Scotland's not thrilled with the Brexit Party

I listened to the radio last night to try to keep up with the EU elections. I found that BBC was streaming the same broadcast on all their channels that had coverage, including the one on AM that is my backup "go to".  They were on and on about the results and the Brexit party and it took a bit for me to realize that they had said maybe one line in a few hours' chat on Scotland, and Wales, and had said nothing about NI, as if none of them mattered.

In Glasgow, the voting went:

Glasgow City, Scotland
Scottish National Party Share  %43.9(+14.7)
Labour Share %15.1(-20.2)
Green Share %12.1(+0.3)
The Brexit Party Share  %9.8(+9.
Liberal Democrats Share %9.2(+6.3)
Conservative Share %6.2(-2.2)
Change UK Share %1.6(+1.6)
UKIP Share %1.6(-8.1)
Gordon Edgar Share %0.3(+0.3)
Ken Parke Share %0.1(+0.1)

I think Edinburgh had similar results. Which were not supportive of the Brexit Party - by a longshot.  Seriously, a message has been sent. I suspect it'll be ignored, though.

Same here and most districts I’ve seen results for. Ours was

The results are in for Aberdeenshire.

SNP 23,254
BREXIT PARTY 14,671
CONSERVATIVES 13,297
LIB DEMS 12,496
GREENS 4,573
LABOUR 2,199
UKIP 1,526
CHANGE UK 1,526
Edgar, Gordon 279 and Parke, Ken 97

Three of Wales's districts (up along the northwest coastline and Anglesey) went Plaid Cwmru, the rest were Brexit Party.  Northern Ireland's voting system is in some way different to the rest of the UK, so BBC weren't reporting them with the rest of us.  I think their votes aren't even counted yet.

Yeah, they count NI's votes today. Apparently there are so few people there that England discounts whatever they desire as not mattering?

Yeah, they count NI's votes today. Apparently there are so few people there that England discounts whatever they desire as not mattering?

The EU splits England into several areas for MEP numbers and gives NI, Scotland a Wales a set number of MEPs. Allocation of MEPs is based on population size.

Three of Wales's districts (up along the northwest coastline and Anglesey) went Plaid Cwmru, the rest were Brexit Party.   

I was so pleased to see Plaid Cymru beat Labour in Wales, I know they have had an uphill battle.

Northern Ireland's voting system is in some way different to the rest of the UK, so BBC weren't reporting them with the rest of us. I think their votes aren't even counted yet.

All EEA countries can have their own voting system for EU elections, but they must use proportional representation to allocate MEPs, which means that every vote counts towards the party the voter wants and MEPs are allocated on the number of votes for their political party.

The UK's normal voting system is, the party first past the post, which often means a political party with only about 40%  of the vote will govern the UK even though the other 60% plus of voters do not want that party. If somebody wanted to vote for say the Greens, they won't as that vote will not count as it's seen as a wasted vote.

It would take MPs to agree to change the UK voting system to proportional representation where every vote counts towards the party you want, but the Conservatives, Labour and SNP MPs will never agree to that. The present UK voting system favours those three parties and they would lose MPs if proportional representation was brought in.

Interesting. Well, as I was telling the Daughter before we moved over here, it was going to be interesting times. We were either going to watch the disintegration of the last of the Old British Empire, or the evolution of something completely new. Possibly be part of the building of a new, independent nation.  We were 50/50 on NI going back to the Republic, and were pretty sure that Scotland would go indy within 10 years.  I'm still thinking at least some of that is true.    Not sure we'll get to be here to see it happen, but it would be interesting to watch from the inside.

I just had a nice long phone conversation with a friend back in the States, where they are blissfully unaware of things Brexit. To the point that I had to remind her of what it was. It was refreshing. Of course, they have ... other things... to deal with. We agreed that if I didn't mention "B" she wouldn't mention "T" and we had a lovely chat. Their economy is running wide open - which reminds me very much of the bubble that blew up in 2007/08. But for now, things are "good" there. (Not counting the abortion fight, "T", medical care fight, serious financial inequality, etc., etc., etc.)

