Sturgeon to win tv debate

can't imagine people in england of any political persuasion will be queueing up to support her even in a tv debate

I'm not sure how she's seen generally up here but for me she doesn't have any of the persuasive false bonhomie or innate cunning of Salmond and often comes across as a bit of a peevish sort. I don't think she can cut it at the highest level and I think it may well be that unless the SNP unearths another leader with Salmond's ability to coNnect with his constituency they may begin to fall back over the next few years.

Eenternaloptimist,

You are clearly totally out of touch regarding guessing present day UK politics.

Meadow.

That may well be true Meadow but without an explanation for your comment how can anybody make an informed decision whether you know what you are talking about?

Eeternaloptimist,

  Would it be fair to suggest that the present GB voting intention do not fully comprehend that the SNP are extremely strong in Westminster seats?  Labour have to try and make inroads in England and Wales. They will not make progress in Scotland.

Scotland
land of the free

except when it comes to Indepedence

Here's "how she's seen generally up here" :

Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister and leader of the SNP since November, enjoys the highest approval rating of any of the main party leaders. At net +42 among Scottish people (64% say she is doing well, 22% badly), she outperforms Nigel Farage in Britain-wide surveys (in October, 61% said he was doing well, 26% badly).

Jim Murphy fares around as well in Scotland as David Cameron does in national polls, at -10 (David Cameron's average so far in 2015). However, his approval among Scottish Labour voters (+55) is considerably higher than Ed Miliband’s approval among British Labour voters (+22).

https://yougov.co.uk/news/2015/02/03/scotland-snp-lead-21/

The vast majority of the people who watch these things will be partisan and vote for their favourite and game the poll no matter who wins. It depends how they weight the poll, but I'd be inclined to go for Cameron or Clegg as the only two party leaders who can claim to be centrist and therefore avoid the ire of both sides.

Of course if she can scrape through offering warm platitudes, give a little to both sides and sound sensible while talking eloquently she has a chance of sneaking through the middle as an 'unknown'.

Pros for Sturgeon:- Relatively unknown to vast numbers of viewers, female and not scatty(as opposed to..), can speak of Gov record without getting called on it, can outflank Miliband while attacking Cameron.

Cons:- Loony left doesn't go down well in these debates, Nationalists don't go down well to a UK audience, only interest is to take Miliband's voters, not Salmond, Yougov polls are gamed and the majority of respondents before weighting will be Con or Lab.

My twopenneth.

We'll see what happens going forward and in particular how she goes in the debate.

After the election when Labour completely ignore her and her rantings it will be interesting to see what she does.

It will be a lot easier for her to ignore Labour than for Labour to ignore the SNP.

It wont be at all. SNP are irrelevant given they cannot bring down a minority Labour Govt. The idea any of their crackpot ideas would be given a seconds thought are ludicrous.

i say let them fook right off

free this free fookin that the place will be worse than greece within 5 years

and no u fookin aint coming back

Surely the die is set in Scotland now? SNP are just offering the same as Labour did with a more positive stance rather than "keep the Tories out", heading towards a Unionist v Nationalist duopoly and I don't see any place for Labour in that.

Burt said..

"free this free fookin that the place will be worse than greece within 5 years"

Do you mean free prescriptions, free bus passes and personal care for the elderly, free university education?

The SNP have been in control of Holyrood since 2007.

How long would that continue without English money?

From the Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland report published 11/3/2015

Scotland pays more tax per head.

One key figure in the report is that Scotland raised £54bn or £10,100 per person in taxes in 2013/14,a figure that is £400 per person higher than the UK average. This conclusively demonstrates that the Scottish economy is fundamentally sound. Indeed, this now means that Scotland has paid more tax per head of population than the UK on average for 34 years in a row. Scottish revenues generating the ability to spend £400 per person more than the rest of the UK, even in poorer years, scotches the myth that Scotland could not afford to be an independent nation

How much more per head is spent on Scotland?

How much of that tax is from jobs that would vanish at independence?

Lets face it what you posted proves absolutely nothing.

Had to laugh at who is speaking in Glasgow today.  Jim Murphy floundering hopelessly so who do they send to help him? ED BALLS!! You couldn't make it up about how out of touch the Labour party is with Scottish voters.

Do you not have the spending per head figures Meadow?

No, what are they?

