Unfit for command, unfit to be a leader, angry bitter SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon stands alone as Theresa May puts final offer on Brexit on the table, Sturgeon has painted herself into a corner and shown she is unable to adapt to the changing political landscape, how long before the SNP realise that Sturgeon isn’t leading them or Scotland anywhere?

Dear All

Unfit for command, unfit to be a leader, angry bitter Nicola Sturgeon lost Brexit badly, standing on the wrong side of history, she has been unable to adpat to the change of landscape unfolding across the UK. The SNP had an opportunity to get involved in the Brexit talks, they squandered that chance by being narrow minded, spiteful and nasty, now they are left with nothing.

Prime Minister Theresa May has put a final offer on Brexit on the table for Nicola Sturgeon, since forward progress is impossible and time is precious, and lets mention the complete lack of goodwill, the offer is take it or leave. No matter what Nicola Sturgeon does, no matter what games she plays, no matter what delays, what grievances she can manufacture, Brexit is happening.

So, when did Nicola Sturgeon know this as hard fact, this event was the day the letter was put in for withdrawal of membership by the UK. This event should have led to a change in SNP policy, but it didn’t, Sturgeon formed the ‘gang of two’ with the Welsh Assembly in a vain attempt to stop Brexit, this showed her utter contempt for democracy and the people of the UK.

Now, the SNP stands alone!

The Prime Minister is right to give no further ground to Nicola Sturgeon on her flagship Brexit bill, one of the key thing about leadership is the ability to adpat to events before they happen, this is called being ahead of the curve. Nicola Sturgeon doesn’t possess this ability; she is a ‘reactor’. Being isolated puts the Scottish Government alone in opposition following a breakthrough deal with Cardiff. It seems the Welsh have gotten what they need, and no more concessions will be offered. There is no point in dealing with the SNP, they aren’t a party to do business with, and there is no benefit to Whitehall doing anything which places and jeopardises the agreement with the Labour-run Welsh Government.

Two words from a senior UK Government source sums up the new position;

“That’s it.”

This leads Nicola Sturgeon two choices, she can back down and lose face, or she can see a cross-border constitutional clash take place with the certainty that the “vital” piece of legislation to produce legal certainty after Brexit will be pushed through regardless.

That will be done with or without the consent of MSPs!

If Nicola Sturgeon ends up at the UK Supreme Court, she will lose badly as the

Welsh Government will repeal its own Continuity Bill. The SNP track record at the UK Supreme Court has been appalling but this loss will be significant and far reaching.

Only an idiot fights a battle they can’t win!

Welsh Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford said:

“London’s willingness to listen to our concerns and enter serious negotiations has been welcome. In a devolved UK, the respective governments need to deal with each other as equals and this agreement is a step in the right direction.”

Nicola Sturgeon will enter the UK Supreme Court with a weak case, and leave it with a loss as the agreement of the Welsh Government has greatly strengthened Conservative Ministers hand. In a vain attempt to appear meaningful and garner support which is ebbing away from her, Nicola Sturgeon took to twitter to say:

“The bottom line on #EUWithdrawalBill at this stage is this – @scotparl powers on vital matters could be restricted for up to seven years without our consent. @Scotgov will not recommend consent to that – but we have put forward solutions that would form the basis of a deal.”

Some people just dive head first into stupidity and clearly Nicola Sturgeon is stupid enough to continue with this sham. In a letter to the Prime Minister, Sturgeon has insisted clause 11 of the bill, which deals with the transfer of devolved powers after Brexit, showed an “imbalance and lack of trust”.

Well, there certainly is a lack of trust, the SNP have for years fostered division, grievance and burning bridges at every opportunity with Westminster, they have shown contempt openly, been divisive and failed to work constructively as much as humanly possible.

The SNP cannot get past their ‘low road’ politics which has dragged Scotland down to be a laughing stock, even within the independence community, people are releasing what I said years ago, the people of Scotland will not vote for independence if it means having the SNP in charge.

The SNP record in government is appalling!

Sturgeon’s Brexit Minister Michael Russell said in a statement to MSPs, the Scottish Government’s argument is the UK legislation is a “crude power-grab”. The same old story, the same position, where is the forward direction, it doesn’t exist. Apparently Whitehall sources stated that Russell had been “content” with a deal at the end of last week before being overruled by Nicola Sturgeon.

It seems that SNP women are the problem, specifically Nicola Sturgeon, how long before the nationalist community wake up and call for her to stand down? Nicola Sturgeon isn’t delivering for Scotland; she is wrapped up in petty narrow interest which puts her at odds with the wider independence movement.

Nicola Sturgeon is no leader of men!

Mike Russell suggests two possible ways forward:

l/ Removing clause 11 from the bill so both governments could then agree, on equal terms, not to bring forward legislation in devolved policy areas while negotiations on common frameworks were taking place.

2/ Reverting to the present system, that Holyrood should give its consent to Westminster legislating in devolved areas.

Removing clause 11 is a non-starter and as to reverting to the present system, this could only happen if there is goodwill on both sides, clearly there is none on the SNP benches.

Russell added:

“These are practical, workable solutions to this issue that will ensure the necessary preparations for Brexit can be taken across the UK whilst protecting devolution,” he declared.

Adam Tomkins, the Scottish Conservatives’ constitution spokesman, accused Ms Sturgeon of putting “her narrow Nationalist agenda before the good of the country” which is correct.

He added:

“The Welsh Government has signed up to this deal yet Nicola Sturgeon, alone, refuses because she prefers to pick a fight with the rest of the UK in order to keep her obsession with a second independence referendum alive.”

The important issue which the SNP should have acknowledged and protected is the economic integrity of the United Kingdom. A strong UK means a stronger Scotland, and this is the problem, as many people have commented in the past, the calibre of Holyrood MSPs is particularly poor, in fact, it is dreadful.

Finally, as I stated ages ago, the SNP had a golden opportunity to get onboard with the winning side, they chose to cut their nose off to spite their face, Brexit will go ahead regardless of what the SNP do. This episode shows why the SNP need a new leader, another sign of this is the lack of quality candidates willing to come forward for the position of depute leader. At some point there has to be a changing of the old guard of the SNP; that means that Nicola Sturgeon has to go. The future is changing and that means there is no place for Nicola Sturgeon at the top table or indeed any table.

Yours sincerely

George Laird

The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University