# General > Politics >  Who will you vote for in the 2021 Holyrood election?

## aqua

The next Holyrood election is due to be held on 6 May 2021. Who do you intend to vote for?

I am undecided. As usual!

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## dc1

certainly not the snp they talk about devolution up here in the north we had more control over our own affairs  before the snp got in power

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## Gronnuck

SNP.  Its a means to an end.  Throw off the shackles of Westminster and we can then vote for a Scottish government of any shade we want.

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## dc1

everything will still be done from the central belt,there is no difference from being controled from london  than from edinburgh , it makes no differnce to us up here london or edinburgh, the only thing i will add is that before before devolution and before snp got in power we had more say in our own affairs up here

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## Gronnuck

> everything will still be done from the central belt,there is no difference from being controled from london  than from edinburgh , it makes no differnce to us up here london or edinburgh, the only thing i will add is that before before devolution and before snp got in power we had more say in our own affairs up here


I take then you will be happy with a Tory government lead by Boris Johnson for the next four years or so, followed by another Tory government after that?

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## The Horseman

That would be great!

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## ecb

I am disillusioned with the main political parties (who win almost all the seats).  I often find that a party makes favourable noises when in opposition, then when the get in to power, they often don't do the things that they promised (or appeared to promise) and do things that they said that they wouldn't do and there are often scandals and cover ups. 

There seem to be quite a few politicians who leave school, go to university, get involved with a political party at university, are selected as a candidate in their twenties in a winnable seat and are elected without having much life experience or having had what most people would consider to be a normal job. 

I used to vote for the one who's policies seemed best.  After a few elections I looked at which would do me the least damage.  Nowadays, I tend to politely spoil my voting paper.

It would be great if some first class independent candidates were elected as I get the impression that some party politicians care more for their party (and their rise within it) than the people that they represent.  

At least candidates who had worked in a normal job for quite a few years, maybe managed people, had to make tough decisions, maybe had to overcome some hardship, maybe had been made redundant and had to get a new job.  Also as they would be making decisions about public services, that they used the National Health Service when ill, sent their children to state schools, regularly used public transport etc.

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## dc1

gronnuck i have never voted tory so far  and i am 76 yrs of age but iremember when the bins were lying uncollected and all the trouble we had ,ialso remember not that long ago when we had our own  police stations in all the villages our own county council more control over more of our own affairs which we have lost since devolution and i know horseman will remember these things  and we have lost a lot more

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## The Horseman

ecb......
Your comments resonate with The Truth, and common sense....
And 
dc1......The same.
Approx 30 years ago, I was a Senior Advisor to our Solicitor General’s Dept..(Your Home Office).
One of the ‘up and comers’ had started Volunteering in Politics at 14, and then to Uni in Political Science, and then Full Time Gov’t!
He was well spoken, but need my briefing notes to get it correct, and then when a Question was asked he had to answer it ‘ On Advisement’!
Just as you said....plus he had to follow ‘The part Line’, which sometimes was contrary to what was promised.
C’est la vie!

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## Gronnuck

*dc1* and *Horseman*; I too am of an age to remember what all went before, but Westminster has never done Scotland any favours.  The SNP might well not be to your taste, but at the moment they are the only party that can take us out of this toxic union.  All the other parties are constrained by their allegiance to their London-centric Westminster headquarters and their greater England policies.  Once free of Westminster we can build a new future with truly Scottish parties of any shade we wish which will have Scottish interests at their heart.

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## The Horseman

Gronnuck,
Perhaps you are correct.
It just seems that this is a difficult time to be espousing separation, in the midst of all the other probs...Covid, Brexit etc.

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## The Horseman

I was just reading about the probs within the SNP.
If they cannot agree with each other, how can they Rule!
Transgender issues seem to be more important, than containing and eliminating Covid!

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## Alrock

> I was just reading about the probs within the SNP.
> If they cannot agree with each other, how can they Rule!
> Transgender issues seem to be more important, than containing and eliminating Covid!



Name me one Political Party which is in total agreement? (& I don't mean being too scared to condradict your Supreme Leader). Politics is about debate & compromise.

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## The Horseman

> Name me one Political Party which is in total agreement? (& I don't mean being too scared to condradict your Supreme Leader). Politics is about debate & compromise.


Supreme Leader??? And who mite that be?

And your Caption at the bottom of your page....Pray tell....

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## mi16

Will probably go lib dem for the sole reason that they will stand the best chance of keeping amp out of Caithness & Sutherland once more

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## Gronnuck

> Will probably go lib dem for the sole reason that they will stand the best chance of keeping amp out of Caithness & Sutherland once more


While I would like to support the Lib Dems or the Greens, I see no point in supporting unionist parties who take their instructions from their London HQ where Scotland's interests are so low on their priority list as to be non-existent.  I'd rather aspire to independence and then choose a party that has Scotland's interested first and foremost.

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## aqua

I still don’t know who I’ll vote for. Perhaps no-one.  :Frown:

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## ecb

Candidates for the Caithness, Sutherland and Ross constituency:

https://whocanivotefor.co.uk/electio...land-and-ross/


The candidates for the Highlands and Islands region are

https://whocanivotefor.co.uk/electio...ds-and-islands

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## Corky Smeek

Interesting article in the Guardian today. The Guardian is one of the most Unionist of all newspapers yet even it sees what is happening in the UK. In the article Jessica Elgot, Deputy Political Editor comments on the view that Boris Johnson "speaks for England alone.".

https://www.theguardian.com/politics...-servant-warns

I'm not sure if the article is behind a paywall. Just in case it is here are the opening two paragraphs:-

_"The pandemic has seeded the idea of a prime  minister “who speaks for England alone” as relations between the four  nations of the UK deteriorate amid “deep-rooted complacency”, a senior  former civil servant has warned.
_
_There is  widespread ignorance towards the union, meaning ministers can be kept in  the dark about major reforms with little consideration for the four  nations, Philip Rycroft, the permanent secretary to the Brexit  department until 2019, says in a report.".
_
As if we didn't already know. Remember his assertion that a pound spent in Croydon is of more value to the UK than a pound spent in Strathclyde.

