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The SNP becoming irrelevant in the advent of independence is a bit of a given, surely? A reason to vote yes, no?

The rainbow flag is a symbol of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer pride, and LGBTQ social movements. Personally, I don't see that as being in any way political.

When it comes to public finances EU migrants contribute far more than they cost
It's not EU migrants putting a strain on our public services, it's criminally negligent underinvestment and mismanagement from our abysmal Tory government.
The last thing the country needs is to start booting out working age tax payers.
Maybe those rich, tax dodging Tory party donors and their pals could start paying their share like the rest of us.
These charlatans are playing an absolute blinder convincing people it's the EU's free movement to blame for the strain on our public services.

I feel really sorry for the PO staff.  They have been treated very shabbily imho.

Wishing aabody a happy and prosperous 2020!
 
Cheers to you all from Shetlink HQ!

Oops! Someone was a tad keen to get to bed and owned themselves 
 
However fanciful anyone believes the Labour manifesto to have been, it was attempting to achieve [a massive amount of changes and had it achieved even] a fraction of what it promised [we'd be in much better shape than where we're headed now].
 
And let's save the "I remember Labour from decades ago" spiel. That was then, this is now and things have changed somewhat 

Boris Johnson and his government with ample help from their uber rich backers and allies in the press have pulled off the greatest con in UK political history.
These snake oil salesmen have managed to create a whole load of hardships for ordinary people with their woeful record in government and deflect the blame onto the shoulders of Johnny Foreigners.
Austerity for the many, great rewards for the few £££££££.

There is one way the SNP could get rid of the Tory Government it "apparently" despises. And as it has no real interest in being in Westmnster, they should tell all their members and supporters to vote Labour in this General election.

That's unfair. He regularly gets hauled over the coals precisely because of his convictions / principles.
 
Boris' repeated one liner during the entire debate clearly demonstrated their thinking that branding him a fence sitter, on what is quite an easy stance to comprehend, is a vote winner. As does the majority of the terrified media owners given their propensity to repeat it ad nauseum. Trying to take all sides into consideration is not a character flaw and plenty times he's been proven right.

Just because you think it and say it doesn’t make it true, perhaps you could back this statement up with some evidence

Thats not what they actually say, either side, as anyone can see if they look at the relevant documents. The SNP has always and still do define independance as independant from the UK *and* the EU.
 
The EU has repeatedly said it would be almost impossible for and independant Scotland to join the EU, citing how long it has taken for new countries to join, and that this would be a case of a member country leaving, then trying to rejoin.
 
But, of course, it's a shame to ruin a perfectly good fantasy with facts so carry you on

This seems very valid news and perhaps somewhat ironic that they both appeared on my Shetlink News list today.
 
"A public health alert has been issued to hundreds of ferry passengers after it emerged a passenger was diagnosed with measles.
 
More than 240 passengers and crew members were at risk of catching the contagious disease.
 
The incident emerged when NHS Grampian contacted passengers travelling on the Northlink Ferries operated vessel – MV Hrossey – from Aberdeen to Shetland on the night of Monday October 7."
 
https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/islands/1868486/public-health-warning-issued-after-shetland-ferry-passenger-diagnosed-with-measles/
 
To those that don't vaccinate - well, you have no idea just how much danger you put folk.....  If it had been free in the early 18th century, I bet the population of Foula would've reacted differently to save the lives of their loved ones. 
 
https://www.scotsman.com/heritage/the-tiny-scottish-island-wiped-out-by-disease-1-5029098
 
"Around 90 per cent of the population of Foula in the Shetland Isles was wiped out by smallpox epidemic in the early 18th Century........The disease returned to the island in 1760 and a period of inoculation was introduced but the high fee of two or three guineas, only ten or twelve people took it up." (the cost was prohibitive).
 
And the message that really breaks my heart was from children's author, Roald Dahl's letter - https://www.roalddahl.com/roald-dahl/timeline/1960s/november-1962 -
 
"The measles had turned into a terrible thing called measles encephalitis and there was nothing the doctors could do to save her. That was twenty-four years ago in 1962, but even now, if a child with measles happens to develop the same deadly reaction from measles as Olivia did, there would still be nothing the doctors could do to help her.
 
On the other hand, there is today something that parents can do to make sure that this sort of tragedy does not happen to a child of theirs. They can insist that their child is immunised against measles. I was unable to do that for Olivia in 1962 because in those days a reliable measles vaccine had not been discovered. Today a good and safe vaccine is available to every family and all you have to do is to ask your doctor to administer it.
 
It is not yet generally accepted that measles can be a dangerous illness. Believe me, it is. In my opinion parents who now refuse to have their children immunised are putting the lives of those children at risk. In America, where measles immunisation is compulsory, measles like smallpox, has been virtually wiped out."
 
