Poll - 2019 Shetland MSP by-election

[George.]

They want to know why the views of the many "leave" SNP politicians have no voice in the Commons.

 

Possibly the same reason that wee Theresa May spent so long trying to convince the common man that the E.U. should be enforced upon us.

[Capeesh]

According to their critics, the SNP sell Shetland short because we've never voted for them, this is a comically hard sell because it relies heavily on us not noticing the things they've done with our own eyes.

All you have to do is look around you.

Do you know anybody living in one of these new affordable homes that've sprung up all over Shetland? There's hundreds of them.

Do you have kids or grandkids going to nursery about to recieve nearly double the free hours?

Maybe they're a bit older attending the brand new high school?

Maybe they've just graduated or are away studying getting their free university education.

Have you travelled to the mainland lately? I have, 50% discount on my flights. (Had a great time thanks)

Need medicine? No probs, Shetlands sick don't get taxed for being ill, free prescriptions all round.

Just had a baby? Here's a baby box to help you get started on the joys of parenthood. The list goes on and on.

Monty Pythons sketch "What have the Romans ever done for us" springs to mind.

Tom Wills has said if he's elected he'll fight tooth and nail to recieve more benefits for us in Shetland using all his influence as a member of the governing party to improve things for all Shetlanders, there's a good chance he would be successful if given the chance yet here he is getting pilloried for it.

What a difference it is having people put some effort in to win our votes, it's true it's not the way it's been done in Shetland, the majority of us have just ticked the same old box for decades even when there's been little in the way of policy to entice us.

Edited August 24, 2019 by Capeesh

[Claadehol]

I've already covered the new high school, it was built using the "private finance initiative" or PFI. We, the taxpayers, will be paying for that for the next 30 years, and paying an exorbitant sum many times more than the building costs. Someone is getting big bucks out of this and it aint us. Alex Salmond loved the PFI. Enough said.

[Claadehol]

And incidentally Capeesh, my neighbour who has been teaching in Shetland for the past 30 years, is refusing to consider voting for the SNP after what they have done to education.

[Wheelsup]

According to the latest GERS report its the English taxpayers paying for our “freebies”. Prior to ADS the flights ran full without any requirement for subsidies. Only now ADS subsidises the airline to keep its fares high for visitors. Students used to get grants and bursaries to cover fees and accommodation. Things have only improved in line with rest of the UK. I hope the Scottish Government haven’t taken note of how good our services are here already. Much better roads and infrastructure than similar rural areas elsewhere.

[Ghostrider]

According to their critics, the SNP sell Shetland short because we've never voted for them, this is a comically hard sell because it relies heavily on us not noticing the things they've done with our own eyes.

All you have to do is look around you.

Do you know anybody living in one of these new affordable homes that've sprung up all over Shetland? There's hundreds of them.

Do you have kids or grandkids going to nursery about to recieve nearly double the free hours?

Maybe they're a bit older attending the brand new high school?

Maybe they've just graduated or are away studying getting their free university education.

Have you travelled to the mainland lately? I have, 50% discount on my flights. (Had a great time thanks)

Need medicine? No probs, Shetlands sick don't get taxed for being ill, free prescriptions all round.

Just had a baby? Here's a baby box to help you get started on the joys of parenthood. The list goes on and on.

Monty Pythons sketch "What have the Romans ever done for us" springs to mind.

Tom Wills has said if he's elected he'll fight tooth and nail to recieve more benefits for us in Shetland using all his influence as a member of the governing party to improve things for all Shetlanders, there's a good chance he would be successful if given the chance yet here he is getting pilloried for it.

What a difference it is having people put some effort in to win our votes, it's true it's not the way it's been done in Shetland, the majority of us have just ticked the same old box for decades even when there's been little in the way of policy to entice us.

 

Those 'affordable homes', mostly built by Hjaltland, whose rents are appreciably higher than the SIC, and are at a level considered 'unaffordable' by those at or near the bottom of the pile. Fine for those on a moderate income to have instead of much higher private rents, or those having 100% of their rent paid by benefits, but no help to the 'working poor'.

