I wasn’t going to blog anything today, because I’ve got packing to do and have to take the dug to stay with friends in Glenboig before I go away first thing tomorrow morning. But the fact that we live in a country where not only is it deemed acceptable for a politician to lie to the electorate, but that same politician plays hard done by for being called out for his lies. It’s not the betrayed who are the wronged, it’s the betrayer. It’s not the deceived who are the victims, it’s the deceiver. It’s not the cheated who are the casualties, it’s the cheater. British democracy lies bruised and bleeding, kicked in the teeth by elected politicians who cry like weans when the punters dare to want to hold them to account. Don’t get above your station little people, here are some shiny lies.
Alistair Carmichael is a liar. There’s no dispute about that fact. Alistair Carmichael lied to the public about an untrue smear in order to secure his own election and that of his sorry fellow travellers. But because he didn’t tell a lie about another individual candidate then it was ruled that in law his lie is acceptable. Alistair Carmichael may be crowing in the press about how he was cleared, but he wasn’t cleared of lying, he wasn’t cleared of misleading the electorate, he wasn’t cleared of deception. What we discovered today is that in Britain we have no defence against the mendacity of politicians, that sophistry counts for more than truth. Alistair Carmichael lied in order to keep his job, he deceived us all in order to be able to influence our laws and to continue to tell us what to do. We’re being bossed about by a liar, we’re being told what to do by a man who cheated and lied his way to the moral high ground. That’s just fine with our political masters, that’s just fine with our unionist media.
And what’s worst of all is that we’re disgusted, we’re appalled, we’re repulsed. But we’re not surprised. We live in the UK where being a member of the establishment means getting a free pass, a free expense account, a job for life, and never ever being held to account. Don’t imagine you can insist on higher standards for those who set themselves above you. We’re just the peasants and the punters who must show respect. Tug your forelock and go and watch Strictly. The message from above is that there is nothing you or I can do to change anything. Accept your lot, accept the lies, accept the deceit. Truth and honesty is only demanded of the poor and powerless. This is the UK, where the marginalised march to the foodbanks but we feast on a diet of lies and the road to ruin is illuminated by Alistair Carmichael and his amazing incendiary underpants.
This is a country where it’s not wrong for politicians to lie. It’s not wrong for journalists to mislead. It’s not wrong for the establishment to deceive. It’s only wrong when ordinary people demand that the powerful be held to the standards that the powerful rule for the rest of us. Then it’s bullying, then it’s abuse when ordinary people from Orkney have the audacity to demand that their political representatives abide by the same standards of common decency that the rest of us are obliged to uphold. And that’s what provokes the outrage of the powerful, not the lies or the deceit, but the nerve of the little people who think big.
This is Britain where the only dreams you’re allowed are dreams of lottery wins or celebrity game shows. This is Britain where the best you can hope for is a lower interest rate on the loans and debt that will burden you throughout your life. This is Britain where the rich buy indulgences for their sins from a pre-Reformation media and the poor are visited by the inquisition. Poor Alistair, his pants light up our lives and we have the cheek to complain.
It wasn’t just Alistair Carmichael whose career was under scrutiny during this court case. It was the entire British political class. Carmichael’s survival was no vindication, no proof of moral rectitude, no certificate of robust health. It is proof that the rules are pauchled, that the gemme is a bogey, that the playing field is skewed. The judges ruled that he did lie in order to affect the outcome of the election in Orkney and Shetland, Carmichael and the British establishment escaped the consequences only because that same establishment has drawn the rules so narrowly. It’s not a vindication of Carmichael, it’s not a vindication of the law. It’s proof that we live in a corrupt and rotten system which has not got the slightest intention of ever reforming itself. There is no light at the end on the tunnel. It’s just Alistair’s underpants.
In the land of the lie the truth is dangerous. In the land of deceit honesty is a crime. It must be clear by now to even the most obtuse that the United Kingdom is incapable of change. The safer faster change promised by Gordie Broon during the independence referendum was a lie just like Carmichael’s lies. The respect that was promised by David Cameron was a lie just like Carmichael’s lies. The most devolved parliament in the world that they told us we’d get if we voted no was a lie, just like Carmichael’s lies. Britain lies in the gutter, but we’re not looking at the stars. All we see is the twinkling fire of a hundred thousand underpants.
There is no hope that things will ever be any different in Britain, no chance of change. The only way out is to leave this bankrupt state and start afresh. We face nothing but anger and disappointment, insults and offence until we leave the land that belongs to the incendiary underpants and go live in a Scotland that belongs to its people.
