| Dear people of England 10:49 - Mar 28 with 6707 views | GlasgowBlue |
We thank you for your generosity.
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| Dear people of England on 14:13 - Mar 28 with 2418 views | tractordownsouth |
I can see why many left-wing Scots are attracted to the idea of wanting to break away in order to prevent, but the SNP government doesn’t exactly have a progressive record. Policies such as the pay rise are great but spending a significant chunk of their budget on getting rid of tuition fees (a middle class giveaway) when that money could be spent better on reducing poverty is a mistake . Another error (albeit a less expensive one) is the fact they have a budget for constitutional affairs, which isn’t even within their remit. I appreciate that budgets have been cut by the Tories throughout most of their time in charge but they seem to have the wrong priorities.
Their spending promises in a post-independence world are also very fanciful, when in reality they’d have to make cuts (or at least wait a few years for initial investment to generate a surplus or smaller deficit) in order to satisfy the deficit to GDP ratio required to join the EU - which is another major pledge. Ironically, there are so many similarities with Brexit, whether it’s “they make our laws” rhetoric, responding to any criticism of their flawed economics with “stop doing our country down” or a small minority of casual xenophobes emboldened by the cause. [Post edited 28 Mar 2021 14:15]
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| Dear people of England on 14:18 - Mar 28 with 2402 views | J2BLUE |
Turns out the magic money tree is just threatening to leave every couple of years.
Perhaps the English, Welsh and Northern Irish should get a vote in the next referendum. |  |
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| Dear people of England on 14:26 - Mar 28 with 2394 views | Darth_Koont |
| Dear people of England on 14:13 - Mar 28 by tractordownsouth |
I can see why many left-wing Scots are attracted to the idea of wanting to break away in order to prevent, but the SNP government doesn’t exactly have a progressive record. Policies such as the pay rise are great but spending a significant chunk of their budget on getting rid of tuition fees (a middle class giveaway) when that money could be spent better on reducing poverty is a mistake . Another error (albeit a less expensive one) is the fact they have a budget for constitutional affairs, which isn’t even within their remit. I appreciate that budgets have been cut by the Tories throughout most of their time in charge but they seem to have the wrong priorities.
Their spending promises in a post-independence world are also very fanciful, when in reality they’d have to make cuts (or at least wait a few years for initial investment to generate a surplus or smaller deficit) in order to satisfy the deficit to GDP ratio required to join the EU - which is another major pledge. Ironically, there are so many similarities with Brexit, whether it’s “they make our laws” rhetoric, responding to any criticism of their flawed economics with “stop doing our country down” or a small minority of casual xenophobes emboldened by the cause. [Post edited 28 Mar 2021 14:15]
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Pure narrative though. And a logical fallacy.
You do know that Denmark and Ireland are real countries doing much better than Scotland? You’re using the fact that the Scottish economy has been run down In comparison to argue it can’t support itself. |  |
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| Dear people of England on 14:35 - Mar 28 with 2368 views | bluelagos |
| Dear people of England on 13:36 - Mar 28 by GeoffSentence |
To be fair, the testing bit of that seems pretty good, there are a shed load of tests being done very day, and they make up the bulk of the money spent. |
But what is the point? You need the whole system to work or it's a waste of time and money.
The govt has set up a "Test - sometimes trace - rarely isolate" system. They have known about the weak spots and not addressed them properly.
So I maintain, that spending £37Bn on a system that doesn't deliver what we need (People isolating who need to isolate) is a waste of money. |  |
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| Dear people of England on 14:42 - Mar 28 with 2357 views | J2BLUE |
| Dear people of England on 14:35 - Mar 28 by bluelagos |
But what is the point? You need the whole system to work or it's a waste of time and money.
The govt has set up a "Test - sometimes trace - rarely isolate" system. They have known about the weak spots and not addressed them properly.
So I maintain, that spending £37Bn on a system that doesn't deliver what we need (People isolating who need to isolate) is a waste of money. |
It's amazing that 37bn can be wasted and no one gets punished for it.
Some people should be banned from government for a lifetime. In fact, I would go further and question whether it's criminally incompetent in the middle of a pandemic. | |
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| Dear people of England on 14:48 - Mar 28 with 2351 views | GlasgowBlue |
| Dear people of England on 14:42 - Mar 28 by J2BLUE |
It's amazing that 37bn can be wasted and no one gets punished for it.
Some people should be banned from government for a lifetime. In fact, I would go further and question whether it's criminally incompetent in the middle of a pandemic. |
£37 billion has not been wasted in test and trace.
https://fullfact.org/online/37bn-test-trace-spending/
And 85% of that budget is on testing. Not tracing. | |
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| Dear people of England on 14:50 - Mar 28 with 2340 views | GlasgowBlue |
| Dear people of England on 11:56 - Mar 28 by bluelagos |
I don't agree it's working for a minute Glassers. Cos it's part of a system.
Test, trace and isolate. And when people can't afford to isolate (Last figures I read were around 20% are isolating) then it's a pile of sh1te.
If it were part of a system that actually worked, it would be money well spent. It isn't and as such it's largely wasted spend.
