Andy Maciver @akmaciver Twitter profile

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Andy Maciver

3 days

As sure as I am that the sun will rise tomorrow morning, the Scottish Tories will never play a role in the Scottish Government. But there will be no new party after this leadership election. My thoughts in today’s @heraldscotland @HeraldPols

Andy Maciver: The new Scottish Tory leader’s job is to keep the corpse warm

As sure as I am that the sun will rise tomorrow morning, the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party will never play a role in the Scottish…

www.heraldscotland.com

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

3 years

I’m so deeply uneasy with this campaign to kill @GBNEWS . This is not about liking it (I actually haven’t watched it yet). If you think leftist news (say C4) is good but rightist news should be shut down, then you are NOT a democrat, you are NOT a liberal, you are NOT tolerant.

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

2 years

ScotRail driver salary on completion of probationary period: £48,360 NHS Scotland doctor’s salary on completion of foundation training: £40,020 Decide for yourself, folks……

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

10 months

It is, I am afraid, inexcusable that the Foreign Secretary, or frankly the Prime Minister, have not been in touch with @HumzaYousaf directly. This is not acceptable either from a political or a human angle.

Channel 4 News

@Channel4News

10 months

"I may be First Minister of Scotland, but in this situation I feel powerless" Scotland's First Minister, Humza Yousaf, tells @KathrynSamsonC4 he feels "helpless" watching his in-laws who are trapped in Gaza.

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

4 years

Andrew, as both a fan of your work and someone from the Scottish centre-right, I say your friends are wrong. JF is one of the smartest, least tribal, most pragmatic MSPs I’ve ever come across. She is what Scottish politics needs and her retirement is a huge loss.

Andrew Neil

@afneil

4 years

I understand Ms Freeman called Health Secretary Hancock to apologise. Scottish friends tell me she’s been a useless Scottish health minister. I think she’s retiring at the next elections. Maybe she’ll rejoin the Communist party.

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

4 years

The SNP will kick and scream, but this is actually the best idea the Tories have had for a while. Bypassing devolution won’t matter a jot to those who benefit. Spending money and slapping a Union Jack 🇬🇧 on it is a smart political move by Alister Jack.

New UK Shared Prosperity Fund to bypass Holyrood

The change means more than £100m will be spent by the UK government on projects normally devolved to Holyrood.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

4 years

I could do a long thread, but it’s not required. This can be summed up in seven words: It’s not the captain; it’s the ship. #JacksonCarlaw

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

2 years

It’s worth saying that the SNP leadership has, I think, done exceptionally well over the last few days. This is not a particularly easy internal issue for them. Dignity, compassion, tact, understanding, etc. Plenty of them all.

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

4 years

Outstanding interview by @NicolaSturgeon on #bbcgms . Reassuring but frank; clear but honest about uncertainties ahead. This is not politics. This is an FM at war with a virus. Let’s back her & @JeaneF1MSP & @CathCalderwood1 . They have the info & expertise. Back them. #covid ー19uk

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

4 years

If you’re uncertain, annoyed, worried; spare a thought for the people leading us - @NicolaSturgeon @JohnSwinney @JeaneF1MSP , the advisers, the counterparts in UKG. They’re normal too, feeling the same things. And exhausted probably. Let our confidence in them raise them up.

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

4 years

Please all reflect on the unprecedented situ @NicolaSturgeon @JeaneF1MSP @JohnSwinney et al face. We’re all juggling; of course we are. But whether you support them politically or not, they are able people doing what they think is right with the information they have. Breathe....

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

5 years

Can we please stop this? @NicolaSturgeon is Scotland's FM, not the SNP's FM. I'd hope any FM of any party would travel to promote Scotland. It's £44k FFS. Councils spend this on flower beds.

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

4 years

The removal of #johnswinney from office would do precisely zero to improve our education system or to benefit the children on whom it should be centred. This is why people hate politics. It’s corrosive guff. Education needs systemic change (led by JS), not tokenistic change.