 

Free higher education for all on demand is all very well, if it has the potential to lead to anything, or there is no way the person concerned could afford to obtain that education otherwise. There's no point in all of us paying towards folk getting qualifications that can only assist them fine work in already grossly over-provided sectors, or at such low pass marks nobody really wants to employ them. There needs to be far more done to target free higher education towards meeting demand and nurturing obvious talent and aptitude so that whats produced at the end of it is better quality for the same or less money.

 

Free nursery places should be means tested, and private run nursery places 'bought' in by the LA wherever possible to provide them, not the reverse as is happening right now.

 

Subsidised travel off isle should be capped at a certain nuber of journeys per year unless exceptional circumstances can be shown, and preferably means tested as well. I don't see why I should subsidise the likes of Maggie Sandison on her £100k+ salary every jaunt she decides to take from my taxes.

 

No, I haven't been off isle lately, I have been in the past, and if I should never go again, it will be far, far too soon.

 

Free prescriptions should be limited to 'essential' drugs only, and also means tested.

 

'Baby Box' - A gimmick, and a pretty cynical one at that. Useful perhaps to the very small number of pregnant who find themselves facing a significant change in circumstances and without any preparations. Govanhill might well have a few such candidates, which is probably what gave Natty Nikki the idea in the first place, but thank god very, very little of the rest of the country is in such dire straits as her constituency.

[Capeesh]

^^You wouldn't get my vote if you were running, I like these policies.

 

Pricelessly funny things about this election part 123...

With half the members of the Scottish Government up here campaigning, the very same people who complain bitterly about the government ignoring Shetland are literally chasing them away from their doorsteps!

Smirk should do a cartoon!

Edited August 25, 2019 by Capeesh

[Colin]

"Do you know anybody living in one of these new affordable homes that've sprung up all over Shetland? There's hundreds of them.
Do you have kids or grandkids going to nursery about to recieve nearly double the free hours?
Maybe they're a bit older attending the brand new high school?
Maybe they've just graduated or are away studying getting their free university education.
Have you travelled to the mainland lately? I have, 50% discount on my flights. (Had a great time thanks)
Need medicine? No probs, Shetlands sick don't get taxed for being ill, free prescriptions all round.
Just had a baby? Here's a baby box to help you get started on the joys of parenthood. The list goes on and on.
Monty Pythons sketch "What have the Romans ever done for us" springs to mind."

 

All very laudable things and, much desired but, why are you not harping on about the several percentage points deficit the SNP are running to achieve them. ?

Spending someone else's money is always a bit of a "spree" but, if Scotland ever does attain "independence", it will have to stop.  If you think that austerity was bad in Greece, you ain't seen nothing yet.

 

As for re-joining the EU.  Forget it.  !  They would just not take Scotland with it's current financial model and would enforce terms that would make us all scream.

 

The ONLY reason that they (SNP) are so interested in Shetland is to retain direct access to our resources and, once they are "in", they will be incredibly difficult to get "out".

[whalsa]

I don't know about everyone else but I am utterly fed up with this election campaign. Mainly from the drivel and empty promises being spewed by the SNP but also by the arrogant and disrespectful tactics of the Lib Dems. 

​I would be delighted if Ryan Thomson could pull off a shock and beat them both. Neither Party has Shetland's interests at heart. I am sure Beatrice does and, though I have never met Tom Wills I accept that he probably does as well. The problem lies with their centralized leadership. Tom Wills would be utterly unable to criticize any SNP decision which negatively affects Shetland (which happens often) whilst Beatrice would be hampered with the issue of having to toe the Party line regarding opposing the SNP at every opportunity until the independence question is settled. I fear neither would have the clout or freedom to actually solve any of Shetlands most pressing problems. 

​An independent may not have the resources and support of a large political machine but at least they would be able to give criticism where it is due and not have to take orders from a Party HQ like some footsoldier in a seemingly endless war which tends to totally overlook the needs of Shetland. 