The lies about the MMR vaccination still goes on while lives are put in unncessary danger.  In this day and age, it is unforgiveable.
 

Boris and his authoritarian Tory government have tried to bypass parliament twice and both times they've been found guilty of abusing their power by the highest court in the land. Thankfully in this country we've learned from history that the best way to prevent tin pot dictators taking over is to force them to abide by the rule of law.
The only problem for me is where is the punishment? Anybody involved should be expelled from parliament and forbidden to stand for office again imho.

The truth of this is staring everybody in the face, it's easily checked.Without a doubt there's people out there who want Brexit no matter what, medicine shortages, food shortages, pound crashing, companies up and leaving etc all an acceptable price to pay but there also must be people out there who swallowed the lies and now reality is starting to dawn on them are thinking.."WTF have I done!"

Muckle Oxters, the major reason the Lib Dems have had a reduced majority is the huge number of candidates this time round. Lib Dem supporters may well decide to vote for an independent this time round. However the diehard SNP voter with that rabid eye fixed on independence will never vote for any other party.
 
And anyone on this forum or elsewhere who really believes that it was a Lib Dem supporter who sprayed SNP on the war memorial, is really in cloud cuckoo land. Dear oh dear!
 
Lets just keep an eye now on those plastic signs and try to ensure that the SNP helpers use the "green" Tom Wills method to remove the plastic ties. They must use a small screwdriver to open up the locking flap so that the tie can be used again. The Brae schoolkids have had this technique explained to them by Tom Wills so snips must not be used, even if the workers are in a hurry. 

Tom Wills has been impressing the school kids at Brae High School, I have been talking to a pupil. Tom has been explaining how green his credentials are. When asked why if he was so "green" were there such a huge number of single use plastic signs all over our lamp posts. He explained that they could be used again. When pressed about the fact that his photo is all over them he explained that it could be blanked out and replaced. He was then asked about the single use cable ties fastening them to the posts he said that you can use a small screwdriver and shove it in the locking system and release the tie. I am soooo impressed, he has everything covered. Now I feel it is a duty for all of us to check that the devoted snp guys who will be required to take down the signs are using the Tom Wills green technique to salvage the cable ties. I will be following this with interest, I am hoping that they will not be using snips or some other fast but wasteful technique in order to release the signs. After all we must try and ensure that these guys are not letting Tom and his impressionable young followers down here. I will forever be impressed when I see these guys, (or gals), perched on ladders  while trying to utilise a small screwdriver in an awkward position all for the sake of the planet and a green future . I wonder if health and safety is being followed here, it can't be safe for one person surely, and even with two, one holding the ladder, and the other trying to hold on and manage with one hand to manoeuvre the screwdriver into position and release the tie at the same time. Perhaps Tom will be demonstrating the technique when he has a bit of time away from Nicola, the camera, or the microphone. Maybe a tower scaffold will be required if the ladder proves unsafe, one needs 3 points of contact remember. Anyway we'll see how our devoted SNP minions fare here, I do hope they don't let the kids down by using snips. Well they'll be letting Tom down too and his leader will be so displeased. Well, only if it hits the news I guess. 

But what have the SNP done for Shetland since taking power? Besides promising things before elections then reneging that is. 
 
It shouldn't matter what party your MSP belongs to, vital services should be properly funded in all parts of the country. For far too long Holyrood have relied on the SIC dipping in to it's reserves to prop up struggling services which really should be funded by central government. That is not what the oil money was for. They have coveted it since we got it. Why bother using their budgets when they know fine well that the socially conscious Shetland Councillors will spend their own resources rather than make unpalatable cuts. This has to end or we will have nothing left. 

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.

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   

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.

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.

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.

Ryan has always been very vocal as a councilor  and speaks a lot of sense. Beatrice is hardly ever heard. The whole brexit carry on will make all the difference to who wins. The fishermen hate the SNP because they want to stop brexit. Loads of non fishermen want to stop it, it will be interesting.

The same money will come our way from Holyrood regardless whether we put Wills in or not. We've heard their threats/promises too many times before to believe one damn word. Their last chance to redeem themselves was Humza's long time in the making north boat 'fare reductions', and we know how that panned out - Robbing Peter to pay Paul to lower some by hiking others to finance it. 'New money' was minimal, if any.
 
Nothing is going to change in 18 months, they've had 10 year to bribe us, and what we have is what that amounts to. Beyond 18 months, who knows, but it would seem the nats may no longer be a significant factor by then, their lustre as 'saviours' of Scotland and the bringers of utopia for all is looking pretty tarnished and fading more every day.