Theresa May is in Edinburgh, not that anyone who isn’t a fully paid up member of the Tory party or who doesn’t have a press pass would notice. As ever, Theresa is appearing in the only habitat in which she can thrive – that’s in front of a wee squad of Conservative party members waving blue placards with her name on them, repeating the same speech she always does and with the exact same jokes.
Well, I say jokes. They’re carefully rehearsed one liners that have been focus grouped to death and which only Tory activists find remotely amusing. It must be pretty galling. There you are, a middle class greasy pole climber with a sense of entitlement as big as a Morningside villa, and all the Tory party does for your political ambitions is to give you a piece of cardboard and tells you to stand behind Theresa May waving it like a demented groupie at a One Direction concert and laughing uproariously at jokes that make James Kelly MSP seem like a master of wit and repartee.
Following her previous successful visit to Scotland when she challenged the SNP in their heartland by delivering a string of soundbites to a handful of Tory activists and a group of invited press people in a garden shed deep in a forest in Aberdeen, this time Theresa is striking at the very heart of Scottish life by speaking in a dark and dank removal company warehouse somewhere in Edinburgh distant from a bus route. Scotland needs to send the Tories packing, and helpfully they’re halfway there for us already.
At any moment you expected Storage Hunters to leap out and fight over the auction rights to the boxes Theresa was standing on, but they’d be sadly disappointed as all they contain are hot air and the damp condensation of evaporated promises. Gordon Brown did all this sort of thing in previous elections, but at least he had the decency to appear in front of his wee audience of invitees and press persons making his interventions in places which actually have plumbing and lighting. But Theresa May can’t even manage that much, probably because if plumbing was available it’s her that the great majority of Scots would want to flush away. She certainly doesn’t want lighting because she prefers to hide away the real message of the Tories in the dark. She can’t appear in daylight because she would turn to ash.
According to one press representative who was there, the tiny wee squad of diehard Tories were told before Theresa descended from her ice palace to cheer a lot because otherwise it would seem like there was no one there. And with the exception of the gaggle of Tories and the goggle of the press, there wasn’t anyone there. It was one of those manufactured events which masquerade as Theresa meeting the public. It’s a bit like claiming that ghosts are real and there really is an afterlife because you’ve got the Lego edition of the Ghostbusters headquarters. And just like Lego a path that’s strewn with Tories is very painful to tread.
Today Jeremy Corbyn said that Theresa May ought to resign because under her watch government cuts have led to a reduction in the number of police officers and there are now 20,000 fewer than in 2010. She was asked while in Edinburgh why she won’t remove the obligation that Police Scotland have to pay VAT, they’re the only police force in Theresa’s precious Union that have to pay VAT. If Police Scotland didn’t have to pay VAT they could put many more police officers on the streets of Scotland. Theresa didn’t answer the question. Although to be fair she didn’t answer any of the questions asked of her. She was in Edinburgh, so she did vary her usual soundbites by appending SNP bad to them. This is as close to flexibility and thinking on her feet as you’ll get from Theresa.
The entire perfomance was an exercise in SNP baddery, and absolutely nothing of any substance. You’d almost imagine that it was the SNP who have been the Westminster government since 2010. The press really ought to boycott these non-events. It’s not like anyone is fooled by them.
According to Ruth the warm up act, the message that Theresa was bringing to us benighted Scots, at least those of us who’d made it to the removals warehouse, was that voting for her would Make Britain Great Again. It’s a slogan that seems terribly familiar somehow, but it’s pretty appropriate given the circumstances since both Donald Trump and the Scottish Conservatives look a bit orange. You might think that “Make Britain Great Again” wasn’t such a great slogan idea for a government seeking re-election, as it kind of implies that Britain isn’t too great at the moment, and if it isn’t it’s only fair to ask whose fault that is then. You know, it might just be the fault of the people who’ve been in government since 2010.
When it was put to Theresa that if the SNP win Thursday’s general election in Scotland that will reinforce their mandate for another referendum, all the more so since the Tories are fighting this campaign in Scotland on the single issue of opposing another independence referendum and nothing else, all she said was “now is not the time”. Theresa May’s sole talent is for evasion. You could ask Theresa May whether she’d ever give a direct answer to a direct question and she’d reply “now is not the time”, which would then be the only time she’s ever given a direct reply to a direct question.
