Dave78

Like many others on here, i've become scunnered with the current SNP and the mistakes the Sturgeon era of the party has made. However, watching the British media attempt to gaslight us all over Sturgeon's handling of Covid has been fucking galling. So much so that i'm now almost certain i'll be voting SNP at the next GE, when i had been considering sitting this one out. At the risk of coming over all Hampden Loon and reading too much into my own political bubble, I doubt i'm alone. Expect a 3 to 5 percent bump in the SNP's vote share in the next set of polls. BTW, @Northern Light welcome to the board and thanks for your great contributions to the thread

Do you use WhatsApp, HL? I think you might not be seeing the subtle difference between willfully deleting single messages, and not turning on the 'backup messages' function of the app. Sturgeon probably didn't turn on that function (i also have it set to Off), whereas Lloyd must have chosen to retain them. If Sturgeon didn't retain the messages AFTER the order for politicians to retain social media messages, then that would be a big issue. I don't think that's what she's being accused of though. Could be wrong.

Yep, which she submitted to the enquiry months ago

No, i think the recent convos were recovered from other people's phones, not Sturgeons.

Nobody that's pro-independence would have a problem with that. If - after independence - a unionist party wanted a referendum on re-joining, they could put it in their manifesto and win a mandate for it. Y'know, like the SNP and Greens did for indyref2?

The phrase 'trickle down economics' is exactly what came to mind when reading Malcolm's pish. Malcolm, simply cutting taxes to the wealthy doesn't stimulate economic growth as much as you think it does. Most of the wealthy hoard that money than reinvest it. You only need to look at the Truss/Kwarteng budget to see the result of cutting taxes and magically thinking that will be enough for the economy to grow. The bond market didn't buy it, which caused the currency to be devalued, and the UK pension market had to be saved by a £60bn Bank of England intervention.

There was no challenge on him.... Just went for a clearance and then immediately signaled to the bench. Then hobbled off clutching the back of his thigh

Looked like it was his hamstring

I'm watching the Real Sociedad game. KT subbed off injured FFS

I think the opposite is true. Our mono sporting culture harms us.

I think the point Miike makes is important. It also applies to Ireland. I don't think it's a coincidence that Ireland tends to produce good goalies and defenders. The reason of this, i think, is because most of them grow up playing Gaelic football, where the ball spends a lot of time in the air, and the players have to be physical/robust. These skills transfer. In Croatia the kids play a whole range of different sports, and the skills transfer.

I had a Skype call with my parents tonight. My Mum is the last remaining SNP member in my direct family, and me and my faither enjoyed ribbing her about her misguided vote for Yousaf. I told them i'll likely be their age when we get indyref2 and a Yes vote, and that they're going to have to hang on a bit before kicking the bucket. Didnae go down well 😄

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/67906989 Scotland Under-21 forward Dapo Mebude is in hospital following a car crash in Belgium. His club, KV Oostende, confirmed the news via social media, saying: "Our thoughts are with Dapo and his family." One report from Belgium states the 22-year-old collided with a tree, while another says emergency services had to free Mebude from the wreckage. London-born Mebude has 28 caps for Scotland at youth level and has been with KV Oostende since September 2022. He came through the ranks at Rangers, making one first team appearance in 2019, before a move to Watford two years later. "The practice match between Knokke and KVO was cancelled due to a car accident by player Dapo Mebude," announced his club. "He was taken to hospital but there is no further information about his situation."

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No, but i'm thinking of starting to celebrate Old Hogmanay on the 11th of January.... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_New_Year#Scotland

Happy new year and lang may yer lums reek! 2024....What a year to be a Scotland fan

Glad i wasn't just imagining it! Regarding the thing Ally posted about de jure independence, i just don't see it. I don't think there are any shortcuts to independence. The only way to secure independence in today's world is a show of democratic will, i.e. a referendum, defacto or otherwise.

Did some more googling... The quote from the English HoC speaker was said on the day the Act of Union passed. My main point still stands though. The union was nearly ended in 1713, instigated over an argument about tax on malt. The vote to dissolve the union was only lost by 4 votes. https://thehistoryofparliament.wordpress.com/2013/05/31/there-has-been-all-along-something-odd-in-this-affair-the-malt-tax-and-the-1713-attempt-to-repeal-the-union/

I once read (and i might be wrong on this, as can't find any confirmation after a quick google) that the Scottish members of the House of Commons voted in favour of reversing the Act of Union a couple of years after it came into effect. This led to the speaker of the house declaring "We have catch'd Scotland and will hold her fast". So, if the above is true, why didn't they just stop attending? Maybe they never really meant it of course.

Aye. I doubt we'll get a meaningful answer from Malcolm. If Westminster was serious about 'fixing' Scottish growth they'd give the Scottish parliament to power to lower corporation tax thereby giving Scotland a competitive advantage over the rUK. They'd cut Scotland a deal similar to Northern Ireland's which allows it access to the EU. They'd allow the Scottish government to keep its overseas operations going to attract foreign investment instead of moaning about 'Airmiles Angus' or whatever. But they'll do none of that because it would undermine their precious precious union. Far better to keep Scotland poor and dependent on fiscal transfers, while simultaneously looting its natural resources and brightest people. The unionist parties have zero interest in Scottish economic growth. Zero.

How in your opinion should the SNP "fix growth"?

I remember in 2006 it was the same 'free transport with a match ticket' deal. I didn't always have a match ticket but i remember not having to buy a ticket for inner city trains. It seemed to be a free for all. Do you think it'll be the same this time? I imagine our kilts will be our tickets 😋

Had way too many haufs of Redbreast tonight at the brother in laws. 15yr old. Best whiskey (with the extra 'e') i think i've ever drank

No spelling/grammatical mistakes. Ten out of ten Ramy!