International Disunited Kingdom: The Renewed Call For Scottish Independence, Part 2.

[Arkain2K]

 

[Arkain2K]

 

[Arkain2K]

 

[Arkain2K]

Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced her plan to resign from office, saying she was privileged to have held the role for eight years but admitted that it was right time to resign.

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced her intention to resign after more than eight years as head of the country's government.

At a press conference at her Edinburgh residence on Wednesday, Sturgeon told reporters she'd wrestled with the decision for weeks, ultimately deciding that someone else would be better suited to the relentless pressure of the job.

"Even if for many across the country and in my party, it might feel too soon, in my head and in my heart, I know that time is now, that it is right for me, for my party, and for the country," Sturgeon said.

"The nature and form of modern political discourse means there is a much greater intensity — dare I say it, brutality — to being a politician than in years gone by," she added.

The decision caught many political observers by surprise. Sturgeon's departure is likely to complicate an issue her party long championed: the Scottish independence movement.

Here's what you need to know.

Why was Sturgeon so instrumental to the independence movement?
It was Scotland's unsuccessful referendum vote in 2014 that led Sturgeon's predecessor, Alex Salmond, to resign. Sturgeon, now 52, was the first woman to lead the country's Scottish National Party (SNP) and serve as first minister.

Sturgeon announced plans for a second referendum vote in 2016 after the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union.

In June 2022, Sturgeon made a significant move towards independence by asking Boris Johnson, then the U.K. prime minister, for a Section 30 order, which would grant Edinburgh the power to hold such a vote. When Johnson refused, Sturgeon said the SNP would hold a vote anyway.

But this November, the U.K. Supreme Court reaffirmed that the Scottish government cannot hold an independence referendum without U.K. government approval.

That ruling, combined with the conservative party's hold over the British parliament, had already left the prospect of Scottish independence on shaky ground.

Sturgeon's resignation means the movement is also about to lose its highest-profile supporter.

But on the other hand, a change in leadership could open the door for a new strategy.

If the SNP is going to get any traction, it needs to "relaunch its independence case and start making some bold decisions about what independence really means," said Michael Keating, a professor of politics at University of Aberdeen.

"The question, really, is, will Scotland become a high-taxation, high-spending, pro-welfare, pro-public service like the Nordic countries? Or will it go the direction the rest of the U.K. is going in with a neoliberal model?"

"The problem is that once you start making declarations, you start turning people off," Keating said.

Is Sturgeon resigning because of the gender ID bill?
In the last few months, Sturgeon has been embroiled in a separate fight with the U.K. government over a new law focused on gender identity.

The bill, which aims to make it easier for Scottish residents to legally identify as the gender of their choice on birth certificates, marriage certificates or even a death certification, without undergoing a medical examination.

Hailed by transgender rights activists as a landmark piece of legislation, the bill drew widespread criticism, even from members of Sturgeon's own party.

"We haven't had culture wars in Scotland, but they suddenly arrived with a vengeance," Keating explained.

Most notably, U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the law would undermine U.K.-wide legislation because residents in other parts of the Kingdom do need to undergo a medical exam to change their gender. A person could essentially be one gender legally on one side of the Scottish-English border and then another gender legally a mile away.

Sunak used that argument to prevent the bill, which narrowly passed in Scotland's parliament, from becoming a law.

Sturgeon said at the time that Sunak's decision undermined Scotland's democracy, but she felt the political toll personally, registering her "first net negative opinion rating for the first time in eight years," Keating said.

On Wednesday, Sturgeon avoided answering a question about whether the drama was "the straw that broke the camel's back," reiterating instead that she wasn't resigning "over short-term issues."

Was Sturgeon's resignation really such a surprise then?
Despite such heated controversies, just three weeks ago Sturgeon told the BBC there was "plenty left in the tank" and that she hoped to be the very politician who could lead Scotland to independence.

Journalists in the country were surprised to be invited to Sturgeon's residence on short notice during the Scottish parliament's recess. They were even more surprised when Sturgeon delivered a well-crafted, rehearsed resignation speech.

"This decision is not a reaction to short-term pressures. Of course, there are difficult issues confronting the government just now. But when is that ever not the case?" Sturgeon said.

She also acknowledged there would be backlash, saying, "I'm not expecting violins here."

Despite her relative popularity, political experts like Keating say the surprise is in line with predictable political strategies.

"She'd been there for eight years. That's about the shelf life of a politician," the professor said. "In a way, it was a surprise because [she said she was going to go on], but then any leader would say that because you become a lame duck the second you say you're going to resign."

What happens next?
Sturgeon will remain first minister until the Scottish National Party can elect a new leader. She'll continue to serve in parliament until the next election for her seat in May 2026.

As for the independence movement, Sturgeon said on Wednesday that the U.K.'s next election would serve as "a de facto vote" on the feasibility of Scottish independence.

