27-04-2003 04:33									#1
	Scottish Elections Got spare money?

In case you're interested, elections for the Scottish Parliament are coming up on May the 1st.

A quick run-down of the parties:

Scottish Labour, the largest party, and coalition partner with the Lib-Dems. Slightly to the left of Blair.

Scottish National Party, the second largest party. A bit to the left of Labour, although they also have a Thatcherite wing. Favours independence.

Scottish Conservatives, the third largest party. A bit to the right of Labour. Wants to cut bureaucracy and government control.

Scottish Liberal Democrats, the fourth largest party, junior coalition partners to Labour. To the left of Labour.

Scottish Green Party, one MSP. Environmental, and anti-euro.

Scottish Socialist Party, one MSP. Radical left wingers, aim to create a independent socialist Scotland.

Scottish Peoples Alliance, new party. Right-wing party, determined to slash tax and bureaucracy.

UK Independence Party, no MSPs. Want to abolish the Scottish Parliament and withdraw Britain from the EU.

The Scottish electoral system is a hybrid of first-past-the-post and proportional representation. Combined with voter apathy, the parties with the more radical followings could score pretty highly, with the established parties losing out. If the turn-out is really low, then the future of the Scottish Parliament could be in doubt.

	27-04-2003 12:29									#2
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Go Liberal Democrats.

	27-04-2003 13:25									#3
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Go SNP.

	27-04-2003 13:26									#4
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Or possibly SSP, is that full of nasty trots? What's their stance on the EU?

	27-04-2003 13:43									#5
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I suppose I should try and learn a bit more about Scottish politics since I will be moving to Edinburgh at the end of the year.

Sandman, what do you do in Edinburgh?

And of course, the most important question, where can I get a decent curry?

	27-04-2003 16:42									#6
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It would appear that the SSP is full of raving trots. Certainly, they've back the backing of SWP/Socialist Alliance who do not seem to organise in Scotland at all.

	27-04-2003 16:47									#7
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quote: Originally posted by Sandman Scottish Labour, the largest party, and coalition partner with the Lib-Dems. Slightly to the left of Blair.

I'd say quite a bit to the left of Blair, seen as Blair is practically a Tory and Scotland hasn't supported the Tories in elections for many a year.

quote: Scottish Conservatives, the third largest party. A bit to the right of Labour. Wants to cut bureaucracy and government control.

And direct beneficiaries of the electoral system they so deride. 18 list MSPs and not a single constituency MSP.

quote: UK Independence Party, no MSPs. Want to abolish the Scottish Parliament and withdraw Britain from the EU.

Oh boy, and they're gonna get a whole lot of votes. Scotland's economy is slowly going down the pan, and they want to flush the toilet by taking them out of the EU? Not to mention that the majority of Scotland was in favour of a Scottish Parliament at the referendum...

quote: The Scottish electoral system is a hybrid of first-past-the-post and proportional representation. Combined with voter apathy, the parties with the more radical followings could score pretty highly, with the established parties losing out. If the turn-out is really low, then the future of the Scottish Parliament could be in doubt.

The almost unbelievable turnout in the Welsh referendum didn't stop them getting an Assembly. Honestly, you couldn't make the figures up - 50.1% of people voted, and of those something like 50.3% voted in favour of the Assembly...it's hilarious.
Plus, despite the change in electoral system Labour are still overrepresented in the Parliament. They got something like 37% of the vote and 46% of the seats, so they could stand to lose a few. I can see the Conservatives getting slightly hammered (especially now that Iain Duncan Cough has joined the campaign), but I wouldn't like to try and predict the coalition outcome. Labour and the Libs have been falling out quite badly, just like in Wales, but if Labour stay the biggest party I don't really see what else they can do. They won't coalesce (?) with the Cons, nor the SNP.

The socialist party stand to do quite well, IIRC. Something like 6 seats on current polling data.

	27-04-2003 16:59									#8
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quote: Go Liberal Democrats.

I dunno. Their leader is incredibly unappealing. More teachers, free eye and dental checks are not bad however.

quote: Go SNP.

The thing is, even though most Scots are indifferent to independence, they stand to pick up votes simply as a result of dissatisfaction with Labour.

quote: Or possibly SSP, is that full of nasty trots? What's their stance on the EU?

They're pro-Europe, in theory at least. Check out their manifesto

quote: Sandman, what do you do in Edinburgh?

I'm a student.

quote: where can I get a decent curry?

Well, the Kings Balti on Buccleuch Street is pretty good.

	27-04-2003 17:02									#9
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quote: And direct beneficiaries of the electoral system they so deride. 18 list MSPs and not a single constituency MSP.

Technically, the Conservatives do have a constituency MSP, John Scott, who was elected in a by-election in Ayr.

	27-04-2003 17:12									#10
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quote: Originally posted by Sandman I'm a student.

What are you studying? (I am wondering because I will be teaching at Edinburgh Uni next year.)

quote: Well, the Kings Balti on Buccleuch Street is pretty good.

Thanks - where I would go probably depends on where I will manage to get a flat/house. Here in France I have a curry house about 30m from my house, so that is the one we go to most, even though it isn't the best in town.

	27-04-2003 17:24									#11
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quote: I'd say quite a bit to the left of Blair, seen as Blair is practically a Tory and Scotland hasn't supported the Tories in elections for many a year. And direct beneficiaries of the electoral system they so deride. 18 list MSPs and not a single constituency MSP.