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

3 years

Tories now the only party in Holyrood never to have been in power. And Scotland is the only democratic country I know of (please tell me if you know another) where the centre-right has no realistic prospect of ever being in power. Extraordinary, really. #cooperationagreement

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

1 year

🧵 There’ll be a lot of talk over the next few days, including from me in my @heraldscotland column and perhaps in some other places, but let me just say that I’ve worked with politicians fro all parties for over 20 year and they are, first and foremost, human beings. (1/4)

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

2 years

After another week of the usual nonsense, we should be clear that it is clearly appropriate, helpful and right for Scotland’s FM, whether @NicolaSturgeon or anyone else, to promote Scotland abroad. I’d feel short-changed if any FM of any party didn’t do so. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

3 years

It's a curious thing, this SNP in-fighting. Just as they're at the peak of their powers - on the cusp of another majority and a legitimate #indyref2 demand - they seem at war over an issue which (whisper it) is not exactly a 'top 10' for the everyday voter.

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

1 year

So, anyway, politicians are human. And every interaction I’ve ever had with @NicolaSturgeon was warm and reassuring. Remember that today, whether you’re downbeat or gleeful. (4/4)

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

10 months

Those who wanted/expected/demanded Humza say more and be clearer, specifically about Hamas being terrorists and being solely responsible, must also give him credit when he does exactly that, which he has done here. Clear/fair/measured/raw statement, at v difficult personal time.

@GinaDavidson

@ginadavidsonlbc

10 months

Full video 🧵 👇🏻

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

5 years

1/ Caught up with @NicolaSturgeon @afneil late. I'm afraid rejoicing unionists need to put the Kool Aid down. Watch the rest of his interviews this week, then go back and watch her's, and you will see the winner. AN asked difficult and legitimate questions on key areas of ...

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

8 months

There is no good way to spin this. Scottish state schooling continues to slide, and these numbers merely confirm what parents already know. Scottish education is not excellent; it is not even good. It is below the international average, and worse than England by all measures. 1/2

STV News

@STVNews

8 months

BREAKING: Scotland's global education ranking falls in wake of Covid pandemic.

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

5 years

And she is correct. This is obvious, right, to everyone except the most hardcore unionists, whose judgment at this point is clouded by paranoia.

sarah smith

@BBCsarahsmith

5 years

Nicola Sturgeon says “The problem for the UK govt is that the longer they try to block a referendum .....the more support for independence will grow” as she responds to Boris Johnson refusing indyref2. She believes the PM is playing into her hands over the longer term

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

5 years

2/ ... weakness (which are primarily a Scotland/England customs border and public service performance) but NS gave as good as she got. We are looking here at clearly the pre-eminent Scottish politician of our (or at least my) lifetime. Deal with it. #GE19

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

8 years

I voted Remain but to compare #brexit to the rise of Hitler is just pathetic. Another tosser establishment celeb.

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

4 years

Can’t help but feel the best outcome to the #CatherineCalderwood situation is to let this very accomplished person do the job we all need her to do. She’s had a howler, for sure. But let’s deal with that after. These are not normal times. #COVID19uk

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

1 year

In it were eight books, one for each week in the wheelchair, and a 2-page handwritten letter. This didn’t win @NicolaSturgeon any votes. But it won my daughter a lifetime memory, and a real boost the day before her surgery. Nicola Sturgeon is tough, but she is also warm. (3/4)

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

4 years

Doctor wife, 4 kids, 1 business. It’s fair for people like us to be frustrated. But spare a thought for @NicolaSturgeon @JeaneF1MSP @JohnSwinney @KateForbesMSP et al. Approaching 40 days of relentless, unimaginable pressure. Real people too. Trying hard for us all. 👏🏻 #covid19uk

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

4 years

As a citizen, I'm delighted @JeaneF1MSP is my health secretary. I don't want the health sec to be deferential to the machine. I want the health sec to fix the machine. So I want her to be firm. But, knowing her, I also suspect she's fair.

