I think the Green Party is the only major (;o) party without a thread :o I know they technically have three parties across the UK but I’m sure one thread is fine :lol:

 

The Greens nationwide are in a bit of a hard place at the moment. Jeremy Corbyn has swallowed up the far left votes, Lib Dem’s the hardcore anti Brexit and sadly climate change/environmental issues are very low down the pecking order in terms of voting reasons it seems, although that may change.

YouGov puts 'the environment' at 10th in the ranking of most important issues as ranked by the general public... below Brexit, the NHS, the economy, immigration, housing, defence, education, welfare, and crime. So it's not looking good for the green agenda at the moment.

They do rather well at Holyrood level thanks to proportional representation, but they're the only reason that Ruth Davidson is no longer a list MSP. If they'd not contested that seat it would not have fallen to the shedevil.

They do rather well at Holyrood level thanks to proportional representation, but they're the only reason that Ruth Davidson is no longer a list MSP. If they'd not contested that seat it would not have fallen to the shedevil.

Davidson hasn't held a single surgery since her election 20 months ago. If she hadn't won then the Greens would've lost a list seat in Lothian to the tories so it worked in their interests in the end.

I demand a tongue-in-cheek title for this General Discussion thread in line with those of the other major parties. I shall designate one by tomorrow if none is forthcoming.

Green shoots or Greens shot?

Yes, let's all blame parties and people democratically standing which affects the result in a way we don't like...

 

If only the Tories or Labour hadnt stood in Nick Clegg's constituency we might not have ended up with a homophobic misogynist as MP....

 

See? easy game to play. Any party is perfectly free to enter into an agreement to stand or not to stand in any constituency if it benefits both. Tends not to happen though....

Yes, let's all blame parties and people democratically standing which affects the result in a way we don't like...

 

If only the Tories or Labour hadnt stood in Nick Clegg's constituency we might not have ended up with a homophobic misogynist as MP....

 

See? easy game to play. Any party is perfectly free to enter into an agreement to stand or not to stand in any constituency if it benefits both. Tends not to happen though....

 

Of course, this wouldn't be a problem if we had PR.

Of course, this wouldn't be a problem if we had PR.

Or if the Greens hadn't stood in Hallam in 2015, incidentally.

Yes, let's all blame parties and people democratically standing which affects the result in a way we don't like...

 

If only the Tories or Labour hadnt stood in Nick Clegg's constituency we might not have ended up with a homophobic misogynist as MP....

 

See? easy game to play. Any party is perfectly free to enter into an agreement to stand or not to stand in any constituency if it benefits both. Tends not to happen though....

Actually they only stood in 3 constituency seats in Holyrood. This was calculated targeting of areas they thought would be most friendly to them and that backfired. Their actual electoral strategy was to get in off the list vote of Labour/SNP supporters

Or if the Greens hadn't stood in Hallam in 2015, incidentally.

 

I beg to differ, as in both 2015 & 2017, the Green's vote share was less than the winning margin.

Actually they only stood in 3 constituency seats in Holyrood. This was calculated targeting of areas they thought would be most friendly to them and that backfired. Their actual electoral strategy was to get in off the list vote of Labour/SNP supporters

 

in which case it may be case of just desserts with an unfortunate side effect - but one cant criticise or blame any party for challenging any seat it wants to in a democracy, that's the whole basis of our system, regardless of the result. You blame all parties equally for not collectively making the case to voters, or for not agreeing to put up one candidate between them.

 

I agree with Vidcapper about PR, of course. (faints)

Actually they only stood in 3 constituency seats in Holyrood. This was calculated targeting of areas they thought would be most friendly to them and that backfired. Their actual electoral strategy was to get in off the list vote of Labour/SNP supporters

To be fair, they did very well in Glasgow Kelvin coming second but I doubt they would've done that with a generic green candidate/someone other than Patrick Harvie.

in which case it may be case of just desserts with an unfortunate side effect - but one cant criticise or blame any party for challenging any seat it wants to in a democracy, that's the whole basis of our system, regardless of the result. You blame all parties equally for not collectively making the case to voters, or for not agreeing to put up one candidate between them.

 

I agree with Vidcapper about PR, of course. (faints)

I've said it before on here but PR works incredibly in the Scottish Parliament. No party has an overwhelming surplus between vote share and seats.

One of the many reasons I support STV is that it might stop minor parties from whining.

One of the many reasons I support STV is that it might stop minor parties from whining.

STV is okay but MPs having to represent even larger areas than they do now? That'll be very unfair on rural areas who's MPs are traveling huge distances as it is, particularly in North East Scotland and the Highlands.

STV is okay but MPs having to represent even larger areas than they do now? That'll be very unfair on rural areas who's MPs are traveling huge distances as it is, particularly in North East Scotland and the Highlands.

There would be multiple MPs representing each area though, and you could have smaller constituencies with fewer MPs in more rural areas.

The Green Party membership move motion to support a 15% pay rise for NHS workers:

 

@1368279039773970439

 

 

Or alternatively we could, y'know, clap for a bit.

 

@1368115628511531008