
Bruce