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

3 years

Good line from @murdo_fraser on the #RoyalYacht - “if you want to talk about boats let’s talk about the two ferries.....”. #bbcgms

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

5 years

Unionists will rubbish this, obv, but they do so at their peril. Pollsters are governed by rules - they don’t just make stuff up. Unionists are behind the curve of public opinion, again. This has been highlighted to them, often. #indyref2

Progress Scotland

@progressscot

5 years

New Scotland poll finds that 61% believe the Scottish Government should decide on the holding of a future Scottish independence referendum. Analysis here by independent polling expert @markdiffley1 👇

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

5 years

Just submitted by @heraldscotland article for tomorrow, in which I didn't have enough space to include this paragraph. So I thought I'd stick it up here instead (cc @DerekMackaySNP )

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

4 years

If it's an accurate read-out, then it's an indication that they really don't understand what's going on. If this is government policy, and remains so, then the Union is dead. Scotland first. Then NI. Maybe even Wales. And a chasm between north and south in England.

Harry Cole

@MrHarryCole

4 years

🚨 EXC with @kateferguson4 : Boris told NRG "devolution has been a disaster north of the border" and it was "Tony Blair's biggest mistake". - Admitting he thought it was a good idea when he was Mayor, he told MPs he did not see a case for more to nations:

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

4 years

This is an exceptionally assured display from @KateForbesMSP under, obviously, very difficult circumstances. Her star shines brightly in that Chamber. #scotbudget

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

5 years

Think Nicola Sturgeon has the right vibe doing #LeadersDebate from Edinburgh. It subtly says “if you think I’m coming down there to watch the main event then come on for the afterthought then you can GTF”. Right look for her voters/potentials.

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

4 years

When a journalist becomes irreversibly unable to be either reasonable, or fair, or balanced, let alone impartial, that person isn’t really a journalist anymore. We have to get back to understanding the difference between an activist and a journalist.

Carole Cadwalladr

@carolecadwalla

4 years

The Welsh parliament is sitting. Scottish parliament is sitting. It should be PMQs today but PM is in hiding & the Qs are simply being ignored. Because they can be. A stage-managed press conference fronted by Gove - Gove! - cannot stand in for democratic accountability

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

4 months

Irrespective of our views on gender, if we believe in free speech then we cannot let this stand. This is police action based entirely on one person's interpretation of what another person *meant*. It is the policing of thoughts. It is illiberal and dangerous.

Murdo Fraser

@murdo_fraser

4 months

With the support of ⁦ @SpeechUnion ⁩ I am challenging ⁦ @PoliceScotland ⁩ policy in recording ‘hate incidents’ as unlawful. Here’s why:

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

1 year

I don’t often mention this, but today is the day. 4 years ago my oldest daughter had major double-leg surgery and was in a wheelchair for 8 weeks. @NicolaSturgeon ’s Chief of Staff told her about this, and the day before my daughter went for her surgery a parcel arrived (2/4)

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

5 years

If someone wants to explain to me why another new Health Secretary is going to help the NHS that’d be swell. This sort of nonsense is why people hate politicians, and elections. The NHS needs *a lot* of work - seems to me that @JeaneF1MSP is the right person to do that. #GE19

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

5 years

Looks like the #celtic forgot their #poppy again. Maybe next year.

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

2 years

Today is, IMO, the most impressive day in ⁦ @_KateForbes ⁩’ impressive career. Giving a realistic, mature message on the economic facts of life, to a Parliament which often ignores them, is hard. Scotland will benefit if she can follow through.

Kate Forbes says Scotland must 'reset' public services

The finance secretary says the country "cannot prioritise everything" and must become more efficient.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

3 years

When we use terms like ‘one party state’ and ‘failed state’ we (knowingly) conflate countries which ban opposition to Scotland. It’s irresponsible. Nobody’s stopping us voting the SNP out. Try to behave.

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

5 years

Dear #No friends - when SG comes up with a sensible plan to encourage migration, which everyone with a brain accepts we need, and you say “f off” because you think that gives you a win, wavering unionists think “better off out” #indyref2

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

3 years

One-parent rule in the playground on the first day of school for P1s today. But the other parents gathered outside the gates. We are now at the point where rules are being made because they are convenient, rather than them actually having anything to do with Covid.

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

4 years

The once-in-a-generation argument works EXCLUSIVELY for angry unionists, of whom 0% are undecided. It is an emphatically pointless argument to use for the 2014 No voters who are at risk of switching to Yes.

