HOT OFF THE PRESS!

PREPARE YOURSELF FOR MORE SHOCKS

I am very aware that there is great disquiet amongst even the most loyal SNP members. The last year, indeed couple of years, have evidenced one murky move after another as the SNP leadership effectively displace the members say on the running of the Party. Whether it be the missing 600k,  the resignations of members of the audit committee and the National Treasurer, thousands leaving to join Alba, moves to bully and intimidate those elected by Delegates by those appointed by minority groups and affiliates, the fixing of list places at Election time, interference in candidate selection,all the time aided and encouraged by the leadership, it has been a disgraceful episode in the history of what was until recently the most Democratic Party in the UK.

The moves have been ruthless, every conference motion submitted by branches across the country were consigned to the bin in advance of the last Conference. These included motions to remove a lot of the “appointed” positions on the NEC.

NATIONAL COUNCIL was of course abolished removing completely the ability of members and branches to have the opportunity to discuss or vote on any changes or to hold office bearers to account. Moves to discuss Independence at Conference were out maneuvered the day before with the now infamous eleven point “do nothing” strategy was announced ensuring any discussions were mute. All the complaints were neatly packaged and delayed by referring them to Keith Brown’s Committee which were tasked with making recommendations and changes in advance of the next Conference.

Tomorrow, the NEC will discuss the contents of that report. Fortunately some kind soul has sent me a copy of the forty page report. There is much worthy of publication but for today I will limit this article to the proposed changes to the make up of the NEC. It recognises that with 42 members the body was unwieldy and needed pruning. It is however quite astonishing who is to get pruned in this exercise.

You will remember the considerable disquiet that minority appointments on the previous NEC had built a coalition that could easily outvote those elected by delegates. This for instance was what created every number one slot on the list system being allocated to their supporters. It was this for instance that was responsible for Joan McAlpine being replaced at the top of the list in South of Scotland by someone who was already a MSP, so hardly disadvantaged, but  who only secured a fraction of the votes Joan attracted. Joan of course was a strong supporter of woman’s rights, so as far as the Woke were concerned she had to go. Now of course the votes each candidate got were never made public for the good reason that the WOKE dominated NEC had voted to ignore legal counsel opinion that what was being proposed was potentially illegal and opened up the possibility of claims for considerable damages. The results were leaked however.

Anyway what does the report recommend, what changes are proposed?

Well the NEC is to be reduced from 42 members to 32 members. However, and I find this astonishing, it is NEC members ELECTED by the branches and delegates that are to be cut, not those appointed by the various Woke Groups and affiliates.

Proposed National Executive Committee Membership:

    National Office Bearers

President

 Leader

 Depute Leader

 Business Convener

 National Treasurer

 National Secretary

 Organisation Convener

 Local Government Convener

 Policy Development Convener

 Member Support Convener

 Women’s Convener

 LGBTQ+ Convener

 BAME Convener

 Disabled Members’ Convener

 Groups & Affiliate Organisations

Scottish Parliament Group

 UK Parliament Group

 Association of Nationalist Councillors

 Young Scots for Independence

 Federation of Student Nationalists

 Out for Independence

 Scots Asians for Independence

 Disabled Members Group

 BAME Members Group

 Trade Union Group

 Regional Representatives

Central

 Glasgow

 Highlands & Islands

 Lothian

 Mid Scotland & Fife

 North East

 South

 West

So the proposed “solution” is to remove 50% of the regional representatives. You know the ones the ordinary membership elects.

Let’s say the SNP do have 120,000 members as they want you to think.Means THOSE EIGHT REGIONAL REPS are there representing around 15,000 members each.

Have a look at the Woke appointments, how many BAME members are there? We don’t know but they are getting two places. That is the equivalent of 30,000 ordinary members! Does anybody believe there are a 1000 never mind 30,000?

Or what about LGBTQ+ again they get a Convener and a post for Out for Independence that is the equivalent of 30,000 ordinary members, with the same representation as all ordinary members in Glasgow and Edinburgh added together. Some minority? 

The solution of course is that there should be a Minorities Sub Commitee to monitor these minority issues and the elected Convener of that committee should represent all those groups on the NEC. One seat!

So for all those hoping for changes that would deliver some effective democratic accountability back to the ordinary members I feel your pain. This is a Party that has abandoned member input and accountability to anyone but themselves.

Here is the direct quote from the report that deals with these changes.

National Executive Committee

Feedback from our consultation highlighted the need for further reform of the NEC, not least from those with experience of NEC membership. Monthly meetings of 42 people has meant lengthy agendas, and minimised opportunities for participation, scrutiny and debate. Recognising the size of our membership and the expertise within it, there wasn’t a huge appetite for drastically reducing the size of NEC, but rather a modest slimming down and changes to the model of operation. Our proposal reduces the number of NEC members to 32.

SO FAR FROM ANY RETURN TO DEMOCRATIC ACCOUNTABILITY THE PROPOSED CHANGES FURTHER SECURE EVEN MORE DOMINANCE AND CONTROL TO THE CLIQUE GUARANTEEING EVEN MORE BIZZARE WOO WOO POLICIES IN THE FUTURE. 

That is enough bad news for one day but I have much more to come. The report if 40 pages after all. Keep tuned for next week. Readers may be interested to know the ALBA party welcomes those Independence supporters who prefer Independence campaigning to Woo Woo Stonewall promotion. I suspect their webpages are going to be busy handling enquires and member applications in the weeks before Conference. ALBA WHERE THERE IS THE RETURN TO INDEPENDENCE CAMPAIGNING FOR INDEPENDENCE SUPPORTERS!

I am, as always 

Yours for Scotland

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