If labour had any sense they'd put Balls in a box till the election was over,theres no telling how many votes that moron will cost them over the next few weeks.Still if milliband loses & resigns Balls's mrs is in pole position to take over so its win win for the blinking bug eyed idiot.

No idea but without that your statement makes no sense at all.

Dotchinite,

If you have "no idea" why ask?

Because you posted a statement that included the words "conclusively demonstrated" when it did no such thing. I believe Scotland gets far more than its share of spending but I have no idea of exact figures but then its not me who has made a wild claim that is totally unsubstantiated.

Meadow seems to be one of these selective stats goons which infest the forum every so often. Draw back the curtain and they always flounder.

I have only posted facts from a government report.  Her's another part....

However, the key point is that in the years in which Scotland’s revenues have been far, far higher than the average for rest of the UK, the Barnet Formula has severely limited Scottish spending to an amount close to the UK’s.  Peer reviewed research by Business for Scotland has proven that had Scotland had been an independent country for the past 34 years (as the UK debt mountain grew) Scotland’s higher revenues would have meant that we would not have had to borrow a single penny. In fact Scotland would by now have a cash surplus of at least £50bn. All of the UK debt was generated outwith Scotland, and in the 2013/14 figures £3bn or 24% of Scotland’s deficit was driven by interest on that UK debt and the previous year £4.02bn or 33% of Scotland’s deficit was interest on debt. Let’s be clear, the Barnett Formula helps as part of the UK in some years, but has overall massively limited investment in Scotland’s economy.

You seem to be making certain assumptions there eadow but we don't know for sure as you haven't a clue what you are talking about. For instance are you making those assumptions based on Scotland having all the oil? If so that is disingenuous.

I have only posted facts from a government report.

Which government Meadow?

Eeternaloptimist,

I only published extracts from a Government report. You are welcome to draw any conclusions.

You've already said that meadow. You didn't answer which government it came from?

I wonder if this report could be slightly biased in any way.

http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2015/03/david-cameron-is-to-stand-next-to-his-new-opponent-the-snps-nicola-sturgeon-on-thursdays-debate/

Going back to the original topic (article link above) excellent debater that Nicola is I can't see how she can win. There will probably be plenty of support for her from Scottish viewers but that's about it.  I suppose if it was only folks in Scotland that were allowed to vote on who they think won the debate, I would happily take evens on Nicola.

Evens??????????????

Id take 1-10 certainly.

Looks like you're running like your ar5e is on fire Meadow. I'm guessing that this government report you refer to is an SNP propaganda piece. Correct me I'm wrong but if I'm right prepare for the guffaws.

don't claim something is from a government report and then not post the link, unless it's just from the usual snp fantasy documents

also how long has Scotland being part of the uk?
what % of that period have they actually generated any money via oil?

http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Economy/GERS

I was thinking about this debate while driving home and I really don't know what Nicola's strategy may be.
  She won't be going for Natalie or Leanne as they are part of the "progressive alliance".
  UKIP are so weak in Scotland that Farage is out too (although racist David Coburn could be mentioned I guess).
Nick Clegg -Again the LibDems poll ratings are so low that the SNP will be hoping to hoover up most of their seats. Getting into a debate with him may help LibDem hold a seat or two.
Cameron will probably have his hands full with Farage and Milliband amongst others.
  So that leaves RedEd. The Snp have Labour in Scotland on the rack, I'm not sure how much more she could damage them.

Above all she has to be careful not to give Labour any ammo.

Apr 1, 2015 -- 8:38PM, Meadow X1 wrote:

I was thinking about this debate while driving home and I really don't know what Nicola's strategy may be.  She won't be going for Natalie or Leanne as they are part of the "progressive alliance".  UKIP are so weak in Scotland that Farage is out too (although racist David Coburn could be mentioned I guess).Nick Clegg -Again the LibDems poll ratings are so low that the SNP will be hoping to hoover up most of their seats. Getting into a debate with him may help LibDem hold a seat or two.Cameron will probably have his hands full with Farage and Milliband amongst others.  So that leaves RedEd. The Snp have Labour in Scotland on the rack, I'm not sure how much more she could damage them.Above all she has to be careful not to give Labour any ammo.

Surely SNP strategy is obvious? If it's anything different to the following I'll eat my hat.

Tories = baby eaters
outflank Miliband to the left and bring up his support for the 'Conservatives in Westminster' at each possible opportunity.

The demographic she's after will be proposing after that.