The brave Orkney Four deserve our support. They now face the cost of the legal action for daring to believe that Carmichael should be held to the standards of common decency and truth. Donate generously.
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-people-versus-carmichael#/
I’m off for a few days visiting first thing on Thursday morning, so there will be no updates to the blog until Wednesday of next week.
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Wee Ginger Dug 
“In the land of the lie the truth is dangerous”
It appears to be perfectly ok now for politicians to lie through their teeth , no limits.
I wonder what George Orwell would make of todays politicians, I’m sure he would be fair scunnered just like the rest of us.
Thankyou dug for standng by the orkney 4.you are spot on
Paul, I’m disgusted beyond words! My stomach is actually churning right now. I’m seething with rage. What kind of judges do we have? They are not there to give justice, but to protect the elite and the powerful. I have no hope for Scotland if we do not become independent.
Rev. William Steele, 138 Arthur St. S., Guelph, ON N1E 5K5 Tel. Cel. (519) 835-1560
Date: Wed, 9 Dec 2015 14:47:37 +0000 To: habibbarri@live.ca
[…] Alistair Carmichael and his amazing incendiary underpants […]
Not another damned word to add other than very well said Paul.
Said it all Paul. Donated and will continue to do so. So much respect for the Orkney 4.
The best demolition yet Paul. Brilliant!
The judges were quite right. They came to the conclusion that the letter of the law demands, and that’s their job.
It is also the job of political party leaders to withdraw the whip from members who disgrace their position,.and the failure to do places the party concerned beyond disgrace. I do not know if the House of Commons itself has the right to expel a dishonourable member (a Google search tells me that the House of Lords has had such a right since last July), but if it has such a right and fails to exercise it, then it fully shares in the dishonour.
But you are right. The rot goes deeper, all the way back to the drafting of the law. Drafting laws is a job carried out by highly skilful civil servants doing the bidding of their political masters, and if there are loopholes then we must presume, as with tax loopholes, that they are there on purpose.
Sums it up nicely.
More details: the court found that Carmichael had committed a “blatant lie”, and a spokeswoman for the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards has confirmed that an inquiry into Mr Carmichael is ”ongoing”. The Commissioner has the power to refer the case to the House of Commons for action. It is now Parliament itself that is on trial.
And when you thought he couldn’t sink any lower, he has: According to the BBC: “There is a further issue. It is understood that Mr Carmichael will now seek to recover his legal expenses from the petitioners – who raised their cash from crowd funding. It is believed those expenses are in the realm of £150,000.”
But the judges really damned Carmichael’s character and left a ticking time bomb by judging him a liar in a legal document. This could cost him his legal profession and he still has to answer for his conduct as he is being investigated by the House of Commons. They apparently had someone at the court taking down all the details of the trial. This is not over and there may be consequences to come even if not delivered directly by the judges.
In the meantime we must stand by the brave Orkney 4 for all they have done and make sure they are not out of pocket.
Wait, Carmichael’s a lawyer by profession?
Can he get removed from the bar for this?
Reblogged this on Bampots Utd.
Well blow me down! The judges danced on the head of a pin to find in favour of the establishment, I can hardly believe it. Hopefully even the most thrawn of Orcadian voters will kick this turnip out at the next election and vote SNP.
This is just pissing into the wind, but this is the message I have sent via the Limp Dums web site:
“I can understand that you were unable to consider his case whilst the court case was pending.
However, now it has now been concluded that, on a narrow point of law, he has not infringed the relevant legislation, I now want to ask you what action you are going to take.
He has admitted lying to the public, his constituents and Parliament over the issue in question.
This conclusion was endorsed by the election court—they ruled that under the legislation it was acceptable to lie.
Are you going to accept the continuation as an MP in your party of a proven and self-confessed liar?
If so, on what grounds can you justify this, except that clinging on to power is the duty of every MP.
In that case you have exposed your party as one with no principals, beliefs, and one that can no longer make any claim to the noble title of Liberal.
I await your response with interest.”
Let’s bomard them.
Mark Austin
Well done Sir!
So, now, whenever a politician says “trust me” (or much of anything, tbh) we have our retort: “Orkney4 vs Carmichael”. It is now pointless for any politician to say anything, without independent verification.
Also, some of you guys need to look up “jury nullification” sometime, it’s a bit of common law that judges *hate*.
actually, I’m thinking that we could rig up some boom-boxes with a variety of people saying that, and just take them along to any political rally, to drown out the speakers, as it would have as much meaning as what they’re saying.
Reblogged this on pictishbeastie.
[…] Source: Alistair Carmichael and his amazing incendiary underpants […]
What a bloody travesty. Lying fukwit walks free as its ok to be a liar during electioneering! Law is an ass indeed.
