The SNP manifesto for the Westminster elections has precious little about the environment in it because most environmental issues are devolved matters. Therefore, SNP Westminster MPs play little role in debates or votes on such things. So, if a Scottish voter, you know that electing an SNP MP will do little good, and little harm, on environmental matters – maybe that is the type of MP we need!
None of the manifesto’s ‘Key Pledges’ relates to the environment.
There is a section in the manifesto on, basically, energy and power, and that’s because this is not wholly a devolved issue but it has a sentence on fox hunting stuck in at the end!
Here are my thoughts on likes and gripes (restricted to the environmental issues – so not many):
Good things:
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‘We will push for those parts of the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014 which have been used to gag campaigning organisations to be removed‘ – this is a good thing. And more on this later.
- ‘SNP MPs will press the Westminster government to include onshore wind, the lowest cost renewable energy technology, in its industrial strategy. They will also demand an increased focus on offshore wind, tidal energy and wave power.’ – good provided it’s in the right places
- ‘We want Scotland to be a leader in the development of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology, which has the potential to create thousands of jobs in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and beyond, while fighting climate change‘
- ‘We will oppose any relaxation of the laws on fox-hunting‘ – I approve of this but it just shows how the SNP picks and chooses. This is a devolved matter entirely and yet SNP MPs will intervene in English rural fox hunting but not English rural farming which destroys far more wildlife. Why?
Bad things:
- ‘Scotland’s oil and gas industry is vital to our economy and jobs‘ – vote Trump!
- ‘SNP MPs will press the UK government to deliver a strong deal for the oil and gas sector. This must include targeted incentives to develop small pool discoveries, as well as further support to stimulate exploration activity and loan guarantees for critical infrastructure – measures which were promised in the UK Government’s 2016 Budget but have not been delivered‘ – vote Trump!
- as far as I can see, the environmental benefits of EU membership are never mentioned as reasons for the SNP’s wish for Scotland to remain in the EU, nor is there any commitment to argue for environmental protection to remain post-Brexit. The arguments are almost all economic ones.
Interesting things:
- ‘I’ve (Calum Kerr, rural affairs spokesman) challenged the Tory decision to rob Scottish farmers of £190 million of EU money, which only came to the UK because of Scotland’s historically low average farm payments. I will continue to fight for this funding to be passed on to Scotland’s farmers. As the UK leaves the EU, there is still no firm guarantee that EU powers and funding over farming will return to Scotland.‘ – this is going to be an issue of importance to farmers throughout the UK. I cannot speak for the figures’ accuracy but the issue of how the pot of farm payments should be split across the UK will be contentious. At present, the Holyrood government is given a pot of money and then decides the agri-environment schemes for Scotland. There will be fighting over the pot, post-Brexit. My guess is that Scottish farmers have a case for getting a bit more of the pot (but I can’t say I am sure – is there anyone out there who’d write a Guest Blog on this issue, please?). If this is the case, farmers in Scotland might benefit from an SNP MP arguing this in Westminster.
- similarly, ‘Our fishing communities know the consequences of leaving the Tories in charge. They need an unequivocal commitment that their livelihoods will not be bargaining chips in Brexit negotiations or treated, again, as ‘expendable‘
- and similarly ‘SNP MPs will seek additional powers. These will include powers that will be repatriated from Brussels to the UK that currently sit within the competences of the Scottish Parliament, like agriculture, fisheries and environmental protection‘ – but it says nothing about how those powers would be exercised. The SNP seem very keen on getting power back from Westminster (totally understandable) but less keen on saying what they might do with them (cf Brexiteers and the EU).
Overall assessment: if you send an SNP MP to Westminster they will have little impact on the Scottish environment, and even less on the UK environment except they will be occupying a seat which another party would otherwise occupy. If you vote SNP you are preventing a Green, LibDem or Labour MP from doing some good, but equally stopping a Conservative from doing some harm. Tricky!
