Vocal Voices

In an election year.

Yep, in Scotland it is an election year.

Mrs S pointed out a fact to me that I often forget, not having grown up under the Scottish legal system. When all is said and done, if it were just a matter of tainted evidence, even though that evidence were valid, the legal process in Scotland allows for a Not Proven verdict. It doesn't mean you are not guilty, only that the state couldn't conclusively prove you were guilty. It carries the stain of guilt without the punishment.

Salmond was not only found not guilty he has also been awarded half a million in damages.

Whilst I wouldn't trust Salmond as far as I could throw my car, I wouldn't trust the planet Sturgeon stands on.

This all comes together in May at the election. Let us see how it plays out.

What happens imo is that Sturgeon gets back in again, that the SNP win again. Probably the status quo won't change very much in that regard.
She certainly won't resign, not even if she were to be found standing over Salmond's still warm body with a smoking revolver in her hand.
Sturgeon stands for one thing - Scottish independence. And all the people in Scotland who want it too will stand behind her no matter what she does.
It's what might happen after the election that I'm waiting for.

I see that the Scottish Tories are to press ahead with a no-confidence vote on John Swinney on Tuesday or Wednesday and could follow it up with another on Nicola Sturgeon shortly thereafter.

The moves are said to be backed by all opposition parties and if carried will spell big trouble for the SNP. Even if they fail the waters will be well and truly muddied for the SGE.

The make up of the next Scottish parliament will be interesting to see. Whichever way the cards fall the SNP looks to be mightily damaged by the Sturgeon / Salmond affair. There could also be ramifications for the IndyRef 2 process.

Interesting times.

Very, lot of indecision going on in the polling but in the decided it is back to No for Indyref2.

Trust in Sturgeon is low, trust in Salmon is lower.

I cannot remember which paper asked but the poll put interest in the IndyRef down a few places behind such things as health, education, the economy, social issues and local government.

It looks as though the people are telling the government that there's a country to run beyond a single issue.