Obstensibly Theresa May was in Edinburgh to tell us that she’s committed to the democratic process, and committed to ensuring that Scotland doesn’t get another independence referendum, because only some democratic processes are worth being committed to. Still, it did give her the opportunity to intone some of her old hits. Whenever she was asked about another independence referendum all she said was “now is not the time”. At least that’s one thing on which we can all agree, since the time for another referendum is when Theresa has royally screwed up the Brexit negotiations, giving Scotland the opportunity to vote on whatever wreckage that Theresa has reduced our relations with Europe to. But Theresa doesn’t want Scotland to have any say on that at all, and the reason for that is because she knows that Scotland is very likely to consider the results of her performance and consign her and the UK to the removals company storehouse of history. However it does appear that Theresa May views this election as giving her the absolute right to tell everyone else what they can and cannot talk about. That doesn’t seem much like a commitment to the democratic process to me. The people of Scotland will decide their own future, whatever Theresa May has to say hidden away in a dank warehouse.
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Wee Ginger Dug 
I just can’t get my head around the arrogance and downright stupidity of this woman! Arrogance because she didn’t need to call the election but did so with the confidence (in her own mind/world) that she would walk it with a huge majority. Downright stupidity in thinking that people will vote for her when she refuses to stand before them and answer their questions.
Nicola campaigning is an absolute delight to watch, the way she talks, laughs and, most important, listens to the people.
Thank goodness this farce of an election is nearly over!
That’s true … I’ve seen Nicola in action a time or two and she is warm, friendly and easy-going with everyone with whom she interacts. A greater contrast with the May-bot it would be hard to find.
The fact that the tories are even within sniffing distance of winning on Thursday, tells us all we need to know about Scotland’s place within this union and how much say we actually wield. Our only hope between now and independence is to create as much clear water between us and the tories as possible. We do that by overwhelmingly voting SNP in the GE and trying to keep as much control over the Scottish parliament as we can. It’s not an impenetrable barrier, but it saves us from the worst tory excesses that our southern family and friends can’t avoid.
SNP on Thursday because no-one else can save us.
Spot on, Ian! It’s the only hope we have of keeping a barrier between ordinary Scots folk and the worst excesses of a Tory Westminster government.
What worries me, despite loving every word Paul writes, is that if the polls are to be believed she will still win this ‘election’. Enough people still think she’s the best bet, a good egg, a wonderful woman and an able politician. Enough people… and as much as we want her to crash and burn, those people are going to inflict this robot on us for years to come. I just want to pull the covers over my head and sleep.
“… to sleep … to dream …”
I’m afraid even sleep is not a safe bet under the Tory nightmare 😦
god it dosnt bare thinking about , like a never ending freddy krueger movie , lets hope most scots dont vote for this total nightmare , that should shut her rabid lapdog up for a wee while .
“To sleep, perchance to dream … Aye! there’s the rub, for in that sleep of death what dreams may come!” Much better to come out slugging and keep it up until we win! And we will win, sooner or later.
we will see in 3 days thats judgment day but even if the independent is right and its a hung paraliment a minority tory goverment cant block indyref2 on there own meaning labour will have to side with them there in that outcome and we will see if corbyn does what his predesseor ed millaband did and side with the cons on that
and i only say that because the torys was the majority goverment when may was blocking it and if labour says lets go for it and settle the issue once and for all torys lose the case being a minority goverment
A group of anti-Tory protesters in Hemsworth, I suppose they would now be called “extremists”, had a slogan as May slinked into one of her meet-the-people sessions
Make June the end of May!!
That is perfection.
In torys eyes anyone speaking against them is an extremist john
On the nose Paul.
Vote for Treeza to ‘make Britain great again’…
NEWSFLASH! Britain is not great right now. That is the logic of the soundbite, yes? Given that power has been shared between two parties for over 70yrs, that really should tell the voting public something.
Given that since 2010, there has only been one party running the show from Westminster, (I’m not counting the Libdems in coallition because… why would you?), the soundbite of returning Britain to greatness by voting Tory should set off irony klaxons the length and breadth of these islands.
Just for this one time only though, I’m going to agree with them.
So what would make Britain great? What would it take to restore pride in a thing? How do you restore an international reputation thrown in a bin? Restore a trust in our institutions which was deliberately trashed for political gain? Restore an ability to look from one population to the other across the United Kingdom and say partner and equal? Restore the lives wrecked by austerity ideology and the actions of misguided legislation? What would it take to look from one person, one community to another all across these islands, look past nationality, colour, gender, faith, religion, disability, wealth or poverty and see the person as a human being worthy of respect? To look past the decades of divisions deliberately fostered by a callous political class?
Will voting for Treeza provide answers to any of that?
TBH, I really don’t need anyone to answer that last question.
Well said, Macart! Looking to TM’s government to heal the wounds that she and he predecessors have inflicted is like leaving a fox in charge of your hen-house, or handing a rope to the guy who wants to hang you!
You are spot on ockletycockletywitch. It is quite absurd.
Even if she wins this election, she will be the loser. As will her puppet Davidson.
If she loses it, she will merely be an early loser.
These are very nasty people. Unlike Mrs T, they are for turning, and turning and turning……….depending on the wind.
