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[Max White]

So tell me, who are the major parties in Scottish Parliament, what are their major platforms, and who is the biggest bastard?

[Loud Whispers]

I don't know who that bloke is, but that is a good photo. I'd be chuffed to get holiday photos like that, you could cycle between historical poses every time.

[Owlbread]

So tell me, who are the major parties in Scottish Parliament, what are their major platforms, and who is the biggest bastard?

Major Parties:

Scottish National Party

Major Platforms: Independence, social democracy, pro-business, Keynesianism, pro-green energy, supports free university education, no prescription charges, no toll booths, stuff like that. Very anti-nuclear but pro-NATO, pro-Monarchy, pro-EU. Anti bedroom tax. Plans on big childcare program that is too expensive at the moment, waiting for independence to do so. Supports retention of pound-sterling as independent country.

Labour Party

Major Platforms: Unionism, alleged "social democracy" (not really), tries to be the party of the working class, pro-business, less pro-green energy, does not support free university education, does not support free prescription charges. Less pro-austerity than other Conservatives and Lib Dems, but still pro-austerity. Pro-EU, pro-nuclear, pro-monarchy, pro-NATO. Anti bedroom tax. Agrees with childcare program, somewhat upset SNP thought of it first, demanding the SNP make cuts to other services to do it right now.

Conservative Party

Major Platforms: Unionism, British-style conservatism/centre right politics, pro-business, much less pro-green energy, does not support free university education, does not support free prescription charges. Pro-austerity. Pro-EU, pro-nuclear, pro-monarchy, pro-NATO. Pro-bedroom tax. Unclear what they think of childcare program, seem to agree with it. Similar arguments to Labour on cuts.

Liberal Democrats.

Major Platforms: Unionism, pro-business, more pro-green energy, does not support free university education, does not support free prescription charges. Pro-EU, less pro-nuclear but still pro-nuclear, pro-monarchy, pro-NATO. Pro-bedroom tax. Pro-austerity, exactly the same as Labour regarding childcare. Used to talk about a "federal" UK (hence why I used to support them) but they've abandoned that.

Biggest bastard? Hard to tell. I loathe 90% of them. It's easier to pick out the principled people.

There's also some minor parties that are worth mentioning. The Greens for one have some MSPs:

Minor Parties:

Green Party

Major Platforms: Independence, "eco-Socialism"/social democracy, very very pro-green energy, supports free university education and everything else, very pro-EU, very anti-nuclear, very anti-Monarchy, very anti-NATO, very anti-bedroom tax, very anti-austerity, exactly the same as SNP regarding childcare. Supports greater local government and independent currency for Scotland.

Scottish Socialist Party

Major Platforms: Independence, unabashed Socialism, pro-green energy, supports everything SNP support by way of education/benefits but goes further and demands a free public transportation system as well, from ferries to busses. Pro-EU, radical republicans. Very anti-NATO, very anti-nuclear, very anti-austerity, exactly the same as SNP regarding childcare. Supports independent currency.  Has no MSPs anymore.

Solidarity

Major Platforms: Exactly the same as SSP but anti-EU. Trotskyist. No MSPs anymore.

I don't know who that bloke is, but that is a good photo. I'd be chuffed to get holiday photos like that, you could cycle between historical poses every time.

It would be fun doing a Le Penseur pose in one frame then a black power salute in another.

[Max White]

It is funny that it sounds like your liberals and nationals are the good (Well, slightly better) guys. Over here our libs/nats are outright bastards of the highest order. 

Although looking at the numbers apparently you only just have a majority government, so that kind of sucks.

[Owlbread]

It is funny that it sounds like your liberals and nationals are the good (Well, slightly better) guys. Over here our libs/nats are outright bastards of the highest order. 

Although looking at the numbers apparently you only just have a majority government, so that kind of sucks.

Yes, though majority governments are very rare in our system because it was explicitly designed to prevent majority governments. Most certainly an SNP one. But yeah I would actually respect Conservatives more than the Liberals because the Liberals are two-faced, promise-breaking swines. They're worse because they're sellouts. They sold out as soon as they got into government in England. The Conservatives have been consistent in their bastardly antics, at least you can't fault them for that.

[Max White]

Yes, though majority governments are very rare in our system because it was explicitly designed to prevent majority governments. Most certainly an SNP one.

Really? How do you implement something like that? What is meant to prevent majorities forming?

[Descan]

Which makes it funny that people think "Psh, independence won't get a yes."

Oh, you mean the same independence that the majority-holding governing party wants? That independence? That party that won a majority government vote in a country -designed against majority governments-?

Yeah good luck with that.

