Scottish Elections (2026)

[Dub]

Agreed. It was largely dead on its feet with the introduction of the Scottish Secure Tenancy in 2002 (which restricted the discount and eligibility criteria). But fair play - it had to go.

I thought that the right to buy scheme was a poor one mainly because the money it brought in to the treasury wasn't spent on replenishing the housing stock.

On the other hand, my mum and dad swapped their 5 bedroom house in broomhouse for a 2 bedroom house in Stenhouse and I pressured them in to buying it.

Because of the length of their continuous tenancy they got the place for about £6,500.00 and it was in a really nice area.

I remember the conversation with my mum, so embedded in the council tenancy culture, saying to me "but what happens if we break a window, the council won't replace it" and I said "Irene (I never called my mum and dad mum and dad) if a window breaks I'll pay for it"

It's a bit hypocritical of me to slate that thankfully long dead cow Thatcher's policy given I eventually benefitted but it was still a shit system which ultimately left people homeless.

 

[Archie]

I thought that the right to buy scheme was a poor one mainly because the money it brought in to the treasury wasn't spent on replenishing the housing stock.

On the other hand, my mum and dad swapped their 5 bedroom house in broomhouse for a 2 bedroom house in Stenhouse and I pressured them in to buying it.

Because of the length of their continuous tenancy they got the place for about £6,500.00 and it was in a really nice area.

I remember the conversation with my mum, so embedded in the council tenancy culture, saying to me "but what happens if we break a window, the council won't replace it" and I said "Irene (I never called my mum and dad mum and dad) if a window breaks I'll pay for it"

It's a bit hypocritical of me to slate that thankfully long dead cow Thatcher's policy given I eventually benefitted but it was still a shit system which ultimately left people homeless.

TBF for many people who were lucky enough to have a good house in a good area, the offer was too good to refuse.

 

[numptyploom]

,

Just received my notification that I will be getting my postal vote in 3 weeks or so.

A few auld faces not standing, yin-yang (another missing smilie) thoughts on them.

Some of the runners and riders have already fallen, well one of them

SNP a stick on really so I suppose it all depends on how the opposition is made up and how many seats they manage between them.

I was going to do a poll but, let's not kid ourselves, we all know how the Bounce lies!

No way will the SNP be getting my vote in Bo’ness. If the Monster Raving Loony Party resurrect themselves and put forward a candidate,they’ll get my vote.

 

[hibbybilly]

Because of the length of their continuous tenancy they got the place for about £6,500.00 and it was in a really nice area.

Got ours for £10,200 Dub, and if memory serves the mortgage was cheaper than the rent. Flogged it for £43K 3 years later.

 

[Smurf]

I thought that the right to buy scheme was a poor one mainly because the money it brought in to the treasury wasn't spent on replenishing the housing stock.

On the other hand, my mum and dad swapped their 5 bedroom house in broomhouse for a 2 bedroom house in Stenhouse and I pressured them in to buying it.

Because of the length of their continuous tenancy they got the place for about £6,500.00 and it was in a really nice area.

I remember the conversation with my mum, so embedded in the council tenancy culture, saying to me "but what happens if we break a window, the council won't replace it" and I said "Irene (I never called my mum and dad mum and dad) if a window breaks I'll pay for it"

It's a bit hypocritical of me to slate that thankfully long dead cow Thatcher's policy given I eventually benefitted but it was still a shit system which ultimately left people homeless.

Irony is i think it was originally a Labour idea. Politically it was a fantastic policy where many ordinary working class benefited such as my family. Though of course the Tories were given none of the credit....

 

[Beagle]

Irony is i think it was originally a Labour idea. Politically it was a fantastic policy where many ordinary working class benefited such as my family. Though of course the Tories were given none of the credit....

You seem upset by that…..

 

[Smurf]

You seem upset by that…..

Devastated.

Though let's give the SNP huge credit for the baby box.

 

[Beagle]

Devastated.