This clown was, or is a officer of the crown and court (PF). It might not say much for him BUT it sure says a lot about the corrupt Royal system that rules over us.
What does it say about the unionist BT voters happy to defend a liar?
LET THEM ROT IN HELL!
Learn from the battles, win the war I suppose.
Tommy Sheridon, what was his offence again? And Coulson?
Lies are only words, sigh.
“We’re being bossed about by a liar…this is a country where it’s not wrong for politicians to lie…Alistair Carmichael is a liar…there’s no dispute about that fact.”
Aw, c’mon. Remember when Alex Salmond said (on the record) that he had legal advice on Scotland’s ability to remain in the EU, and then went to the courts to challenge a freedom of information request to gain sight of it, only for Nicola Sturgeon to tell us that no such advice had actually been sought, let alone delivered. I guess then you also believe that Alex Salmond “is a liar…there’s no dispute about that fact”.
My point here is not to criticise either man (though neither behaved well in these specific instances and it’s right that they be called to account) as I think the pressures on public figures are immense and nobody’s perfect. But as far as the original post is concerned, people in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.
“people in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.”
What’s that supposed to mean? Do I look like Alex Salmond to you?
In any event there’s a clear distinction, Alex Salmond did not admit in a court of law that he lied in order to win an election. Carmichael did. And whether or not you believe Salmond lied depends very much on whether you accept the Unionist media narrative about the events in question. The Unionist media interpretation is disputed – and with good reason.
And Kapulski is incorrect anyway and is only repeating an old lie. Andrew Neil allowed himself to hear what he wanted. At no time did Alex say there was legal advice or otherwise. His comment specifically related to the document they were discussing at the time. The Ministerial code (which is a Wesminster legacy) tells minister not to publicide legal advice (or othewise).
The two cases are completely different from each other. After an investigation, Salmond was found not to have deceived the electorate, who went on to vote for him in full possession of the facts. He won with a massive 27 point swing to the SNP. On the other hand, Carmichael lied through his teeth on the run up to an election in the hope of improving his chances (as concluded by the judges). He lied to the investigators of the leak and he lied to the press. The voters of Orkney and Shetland went to the polls unaware of the full scale of his deceptions. He kept his seat but his lead dropped from 10,000 to barely over 800 (a 20 point drop). It’s not out of the realm of possibility that the result could have been very different had the truth been exposed beforehand. The result of the investigation was damning indeed – although I’m wondering if he read the final report very thoroughly because of his statement about how ‘pleased’ he was. Not sure how pleased I would be if declared a liar by the court.
I’ve never contributed anything to campaigns of any sort. This time, I did. Four ordinary voters taking on the entire UK establishment deserve all the support they can get. They have shown exceptional bravery in their attempt to make politicians accountable for their actions. Although the judges found in Carmichael’s favour, they have actually shown us through their ruling just how restrictive the legislation is. Politicians can only be prosecuted for lying in very precise circumstances. The judges ruled that he is a liar but his lies are not covered by the relevant Act. I wonder how long it will take to widen the Act to cover all lies to the electorate. That will be a never.
Carmichael will not get through another election successfully but I am sure he has already been promised a place in the House of Lords as a reward for taking the rap for others. “Lord Fibber” would be an apt title.
Let’s crowd fund the fuck out of this and send a message to the elite that we are united against injustice. Just a pity that some crowd of bread head lawyers will make a killing as usual. What’s the latest total of SNP members? 100,000 plus I reckon. 2 quid each should pay this bill and then we go for the jugular of these lying, cheating bastards.
Just made my own modest contribution to this worthy cause and saw that it’s raised over £180,000 already. Cash in the pockets of the already rich but we need to save these wonderful Orcadians from bankruptcy at the hands of rapacious britannia.
the legal establishment probably now take the place as being the world’s oldest profession , and instead of protecting the unionist establishment with this verdict , they have opened a few more eyes to what is actually going on in this country , unintended consequences comes to mind ,as every single one of the unionist promises are proved to be lies , promoted by liars , Carmichael being the latest one ,what happens next is up to the people who in the end hold the power ,convincing them they do is the difficult part as Jim Sillars would say , roll on 2016 !
“the legal establishment probably now take the place as being the world’s oldest profession”
Isn’t that prostitution?
Is there a difference?
lol, but yes. (also, I’d guess that most prostitutes would be offended by that comparison)
Prostitutes are paid to give you pleasure.
Lawyers are paid to understand something that it’s unreasonable for everyday people to not understand.