I think the shit is about to hit the fan.
Not only is May likely to win this election but, it’s likely to take out some of our really good MPs. I hate the thought of that. People listen to the preachings of the Ruth Davidson party and vote to stop another indyref2. How stupid is that. It’s already decided. If these people did not want another Indy ref they should have made it more obvious at the Scottish government election. May and her government have been caught wanting in so many different ways, election fraud, security, arms to Saudi, cutting benefits causing massive hardship and death, targeting pensioners and school kids meals to mention a few and still people vote for her. I really don’t understand any why anyone would support a Tory.
This might help explain why:
https://mobile.twitter.com/Angry_Voice/status/871523479732064261/video/1
“There are two types of Conservative voter, the millionaires and the misguided. To find out which type you are, check your bank balance.” Not you obviously, Lizzie55, but worth repeating to anyone who is considering voting for Mouthie Ruthie and her merry little band! 😉
Shouldn’t their slogan be “Make Britain Greet Again”? It’s more appropriate somehow.
If only I’d known. This wee dug would’ve relished the prospect of passing over her kittens..
We can discuss May and the Tories forever but the bottom line is what they understand is power, we need to take it it away from them, unfortunately there are many in Scotland still think we can play party politics, vote Corbyn, vote Green vote whatever.
The Tories don’t care about sensibilities or principles, if opposition to them is not solid but diluted, they don’t care about the sum of the opposition, it must be one and implacable.
Right now there is a remaining block of stupidity in Slab, it’s evidence is in the Council coalitions. They won’t do it, but their voters can if they stay focused.
The message from the SNP is get the Tories out. That’s what we need to vote for, voting Corbyn in Scotland won’t make any impression. A Labour vote in Scotland goes to Dugdale, crooked Councillors and not very bright MSPs. They have no plan fro the future just a bitter resentment that can wreck our future.
We vote solid or get screwed, again.
Agree with everything you say Brian spot on. The problem Jeremy and the labour voters in England have is the 60% MP’s they have that are dressed up as Labour MP’s but are really Tories.
“She can’t appear in daylight because she would turn to ash.”
“Ashes to ashes and dust to dust / Show me a woman that a man can trust”
And vice versa? Oh well, we’re not at all sure the Maybot is in fact human, come to think of it.
Transpose ” woman” and “man” in that line and it would still have nothing to do with the point about Theresa May but would sound equally prejudiced. Were you trying to make some point of your own?
May is a politician, first and foremost. It’s not her gender which is to blame for what she is. She is a creature of her party.
Just that the old lyric came to mind. The answer being, “well clearly not this (wo)man”. I can certainly think of a woman (as it happens) closer to home whom I definitely would trust a thousand time more than TM.
Maybe someone could adapt the old song in the little time that remains?
How about :
“…
Who has a clear vision, and isn’t fussed,
To stand for what’s right and support what’s just.
…”
Just my 2p’s worth.
Now that’s mair like it!
Haud on there, Marconatrix. I’m a very trustworthy old cailleach, so I am!
O mo chreach-sa! Cha b’e tusa ‘nam smaoineachan. I wis nae thinkin o yer guid self and a’m no sae daft as tae be oan the wrang side o ye. Not that I would ever want to. BTW you can call me Alasdair. I hope we’re friends again now?
Always, Alasdair! Ah wis on’y teasin’.
Was she in one of multi-millionaire, Tory candidate for Dumfries and Galloway Alister Jack’s storage facilities by any chance?
The only election i can think of that the Media have tried to totally hijack and its only people on the internet that are questioning anything the tories are doing , thats why this the internet must be controlled for your safety she says , aye f/kn right its our only bloody lifeboat in this sea of MSM shit manufactured by this EVIL bunch thats called the tory party .
‘DANK’ in your headline says it all in one word Paul.
off topic but just to cheer you all up – here are a few election songs – a roundabout of our feelings all over the UK!!! Enjoy!!
Great had me in fits of laughter, I know it’s not really funny, what’s possibly facing us all.
Maybe she was trying to portray Scotland as being back in the dark ages, because that’s where her and her party will take us given the chance. Maybe they have more power cuts planned, you know, given the english have total control over the ‘National’ grid.
How absolutely patronising anyway, coming to Scotland to dictate about any notion of independence. What was her real point? Who was she really talking to? Last chance saloon it seems.
Sadly I have met some who will be voting Labour because they, ‘love Corbyn’. They have no idea that they will be wasting their vote in Scotland. A friend asks if her voting for the SNP is ‘wasting’ her vote, she wants Labour to win the GE. Oh boy will Labour punish Scotland if they gain a few seats. Including the person I mention who works in the SNHS.
By the way, got my reminder for eye test, the company says it will be ‘free’. Their general (uk wide) ads say ‘free” if you spend £99. Do those in Eng have to pay for eye tests?
