Sturgeon to resign as FM

[ProfessorDavey]

Why is skin colour significant?

Although, interestingly Yousaf isn't the first muslim of south asian origin to lead a devolved assembly. Nor does he lead the largest devolved assembly in terms of people represented.

In fact, I think the individual in the UK with the largest direct personal electoral mandate is Sadiq Khan. Actually I think Khan's votes in 2016 were the most direct votes received by an individual in UK politics ever - his votes in 2021 drifted down slightly from the 1.3 million he received in 2016.

[Nearly Sane]

Although, interestingly Yousaf isn't the first muslim of south asian origin to lead a devolved assembly. Nor does he lead the largest devolved assembly in terms of people represented.

In fact, the individual in the UK with the largest direct personal electoral mandate is Sadiq Khan. Actually I think Khan's votes in 2016 were the most direct votes received by an individual in UK politics ever - his votes in 2021 drifted down slightly from the 1.3 million he received in 2016.

And yet Labour has never had a leader that is a non white male.

[ProfessorDavey]

And yet Labour has never had a leader that is a non white male.

Actually both Margaret Beckett and Harriet Harman were both acting leaders, but I take your point.

[ProfessorDavey]

Doesn't mean that Scotland wasn't removed from the UK by English votes.

I think you mean the EU!

But is was a UK-wide vote.

You might just as well argue that London was removed from the EU by non-London votes.

Or that Glaswegians were held in the UK against their will by non-Glaswegian votes.

[Nearly Sane]

I think you mean the EU!

But is was a UK-wide vote.

You might just as well argue that London was removed from the EU by non-London votes.

Or that Glaswegians were held in the UK against their will by non-Glaswegian votes.

Yep, you are right. The UK EU thing is just me being exhausted by dealing with eejits 


Your point, such as it is, says no votes are valid.

[Nearly Sane]

Bye, Kate.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-65105951

[ProfessorDavey]

Yep, you are right. The UK EU thing is just me being exhausted by dealing with eejits 


Your point, such as it is, says no votes are valid.

No - the point is making generalising and borderline xenophobic comments about 'English votes' is ignorant, pathetic and rather unpleasant 'othering'.

13 million voters in England voted remain (compared to 1.6 million in Scotland) - don't you dare suggest those 13 million are somehow responsible for brexit - they aren't.

The only people to blame for brexit are those that voted 'leave' regardless of whether of whether they lived in Abingdon, Aberdeen, Aberdare or Armagh.

And, no my point doesn't suggest that no votes are valid. It suggests that all votes are valid, but in a UK-wide referendum the only result that actually matters is the overall UK wide vote.

Oh and by the way, if I'm to blame for brexit because I voted in England, then you are just as much to blame (as I am doubly) because we are both male. You'll be aware no doubt that women voted to remain - or is it only the English that deserve your ire on this matter. And on that matter, depending on how you assess matters I'm part Scottish as my mother and her whole family were Scottish - indeed from just down the road from you NS.

[Nearly Sane]

No - the point is making generalising and borderline xenophobic comments about 'English votes' is ignorant, pathetic and rather unpleasant 'othering'.

13 million voters in England voted remain (compared to 1.6 million in Scotland) - don't you dare suggest those 13 million are somehow responsible for brexit - they aren't.

The only people to blame for brexit are those that voted 'leave' regardless of whether of whether they lived in Abingdon, Aberdeen, Aberdare or Armagh.

And, no my point doesn't suggest that no votes are valid. It suggests that all votes are valid, but in a UK-wide referendum the only result that actually matters is the overall UK wide vote.

Oh and by the way, if I'm to blame for brexit because I voted in England, then you are just as much to blame (as I am doubly) because we are both male. You'll be aware no doubt that women voted to remain - or is it only the English that deserve your ire on this matter. And on that matter, depending on how you assess matters I'm part Scottish as my mother and her whole family were Scottish - indeed from just down the road from you NS.

Straw going cheap?

[ProfessorDavey]

Straw going cheap?

Nope - but petty nationalists are.

Resorting to simplistic generalisations about people from other countries who they claim are to blame for their problems. Even when those people aren't to blame whatsoever, and indeed even if they actually agree with them (as is the case for you and me on brexit).

So straw may not be going cheap - but chips are - you know the type that petty nationalists keep on their shoulders.

[Nearly Sane]

Nope - but petty nationalists are.

Resorting to simplistic generalisations about people from other countries who they claim are to blame for their problems. Even when those people aren't to blame whatsoever, and indeed even if they actually agree with them (as is the case for you and me on brexit).

So straw may not be going cheap - but chips are - you know the type that petty nationalists keep on their shoulders.

   Shiny shiny mirror

[ProfessorDavey]

   Shiny shiny mirror

Oo - a mirror - that's exactly what you need, so you can work out whether that chip is on your left shoulder or your right shoulder

[ProfessorDavey]

Bit of a tough one for Yousaf.