It's amazing to think that Scotland was once Tory heartland. I quite like their idea of scrapping LEAs, but their plan to allow anybody to set a up school, when we already have underused schools, sounds like a recipe for social disharmony. Their closest possible coalition partner is, astonishingly, Labour, unless the People's Alliance gets some seats.

quote: Oh boy, and they're gonna get a whole lot of votes. Scotland's economy is slowly going down the pan, and they want to flush the toilet by taking them out of the EU? Not to mention that the majority of Scotland was in favour of a Scottish Parliament at the referendum...

Well, the Scottish Parliament has no say over Britain's membership in the EU, but I'm presuming that it can abolish itself (again). I wouldn't underestimate them. The Parliament building was originally estimated to cost £40 million, now it's at £400 million. And to make matters worse, it's an ugly, uninspiring piece of postmodern junk, in a city cramed with fine architecture. Plus, I kinda agree that Scotland IS over-represented, compared to the rest of the UK.

quote: The socialist party stand to do quite well, IIRC. Something like 6 seats on current polling data.

I agree with them on a lot of stuff, but I don't agree with independence, or alternate 'medicines' on the NHS. Having said that, an S.S.R. would be one hell of a ride. Their leader is far and away the most charismatic MSP, and his anti-war, anti-Bush stance will probably win plenty of votes.

I don't want to vote Labour, but none of the other parties really hold my attention either. Must... make... up... mind.

	27-04-2003 17:30									#12
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quote: What are you studying? (I am wondering because I will be teaching at Edinburgh Uni next year.)

Sociology. Unfortunately I don't know anyone doing physics at Edinburgh.

	27-04-2003 17:50									#13
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Go LibDems, Go LibDems! I'm voting for the local English branch of the party in the upcoming elections.

As another person who (hopefully) will be studying in Edinburgh soon, what's the city itself like? A hip, modern, cosmopolitian city with a happening nightlife and plenty of diverse culture or is it a dull mockery of former greatness?

	27-04-2003 18:33									#14
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quote: Their closest possible coalition partner is, astonishingly, Labour, unless the People's Alliance gets some seats.

The Peoples' Alliance are a dangerous joke. I just hope nobody is fooled...

	27-04-2003 19:03									#15
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quote: A hip, modern, cosmopolitian city with a happening nightlife and plenty of diverse culture or is it a dull mockery of former greatness?

There's plenty of nightlife, much of it contained in ancient renovated cellars. Culturally, I'd would be wary of calling it diverse. There are all the usual restaurants, and there's a mosque next to the University, but the city itself is less diverse than a comparably-sized English city.

Be warned, the sheer quantity of tartanry on display in the Old Town may be just too twee for some.

	27-04-2003 19:55									#16
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Ooh, alrigh then, I read the SSP manifesto and that seemed okay. I'd probably vote for them were I scottish.

	27-04-2003 20:00									#17
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I've already voted Lib Dem in my local council elections (North Lincolnshire is one of the places where all-postal voting is being trialed), and I managed to convince my naive younger sister to vote for them too. We'll see how that turns out.

	28-04-2003 00:11									#18
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We didn't get ballot papers for the local elections here, because there's only one candidate standing in our ward - surprisingly enough, a conservative. Bloody rural Tory heartlands. Can't wait for enlightened Liberal Democrat Oxford.

	28-04-2003 00:45									#19
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Don't blame the Conservatives for the fact that the other parties aren't organised enough to put candidates up. It's not, admittedly, good for democracy...

	28-04-2003 21:17									#20
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I doubt it's because they're not organised - this really is Tory heartland, even more so than Buckinghamshire or somewhere...Ribble Valley is something like the fifth safest Tory Westminster seat, so what chance does a Labour or Lib Dem candidate have in a local ward in one of the most rural areas of the Rib Valley?....

	28-04-2003 23:47									#21
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quote: Originally posted by Paul Hanson I've already voted Lib Dem in my local council elections (North Lincolnshire is one of the places where all-postal voting is being trialed), and I managed to convince my naive younger sister to vote for them too. We'll see how that turns out.

I've already voted by post! In the Welsh Assembly Governemt elections. I thought it was great not having to walk down that smelly school on a work day. We get two votes- one for the ward and a regional one. I voted Lib Dem in my Newport West vote, (my 'head' vote) and Plaid Cymru in the regional vote (my 'heart' vote).
This is a very pro-Lib Dems thread so far

	29-04-2003 00:09									#22
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Right-wingers don't care about Scotland. They think that England owns it by right of conquest. Vote Lib Dem.

	29-04-2003 11:25									#23
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quote: Originally posted by Clear Skies I doubt it's because they're not organised - this really is Tory heartland, even more so than Buckinghamshire or somewhere...Ribble Valley is something like the fifth safest Tory Westminster seat, so what chance does a Labour or Lib Dem candidate have in a local ward in one of the most rural areas of the Rib Valley?....

About the same chance as the Conservatives have in Langworthy or Ordsall in Salford, yet we're still contesting all but two of the 20 seats up for grabs in Salford this year, even though we're a poor third in many seats.

Ah, Ribble Valley. Nigel Evans spoke to us in York last year; seems a nice enough bloke, though I was a little disappointed to learn he was on the NewsMax payroll. He's also responsible for one of the worst-kept secrets in British politics...

	29-04-2003 11:26									#24
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quote: Right-wingers don't care about Scotland. They think that England owns it by right of conquest. Vote Lib Dem.

The Liberal Democrats care about nothing but being elected. The depths they've sunk to in some areas are unbelievable. Vote Conservative.