OK work to do tomorrow, to deliver leaflets. Fingers crossed for Thursday, please people of Scotland vote SNP, no one else stands up for Scotland and Scotland’s people.
Oh, and might just be me, but seeing many more 4 wheel drives around the Edin Newtown, mega huge ones, like, buses, or tanks and can hardly move for Porsches for gods sake! Have folk come up from Eng to vote or something? Hmm, must take notes, before and after. Tis a bit weird.
Saw this – although the UK bit is obviously wrong
How much does an eye test cost UK?
Tesco Opticians (eye check) – FREE. Optical Express – £30. Specsavers – £20-£25. Vision Express – £15-£28.
Something else the SNP have protected us from. They’re so baad, aren’t they?
“Sadly I have met some who will be voting Labour because they, ‘love Corbyn’. They have no idea that they will be wasting their vote in Scotland. A friend asks if her voting for the SNP is ‘wasting’ her vote, she wants Labour to win the GE. ”
How would you advise someone who would like to see Scottish independence happen soon – but lived in England where there are no SNP candidates standing? If May is re-elected then I think independence would be much closer than if, say there was a hung parliament and Labour sought a pact with the SNP and Greens to form a majority administration, with all parties taking Cabinet positions in government. It’s a feasible prospect and one that’s beginning to be considered south of the border – particularly with some remain supporters in London, who see it as two eggs in one basket scenario – back to the status quo but with the possibility of SNP Ministers in both Parliaments. But no independence…
It was easier when Lord Sutch was around…
Can you imagine JC’s first phone call Friday morning…
” Eh Angus, how would you fancy doing the deptuty PM job for the next term and while you’re at it, ask wee Eck if he’s like to boot Boris out of Chevening this afternoon… Oh eh and what about the Black lassie for the Social Security ticket? Oh thank fuck, I’ll just give Lizzie the news now…”
What odds??
Brilliant well drawn piece as usual.
You’ve sparked me off on one of my rants, however.
I cannot believe that the Blue Tories will win; their campaign, and especially the Scottish leg, has been so bad.
In Orwell’s ‘Down and Out in Paris and London’, he describes his time working as a ‘plongeur’ (KP) in an unidentified top hotel in Paris, the harrowing account of which I do not recommend to the weak of stomach, dear Reader.
The filth, the unhygienic cooking and serving of inferior food to millionaires at bloated prices, and the quite disgusting descriptions of food preparation could put you off dining out for life.
At this juncture, I advise those of a sensitive nature to skip the next sentence.
Cooks spat in the soup. Not out of any burning hatred of the fabulously rich guests upstairs in the restaurant, but because it was, to them, a makeshift spittoon.
There was no time to leave their post during the hectic dinner rush.
Paris was chock full of American and English writers and artists, some but by no means all, living in a garret, churning out the next Great American Novel, and surviving of 50 centimes a day.
Hemingway, Scott Fitzgerald, Picasso, Pound, Lewis, Shakespeare and Co., Gertrude Stein, and the legions of rich spoilt American brats, Rentiers, Rail, Steel, and Oil heirs and heiresses, who were having a simply marvellous time. Think ‘The Talented Mr Ripley’, and you get the picture.
The Haves were busy at the top, ‘having’ every excess that money could buy, while below stairs, the Have Nots sweated and toiled in oppressive heat, filth and the constant threat of the sack and life-threatening poverty and despair.
That was Europe in the ‘thirties.
Things have moved on since then, haven’t they?
We have Employment Laws, Health and Safety Laws, Food and Hygiene Laws, Workers’ Employment Contracts, Maternity Rights, Equal Opportunity Laws, Human Rights legislation, The Welfare State, a National Health Service, and peace in Europe as a member of the European Union.
Nobody works for slave wages, in low skill, low paid, zero hours servility these days, do they?
Oh dear.
We are about to leave the EU, and even with the relative protection of EU legislation, Brown, Blair, Cameron, Clegg, and now Thatcher incarnate, May, under the excuse of the Banks and Money Men destroying the World Economy, have managed to turn the clock back to the halcyon days of the Haves and Have Nots described by Orwell in Paris, and the criminal poverty of tens of millions of UK Working Class in this precious fucking ‘Empire 1’ described in his journey through the Northern cities of England in ‘The Road to Wigan Pier’.
If you are of weak stomach and love a big steaming bowl of Tripe, I’d avoid reading this quite remarkable work too.
Ruth Davidson is now described by the Telegraph as ‘The Tory Queen of Scotland’, in a quite ridiculous and damaging (to her) video on-line, a collage of Davidson moments of which we Up Here are very familiar, astride the cock and bollocks of a tank, telling NS to ‘sit down’, and so on.