Though let's give the SNP huge credit for the baby box.

That’s nice you’re beginning to see the light. Keep it up K. We’ll steer you towards humanity yet

 

[Purple & Green]

Irony is i think it was originally a Labour idea. Politically it was a fantastic policy where many ordinary working class benefited such as my family. Though of course the Tories were given none of the credit....

Well Labour had floated it, but it had always been a Tory strand of thinking well before that.

This is an excerpt from Wikipedia:

A report published in January 2013 by London Assembly member Tom Copley, From Right to Buy to Buy to Let, showed that 36% of homes sold under Right to Buy in London (52,000 homes) were being rented by councils from private landlords, leading to criticisms that the scheme "represents incredibly poor value for money to taxpayers" since it "helped to fuel the increase in the housing benefit bill, heaped more pressure on local authority waiting lists and led to more Londoners being forced into the under-regulated private rented sector".

A survey in 2013 showed around one third of Right to Buy houses were now owned by private landlords, while the son of the late Ian Gow (Thatcher's housing minister) owned some 40 houses.

In 2015, Alan Murie concluded that "the proposed extension of right-to-buy could not easily be reconciled with the independence and charitable status of housing associations" and that "extending the right-to-buy to housing association tenants revived a previous Parliamentary debate and raised questions about the legal position of charities and the risks faced by housing associations and their funders".


A 2017 BBC survey of council areas where waiting lists were rising showed the councils had bought back houses they had been forced to sell, sometimes at many times the original price. Housing charities criticised the lack of investment in affordable housing.

******

On an individual level, it made absolute sense to take the right to buy where you could, but for me it was one of the worst short term policies of an era.

 

[greencol]

I dont follow politics TOO closely , but is the Scottish Government still paying off PFI schemes at shitloads of cash that could be used elsewhere.
And for removal of doubt, i am an SNP voter.
Have been since October 1974.

 

[Archie]

Irony is i think it was originally a Labour idea. Politically it was a fantastic policy where many ordinary working class benefited such as my family. Though of course the Tories were given none of the credit....

The Right to Buy is not, in itself, a bad idea. But prior to the mandatory scheme introduced by the Tories it was very limited. In fact there was no 'right' as such.

And for people lucky enough to be in good houses in good areas it was a boon - free money as we've seen highlighted here.

But of course it shattered the idea of council housing being an option for most people, which was the objective. Breaking the link between councils and tenants was the point. It's bemoaned that councils didn't replace the houses that were sold. They simply couldn't. Building houses that after a few years could be sold for a mandatory discount wasn't economically sustainable. That was the point.

The impact of the Right to Buy has been an explosion of owner occupation, a significant financial boost to those who benefited, and the collapse of council housing as an option for many people. This in turn has fed house price inflation, a growth in private renting and homelessness. Was it a price worth paying? For the lucky individuals - mostly yes. For society as a whole? That rather depends where you are coming from.

 

[Jack]

The right to buy scheme hasn't done as much for home ownership as some may think with something like 40% now in the hands of private landlords.

With ex council houses at the cheaper end of the scales that's fucked up the chance of many youngsters buying their first home.

Great idea really badly thought out.

 

[Archie]

I dont follow politics TOO closely , but is the Scottish Government still paying off PFI schemes at shitloads of cash that could be used elsewhere.
And for removal of doubt, i am an SNP voter.
Have been since October 1974.

The Scottish Government is paying for PFI schemes and the successors introduced by the SNP government.

One of the attractions of the PFI was it wasn't classified as borrowing. But these classifications were changed which made it less attractive in terms of government accounting.

This article discusses the issue in a critical way:

Private finance schemes cost Scottish taxpayers £40bn, says spending watchdog

Private finance schemes embraced by successive governments have left Scottish taxpayers having to foot a £40 billion bill to build schools, hospitals, roads and other public projects worth £9 billion, according to Scotland’s spending watchdog. In a damning new report, Audit Scotland warns that...

www.theferret.scot

It's an easy slogan to blast PFI. And there's no doubt that early PFI schemes were not well set up. But on the other hand it meant we got infrastructure when we needed it. And there is evidence that PFI hospitals are better maintained than non PFI hospitals because of the contractual requirements.

