The SNP have done it again – offered hope. That simple word provides so much meaning to a nation that has been subjected to the negative and hectoring tone of the Westminster system.
The vision of a prosperous country drives the SNP. The party that believes in equality, where everyone gets the chance to fulfil their potential through harnessing aspiration and ambition, championing healthcare, striving towards a sustainable economy, and becoming an independent nation committed to providing social justice for it’s people.
Passion, innovation, positivity and hope – all encompassed in the Scottish National Party and all envisaged through the thriving supporters. These values are the recipe to a political movement, sharing a dream for the future that is achievable if nurtured – this narrative inspires political action.
And that is exactly what Nicola Sturgeon set out in her speech to Conference.
“We will not achieve our dream of independence just by wishing . . . It will mean convincing the people of this country that independence is right, not for yesterdays world, but for the complex, challenging and increasingly interdependent world that we live in today.”
These words of hope manifest possibility for the future, possibility of a better life for the world that our children will inherit and live in tomorrow – the possibility of change.
Hope for something different, a wider movement that provides an alternative to the traditional ways of ‘doing politics.’ This inspires me, a politics of creation not destruction, a politics that offers hope rather than despair, division and rage.
Party policies are a key element to consolidating support, but for me, it is the hope.
Daisy Collins 
March 13, 2016 at 1:47 PM
The defining aspect of the human condition – Hope.
Accept no substitutes. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
March 13, 2016 at 2:33 PM
Excellent article Daisy, keep em coming
LikeLiked by 1 person
March 13, 2016 at 2:34 PM
Thank you 🙂
LikeLike
March 13, 2016 at 7:39 PM
Very nice post Daisy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
March 13, 2016 at 8:59 PM
“The vision of a prosperous country drives the SNP. The party that believes in equality, where everyone gets the chance to fulfill their potential through harnessing aspiration and ambition, championing healthcare, striving towards a sustainable economy, and becoming an independent nation committed to providing social justice for it’s people.”
I don’t have much of an imagination for “visions ” , so how will I know I am living in “an independent nation committed to providing social justice for it’s people.”
Can you give any examples of what will actually be different ?
e.g the Minimum wage will be £15 an hour ……… what will School teachers earn ? ..the country will be more “equal ” , we will still have heroin addicts though ? and Billionaires ?
True £15 an hour is a double the present hourly rate , it does make you closer to equaling a wealthy person’s income , but its still a difference ?
So you see my point , is everything going to be as it is now , with higher wages , or are wealthier people going to be taxed more ? or ……….
these are just my suggestions it could be that a minimum wage of £8 an hour and free health care and higher education , is what you had in mind , but that not a stones throw from where we are now ?
LikeLike
March 15, 2016 at 12:12 AM
Thanks for your comment Papko.
I’m not going to sit here and tell you that with Scottish Independence, all problems will be solved, because that wouldn’t be true.
But, what I can tell you is that it will be country that governs for it’s people, that isn’t tarnished by the undemocratic and unrepresentative Westminster system.
In an independent Scotland, the challenges will not go away overnight, they will need perseverance and determination – like all things. However, with time, Scotland will develop into a country with it’s own agenda, setting precedent for others to follow, and that will champion the progressive policies.
Also, I think i should also mention that supporting independence isn’t necessarily a vote for the SNP. Indeed, in an independent Scotland, your vote would count for something and would be represented in Government (unlike in General Elections when for consecutive years Scotland voted Labour, yet we ended up with Tory Government).
LikeLike
March 13, 2016 at 9:35 PM
Well, for starters we will not be paying to prop up the most expensive security vanity project ever -Trident. We will create a sovereign wealth fund with whatever oil and gas reserves we have, or authorise via new oil and gas finds west of Shetland and potentially in the Minch and elsewhere off the inner Hebrides and indeed Clyde, so that the communities of the entirety of the West coast of Scotland can benefit from the exploitation of our natural resources; including investing in renewable energy technologies and formats. Instead of propping up the City of the Home Counties, which is the real reason the so called United Kingdom has been corrupted into disarray, to the detriment of the ‘provinces’. Roll on the dissolution!
LikeLiked by 1 person
March 13, 2016 at 10:42 PM
Well for starters ?
All those oil funds can as large as you want , but life in Scotland will be as bad or as good as it now .
Thats fair enough
We will still have people working full time , part time , and those unfortunate enough to be without work , and they will all have a tenner a week more , but our country will be “equal , and socially just ” because our Govt. says so .
Thats good enough for me , dont like getting bogged down in details .
LikeLike
March 13, 2016 at 9:41 PM
Belief over doubt. Hope over fear. That sums up our campaign. To quote Nelson Mandela, “May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears”.
Another good article.
LikeLiked by 1 person
March 15, 2016 at 12:05 AM
Absolutely, thanks again for your support!
LikeLike
March 14, 2016 at 10:02 AM
The vision of a prosperous country drives the SNP. The party that believes in equality.
