TDYER63

Aye. You choose to believe science when it suits 🙄

Is this a thing or is it just speculation? I tried but they all think he is great and blame the media for everything. We send a bouquet of flowers to Nicola at the last meeting as she has had a hard time ..

Going by a lot of posts on here atbthe time I thought the OFBFA was not popular at all. Were folk not complaining about football fans being treated different ? Did it have a higher support with the general public? It was never a subject that came up much with folk I know so I wasnt too familiar with it.

It certainly is. Though I stiil think its another leap to move from having our own parliament to complete independence for a lot of people, even the young. They just seem to be generally more confident than older folk. Not the older folk on here of course they are very bold and visionary 🙂 ( can I say ‘old folk’ ??? ..)

Taking to X, Patrick Harvie, the Scottish Government Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings said it was not accurate to say that he and colleagues had banned wood burning and biomass heating. "This isn't true. I've seen people worried by these claims, thinking they'll be forced to rip out their wood burner! No, you won't," he said. "What's changing is rules for new buildings and major conversions applying for a building warrant from this month. It has nothing to do with existing heating systems, or replacements that aren't part of a building conversion. There are exemptions for emergency heating systems too. "This is because it's better, easier and cheaper to install clean heating systems from the outset, rather than go back and retrofit later." In London, on the other hand, there is not a direct ban….. however there pretty much is. Confused about London’s wood burning laws? You’re not alone. In the capital, for instance, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, set stringent air pollution limits for new and refurbished buildings, which has impacted the use of traditional wood burners. However, this development has led to increased interest in eco-friendly wood stoves. These advanced stoves are designed to burn wood more efficiently and cleanly, significantly reducing pollution and emissions. They are becoming increasingly popular because they provide a more environmentally responsible way to enjoy the cosiness, character and warmth of a roaring fire while adhering to the new air quality standards set by regulations. The policy doesn’t outright ban wood burners but introduces strict air pollution limits for new and refurbished buildings in London. These limits are set at levels that wood or other solid fuel burners cannot meet. As a result, while there isn’t a direct ban, the effect of the policy is to prevent the installation of conventional wood burners in these buildings due to their contribution to air pollution. This approach focuses on improving air quality and public health by indirectly limiting the use of high-pollution heating methods.

Tbf you would rather the earth burned to a cinder than support any green policy.

We joined the EU (EC) in 1973, anyone 50 yrs of age and over is old enough to have been alive then. To a lot of people there is absolutely nothing risky to go back to those halcyon days of blue passports, imperial measurements , a thriving NHS and none of those johnny foreigners. There is no risk. Neither is Brexit a risk to their pensions or currency, or ability to see Eastenders and Coronation St. Lets not pretend that Brexit was sold on a modern robust economic argument.

Apologies, I thought he mentioned it in his speech the day after the referendum. It might have been said for the right reasons but it hasnt helped much in the aftermath. Either way, I doubt its something that can be forced if evidence shows there is a shift. This guy from Cambridge University seems fairly highly qualified seems to think it’s unnecessary to wait a generation . https://www.lcil.cam.ac.uk/blog/could-scotland-stage-independence-referendum-without-uk-approval-what-law-says-prof-marc-weller ‘The government under Prime Minister Boris Johnson asserts that, in the interest of stability, important decisions of this kind should only be taken once in a generation. The Scottish First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, counters that a section 30 order cannot be reasonably refused. Indeed, her governing Scottish National Party (SNP) has pledged to hold an independence referendum still this year, after the May elections in Scotland. The assertion that referenda can only happen once in a generation is not backed up by practice elsewhere. For instance, only last year New Caledonia repeated its referendum on independence from France merely two years after the initial poll of 2018. Continued association with Paris won on both occasions. In fact, holding a second referendum after some seven or, in actual fact perhaps more likely, eight years, seems quite reasonable in a democratic society. This would be two full electoral cycles for most states. In addition, Scotland can point to the fundamental change in circumstances brought about by Brexit.’

