Nicola's TED TALK

Granny23 thanks ever so much for posting that.

I'd no idea we were in a Wellbeing Network with Iceland and New Zealand.

Brilliant, inspirational talk by Nicola.

She is without doubt the best Politician in the UK .I loved the shots of her with Boris online ,they were so funny.She looked like a Glasgow mammy about to cuff his ear for talking nonsense .Maybe thats what he needs !!

To align with Iceland and NZ with well-being as a oriority, or to be in the clutches of the awful right-wing, self-serving crew that is Bojo's government? If only we had that choice!

I wish she were English.

You'll understand if I don't wish that, but I do wish Westminster would look beyond the prevailing nastiness and adjust some priorities.

Excellent talk on an important subject. She reminded me a little of how Gordon Brown used to prowl around a stage and speak without notes.

Interesting to learn that the other two countries involved are both currently led by women. Perhaps they have the clearer vision to see the vital big picture - that relentless fixation on 'growth' and consumption are killing the planet we depend on for life itself.

growstuff a whole lot of us up here wish that she was English. In England. Then we might be able to improve education, health, policing etc ad infinitum. Look beyond the usual self promoting talk. We're still waiting for her to mention the huge percentage of drug deaths up here that can't, like everything else, be blamed by her on Westminster. We've been stuck with the SNP minority government long enough.

Of course I understand. I also understand why some Scots want independence, although I'm totally against it. I actually like being part of a UNITED Kingdom and, as far as I'm concerned, Scotland is part of that. Therefore, I disagree totally with Sturgeon's approach to independence.

Nevertheless, I really admire her as a politician. She takes a lot of stick, which in my opinion is unjustified. Especially given the calibre of some of the Westminster politicians, I really would like her to devote her energy and thinking to the whole of the UK. I'd be quite happy to have her as PM.

PS. Strangely enough, most of the politicians I currently admire (from all parties) are female.

Jane10, Do you know what education, health and policing are like in England?

She's a cracker isn't she.

An inspiring talk from an inspiring politician and there aren't many of those in this day and age.

Totally agree with everything Jane10 says, the majority of people in Scotland, do not agree with the SNP, we are fed up with them. I know listening to the SNP in Westminster you think that they speak for all of Scotland but I can assure you they don’t. The majority of people in Scotland don’t want Independence that why the SNP lost the Scottish referendum, and it would be the same again,

Gosh. I've never heard so much praise heaped on Nicola Sturgeon. The Scots I know aren't particularly keen. In fact she evokes a similar response to that which Boris gets on here.

Still, it would be an awfully boring world if we were all the same.

And I say yet again that what some Scots say is totally at odds with what the vast majority of my friends and family think of NS and Holyrood.
Teachers, nurses, paramedic, carer for the elderly, research scientist, haemotologist, architect, business men/women, civil servant, engineer, plumber to name but a few.
All saying that they are happy they have not had to move south to find the work, lifestyle and attitudes they want.
Several have already said that the last few weeks/ months have strengthened their resolve.

Admittedly, I only see Sturgeon as an "outsider" from this side of the border. Putting aside my feelings about independence, which I'm against, Sturgeon appears to be many times more statesmanlike and competent than Johnson. I don't even think the two can be compared. I liked what she said in the TED talk. Whether or not it can ever be a reality, I don't know, but I would certainly like to see it as an aspiration.

This article about Scotland's drug deaths isn't entirely off topic.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/jul/16/scotland-records-huge-rise-in-drug-related-deaths
I'm trying to get my head round it. I'm not entirely sure where the responsibility lies.

In a TED talk she can go on all she likes without interruption.
Her interview with Andrew Neil was rather different!

Drug legislation isn't a devolved issue ,until we can decide HOW we treat addicts and legislate for drugs OURSELVES we have to abide by westminster rules.That is basically ,jail them or feed them methadone for decades..literally .Criminalising drug users doesn't work and the Scottish government has plans that could make a huge difference BUT we're "not allowed" to go down that route
Why keep filling prisons with people who are after all mainly harming no one but themsleves when there are other answers? The SNP want to introduce drug rooms where addicts can use in safety .Not as stupid as it sounds .it works in several other countries including Portugal where deaths from drug abuse dropped sharply after they were introduced there and they also legalised ALL drugs.

There are still addicts its just dealt with better .Westminster is stuck in its own way and refuses to let us help our own people who are dying needlessly .

Jane 10 Andrew Neil ..he of the biggest "Scottish cringe" known to man .Quite frankly anyone who still thinks we're "better together" should see a shrink .Its clear WM is taking us down the plug with them whether we want to go or not!
The number who will vote YES is rising daily .Watch thos space

Thank you, paddyann. That was how I understood that article, so the drug problem can't really be laid at the SNP's feet.

I will confess I'm by no means an expert, but Scotland has had issues with drug use for as long as I can remember - certainly for longer than the SNP has been a political force.

It certainly seems to make sense to me for Scots to come up with a local solution to a local problem, but Westminster won't allow for that.

.Quite frankly anyone who still thinks we're "better together" should see a shrink
That is the majority of Scots, then.

The psychiatrist's couch is going to be very crowded; are you sure your health service can cope?

I didn't see an interview with Andrew Neil, so I can't comment.

Wee Nicola only remembers/forgets what she wants to remember/forget.Her hypocrisy beggars belief.

Scotland didn't vote for Boris as PM, she whines. Perhaps she needs reminding she was not voted in as First Minister.

In 2016 she lost her own seemingly unassailable majority and had to form a minority government shored up by a party of extremist cranks.
Remind you of anyone?

For the SNP ,independence transcends everything. They only care for their own narrow reason for existence,and for that to be achieved at any cost.

Which is why I think it's a shame that Sturgeon is Scottish. For the record, I think Scottish independence is a rubbish idea, although I really can understand why some Scots would resent Westminster, just as I can understand why some people in many of the English regions resent Westminster.

Nevertheless, I think Sturgeon has some good qualities as a politician and I'd actually quite like to have her on "my" side, in preference to some of the idiots we have. If she weren't obsessed with independence, she could (hypothetically) concentrate on other issues.

Hope I've explained myself clearly.

Paddyann I think your assertions about Westminster preventing Scotland solving its drug problem were pretty much exposed as fake news on another recent thread about the drugs issue.

An awful lot of people in Scotland are very fed up of the SNP. In the last fortnight I've learnt that two sets of friends have decided to up sticks and move to England. Not just over the border, either, but to within a couple of hours of London. I was absolutely astounded when I heard, as I consider them Scottish through and through and never dreamt they would want to live anywhere else.