The Herald Election Site

The SNP yesterday made clear that if it forms a minority government on Wednesday it will press ahead with proposals to cut the number of ministers in the Scottish Executive.

John Swinney, finance spokesman, said they were pushing ahead with their manifesto commitment to reduce the number of cabinet posts. They propose to have six ministers in an SNP government, compared with 11 in the last Labour and Liberal Democrat coalition.

Mr Swinney also revealed there were some policies an SNP administration would be able to put into place without gaining majority support in the Scottish Parliament.

With 47 MSPs, they have one more than Labour and have secured a co-operation agreement with the two Green MSPs. But failure to secure the support of Liberal Democrats leaves them well short of an overall majority in the 129-member Parliament.

Mr Swinney has been involved in a "significant amount" of work with civil servants this week to establish the "structure and design of an SNP administration".

He said an SNP cabinet would have six ministers - the First Minister and ministers for finance and sustainable growth, health and well-being, education and skills, justice, and lastly, rural affairs and the environment. There would also be 10 deputy ministers.

Mr Swinney said the party still planned to introduce a white paper on an independence referendum, despite the majority of pro-Union MSPs in the parliament.

It all sounds very sensible. And a white paper on independence is very welcome.

David my friend.
thank you for replying last night giving me your history on voting for SNP. and your hopes of independence one day.
Also thanks for telling Vronsky about my website.
Tomorrow I will be putting the " Freddie Mercury website" back on. This is a relatively new site called "Lover of Life Singer of Songs" lolsos.
Thank you my friend and political foe. ( tongue in cheek)

RETIRED................... OR BRIAN BLESSED. Read this. David el escocés wrote: TO JASON4QUEEN One more thing. You have a web site and some other people don't. At least you are wearing your heart on your sleeve and saying, "This is what I am and this is what I believe." Although your politics differs from mine, I think you are doing something that a lot of labour supporters don't do, and that is asking questions. You don't OFTEN come on and say, "I believe this and you are all wrong." You do at least look for some answers as to why we Nats think as we do. For me, as I have stated before, I was there when Winnie Ewing took Hamilton and was part of the "car cavalcade." Yes I am that old, (55 going on 20), and the sense of BIG CHANGE was in the air! I remember people from the "sing-sing" scheme in Hamilton cheering us on when we drove through the estate. These were people who traditionally voted labour and had had enough. I have waited for forty years for this big breakthrough and my heart is bursting. I don't know how old you are (and I suppose it for me or anybody to wait, but I have waited through the bad years when we were in decline. The recent upsurge in support for the SNP has gladdened me immensely and I'm sure you understand that although you don't agree. One thing to think of. During my adolescent years and adulthood, labour was always very strong in Scotland. We voted labour when England voted Tory and we in Scotland were stuck with Thatcher & Major. I remember 1997 when Tony Blair & labour won the election. Although I voted SNP then, I was glad that we finally had got rid of the conservatives. In this we both agree. I just don't want to see another Tory government in my lifetime. Unfortunately, in my opinion, I don't think labour will win the next UK election. You will understand now that my voting SNP was not an anti-labour vote but a pro-Scotland vote. Scotland is traditionally a labour stronghold, although recent events have altered the map. There are many aspects of the labour manifesto I agree with, but if we have UK Tory control, it's all a bit pointless having labour in control of the Scottish parliament. we will be ignored. If we had an Independent Scotland, it wouldn't matter a toss if England, Wales & Northern Ireland were Tory as it wouldn't affect us. Think forward to the future if we WERE independent. The Scottish elections would take place and people would then vote on policies! The SNP, Labour, Tory, Liberal & Greens etc would produce manifestos. We would vote according to our beliefs as to what was best for our OWN country (hopefully with FULL proportional representation) and have a parliament working for our own populace doing what was best for us all. I believe only by voting SNP can we achieve all this and more. I know I can never change your mind, as you could never change mine, but I think I have set out exactly where I am am coming from. All the best from sunny Spain and I'll speak to you soon. You see Retired, This was written by an adult. Not a small child who only throws tantrums at those of us who disagree on certain SNP policies. You should take a leaf out of his book. Although it would have to be a picture pop up book for you to understand it.

