mrjonno wrote:The problem for Scottish Labour is Scotland does not need 2 independence parties. (Almost certainly the SNP would split after independence).

mrjonno wrote:However, Westminster is still a 2 party system so you have 1 independence party and one union party (there simply isn't room for the Tories, Lib Dem's and Labour to take that party)

mrjonno wrote:Referring to Scotland's 2 party system, the Green party are not a serious player in Westminster .

mrjonno wrote:Labour are a unionist party, if they were to campaign for independence they lose any purpose in existing

The SNP has backed decriminalising the possession and consumption of drugs.

At its conference in Aberdeen, a resolution was unanimously passed by delegates branding current drug control legislation "not fit for purpose".

And they called for powers to be devolved to Holyrood to enable the "decriminalisation of possession and consumption of controlled drugs".

The Scottish government has set up a taskforce to tackle drug deaths, which hit a record high in 2018.

Full statement from Derek Mackay just a few hours before he was due to deliver Scottish Government budget

A jury found the former SNP leader not guilty on 12 of the sexual assault charges facing him, while another was found not proven.

Alex Salmond has a lot of evidence he wanted to introduce into court but was not allowed to. At some stage he will now release it.

As Salmond left the court, victoriously bumping elbows with his QC Gordon Jackson, it was said he intends to resume his political career by returning to the Holyrood backbenches at next year’s devolved election. The idea of him sitting behind Sturgeon in the chamber is almost unthinkably toxic after all that has passed. Can the First Minister survive this? What should voters make of a governing party that is so publicly and traumatically split?

In the meantime, Sturgeon cannot afford to be distracted from dealing with coronavirus, and neither can the country afford her to be. This crisis requires all her attention, long hours and total focus. But she knows now that there is another enemy on the horizon – her former mentor and friend – and that there will, one way or another, be a significant price to pay.

ronmcd wrote:From Andrew Neil:

A mess. Salmond and his supporters claiming attempted stitch-up by Sturgeon and her inner circle, and if we assume that's untrue (it seems unlikely) then as Andrew Neil points out on twitter, why on earth did the Procurator Fiscal bring the case without enough evidence likely to convict?

ronmcd wrote:From Andrew Neil:

Alex Salmond has a lot of evidence he wanted to introduce into court but was not allowed to. At some stage he will now release it.

Alex Salmond’s acquittal over sexual assault charges paves the way for an SNP civil war

As Salmond left the court, victoriously bumping elbows with his QC Gordon Jackson, it was said he intends to resume his political career by returning to the Holyrood backbenches at next year’s devolved election. The idea of him sitting behind Sturgeon in the chamber is almost unthinkably toxic after all that has passed. Can the First Minister survive this? What should voters make of a governing party that is so publicly and traumatically split?

In the meantime, Sturgeon cannot afford to be distracted from dealing with coronavirus, and neither can the country afford her to be. This crisis requires all her attention, long hours and total focus. But she knows now that there is another enemy on the horizon – her former mentor and friend – and that there will, one way or another, be a significant price to pay.

A mess. Salmond and his supporters claiming attempted stitch-up by Sturgeon and her inner circle, and if we assume that's untrue (it seems unlikely) then as Andrew Neil points out on twitter, why on earth did the Procurator Fiscal bring the case without enough evidence likely to convict?