No reasons yet given
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is to resign this morning, according to breaking reports. No reason has yet been given but the SNP leader is expected to make the announcement later this morning. She has been head of the Scottish government for more than eight years, but recently associated with controversy, including in the treatment of former diplomat Craig Murray and former First Minister Alec Salmond.
The Tory government recently created outrage by unprecedently overruling Scottish legislation on gender recognition,
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Craig Murray, Alec Salmond, Alba. Whatever reasons she eventually gives for her resignation, chances are they will not feature anything of substance or even anything remotely relevant.
Sturgeon, like Starmer, is a mouthpiece for the Establishment and serves to constrain any radicalism and socialistic thinking emerging from their parties.
https://craigmurrayjustice.org.uk/2021/09/11/craigs-speech-at-the-2021-alba-conference-read-by-nadira-murray/
Mmm. This is interesting. There must have been a big operation to keep this from leaking out earlier, unless it was a decision taken in haste for some reason. I’ll ask folk up there whether they had heard any rumours previously.
While I’m doing so, I will leave you with something interesting. It concerns the case of Denis Kireev, the Ukrainian negotiator at the March talks with Russia, who ended up assassinated in Kiev. It seems that the Wall Street Journal is convinced that he was assassinated by operatives of the GRU, the Ukrainian Military Intelligence Agency which was/is led by Kyrylo Budanov who is soon to become Minister of Defence.
They seem to believe that Kireev was a Ukrainian agent and not a Russian agent.
I attach a link to a transcript of a radio programme produced by The Journal.
https://www.wsj.com/podcasts/the-journal/a-spy-turned-up-dead-in-ukraine-who-was-he-working-for/68b6e140-4b9d-4eef-beaa-f6623db38678
Anything I can get about the SNP will follow at some point, I hope.
I’m surprised that the identity of the assassins was ever in doubt. It was not only clear but openly admitted by the Ukrainian fascist government that he was killed for being too conciliatory to the Russians.
Indeed, but what was of particular import was which faction had done it.
If you look at the helicopter “accident”, the purging of many senior officials, the imminent promotion of Budanov and the WJS report linking Budanov to Kireev’s demise. the dots join up nicely.
Bevin. Yeah, nothing new about it.
I’ll give her credit for her anti-austerity stance (which was better than any Westminster politicians bar the socialist labour ones).
But that’s abar it.
It will be interesting to see how Jeremy Corbyn reacts to this morning’s statement by Keir.
Starmer declared that the Labour Party has changed “permanently, fundamentally, irrevocably”, adding: “The Labour Party is unrecognisable from 2019, and it will never go back.” He stressed: “If you don’t like the changes that we’ve made, I say: the door is open, and you can leave.” In a Q&A with journalists following his statement, the Labour leader was asked whether Corbyn will stand for Labour at the next election, to which Starmer replied: “Jeremy Corbyn will not stand for Labour at the next general election.”
https://labourlist.org/2023/02/starmer-responds-to-ehrc-decision-to-conclude-monitoring-of-labour-party/
The ball is now firmly in Jeremy’s court, will he risk standing as an independent and head up a new socialist party or will he just stand down and retire at the next general election.
There’s a third option: He could stand as a non-Labour candidate simply to continue his representation of the good people of Islington North.
I know why you’re trying to stir things here, Steveh, but FWIW, right-side-of-history people like JC tend to have things happen around them rather than them initiating and harnessing things intentionally.
A ‘new’ party, wouldn’t need to be created the way you imply. Events (incl. Keir Starmer & Co) would simply make its non-creation impossible. That third option is, I’d say, the most likely one – and more likely to result in a ‘new’ party without a microgram of intent from JC.
qwertboi – I actually think he will retire from the commons at the next GE but he may run for London Mayor.
I’m amazed that this is deemed news. Starmer had said this long ago.
Mind you, I suppose he felt he hadn’t said anything about anything much for a while and couldn’t think of anything to say so he recycled something he’d already said.
Incidentally, that reminds me of ……………….
goldbach – You are right Keir has already said as much without actually saying it. But this time the news is that he has been absolutely unequivocal in what he said.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1625786211448102913
SteveH 3:18pm, that’s going to be Labour’s biggest problem at the next general election: nothing Keir Starmer says is unequivocal. He’s as clear as a conman. Nobody trusts him.
Judging from statements made to date by both Jeremy Corbyn and his close friend Diane Abbot it looks like quite a few of you are going to be disappointed because Corbyn won’t be standing for parliament at the next election.
I don’t think that JC will stand for mayor of anywhere. He would fall at the first hurdle. The applicant has to be a cretin. Whatever you might think of Mr Corbyn he is intellectually superior to most mayor’s past and present. He does have some principles left.
qwertboi – Not at all, the polls consistently and strongly indicate the opposite. That was Jeremy’s problem at the 19GE, two thirds of the electorate didn’t trust him.
And of course, it’s the polls…the polllllllls dontcha know. 😴
Yes, people trust keef.
“Nowhere does that say renationalisation”
People like you, who refused to believe keef had reneged on any of his ten pledges, despite the greasy slimy berk freely confessing he’d done so.