Edit: Indeed MPs found there was "no clear evidence" of it's effectiveness.
You want to defend p*ssing £37Bn up the wall by your Tory masters, that's up to you Glassers :-) [Post edited 28 Mar 2021 12:00]
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It appears my Tory masters have bribed full fact to publish this.
https://fullfact.org/online/37bn-test-trace-spending/ | |
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| Dear people of England on 14:51 - Mar 28 with 2332 views | J2BLUE |
Well that will teach me for not checking. Cheers. | |
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| Dear people of England on 15:13 - Mar 28 with 2307 views | BlueBadger |
Woman's mad. Doesn't she know that 'levelling up' actually means 'create tax havens and bu more nukes'? |  |
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| Dear people of England on 15:14 - Mar 28 with 2300 views | BlueBadger |
| Dear people of England on 11:25 - Mar 28 by GlasgowBlue |
It's £37 billion allocated, not £37 billion spent. 85%+ of the spend on test and trace is on testing, which you’ll agree is working very well. We have one of the best testing systems in the world after starting out as having one of the worst. 15% is spent on tracing.
Are you moaning about the amount of money we spend on testing? And were you comparing this time last year that we weren’t carrying out enough tests?
But you are going off piste. The reason that the SNP can give 4% NHS pay rises, free laptops, free prescriptions etc is because they are part of a union that subsidises them. |
Ah, so that money is just sitting near it, not WITH it? | |
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| Dear people of England on 15:18 - Mar 28 with 2293 views | BlueBadger |
If it's not doing the job it's been set up to do, it's a waste. | |
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| Dear people of England on 15:19 - Mar 28 with 2285 views | BlueBadger |
| Dear people of England on 14:13 - Mar 28 by tractordownsouth |
I can see why many left-wing Scots are attracted to the idea of wanting to break away in order to prevent, but the SNP government doesn’t exactly have a progressive record. Policies such as the pay rise are great but spending a significant chunk of their budget on getting rid of tuition fees (a middle class giveaway) when that money could be spent better on reducing poverty is a mistake . Another error (albeit a less expensive one) is the fact they have a budget for constitutional affairs, which isn’t even within their remit. I appreciate that budgets have been cut by the Tories throughout most of their time in charge but they seem to have the wrong priorities.
Their spending promises in a post-independence world are also very fanciful, when in reality they’d have to make cuts (or at least wait a few years for initial investment to generate a surplus or smaller deficit) in order to satisfy the deficit to GDP ratio required to join the EU - which is another major pledge. Ironically, there are so many similarities with Brexit, whether it’s “they make our laws” rhetoric, responding to any criticism of their flawed economics with “stop doing our country down” or a small minority of casual xenophobes emboldened by the cause. [Post edited 28 Mar 2021 14:15]
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What I find weird is how the Scexit brigade deride the Brexit mob, whilst also stealing all their moves. [Post edited 28 Mar 2021 15:19]
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| Dear people of England on 15:20 - Mar 28 with 2277 views | Coastalblue |
| Dear people of England on 12:41 - Mar 28 by bournemouthblue |
It was suggested 70% of people who have been told to isolate, aren't doing so, that's a massive problem.
I can remember Hancock suggesting we have to change the culture of battling through a bug and still coming to work but you have to give an incentive to employees to do that. Statutory sick pay is a pittance.
Going back to the isolation issue though, it suggests the tracers clearly aren't thorough enough for whatever reason that is and that is a big problem |
This is a huge issue, the intital lockdown killed my business and income over night, subsequent months rinsed any savings and leeway I had. I've spent the last few months desperately praying not to get a positive test, less for fear of catching Covid and far more because I cannot afford to be ill.
So far luckily I haven't had to make the choice, but a positive test would actually be an enormous dilemna for me, I know what the right thing to do is but I just don't know that I can do that financially and there are lots and lots of people worse off than me financially. |  |
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| Dear people of England on 15:23 - Mar 28 with 2272 views | Darth_Koont |
| Dear people of England on 15:19 - Mar 28 by BlueBadger |
What I find weird is how the Scexit brigade deride the Brexit mob, whilst also stealing all their moves. [Post edited 28 Mar 2021 15:19]
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To be fair, that’s because superficial takes and one-liners don’t really qualify as analysis. | |
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| Dear people of England on 15:26 - Mar 28 with 2263 views | jaykay |
| Dear people of England on 15:18 - Mar 28 by BlueBadger |
If it's not doing the job it's been set up to do, it's a waste. |
yep i will believe someone who is on the front line, not some lib dem from up north  |  |
| forensic experts say footers and spruces fingerprints were not found at the scene after the weekends rows |
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| Dear people of England on 15:28 - Mar 28 with 2257 views | footers |
| Dear people of England on 15:13 - Mar 28 by BlueBadger |
Woman's mad. Doesn't she know that 'levelling up' actually means 'create tax havens and bu more nukes'? |
Such a colossal waste of money. I can't begin to think how they've been able to justify more nukes.
Almost makes you want a full-blown nuclear war just so we haven't wasted all that cash.