Marco Biagi

@MarcoGBiagi

4 years

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

3 months

The end of the Bute House Agreement represents an extraordinary opportunity for the SNP to reset, reacquaint itself with the key priorities of voters, and rediscover how to win. Humza Yousaf should take a series of immediate steps 🧵

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

4 years

Can't think of anyone I'd rather have running the #schoolclosure aspect of this indescribably difficult time than @JohnSwinney . Of course not every question has an immediate/perfect answer, but he is a calm, smart person with more around him. Be patient and grateful. #covid19UK

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

2 years

Just wait until people find out that job centres are going to be devolved. That’ll save the Union for sure……

STV News

@STVNews

2 years

BREAKING: New poll shows support for Scottish independence rising to 56%.

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

4 years

With that new Yes/No poll just out, check out @LeaskyHT ’s long read in @heraldscotland on Sunday, on what the pandemic does to the union. My view: unionist politicians in London don’t understand the nuance of what’s happening on the ground in the devolved nations.

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

1 year

Jason Leitch’s statement is important. I think we can forgive the first school closure. But by the second one, we knew #COVID19 rarely made kids ill, we knew kids didn’t transmit as much, and we knew the educational, social & mental harm. And we did it anyway. #schoolclosures

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

4 years

There are no circumstances in which school closures are acceptable. The previous closure was well-intentioned but it was a tragic mistake with a litany of consequences. It mustn’t happen again.

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

4 years

Scotland has 2 leaders: @NicolaSturgeon & @BorisJohnson . If you don't want want them BOTH to succeed, you need to reassess. If you want this to be about Yes/No you need to reassess. If you want this to be about left/right you need to reassess. This is not normal. #covid ー19uk

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

4 years

I watched this presuming it was overblown. But it wasn’t. What a pointless comment. There wasn’t even any context. This is the sort of thing that REALLY annoys people up here, Tories included. And with total justification.

The Herald

@heraldscotland

4 years

The Conservative minister was accused of a lack of respect

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

9 months

I’m sorry but £8.5k for 4, FOUR, GB of data?! There’s a queue of people with questions to answer before you reach Michael Matheson. I’d start with procurement and IT, presuming they haven’t switched their phones off….

Holyrood magazine

@HolyroodDaily

9 months

NEW: The Scottish Parliament has released details of Michael Matheson's data usage while on holiday in Morocco.

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

4 years

Said it before and will say it again - not good enough for the independence movement, especially in the hysterical aftermath of #Brexit . Remember when the plan was for polling to be at 60% by now?

Britain Elects

@BritainElects

4 years

Scottish independence voting intention: Yes: 50% No: 50% (45%, 45% incl. DKs) via @Survation , 20 - 22 Jan

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

9 months

The @MathesonMichael story is a depressingly neat example of everything that’s wrong with Scotland’s superficial, silly politics. No wonder we struggle to get good people into Parliament. Expect a moan from me about this in my Friday @heraldscotland @HeraldPols column.

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

1 year

There is nothing ‘progressive’ about high taxes when they make young, aspirational, high earners, whose taxes fund the public services and benefits, leave. This is taxing for show, not for dough, and it has already gone far too far.

The Times & The Sunday Times

News and opinion from The Times & The Sunday Times

www.thetimes.com

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

3 years

Like volunteering to go on death row because you’re afraid of the outcome of the trial. In other words, it simultaneously delays independence but makes it inevitable. Negative, emotional, thoughtless, but entirely in keeping with recent unionism.

Boris Johnson prepared to take SNP to Supreme Court to stop second independence referendum

Government advisers gearing up to deploy a 'not now' argument to any request for a fresh poll on split with the Union

www.telegraph.co.uk

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

1 year

“They run a local administration” This, in five words, is as good an artefact as any of why so many pragmatic, soft centrists gravitated towards supporting independence. They are not nationalists, but they are Scottish-first and despise the patronisation from ‘down south’.

David Frost

@DavidGHFrost

1 year

1. It's not clear why Scottish Govt Ministers need make anything other than occasional overseas visits, any more than local Council leaders do. They run a local administration & international policy is specifically reserved.

