Should Scotland be an independent country?

Case in point.

Drug deaths are driven by intersectional factors. Why don’t you try to list out the factors that drive opiate overdoses.

How many of those factors are in control of the Scottish government and how many are controlled by Westminster.

Maybe it could be treated as a public health issue and not a criminal issue... except Westminster won’t permit any changes to the 1971 misuse of drugs act.

See Glasgow city’s numerous initiatives to reduce heroin deaths that then shut down by the Home Office.

What or who is feeding your cognitive dissonance rudeboy?

That's an interesting comment - what are you basing it on?

Funny what a difference a bit of time makes. Immediately post-brexit there were "xit" movements all over the shop. The fucking shambles the Tories have made + covid has killed those movements dead in the water. For now.

I’m all for an independent Scotland
I’m considering even moving just in case it does get independence.

But you’ll be taking Gove back yeah?

This is austerity.

How can you not attribute the reduction in services with the reduction in budget.

Where does the SNP sit in the political spectrum?

Ex-racists turned centerist dads.

Really? Never been a racist, but I am a left wing SNP dad.

Lets blame the Torieeez for Scotland's ills... I'm sure I've heard that before.

The SNP have been in power at Holyrood for a decade. On every metric Scotland has declined, education, health, crime, the economy. These are devolved powers.

This is, unfortunately for your argument, not true.

Just underwater death machines you're not a fan of?

It was a facetious comment about some of the people behind the orginal movement and where it is today.

I'll try and find full details, but most of my knowledge is from listening to an Andrew Marr thing... In Our Time maybe(?) On the Indy movement and one of the interesting points was how Salmon managed to move it toward a more progressive movement. Pretty sure it also referenced some of the early movement leaders being massive racists which makes sense given the time and that it's a nationalist movement.

No, the Big bangy launched from subs, silos and planes missile ones are my least favourite, I like motive machines although I know they’re responsible for many deaths also, alas standing still is no longer an option.

I share your sentiments. Just thought it a slightly strange comment from someone with a literal nuclear bomber for an avatar.

I agree with that, every political party has its zealots , nut jobs and single issue wingnuts, see the SNPs current transphobia issue. Also see Desmond Swayne, John redwood, Kate Hoey, the DUP and Donald Trump. We’re fucked.

I took the photo, it flew right over me, amazing to see but I know sadly what it was built for.

Which part is untrue?

Scottish NHS spending is higher per person than in England as they protected it from (some of) the impact of austerity, it's rewarded them by out-performing the UK NHS in terms of waiting times and so forth.

That's the bit I know about, I imagine that as you were wrong on the NHS some investigation may show you're wrong on some or all of the other stuff.

Life expectancy would be my preferred metric on health

https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/statistics-and-data/statistics/statistics-by-theme/life-expectancy/life-expectancy-in-scotland/2017-2019#:~:text=In%20Scotland%20in%202017%2D2019,2018%20figures%20published%20last%20year.

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Education


https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1632/idt2/idt2/1b870ff3-caae-4e8f-b6bd-96f42f4b7876/image/816

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-50642855#:~:text=Scotland's%20scores%20in%20the%202018,data%20to%20504%20this%20time.

Economy

https://fraserofallander.org/scottish-gdp-guide/

We’re definitely fucked then, let’s just knuckle down and be at the mercy of another countries whims. Sunlit uplands are just around the corner.
What’s your thoughts on self determination?

Life expectancy would be my preferred metric on health

I too can cherry pick data to support my conclusions.

But what you seem to be saying is that the current situation for Scotland is one of long term decline, so best not to risk that.

Your link is to a qualitative survey of health care provision. My view is that life expectancy provides a definite measure of long term health trends that is easily measured in a quantitative sense (which allows for accurate comparison).

But devolved powers don't cover everything that would affect life expectancy and life expectancy will include the lives of people who spent a large majority of their lives living under non devolved powers. It's something to look at but not the only thing.

So we can live long shitty lives as a colony without the basic right to determine our own future? Do you get the government you voted for? If you don’t how would you change it? Would you deny that right to others?

With first past the post most people don't get the gov't they voted for.

Your link is to a qualitative survey of health care provision. My view is that life expectancy provides a definite measure of long term health trends that is easily measured in a quantitative sense (which allows for accurate comparison).

Long term health trends being a good metric when Scottish Devolution happened in 1999?

Or do you think that you've picked a figure that you think supports your argument just as long as you don't look at it too closely?