Alibi

Have you got a source for this? I would have thought it would be all over social media. Wouldn't surprise me one little bit tbh.

Not surprised. I'm sure my branch (if I was still a member) would similarly still be full of unimaginative Sturgeon loyalists who would prefer to be discussing the next Saturday's street stall than actually making sensible decisions that might steer the good ship SNP away from the iceberg.

That is a point that needs to be dealt with. If we are in a voluntary union, the question should be basked of unionists over and over again: "What is the mechanism by which Scotland can leave the union?" If the only answer is "you can't", that should be made absolutely clear to the people of Scotland. That would be confirmation that we are not in a union but in a prison. Meanwhile SNP politicians talk about "building support" and similar bland non-statements. What's the point of building support if the ultimate destination is "No, you can't have a section 30". No wonder so many independence struggles around the world have involved violence. Anyway if it's Swinney, we will get nowhere. That's why the media are promoting him. Kick the can down the road. Fuck that. Swinney represents taking the ball to the corner flag to waste time when your team is 1-0 down.

If they go with Swinney, the party will be in the doldrums for ages. We need someone who will shake things up. Swinney is not that person, which is why he is being promoted by the MSM and BBC Scotland. I'm a devout atheist but I'd vote for Forbes in a straight vote between her and Swinney as I don't believe she would prioritise her own beliefs over what she knows the public want and to me the SNP needs a fresh start - which Swinney isn't. Ridiculous that she is being demonised for her beliefs when Yousaf pretty much got a free ride. Hmm, maybe should rephrase that last bit...

Given the damage that allowing the toxic Greens to dictate policy has caused, and indeed given the neutering of the SNP NEC as a representative body under Sturgeon's watch, then yes, it is of vital importance so that we can see if they're going to keep digging the hole they've got themselves in, with stuff like gender issues and wood burning stoves taking priority over everything else, especially indy. I note that Kelly Given seems to be popping up all over the place on radio at the moment - she was initially saying that Jenny Gilruth was the only sensible choice for leader, but has since dropped that line to avoid ridicule and is backing Swinney. Call Kaye this morning is like a roll call of all the yoons - all of whom if pressed go for Swinney. That tells you all you need to know. If Swinney returns to the front line, it should not be as FM or leader. I would assume that all candidates are pro-indy, though these days you can't guarantee that - Kirsty Blackman for instance and there are a few others who want to park it for years.

Agreed, there is no way he will be able to make a full political comeback, as the relative lack of success of Alba maybe shows; however as a sort of elder statesman figure, he would still be invaluable to the indy movement as a whole (no pun intended...)

If Swinney gets shoehorned in, I can't see him advancing the cause of independence any time soon. He's too bland and isn't going to inspire anyone. He has a role to play but it's not as leader. Kelly Given was on Call Kaye this morning rooting for Jenny Gilruth. That would be a disaster unless you want even more wokeism. The best person to be SNP leader, even after being away from the job for nearly ten years, is still Alex Salmond. He puts every other politician in Scotland, and indeed in the entire UK, in the shade. Nobody can put incisive points across like him. No wonder Sturgeon connived to have him assassinated politically. He's the benchmark that we really need to aim for in selecting a new leader, and currently I can't think of anyone who comes close to that level of political nous. Of the main contenders, I'd say Kate Forbes would probably be the best option as she comes across well. However, freeports? Hmm...

Please not Swinney - he may be a "safe pair of hands" but if that's the level we're seeking would be better with Craig Gordon. I think he's being pushed by the mainstream media for a reason - namely that he's a safe pair of hands for the union in that he won't get us any nearer indy. I've also heard Jenny Gilruth being mentioned - Kelly Given was on the radio this morning bigging her up which should probably tell you all you need to know - more wokeness and gender shite, and indy sidelined. The logical choice would be Kate Forbes, if she wants the job, and I've been quite impressed by Steven Flynn at times and I think he'd be prepared to take a fairly aggressive stance on indy, although his current location might be a problem. The first thing I'd ask any candidate is "define "woman". That should give you a fair idea of who to eliminate from any sensible shortlist for an election for leader. Rather a pity Ash Regan jumped ship. She talks sense and her commitment to indy is genuine. I voted for her last time & I still think I made the right choice, although a lot of people didn't rate her. She was certainly better than Yousaf but the powers that be wanted a weak puppet. As for Mhairi Black, please no. Been a huge disappointment.

Delighted to hear this news. I wonder if Yousaf will now resign, given that just yesterday he was saying the BHA was a good thing. I can see polling figures for the SNP rising as a result of this. Even better if the SNP moved away from some of the unpopular policies that resulted from the Greens being included in government - the woke stuff, plus the DRS that Slater made such a mess of and a few other things as well. It's an opportunity for the SNP to press the reset button, although I think for that to happen we would need Yousaf himself to be ousted.

Someone from the SNP needs to come out and say unequivocally that they agree with the Cass report. aYousaf has avoided doing that. Patrick Harvie is painting himself into a corner with his utterances, and pandering to him by not disagreeing with what he is saying is crazy. If they could just accept what about 99% of the world acknowledges, that it is not possible to change sex and that trans people, while living as someone of the opposite sex, do not not actually miraculously become the opposite sex, we might get somewhere. As it is, it's just another bad decision which will lose votes. Why do they persist with this electoral suicide at every turn? Surely it can't just be stupidity? is it a deliberate strategy? I think the time for political parties trying to claim they are the vehicle for independence has maybe passed. They always put their own restraints on it (for example the SNP insist on EU membership which, while I personally tend to support it, divides opinion). We need an organised independence movement that is a civic organisation, and if it is necessary to stand for election to implement that, it should be on a simple one line manifesto "independence for Scotland". We can sort out the other stuff once we have indy regained, with a general election with any parties that want to stand.

Good grief, he is utterly hopeless. Next thing he'll be condemning the Cass report so as not to upset his wokeists. The wheels have come off genderwoowoo and all sensible folk are running a mile from it, but Humza's carrying on regardless.

The sooner the SNP drop the Greens the better. Preferably before the Greens resign from government (which they probably won't because they like the money). If the SNP don't drop the Greens, they will look indecisive and may even be tainted by the inference that they don't disagree with Harvie's views on Cass. I expect Yousaf will plead with the Greens to stay. He has a talent for doing the wrong thing at every opportunity.

Bit of a clusterfuck. Would be quite funny if it turned out that Murrell was in the pay of the British state all along. I know all governing parties come up with some daft policies, but it seems to me that the Sturgeon version of the SNP have brought forward almost nothing but unpopular policies - even the recent 30% increase in minimum alcohol prices during a cost of living crisis could have been thought up specifically to lose votes. I'm becoming more and more convinced that it's deliberate - malice rather than incompetence. Those promoting these daft policies know exactly what they are doing.

Sabotage?

Spot on. The current SNP leadership with a few (very few) notable exceptions are a bunch of bland nobodies. Scared of their own shadows, scared to rock the boat, scared to say anything that the MSM might take exception to. Meekly accepting whatever WM say - and in doing so, showing they are happy with Scotland being held prisoner in an abusive, coercive union. I don't recall any of them asking directly - and getting a proper answer to the question - "If this is a voluntary union, what is the procedure for leaving it". And the answer is not acceptable if it includes any English veto over Scotland doing just that.