I also tend to think AS would have been more effective post indy , particularly in highlighting all the lies plus the Brexit situation. Regardless of how people voted on Brexit I think most can understand how aggrieved many will have felt about the EU being used as a tool to frighten people about voting YES only for England to take us out less than 2 yrs later . I think AS would have highlighted this but at the same time not sidelined those who voted to leave the EU , like NS did. I am not however convinced there is some conspiracy going on. If I am proven to be an idiot then so be it. I am not naive enough to think the party hasnt been infiltrated but I am not jumping on that particular Sturgeon bandwagon without any actual evidence. It doesn’t mean I wont keep an open mind on it .

Well, we will certainly be ‘unique’ to future historians in as much as being almost the only country in the world , ever , to turn down the chance of being independent. Thats some achievement . Independence is hardly venturing into untested territory , in any shape or form is fairly normal. For example most young adults will leave the family home even though many will take a backward step before going forward. Most will not have the same comfort as they had at home and have to take on many extra responsibilities , especially financial , so why do they do it . Mainly for independence. Some will be desperate to get away from their parents, because they dont like them, but most probably like their parents they just dont want to be controlled by their parents rules under their parents roof. So why the worry about your country becoming independent? It’s just a way to have more influence on decisions. Choosing independence doesn’t have to mean you hate what you have just now, but it absolutely does mean you will have more control of your future . And on most occasions it absolutely makes you stronger. It maybe explains why so many young people voted YES and older voted NO . What happens to folk as they get older? Do they become less bold and more timid ? Do they lose the confidence they once had ?

Tbf it was an unusually poor choice of words from him. I imagine he was quite emotional in the aftermath of coming so close and was probably referring to how important that chance had been. If enough people in Scotland want a referendum there is nothing unionists can do to stop it. Polls close to 60% regularly would be enough to force it. The problem is getting it there. It’s just very frustrating that at a time that neither of the leaders of the 2 main parties are at all popular, we ourselves have no real bite. Looking back David Cameron was a more formidable opponent than any of the current bunch.

51% of scots voted for independence, not Alex Salmond. I know a number of folk who voted Yes but didn’t like AS. He didn’t do it all on his own there was a massive support from the indy movement. I think you are as blinkered on Salmond as the people accused of being blinkered on Sturgeon. The point I am making is we got so close with a leader who split opinion even within the YES side . It is not inconceivable to think a more likeable figurehead , with passion like Salmond , could tip the scales. We need someone to give the public confidence. How difficult can it be to get someone more charismatic than Rishi Sunak or Keir Starmer ? 😱 At a time when 2 talking donkeys are leading the opposition we go into battle with Shrek 🙄

Despite a few people on here having a bit of a love in with AS you are absolutely right, he was not a popular politician. He alienated as many people as he won over. He is a fantastic orator and extremely sharp, even his critics admit that, but there is just something that puts people off him. Think he is just a bit too smug for a lot of folk. The one positive thing to take from this is that we got to 45% with a leader who was marmite. Getting the right person in charge is so important, but it’s not Humza. There was a footballing analogy used on here recently, well on a similar theme I would say that in the same way the national team is crying out for a quality striker to take us to the next level, the SNP need a quality leader to get us independence. We are so close, the polls are holding up after 10 years, but we need the right person to lead from the front. I totally agree with Loon that the best we can do just now is have someone in charge of the SNP that will steady the ship. Independence is a lost cause till that happens. I think, like Dave78, a lot of people have bought into the media’s frenzied headlines and making certain controversial policies sound like Scotland is the only country in the world attempting them. The difference being these other countries are already independent and dont have a WM government and entire mainstream media criticising absolutely everything they are doing. As far as Labour is concerned, I doubt any Child is smiling when things like PFI contracts are mentioned. One of many great Labour legacies. But but, … the ferries.