Yes CJ but she has to be careful that RedEd doesn't land a haymaker.

Apr 1, 2015 -- 9:05PM, Meadow X1 wrote:

Yes CJ but she has to be careful that RedEd doesn't land a haymaker.

How? What can he do? All his energy will be focused on hitting Cameron.

The only attack lines he can possibly go on..

Have a go that she's a puppet for Salmond? Looks bullying and sexist.
He's already so far left that he's lost anyone on the centre ground in England, he can't risk trying to go further left.
SNP's record? Waste the valuable time he has wasting it on Scotland..
Vote SNP and let the Tories in? Glasgow East is in danger to the blue peril?

I just can't see what he can do apart from get hit from all sides.

as I suspected

CJ,

That Ashcroft poll yesterday of forty Labour Scottish seats must have Labour's maximum attention.  The poll was 43%-37% in favour of SNP. Admittedly a very small number of persons polled per constituency but a small swing gets Labour right back in it.  Forty seats? Ed has got nothing to lose and might go for it.

Sorry it wasn't Ashcroft, it was ComRes.

I still don't see what he can do to influence Scottish seats without helping Cameron/Farage/Bennett in England.

I am hoping the same thing. If he is seen to be at loggerheads with the SNP, folks in England and Wales will be asking if they can trust them to run the country in the event of a hung parliament.

The other side could be if Nicola can well and truly nail him, Labour can forget it.

Some of the "To say anytime" prices available look tasty for this.

Backed "hard choices" and "Hard working families" at 2/1 which seems big to me. Although I admit I'm not 100% sure on what the format is.

The SNP's Angus Robertson says the format of tonight's debate is not going to provide a knockout blow or one winner over six others - but it will be an interesting shop front, for people to see SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon.

"Like all politicians she's been preparing for the debate," he says - and she's been talking to advisers about the different dynamics and how you can use your time effectively to get your message across, he says.

also how long has Scotland being part of the uk?

Please sir, I know! It's the same length of time that England has.

Well done if you got involved!

Yes, well let me say this - Barrowboy is the man
If only we'd put the tax receipts on his tip, deficit solved.

wd

Humble pie for me. Only Sturgeon shone in my view with the rest somewhere between okay (Clegg and Farage) through average (Cameron) shrill (Bennett) to the stilted non entity of Wood and the frankly weird looking and sounding Milliband.

No winners there,
but the SNP lady spoke well, as did the Welsh and the Green and even poor old Nige.

Dodds from NI, will be the man smiling most on May 8. He wasn't even on the show.

Eeternaloptimist,

Any of that humble pie left for me?  I got it wrong too.  I simply couldn't see where Nicola was going to get votes from outside of Scotland.

Its not fair to judge on just one performance but she was brilliant.

I don't agree with her but was impressed.

Logically,it was a value bet she didnt come under any real pressure,the big boys were far more interested in attacking each other  allowing her a clear run through on the rails.

Its harder for Cameron and Clegg who are currently in Govt as they have faced the reality of running the Country. To an extent Miliband has the same problems being in the last Govt.

The others can just spout forth any nonsense knowing they wont ever have to implement it. Even the Green nutter didnt make herself look ridiculous in this 7 way debate as there was no in depth exposure of their more crazy policies.

Sturgeons few soundbites about ending austerity ( ie billions more pounds of debt but that doesnt sound so good) and keeping Labour honest (really after all the lies the SNP told last summer) may have impressed some people but really they dont add up to anything.

I didnt see it all,did any of the anti austerity speakers ever get asked about where the money was to come from for all the free services they were proposing.

Don't think the SNP are represented in England, Wales or NI. So what exactly do they offer the rest and how the hell can she have 'won' last night?

Easy to spend UK money and especially when your sole intention is to break away from er, the UK..

a bit of a farce when not a single person in the UK can vote for her in the general election

Deficit and national debt -  it pretty much comes down to cuts or taxes rises, each side is always going to have it's preferred approach due to their ideology

When politics is reduced to show-bizz, the winners are not always the ones with best principles.

This suits the true rulers, ie the ONEPERCENT  who own and rule the world.

Imo,
ed milliballs did the worst, and as such, with so many thickos believing that he's something to do with workers' interests or socialism, is nothing more than a serious impediment to progress.

A time and vote wasting distraction - just like all the other bstrds.

The Scottish lady did best, but what good is that?