The reality of losing a majority, Unpopular Nicola Sturgeon tastes bitter defeat as Holyrood MSPs vote for an outright ban on fracking in Scotland, in local news, politics returns to semi normal as SNP climb back into bed with the Tories, is this the ‘Annabel Goldie’ era all over again?

Dear All

Nicola Sturgeon in my opinion would sell Scotland and the Scottish people down the river without a moment’s hesitation.

So, I am delighted to tell you that Nicola Sturgeon has suffered an embarrassing setbackat Holyrood after MSPs supported a Scottish Labour call for an immediate and outright ban on fracking.

This is a good win for the people of Scotland and it is what Labour needs to do to regain trust with the voters.

Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green MSPs combined to pass a motion to demand a ban during a Holyrood debate on the environment.

Although Sturgeon’s crew said they would "recognised" the vote, they don’t consider this issue is dead and buried.

I am not convinced by fracking either, yes, it could make a lot of money for big business, but there are people who say the practice is dangerous.

Even within the SNP, things aren’t rosy in the garden for Nicola Sturgeon as grassroots SNP members are in revolt about this, and Sturgeon can’t afford to ignore them, which is why she imposed a moratorium on fracking pending the conclusions of a series of scientific studies due to be completed next year.

SNP MSPs during the vote all abstained which clearly shows that they are nothing more than mere drones, devoid of independent thought.

The vote is not binding on the government who I suspect will back fracking regardless of what the scientific evidence is presented to Holyrood.

During the election campaign, Labour, the Lib Dems and the Greens all pledged to ban fracking on environmental grounds, on the other side of the divide, the SNP have climbed into bed with the Tories, which yet again poo poo’s the idea that the SNP is a centre left party.

Labour's environment spokeswoman Claudia Beamish said:

"Today the will of the Scottish Parliament has been made clear - there should be an outright ban on fracking. The SNP may have abstained on the vote, but they cannot ignore the clear position of Scotland's Parliament. The SNP Government must now clarify whether or not they will respect the will of Parliament and introduce an outright ban on fracking. It would be outrageous for this important vote to be ignored”.

Friends of the Earth, Head of campaigns Mary Church said:

"It is clear from today’s vote that there is a growing consensus that stopping climate change means we have to say no to new fossil fuels like fracked gas. We look forward to greater urgency from the Scottish Government in ending the uncertainty for communities faced with unconventional fossil fuel extraction across Scotland."

Scots Tories environment spokesman Maurice Golden said fracking could generate £33billion for the UK economy, yet again the word ‘could’, no guarantee; this is pretty poor politics by Golden.

He told MSPs:

"For the three amigos, the left wing cabal of Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Greens, I say to you that you are out of step with the scientific evidence and with what consumers and businesses want and need. I think you need to stop playing politics and start standing up for Scottish jobs. For the SNP, you need to make your mind up. You're more indecisive than the Lib Dems. You need to listen to your own advice, and I quote from your own Scottish Government report: 'The technology exists to allow the safe extraction of such resources'."

Having done well in the Holyrood 2016, the Scottish Tories should reflect for a moment to consider that they got votes on a ‘loan’ from Scottish people, and if they want to be part of the crowd they better wise up.

Or the Tories could find in next election; they will ‘bumped’ back onto the scrapheap by the same people who extended to them the opportunity to change!

Fracking is not right for Scotland; I don’t agree with it, I don’t support it.

Yours sincerely

George Laird

The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University