I have mentioned before on here my husband reads the Daily Mail. He gets really defensive about it which in itself says everything , so I don’t usually talk about , he knows how I feel about it. But last week, after weeks and weeks of anti SNP headlines I said to him ‘ have you ever, once, in all the years you have read that paper read anything at all positive about the Scottish Government? He said ‘no’. So I said ‘ do you think in the last 20 years the Scottish government has done absolutely nothing good ? He said ‘no’. So I said ‘ so why would you give your money to a media outlet who spouts lies , hides facts, and manipulates people ? He couldn’t answer. He is not a stupid person, far from it, but so many people are influenced by what they read, its truly frightening and is understandable why its a struggle to win people over.

agree with absolutely everything you have said.

Would have been funny if England fans had been getting jerseys with Scotland players names on the back, on top of the stushie with the flag .

The polls are as depressing as fuck for anyone seriously wanting independence. I think this recent one is overdone but its still going to be hellish unless something changes in the SNP. But, at the end of the day, the Scottish people have actually got to feel passionate about independence before it will happen. Independence is a long term thing, you could have the most competent government in the world at Holyrood for the transition but that government is still only going to be temporary in a very long list of future governments . It’s what Scotland potential holds that is important and far too many people just cannot , or refuse, to see it. It baffles me that people cannot work out that Scotland holds so many valuable resources and still cant work out that we would be a richer country on our own. What do England give us ? East Enders and Coronation st ? Waken up Scotland. It’s like the person who works in the same company for 40 years , earning a wage that simply gets them by, held back by thinking ‘ meh, things could be worse’ . They are too frightened to venture into something different for fear of failure yet they are more than capable of doing greater things. Scotland is held back by complacency and lack of confidence. I believe that is the biggest obstacle to overcome. So many countries have become independent and thrive, we all know this. The issues the Scottish people are worried about have not been an issue for these countries, because they are not actually issues at all. They are only issues if you choose them to be.

Thankfully the nations league has now kept friendlies to a minimum as they really are a tough watch. I tend to just go as they are usually part of a package. I am not going to rehash everything that has already been said about the NI game but there is nothing remotely friendly or worthwhile in hosting that type of match , a spectacle that only encourages the worst inhabitants from the west coast of Scotland. The app did work well , though I am with Dave78, a greater test may be the Finland game being the last home game before the Euros and on a Friday night. A lot of folk will have made an effort to go early to the NI game due to the new app and may have been lured into a false sense of security by its apparent slickness . Everyone goes back to arriving 15 mins before kick off we have the same old massive queues. I do tend to think this is the biggest problem. Plus I expect a more bevvied crowd ( based on a small poll friends and family poll) and the complications that brings 🙂 Is there any entertainment before the game with it being the send off game? That might get folk in earlier.

Watched Deadloch on Prime after being recommended . Its a bizarre comedy whodunnit set in a fictional town in Tasmania. I found it funny , it wont be everyones cup of tea though and there is a lot of swearing but I found it funny rather than offensive. I wasn’t sure at first but glad I kept going with it.

He has truly gone full Gammon mode.

I dont doubt your commitment in anyway whatsoever, we just have different ideas on the best way forward. Why do you think they wanted members leaving. ? I find it quite hard to believe they were happy to potentially sign their own p45. Although why a full analysis was not undertaken in respect of the membership drop is baffling. Are you saying that all the people at the top are plants ?

😆 I doubt the vetting would progress beyond my school report cards.

Bet you could still hear them bloody singing … My brother is there just now. Doubt he is up a mountain right enough.

I agree. That is why I am still in the party and why I go to every bloody meeting no matter how frustrating it is and deliver shed loads of leaflets that may or may not make a blind bit of difference. I have recently delivered tons of YES ‘independence ‘ leaflets for the SNP , despite what some folk might think there is actually some action on independence. I voted for Kate Forbes , probably the only active person in my branch who did. I was as pissed off as the next person when she didn’t win and bloody raging at the open support Humza was given by MP’s and MSP’s. However, if I was so disenchanted with everything to the point I intended voting for another party at the election I would resign and I would make it very clear why.

No offence taken, you have your reasons. I just personally dont think it makes any sense to be a member of a party and vote for another party. Some may say that is more than a little strange. How is that change going so far ? What changes have been influenced?