Today, Thursday, the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon called upon the British Government to devolve the powers to hold a legally watertight independence referendum to the Scottish Parliament. There has been, as yet, no official response from the Conservative government in London, but we already know that they’re going to say no. Saying no is the default position of Tories when it comes to Scotland. During the general election campaign Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson said that he’d return a request for a Section 30 order back to Nicola Sturgeon unopened. He’s not even going to do Scotland the courtesy of paying attention to the legitimate democratic demands of the voters of Scotland as expressed in that general election which he bases his own mandate upon.
In today’s Queen’s Speech in the Commons, the monarch will speak of her government’s determination to uphold the integrity of the UK. By which they mean the physical integrity, the political and moral integrity went out of the window a very long time ago. According to reports in various papers, Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson has now decided to respond by adopting a different tone in his dealings with Scotland. He’s still going to keep us locked in the basement and refuse to listen to anything our elected representatives say, but now instead of sticking his fingers in his ears and telling us to piss off, he’s going to stick his fingers in his ears and tell us to piss off please. Which makes all the difference. Nanny always told little Alexander to say please and thank you, because that makes the working classes feel appreciated and listened to.
Other reports claim that faced with such a stark rejection of him and his policies north of the border, the Prime Minister is going to love bomb Scotland. That’s a deeply alarming development, as just about any woman who’s ever been loved bombed by Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson can attest. He just gets you pregnant and then pisses off and refuses to take responsibility for the child while penning articles in the Telegraph about the fecklessness of single mothers.
I seem to recall there was a good deal of love bombing of Scotland going on during the fag end of the referendum campaign in 2014, when the British nationalists were in a blind panic because they were terrified that Scotland was about to vote for independence. We got declarations of undying love, promises that we were a much cherished and equal partner in a family of nations, exhortations to lead the UK not to leave it. And how did that all work out exactly? Oh yeah. We were left holding the Brexit baby while the likes of Boris Johnson penned articles in the right wing press about how feckless Scotland is.
The issues that Scotland has with Westminster and the British state are not matters of tone, they’re matters of substance. They will not be solved by Boris Johnson suddenly discovering politeness in his dealings with a Scotland that has been treated with contempt for years, nor anything of import be changed by Boris Johnson practising more of those dubious charms upon a Scotland which has already shown itself to be immune to them. The faux-bumbling posh boy clown schtick might play well in certain circles in Englandshire, but for the most part people in Scotland see right through him. What we see is a conniving liar, a blustering bully, and an arrogant boor who oozes entitlement and privilege. A new script from a man whose entire persona is an artifice is still just that, a work of fiction.
Love bombing is what happens when Westminster realises that it has a problem in Scotland, and isn’t disposed to do anything of substance in order to solve it. It’s a cosmetic exercise, the modern equivalent of beads and mirrors for the natives and giving the chief of a small village of mud and straw houses the title of king. It changes nothing. Scotland isn’t going to stop being unhappy with the direction of British politics just because Boris Johnson starts to patronise us. His patronising politeness is just a thin veneer to disguise his entitlement.
Meanwhile the Labour party in Scotland have decided that they’re going to vote against another referendum in 2020 when it comes before the Scottish Parliament. In the wake of their electoral annihilation they promised that they were going to reflect and review, and rethink they way in which they do politics in Scotland. Which is pretty much what they promised in 2011, in 2015, and in 2016. The result of their period of reflection will be the same as it was before. Having reflected and reviewed, they will decide that it’s the electorate which is wrong. The problem with the Labour party’s branch office in Scotland is that it doesn’t understand the difference between a period of reflection and staring at itself in a mirror telling itself how fabulous it is.
Labour has decided that it’s going to devote what is left of its energy and reserves into reviving the cold dead and rotten body of the Federalism Fairy. Every time Scotland give the anti-independence parties a scare, we get the bones of the Federalism Fairy waved about like the executed corpse of a counterfeiter dangling from a gibbet, but as on all the previous occasions it will come to naught. It’s only the Labour party branch office in Scotland which ever talks about federalism. There is as much interest in the topic in England as the airtime given to the Camanachd Cup on BBC West Midlands. It’s not going to happen, no matter how often Gordie Broon intervenes for the very first time. Everyone knows it’s not going to happen. Even BBC Scotlandshire can’t work up much enthusiasm for it any more.
