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| Reluctant Hero |
Education Secretary Loses VoteEducation Secretary Fiona Hyslop has been "condemned" by the opposition parties after her announcement earlier in the week to cap primary one class sizes at 25.This according to the opposition parties is a clear sign that the SNP intend to dump the manifesto pledge to cut classes to 18. I think if we had a stronger opposition leader in this country, a lot more would be made out of this and similar issues. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/8272467.stm |
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| Aventinian |
It's still getting picked up on. It certainly featured fairly heavily in the media.
Iain Gray is awful though, no mistaking that. I have no problem with classes of 25, I've got to say - reducing to 18 is not a priority for me. In fact, I'm rather enjoying the 'promise everything, worry later' SNP manifesto falling to bits over the months. It's like watching a car crash in slow motion. |
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| landg |
so, is it 18 or 25 in the class sizes. just what did the manifesto promise. | ||||
| Stevie |
Quite small potatoes compared to the Tory/Labour screw ups leading to high unemployment figures, mass debt, mass job insecurity and a bleak Christmas to say the least for many tax payers who supported the Westminster genius of Brown. Cameron (will make things worse with his small minded spending cuts that will save little and hurt many), the same Thatcherite drivel of balancing the household budget being equivalent to running an economy. 18 or 25, just what are the Brit Nats doing here but simply gloating over the effects of the incompetence of their fellow Brit Nats in London screwing up Scotland. Labour and Tory at best can snipe and gripe in Scotland... and that doesn't win the popular vote in elections. Alec Salmond will duff them up with a few sharp left hooks at the next election. |
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| Stevie |
Smile if you will over the 18 to 25 thingy but just a self-evident further point.
The Scots know the SNP have their interests at heart first and foremost which cannot be said for the Brit Nat parties. The Labour, Tory and Lib-Dems have accomplished zero with respect to breaking the SNP, actually despite the Al Megrahi situation (the who, don't remember that guy. Who's that again?) they have done nothing to hit the SNP. This is due to Alec Salmond's political talents and the Brit Nats' great lack of talent and frankly 'smarts'. A 'car crash in slow motion'...? Nah, the only car crash is the two hearses of Labour and Tory colliding because they can't drive properly and the Lib Dems are the passengers in the boot. |
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| Alasdair |
I'm not sure you can pin this on the 'Brit Nats' Bravehand, the SNP rather foolishly promised class sizes for the lower end of primary to be 18. Clearly they've not delivered though.
I think that possibly the most salient point I've heard though was the allegation made by Salmond about Glasgow City council's closing schools. I'm fairly sure that a lot of this comes back to the concordate between the government and the council which seems to have been a persistent headache for the SNP. Undoubtedly the SNP are being damaged by these various failures to deliver be it on this issue or others. Regardless of the fact that I don't think that most parents are hugely interested in what the class sizes are, it has more to do with the quality of the teacher and teaching than class sizes. |
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| Stevie |
People know it's not a choice the SNP wish to make.
Speaking as a teacher, 18 is preferable to 25 but 25 is still okay in most situations. It's small potatoes I believe. But you speak clear sense as usual dear Alasdair. And I'm not there on the ground so to speak, thus I bow to your close at hand perspective. |
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| Aventinian |
Unfortunately for you, the vast majority of Scottish people - identifying as both British and Scottish - don't define who 'they' are in the same way which you do. Personally though, I don't vote on the government representing my interests - I can do that myself rather better than some turd in Edinburgh or London - but rather objective interests.
The alternative - that governments can somehow constantly spend more than they earn - is rather more ridiculous, I think. |
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| Alasdair |
Indeed, an economy of debt is largely why we fnid ourselves where we are now. |
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| Holebender |
Yes, it's rather surprising to find Aventinian supporting the UK when you consider the complete economic mess it has imposed on us all. | ||||
| Aventinian |
The constitution of a polity should allow for various politics within it. Whilst obviously I support the entrenchment of liberal measures in law, I don't want to create a one-party state. Within that arrangement, I - as with everyone else - must tolerate governments I don't agree with. If you're suggesting somehow the SNP could have run the economy better - by my standards - than Labour, then I'll just say, without descending into mockery and grand expressions of bafflement (for I am feeling rather cheerful today), that I simply think you are wrong. |
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| Holebender |
I too would fight tooth and nail to avoid a one-party state. Why oh why are opponents of independence so blinkered that they believe an independent Scotland would be a one-party state?
This has absolutely nothing to do with the SNP, it has to do with Scotland's politicians running Scotland's economy more effectively and efficiently that the UK's politicians have managed. Surely even the blindest hater of the SNP can see that the UK's politicians have made a complete dog's dinner of our economy and that any competent politician could do a better job of it! Or do you believe that Scotland's politicians, answerable to Scotland's voters, are incapable of doing better? |
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| Shagpile |
I would rate that as possibly one of your best posts Bravehand. 
On the subject of Education, Education, Education. Their Westminster counterpart last week anounced cuts in Education....... but the people of England shouldn't wory about this!  
The whole point in Scotland that class sizes will be capped, it's still heading in the right direction. Remind me again please........ who decides how much Scotland gets, and who's cut that? The logic is simple really....... unless you happen to be "Landg". |
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| Shagpile |
Totally agree...... my guess is the Cons, Nats, Greens will be for sure in the running. Liberals, and Labour will seriously have to re-invent themselves after so long in the shade. Cons, will be established as the "right", Nats as "Centre", and Green as "Left". The "Torys" have already seen the writing on the wall..... and that's why they were against devolution. Now they hide less their objections to independence..... DON'T BUY IT THOUGH! UNTIL INDEPENDENCE, THEY'RE STILL UNIONIST. Bet posters like "Landg" never thought of that...... |
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| Stevie |
Far be it from me then to spoil your moment then. |
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