Saturday, January 18, 2014

Scotland’s unpopular Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon does a ‘feeble 50’ as she produces 50 questions for Unionists to answer, the banal tripe is typical grudge, grievance and malcontent from Sturgeon, 50 questions, here are 50 answers!




















Dear All

Scotland's unpopular Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP have taken the time (why?) to ask 50 questions that they say the No Campaign must answer.

So, let's try and answer these questions.

"1 What new powers is Holyrood guaranteed in the event of a No vote?"

Does Ms. Sturgeon think that the Westminster Government revolves around Salmond and her? Whatever is proposed has to go through the House of Commons and be debated, so is she wanting to deny the House of Commons their democratic right? She just wants Westminster to be at her beck and call?

"2 Can you guarantee future Westminster governments will retain the Barnett formula, which is used to calculate Scotland's annual grant from the Treasury?"

The answer is no, this is a remarkably stupid question, no government can bide future alternative governments to their policies.

"3 What will the impact be on Scottish families of the £25bn of new public spending cuts announced by the Chancellor this month?"

They will be less well off, imagine not being able to work that out on her own, really sad and pathetic.

"4 Can you guarantee Scotland will still be in the EU in 2020 if there's a No vote?"

No, see answer number two.

"5 What extra powers will be devolved to Scotland to grow the working population?"

Is this a question about immigration, if so, that is a reserved matter.

"6 How many more children will be living in poverty in Scotland in 2020 as a result of Westminster policies?"

How many more children will be living in poverty by the SNP plan to open the floodgates on immigration or don't you give a shit about the damage you do?

"7 What steps will be taken to close the growing gap between rich and poor?"

None, they like the Scottish National Party aren't doing anything meaningful and that isn't likely to change under Salmond and Sturgeon's leadership.

"8 What will the UK's national debt be in 2016?"

That depends on various factors some of which can be controlled and some that cannot, it is a stupid question and demonstrates short sightedness and lack of awareness. Another Sturgeon fail!

"9 Will an Oil Fund be established in the event of a No vote, as we plan after a Yes vote?"

No, and on that, the SNP can't guarantee when or even if monies can be paid in if there was an independent Scotland.

"10 How many UK army, naval and air force personnel will be based in Scotland in 2020?"

That will depend on a defence review by the current government of the day, see answer two.

"11 How much will Scottish taxpayers have to pay for the replacement of the Trident nuclear weapons system?"

The tax system is the same for the whole of the UK, so, the same rates as people in England.

Finance and taxes

"12 If the Barnett formula is scrapped, by how much would Scotland's budget be cut after a No vote?"

Given the Barnett formula isn't getting scrapped, this is a stupid question, how long is a piece of string? Is she quoting a Westminster white paper, no, she is just making it up.

"13 If the Barnett formula is retained, by how much would Scotland's budget be cut after a No vote?"

All budgets are subject to review because of tax receipts can vary. How many Scottish Colleges places have been cut by the SNP? According to reports a staggering 37%, what is being done about that SNP scandal? Nothing!

"14 What will UK personal tax rates be in 2016 and beyond, and how will Westminster improve the tax system, including collection?"

See answer two, is Ms. Sturgeon saying there will be a Tory Government in 2016? As before how can anyone commit to want they might do without a mandate from the people? How far is beyond as a timescale till the world ends?

"15 Will the rate of VAT be increased, cut, or stay the same in 2016 and beyond?"

See answer two, the level of stupidity in the Scottish National Party truly beggars belief. This is utter tripe, no wonder people are starting to wake up to the bad deal we are getting from the SNP.

"16 What will be the level of Air Passenger Duty (APD) in 2016 and beyond?"

Ever heard of inflation, again we are at answer two, can Sturgeon guarantee what a Labour administration in Holyrood will do to enact SNP policies? This is bullshit petty low brow knuckle dragging politics of the swamp.

"17 Why has APD not been devolved to the Scottish Parliament, as recommended by the Calman Commission on devolved powers?"

The Calman Commission didn't place or is binding on the coalition to enact anything.

"18 Will a system be put in place to guarantee the minimum wage will always rise at least in line with the cost of living?"

That is a matter for the House of Commons to be decided if debated.

"19 What additional tax powers will be devolved to Scotland in the event of a No vote?"

See answer two, yet again, there will be no pre-negotiation on devo max until the referendum is settled.

Economy"

"20 What additional economic powers will be devolved to Scotland?"

Is there a learning problem in the SNP because you keep asking the same question in various forms repeatedly, ever considered IQ testing in the Scottish National Party?

"21 What powers will be given to Scotland to combat in Business Secretary Vince Cable's words the "giant suction machine" of London?"

See answer number 20.

"22 What will you do to narrow the huge regional differences in GDP per head, which are greater in the UK than in any other EU country?"

Use the taxation system and work with partner agencies to improve conditions, that is the kind of talk that SNP use to blow people off.

"23 What additional powers will be devolved to increase women's participation in the labour market?"

Oh, the clumsy crude pitch for the women's vote, Bill Walker killed that off stone dead for the SNP. How about armed guards to stop SNP MSPs smashing women's faces in Sturgeon?

"24 What additional measures will be devolved to Scotland to boost Research and Development?"

See answer number one, but she can forget anything happening until after 2015 election, there isn't the time on the Parliamentary timetable.

"25 Will additional competitive powers be devolved to encourage major firms to locate their HQs in Scotland?"

This is quite boring, already we are half through and it is the same question more or less over and over again, see answer number one.

"26 Will corporation tax be devolved to give businesses in Scotland a competitive edge?"

A competitive edge over whom? Over the English or the Welsh or the Irish? The phoney standing up for Scotland routine, its pathetic and old and tired.