I honestly find the concept of “I need a lawyer to understand the law” to be offensive. If an ordinary person cannot understand the law without help, then the law is unreasonable and shouldn’t be enforced.
“Mr Carmichael hit out at political opponents after the court’s verdict was revealed, calling the case ‘a mark of the unhealthy polarisation of Scottish politics since the referendum'”.
There is talk of him suing the Orkney Four to recover his legal costs.
Whatever happened to dignity and grace in victory? Why did this supercilious egotistical self serving solipsist not have the grace to wait until feelings died down?
On the other hand, what he sees as ‘unhealthy polarisation’ is to me a statement of defeat in the face of the ever increasing wave of support for the SNP.
Well said, Sue. Carmichael is the personification of rancid sour bloated unionism.
One point worth raising in debate: the “losing” petitioners are going to have to raise funds to cover Carmichael’s legal expenses, that the taxpayer is saddled with the 1.5 million (so I have read) cost of the initial enquiry, none of which would have been necessary if he had come clean at that stage.
Taxpayer money, of which years (hopefully not for much longer) the paid custodian
but the taxpayer … of which he is (the perils of posting from voice recognition without proofreadig)
If yer ever stuck fur a dog sitter………:-)
Well said, PJ. You know the Vichy Jocks are on the back foot when they cast up that old chestnut.
Bon voyage, WGD. That was a stinging assessment of Carmichael and his tarnished victory. Superb. Enjoy your break.
I believe Carmichael would be shameless enough to claim his expenses. He is a vindictive man. I would hope that his congregation might shift uncomfortably in their pews at this shameful representative. What a hollow shell of a man.
Carmichael really is yer typical snidey “Holy Wullie”. My auld man aye told me never to trust his sort. If that’s yer “Christian values”, Carmichael, ye can ram them, ya fat, two-faced purveyor of pish!
If Carmichael pursues the Orkney four for costs, that’ll be the second biggest mistake of his life. His political legacy is personally toxic as is.
He was branded liar on all counts by the courts and came out the other end on a technical point of law, most definitely not smelling of roses. Were he remotely intelligent, he’d be best advised to see out his four years and accept a dishonourable discharge in 2020.
The result if he doesn’t? I’d say such an action would in all likelihood threaten to destroy at the ballot, the Scottish Liberal Democrats and all those parties and individuals who sought to profit from that nasty little conspiracy. Mind you, they’re doing a fair job of heading in that direction already, so they could probably do with Mr Carmichael keeping his head down.
I think that his actions have already destroyed the Liberal Democrats, the second word in whose title is now definitely an oxymoron.
Wise men know when tae haud their tongue. Big fat LIARS dinnae.
Oh poor wee me stressed oot fir months, this was all politically motivated ( kettle calling pot black)
If ever there was a time when the making of a political statement was soooooooo inappropriate this was it.
Yae won Nowt ya big fat LIAR you only lost your dignity , respect and any right to sit your lardy arse in any political chamber……Honorable member of parliament my arse .
Not much to add to that except to say that injustice has started many a revolution. The American War of Independence was such,. I suggest that the Establishment in this country start to worry.
I suspect they have been worrying for at least two years now…
KAPULSKI….hey WGD has a troll. Hitting the big time now wee furry chap. Eh no?
“The most powerful devolved parliament in the world’ was a lie in the most elegant sense, in that he lied to us by telling the truth! I think many, perhaps even most, people interpreted that statement as “The most power sub-national administration in the world” and therefore compared what Scotland got to what the states of the USA or the German Länder have … However, they’re not devolved parliaments. They existed before their respective federal governments, they are not sub-national administrations created by the centre where the centre retains both the power to legislate for them or even to abolish them entirely.
So what we should really be comparing Scotland to at this point is perhaps the regions of France, South Africa or the Netherlands? And that’s a much lower bar than either the States or Länder. Though this being the UK, I can’t really say for certain whether it’s actually been achieved! It might have been, but only in the sense that someone earning £10,000.01 earns more than someone earning £10,000.00 ..
Excellent post again.
I wonder what else carmichael has lied about, and remember he was kept in his luxuriously paid job by only what, 800 votes apparently? Tip of the iceberg.
HoC unionists are a bunch of crooks basically living off the backs of the people and ensuring it’s the poor, who are blamed for their misuse of public funds via austerity. Utterly disgusted and also disgusted with the no voters.
Wonderful post Paul – expresses so much righteous anger and disgust, which are shared in the comments.
I hope you enjoy your few days off and come back rested,relaxed and ready for the next fray.
For anyone that’s interested here’s another example of a Scotsman who is doing his best to expose political bias – this time on reports from Syria.