Oh, something the Daughter said while we were switching TV channels earlier today. There seems to be an unhealthy obsession with WWII "England alone against the Evil Nazi Empire" evidenced by all the war movies broadcast here. It's over. It's been over for almost three quarters of a century. (Yes, my Dad and uncles fought in it, too - and they moved on with their lives when they made it home. The "heroic alone" bit always kind of gets to me - like Australia, New Zealand, India, Canada, France, the Scandinavian countries, Russia, China, USA, etc.,  weren't involved? Don't tell that to my Dad, who saw his unit shot to pieces in a freezing forest in the  Battle of the Bulge. My late Uncle Sgt. Mjr. Marine who was all over the South Pacific would have a thing or two to say, as well, if he were still alive.)  The WW2 channel I can see being there - for those who are really into the history - but it's bleeding out onto regular programming as well. I just switched off, a while ago, a really bad remake of The Battle of Britain. Yesterday I avoided another one. Put that with all the "don't waste food" commercials that have been on lately, and I would be very interested to have a lunch with the person(s) in charge of the public relations for Brexit at the Home Office (or wherever it is they've got them). They're doing it all textbook correct, but it's just so blatant! I'm no picture of subtlety and grace, but, really.... 

Anti-Brexit parties ‘claim biggest share of vote despite Brexit Party surge’

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/anti-brexit-parties-claim-biggest-131812611.html

Here's the real reason that everyone who supports Brexit is fighting tooth and nails to stop a people's vote.  Because "democracy".

Ah. Here we go... https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-48424906


First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has called for a new Scottish independence referendum in the second half of 2020. Speaking in Dublin Ms Sturgeon said the "latter half" of next year would be the "right time" for a new poll. The SNP leader predicted victory in a second vote, with Scotland becoming "an independent country just like Ireland". Ms Sturgeon also confirmed legislation setting out the rules for another independence referendum will be published at Holyrood on Wednesday.

The first minister, who met Taoiseach Leo Varadkar during her Irish trip, had previously said she wanted to hold a second vote on Scottish independence by May 2021 if the country was taken out of the EU.

'Right time'
Speaking after her party secured 37.7% of the Scottish vote in the European elections she gave a clearer indication of her preferred timeframe. Ms Sturgeon said: "There will be another Scottish independence referendum and I will make a prediction today that Scotland will vote for independence and we will become an independent country just like Ireland, and the strong relationship between our two countries now will become even stronger soon. "I want to see Scotland having the choice of independence within this term of the Scottish Parliament, which ends in May 2021, so towards the latter half of next year would be when I think is the right time for that choice."

And if the UK Govmt down in London doesn't give "permission" for the indy vote, what's to stop Scotland from just going ahead and having one anyway? (No, serious question.)  London, when in the EU, was telling Scots that they'd sabotage any plans Scotland had for joining the EU if it went indy. Now that the UK is leaving the EU, what's to stop the Scots from just telling them to, well, stuff it and have their vote anyway?

 Topic: Scotland's not thrilled with the Brexit Party

I will take your word for it. But just what the hell is Scotland ever thrilled about?? That is the question.

Topic: Scotland's not thrilled with the Brexit Party

I will take your word for it. But just what the hell is Scotland ever thrilled about?? That is the question.

It used to be Irn Bru until they replaced some of the sugar with aspartame. Now pretty much nothing. But Lewis Capaldi seems to be bringing a smile to this country again.

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Topic: Scotland's not thrilled with the Brexit Party

I will take your word for it. But just what the hell is Scotland ever thrilled about?? That is the question.

Kinda racist there, SOS. 

Kinda racist there, SOS. 

I am Scottish by decent. We have a tartan and all (though oddly it is different according to which company).

I am Scottish by decent. We have a tartan and all (though oddly it is different according to which company).

Same here, if you go back far enough!

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Same.

So it's "just banter", huh? 

I also can't wear the beautiful Mexican skirt and blouse I bought in TJ one year, because that's "cultural appropriation".... 

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Hail hail, the Hibs are here