A guest post by Samuel Miller
The past week has been an educational experience in terms of politics as it is practised UK style. We’ve had media cock ups, which wouldn’t look out of place in a carry on film. There have been yet more court developments in Labour’s ongoing bout of self abuse. Two of Scotland’s branch managers held a bit of a social media spat over who is the most anti Essenpee. We’ve even had Labour’s one and only MP in Scotland having a bit of a fallout with his own shadow Scottish Secretary.
It’s like a cross between Game of Thrones and Shakespear’s Julius Ceasar out there, only without the laughs.
FFS! We’ve just had a Tory bloodbath which resulted in the UK now in the midst of pulling itself out of the EU. Their own ill conceived, clown-footed omnishambles has seen the pound plummet, markets lose billions and leave the UK facing, at very least, a soft recession. The UK’s electorate are divided, with an unprecedented rise in hate crime since the Brexit vote. Westminster’s political credibility is currently the laughing stock of the international stage and a looming constitutional crisis on their own doorstep could see the end of the UK as we know it.
OK, that last one? There may be an upside there (cough).
Quite literally though, the main players in Westminster and their branch managers in Scotland are tearing each other apart. About the only thing these lunatics agree on is that the Essenpee are bad.
That would be the Essenpee who haven’t crippled an economy, alienated the poor, the helpless, the disenfranchised or…. the furriner. They haven’t started any wars, or committed billions to renewing the most appalling weapon system in existence. They’ve balanced their books, proven themselves capable in government and are currently busy trying to scrape together some underspend from last year’s handout to ease impending Brexit hardship in the Scottish economy. Y’know also, just to add yet a further degree of difficulty, they’re having to clean up an international and constitutional mess they didn’t cause and didn’t invite in the first place. Yet STILL, for all that, they’re bad. Probably also ‘vile’ in point of fact.
How did it come to this? Is the big chair in Downing street worth all of this? Is this the inevitable end result of a parliamentary sovereignty?
The established order, a crown and parliamentary sovereignty. In short, the fox running the hen hoose. Elected and unelected chambers of a closed shop, where the members set the agenda and decide among themselves what’s in our best interests. All of that wealth, influence, patronage (corporate and otherwise) and government. A system which can create and end any law, the supreme authority in the land which no court can overrule and only future parliaments can change legislation of. Oh and going back to that influence thing? When you effectively have your own state broadcaster and can name a newspaper’s political affiliation by it’s title then controlling the message isn’t much of a problem.
One word – Frenchgate.
Quite a set up. So yeah, you can see why political parties sold on this system of government might be a bit over competitive and aggressive in their campaigning. You can see where the art of persuasion by debate, over time, becomes the the art of naked manipulation and misinformation. You can see why competing ideologies over what is best for a population becomes bitter tribal warfare where the population becomes electoral coin and collateral damage. You can’t make an omelette and all that, or the end justifies the means, right?
THIS is politics as it is practised UK style.
This is the politics which uses and abuses our trust, manipulates our opinion and treats sections of its own population as acceptable losses. The greatest trick the establishment ever pulled, was to convince the electorate they were powerless to change anything for their own benefit. We CAN change how we are governed. We CAN choose to either live in service to a state or return the state to public service. The choice is yours…
So what KIND of politics and what KIND of country do you want to live in?
Audio version of this blog article, courtesy of @lumi_1984
https://soundcloud.com/occamshaver/wgd-politics-as-it-is-practised-12th-august-2016
Wee Ginger Dug 
I’m not sure if you have depressed me or cheered me up. I know what kind of country I want for the children and grandchildren of Scotland but I feel it all slipping away – could just be the depressing weather that is inducing my malaise or it could be that constant overblown britishness associated with watching the Olympics on the BBBC.
No need to feel depressed; just the opposite in fact. Remember how far we’ve progressed in the last few years. We’re closer than ever to our goal and there’s no way we’re going to give up. Political anoraks like us can sometimes get too close to the action and sometimes forget the bigger, slower-moving picture. Don’t watch the olympics, don’t read britnat papers. When brexit really hits the fan the so-called united kingdom will disintegrate further.
The last days of the Roman Empire , the populous were treated to sports in the arena to divert their attention from the reality of their situation.
Camoron has already metaphorically fallen on his sword,
Fox has been put back in his box by the heads of the EU and the US!
