Martin Freeman makes a party political broadcast for Scottish Labour

[besleybean]

Hopefully will be able to get a link up at some point...

But I have just been ' treated'  to Martin telling me how to vote in Scotland...

Sorry, guys, it won't wash with the Scots.

The SNP are expected to wipe out 'Scottish ' Labour.

His party political broadcast would have been fine for England.

But not in Scotland, dear...

 

Here it is:

 

https://amp.twimg.com/v/e4b0fcb7-2c1c-4f4d-b8bb-e8e0dd0d6f46

[Carol the Dabbler]

It seems pretty clear that his heart's in the right place, and I respect him for that.  But people (in general, not just Mr. Freeman) tend to assume that if you don't believe in their methods, you don't believe in their goals either.

 

[sittything]

I know nothing about UK political parties except the bit I learned when John Oliver discussed Scotland potentially seceding.

 

ETA:  So basically, next to nothing other than him talking about David Cameron some.  lol

[besleybean]

I knew Martin was a Labour supporter and I'm fine with that, totally fine in respect of keeping the Tories out(of England!).

But we only have ONE Tory MP in the whole of Scotland and he may well lose his seat this time around.

So voting Labour to keep out the Tories is a nonsense in Scotland.

The SNP are already the major party and are predicted to do anything up to quadruple their number of seats this time around.

They are the new party that Labour used to be.

More than anything  else, and this is what my countrymen down South just constantly refuse to grasp...

The Scots do not like English multi millionaires telling them how to vote.

[Boton]

Really interesting to hear your perspective out of Scotland, besleybean.  I try to follow UK politics a little, but I'm truthfully so inundated by political crazy over here (USA) that I'm overwhelmed keeping track of more than one political system!

 

It sounds like Freeman's words are heartfelt, but I always feel a bit uneasy when actors/artists/etc. who have succeeded wildly start taking political positions.  I figure, at least in the U.S., by the time someone has made millions as an actor, his or her life is so completely different from my own that it would be foolish for me to take political advice from them.  Or vice-versa.  

[besleybean]

I totally get Labour using a top professional actor and incidentally I wouldn't be surprised if Martin made this ad for free...and also he does mean what he says.

It is heartfelt and on some levels makes sense...AND Martin does acknowledge he's done well.

But I honestly think unless  you've lived up here, you just don't 'get it'...

[sittything]

It's my understanding that Scotland is more liberal politically than most of the UK, so I'm assuming that the SNP is more liberal than the Labour party which is more liberal than the conservative party.   Is that accurate?

[Carol the Dabbler]

Lest someone think Mr. Freeman has been cast in Hamlet, I have taken the liberty of changing this thread's title from "Alas poor Martin, I knew him well" to "Martin Freeman makes a political advertisement."  Since you are the registered owner of this thread, Bev, you can change it back (or whatever) any time you like -- just edit the first post and make your changes in the title box.

 

By the way, I would have said "political ad," but I think that's an American term.  What would the casual British term be?

 

[Carol the Dabbler]

Thanks for dealing with the thread title, Bev -- but you confused me for a while there.  The link you posted goes to the UK Labour Party's Twitter page, Freeman doesn't mention Scotland, and neither do any of the related news articles that I had seen -- but then I found this one, which mentions "a slightly different version" for airing on Scottish television:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6H-kN4R2iSk&feature=player_detailpage

 

The main difference seems to be this one mentions that the Labour Party started in Scotland (apparently pointing out that it's not some Sassenach import).

 

[Fantasy Lover]

The only thing I know about the politics there is this: people hate Tory, labour is socialist, dunno about SNP. Ukip might be worse than Tory

[besleybean]

Yes Carol I was puzzled myself, over whether England had a different broadcast to us!

Anyhow.

Yes, aurelie, UKIP are much worse than probably all but the BNP.

SNP used to be a little more right wing, but they are very much a social democrat party now.

[Carol the Dabbler]

The only thing I know about the politics there is this: people hate Tory, labour is socialist, dunno about SNP. Ukip might be worse than Tory

Yes, aurelie, UKIP are much worse than probably all but the BNP.

SNP used to be a little more right wing, but they are very much a social democrat party now.

 

I take it you both mean that the UKIP is "worse" from a Labour perspective?  I know very little about British politics, but from what I just read online, I'd probably agree with the UKIP on some issues, probably as much as I'd agree with Labour.  (I don't tend to agree with American political parties on very much, either.)

 

But the BNP (again, from what I've read online) is a different matter all together!

[besleybean]

Wow Carol, I really hope you don't mean that...UKIP are  a nasty party.

Having said that, I understand that much is cultural perspective.

I would prefer Obama here instead of our Queen!

Yeah, to be fair UKIP do try to present themselves as a reasonable voice, their leader is very affable...

But I would never vote for them.

[Carol the Dabbler]

Hey, nobody ever said we all had to agree -- that's why there are elections! 

 

[besleybean]

Yes and the UK system makes it interesting anyway, but recently things have become so much more ' interesting'.

Getting back to Martin(oh and of course lovely David Tennant voices over, too).

Now I've calmed down, I have to acknowledge a few things. 

Martin is right in 3 senses:

1. As long as Scotland remains in the UK, the UK government affects us all.

2. If the SNP win seats, they will mainly be taking them from Labour, as Labour are the 2nd party of Scotland.

3. Labour needs all the seats it can get to beat the Tories.

 

But what my English relatives and friends don't understand is the rising ill feeling as a result of the recent independence referendum.

 

Labour were in league with the Tories to prevent Scotland gaining her freedom and that will not be forgotten.

[Caya]

Er, correct me if I'm wrong (I'm rather badly informed about British politics, I must admit) but didn't the Scottish people vote against independence in a referendum last September? So I'm a bit puzzled as to how any party could "prevent Scotland gaining her freedom" when the majority of her people apparently preferred remaining part of the United Kingdom .

[sittything]

A majority vote to stay, but it was close. Wiki had the final really at 55.3%-44.7% in favor of starting in the UK. I would assume besley means that Labour backed the campaign for a united UK.

 

ETA:  really should be tally and starting should be staying.  yay, phone auto-correct.

[besleybean]

You are right Caya.

But when you are taking on the entire establishment and most of the press...the 'Yes' camp did very well.

I suspect many who voted 'No' now regret it and may regret it more if we get another Tory gov in May.

But my point was(yes, sittything), Labour campaigned for a 'No' vote alongside the Tories.

[Carol the Dabbler]

2. If the SNP win seats, they will mainly be taking them from Labour, as Labour are the 2nd party of Scotland.

3. Labour needs all the seats it can get to beat the Tories.

Please forgive my ignorance, but if Labour would have won except for the SNP taking some seats that would otherwise have gone to Labour, wouldn't the SNP and Labour still be able to form a coalition and thereby control the House of Commons anyway? Or is my rather tenuous grasp of British politics even more flawed than I realized?

[sittything]

Did anyone see John Oliver's episode on Scottish independence?    At the end he made a grand "romantic" gesture... lol