“The SNP Government are doing everything within our powers to support families and business. That is why unemployment in Scotland is significantly lower than the UK average, and employment and economic activity are higher.”But in fact, the proportion of people in employment in Scotland has been fairly consistently above the UK average since 2004, with Scotland moving well ahead of the UK average during Q3 2006.
Matt Qvortrup: Numpty....
15 minutes ago
Belated Happy New year to you.
Now moving on..Maybe the Scottish government should also take the credit from Labour for Scotland having the worse Heart,stroke and Obesity related illnesses and deaths in western Europe which will take a generation to sort.
Maybe the Scottish government should take the same credit from Labour for Glasgow having 16 of the poorest post code areas in the UK.
Maybe when Labour are back in power in Scotland they can take the credit from the privouse Scottish government for delivering Scottish independence.
Happy New Year.
But that was a very peculiar response. Anything negative tends to be blamed on arch enemy Labour and/or Scotland not being “independent”.
But on health, here’s an unguarded Nicola Sturgeon, speaking in June 2007 about the Lab/Lib government’s record: “I would have no hesitation in paying tribute to the work of the previous administration in this area. In terms of the whole population, the health improvement agenda has been very effective over the past 10 years.”
Oops!
Yes, and even if the SNP had been in power for a significant period of time a Scottish Government's ability to infuence the macro-economy is limited in any case.
AMW makes a reasonable point in response though, but the SG's ability to influence health outcomes is arguably significantly greater than its economic powers.
To be fair, though, a couple of years isn't a long time in politics!
Plaid Cymru recently tried to take credit for the decision by the Labour administration in Wales removing prescription charges.
The electorate knew the truth and laughed at the absurdity.
Nicking credit from the previous regime and blaming any faults on the previous regime also.
Sounds a bit like Labour from 1997 till lets say 2005.
The Nats are sounding more like the Judaean People's Front every day.
Or is it the People's Front of Judaea?
"Or is it the People's Front of Judaea?"
Splitter!
I await the next few opinion polls with interest. Somehow I can't imagine it being the Popular Front. ;-)
SU, your clutching at straws and you know it. Scotland has amongst the best health service in the world, even when labour were in power but did little to dent the dire state of populations health, something Labour ignored in Scotland for 50 years.
Yes hospital statistics are looking good but im afraid it will take a long time to sort out individuals health who have never ever been near a hospital and a ill through labours appalling poverty traps
How about the SNP take the credit from the amount of affordable homes Labour built in 8 years ? Nah in seconds thoughts, 6 homes it's nothing to write home about.
"The Aberdonian said...
Nicking credit from the previous regime and blaming any faults on the previous regime also.
Sounds a bit like Labour from 1997 till lets say 2005."
Good point but it works both ways, Labour(UK) after 11 years in government are still blaming the conservatives when they cock things up.!!
Broon's not the messiah-He's a very naughty boy.
Popular Front, SU? Look in the Big Brother house.
There's a poll in the Sun. I know it hasn't been the Nats tabloid of choice lately, unlike 1992. But it was conducted by Yougov who are the SNP's favourite pollsters. It's for Westminster only and not a very big sample but the Scottish breakdown is Lab 42, SNP 27, Tory 20, LD 8, Oth 2. That's +4 Lab, +3 Con. -2 LD & -3 SNP
Looking at other Yougov polls that's equal best for the Tories for at least three years, Labour's best since July 2006, the LDs worst since Lloyd George was in short trousers and the last time the SNP was lower was November 2006
Point to remember is that this is the same Yougov the SNP trumpet ate very opportunity when they produce polls commissioned by the SNP and ask questions designed by the SNP and, surprise, surprise, usually produce results favourable to the SNP.
Most polls in the past two decades have tended to over-estimate Labour and under-estimate the LDs. This one looks no different. But Yougov have a tendency to over-estimate the SNP. Just before the last Holyrood elections their SNP-commisioned poll gave the Nats a nine-point advantage. But their eve of poll poll (if that makes sense) for the Telegraph gave the SNP a 6% lead, overestimating their share of the vote by 4-5% and their lead by 5%. It's Yougov who have produced those ridiculous polls hailed by the Nats showing 19% leads for Holyrood (which even the SNP think is crazy, except for Eck who thinks they're on the low side) and 7% ahead for Westminster
Somehow I don't think we'll hear much from Cybernat Central on this one.
Wrong scotleag.
The poll you quote was of 164 adults. Interestingly Yougov also did a poll on EU voting intentions – with fieldwork carried out during the same period - which surveyed 193 adults in Scotland. They have Labour and the SNP neck and neck at 35 per cent each.
http://www.yougov.com/extranets/ygarchives/content/pdf/TPA%20results%2009%2001%2008.pdf
The previous YouGov poll (in December) was of 188 adults and had Labour on 39 and the SNP on 32.
http://www.yougov.com/archives/pdf/ST-12-Dec_results.pdf
So what conclusions can be drawn?
I wouldn’t say very many as the samples were all less than 200.
Ah, so the EU poll is more to your liking? The one that said the SNP would lose one of their MEPs.