Including myself, how many SNP members are expected to leave the party if fracking goes ahead? – Shugmeister (@weeshooey)

THE SNP position on fracking has, quite understandably, left many environmentally conscious Scots feeling somewhat frustrated.

A 2015 SNP moratorium on fracking meant that the drilling procedure would be prevented in Scotland subject to “further inquiries”, while SNP MPs abstained on a vote on banning fracking at Holyrood in June of this year.

For those unsure of the term, fracking, also known as hydraulic fracturing, is a process by which fluid is injected into cracks in underground rocks in order to obtain easier access to water, petroleum or natural gas. While this may sound reasonable enough, it should be understood that such procedures are often unsafe and can lead to contamination, waste and pollution issues, as well as health risks for those involved in the fracking process. There is clearly a strong sense of ill-feeling towards fracking in Scotland. While it perhaps makes sense that the SNP are not ruling out fracking until they can be certain that it is safe, such deliberation over a hugely controversial procedure would appear to fly in the face of SNP emphasis on the importance of renewable energy.

Do we really need to frack? Ultimately, the fracking dilemma seems to boil down to a familiar stand-off: people versus profit. In most cases, I’d expect the SNP to side with the former, but they seem largely undecided on this matter so far. It wouldn’t surprise me if a significant number of SNP supporters turned in their badges if their party chooses to support fracking. And I wouldn’t blame them. The SNP may have underestimated the magnitude of the response of their supporters to this issue, and I am looking forward to seeing how they respond to such a challenge.

Labour: The Cringeworthy grandparent everyone is reluctant to visit

“Is Scottish Labour’s underpublicised ineptitude a sign of its people or its head office not giving a toss?” – Chris Addison (@chrisaddison67)

THERE'S a sense of futility to writing about the roots of Labour ineptitude. You see, Labour, since at least 1997, have been traitors to their own basic cause. Far from being a party of the people, Labour have since become a party that people are afraid to approach. Ever since the Blairite “revolution”, Labour has become less of a party and more of an ongoing wake. Almost 20 years on, it’s hardly surprising that Labour has become the cringeworthy grandparent that everyone is reluctant to visit.

On a different note, I really do feel for Kezia Dugdale. Unlike many Scottish Labour leaders before her, Dugdale is actually somewhat likeable; a rare quality in a politician. However, with Scottish Labour HQ being little more than an outpost for British Labour – or whatever they wish to call themselves – Dugdale might as well be running a social club for misanthropes.

Scottish Labour is currently faced with the task of digging themselves out of an impossibly deep hole.

Their southern superiors in London, however, seem to be doing little more than ensuring that they don’t run out of oxygen.

Faced with limited appeal, even less freedom and a formidable opponent in the form of the SNP, it’s incredibly difficult to see where Scottish Labour can go from here.

A SCOTTISH TWIST ON A FESTIVE CLASSIC

Mulled Buckfast, is it too early? – Neal Robertson (@thesponguy)

I THINK there’s a perfectly decent argument to be made for mulled Buckfast. In this or any festive season, we find the time to sufficiently intoxicate ourselves with various forms of alcoholic mutations, and with Buckfast proving an increasingly popular form of fortified wine in our modern culture, I believe it’s sensible to embrace said beverage instead of seeing it as some form of deviant libation. It may elevate your heart rate to an unhealthy level, but remember also that Buckfast is more than its representation in the media. It’s a drink, and as such it ought to be treated no different to cider or whisky or anything else that impairs or enhances your ability to dance.

Like many once-teenage purveyors of the aforementioned beverage, I believe that Buckfast can find its place in the marketplace for creative concoctions as much as any other potation. After all, us Scots have been responsible for Drambuie Ice Cream, ginger wine, the “Het Pint” and countless other creations that have warmed the cockles of festive revellers...so why not continue the trend with mulled Buckfast?

Word has it that Glasgow’s Driftwood pub has taken to serving mulled Buckfast as a means of celebrating our festive season, and who can argue with a highly caffeinated take on a Christmas classic? The trick is creativity. Personally, I enjoy Buckfast with a little Red Bull and a drop or two of ice. Rocket fuel? Absolutely. But I enjoy it in the same way that some may enjoy a glass of port after an evening meal. Does it make me a bad person? No. It makes me a purveyor of mind-numbing intoxicants just like the next person, and this in turn makes me a man of the world. My advice? Be creative, be kind and never be stifled by those who tell you that you can’t find new ways to enjoy old drinks.