[Owlbread]

Really? How do you implement something like that? What is meant to prevent majorities forming?

It's quite complicated and I'm not sure if I understand it myself or how it does it, but I know the parliament uses MMP representation i.e. "mixed-member proportional" representation. Same as the one that used to be used to elect representatives to the German Bundestag. It encourages minor parties to gain greater representation, which they did at one time before the 2011 landslide in favour of the SNP. For instance the SSP, Solidarity and the Greens all had a decent amount of seats between them.

Which makes it funny that people think "Psh, independence won't get a yes."

Oh, you mean the same independence that the majority-holding governing party wants? That independence? That party that won a majority government vote in a country -designed against majority governments-?

Yeah good luck with that.

And fundamentally the No-campaign has no vision to speak of and is led by truly abominable people. As people become aware of the debate and the arguments that are getting bounced around I predict things are really going to start to change. The polls all show opposition to independence, but by my experience people just don't know enough. Education will be key. Most people are open minded about this now, which is quite a change from the atmosphere back in 2012.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

So, how long do you think it will be until the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats are banned as reactionary enemies of the Glorious Revolution or possibly just not win any more seats?

[Owlbread]

So, how long do you think it will be until the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats are banned as reactionary enemies of the Glorious Revolution or possibly just not win any more seats?

I think the Liberals are going to be completely wiped out at the next election, whenever that may be, yes vote or no vote. They will undoubtedly hold onto Shetland and Orkney because people vote local there. The Conservatives will probably still hold their old heartlands like Dumfries and Galloway (no clue why they're so strong there) and some areas in the borders. People down there seem to vote locally, not by party. With independence I think the Conservatives will disconnect themselves from the London-based nonsense, dead hand that it is, and become a bit more credible.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

In that case, I would ask why you classify the Greens as a minor party when they are probably going to survive (if not thrive), and the Liberal Democrats as a major party when their reckoning is nigh?

[Owlbread]

In that case, I would ask why you classify the Greens as a minor party when they are probably going to survive (if not thrive), and the Liberal Democrats as a major party when their reckoning is nigh?

Good question. I certainly hope the Greens will thrive (I would seriously consider voting Green in an independent Scotland), they'll overtake the Lib Dems anyway and probably become a major party. I'm just describing the current situation in parliament. The Lib Dems are like the "sick man" of Holyrood right now but they still hold more power than the Greens.

As things stand people are voting Labour or SNP based, in part, on local issues but also on the issue of independence. There are people who would vote SNP right now but are voting Labour because they don't want independence. There are, conversely, people who would vote Labour that are voting SNP because they support independence. The situation is extremely complicated though. With independence things will change greatly and we can get back to the issues of how these parties govern us, not single issues like independence. Though of course I think the first thing we'll be debating will be Republicanism, closely followed by the EU and NATO.

[Max White]

In that case, I would ask why you classify the Greens as a minor party when they are probably going to survive (if not thrive), and the Liberal Democrats as a major party when their reckoning is nigh?

Because Greens aren't Greens if they aren't a minor party. It is pretty much a universal truth of all political systems. You just can't be Greens if you aren't the tiny voice of 'WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE!??!?!?' in the background...

[Descan]

I'm assuming he's using "situation in Scottish politics right now" instead of "my prognosis of the future of Scottish politics" as a meter-stick.


Edit: Ninja'd by the bear himself.

Also, every time I see "Holyrood", I gotta mentally pronounce it as "Hollywood" the first time.

Makes it very entertaining in some situations.

[Owlbread]

I'm assuming he's using "situation in Scottish politics right now" instead of "my prognosis of the future of Scottish politics" as a meter-stick.


Edit: Ninja'd by the bear himself.

Also, every time I see "Holyrood", I gotta mentally pronounce it as "Hollywood" the first time.

Makes it very entertaining in some situations.

Yes, Holyrood also rhymes with Hollywood rather than "Holy-Rood". But you're right, my prognosis of the future of Scottish politics is altogether different to the analysis I gave earlier on.

Because Greens aren't Greens if they aren't a minor party. It is pretty much a universal truth of all political systems. You just can't be Greens if you aren't the tiny voice of 'WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE!??!?!?' in the background...

I have been consistently impressed by the Greens when I've seen them giving speeches and the like. They don't tend to have much electoral success at the moment because everything is overtaken by the independence debate, every election now is a two-horse race. That said they are becoming very, very useful when it comes to campaigning for independence. They are a very valuable asset to the Yes Campaign. I'm sure you chaps here would agree with them on most things, I've got a number of their best speeches to hand as well if you'd like to see any.