16 Comments

• RFKRULES! 7th May '07 - 12:41am

  I hope the SNP think again about their independence referendum demands and put it on hold til the next Scottish Parl election. I really think an SNP/Lib Dem coalition would do wonders for Scotland. The two parties have a lot in common and could achieve so much together. I’m a Lib Dem through and through but, apart from the independence idea, i actually have a lot of time for them

• Andrew Duffield 7th May '07 - 10:12am

  Given that the UK economy is about to hit the rocks and that Scotland will not escape, this is a good time to be in opposition.

  Let’s trust our leadership (north & south of the border) will make the most of the opportunity and that we can now develop policies that will truly end boom-bust – as Gordon Brown once fantasised about but, by fuelling debt-based growth, had absolutely no idea how to deliver.

• simon 7th May '07 - 10:55am

  Thank God the LibbyDems have left govt in Scotland – they were rubbish! ‘Taking responsibility for nothing ( Tavish Scott- again, Ross Finnie etc)’ should have been their election slogan. The only good thing about the LD’s in the ScotsParly were Nora Radcliffe’s cardigans! But thanks to ‘Big Eck’ we are spared their technicolour extravagance!

• Politically Restricted 7th May '07 - 11:26am

  Whether the Lib Dems ought to be in or out of Govt is a fair debate, but the reasons the party has given for not doing a deal with the SNP are totally illiberal. Of course, the Lib Dems oppose independence. But to let the people decide in a properly conducted referendum campaign is called democracy. Especially after the SNP called the Lib Dem’s bluff and offered the preferendum with enhanced devolution on it. I would have thought that it was a fairly sure fire thing that the Scottish public would have backed enhanced devolution in such a poll – and the Lib Dems would come out winners.

• Angus J Huck 7th May '07 - 11:27am

  Trust an SNP hack to denigrate a Scottish industry – knitwear – a major export, as a look in any of the boutiques on Lexington Avenue will prove to you.

• simon 7th May '07 - 11:35am

  Angus, get your facts right. I think that the knitwear industry would be insulted that you infer that Radcliffe’s fashion faux pas were made in Scotland.

• Angus J Huck 7th May '07 - 11:44am

  Simon, what is this beef with Tavish Scott?

  Might it have something to do with the fact he scored 66.68% last Thursday – the highest percentage vote in any Scottish parliamentary constituency?

  Oh, and why the 11.99% swing from SNP to Lib Dem?

  Might this have something to do with the behaviour of a certain SNP MP in a Lerwick hotel?

• simon 7th May '07 - 11:58am

  TS is useless, ineffective and lazy (typical LDem characteristics). What’s this about an SNP MP in a hotel? Wasn’t with one of your lot was he?

• Hywel Morgan 7th May '07 - 3:15pm

  “but the reasons the party has given for not doing a deal with the SNP are totally illiberal”

  That would be fair comment if the party hadn’t been explictly clear throughout the election that it opposed a referendum on independence.

  People voting Lib Dem knew what they were voting for – I don’t see how fulfilling an electoral commitment is undemocratic.

  Also well over half the people (nearly 2/3rds on FPTP) voted for parties opposed to a referendum so if anything I’d say the democratic mandage was the other way round.

• That doesn't make it liberal 7th May '07 - 8:24pm

  Democracy and liberalism are not the same thing. The majority support the death penalty, that doesn’t make it liberal.

• Denzil in Glasgow 8th May '07 - 2:41pm

  I am extrememly disappointed at the lack of backbone among the Scottish leadership. There is so much common ground in policy terms with the SNP that I was looking forward to a radical programme of government. Instead, the lib dems are seen as the spoilers who have run off with the ball.

  If they had more balls (of their own) they would have called the nats bluff and agreed to an immediate referendum. Get the issue out of the way for a generation (salmond’s words) then get on with governing. Why are we suddenly afraid of democracy anyway? The SNP won the election and is entitiled to stand firm on this issue. It (the referendum) is also backed by a majority of the public.
  Alternatively we could agree to sideline the referendum issue until after this parliamentary term and allow the SNP to campaign for independence on the back of their record in government.

• Will 8th May '07 - 3:27pm

  “The SNP won the election and is entitiled to stand firm on this issue.”

  And Liberal Democrat voters are entitled to expect the MSPs they elected to stand firm on not supporting it, given it was an explicit part of the campaign.

  “It (the referendum) is also backed by a majority of the public.”

  The public didn’t elect a majority of MSPs who back it though, despite having every opportunity to.

• RFKRULES! 9th May '07 - 12:13am

  Yes Denzil, as a life-long Liberal and Lib Dem, i am in agreement with you.

  I think it’s really sad that my party hasn’t sought to have some dialogue with the SNP.

  We have a lot in common and have a real opportunity to deliver a progressive Government for Scotland. We could achieve so much more with the SNP than we did with Labour.

  And why are we afraid of a referendum (or at least one with a third question)?

  I really do hope someone will come to their senses soon.

  Alex Salmond looks and sounds the part and i really think he’ll suceed in delivering good GVMT for Scotland even with a minority government. Infact it could make things even more interesting.

  For us to be in GVMT with the SNP would really show the rest of the UK what we can achieve in GVMT.

  We were far too quiet about our achievements in the last coalition both in Scotland and in the UK. A coalition with the SNP would mean we’d be able to promote our achievements far more – not least because Salmond would help us do it.

• Denzil in Glasgow 9th May '07 - 9:40am

  RFK I am wondering how best we can influence the leadership? As yet no-one has consulted me as an ordinary member. I know for a fact that many people are blaming the lib-dems for this inertia and it will come back to haunt us in future elections. I am seriously considering snipping my membership card over this.

• simon 9th May '07 - 11:21am

  The LDems in Scotland are gutless. The only reason they are not going into an admin with the SNP is that they have backed themselves into a corner over the ‘referendum’ issue. This was one of the most STUPID procamation from the LibbyDems. Why deny the ‘democratic right’ of the people to answer a question? Considering all the polls are signalling an independence question would be lost it was a silly thing to do. Another point relayed to us up here in Scotland is that the LibbyDems will not go into a coalition is because their feelings have been hurt because they are not as popular as they thought they were. Diddums. Another bunch of reasons why i think your party is full of F’wits. The LibbyDems have walked away (or should that have been minced) away from responsibility. Helping to provide stable governance in Scotland is a duty- one which the LibbyDems have cowardly walked away from.

• That doesn't make it liberal 9th May '07 - 11:41am

  Excellent article in the Guardian today – http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,2075132,00.html

  “In Scotland the Lib Dem leader, Nicol Stephen, has decided it would be inappropriate to maintain Labour in power yet has told Alex Salmond’s nationalists he will not coalesce with him. He cannot tolerate a referendum on independence. That the party of Irish home rule should reject so liberal a proposal as territorial self-determination is odd. Nor was Salmond demanding support for independence, merely for a vote on it. Under PR there is a majoritarian argument against almost any controversial decision. So what do the Lib Dems fear? Instead they have exchanged responsibility without power for power without responsibility, and are retiring to carp from the backbenches. They will smoke potency but not inhale.”