The court jester Boris has come up with several embarrasing pronouncements,
Her Imperial May ….she without a mandate , fiddles about with human rights and strolls off into the Swiss heights to get away from the odeur of blood letting on both sides of the Unionist benches in the House of ill repute.
Meanwhile as the ship of state sinks slowly into the Thames clay, the golden sun continues to set lower in the treasury .
Poetic Douglas. I enjoyed that.
Prophetic as well I believe.
Play it again Sam , Ref2 , this time to a winning tune. Let’s get organised to be ready for that INDYREF 2 , BMDW
How much would need to be crowdfunded to provide each voter with a single use mobile device which when switched on has only two buttons: one for yes and the other for no. No need for ballot papers (as easy to print 2 or more of each), postal votes (has any postal voter ever been contacted after an election to verify that their ballot paper was not tampered with? And if not, why not?). After use they could all be gathered back in to reprogramme for the next use.
3D printing a possibility?
Would still need some way of validating who the user is and that it couldn’t be used by the same person for all residents at the address.
am sickened by what’s happening in the British labour party and its PLP – it’a a perfect example of what Sam’s talking about. Sooner Scotland is out of the UK, the better
Great stuff again Sam. You have a gift with words.
That stench is the stench of the corrupt yoonion as it decomposes.
practised not practiced; noun with ‘c’ and verb with ‘s’.
I’ll get ma grammatically correct coat…
orthographically correct coat, surely!
Ta much and edited. Speelchuckers nibber pook up granma whun yer in a hooray tu b ulsewhur. 🙂
Great blog Sam. Wish I had your way with words.
Your fucking right Samuel. Problem is, too many people view the world standing on their head viewing a mirror with sunglasses on. I’m afraid they will drag us all down. I think we can achieve independence. Unsure of what kind of a government we might elect?
Our own
The English government is, and always has been, totally corrupt, and is full of liars, thieves, crooks and charlatans who have, as their main aim in life, the opportunity to fill their own pockets and the pockets of their business and bankster pals. They have no care or consideration for the people, and their only “contribution” is to lie to the back of their teeth every five years to get themselves re-elected.
The only way to escape from this House of Common thieves is to have an independent Scotland and a decent Scottish government whose members are not controlled by London but, rather, by the Scottish people.
The nearer we have our politicians arse’s to the toe of our boot the better.
Well put Walter.
10 on a 5 point scale.
Galactofuck (tm the Dug)?
Would “Their own ill conceived, clown-footed galactofuck” better express the real malevolence of the Tory destruction just wreaked on the United Kingdom by Boris Johnson’s contemptible leadership bid wheeze, aka the Brexit vote?
It reaches those sod-the-peasants never-mind-the-elite places Omnishambles doesn’t get to. ymmv.
Just keep telling folks if they vote No next time they can expect decades of tory rule from Westminster.
Brilliant, just brilliant Mac.
I agree totally with what you say…I wish I could articulate the case as well as you do. But all through the article I was asking myself just who is it aimed at. Do the people who read your Blog need persuaded? No, I don’t think so, therefore, what is the point? How does this post reach 2014’s NO voters?
By people like me and you, Brian, telling others, especially doubters. A slow process maybe but one that will reap rewards.
It won’t reach all of them and even if it did? It won’t convince those who are ideologically wedded to Westminster politics. It never will.
How and ever, each post on each site is an invitation to those open to change. You’d be stunned at the site visits and readerships of these sites. Each person who visits may carry away a little information they didn’t have before, or an idea that didn’t occur in times past. People who don’t post a comment yet still read and pass on what they read to others in their circle. Folks on social media who post links, or facebook sections of text or indeed the entire piece.
The ideas spread and reach those who last time round perhaps regret their previous choice. New people visit and look to expand on those ideas, perhaps look to see what kind of a welcome they should expect.
In my case? A friendly one, with an open hand.
My aim is to post as if each article is indeed being read by those new visitors. *waves*
And a good job your making of it 😉
You’ve just described me. I never post a comment as a rule.BUT, I do share on facebook and twitter, with my No voting friends. I’ve bought all Pauls’ books in the past year or so. If you have anything you can publish, you should, I would buy it and lend it to friends. I’ve looked for you online, without success. You should have your own blog, as well as standing in for WGD. Many thanks for all your wise works.