Fox hunting is an issue in the Scottish Borders, not the least because some English Hunts have a history of ignoring the border. It might be a devolved matter, but it is one that does affect a part of Scotland. Until English hunts start respecting that border it is one we have a strong interest in.
Random22 – that is a bit random!
Most Scottish Hen Harriers risk death in England by flying south, etc etc etc
True, however a load of prats on horseback charging behind a pack of slavering hounds is something that tends to be a bit more concrete of an issue on the ground. Especially when they almost run you down on a country lane. It is a much more physical and personal threat to life, limb, and clean underwear. That is aside entirely from the principle of disrespecting the border between two countries because they feel entitled to treat one of them like a colonial possession from the 19thC.
However, if you care to dig a little deeper and research on issues which are devolved to SG the picture isn’t quite so rosy. Deep routed misgivings about the Tories is one thing (I can even sympathise to a degree), but let’s not be intentional disingenuous with who holds the reigns on many Scottish environmental issues, especially the catastrophic ones!
http://www.salmon-trout.org/new-report-from-salmon-farmings-biggest-company-confirms-that-scotland-is-the-dirty-man-of-global-aquaculture/news/431
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/homenews/15071210.Outrage_over_secret_plans_to_base_world__39_s_biggest_salmon_farm_in_Scotland/
Every party other than the SNP has made this election about Independence and they have got their desire.
There was no Green candidate on my ballot, so SNP it was.
Every other party sent a leaflet with ‘vote for us we will stop the SNP’. That was it! How could anyone vote for one of those parties.
After independence we will can vote for the party which protects and enhances the environment the most.
I dream.
If we want independence we have to vote in SNP candidates , we don’t want them to trot off down south and annoy you, though sometimes it can be rather entertaining,but under the present parliamentary system that was foisted on us over 300 years ago we have no alternative.Once we get independence then we can effect real environmental change , we are already leaving you far behind ,Tally Ho.
Bizarre to mention fox hunting in their manifesto and yet have been slow to tighten up the laws in Scotland and this week have been taking evidence on a relaxation of tail docking! Then there was the whole Off Shore Wind farm case which could seriously affect birds in the East coast of Scotland. There was also the Flame Shell bed that was destroyed because they have not been strong enough on Marine Protection Areas. There are some elements of the SNP that are close to grouse/game shooting interests. There is also a history of campaigning for extra powers and then not actually using them. I got nowhere lobbying my SNP MP on environmental issues in the UK parliament e.g. over the DGS debate. Very hard to get a reply from and little commitment from him. He will not be getting my vote to re-elect him! Game bird licensing should happen on the plus side! Grade ?
Many powers devolved to Scotland are unusable and they are deliberately set up that way to generate the criticism that Scotland does not use the powers it already has. Devolved powers over a toxic tax like income tax in isolation from the rest of the tax system for example is part of a Tory strategy to set SG up to fail. Just consider for a moment that our very own British government is actually our enemy, prepared to sabotage our good governance.
Opposition politicians like your own MP were not active in the DGS debate because there is no viable legislation possible which could progress the petition’s aim. In addition you could not expect SNP MPs at Westminster to be active in a matter which, in this case, is effectively devolved and where the SNP at Holyrood are laying some quite interesting foundations for dealing with shooting estates as yesterday’s SG announcement indicates.
You have to ask yourself whether you would prefer this issue to be dealt with in Scotland by Scots or whether you are happy to see a Tory government remove these devolved powers post Brexit, which is their undoubted intention, and run our uplands from London.
I have family members in the Borders which is a SNP/Con marginal. They were very disappointed with Calum Kerr (Co treasurer of the All Party Shooting And conservation Group) on his support for driven grouse shooting but are apprehensively considering voting for him to keep the Tories out.
I live in the Orkney Shetland Lib Dem/SNP marginal(ish) constituency and for once I am really relishing my vote because the Labour candidate is very good on the environment. She won’t get in but it feels so good to be voting for someone I really believe in.