This is not to blindly defend PFI. But if it is dismissed out of hand what is it replaced with?

 

[Archie]

The right to buy scheme hasn't done as much for home ownership as some may think with something like 40% now in the hands of private landlords.

With ex council houses at the cheaper end of the scales that's fucked up the chance of many youngsters buying their first home.

Great idea really badly thought out.

Owner occupation was 39% of Scottish housing in 1979. It's now nudging 64%. Private renting is just over 13%. That's out of around 2.7m houses.

 

[Purple & Green]

Owner occupation was 39% of Scottish housing in 1979. It's now nudging 64%. Private renting is just over 13%. That's out of around 2.7m houses.

I took the 40% to mean, 40% of right to buy properties are now in the hands of private landlords

If that figure is accurate then I’d suggest it’s evidence that the scheme was an abject failure

As someone who spends his life walking up and down streets of social housing here’s my parodox

In the 80s if you walked down a street of social housing you could spot the private houses easily because they were the ones that had new harling, new windows new roofs etc

Wind on to today, and walking down those same streets and typically you can spot the social housing as generally they are now the houses in the best condition, while the privately owned houses are falling into a state of decay.

 

[EH17 Jimmy]

P&G your last paragraph is spot on. You can see it around my way.

And the hoose my lassie is in up in Gracemount has many problems and trying to get repairs done is a nightmare.

 

[Smurf]

That’s nice you’re beginning to see the light. Keep it up K. We’ll steer you towards humanity yet

Ironic.

 

[Smurf]

Nothing is free in any economy or society, it's all down to how the incumbent government decides to allocate their budget, it does work better if that government has access to all economic levers, but that's a tired conversation the remainers and no-ers won, so congrats on that to them. They have to decide whether means testing things is worth the cost, or to give everyone access to certain things for no cost at the point of use, prescriptions or bridge tolls being reasonable examples.
I can see the argument for mains testing on certain things, the government project I spend 80% of my working day on is a case in point... I decide whether people get insulation or heating or PV or whatever installed on their property, funded by the scottish government, free at the point of use to the client, and not means tested. I go to the poorest places in scotland and upgrade the hardest done by, but I also use that same pot of money to fund things for people I *think* could afford it. Based on my own assumptions, because I don't ask for evidence of wealth.

Things are free to certain people in one sense as some folk couldn't afford £10 per prescription, or the items given to them in baby boxes, or to pay for child care or school meals or for their kids dental bills. Access to free sanitary products is an outstanding policy, one of many things the current government introduced. They could do better, politicians should always be held accountable and made to be ambitious.

I'd have more money in my pocket if Reform or the Conservatives were in power, I'm very happy to pay higher taxes to keep them out. But that's a personal choice.

Good post.

However, it's time for a lot of realism and honesty as current spending isn't sustainable.

Personally I think we've all got caught up on the Labour/Tory/SNP nonsense of "10,000 more nurses" and "50,000 more police". Does this measurement deliver better results? I'm not so sure and I kind of think we could better incentivise and reward existing staff pushing up their productivity. On the latter the levels are pretty embarrassing here in the UK and Scotland.

The UK levels of borrowing are frightening (£15 thousand millions last month alone), taxes are historically high, most in work are hit hard by the cost of living crisis and public services are crumbling under huge pressures.

My point is difficult choices are ahead with no easy answers. And even if everyone not wanting Reform or Tory governance vote for higher taxes it isn’t going to bridge the gap.

I personally want to see us more in a more entrepreneurial direction in Scotland to create well paid employment. To make work really pay. To generate the taxes to improve public services and get better outcomes. I'm also open minded in private participation if it improves outcomes. The public sector is a growing percentage though of our economy and that isn't sustainable.