Much appreciated Toni, but I’m just a ranter wi banter. 🙂
I enjoy reading your comments and responses on many of WGD’s blogs, too. I rarely comment but share on FB. I reckon with a bit of crowd funding, we publish a paper with blogs/articles from yourself, WGD, WoS, P.A. Bell, McAlpine and a few others to be posted through doors and put on public transport.
What do you think?
Much appreciated, but hanging onto your cash right now might be a better idea. 🙂
We’ve got a new media to build right enough though. Our popular indy sites need constant funding WOS, WGD, NEWSNET, BELLA, INDYREF2, and so many others. The superb iScot magazine needs subscriptions, indy live broadcasts and half a dozen other worthy creative endeavours could do with some dosh and then there’s the simple matter for folk of just getting by in tough times. Taking care of themselves and putting a little extra the way of foodbanks and clothing charities, if they can.
When we spend, its got to be right and its got to be a hit. The electorate don’t have the pockets to take on central government and the media head on, so we need to pick our projects.
We’ve got the means to reach folk right now, but it needs to grow.
*looks sheepishly at the ground* ….ok….. 😛
…..does iScot deliver to Jilin, PRC!?
I get mine through postal sub.
Here you go.
http://iscot.scot/where-to-buy/
You’ll find many excellent posts by Sam on Wings over Scotland http://wingsoverscotland.com/ in case you don’t already know.
I’ve been telling Sam he should have his own blog for a long time now, but he persists in playing down the talent he has for writing.
*Blush* 😀 LOL
Anyroads, the whole reason is above. We need to spend our cash wisely now.
This time its serious. 🙂
Little snippets here and there can make huge impacts…
It’s the Trickle Down Effect? Feel as if I’ve heard that somewhere before:-)
I hope you are right. Is there evidence that word is getting through? More than anecdotal, I mean? No marked change according to the polls.
Its not what we want or how we’d prefer it, but its what we have. As for polling? According to WoS on his twitter feed today some four out of five polls since Brexit result have been pro indy. I’d expect that to settle back a bit in the phony war period between now and when article 50 is triggered. However, when it is triggered? I’d expect to see numbers and focus harden rapidly, especially from EU nationals now resident in Scotland.
Either way, we work with what we have.
Thanks. I understand. We always seem to be waiting for something. 56 out of 59 MPs in WM and what have they achieved? I don’t mean to belittle their hard work and minor victories, but they are playing by WM rules. Maybe they should be inventing their own.
And in Scotland websites like this, Wings, Bella, Newsnet and others are ignored by the SNP. No engagement. Why is that? The SNP’s last media bash invited all the usual suspects from the print media, who continue to pour out drivel and distorted, anti SNP news…several examples on Wings recently. Article 50 will not be a magic wand. The SG needs to hammer home the economic consequences of Brexit. Project Fear based on facts. Softly softly doesn’t work.
@Brian McGowan says: “How does this post reach 2014’s NO voters?” Why don’t you print it out and keep it with the Wee Black Books? Then it can be used as a handy canvassing tool whenever you find yourself in a No voters’ company?
The quality of bloggers who fill in for Paul are excellent .Why aren’t these people heard of more in the media? silly question anyone reading this knows why.
Macart 12.05
Get where you’re coming from with that and it’s of course better than nothing but if the word of mouth process of change that you describe/advocate was working effectively then we wouldn’t still be stuck at the seemingly immovable 50/50, and that’s post brexit and trident renewal. Neither of which may actually happen of course, but that’s another story.
slightly off topic The BBC posting on their website that the royal bank is ( without any prompting from the BBC ) are confirming its intention to leave if we vote for independence , a failed corrupt bank that has been hemorrhaging our money since 2008 thats eight years of failure and bleeding our money wants to leave us , i dont know whether to laugh or cry ,the BBC true to form its repeat after repeat after repeat they truly think we are all stupid trying that stunt again .
No worries RBS, I’ll help yi pack! 😛
Poetic Douglas. I enjoyed that.
Prophetic as well I believe.
I’ll help ye across the border RBS.
Diana haste ye back.
Dinna.
Great article Macart. Re, Clipper, oh no doubt brexit and trident will happen, just under peoples’ noses, when the corp media are making up other ridiculous trivia, to distract from the crucial stuff that actually affects peoples lives. If Scotland really was poor, ie nothing for the unionists to pilfer, there would be no question, the union would be no more. But we all know that, just can’t understand how the heck support for independence is not at 60-70% by now.