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

4 years

A thread follows on #schoolsreopening and #blendedlearning . Thought a lot about this over the weekend, and taken soundings from parents with all political beliefs and from both constitutional backgrounds. Important to try as much as possible to contextualise my personal views ...

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

3 years

Has Scottish Twitter ever been more demoralising? Every issue framed by the constitution. Covid now more than ever. You can’t have an opinion without being labelled and attributed some ulterior motive. We can’t carry on like this forever. It’s embarrassing. 🙄

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

4 years

Tell you what, that @Douglas4Moray Shadow Cabinet is really strong. There’s a @ProfTomkins sized hole, but look at the four key briefs of fin/edu/health/just and it’s extremely solid. Then with @RuthDavidsonMSP above. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a stronger @ScotTories team.

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

2 years

We need an independent public sector pay commission where government, industry, HR professionals and academia come together to set fair levels of pay for different jobs. We are so out of kilter as a result of trade Union national bargaining. It has to stop.

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

5 years

Groundhog Day as we again have to endure these petty and reactionary arguments about @JohnSwinney @ScotGovEdu #p1testing . My daughter did one last year. She didn’t know she’d even done it. It is a seamless part of the normal school day.

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

3 years

It is foolish, and more than a little undemocratic, to deny there is a mandate for #indyref2 . And it is naive to believe it won’t happen at some point. Better for the unionists to focus on winning it rather than stopping it. I’ll be on @bbc5live just after 8. #SP21result

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

10 months

This is extremely welcome, extremely important, extremely powerful.

SCoJeC

@SCoJeC

10 months

"Your grief is my grief." A powerful image as @ScotGovFM @HumzaYousaf took time to speak with, and comfort, the mother and family of Glasgow born Bernard Cowan who was killed this weekend in Israel.

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

4 years

@JeaneF1MSP is the absolute best of our politics. She is not tribal - rare. She is pragmatic - rare, especially in the NHS. And she is a wonderful person too. Scotland will miss her as an MSP and as Health Secretary. I hope she and @Scotto_Voce have a peaceful and quiet 2021.

The Herald

@heraldscotland

4 years

BREAKING: Jeane Freeman has said she will stand down at the next Holyrood elections

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

8 months

PS - this is an utterly ridiculous interpretation of today’s results by the government, which sends a signal that they either (a) don’t know, (b) don’t care or (c) don’t understand.

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

5 years

The picture remains slightly blurry, but it is becoming increasingly clear that the Scottish Tory #no2indyref2 strategy has crashed and burned. It was ALWAYS a crappy long-term strategy, but it now appears to be a crappy short-term one too. #GE19 #STVElection

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

8 months

This is the number one risk to the future of Scotland’s social and economic fabric. We have designed the system to embrace institutionalised mediocrity and to reject attainment and excellence, and it needs major surgery, right now. 2/2

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

3 months

Irony of all of this, of course, is that this is not a good day for Labour and the Tories. They have forced it, in effect, but the electoral prospects of both will now be diminished. A victory or tactics over strategy. #HumzaYousaf

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

4 years

Adam @ProfTomkins ’ decision to step down in May is tremendously sad. I’ve always felt the most important trait he brought to Holyrood is that he doesn’t think like a politician. Very smart. Very nice. Very normal. (Another) huge loss. I’m drenched in pessimism.

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

2 years

Well, Team Truss walked right into this one. And they’d be well advised to walk right back out again……

Nicola Sturgeon

@NicolaSturgeon

2 years

47% of the total electorate - worth noting that if the principles of her mooted new referendum law applied here, her election would be invalid

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

4 years

Sometimes even after all these years I'm speechless. If the SNP could write the UKG strategy, it would look exactly like this. Exactly.

Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

4 years

If it's an accurate read-out, then it's an indication that they really don't understand what's going on. If this is government policy, and remains so, then the Union is dead. Scotland first. Then NI. Maybe even Wales. And a chasm between north and south in England.