​I see people going on about what the SNP have done for us but if you have been paying attention in recent years regarding their behavior towards the SIC then your rose-tinted glasses should have come off. They have repeatedly forced the Council into unsustainable budgetary positions by refusing to provide Fair Ferry Funding (remember this was promised years ago as another vote winning tactic). Why on earth anyone would believe these new promises about free foot passenger travel on our beleaguered internal ferry service is beyond me given they are not even funding the current service as they should be. 

​There is also zero commitment on when, if and how our ageing fleet and infrastructure will be replaced. The importance of these internal links to the Isles, and Shetland, cannot be overstated. Unfortunately, it appears easily ignored from Edinburgh. 

​I wish there was a pro-Shetland party pushing for autonomy, greater control of our resources and an end to living at the whim of some out of touch career politician sitting in Westminster or Holyrood who often wouldn't even manage point to Shetland on a map. 


... that turned in to a bit of a rant   

[Ghostrider]

^^You wouldn't get my vote if you were running, I like these policies.

 

Pricelessly funny things about this election part 123...

With half the members of the Scottish Government up here campaigning, the very same people who complain bitterly about the government ignoring Shetland are literally chasing them away from their doorsteps!

Smirk should do a cartoon!

 

The phrase, "You only see them when they're wanting something from you" applies.

[Windwalker]

^^You wouldn't get my vote if you were running, I like these policies.

 

Pricelessly funny things about this election part 123...

With half the members of the Scottish Government up here campaigning, the very same people who complain bitterly about the government ignoring Shetland are literally chasing them away from their doorsteps!

Smirk should do a cartoon!

There’s nothing so blind as those who cannot see.

 

Why do you think half the Scottish government is here ? Is it to say ‘sorry we promised you full funding for your internal ferries at the last poll and forgot to live up to that promise’, no it’s lets offer free foot passengers on our ferries, a token gesture, in fact they are not even promising it, they are only promising to look at it.

 

Let’s be honest, to make their candidate look good they will likely end up offering to give the council a few extra thousand to pay for this, but rest assured they will ‘yet again’ hit us with the hardest cuts in our annual settlement, but argue they met their promises.

 

They have proved that their hollow promises cannot be trusted and have no interest in Shetland other than they need us desperately for their independence desires. Something which most sensible people can see through and know is totally unaffordable.

[Ghostrider]

Trying to drag in a few of the Green supporters now, and the youth who've been brainwashed by their schools curriculum to 'do something, anything, never mind how ineffectual - just do it, and do it now".

 

https://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2019/08/25/wills-calls-on-sic-to-declare-climate-emergency

 

Of course, being involved in the 'Green' industry himself, this one could well be seen as helping put a few more pennies from trickle down in to his own pocket eventually too.

[Davie P]

Trying to drag in a few of the Green supporters now, and the youth who've been brainwashed by their schools curriculum to 'do something, anything, never mind how ineffectual - just do it, and do it now".

 

https://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2019/08/25/wills-calls-on-sic-to-declare-climate-emergency

 

Which bit are you complaining about? Kids being taught about climate science and politics, or kids being politically active?

 

 

Of course, being involved in the 'Green' industry himself, this one could well be seen as helping put a few more pennies from trickle down in to his own pocket eventually too.

 

Are you suggesting he is taking a stance on climate change for his own financial benefit? If so, I suggest you take your accusation as a conflict of interest complaint to the Scottish Government. It may be a more effective way forward than making insinuations on a forum.

[Claadehol]

He's talking about the easily influenced and manipulated youngsters, who have little knowledge of the realities of life. Have no experience of income tax, council tax, household budgets, electricity costs, oil prices, insurance costs, etc. 

Of course the next generation as well as the present should be alarmed and frightened regarding the climate emergency, but this doesn't need to be cynically pursued as a means of securing votes for Scottish independence. 

And that is exactly what is happening. 

[Davie P]

What?

 

Kids went on a protest about climate change, and Wills, who has already nailed his colours to the mast re: climate change, urged the SIC to “listen to the voice of the next generation”. I see no problem there and he's certainly not the only person in politics to do so.

 

But hey ho, lets continue to find ways to single out Wills and reframe him as a baddie....