I have reached your attention span, dear Reader.
If you are up to it, I’ll continue later.
Not only up to it but waiting with ‘bated breath …
TBH don’t you deserve a blog of your own, Jack?
Marco, when we consider the energy, commitment, IT nous, research, that Paul,(and Macart) and WoS, Grouse Beater, Derek Bateman, and others put into their quite outstanding alternative journalism and comment, I cannot imagine attempting to write a blog.
Basically one-man-bands who deserve our enduring gratitude and huge respect for their continued commitment, energy, and encyclopaedic knowledge.
They give us a vital alternative to the perfunctory Unionist guff churned out by the Dead Tree Scrolls, and the broadcasters.
Besides, I do go on a bit when I’m miffed.
I am flattered nonetheless.
Thank you, Paul K.
That’s just what I said back while “The Dug” was in foreign parts. I enjoy Jack’s contributions as much as I do Paul’s blog.
Another reason I don’t have a blog. ‘Rudd’ autocorrected to ‘Rudge’ in a later post; a ‘rudge’ apparently is a ‘partridge’, or an old W Mids version of ‘ridge’.
I’d need an editor, or stop clacking at a keyboard in anger.
bisous, Wendy.
Just if he had a home of his own we’d know where to find him, could subscribe to his wisdom or at least his opinions etc. Whereas now it’s all buried amongst what is often a long list of comments, and I confess I don’t always have the time or the patience to go through every comment to a popular blog like Paul’s here. And I surely can’t be alone in this?
Please do continue later. This blog and the comments on it are the only things that are keeping me sane at the moment.
Wasn’t it Maxims that Orwell worked in?
Possibly, Galt, it sounds about right, although if memory serves he referred to it as Hotel X in the text.
I recall most of this from memory. I devoured Orwell in my late teens, only dipping in occasionally in later years. The books are all scattered throughout the house, and attic.
Thankfully my head is still full of ‘stuff ‘.
Hope you are well and fit for the fight, JG.
Up to it? Thoroughly hooked! Please continue, Jack.
We are hammered through the compliant media that ‘the British People’ voted to leave the EU.
Well, no they didn’t. 52% voted to leave, 48% chose to remain. Somehow, the 48% are no longer ‘British people’? Their needs and hopes have been disregarded. They don’t count. Tough shit.
At last the English Remainers may understand what is happening Up Here.
Since we are still part of a political construct known as the United Kingdom, a sleazy little deal concocted by Scottish Lairds for money 310 years ago, two of the countries in this ‘Union’ voted to remain, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
The platform upon which the case for Scottish Independence is based is the fundamental democratic right of any citizen of any country to always have a government of the people, elected by the people and accountable to the people.
300 years of Rule by Westminster has been described as the ‘democratic deficit’.
While the UK Parliament has a built-in 85% English ‘majority’, the needs, wishes and aspirations of the other partners, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales, will always be of secondary (if any) importance to English MPs.
Of course if you happen to live in England, no worries.
If you are Blue Red or Yellow Tory, there’s always the next GE if your lot don’t get elected.
In Scotland, especially in the past twenty years, we get what we’re given.
Ruth, Kezia, and Wullie, of course deny that Scotland is a ‘country’. They are bought and paid for Unionists, doing the bidding of their English masters.
They repeatedly refer to the construct that is the Union of 4 countries as ‘the country’. To them there UK is a country, England is a ‘country’, so EVEL’s ok, but somehow Scotland, the land of their birth, is not a ‘country’, but a ‘Region?
Neo Conservative Blair,Brown, and Mandelson, who gave us the Shock and Awe of the Iraq war, where untold hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians, men, women, children, the elderly, the infirm, the innocent, were bombed out of existence to protect US Oil supplies, and make billions for the US Industrial and Military Complex, then got away with it in the whitewash known as the Chilcot Enquiry.
It was New Labour who introduced the Bedroom Tax to punish Welfare Claimants living in private rented accommodation, Brown dreamt up Working Families Tax Credits, which was merely a free bung of hundreds of millions to their Supermarket pals and donors, rather than legislating through a real ‘Living’ wage, who raided Private Pensions pots, who scrapped the 10% income tax for low earners, ‘privatised’ the NHS, Schools and Prisons by saddling us all with billions of debt through the disastrous PFI schemes, increased tuition fees, and whose tenure was littered with political scandals, expenses frauds (who can forget Lord Sewell in his red bra moaning that his Lords’ appearance money only covers his call girl bill, allegedly?),
They ultimately paid the price Up Here in 2010 when 40 out of 41 of these tired old money grubbing charlatans were kicked out by the people of Scotland.
Murray managed to hold on by his fingertips with a majority in the hundreds.
