Money’s too tight to mention: Scotland’s unpopular SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon is forced to rely on state public funds as big donors dry up, even the SNP membership are unwilling to stick their hands in pockets for Sturgeon, I guess the staged managed attempt to make Nicola ‘likeable’ has died a slow painful death, I wonder is she willing to consider the very popular and organised Romanian style begging for funds?

Dear All

It seems with unpopular Nicola Sturgeon at the helm of the Scottish National Party, a raft of scandals involving elected representatives and supporters, people don’t want to back the SNP with their cold hard cash.

This is good news, but not for Scottish Labour, major donors are simply refusing to back them as well, this is party of the political shift in Scotland, were people are looking around for a new party of the centre right, the void in Scottish politics is becoming so obvious.

The SNP as we have yet again seen from the nurse scandal is a group of small minded nasty little people. The fact that money is drying up for them is a good sign, the SNP in power, in government has been a bad thing in an overall fashion, but there have been some plus benefits.

It can’t have escaped your notice that some parties have been politically wiped out over several elections, 2015 and 2016 were watershed moments in Scottish politics, although the disaster was mostly at the expense of Scottish Labour, it was an event that as I mentioned needed to happen.

Scottish politics is desperately in need of more choice, a more rainbow colouring which allows voters more value for their vote. Two party politics might have been replaced by three party politics but still that isn’t enough.

The wider public seeing that the SNP has not declared a significant cash donation from a member of the public in six months and has to go cap in hand to the State for funding to operate tells a story. The Nationalists brag how big their membership is but clearly under Nicola Sturgeon’s inept leadership, even the members are unwilling to put their hand in the pocket.

It kind of puts the fake staged managed popularity of Nicola Sturgeon into perspective does it not?

Data from the Electoral Commission figures shows Nicola Sturgeon’s party had the lowest donations of any major party in the first quarter of 2017, at just £3300. It seems that the ‘Bank of Weir’ just isn’t there anymore and as such the SNP need “Short money” from the House of Commons to keep the ball rolling.

If you don’t know what ‘short money’ is, it is cash given to all opposition parties to help their costs and is based on MP numbers, we have an opportunity in Scotland by using tactical voting to help drive this funding stream downwards. In Scotland, groups like Scotland’s Big Voice have developed the tactical voting wheel to help show people which candidate is the best person to stop in the SNP. In Glasgow, that would be voting Labour, in places like Perth and East Renfrewshire, the best bet is to vote Scottish Conservative.

I urge all people who are pro UK in a seat where the political party isn’t traditionally the one they usually vote for to consider the tactical vote, already polling suggests that 15% of Scots are considering and will do this option.

One of the other things which isn’t talk about much is the use of tactical activism, people helping and assisting various people in different parties to get into public office. Kezia Dugdale called for “tactical voting” from Conservatives to help win seats for Labour but didn’t follow through with urging Labour voters to vote Conservatives. Kezia made another blunder political blunder, in fact, her plea of just asking Conservatives to vote Labour without asking Labour voters to do likewise is just risible.

I will be tactically voting in Glasgow South West for Scottish Labour.

On the other side of the financial coin, the Scottish Conservatives seem to be doing okay for cash, Scottish Tory fundraiser Sir Jack Harvie gave the Conservatives £20,000 in his own right and another £20,000 through a business.

The ‘blue team’ is doing well, the smart money, voters and activists seem to be sensing that the Conservatives are doing well, in fact you have to wonder what some Labour candidates whose campaigns are little better than paper would pay to even get a sniff at those resources.

Finally, as a public figure, I am announcing that the agreement that I had to do campaigning in Glasgow South West for Scottish Labour no longer exists, I have contacted Matt Kerr, the candidate and his election agent John Kane to inform them that I will not be back and to wish them good luck.

Yours sincerely

George Laird

The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University