You probly still believe he hasn’t.
But hey!! GREEN PAPER
Ffs.
Toffee – Thanks for drawing attention to Labour’s brilliant GREEN PAPER which will considerably enhance the employment rights of millions of workers when it is brought into law within 100 days of Labour winning the next GE,
https://labourlist.org/2023/02/labours-new-deal-for-workers-must-be-at-the-heart-of-our-offer-to-the-public/
Labour’s new deal for working people – drawn up in partnership with the affiliated unions and launched at conference 2021 by Angela Rayner – is a plan to change things for the better for working people. Keir Starmer has promised that a Labour government will write this plan into law within 100 days of taking office. This is the trade union link in action.
▪ Labour will strengthen rights at work for all workers from day one on the job.
▪ Labour will end fire and rehire.
▪ Labour will make work more family-friendly and make it easier to balance work with home, community and family life.
▪ Labour will ban zero-hours contracts and ensure everyone has the right to regular hours they can rely on.
▪ Labour will strengthen trade union rights, raising pay and conditions.
▪ Labour will bring in fair pay agreements to drive up pay and conditions for all workers, using sectoral collective bargaining.
Better rights, stronger unions, higher pay – a comprehensive plan to improve the lives of working people by strengthening individual and collective rights. Unlike the Tories, who want to undermine the unions’ ability to fight for better pay and conditions, Labour are committed to strengthening trade unions by repealing anti-trade union laws, including the Trade Union Act, and introducing new rights to help unions recruit, organise and win a better deal for their members. It’s a policy platform we can unite around – and that we can be proud of.
What’s not to like?
…Even finished off with the what’s not to like
God, but you’re duller and more depressing than being stuck in a lift with keef and broken lighting, when the lift engineers are on strike and you’re on a promise with Kelly Brook.
JUST FUCK OFF, YOU IRREDEEMABLE BORE.
Two Cheeks
Only 6 promises to break this time
Where’s ‘make Brexit work’
Bent as a Nine Bob Note
Nobody could possibly trust Starmer. His record is quite clear. Even leaving aside his disgraceful part in the framing of Julian Assange, his record in Parliament is unequivocal. He betrayed both Corbyn and the Shadow Cabinet of which he was a member. He betrayed the promises that he made to win election as leader of the Labour Party.
But most obviously the man is contemptuous of democracy. What he has done in the Labour Party is to ban opposition and to disregard the constitution, rules and resolutions of successive conferences.
Anyone who votes for him should know that they are empowering a man who does not believe that they should have any political power. They should also be aware that he is almost certainly an agent of the US state.
The best way to deal with the man-and the corruption that he represents-is to campaign for a socialist candidate in his constituency. Organising for the campaign ought to begin now.
Another “Big Lie”, SteveH?
“so he recycled something he’d already said.
Incidentally, that reminds me of ……………….”
Two Cheeks
What makes you think Starmer is standing for the Labour party
For the record JC only has to fire the gun and 50 handpicked seats would fall to the Peace and Prosperity party
Way more than enough to hold the balance of power
Doug, I would like to believe that but the attacks against such a venture would be incessant and ultimately overwhelming.
Doug – Dream on, you are living in La-La-Land if you think that is true, I very much doubt that Corbyn will risk standing in the next GE. I think he will step down and retire from the commons but there is a chance that he may stand for London Mayor.
Wobbly
50 handpicked seats
FPTP and Clear Red Water enough to get one more vote than Red Tories
Add in low turnout for Labour party devoid of anything worth voting for and Bobs your Aunty
JC needs to declare sooner rather than later to build up the Big Mo in these seats
Doug – …….but will he? Or will he just continue to prevaricate?
qwertboi – https://mcusercontent.com/ceb437017cd651e33813473af/images/dbe39abb-143f-9aad-8307-90fd64e35500.png
Two Cheeks
From the man who thinks JC would lose his deposit
Re he Scottish Frist Mininster’s resgination I am reminded of the old saying there is no smoke without fire”
Re Starmer. I am just too fuming for words.
With Starmer, there is no smoke without mirrors.
Starmer is a snake and the electorate know it, they are crying out for a Real choice
………..but he has some quite good policies that lots of people like.
that might even be true SteveH, but when casting a real vote becomes the currency of the day, not enough people will trust him enough to give his rabid party their vote. Plenty will, of course, just not in landslide proportions.
Starmer’s an electoral liability that makes John Major look statesmanlike and Sunak almost seem electable. If the MSM performed honestly, it would be obvious to all. Happily, though, they don’t.
qwertboi – You can live in hope.
I’m guessing that is what Keir thinks about Jeremy, hence his ongoing suspension from the PLC
https://mcusercontent.com/ceb437017cd651e33813473af/images/dbe39abb-143f-9aad-8307-90fd64e35500.png
Two Cheeks
He has ZERO appeal to both sides, he is the ersatz candidate
Explain ‘make Brexit work’
Which one?
Keir Starmer’s speech to the Scottish Labour Party Conference drew an enthusiastic response from the conference delegates.
You can watch it in full here.
https://youtu.be/7L785zxt_Gw?t=163