This time, we can but hope that he will join the ‘fucking useless’ (their own English colleagues’ description of Mags, Murphy, and Alexander) New Labour has-beens, in a PR Consultancy, or bag carrier for Bono, or writing New Labour New Tory bile in an English Tory Rag about how shite Scotland and the SNP are.
I apologise. I’ll stop for a while, dear patient Reader. Back later.
Bravo and encore!
Rant all you want Jack I am with you all the way
‘We Know where the ‘Magic Money Tree’ is. It’s in the Bahamas, where Amber Rudge has two accounts. The Rich know where the money is. It’s in their private bank accounts, in the Off-shore tax havens.’
This from Paul Mason on the BBC Daily Politics.
He was referring of course to Amber Rudge’s appearance on the Leaders’ Debate on BBC, the one where May refused to take part.
Rudge referred to the ‘difficult choices’ her Blue Tories had to make.
£200 billion on WMD, another 5% cut in taxes to the Filthy Rich, and Corporation Tax at 19% to Big Business who pass it on to already rich investors, rather than reinvest in jobs and expanding their businesses.
She finds it ‘difficult’ to restrict Child Tax Credits to two children, demand that rape vicims humiliate themselves, pensioners are forced to pay the Bedroom Tax now, disabled Unemployed lose nearly £30 a week in Employment Allowance, pensioners who suffer dementia are not treated as NHS Patients, but a burden on the state, and in England pay £9000 a year to go to Uni, pay toll charges on bridges and tunnels as they make their way to work, pay for prescription charges, watch helplessly as their NHS is sold off to Virgin, and if the Tory Brexiteers get their way, see their shopping basket go up by 14-20% when England hail us out of the EU.
It’s not ‘difficult’, Ms Rudge, when you are attacking the poor, disabled, infirm, and elderly.
They are a push over.
The Tory Queen of Scotland, Ruth Davidson would implement all this and more on Scotland.
Police numbers would be cut, our NHS privatised, our nurses would become subject to the same cuts as their English counterparts, Hard working families would pay £15 a week plus to cross the New Queensferry Bridge to go to their work each day, and we’d pay for prescriptions, our elderly dementia patients would become Estate Agents’ fodder, and she’d force hospital trusts to sell off their buidlings to Philip May’s private investment speculators. PFI by the back door.
She has rebranded The Blue Tories as the ‘Ruth Davidson Party’. Her face is everywhere.
I would not be surprised if her face started to appear on our stamps, and replace the Queen’s Portrait in Regimental Mess Halls.
Our newspapers and Broadcasters have given her an easy ride.
Bizarrely it is she, not Mundell, the SoS, who is spearheading the UK GE campaign Up Here, as are Dugdale, and Rennie for the Red and Yellow Tories.(Corbyn would only ‘reform’ 2/5ths of the Blue and Yellow Tory cuts.)
The Three Cowards, Mundell, Murray, and Carmichael, are nowhere to be seen.
As you so fiercely report, May is UP HERE hiding in a warehouse, for no apparent reason.
There has never been serious questions asked by our MSM to challenge the quite bizarre situation where three MSPs with no mandate, nor authority from their UK Parties, have been afforded Centre Stage to run their GE campaigns, and allowed to spout any old lies they like, and who are united in their single issue mandate: ‘No second Referendum’.
That way they avoid engaging with us, the people, in the real debate, the Blue Red and Yellow Tory Cuts Programme, and the disaster of turning our backs on Europe, and all that entails.
And Murray Mundell and Liar Carmichael are given a free ride.
I’ll stop now.
On Thursday, I urge you all to vote; to vote with your conscience and your head.
This is a UK GE, not a second Independence Referendum.
Look at the Blue Tory Record, and their future plans.
Do you really want to live in Fortress Britain, cut off from the rest of Europe?
Whatever you do please get out and vote.
God help us all if we lived in Tory Britain.
I genuinely fear for England and Wales come April 2019.
As do I, Jack. (May I call you Jack? My name is Wendy). Whole swathes of England and Wales are in the same boat as Scotland in that, no matter WHO they vote for, they end up being governed by Tories. And many of them are now expressing a certain amount of fellow-feeling with Scotland which was hitherto conspicuous by its absence. There is a faint hope … a very faint hope … that Mr Corbyn might just have shown himself to be deserving of a great many more English & Welsh votes than the May-bot expected … and he HAS expressed his willingness to work with the SNP against the Tory machine … Whether that would translate into accepting our right to a 2nd Referendum on Independence is a moot point. However, for our poor, benighted neighbours he remains the only ray of light at the end of an unconscionably long tunnel. Michty me! We are awfy lucky to be Scots! Let us hope that enough of us remember it and vote accordingly.
My sainted and still dearly missed father was ‘Mr Collatin’, Wendy. My given name was ‘John’, but I was called ‘Jack’ from birth, like my father, who was also ‘Jack’, but Christened ‘John’, before me.
