Tories tactical voting plan to drive out SNP

[Goodfellers]

I made it clear to central office I would be voting Labour next election. They seem to have taken my views on board and are urging Scottish conservatives to vote Labour. Let's hope they do. That will be the end of the Greens and the SNP will lose control of Holyrood. There is hope for Scotland yet.

[Corky Smeek]

Just to be clear here.

Are you saying that Conservative Central Office are actively encouraging Scottish Tories to vote Labour?

PS; just checked the date to make sure it wasn't still April Fool's Day.

[Goodfellers]

Just to be clear here.

Are you saying that Conservative Central Office are actively encouraging Scottish Tories to vote Labour?

PS; just checked the date to make sure it wasn't still April Fool's Day.

Uk head office isn't so keen, but Scottish office are working with Labour on certain seats. So last election I was told (advised) to vote Lib, this time Labour, mind you unless the Tories get their act together, they wont be getting my vote back ever.

[Corky Smeek]

So what you are saying is that Douglas Ross is going to ask Scottish Tories not to vote Tory in seats where Labour is in second place. By implication that means that the Scottish Tory party is actively campaigning for the Labour Party in Scotland in certain seats.

On the other side of the coin you seem to be suggesting that in seats where the Tories are in second place the Labour Party will ask its voters to vote Tory. By further implication that means the Scottish Labour Party will be campaigning for the Tories in other seats.

If this story is true then it provides proof, if proof were needed, that you can't get a fag paper between the Blue or the Red Tories. Either way, you can bet your bottom dollar that if it is true and it worked, that Scotland's position in the Union would be further marginalised.

Up until now I don't think I fully appreciated the extent to which you wish Scotland to be subservient. It's blindingly clear now.

[Goodfellers]

So what you are saying is that Douglas Ross is going to ask Scottish Tories not to vote Tory in seats where Labour is in second place. By implication that means that the Scottish Tory party is actively campaigning for the Labour Party in Scotland in certain seats.

On the other side of the coin you seem to be suggesting that in seats where the Tories are in second place the Labour Party will ask its voters to vote Tory. By further implication that means the Scottish Labour Party will be campaigning for the Tories in other seats.

If this story is true then it provides proof, if proof were needed, that you can't get a fag paper between the Blue or the Red Tories. Either way, you can bet your bottom dollar that if it is true and it worked, that Scotland's position in the Union would be further marginalised.

Up until now I don't think I fully appreciated the extent to which you wish Scotland to be subservient. It's blindingly clear now.

I'd sell my soul to rid this country of the Greens and SNP.

[Corky Smeek]

And I'd sell my soul to rid this country of Tories (Blue and Red ones).

[Corky Smeek]

It's probably just another lie (upon lie, upon lie ....) from the MSM today but the Red Tories say they are not going to help the Blue ones. That's probably just for public consumption though and no doubt a sleezy wee deal has been done behind closed doors (or on WhatsApp). After all Labour would sell the souls of every member it used to have to retain what it thinks is its rightful spot. Decades as the dominant party in Scotland and not a thing to show for it. You never know though, perhaps their mantra of "keep them grievance ridden whilst we pretend we care" will have been dropped.

[Goodfellers]

My understanding from various conversations is that Anas Sawar wants to win back traditional Labour voters that switched to the SNP after 2014. Sir Kier wants to wait and see how the polls go for Labour in the run up to the next election.

If it's in Labours interest to 'do a deal', if fairly confident it will be done.

To be fair, it's what the Greens and SNP do/have done, so why shouldn't others?

[Corky Smeek]

I don't remember the SNP and Greens ever having a pre-election pact in the way you are describing this one. A coalition after an election, yes; but not a pre-election pact.

I agree it's OK for parties to do deals both post and pre-election. It happens all over the world, with parties who share close ideological connections. So, I suppose it's only natural for the Red and Blue varieties of Tory finally to recognise you can't separate them on major policy issues. Both support Brexit; hate trades unions; support nuclear weapons on the Clyde and completly ignore Scotland except at election time.

[Goodfellers]

I don't remember the SNP and Greens ever having a pre-election pact in the way you are describing this one. A coalition after an election, yes; but not a pre-election pact.

I agree it's OK for parties to do deals both post and pre-election. It happens all over the world, with parties who share close ideological connections. So, I suppose it's only natural for the Red and Blue varieties of Tory finally to recognise you can't separate them on major policy issues. Both support Brexit; hate trades unions; support nuclear weapons on the Clyde and completly ignore Scotland except at election time.

Behind a paywall, but you'll get the gist https://www.thenational.scot/news/17...ed-greens-opt/

It's all just a game to politicians of all colours.

Managed to grab a 'snip' before paywall clicks in

[Corky Smeek]

You might find this useful in getting behind paywalls. It doesn't always work.

12ft Ladder

Note to admin: happy for you to remove this post if you don't approve of 12ft ladder.

[Goodfellers]

You might find this useful in getting behind paywalls. It doesn't always work.

12ft Ladder

Note to admin: happy for you to remove this post if you don't approve of 12ft ladder.

Brilliant. Thanks works well.

[Fulmar]

The way it is going, tactical voting may not be required. It is not a good look at present and doubt it is recoverable.

[ecb]

Maybe this happened in the recent Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election " ... Conservative support fell by 11% with candidate Thomas Kerr, who lost his electoral deposit, saying tactical voting had "squeezed" him out. ... ":

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-67024848

[Alrock]

So what you are saying is that Douglas Ross is going to ask Scottish Tories not to vote Tory in seats where Labour is in second place. By implication that means that the Scottish Tory party is actively campaigning for the Labour Party in Scotland in certain seats.

On the other side of the coin you seem to be suggesting that in seats where the Tories are in second place the Labour Party will ask its voters to vote Tory. By further implication that means the Scottish Labour Party will be campaigning for the Tories in other seats.

If this story is true then it provides proof, if proof were needed, that you can't get a fag paper between the Blue or the Red Tories. Either way, you can bet your bottom dollar that if it is true and it worked, that Scotland's position in the Union would be further marginalised.

Up until now I don't think I fully appreciated the extent to which you wish Scotland to be subservient. It's blindingly clear now.

What this proves to me is the need for electoral reform to a more proportional system for the Westminster elections rendering such tactical voting obsolete.

[The Horseman]

A question…..

What is the Status of Nikola Sturgeon and Hubby….Are they still in trouble? Ty

[ecb]

What this proves to me is the need for electoral reform to a more proportional system for the Westminster elections rendering such tactical voting obsolete.

There doesn't seem much demand from the electorate to change the voting system. For example there currently is a petition on the UK Governments petitions web site titled "Change the voting system to proportional representation (PR)":

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/639390

and although it has been there for some months the current number of signatures in favour is 576.

[Alrock]

585 now...

Just because most people either don't know or care about such petitions still doesn't make it right.

I'm sure I could start a petition there on something that 99.99% of people would agree on & get very few signatures.

[ecb]

585 now...

Just because most people either don't know or care about such petitions still doesn't make it right.

I'm sure I could start a petition there on something that 99.99% of people would agree on & get very few signatures.

I agree. There doesn't seem to be much appetite for electoral reform in the UK. For example with the 2011 United Kingdom Alternative Vote referendum


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_U...ote_referendum


67.90 % voted against it and 21.10% in favour.


Th two main political parties (Conservatives and Labour) are in favour of the current first past the post system - it benefits them. Perhaps one can envisage that could change in the future, if for example one party was in government and the opinion polls indicated that it was heading for a very heavy defeat to the other.