I wonder if Boris Johnson could even point to Caithness on a map. Why would anyone want to vote for a party who has him as leader?

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## Alrock

> Interesting article in the Guardian today. The Guardian is one of the most Unionist of all newspapers yet even it sees what is happening in the UK. In the article Jessica Elgot, Deputy Political Editor comments on the view that Boris Johnson "speaks for England alone."....


Interesting article

No paywall on the Guardian, they just ask for a donation...

"...Unlike many others, we have maintained our choice: to keep  Guardian journalism open for all readers, regardless of where they live  or what they can afford to pay....
...
If there were ever a time to join us, it is  now. Every contribution, however big or small, powers our journalism  and sustains our future.* Support  the Guardian from as little as £1 – it only takes a minute. If you can,  please consider supporting us with a regular amount each month. Thank  you."*

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## mi16

Id sooner vote for ISIS than SNP

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## Kiltedviking

Since I don’t HATE the Scots or Scottish people . I can’t vote for a party or parties that don’t believe in freedom of choice ,so the unionists are out .

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## Oddquine

I will hold my nose and vote SNP1, probably for the last time ever in 52 years of voting SNP... and Alba2.

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## The Horseman

From reading several articles, it would appear that the IndyRef2 is not going ahead!
Is that a true perception?     
Am No Gloatan!   Ty.

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## Fulmar

I think it will go ahead but not yet. There is no definite date as yet set by anyone (including the new SNP administration) but an aspiration to hold it in the next couple of years I think. However, I think you know all of this already, don't you?!

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## The Horseman

> I think it will go ahead but not yet. There is no definite date as yet set by anyone (including the new SNP administration) but an aspiration to hold it in the next couple of years I think. However, I think you know all of this already, don't you?!


‘Wis jist Jokan’.....What I was Reading on here over the past year, I understood everyone was heading to the Polls ASAP.....So the SNP didn’t make it!
I guess that’s what it boils down to.

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## The Horseman

Perhaps someone can say why the SNP has backed off INDYREF2?
I thought it was all all a go, but not a word.
Is it common sense, or are there other reasons.
Ty..s

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## Gronnuck

A growing number of independence supporters are beginning to think that the Murrells prefer the status quo where they are safe in their well-paid jobs and can continue to 'dangle the carrot'.

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## The Horseman

> A growing number of independence supporters are beginning to think that the Murrells prefer the status quo where they are safe in their well-paid jobs and can continue to 'dangle the carrot'.


Perhaps you could define/explain ‘Murrells’ and The Carrot for me.  Been away a long time!  I am but a Simple person. Ty

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## Oddquine

> A growing number of independence supporters are beginning to think that the Murrells prefer the status quo where they are safe in their well-paid jobs and can continue to 'dangle the carrot'.


Which is why some of us long-standing SNP voters voted Alba on the list this time, and held our noses to vote SNP as Alba asked. Even though we got no list seats, the party did nae bad in six weeks, with no media publicity, bar bad publicity, and Nicola stamping her feet and pouting like a stroppy two year old every time Alex Salmond or Alba was mentioned, as if she was being denied something to which she was entitled...ie the pro-indy vote. So given the circumstances, it's a good start....think what we could do in 4/5 years time, when there is another Scottish election, and Nicola is still dangling the carrot of an independence referendum and talking about in indyref "sometime in this next parliament, when the time is right". Some of us think that the time is never going to be right as long as she is SNP leader and hubby is CEO of the SNP.

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## The Horseman

Thanks......let’s hope you get your wish one day. S

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## Fulmar

However, it is one thing to hold Indyref 2 and quite another matter to win it and I have not seen any dispute over the fact that it appears, once again, to be split fifty fifty for and against.

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## Corky Smeek

Mrs Murrell has previously stated that she wants to see pro Indy polling at 60% or thereabouts before firing the starting gun on IndyRef 2. That worries me greatly because it was the campaign in 2014 that got polling from somewhere in the low 30s up to the eventual 45%. The fact that there was a campaign underway focused people's minds much more than is the case during this relatively quiet spell. If she wants "Yes" to be consistently around 60% before giving the go-ahead then I think we will be waiting a long time. 

A starting position of "Yes" on 50% is a helluva lot better than it was 7 years ago and gives us something to build upon. Like others I am concerned about the SNP getting too comfortable in power. I voted for them earlier this month but unless it is clear to me that they are moving decisively towards IndyRef 2 taking place within the next 12-24 months I'll be looking for another pro-Indy party to support.

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## The Horseman

A question.....So where is Scotland headed.
I see the issues of Cows being treated better than ‘Pregnant Women.
What happens on the West Coast.  Do people still have to make that 100 mile journey X 2?

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## Tom Bowler

Horseman
Answer = Downhill.

Yes people still have to journey down the road for treatment/ consultations, for an example a friend of mine who was diagnosed with terminal cancer was made to travel to Raigmore four times (260 mile round trip) just to be told he was going to die. Four precious days he could have spent with his family. The "Near me " video system was working but my friend was not allowed to use it !




> A question.....So where is Scotland headed.
> I see the issues of Cows being treated better than ‘Pregnant Women.
> What happens on the West Coast.  Do people still have to make that 100 mile journey X 2?

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