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Dean M Thomson Profile picture
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28 Mar, 4 tweets, 1 min read
Remember when I put together my thread outlining why I thought Alex Salmond's intervention would hurt Nicola Sturgeon? [1/4]

Well, Mr Salmond's talk about taking to the streets to obtain independence is precisely the sort of thing I had in mind; hurting Nicola Sturgeon & the SNP. [2/4]

This is exactly the sort of thing I was referring to when I wrote:

➡️Mr Salmond is going to force Ms Sturgeon to keep returning to the constitutional question

➡️ SNP formidable PR machine cannot strategically control the narrative. [3/4]
If Alex Salmond keeps speaking out in this sort of divisive, hard line pro-independence fashion, Nicola Sturgeon is going to have to either distance herself (and SNP) from it...or embrace it. She won't be able to ignore it. [4/4]

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More from @DeanMThomson

Dean M Thomson Profile picture
30 Mar
FM spoke of the importance of equality of opportunity in her 2016 priorities for Gov speech: “It will help to create not just a fairer nation, but one that is wealthier, healthier and happier”

Let’s look at food insecurity & childhood health to see if she delivered.
(1/11)
📈 Food Insecurity Rising 📈

The 2019 Scottish Health Survey showed that 9% of adults experienced food insecurity in the preceding 12 months.

While this is bad, it’s actually worse than you think.
(2/11)
The percentage food insecurity was 8% in 2017. It actually increased to 9% in 2018 and has stayed there through 2019. So food insecurity got worse under the SNP 2017-2019.
(3/11) Image
Read 12 tweets
Dean M Thomson Profile picture
29 Mar
Here is one for the polling lovers.

Let's try explain why the SNP are being so personal in their attacks on defectors to Alba; and what is worrying them.
[1/7]
1. Even before Alba launched their party, it was touch and go if the SNP would even secure the necessary extra list MSPs they craved to land a majority.

You can see, even before Alba launched, the SNP list support had been dropping significantly since August last year.
[2/7] Image
2. Constituency polling numbers over roughly the same time period have also been dropping.

SNP's fear that Alba dog-&-pony show could further erode SNP support on constituency. Divided parties lose elections, Alba stripping SNP of strategic control of media narrative.
[3/7] Image
Read 8 tweets
Dean M Thomson Profile picture
28 Mar
Nicola Sturgeon, correctly, praises her constituency. Glasgow southside is populated by good, honest people.

But what has the First Minister actually achieved for her constituency? Well, reviewing the evidence, I say #VoteAnas in Glasgow Southside
[1/12]
The Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) reveals Govanhill is ranked in the 10% ‘most deprived areas’ in income, education, housing and crime. Second most deprived in employment & health. (as of 2020)
[2/12] Image
If we flip to the 2016 SIMD map, we also see huge amounts of 'most deprived 10%' deprivation, around Govanhill. Some progress has been made, but not much. Not enough for those suffering severe deprivation.
[3/12] Image
Read 18 tweets
Dean M Thomson Profile picture
28 Mar
"If ⁦the SNP⁩ is re-elected in May, we will make sure every school pupil from P1 to S6 gets a laptop, Chromebook or tablet." - Nicola Sturgeon, 28 March 2021

Why didn't she do this last April?
[1/5]
'Thousands of laptops bought for vulnerable schoolchildren remain in storage', July 6th 2020

They weren't competent enough to distribute 25,000 laptops after spending £9m.

Vulnerable kids were left out in the cold during lockdown home-learning.
thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/local/… [2/5]
But don't mind all that, because @NicolaSturgeon got to make a few headline splashes today on her bid for re-election.

And we wonder why there is an educational attainment gap?
[3/5]
Read 5 tweets
Dean M Thomson Profile picture
28 Mar
"I intend to continue doing what I and the government have done for the last give years, is making the progress, taking the decisions, making the investments to progress [closing attainment gap]" Nicola Sturgeon, FMQs, March 24th

Let's analyse some of this.
[1/11]
➡️'Making the progress'

The FM talks about progress being made toward closing the attainment gap.

How accurate is it to claim progress has been made?
[2/11]
While the latest Audit Scotland report does speak of 'limited progress', this disguises a wider pattern of very real failure.

For example, data shows that 93.3% of 2019-20 school leavers were in a “positive destination".

Looks great, right? But wait...
[3/11]
Read 12 tweets
Dean M Thomson Profile picture
28 Mar
Trouble at mill for the SNP (but also for Alba)

'Alba technical fault reveals thousands of names who signed up for party events' reports the Sunday Herald.

And they report a few interesting names. [1/7]
The 'breach' happened because Alba Party website had a flaw in its design.

If someone registered to an Alba Party event on website, they were given a unique 'recruiter ID'. This ID allowed them to 'share' links to the Alba event with others, encourage them to also attend. [2/7]
"at least eight members of SNP's ruling body, National Executive Committee & its sub-committees appear to have registered for Alba events"

➡️Caroline McAllister - Alba 'recruiter' ID 1129
➡️Lynn Anderson - Alba 'recruiter' ID 1466
➡️Brian Lawson - Alba 'recruiter' ID 1019
[3/7]
Read 10 tweets

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