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Good news and some potentially worrying news for the SNP in latest TNS Scotland poll

Good news and some potentially worrying news for the SNP in latest TNS Scotland poll

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Salmond & co should be doing better on the NHS Fewer than 1/3 of Scottish voters sampled by TNS rated the Scottish Government's management of NHS as good pic.twitter.com/MiYFrYMR7u — Mike Smithson (@MSmithsonPB) August 10, 2015 But a big 2016 Holyrood result looks on the cards New TNS Scottish poll finds SNP up to 62% in constituency section of next May's Holyrood election pic.twitter.com/R3718Ms0hn — Mike Smithson (@MSmithsonPB) August 10, 2015

On fox-hunting a reminder from the SNP of the tight parliamentary situation

On fox-hunting a reminder from the SNP of the tight parliamentary situation

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LAB by-election leaflet 2009 SNP westminster leader @AngusRobertson "we totally oppose foxhunting"… Full statement: pic.twitter.com/4qyRPCk679 — Faisal Islam (@faisalislam) July 13, 2015 But won’t this reinforce the case for EVEL? This is how the Speccie’s Isabel Hardman sums up the situation:- “..The result may still work politically for both parties in one sense: in Scotland of course the headline ‘SNP stops Tories relaxing hunting ban’ works beautifully for Nicola Sturgeon’s party. But in England a headline saying ‘SNP stops Tories…

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Holyrood 2016: who will come second?

Holyrood 2016: who will come second?

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Making a tissue on a “Betting Without” market This is a betting thread without a market as yet. However, the best prices on any political market can usually be found within either the first six hours or the last six. So a little forethought as to what you’d be prepared to back – and at what price – can often be rewarded handsomely. Someone launching a “without the SNP” market on Holyrood is only going to be a matter of…

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David Herdson says the government should call the SNP’s bluff on full fiscal autonomy

David Herdson says the government should call the SNP’s bluff on full fiscal autonomy

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It’s time to slay Holyrood’s bogeyman The referendum was never going to be the end of the story and neither was the declaration of the unionist parties to implement the recommendations of the Smith commission. The closeness of the vote last September and the unprecedented landslide this May have understandably prompted the SNP to demand a lot more. It would be foolhardy for Westminster to refuse. The amendment that the SNP have put down is quite smart, not demanding a…

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At last! Betting on the May 2016 Scottish Parliamentary Election

At last! Betting on the May 2016 Scottish Parliamentary Election

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Ladbrokes http://t.co/5ytVwnqvbc become the 1st national bookie to offer odds on the May 2016 Holyrood elections pic.twitter.com/KS6gSdqYYu — Mike Smithson (@MSmithsonPB) June 1, 2015 Understanding the Scottish system Given what we’ve seen it is very hard to envisage anything other than a big SNP victory. Unlike last month’s general elections north of the border where the SNP were able to pick up 56 of the 59 seats with 50% of the vote the system for Holyrood is different and should…

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David Herdson says that the Battle of Skinner’s Seat is only the beginning

David Herdson says that the Battle of Skinner’s Seat is only the beginning

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Salmond: the new Parnell in Westminster The House of Commons can be a pretty rowdy place at times but it does at least have rules and conventions to which its members are expected to adhere. At one time, it had far fewer rules and rather more conventions (as the Lords still does). The reason why the change came about can be credited to Charles Stewart Parnell, the dominating Irish politician in the last quarter of the nineteenth century. He astutely…

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Getting EVEL through will be a tough fight for the Tories

Getting EVEL through will be a tough fight for the Tories

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The next move is with John Bercow A significant moment on this historic day in the commons was a point of order by Alex Salmond about the Tory plans to introduce EVEL (English Votes for English Laws) by changing the House’s standing orders. Salmond argues that this is a major constitutional issue and that the incoming government should not be allowed to make a change which creates two classes of MPs by using its majority to change standing orders –…

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