Only some are more equal than others – how much does Surgeon earn? How many nice little earners has fat eck got? The SNP are giving Westminster lessons in troughing.
LikeLike
March 14, 2016 at 11:43 AM
‘Hope for something different, a wider movement that provides an alternative to the traditional ways of ‘doing politics.’ This inspires me, a politics of creation not destruction, a politics that offers hope rather than despair, division and rage.’
Absolutely; let’s note and commend the difference between this attitude and all the ‘Project Fears’ that are playing out currently.
But we also need to see evidence – a foundation for our hope, a sense that the SNP are learning through experience, are able to develop new ways of doing politics. I am not yet convinced of that.
I accept that the immediate focus is on the Scottish election; there is not a lot our Scottish political voices can say about the European referendum except make a strong case for the idea of Europe – a more democratic Europe, a more transparent Europe that is also about hope.
LikeLike
March 15, 2016 at 12:02 AM
Thank you for leaving such a thoughtful comment Mair.
I think that we would agree on a lot of principles, and I get the impression that you want to support the SNP and it’s return to Government.
With the new powers to Scotland we will be able to make more radical changes to the way our country is governed, and I hope that with time, you will begin to take a fresh look at our party.
LikeLike
March 14, 2016 at 10:24 PM
Nice response from Angus Angus. Will persuade lots of people
LikeLike
March 14, 2016 at 11:48 PM
Good article Daisy.
I think that the people of Scotland can see the results of a Scottish government working for them. Not perfect as N.Sturgeon says, but what a job they have on their hands. Against the odds, too. Imagine what they could do if all of the revenues raised in Scotland stayed in Scotland.
As for hope, it’s a worthy emotion but tactics are required to stem the lies from the unionists next time.
N. Sturgeon’s speech was brilliant. When do you ever hear the tories talk about making things more fair and equal. Indeed never. As far as they are concerned, the people work for them, not the other way around.
As far as I am aware, pretty much every SNP MP, are giving their wage rise to charity, and I think I am right in saying that is true of many of the SNP MSPs, at least one of whom takes no more than the average wage and gives the rest to charity.
Scotland is on a different road to westmonster, no matter how much the unionists try to tell the people otherwise.
It is from a modern, forward looking, life affirming platform on which the SNP government base their policies.
Polar opposite to the unionists. I know which I prefer, and it is what many, many of those South of the border, would love to aspire to. J. Corbyn should be taking notes.
LikeLiked by 1 person
March 14, 2016 at 11:56 PM
Thanks for your thoughtful comment – to which I agree with in its entirety.
Let’s hope that with time, we can spread this belief across Scotland.
LikeLiked by 1 person
March 14, 2016 at 11:56 PM
Nice blog. I followed this from WoS. Keep up the good work.
LikeLiked by 1 person
March 14, 2016 at 11:57 PM
Thank you, TaDa!
LikeLike
March 15, 2016 at 2:37 PM
The SNP have done it again – offered hope.
Aye, and much to Labour’s chagrin, they’re doing it deliberately.
Good wee blog, Daisy.
LikeLike
March 15, 2016 at 2:38 PM
Thank you! 🙂
LikeLike
March 15, 2016 at 3:39 PM
I loved your post, in a few words you described what politics in its purest form should be, the betterment of society, and the willingness to see it achieved.
I also loved, perversely, Angus Angus mad raving, he has given me hope too, in so few words he has described his bitter little life.
So in the juxtaposition, the conclusion is, your argument wins Daisy, always hope over fear.
LikeLiked by 1 person
March 15, 2016 at 4:19 PM
Wow – thank you! 🙂
LikeLike
March 15, 2016 at 4:56 PM
What a pity that every blog that supports the country’s right to self-determination, contains reasonable and thought-through argument and is presented without childish rancour and the vile lies propounded by many unionist blogs, has to be besmirched by such as Angus Angus with his juvenile name-calling and allegation without substance. Enjoy your blog Daisy and keep faith with your dream….. and mine!
LikeLiked by 2 people
March 15, 2016 at 6:22 PM
Aye Daisy they have come a long way since the dark days ,a real professional political party that is what you see when you look at them ,a party with vision,drive,determination bursting with policies with the goal to serve the way a government is meant to by helping not hindering.
Hehe and that was our manager telling us the party starts in the summer bring some sandwiches and soft drinks its going to be a better party than 2014 and even grumpy faced yoons who have figured out they have been conned are invited 🙂
Keep up the great posts Daisy you must be doing something right you have got yourself a yoon troll lol
LikeLiked by 1 person
March 21, 2016 at 6:58 AM
Hope? Reading Sturgeons speech I get no such warm fuzzy feeling as hope. I get a party that realises there is no immediate hope or real desire for another indyref anytime soon throwing a wee bone to its massed new ranks. A drive for independence is replaced with a conversation. That’s right, the SNP are imposing austerity, supporting the Scottish elite, vowing to keep taxes unchanged throughout the life of the next parliament but hey, they will have a conversation about independence.
Where’s the hope in all that?
LikeLike