This Scottish Parliament has been timid and very conservative. I hope the next is much more bold and radical.

 

[Keepitgreen]

Good post.

However, it's time for a lot of realism and honesty as current spending isn't sustainable.

Personally I think we've all got caught up on the Labour/Tory/SNP nonsense of "10,000 more nurses" and "50,000 more police". Does this measurement deliver better results? I'm not so sure and I kind of think we could better incentivise and reward existing staff pushing up their productivity. On the latter the levels are pretty embarrassing here in the UK and Scotland.

The UK levels of borrowing are frightening (£15 thousand millions last month alone), taxes are historically high, most in work are hit hard by the cost of living crisis and public services are crumbling under huge pressures.

My point is difficult choices are ahead with no easy answers. And even if everyone not wanting Reform or Tory governance vote for higher taxes it isn’t going to bridge the gap.

I personally want to see us more in a more entrepreneurial direction in Scotland to create well paid employment. To make work really pay. To generate the taxes to improve public services and get better outcomes. I'm also open minded in private participation if it improves outcomes. The public sector is a growing percentage though of our economy and that isn't sustainable.

This Scottish Parliament has been timid and very conservative. I hope the next is much more bold and radical.

Hard to argue with that really Smurf.

Hit us with your top 3 bold and radical suggestions for the next parliament?

 

[Dub]

The Scottish Government is paying for PFI schemes and the successors introduced by the SNP government.

One of the attractions of the PFI was it wasn't classified as borrowing. But these classifications were changed which made it less attractive in terms of government accounting.

This article discusses the issue in a critical way:

Private finance schemes cost Scottish taxpayers £40bn, says spending watchdog

Private finance schemes embraced by successive governments have left Scottish taxpayers having to foot a £40 billion bill to build schools, hospitals, roads and other public projects worth £9 billion, according to Scotland’s spending watchdog. In a damning new report, Audit Scotland warns that...

www.theferret.scot

It's an easy slogan to blast PFI. And there's no doubt that early PFI schemes were not well set up. But on the other hand it meant we got infrastructure when we needed it. And there is evidence that PFI hospitals are better maintained than non PFI hospitals because of the contractual requirements.

This is not to blindly defend PFI. But if it is dismissed out of hand what is it replaced with?

Nice sleight of hand there Archie. The labour PFI schemes are costing Scorgov over £1B annually and will do for years, meaning that assets originally valued at up to £9B are costing the taxpayer £30-£40B in total repayments. Scotgov doesn't use PFI; they use the NPD model, which caps profits for private firms to 5%. Had Labour not lumbered the Scottish government the way they have done, there would be more money for public services, the very public services that Labour bang on about not being given enough money by the Scottish Government. That's what I call a brass neck.

 

[Dub]

Good post.

However, it's time for a lot of realism and honesty as current spending isn't sustainable.

Personally I think we've all got caught up on the Labour/Tory/SNP nonsense of "10,000 more nurses" and "50,000 more police". Does this measurement deliver better results? I'm not so sure and I kind of think we could better incentivise and reward existing staff pushing up their productivity. On the latter the levels are pretty embarrassing here in the UK and Scotland.

The UK levels of borrowing are frightening (£15 thousand millions last month alone), taxes are historically high, most in work are hit hard by the cost of living crisis and public services are crumbling under huge pressures.

My point is difficult choices are ahead with no easy answers. And even if everyone not wanting Reform or Tory governance vote for higher taxes it isn’t going to bridge the gap.

I personally want to see us more in a more entrepreneurial direction in Scotland to create well paid employment. To make work really pay. To generate the taxes to improve public services and get better outcomes. I'm also open minded in private participation if it improves outcomes. The public sector is a growing percentage though of our economy and that isn't sustainable.

This Scottish Parliament has been timid and very conservative. I hope the next is much more bold and radical.

Can't argue with that, but I would argue that it won't, can't happen while tied to the union. Something you will doubtless disagree with.