RETIRED................... OR BRIAN BLESSED.
Read this.

David el escocés wrote:
TO JASON4QUEEN

One more thing. You have a web site and some other people don't. At least you are wearing your heart on your sleeve and saying, "This is what I am and this is what I believe." Although your politics differs from mine, I think you are doing something that a lot of labour supporters don't do, and that is asking questions. You don't OFTEN come on and say, "I believe this and you are all wrong." You do at least look for some answers as to why we Nats think as we do. For me, as I have stated before, I was there when Winnie Ewing took Hamilton and was part of the "car cavalcade." Yes I am that old, (55 going on 20), and the sense of BIG CHANGE was in the air! I remember people from the "sing-sing" scheme in Hamilton cheering us on when we drove through the estate. These were people who traditionally voted labour and had had enough. I have waited for forty years for this big breakthrough and my heart is bursting. I don't know how old you are (and I suppose it for me or anybody to wait, but I have waited through the bad years when we were in decline. The recent upsurge in support for the SNP has gladdened me immensely and I'm sure you understand that although you don't agree. One thing to think of. During my adolescent years and adulthood, labour was always very strong in Scotland. We voted labour when England voted Tory and we in Scotland were stuck with Thatcher & Major. I remember 1997 when Tony Blair & labour won the election. Although I voted SNP then, I was glad that we finally had got rid of the conservatives. In this we both agree. I just don't want to see another Tory government in my lifetime. Unfortunately, in my opinion, I don't think labour will win the next UK election. You will understand now that my voting SNP was not an anti-labour vote but a pro-Scotland vote.
Scotland is traditionally a labour stronghold, although recent events have altered the map. There are many aspects of the labour manifesto I agree with, but if we have UK Tory control, it's all a bit pointless having labour in control of the Scottish parliament. we will be ignored. If we had an Independent Scotland, it wouldn't matter a toss if England, Wales & Northern Ireland were Tory as it wouldn't affect us.
Think forward to the future if we WERE independent. The Scottish elections would take place and people would then vote on policies! The SNP, Labour, Tory, Liberal & Greens etc would produce manifestos. We would vote according to our beliefs as to what was best for our OWN country (hopefully with FULL proportional representation) and have a parliament working for our own populace doing what was best for us all. I believe only by voting SNP can we achieve all this and more.
I know I can never change your mind, as you could never change mine, but I think I have set out exactly where I am am coming from. All the best from sunny Spain and I'll speak to you soon.

You see Retired, This was written by an adult. Not a small child who only throws tantrums at those of us who disagree on certain SNP policies. You should take a leaf out of his book. Although it would have to be a picture pop up book for you to understand it.

Jigger, Ayr.
Thank you for replying last night on the story about Alex Salmond and his policies.
I want to shock you again by stating that if its true and AS decides that 6 Ministers is enough. Then I shall be the first to say this is great news. Lets cut the amount of red tape etc.
There are too many different departments which could easily be joined up with others.
I feel unwell, Im agreeing with Jigger.
Probably wont last Jigger so dont get to worried.

Hullo Jason, I took your advice and read the picture pop-up book "Jack and Cathy go to Edinburgh". It was rather dull and a lot of the pop-ups didn't work properly, though the ending made me smile. Is there a sequel, or is it the end of the road for Jack as a character?

My advice to you is: less is more. Much the same as Alex Salmond's thinking. 3 or 4 posts in a row from you is a bit much.

Jason4queen

Here was me thinking you were a princess but it has something to do with Freddie Mercury! Anyway, good on you son, you fight your corner and you are still here after your side got beat. Unlike Linda of Shettland, Joyce of Govan, etc., etc.

Anyway, don't spend too much time making long postings, those pets of yours will need feeding.

And on the subject above - good on the SNP. How much are you wanting for one of those ministerial Mondeos?

Have the Lib- Dums handed back their Mondeos yet?

The disproportionate amount of deputy ministers makes a mockery of their so called 'streamlining.' More smoke and mirrors from the Nats.

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