That's when a new British prime minister (and, most likely, one that's not from the conservative party currently in power) might grant Scotland the Section 30 order it needs to hold a fresh vote.

https://www.npr.org/2023/02/15/1157121552/scotland-nicola-sturgeon-resignation-independence

 

[The Big Yin]

Please let it be Hamza Yusef who takes over.

 

[Reffson]

I say go for it. Getting further away from progressives in England will be good for them.

 

[Day Drinking]

I say go for it. Getting further away from progressives in England will be good for them.

Isn't Scotland super liberal?

 

[Fox by the Sea]

this sturgeon woman was pushing for putting male rapists into women prisons.
fuck her.

 

[Billy no mates]

Isn't Scotland super liberal?

Yes indeed see the way their politicians turned and applauded Trans activists in the gallery a group that contained some very questionable characters , that was part of the backdrop to the recent shit show round their Gender recognition bill .

 

[AristotleAmadopolis]

scots should have their own referendum. its only fair and democratic. shows how the brits are just imperialists/authoritarians. spineless swamp creatures. their ego couldnt handle being part of the eu and not being the head honcho. but refuse to allow scotland which voted to remain by 60+%.
uk has no business having the faulkland islands either. lousy inbred supremacists.

 

[Billy no mates]

scots should have their own referendum. its only fair and democratic. shows how the brits are just imperialists/authoritarians. spineless swamp creatures. their ego couldnt handle being part of the eu and not being the head honcho. but refuse to allow scotland which voted to remain by 60+%.
uk has no business having the faulkland islands either. lousy inbred supremacists.

They had a 'once in a lifetime vote' less than 10 years ago , opinion polls in Scotland do not show a marked increase in favour of Independence .
The Falklands and all the penguins that live there are ours and will be forever , or until we get bored of it .

 

[AristotleAmadopolis]

They had a 'once in a lifetime vote' less than 10 years ago , opinion polls in Scotland do not show a marked increase in favour of Independence .
The Falklands and all the penguins that live there are ours and will be forever , or until we get bored of it .

lol u bucktooth swamp creatures are a shell of ur former self. pathetic country.

that vote was prior to the brexit vote was it not? scots should have another vote since the conditions have changed drastically. why are u afraid to let them vote? cuz ur an anti democratic buncha losers.

 

[Billy no mates]

lol u bucktooth swamp creatures are a shell of ur former self. pathetic country.

that vote was prior to the brexit vote was it not? scots should have another vote since the conditions have changed drastically. why are u afraid to let them vote? cuz ur an anti democratic buncha losers.

Poor effort , try harder .

 

[AristotleAmadopolis]

Poor effort , try harder .

deal with it

 

[Plastikman_Eire]

Poor effort , try harder .

Nah, he nailed it.

I wanted to argue his inbred point, but we're an island race who despise people who look, sound or behave differently to us. The genetic pool is bound to be limited.

 

[Yehudim]

lol u bucktooth swamp creatures are a shell of ur former self. pathetic country.

that vote was prior to the brexit vote was it not? scots should have another vote since the conditions have changed drastically. why are u afraid to let them vote? cuz ur an anti democratic buncha losers.

Giving regions votes for independence every few years in the hopes that they finally vote in favor of independence is not a recognized international norm.

 

[Arkain2K]

Senior SNP and Labour figures planned referendum declaration before Holyrood election
By Paul HutcheonPolitical Editor, Daily Record | 26 MAY 2023

Senior Labour and SNP figures planned a joint declaration on an independence referendum ahead of the last Holyrood election.

The so-called ‘Scotland United’ agreement would also have included a commitment to oppose the Tories and austerity.

The revelation is contained in a new book by one of the key players in the secret talks, former Labour MSP Neil Findlay.

Both the SNP and Labour have struggled to work with each other at Holyrood due to being at loggerheads on independence.

But Findlay’s book, Hope and Despair, reveals an attempt to bridge the divide between March 2020 and January 2021 - months before the Holyrood poll.

The talks, which fleshed out common positions, included Findlay (at that point an MSP), Labour peer Baroness Bryan and former Jeremy Corbyn adviser Tommy Kane.

Kenny MacAskill and Alex Neil, at that point an SNP MP and MSP respectively, as well as Nationalist stalwart Jim Sillars, also took part.

Findlay told the Record the plan included a joint recognition that both parties had a constitutional position worthy of respect.

They also agreed to support another referendum with independence and a devo max option on the ballot.

As a stop gap, he said the SNP and Labour left wingers agreed to oppose austerity and promote a “pro-working class” agenda.

“This was a level of political maturity that is missing from Scottish politics, which is being dragged down by tribal allegiances,” he said.

The former MSP said the agreement did not materialise as the Holyrood election came too soon.

It is understood the party leaderships at the time - Richard Leonard for Labour and Nicola Sturgeon for the SNP - were unaware of the backroom talks.

Alex Neil said: “Neil Findlay and other Labour people were of the view the Scottish people were entitled to another vote, but that there should be a third option on the ballot. Any democrat would have to accept that reasoning. If the price of a second referendum was a third option, then so be it.”