"27 What powers will be devolved to encourage reindustrialisation and halt manufacturing decline?"

Like the SNP outsource steel contracts aboard that kind of shit?

"28 Will the post study work visa be reintroduced?"

If this is an attempt to reintroduce it, it is rather crude and clumsy, people dying to come to Eckistan are they?.

Social justice, families and health

"29 Will the UK still be one of the most unequal countries in the developed world?"

Yes, and as we see with the SNP candidacies for the European Elections, not a single ordinary member selected, so let's have no talk about equality from Sturgeon. Try typing in google SNP vote rigging and see how much the SNP 'care' about equality.

"30 Will all current universal and pensioner benefits remain or will some be means tested?"

Everything is open to review.

"31 In the event of a No vote, will you guarantee funding for fund a long term expansion of childcare in Scotland to match the best provision in Europe?"

How you manage your grant is your business, not the Westminster Government, make your own political choices and live within your means or better still, get off your arse and generate money instead of spending your 'giro'. How about less taxpayers money to SNP members setting up little groups for starters?

"32 Will Scotland's age profile be taken into account when decisions over the state pension age are made?"

No.

"33 What will be the state retirement age for people in Scotland who are starting work this year?"

Again, no government can bide a future government about 50 years into the future, is Sturgeon saying she wants to know what will happen in 2063? Isn't this a waste of time for her as she will be dead and buried and forgotten?

"34 Will the bedroom tax be abolished?"

By the Tories, No, by Labour, Yes, if they are in power in 2015.

"35 Will the bedroom tax be extended to pensioners as suggested recently by an MP from one of the No campaign parties? Julian Brazier MP for Canterbury"

No, that would be political suicide for Cameron.

"36 Have you assessed the impact Westminster welfare cuts will have on Scotland's NHS?"

Westminster doesn't control the Scottish NHS or how you spend the funding you are given.

"37 The NHS in England is being privatised. Given that cuts in funding for public services in England trigger cuts in the Scottish budget, has any study been done of the impact on Scotland of NHS privatisation in England?"

No!

Democracy

"38 The Tories have just one MP in Scotland, yet are leading the Westminster government. How can Scotland get the government it votes for?"

Vote for the Labour Party, simple question.

"39 Nine out of 10 Scottish MPs voted against the bedroom tax. How can you ensure the views of Scottish MPs are not ignore in future?"

Each MP gets one vote, that is democracy, is Sturgeon saying each Scottish MP should get 10 votes to an English MP's one?

"40 Royal Mail has been privatised what guarantees can you give that other public services will not be privatised against the views of Scottish MPs?"

None.

"41 How much money per year will taxpayers in Scotland be expected to contribute to funding the unelected House of Lords?"

Well giving that taxpayer money funds Holyrood there is an argument to abolish the regional lists which allow publicly unelected people into Holyrood who are unelected by the public.

EU and Defence

"42 When will an In/Out referendum be held on the UK's EU membership?"

Not in this Parliament, maybe in the next if there is a Conservative win.

"43 If a majority of people in Scotland vote to remain members of the EU in an In/Out vote going against the grain what will happen to Scotland?"

Scotland is a part of the UK, if the majority of the UK vote to leave then is Sturgeon saying the wishes of the all the people voting should be ignored? How is that democracy?

"44 If the UK government fails to renegotiate the UK's EU membership terms, will it recommend withdrawal?"

It will not recommend withdrawal, all major parties leaders are committed to Europe.

"45 Will Scotland get any direct representation in Europe to negotiate for our fishing and farming industries after a No vote?"

No, the SNP will not get direct representation, it is a reserved matter, the EU doesn't allow for this, to ask shows incredible lack of understanding of how Europe works.

"46 If Scotland had been independent during the most recent EU farming talks we would have qualified for an extra €1 billion of funding. How will that shortfall be made up?"

Given you never had the money in the first place; you never had a shortfall, try winning an independence vote first and then apply.

"47 Scotland currently receives the lowest farm payments of any country in the EU. Will this continue?"

Why don't you get the two numbnuts who are elected as SNP MEPs to ask and campaign or are they utterly incapable? What have they achieved as MEPs other draw their salary anyway? What have they done?

"48 What guarantee is there that Scotland will not be hit again by disproportionate defence staff cuts in the future?"

Defence is based on strategic need, didn't Angus Robertson work that out yet for the SNP?

"49 Will the 7,000 service personnel promised to be returned from Germany to Scotland ever arrive?"

What's it to you?

"50 How much money will be spent on the replacement of Trident with a new generation of nuclear weapons?"

Do your own research if you are capable.

Nicola has asked 50 questions.

I will just ask one.

How much time was wasted on this pointless tit for tat exercise, if it was clever questions then some people might see a point, but this is just banal tripe, the embarrassing thing is that unpopular Nicola Sturgeon couldn’t recognise it.

I have probably asked the only real question that working class Scots would want addressed.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

3 comments:

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  2. Bravo, George! The 50 questions are moronic in the extreme.

    But the most depressing thing about all this is that Ms Sturgeon is simply representative of the exceptionally poor quality of people we have representing us.

    I believe that the cause of this is that we simply don’t have the talent pool to come up with around 200 frontline politicians (MPs, MSPs, MEPs); the inevitable result being that the general quality of our representatives has plummeted (an eventuality that the Libs and Labour obviously didn’t consider when cobbling devolution together).

    My solution would be to halve the number of MSPs and MPs, so we’d be left with having to come up with only 100 national politicians. Only this might, just might, separate the wheat from the chaff and drive up the general quality, and thus save our system from rotting any further.

    ReplyDelete
  3. A splendid set of answers, the SNP are falling apart now.

    ReplyDelete