 

[connerg]

Got my Polling Card today. It's not a card, it's a piece of paper.

 

[Archie]

Nice sleight of hand there Archie. The labour PFI schemes are costing Scorgov over £1B annually and will do for years, meaning that assets originally valued at up to £9B are costing the taxpayer £30-£40B in total repayments. Scotgov doesn't use PFI; they use the NPD model, which caps profits for private firms to 5%. Had Labour not lumbered the Scottish government the way they have done, there would be more money for public services, the very public services that Labour bang on about not being given enough money by the Scottish Government. That's what I call a brass neck.

I think the sleight of hand isn't from me! NPD has been abandoned and replaced with MIM.

Here's left leaning nationalists perspective on the issue:

The Introduction of the New MIM Model in Scotland: A Poor Decision, Poorly Taken — Common Weal

The Scottish Government’s new favoured method of “off-book” spending maintains all of the risks of PFI.

www.commonweal.scot

PFI back? In Scotland it never went away | RobinMcAlpine.org

robinmcalpine.org

 

[Keepitgreen]

Good post.

However, it's time for a lot of realism and honesty as current spending isn't sustainable.

Personally I think we've all got caught up on the Labour/Tory/SNP nonsense of "10,000 more nurses" and "50,000 more police". Does this measurement deliver better results? I'm not so sure and I kind of think we could better incentivise and reward existing staff pushing up their productivity. On the latter the levels are pretty embarrassing here in the UK and Scotland.

The UK levels of borrowing are frightening (£15 thousand millions last month alone), taxes are historically high, most in work are hit hard by the cost of living crisis and public services are crumbling under huge pressures.

My point is difficult choices are ahead with no easy answers. And even if everyone not wanting Reform or Tory governance vote for higher taxes it isn’t going to bridge the gap.

I personally want to see us more in a more entrepreneurial direction in Scotland to create well paid employment. To make work really pay. To generate the taxes to improve public services and get better outcomes. I'm also open minded in private participation if it improves outcomes. The public sector is a growing percentage though of our economy and that isn't sustainable.

This Scottish Parliament has been timid and very conservative. I hope the next is much more bold and radical.

Hard to argue with that really Smurf.

Hit us with your top 3 bold and radical suggestions for the next parliament?

Still interested in your ideas here @Smurf - lord knows Rachel from accounts could do with some inspiration!

 

[Smurf]

Still interested in your ideas here @Smurf - lord knows Rachel from accounts could do with some inspiration!

Well I'd look at introducing some kind of Citizens Assembly for greater public participation on policy and to scrutinise legislation.

I'd replace council tax with a land tax.

Look at genuine lifelong free education.

Make Scotland the most tax competitive part of the UK. Get business to locate here.

 

[Keepitgreen]

Cheers Smurfy

Well I'd look at introducing some kind of Citizens Assembly for greater public participation on policy and to scrutinise legislation.

That rung a bell, can see we did a version of it before but was only for a year or so:

Citizens' Assembly of Scotland: research report

This report presents the findings of a collaborative research project led by a team of Scottish Government Social Researchers and independent academics from the Universities of Edinburgh and Newcastle, on Scotland’s first national Citizens’ Assembly

www.gov.scot

I like it, and wonder why it wasn't taken forward?

I'd replace council tax with a land tax.

That's a biggie isn't it. Agree CT needs overhauling, has done for ages. Are you thinking a percentage charge based on the value of the actual hoose? And would it exempt hoose values at a certain level, say any under £500k are exempt?

Look at genuine lifelong free education.

This is interesting, I know folk get their first degree for nowt, are you meaning second degrees, postgrads etc for free or more like adult further education i.e. college classes?

Make Scotland the most tax competitive part of the UK. Get business to locate here.

I know its the UKG that sets corporation tax so is this business rates? Had a look and yep can see we charge higher rates than rUK - I'd support lowering these too, although more aimed at small to medium sized for me.