It was something of a shock to my not yet five year old self to suddenly discover that my name was ‘John’ when the teacher in Primary One called out the register on enrolment.
I was looking around the classroom to locate the other ‘Collatin’, this ‘John Collatin’ who was in the same class.
I’ve been called both at various times in my life, but Jack is my usual handle. I’ve been called a lot of other names too, but we won’t go into that.
I just watched NS on Nick ‘he did not answer’ Robinson’s QT from Edinburgh.
As usual the BBC filled the audience with Middle Class types, with the men in John Lewis checked shirts and Pro Union Tory tongues.
I loved the mad 84 year old Welsh ‘cat lady’ type in the front row, who had apparently ‘taught’ the Act Of Union, and declared that Scotland ceased to exist in the days when you could get hung drawn and quartered for challenging the view that the Earth was not the centre of the Universe and the Sun did not orbit the Earth.
The usual tedious ‘traps’, which NS fielded patiently.
I loved the stout lady who declared that she voted Yes the last time and asserted that many SNP voters were being put off at the thought of another Referendum so soon; ‘now is not the time’?
It’s going to be a fun night on Thursday, eh?
I live in belated hope that we are going to get a juicy SNP sex scandal before then, just to pep things up.
Yes, I am that shallow.
The FM was professional and measured as ever last night Jack. I’m biased of course, but over the past two years of political upheaval, I’d say the only parliamentary leader who looks even remotely calm and focused on stability of the population. And that of course, is in the face of circumstances which were visited upon the populations of the UK by the reactionary politics of the supposed two ‘main’ parties, not to mention the reactionary politics of their local franchises and an ever antagonistic media. Franchises and media who create mistrust and crisis where none exist.
Now however that a true crisis in the UKs politics, its institutions, our services and our public safety exists… People really should ask themselves where does the fault truly lie? Who has truly acted in the most manipulative fashion to divide populations and communities and why? Who has acted in the most calm and measured manner in response? Who has truly reached out to calm and reassure their population? ALL of their population.
You really do get who and what you vote for. People must, must, must look to the character and ideologies of those who would use or abuse their vote.
How many wars? How many austerity policies which protect the rights of the few and the sovereignty of an entitled state? Policies which spread misery and heartache for far too many. Policies enacted on the back of catastrophic mismanagement of government.
Government who act out those policies in our name.
Before people put their mark on a ballot, they need to be very sure they can live with who they give the power to.
well said, Sam.
I urged people to look to their conscience, and vote with their head.
All across this United Kingdom millions are suffering because of May’s vicious attack on society.
Dugdale, Davidson and Rennie promote ‘division’ and fall just short of inciting actual civil ‘unrest’ if the Independence Movement doesn’t ‘give in’, and let WM do what it pleases.
We are on the brink of possibly the most damaging catastrophe which has ever blighted these isles, yet Dugdale’s not so autonomous Scottish Labour mob produce the farcical PPB shown on the BBC last night.
Full of downright lies, and distortions, the not so subliminal message was that Nicola Sturgeon and the EssEnnPee are a Force for Evil stalking our land, and that they have only one deranged aim, to return Scotland to Self Determination, and take its rightful place in international society as a small independent self sufficient country, hopefully as a member of the EU (but that outcome will be decided by the citizens of Scotland, not our near neighbours) , a Free Land which returns a government of the people, by the people, and accountable to the people of Scotland.
I reiterate, I genuinely fear for our good friends and neighbours in England and Wales if they return another Blue Tory Government.
I shall have little sleep betwixt now and the afternoon of Friday the 9th; but it is a good fatigue.
Our FM answered the usual tropes with calmness and just a hint of frustrated fatigue.
The prepared Q’s ensured that the SNP policies were kept in their ‘separatist’ box, with none of the middle class Edinburgh audience the least bit interested in hearing SNP policy on Trident, the Economy, Foreign Policy, or the dismantling of the Welfare State in England and Wales, austerity, or invading foreign countries as an ally of Donald Trump.
In the main the ‘balanced audience’ was comfortably off Middle England types; some even had Scottish accents.
I’ll put money on Mundell Carmichael and Murray appearing as guests on the Election Specials when the polls close at Ten on Thursday night, though.
The Guardian has a curious ‘damned with faint praise’ piece on Sturgeon and the SNP bloc at Westminster…but still the champagne slurping nurse and the teacher plants in QT audiences are quoted as proof that basically the SNP are shite.
It’s coming yet for a’ that, Macart.
Wonder how that same Edinburgh audience would react to feeling the full effect of Westminster legislation Jack? No mitigation. No offset. No parly in Edinburgh with a level of government that actually gives a shit. Just ‘in your face’, ‘full on’, Westminster direct rule.
