The constitutional debate dominates Scottish politics and has for a long time now but following social media, and the news over the last 12 hours alone, has been an eye opener to the pressure that is building on the Scottish Government, and after 14 years pretty much in Government they are not up to the challenge. Now before anyone has a go and start to say this is just an anti-SNP / Nicla rant I would be saying the same no matter who was in power because good governance matters and right now, across the whole of the UK, we are not getting good governance.
The Scottish Bar Association are withdrawing services for Legal Aid during the COP26 Conference due to a lack of consultation, lack of funding, lack of staff and a failure of the Scottish Government to respond to their concerns. It even appears that staff are leaving as they can double their salary if they go and work for the state prosecuting COPFS. This is just yet another service, used primarily by the poorest and most vulnerable, that is falling apart at the seems under the watch of Nicola Sturgeon and the current SNP Government. But not to worry –
the man of many platitudes, Ian Blackford SNP MP and SNP Westminster Leader has a cunning plan, SNP MP’s are going to meet and sharpen their focus on independence. Now I might be a bit thick but you would you imagine the party of independence would already be focussed on independence, well no if Angus McNeil SNP MP is to be believed because in a show of honesty he points out that there are no answers for Scotland under the SNP basically because Scotland is trapped, but let’s have a meeting and sharpen our focus. If the SNP cannot deliver what they have said they will for mandate after mandate then the pressure stays on them until they do or they go. Right now they show no sign of actually making any moves so it is time that we as voters seriously consider moving them on before their shocking governance brings down everything we rely on to make Scotland work, and right now it doesn’t look like Scotland is working in far too many areas.
And to add insult to self-inflicted injury we learn that the much lauded carbon capture project that the SNP were going to ensure came to Scotland, well both projects are going to the North of England, levelling up anyone? This is just yet another slap in the face to Scotland from this English Tory Government but not to worry Blackford will have a meeting, Nicla will continue to bury her head in the sand, make no comment, allow her own MPs abuse her own MPs who don’t fit into the GRA Agenda that appears to dominate Nicla to the extent that it is up with there with her own self-promotion. We are at the stage now where things in Scotland are as bad as they ever were under Scottish Labour. If this were a Scottish Labour Government we would be slaughtering them on social media and at every opportunity. The SNP Government look tired, lack talent, and have become comfy in London and complacent in Scotland. It really is time to send a clear message as soon as possible that it is not good enough, independence is the cause and what we badly need but without decent government, I have given up hoping for good, we will never achieve independence. It is time for Sturgeon and Blackford to do something to fix this mess or we will have to by removing them from office, even if it means taking a few steps back.
grumpyscottishman.wordpress.com 
It’s a real pity about the Carbon Capture and Storage plant. It’s about the only credible technology for pulling CO₂ out of the atmosphere. All the geology that trapped oil in the first place should be a good place to store the consequences. Even if it turns out to be leaky, the planet is much more able to deal with that than the vast quantities being pumped into the atmosphere each day.
I bet Sturgeon is pleased though. Carbon Capture is rather a poor fig leaf to cover up the fact that Scotland really needs to extract the oil and use all that lovely money to banish food banks forever. Not having the plant and not having the moral dilemma of profiting from fossil fuels means her green credentials and that coalition are still intact and the virtue signalling by those wealthy enough to drive electric cars can continue uninterrupted.
Stuart
I think it is a missed opportunity and I also think that virtually every drop of oil will be extracted from the North Sea by either Westminster or Edinburgh to be honest, the smart countries will go 100% renewables and any oil they have they will keep and sell when the world is desperate for oil for only a select few industries, the UK will probably just give it away to posh Tory donors.
Thanks for commenting.
Bruce
“… And to add insult to self-inflicted injury we learn that the much lauded carbon capture project that the SNP were going to ensure came to Scotland, well both projects are going to the North of England, levelling up anyone?… ”
The oil pipeline went to England, too, remember, as will the new electricity line, I believe. The last of the fishing ports in Scotland will close in favour of the Humber facilities. You could almost laugh at how dumb we have been. So stupid that the American description, dumb, just doesn’t cover it. In so many ways, we have actually enabled all this to happen. What did the big brains at Holyrood and within our SNP contingent at Westminster think was going to happen after Brexit? David Cameron told us, with the Crawford and Boyle Report, where we stood. How we laughed.
“… It is time for Sturgeon and Blackford to do something to fix this mess or we will have to by removing them from office, even if it means taking a few steps back… ”
Far enough back, grumpy, that we no longer have to look at them. They each had and have a duty of care towards the Scottish population, so how does making them impoverished do that? No matter how hard independence would have been, this is going to finish us unless we do something drastic NOW.
Oh, I know: let’s appoint a man to be in charge of a rape crisis centre and call it progress. The Scottish legal profession is being run down at all levels only partly because there is a lack of funding. It will have to be crippled in order to get this GRA reform stuff through and to bring down all the laws that stand in its way. Crippled legal system, little opposition. Use the police as your personal Praetorian Guard against dissenters, as if their job is not difficult enough.
Did anyone think, when Alec Salmond walked triumphantly into the Fist Minister’s office in 2007 and we all hoped for a better, independent future, that Scotland would be in this state now?
Lorncal
It is all so depressing and a total mess, Sturgeon has just gotten worse year on year surrounded by people who are just not fit to be in the positions they are. Alex Salmond was far from perfect but certainty better than Sturgeon has been and he would have at least fought Scotland’s corner. We need to identify who the next leader could be as Sturgeon is on borrowed time and Scotland will not give Alex Salmond another chance so we need to find someone or it will all be over before we know it and we will be in an even worse place than we are now.
Thanks for commenting.
Bruce
Bruce, they are not fit to be in the positions and that is exactly how Sturgeon wants it. Sadly, Sturgeon has lined up Robertson to replace her and that will mean more of the same.
Cubby
Do you think the membership would go for him as he is not liked from what I have heard and his wife is def not liked by many members seemingly. You are correct though it would be more of the same if he were to replace Sturgeon and I do think she will be gone before 26 and the next Holyrood elections, surely she won’t survive not delivering a referendum. They will give her an out or she gets a cushy job some where else.
Thanks for commenting.
Bruce
It is indeed incredibly dire. What makes it worse is that too many punters, aware that our situation is bleak are unaware that they are being strung along by thieves and liars.
Reblogged this on Ramblings of a now 60+ Female.