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

10 months

This by @JournoStephen in @spectator is quite correct and insufficiently recognised. The Scotland Office is nimble and responsive, and comprehensively outmanoeuvres the Scottish Government on a regular basis - an unthinkable situation just a few years ago

What Tories can learn from Alister Jack

Tories at the party's 2023 conference in Manchester have plenty to learn from Scottish secretary Alister Jack

www.spectator.co.uk

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

4 years

Was putting the kids to bed and didn’t clap for the health staff, but I will have a cup of tea waiting for my doctor wife when she gets in from her shift to make up for it! ☕️ 👩🏻‍⚕️ #covid19UK

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

4 years

How are we expecting post- #brexit trade negotiations to go if #SinnFein is part of the negotiating team? 😬 #GE2020

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

2 months

Slow hand clap for the infantile activists who have today (a) defunded the arts and (b) discouraged investment in climate solutions. Quite the achievement.

BBC Radio Scotland

@BBCRadioScot

2 months

The Edinburgh International Book Festival has ended its 20-year funding partnership with sponsors Baillie Gifford after pressure from climate change protesters.

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

4 years

The FM deserves credit for holding firm against the intense EIS lobbying to close schools. Made it clear there, as the medical profession has already done, that the damage caused by closure far outweighs any alleged danger of them being open. #schoolsopen

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

4 years

We need desperately not just politicians who act decently, but who defend their opponents (in this case ⁦ @Murdo_fraser ⁩) acting decently. ⁦ @KateForbesMSP ⁩ epitomises that. I’ve seen politics bash the decency out of people. Not her, I’m certain.

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

5 years

Last #newsnight segment on the Union tonight: England. I contributed to Scottish one. English nationalism has been suppressed by devolution. Brexit woke it up. The union is highly likely over unless it federalises.

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

4 years

I’ve probably averaged a work trip to London every month for the last 20 years. Zero instances of racism against me.

The Times and The Sunday Times Scotland

@timesscotland

4 years

The actor Alan Cumming has hit out at the “insidious and subliminal racism” faced by Scots who work in London, drawing a sharp distinction between the warm reception he received in America with his experiences in the West End

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

3 months

You don’t have to be leader to show leadership. This is leadership. You don’t have to support the SNP (I don’t) or be a nationalist (I’m not) to want Scotland to have government with understanding of where we are and vision of where we’re going. We didn’t before. We will now.

Kate Forbes MSP

@_KateForbes

3 months

I have listened very carefully to the vision @JohnSwinney set out this morning for Scotland. I welcomed, and embrace, his commitment to ensure internal respect for robust and divergent debate in the party, which is the lifeblood of any democratic institution like the SNP. /1

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

1 year

Inevitably, some Tories and Labour folk think this is the big break for them. Such a bad read. They can only win by changing themselves, not by crossing their fingers and hoping the SNP screw up. #NicolaSturgeonResigns

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

4 years

If the police are to get out of this with good public feeling on their side they need to calm themselves down. This is a nonsense.

Richard Taylor

@RTaylorUK

4 years

UK Police:“We will not at this stage be starting to marshal supermarkets and check-in the items in baskets and trolleys to see whether it is a legitimate necessary item but...if people do not head the warnings...we will start to do that” - @NorthantsChief

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

5 years

Wondering how big an electoral asset the Labour Party is in its safest seat in Scotland? Try to find the L-word in the very popular @IanMurrayMP ’s leaflet. Go on, I double-dare you. #GE19

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

7 years

Oh, and whether or not tax rises are your cup of tea, you should admire and acknowledge the good governance during this process. @NicolaSturgeon and @DerekMackaySNP are serious people doing a serious job, commendably. #ScotBudget

Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

7 years

Huge week coming up. One of the biggest in Holyrood’s history, actually. Real differentiation between big 3 parties, coming right up.

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

3 years

It’s unusual for unionists to beat nationalists at any kind of PR war, but I‘d say the vaccinations Army/UKG ‘offer of assistance’ is going pretty well for them. IMHO. Don’t underestimate how good the Gove/Jack team is at finding smart issues to exploit politically.

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

4 years

I think nationalists (and some unionists alike) fail to understand how successful unionism in Scotland could be if it campaigns and delivers in a smarter way. And I think there are signs that with @ScotTories help it is starting to do just that.