He continued: “Neil Findlay was still going to say ‘vote Labour’ and we were still going to say ‘vote SNP’, but we were all saying the social and economic agenda was not progressing at anything like the rate it should at Holyrood.”

Sillars confirmed the talks: “As left-wingers, we were very concerned the issues that mattered were being overlooked. But the timing of the election made it impossible.”

MacAskill said: “I took part in the calls. In the wider labour movement there is more that unites us than divides us. I am always happy to build bridges.”

The 'Scotland United' working title was the same name as the body that organised a pro-referendum rally after the Tories won the 1992 general election.

Scottish Conservative Deputy Leader Meghan Gallacher said: “These revelations reaffirm why pro-UK voters were right to vote for the Scottish Conservatives in record numbers at the 2021 Holyrood election.

“Time and time again Labour show they simply cannot be trusted when it comes to the Union or to stand up to the nationalists.

“These secretive talks show that senior figures in both parties clearly felt there was common ground to be found and under Anas Sarwar’s leadership that theme has continued.

“Labour backed Nicola Sturgeon’s flawed GRR bill and you could barely put a cigarette packet between them when it comes to policy."

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/senior-snp-labour-figures-planned-30075238

 

[Arkain2K]

SNP faces biggest challenge in 20 years, says Sturgeon's ex-chief of staff​

1st January 2024

Nicola Sturgeon's former chief of staff has said the SNP faces its biggest challenge in 20 years as it tries "to get its act together".

Liz Lloyd said the party "still has some way to go" to convince people it has recovered from Ms Sturgeon's resignation as leader in March 2023.

She said it faced the problem of Labour being seen as a credible UK government.

But she insisted First Minister Humza Yousaf had the opportunity to prove he has the leadership qualities required.

The SNP said it was "looking forward to offering people a positive vision for the future" at the next general election.

Ms Lloyd told the BBC's World at One programme: "This is probably the hardest year the party has faced since maybe 2004/2005.

"It needs to switch the narrative in Scotland from one of Labour gaining to one of the SNP fighting back - and being seen to credibly fight back.

"It is very much struggling to get its own message across. It has an opportunity. There is time ahead of a general election to do that but it needs to do that really quickly."

Ms Lloyd was Nicola Sturgeon's closest aide until she stood down as first minister and SNP leader after more than eight years in the role.

Ms Sturgeon insisted at the time her decision was not in response to the "latest period of pressure", which has included controversies over gender reforms, trans prisoners and the strategy on independence.

She said that support for independence needed to be "solidified" and to grow further.

Her resignation sparked a leadership contest which was eventually won by Humza Yousaf.

In his first speech as leader, Mr Yousaf called on the party to unite behind him after what had often been a fractious contest.

Liz Lloyd said there were still "small rumblings" within the SNP, although Mr Yousaf faced no immediate challenge to his leadership.

"Humza Yousaf has had nine months to clear the decks of policies that were left over from the Nicola Sturgeon time - issues which were causing him difficulty," she said.

"He now has, ahead of the election, an opportunity to say 'this is my agenda, this is what I'm about' - and deliver on it so that people can make a judgement on it."

She added: "I think they need to look at making some changes - maybe a small reshuffle - things that put the SNP back on the front foot which it very much hasn't been for the last nine months."

'Opportunity for change'​

Ms Lloyd also said she accepted the SNP faced a further challenge amid a growing perception that Sir Keir Starmer's Labour party could win the next Westminster general election.

"What's working for Labour at the moment is that there is a perception that Keir Starmer will be able to form a government," she said.

"And so it's less about what policies Labour are putting forward or the credibility of the Labour party in Scotland.

"It's more about, how do we make sure we don't have a Conservative government any more.

"People tend to look to see if there's an opportunity for change - that opportunity wasn't there in 2015, 2017 and 2019 and they may think it is this time."

An SNP spokesperson said: "With neither the Tories or Labour offering any alternative for people across Scotland being forced to pay the cost of a failing Westminster system and Broken Brexit economy, the SNP is focused on continuing to deliver for communities and businesses across Scotland with the limited powers at our disposal.

"As we approach the next general election, the SNP is looking forward to offering people a positive vision for the future and the chance to elect hard working SNP MPs who will always put Scotland's priorities first."

Meanwhile, Ms Lloyd said Ms Sturgeon was "doing fine" after moving to the backbenches at Holyrood.

She said: "She is hiding away writing her book - but she is in parliament and is doing fine."

SNP faces biggest challenge in 20 years, says Sturgeon's ex-chief of staff

Nicola Sturgeon's ex-chief of staff says the party "needs to get its act together" before a general election.

www.bbc.com

 

[Arkain2K]

 

[ferrisjso]

They had a 'once in a lifetime vote' less than 10 years ago , opinion polls in Scotland do not show a marked increase in favour of Independence .
The Falklands and all the penguins that live there are ours and will be forever , or until we get bored of it .

The reason they are pushing for a new referendum is because of Brexit which fundamentally changes the independence question.