“just can’t understand how the heck support for independence is not at 60-70% by now”
And this is the thing, hettyforindy. How do we know that it is not at that level already?
As you say in your comment, the corp media is using all their power to distract us from the important stuff by feeding us trivia. So if there is something truthful is that we cannot longer trust the MSM.
Remember those polls during the GE that gave the winning card to the labour party? Well, weren’t they out of range by a bit and a half!
Considering the catastrophe-message launched by Cameron during that campaign (the SNP was going to use the Labour party to destroy the UK), one could argue that those polls were designed to encourage more votes against Labour among the strongest unionists and also a false sense of security to the labour supporters less bothered about voting.
So, how do we know that those ‘polls’ now are not there to give a false sense of defeat and therefore discourage independence sympathisers of independence being a possibility any time soon?
I think we should trust our gut far more than what gets published in the MSM media.
“And this is the thing, hettyforindy. How do we know that it is not at that level already?”
This is an excellent point MariaF.
It is not 60-70% now (yet) because these things take a good while to kick in. As others have said: Support for indy will rise gradually, as a result of the consequences of the BREXIT vote, not the actual the vote itself. The sudden poll rise in support for indy following the BREXIT vote was a knee jerk. We are still around 50:50 IMO, but give it time. Give it time. Until WM invokes Article 50 (if ever), we have all the time in the world. Time is on our side. It’s coming for a that. 🙂
Great and uplifting article Macart/Samuel.
SNP bad. It is beginning to be obvious that this is the bullet of very last resource left in the barrels of the Unionist parties. This is the reason why they are using it over and over again: they have nothing less left. The problem is that the SNP bad bullet is getting so much use lately that it is becoming rather rusty on the edges and it is not flying that well anymore: in fact I think it is beginning to backfire.
One could understand that SNP is bad for their unionist parties because it is consistently showing them for the bunch of self-serving incompetent and unprepared they are: What have any of them done since the EU referendum apart from whining to stop indiref2 and with that the opportunity for Scotland to remain in the EU, avoid an economic and social catastrophe, take control of its own affairs and prosper? Nothing, really.
The SNP is bad for the Union because it has opened the eyes of many people within the Scottish electorate (and elsewhere) to the fact that there is other form of politics: the one that is done from and for Scotland and with the best interest of those living in Scotland at heart. This is quite a shock to the system, actually.
The SNP is bad for the UK because it has overwhelmingly brought to the eyes of all the world to see the massive democratic deficit that Westminster represents for Scotland: Scotland voted overwhelmingly for a Scottish nationalist party during the last General Election and yet, we have been lumbered with a Conservative government the Scottish people didn’t give a mandate to.
The truth is that, no matter how much the unionist parties attempt to hide it, it is obvious that the current government of the UK was not elected to represent the interests of the people of Scotland and even all the Scottish MPs voting together cannot make that government act for the interests of Scotland anymore: Trident renewal is a wonderful example of this. The 56 SNP MPs working hard together at Westminster to protect Scotland’s interests have showed this to all of us clearly: Scotland’s voice at Westminster is too weak to change anything, so what is the point in belonging to a Union that doesn’t listen to us or protects our interests any longer?
From where I am standing the SNP is good for Scotland, it is good for the Scottish people but not for the Union. So when the needs and wants of Scotland and those of the people living in Scotland clearly follow a different trajectory to those of the rest of the Union and to those the unionist parties are only willing to address, it is not really the time to bark SNP bad, it is the time to shout unionist parties bad for having failed Scotland and with that the prospect of a long lasting Union
(In a barter arrangement, Venezuela gives Cuba oil in ex change for doctors.)
http://truepublica.org.uk/global/americas-new-enemy/
A wee change of perspective but in the spirit of the article
“From where I am standing the SNP is good for Scotland, it is good for the Scottish people but not for the Union. So when the needs and wants of Scotland and those of the people living in Scotland clearly follow a different trajectory to those of the rest of the Union and to those the unionist parties are only willing to address, it is not really the time to bark SNP bad, it is the time to shout unionist parties bad for having failed Scotland and with that the prospect of a long lasting Union.”
Couldn’t agree more.
Another fabulous point and well stated.
Stay with us MariaF.