Rishi Sunak to boost 4G coverage in rural areas through £1bn deal

Rishi Sunak (pictured) will vow to end patchy mobile phone reception and slow broadband in this week's Budget. The Chancellor will announce a £1billion deal to boost 4G coverage in rural parts of the...

www.dailymail.co.uk

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

9 months

One last thing from me… When I was in party politics, someone outside party politics said to me “If you can’t be nice, be quiet”. It’s not bad advice. A

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

7 years

Being told Alex Salmond has DEFINITELY lost. #GE2017

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

8 years

PM says no border control on island of Ireland. Wonder if London gets how important that is for the #indyref2 Yes campaign.

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

4 years

This will be interesting to watch - Angus is a proper ‘big beast’ politician. We need more of those at Holyrood.

Angus Robertson

@AngusRobertson

4 years

Edinburgh Central needs a full-time MSP and @theSNP needs a full-time candidate. Why I've decided to run for @theSNP nomination in the constituency I grew up in. Column in @edinburghpaper #EdinburghCentral #SNP #SP21 🗳️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

4 years

It always used to absolutely infuriate the @ScotTories (and I presume it still does) when @bbcquestiontime did this. When I was involved, I don't think they asked a Tory MSP or even the sole Scottish MP once when the show was in Scotand. Always an Englishman.

BBC Question Time

@bbcquestiontime

4 years

Here's our panel for tomorrow. We have @TomTugendhat , @IanMurrayMP , @joannaccherry , @valmcdermid and @alexmassie . Join us from Dundee at 10:35pm on BBC One. #bbcqt

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

10 months

He just can’t do it can he? He just can’t bring himself to condemn Hamas, a group of *actual terrorists* who killed 100 civilians this morning. Instead it’s his usual implication of some sort of moral equivalence. He was almost Prime Minster, too. Can you even imagine?

Jeremy Corbyn

@jeremycorbyn

10 months

The unfolding events in Israel and Palestine are deeply alarming. We need an immediate ceasefire and urgent de-escalation. And we need a route out of this tragic cycle of violence: ending the occupation is the only means of achieving a just and lasting peace.

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

4 years

Thanks, Angus. I see that’s there’s Tory flak for Angus’s (similar) comments today. All part of the rough and tumble, and SNP types would do same, but worth noting that it’s simply a reflection of polling. Faux outrage would be better directed towards finding a strategy.

Angus Robertson

@AngusRobertson

4 years

Must Read: Important analysis about Scottish demographics and voting intentions on independence by former Tory head of comms @akmaciver #indyref2

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

11 months

The national anthem issue could largely be solved if England simply used their own rather than singing the UK anthem. And of course we could ditch the dismal Flower of Scotland at the same time. Land of Hope and Glory 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Scotland the Brave 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 God Save The King 🇬🇧

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

2 years

The fundamental which Unionist strategists hopelessly fail to understand, or accept, or both, is that the only way to stop the SNP winning elections is to hold, and win, another independence referendum. They need to dry their eyes, and engage their brains. #LocalElection2022 🗳

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

9 months

My final word on #MichaelMatheson before I go and get the kids from school and close Twitter till Monday. 🧵

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

5 years

@markdiffley1 is a highly respected pollster. Pollsters poll for all parties, governments, interest groups etc. If they didn’t, they wouldn’t be in business. I’ve used Mark for lots of clients, and I will continue to do so because there is, indeed, “nothing to see here”....

Kevin Hague

@kevverage

5 years

look who’s been appointed to recruit members of the SNP’s “Citizens Assembly” - the man who’s lead adviser to Angus Robertson’s Progress Scotland (which exists expressly to try & make a case for independence) nothing to see here, move on ...

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

4 years

Unionist strategists of the last decade should look in the mirror and feel uncomfortable. This is much more push than it is pull. Current strategy appears to be ostrich-inspired, and this is what happens.......

Ipsos Scotland

@IpsosScotland

4 years

Our latest #ScotPolMonitor @IpsosMORIScot findings also show the SNP well ahead in people’s current voting intentions for #Holyrood2021 – 58% on Constituency and 47% on Regional List voting intention (based on likely voters).

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Andy Maciver

@akmaciver

5 years

With every #AUOB march, more of the 55% say "I cannot get on board with these people".

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