Maybe they should think about that next time they’re bigging up some of Ruthie’s and Kezia’s soundbites. Wonder how much protection of their freedoms and rights they think they’ll enjoy with either of those two? Do they think that central government policy won’t come for them or the life they enjoy now? Do they think that somehow they get a pass from ‘life happens’ or citizenry?
There’s time yet of course for those folk, but they better not dawdle and they better think long and hard about trust, choice and consequence.
You get who and WHAT you vote for.
yet they send their sons and daughters to tuition free Universities, cross the Forth Bridge(s) and pay no tolls, collect their prescriptions free of charge at source, and if eligible collect their £200 Winter Fuel Allowance which the SG have assured will still be available in Scotland.
This is what is meant by ‘the best of both worlds’?
Vote Tory in a GE, but SNP or Green in the SGE?
It is of course a law of diminishing returns.
Brexit is happening, and even the Scottish Government can’t mitigate for the disaster that will ensue.
If English born Scots citizens vote Tory, they may get Hard or No Deal Brexit.
Can’t wait for Thursday nicht.
Off to gorge on some Sgt Bilko on YouTube.
Outrageous childish escapism for a few hours, unless, She Who Is The Light Of My Life texts me with a life or death wee job that must be done RIGHT NOW..
Yes it is coming Jack, for a’ that.
Pity about the possibility of more pain in the mean time.
Well said, Sam. NS increasingly seems like the only ‘sane’ leader in a mad, mad political world.
Reading all your posts Jack I must say you must have had a bowl of Weetabix, shredded wheat and a full fry up to keep you going. Fingers must be aching.
I do however completely agree with your sentiments, all of them. Most of us who read Indy blogs know and understand the points you raise. The issue however is convincing the ‘locked in minds’ you read about everyday on this and other blogs.
The issue as always is that people do not know their history, they do not understand how the different levels of government works in the UK, they do not understand how the EU is managed and what it does, all they understand is the shite they read in the printed press and the broadcast news channels. The trouble is people do not question what the hear and read nor do they care. So bloody frustrating.
Having said that you can change some peoples opinions but it takes a long time. You need to focus on the positive and educate, educate, educate.
Very valid point, Andy. We are fed propaganda on a daily basis, and unfortunately many hundreds of thousands of our very citizens are dyed in the wool me-ists. It’s just a fact of life.
But we trudge on; the lost sheep, the widow’s mite and all that.
Vert true, Andy. I labour (no pun intended) daily in the comment threads of one “august organ of the press” and every so often I am rewarded with a small success. Someone will say, “Well, I didn’t know that” rather than “Rubbish! Lies!” or “Now I can see where you are coming from …” rather than “Ungrateful, treacherous Scots! How dare you!” You are correct, though, it takes time, patience and a hide like a Nile crocodile.
I really need to pay more attention to the headlines in future. The thought of the May person addressing a handful of her supporters in a house of ill repute did however make me chuckle and it isn’t totally unbelievable.
This one stands out.
https://www.opendemocracy.net/uk/brexitinc/adam-ramsay-peter-geoghegan/dark-money-driving-scottish-tory-surge
Worth reading people.
I have no confidence that the electoral commission will do anything based on the past record.
This is what worries me most – no, not worries, scares me. Extremely wealthy individuals and companies can throw money at the Tory campaign lies. Indeed it’s in their interests because they can continue raking in their filthy lucre under a Tory Government.
What chance does a tiny party (comparatively) like the SNP stand no matter how honest and ethical their policies are?
Wake up people of Scotland before it’s too late. No matter how you feel about independence, the SNP or the EU, it will all be academic if you don’t vote SNP this one, very important, time and let the Tories take control.
Certainly is worth reading, Sam. Thank you.
This excellent article in the Orkney News today.
after watching that Clown show in a shed that could have been let’s face it anywhere , this might have been acceptable before people had smart phones etc , but this lot just appear ridiculous , first a hut in the depths of a forest , then this shed , there is a reason Mayhem and gang cant appear in public in scotland there would not be enough police to stop a crowd getting very very angry at the sight of both of them ,
Now that speaks volumes for this rancid tory government and its hangers on , when representatives of the people cant and wont appear before the people, that in itself should tell everyone who imagines they are doing the right thing even thinking about voting for this rabid scum , wouldnt piss on any of them they are EVIL .
O/T
Spotted on WOS twitter.
http://www.alexsalmond.scot/press-releases/2017/6/6/robert-salmond-1921-2017
Condolences to Mr Salmond.
Mine also – however good an innings they have had, the loss of a parent is a very sore thing.
Yes, condolences to the Salmond family.
Calling all Psychonats, get out there tomorrow and do the job! It’s a good feeling that this is the last time I will dirty my hands on a Westminster election paper.