3rd of May eek
Apr. 17th, 2007 05:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
cheekbones3Well, time for a policy-light election post, setting out my prejudices and hopefully sparking a little discussion.
Overall position:
Labour/Lib Dem coalition, has met with limited success, but is now suffering from the general dislike of Blair. SNP have a lead in the opinion polls, but are unproven. Lib Dems maybe treading water. Tories still irrelevant, especially given their unwillingness to join coalition. SSP will suffer from losing Tommy Sheridan. Tommy Sheridan will suffer from losing SSP. Greens could make headway, but I feel they will struggle to do so.
Party opinions:
Labour: Incumbent and possibly a bit complacent in recent times, and struggling under the weight of the UK's dislike of Blair. McConnell also appears to be a careerist goon, but there appear to be some ministers who are trying to make a positive difference, although policy-wise, a bit more radicalism is needed. They appear to be championing further investment in the economy and in skills and education, along with R&D. Also lofty ambitions regarding power generation.
Lib Dem: I agree generally with tax policies and strength of commitment to local action, if they were again to form a coalition, I'd like them to exert more influence than last time, as they appeared to sell out too easily last time round. Green credentials reasonable. Also proposing a cut in business taxes, which I've long been interested in, to stimulate new growth.
SNP: Proposals to use a magic pot of cash from non-existent oil bonus upon independence to pay for various socialist policies (some of which I agree with, but are already costed more sensibly by such as the Lib Dems). Nationalism for its own sake. Erk. Doesn't Scotland already get an annual windfall from the Barnett formula? Isn't this government spend already accounting for any oil bonus that comes into the UK, and isn't the oil income being maximised already by recent windfall taxes? Any separation bonuses I believe will easily be cancelled out by the loss of business confidence, the loss of Barnett income, and shortfalls in taxation as a result. I'd be like a turkey voting for Christmas.
Greens: Pro-environment policies great. Supporters of independence. Oops.
SSP/Solidarity: Some valid points to make on social welfare policy, but continuing the internal socialist power-struggles of the last few decades is doing them no good at all.
Conservatives: Proposals for the Conservative and Unionist Party to separate its Scottish part from the UK party do amuse me so.
Who do I vote for then?
It comes down to (in my opinion) a tactical vote for Labour to reduce the SNP's strength, although given where I live the SNP aren't that strong, I might just stick with the Lib Dems for my main vote (I think our Lib Dem MSP will be easily re-elected). For the party list vote, a tactical vote may be more relevant. As much as I want a chamber with a split power base, I'd rather worry about stymieing the growing SNP power rather than promoting the smaller parties' power just now.
Current thoughts - Lib Dem 1, Labour 2.
Opinions?
Overall position:
Labour/Lib Dem coalition, has met with limited success, but is now suffering from the general dislike of Blair. SNP have a lead in the opinion polls, but are unproven. Lib Dems maybe treading water. Tories still irrelevant, especially given their unwillingness to join coalition. SSP will suffer from losing Tommy Sheridan. Tommy Sheridan will suffer from losing SSP. Greens could make headway, but I feel they will struggle to do so.
Party opinions:
Labour: Incumbent and possibly a bit complacent in recent times, and struggling under the weight of the UK's dislike of Blair. McConnell also appears to be a careerist goon, but there appear to be some ministers who are trying to make a positive difference, although policy-wise, a bit more radicalism is needed. They appear to be championing further investment in the economy and in skills and education, along with R&D. Also lofty ambitions regarding power generation.
Lib Dem: I agree generally with tax policies and strength of commitment to local action, if they were again to form a coalition, I'd like them to exert more influence than last time, as they appeared to sell out too easily last time round. Green credentials reasonable. Also proposing a cut in business taxes, which I've long been interested in, to stimulate new growth.
SNP: Proposals to use a magic pot of cash from non-existent oil bonus upon independence to pay for various socialist policies (some of which I agree with, but are already costed more sensibly by such as the Lib Dems). Nationalism for its own sake. Erk. Doesn't Scotland already get an annual windfall from the Barnett formula? Isn't this government spend already accounting for any oil bonus that comes into the UK, and isn't the oil income being maximised already by recent windfall taxes? Any separation bonuses I believe will easily be cancelled out by the loss of business confidence, the loss of Barnett income, and shortfalls in taxation as a result. I'd be like a turkey voting for Christmas.
Greens: Pro-environment policies great. Supporters of independence. Oops.
SSP/Solidarity: Some valid points to make on social welfare policy, but continuing the internal socialist power-struggles of the last few decades is doing them no good at all.
Conservatives: Proposals for the Conservative and Unionist Party to separate its Scottish part from the UK party do amuse me so.
Who do I vote for then?
It comes down to (in my opinion) a tactical vote for Labour to reduce the SNP's strength, although given where I live the SNP aren't that strong, I might just stick with the Lib Dems for my main vote (I think our Lib Dem MSP will be easily re-elected). For the party list vote, a tactical vote may be more relevant. As much as I want a chamber with a split power base, I'd rather worry about stymieing the growing SNP power rather than promoting the smaller parties' power just now.
Current thoughts - Lib Dem 1, Labour 2.
Opinions?
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Date: 2007-04-17 05:42 pm (UTC)Trains, well I suggest trying to get a train from Edinburgh to Birmingham. If you buy on the day it will cost you £80 for a single. That is THREE TIMES the cost to go by car, and this government wants to make the environment an issue???
Schools... bring back the old BTECH *nod* Give it a nicer name if you must! :)
Benefits just seem to help those who don't need help more than those who do and inconvenience them too.
Prisons: Yeah you have a point, but there has to be a deterent and giving people 8 years for murder isn't one. Agreed though, rehab is a good way to go.
And your positives. Aye the economy has stood pretty tall it must be said. I still do not agree about the funding in Health, and public transport is easier to invest in if you no longer have control of the trains...
As for Scottish problems other than British... I fail to see the differences. People care about the same things here as they do in England, only there is the whole independence crap overshadowing it. I would be half tempted to say "have your independence" on the condition that when it all goes horribly horribly wrong, the SNP disband.