I don't reckon these are too radical either, although you're right sadly that in today's political and economical climate they probably are viewed as such. If I get a break from work today at some point I'll dig around the party manifestos for this election and see (if any) who's mentioning stuff in these ballparks...

 

[Sancho Panza]

Due diligence really seems to be a thing of the past.

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[EH17 Jimmy]

Due diligence really seems to be a thing of the past.

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Aye Sancho but apart from that all is good in the world of politics

 

[hibbybilly]

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[Jack]

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Even a stopped clock etc..

Shame it didn't roll one for a few seconds more, I'd have liked to have heard Sarwars response.

However with both being habitual liars and all round arse holes it's difficult to believe either of them.

If true, and on the face of it it seems to be, then it illustrates labours main policy in Scotland. Point 1, hate the SNP. Last point, remember to hate the SNP. All points in between, hate the SNP.

If it wasn't such a childish pathetic approach to politics it would be funny.

 

[cleanyman]

I thought Sarwar performed very well on Monday but he’s beginning to crack already. Russell Findlay seems like a competent operator but he’s on a hiding to nothing. Ross Greer gives me the fear and looking at the polls the greens are going to do very well.

 

[Archie]

I thought Sarwar performed very well on Monday but he’s beginning to crack already. Russell Findlay seems like a competent operator but he’s on a hiding to nothing. Ross Greer gives me the fear and looking at the polls the greens are going to do very well.

TBH I think Sarwar's toast. I've no idea if what Offard is saying is true, but it does seem implausible. But I think today's mantra is believe Reform. Tomorrow it won't be.

 

[EH17 Jimmy]

Sarwar playing the race card? Who'd a thunk it.

 

[Archie]

Sarwar playing the race card? Who'd a thunk it.

Are you saying he's wrong?

 

[EH17 Jimmy]

Are you saying he's wrong?

Are Reform racist?

Depends who's looking at them Archie.

Is it only white folk who will vote reform?

Was it only white folk who voted for Brexit?

I think Sarwar is doing what most failed politicians do and start throwing ists or isms about.

 

[Archie]

Are Reform racist?

Depends who's looking at them Archie.

Is it only white folk who will vote reform?

Was it only white folk who voted for Brexit?

I think Sarwar is doing what most failed politicians do and start throwing ists or isms about.

Some people in Reform undoubtedly are. Brexit was a cross party vote. For example 30% of SNP voters voted for Brexit. I could equally say Offord's claim was a desperate attempt to deflect from Sarwar's challenge that a Reform candidate had wanted to deport his family.

The problem with a default response of 'playing the race card' is it implies racism doesn't exist. I don't think you believe that.

 

[EH17 Jimmy]

Some people in Reform undoubtedly are. Brexit was a cross party vote. For example 30% of SNP voters voted for Brexit. I could equally say Offord's claim was a desperate attempt to deflect from Sarwar's challenge that a Reform candidate had wanted to deport his family.

The problem with a default response of 'playing the race card' is it implies racism doesn't exist. I don't think you believe that.

Oh it exists. But every race can be the victim of racism. It's not unique to one race of people.

 

[Archie]

Oh it exists. But every race can be the victim of racism. It's not unique to one race of people.

I don't disagree.

 

[hibbybilly]

I thought Sarwar performed very well on Monday but he’s beginning to crack already. Russell Findlay seems like a competent operator but he’s on a hiding to nothing. Ross Greer gives me the fear and looking at the polls the greens are going to do very well.

Anus is a devious fuckin liar. He has as much chance of being FM than I have of scoring the winning goal at the World Cup final.

 

[paigntonhibby]

Some people in Reform undoubtedly are. Brexit was a cross party vote. For example 30% of SNP voters voted for Brexit. I could equally say Offord's claim was a desperate attempt to deflect from Sarwar's challenge that a Reform candidate had wanted to deport his family.

The problem with a default response of 'playing the race card' is it implies racism doesn't exist. I don't think you believe that.

Some people in every party are