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The unexplainable situation of Peter Murrell's embezzlement of 400,000 pounds, when he was chief executive of the Scottish National party while wife Nicola Sturgeon was head of Scottish government. The loss of reputation and honor in Britain as Scotland struggled with 14 years of austerity, Brexit policies, and from the failed leaders from Labour that brought deindustrialization and the 2009 financial crisis. The loss of credibility that Scotland could better manage its own affairs as an independent state than it could as an autonomous part of Britain that it has been for centuries, in an arrangement that made Scotland and integral part of the idea of Britain in the world from the British Empire to the Brtish Commonwealth. Scotland's population of 5 million people with main industrial hubs of Glasgow and Edinburgh is relatively small compared to the population of England with 59 million people and industrial hubs in Leeds, Birmingham, Manchester and London. Since the Act of Union tht brought Scotland into union with England as Great Britain in 1707, Scotland has depended on the industrial strength of England and its significantly larger financial and people resources. The autonomous arrangement preserves Scottish culture and identity inside the region, yet gives Scotland a better relationship, more access to benefits with the world as part of Great Britain's much larger presence.  ...

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RFK Jr. says "we should'nt be spending 10% of SNAP program on sugared drinks,and we should'nt be giving 60% of kids in schools processed foods"

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Peter Murrell was CEO of SNP Scottish National Party from 2001 to 2023.  He was the husband of Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland's government from 2014 to 2023.

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Japan's LDP PM Sanae Takaichi wins 300 of 465 seats in 2026 snap election up from 198 seats for the LDP party, a super majority without its ally Japan Innovation Party.

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SNP to win 63 seats to be largest in Scotland, Reform no seats in Scotland, Labour losses in Scotland.

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Britain's Labour party will now back a motion in parliament supported by the SNP, Liberal Democrats and Tories for a general election December 9 or December 12. This is the first December election since 1923, almost one hundred years. December elections in winter could have uncertain turnout, but the high turnout in the election in 1950 with Labour's Clement Attlee shows that when major issues are involved voters do turnout.

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Spain's Opposition PP party wins 7 million votes compared to Socialists in government winning 6.3 million. PP party won an absolute majority in the Madrid area which means it does not depend on the far right Vox party. Spain's prime minister Pedro Sanchez and Socialist leader calls for a snap general election on July 23.

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Arrests were made in a UK police inquiry including the Treasurer of the SNP, into handling of over 600,000 pounds in donations for a second independence referendum used for running costs instead, say this report in The Guardian. This Guardian report by Libby Brooks shows outwardly successful the Scottish National Party was behind the scenes chaotic, according to members who are frustrated at what has happened since 2014. A big influx of Yes voting members changed the party after 2014, and unable to cope it simply continued to function without modernizing its mechanisms for the last decade. Another problem appeared to be that power was concentrated in the husband and wife couple of Murrell the party's former chief executive who helped the party's electoral prospects, and Sturgeon as deputy leader. For much of the time party insiders say loyalty to Sturgeon after she headed the government, meant there was no effort to modernize the party with the growth in membership, and no serious discussion about this. Stuff got steamrollered. One insider says party leaders were inexperienced in handling a party of this size and did not realize that these problems would build up. It also reflects the support given to challenger Kate Forbes for the leadership election. What it means for Britain is that Labour and the Conservatives can count on Scotland, formerly a base for Labour, to give the leading British parties a decent chance in the next election on cost of living and public services issues. Issues that are uppermost in the minds of people in Scotland, to gain an overall parliamentary majority to tackle the issues of health, education, public services and climate change after the pandemic. ...

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Franvce's snap election in July 2024 is Explained in The Times showing the situation of each of the parties in France in EU elections and their platforms- Renaissance at 15%, Les Republicains allied with Macron's Renaissance at 7.25%. The Socialist Party of Mitterand and Hollande with 14%, the France Unbowed at 10%. Ecologiste at 6%, Combined these parties have 51% of the vote in EU elections. The National Rally has 31%. If the French parliamentary elections are similar to the EU elections the left parties have to unite with Les Republicains and Renaissance to have a chance to prevent the National Rally from forming a government.

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Takaichi Sanae calls snap election with 62% favorability rating Jan 2026. For decades few prime ministers of Japan had such a high rating. Sanae now has the chance to get an absolute majority in parliament.

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Starmer says he will stay on as PM encouraged by smaller losses in the London region after losing Wales and Scotland. Reform got 26% of the vote for 30% of the local councils seats for local government in Britain, Conservatives at 20% and Greens at 16%. SNP was leading in Scotland and Plaid Cymru in Wales, leading to a fragmented result for parties across the country.

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Prime minister Netanyahu of Israel says he will call snap elections if secular and religious parties in his centre right alliance do not come together to form a new government. Likud lacks the 61 seats for a majority in parliament resulting in negotiations with other religious and secular parties that back Netanyahu. Mr. Lieberman one of the secular party leaders says the ultra orthodox must serve in the military with other Israelis.

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Spain's prime minister Pedro Sanchez calls a snap election in Spain after the defeat of his minority government in a parliamentary budget vote. The Catalan party withdrew support leading to the collapse of the government. Twelve Catalan leaders are on trial in Madrid for arranging an independence referendum.

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A long incumbency and loss of ideological momentum is putting the Scottish Nationalist Party into a perilous descent, says The Guardian.

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David Reilly points out why the Credit Suisse and BNP Paribas legal settlements with the Justice Department do not provide the needed deterrent effect or accountability to protect our financial system.

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Failure of management at BNP Paribas to stop illicit transactions violating American laws leading to the $9 billion fine by the Justice Department.

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Sanae Takaichi Japan's PM in snap election campaign in February 2026.

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A small group of advisers and Macon including Nicholas Sarkozy of the Les Republicains voted to have new elections. Les Republicains governed France under presidents De Gaulle and some of De Gaulle administration members Pompidou, Giscard and Sarkozy. Sarkozy was seen as aloof and was succeeded by the Socialist party's Francois Hollande. At that point in 2017 at the end of Hollande's term the Socialists failed to take up working class families issues, and it marked the beginning of the National Rally of Jean and Marine Le Pen gaining worker support. Macron was a minister in the Hollande government who detected an opportunity in the loss of support for both Sarkozy's Les Republicains and Hollande's Socialists. He set up his own movement for renewal of France saying France needed newer people than the old administrations and got an infusion of support from young people. Yet Macron lacked a specific program to get back the voter support of working class families as he implemented policy on climate without addressing concerns of cost of living leading to yellow vest protests. He was reelected im a close election with a challenge from National Rally 58% to 42% in second round after having only 5% point margin over Le Pen in first round, with help from the left vote. Macron spent the first two years of second term fighting the unions and labor over pension reform, when his measures failed to pass the Assembly he used executive action. As a result support in small towns and other parts of France has shifted to National Rally, with the immigration issue adding to support and young people frustrated by Macron not tackling key issues of working class people decided to shift to the National Rally and to Melenchon left party, and to Socialist parties. As Macron is closely allied with Les Republicains ideology he is looking for away to rebuild the LR and his EN Marche as an alternative in 2027 presidential elections. ...