Get's elected as a British-Asian muslim, only to realise that he's number 3 in the list of British-Asian political leaders by political significance of the role, and number 2 in the list of muslims in political leadership positions in the UK by political significance. Political leadership of just 5.4 million, compared to Sadiq Khan's 9 million and Rishi Sunak's 67 million.

Ah well.

[ProfessorDavey]

Stunning footballing turnaround under Yousaf

[Nearly Sane]

Stunning footballing turnaround under Yousaf

Indepedence Now.

[ProfessorDavey]

Indepedence Now.

Then you could have your own national team just like other independent nations!!!

[ProfessorDavey]

Bye, Kate.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-65105951

So the MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, a huge rural constituency that includes a number of islands does not want to be Cabinet Secretary for ... err ... Rural Affairs and Islands, because it is beneath her. Not a good look.

Actually, politically, I suspect this is a bit of a win/win (or maybe it is lose/lose), or most likely a brokered compromise - allows Yousaf to offer her a position in the cabinet, but for her to have an easy route out. Given that Forbes effectively came back from maternity leave to run in the leadership election, I suspect she's probably quite happy to have a bit of time as a back bencher, both for family reasons and to regroup.

Yousaf could have offered a hospital pass (the positions where you can only ever fail) such as Health or Policing, which she couldn't easily have refused without seeming disloyal.

[Nearly Sane]

So the MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, a huge rural constituency that includes a number of islands does not want to be Cabinet Secretary for ... err ... Rural Affairs and Islands, because it is beneath her.

Politically, I suspect this is a bit of a win/win (or maybe it is lose/lose) - allows Yousaf to offer her a position in the cabinet, but for her to have an easy route out. Given that Forbes effectively came back from maternity leave to run in the leadership election, I suspect she's probably quite happy to have a bit of time as a back bencher, both for family reasons and to regroup.

Yousaf could have offered a hospital pass (the positions where you can only ever fail) such as Health or Policing, which she couldn't easily have refused without seeming disloyal.

Pretty much. It's sad but true that Rural Affairs is a demotion because the SNP govt don't much care for them. And I think you are right, it suited both parties for this to be the call. Part of me would have liked for him to offer Health on the basis of 'So you think you can do better' - not sure that is the best part of me though.

[Nearly Sane]

Yousaf tweeting last night. Really not sure how I feel about it. Had Forbes won would a picture of her saying grace be ok?

[ProfessorDavey]

Part of me would have liked for him to offer Health on the basis of 'So you think you can do better'

Exactly - now of course we all know that Yousaf is useless (unless he now surprises on the upside) I actually have a lot of time for the rather defensive argument he made in reply to Forbes attack on his record.

Effectively he basically claimed that Forbes had never done a 'delivery' job in government and it is much harder to actually deliver stuff than just allocate money, with no real accountability for what that spending actually deliver (that responsibility lies with the delivery departments).

And I actually think that the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy has to be one of the easiest jobs going. You get most of the good stuff from being the equivalent of the Chancellor of the Exchequer - divvying out monies to departments, but you largely avoid the bad stuff that the chancellor has to do, making major decisions on taxation to raise the money from the public and businesses in the first place. Most of the funding for the Scottish Government is from the block grant and/or taxation that isn't devolved to the Scottish Goverment in terms of variance.

It is notable that in her absence Forbes role wasn't really back filled but just added to the existing portfolio of the Deputy FM. Suggests it isn't really a particularly challenging role.

[ProfessorDavey]

Part of me would have liked for him to offer Health on the basis of 'So you think you can do better' - not sure that is the best part of me though.

I think if Yousaf was being particularly mischievous he could have offered Forbes roles requiring decisions that would have directly abutted against her religious faith. She never had to do that as 'bean-counter in chief', but if she was in the health remit she'd need to determine funding levels for abortion services and directly deal with campaigning to restrict/extend access and in both that and a policing/justice role she'd need to address the issue of exclusion spaces around abortion clinics.

[ProfessorDavey]

Yousaf tweeting last night. Really not sure how I feel about it. Had Forbes won would a picture of her saying grace be ok?

Is the point about him doing it (he's a muslim, it's Ramadan - what do you expect) or him publicising it on twitter?

[Nearly Sane]

Is the point about him doing it (he's a muslim, it's Ramadan - what do you expect) or him publicising it on twitter?

The second.

[ProfessorDavey]

The second.

And would your 'feeling' be different if it was a victorious Forbes in Bute House on her first night saying grace with her family?

[Outrider]

Yousaf tweeting last night. Really not sure how I feel about it. Had Forbes won would a picture of her saying grace be ok?

No better or worse, which is to say 'not really'. That he's praying - or that she might have - isn't a problem, it's the turning it into a public spectacle. 'Performative prayer'... just seems a bit American, to be honest.

O.

[Nearly Sane]

And would your 'feeling' be different if it was a victorious Forbes in Bute House on her first night saying grace with her family?

That's the question I originally asked. It feels off. And I think it would feel more obviously off if Forbes had done similar, and I not sure why I think it would feel different. As Outrider mentions it feels performative.