Kern wrote:
What's the general opinion of the SNP's record governing Scotland?
The general opinion (although it's not mine), is that they're doing a good job. This is demonstrated by a lot of people voting SNP who aren't remotely nationalist, or even Scottish, voting for the people who they think are the best left-leaning socialist types.
The fact is that it's a comparatively piddly little government, managing a mere 5 million people but demanding all of the pomp, scale and prestige of a government 10 times its population size (i.e. rUK). That and the economy is massively subsidised c/o Barnett from people they despise. I imagine their popularity would plummet if they had to do something as grown up as managing their own finances, which is precisely why they now don't want that, Oil prices through the floor and their independence economic plans exposed as an utter joke.
The inability to command or demand equivalent respect really eats them up. Hence the fierce nationalism, the flag-waving, and the disruptive naysaying of anything they think they can poke their noses in to. Like I've said before, it's a chip-on-shoulder mentality through and through.
I live in Edinburgh and I don't think Kern is the type to confuse cheesey tourist shops with the general over-inflation of nationalism I've spoken about before. There are some points of the Scottish ways that I quite enjoy, including the pipes. But not when it's overhyped into a crass parody of itself at all times, and for political ends. That makes you end up really rather hating it.
One thing I will say is that I notice more Saltires in ned-ridden bad areas of the city, much like you'd expect English flags to be disproportionately sported by idiot racist chavs. Somehow though the Scottish demand that you consider these examples to be respectable pride at ones country, yet the same isn't afforded to like-minded chaps in England. Perhaps I'll start snapping pictures whenever I see a Saltire for some reference material.
As an aside on Foxhunting - I can only assume the movement to relax the law is lip-service to the red-jacket wearing, horse-riding horn-tooting toffs that also support the Tories. I identify with them not at all and would find it vaguely amusing to see
them hunted by huge packs of foxes. The fact the move was doomed to fail probably upsets very few in government; it's just a move to keep a section of their traditional wealthy supporters happy. 'Hey look, at least we tried'.