Gibraltar or Berkshire would be my targets. |  |
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| Dear people of England on 15:59 - Mar 28 with 2207 views | giant_stow |
| Dear people of England on 15:23 - Mar 28 by Darth_Koont |
To be fair, that’s because superficial takes and one-liners don’t really qualify as analysis. |
Is it all narrative? |  |
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| Dear people of England on 16:18 - Mar 28 with 2176 views | BlueLikeJazz |
From the heading I thought this was going to be about Bozo the Clown funnelling yet more of our money to his mates, or whoever the latest woman he's knocking off is... |  | | |
| Dear people of England on 16:23 - Mar 28 with 2165 views | bluelagos |
You're doubling down and that's the best you can come up with Glassers?
Have you even read the points I have made? Cos your link doesn't address the fact that testing, without isolating is indeed a waste of time and money. [Post edited 28 Mar 2021 16:24]
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| Dear people of England on 16:30 - Mar 28 with 2155 views | BlueBadger |
| Dear people of England on 11:00 - Mar 28 by brazil1982 |
If they can afford it, why not? If they cant they'll just complain about evil Tories to bump more cash. |
If only they were spending it on protecting statues, a press office that looks like the conference room of the Linton travel Tavern, bungs for their mates and more nukes.
Instead they're just WASTING it. | |
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| Dear people of England on 16:57 - Mar 28 with 2122 views | Darth_Koont |
| Dear people of England on 15:59 - Mar 28 by giant_stow |
Is it all narrative? |
Yes. It’s basically the Andrew Neil narrative where he says why things can’t happen and won’t work. With absolutely no basis for that as it’s uncharted territory or he’s wilfully ignoring where it does work.
Equally as bad if hard-core Independence people assume that everything will be perfect and there won’t be short-term costs and issues. Or political issues within Scotland to fix. Independence is a vital step but that’s where the hard work begins to rebuild and establish a direction.
All we can do is look to countries like Denmark and Ireland and say that it’s definitely possible to be a small independent nation in the EU and also to do better than Scotland is doing now. Everything else is conjecture re: costs, obstacles and timescales. | |
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| Dear people of England on 20:41 - Mar 28 with 2041 views | tractordownsouth |
| Dear people of England on 14:26 - Mar 28 by Darth_Koont |
Pure narrative though. And a logical fallacy.
You do know that Denmark and Ireland are real countries doing much better than Scotland? You’re using the fact that the Scottish economy has been run down In comparison to argue it can’t support itself. |
Those are fair points but the Scotland situation is different for a couple of reasons. Firstly, those countries are in the EU, and secondly the SNP currency plan is highly risky. I think they still want to adopt a new currency, but when? And how much will that new currency be worth? One of their MSPs even suggested not having a currency because nobody uses cash anymore 🤦â€â™‚ï¸
As with Brexit, the majority of experts think Scotland would be worse off post-independence, especially with no clear plan on what to do, with the current agenda resembling jumping off the cliff shouting “believe in Scotland!” | |
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| Dear people of England on 21:47 - Mar 28 with 2012 views | Darth_Koont |
| Dear people of England on 20:41 - Mar 28 by tractordownsouth |
Those are fair points but the Scotland situation is different for a couple of reasons. Firstly, those countries are in the EU, and secondly the SNP currency plan is highly risky. I think they still want to adopt a new currency, but when? And how much will that new currency be worth? One of their MSPs even suggested not having a currency because nobody uses cash anymore 🤦â€â™‚ï¸
As with Brexit, the majority of experts think Scotland would be worse off post-independence, especially with no clear plan on what to do, with the current agenda resembling jumping off the cliff shouting “believe in Scotland!” |
The Spectator aren’t experts in anything apart from keeping themselves and their interests comfy.
If an expert can tell me why Scotland can’t be a successful and better-performing independent nation but Ireland, Denmark, Finland etc. can then I’ll listen. | |
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| Dear people of England on 21:50 - Mar 28 with 2009 views | GlasgowBlue |
| Dear people of England on 20:41 - Mar 28 by tractordownsouth |
Those are fair points but the Scotland situation is different for a couple of reasons. Firstly, those countries are in the EU, and secondly the SNP currency plan is highly risky. I think they still want to adopt a new currency, but when? And how much will that new currency be worth? One of their MSPs even suggested not having a currency because nobody uses cash anymore 🤦â€â™‚ï¸
As with Brexit, the majority of experts think Scotland would be worse off post-independence, especially with no clear plan on what to do, with the current agenda resembling jumping off the cliff shouting “believe in Scotland!” |
[Post edited 28 Mar 2021 21:51]
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| Dear people of England on 21:58 - Mar 28 with 1992 views | Darth_Koont |
| Dear people of England on 21:50 - Mar 28 by GlasgowBlue |
[Post edited 28 Mar 2021 21:51]
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But absolutely nothing compared to the emptiness of those who would have never offered anything to anyone ever.
Is it a good policy or not?
You’ve complained that it’s too expensive and now about the timing. This is why the Unionist parties have lost their way. Always playing politics at someone else’s cost. | |
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