However Labour’s dangerous delusion is as nothing compared to what’s going on in the Conservative party in Scotland. The Jackson Carlaw Ruth Davidson Fan Club Successor Party has for its part decided that losing over half its seats in Scotland in an election campaign which they fought solely on the basis of opposition to another independence referendum is in fact an amazing victory for the forces of British nationalism. Despite the fact that every single Tory election leaflet, every single appearance on the TV, and every single poster told us that this was an election campaign about saying no to another independence referendum to the exclusion of all other issues, what’s left of the Tories in Scotland have decided that the election wasn’t really about an independence referendum at all, and that they won a resounding triumph.
There’s never been a greater display of political delusion in Scotland since Ruth Davidson was described as the next First Minister and Ross Thomson was hailed as a potential future leader of the Scottish Conservatives. However with their denial of what the people of Scotland so very clearly voted for last week the Conservatives have crossed the line between being merely delusional to being dangerous and delusional. Their delusion is threatening democracy itself. Scotland is being denied its democratic right, as expressed at the ballot box, by Conservatives who insist that Scotland is a partner in a union. But not so much of a partner that it’s for the people of Scotland to decide when they want to re-examine the partnership. The Conservatives have taken that role for themselves, and in the process have abrogated democracy in Scotland.
As the great Russian author Dostoyevsky said, “The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love.” The Conservatives in Scotland have no respect for Scotland, and no self-respect because they’ve lied so often that they no longer know what respect means. But it’s not entirely true to say that they have ceased to love. They love their careers. They love their personal advancement. They love power. They no longer know the difference between what is good for the short term interests of the Conservative party and what is good for Scotland, and they no longer care – if they ever did. That is why they’re evil. The truly evil person isn’t one who does evil knowing it is evil, it is the person who no longer knows the difference between good and evil. It’s the person who denies democracy while telling us it’s for our own good. That’s the path to authoritarianism. That’s the path that the Conservatives want to take us all down. 2020 will be the year of telling them no.
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Brilliant again Paul, hitting the nail on the head. The arrogance of the Tories on display at Holyrood today along with their pet Liberal from Kelty. Nicolas speech this morning was excellent but the press pack were as expected taking the Unionist line. The sooner we get out of this duplicitous Union the better, I know there will be years of negotiation re trade deals etc if we become independent but we will be making our own decisions not having them foisted on us by a bunch of sycophants.
If we’re still in the EU that will be the trade deals taken care of, not an issue for us. If we get taken out of the EU by Brexit and become independent we will be fast tracked back into the EU if we decide to rejoin. Its England who will have the trade deal problem if they crash out of the EU with no deal, which is what Bozo seems to be aiming at. They won’t know what hit them if that happens. Maybe it’s the only way England will wake up to the reality of 21st century life from its daydreams of post imperial grandeur.
Yes, the Tories are the only party who can be victorious while coming second and only getting 25% of the vote.
I was watch Sky All-out-Politics this morning. For one, the presenter didn’t even want to talk about Scotland. In the English nationalism London bubble it’s irrelevant. The Hilary Ben and and some pompous Tory Lady proceeded to join forces in dismissing the Indyref with the usual tripe. It was the usual tripe about ‘they made their choice’ and ‘once in a generation’.
Anyone objective knows that when Salmond talked about ‘once in a generation’, he was not making a commitment; he was giving a warning. He was warning us that the UK government may never agree to another opportunity. And that is turning our to be true.
The only tangible impact of the 2014 Indyref is broken promises and getting the result thrown back in your face. That’s the reward for staying in the precious Union.
The Tory British nationists have had 3 attempts in under 3 years to obtain the Parliament they wanted. It’s over 5 years since Scotland had a go.
”Once in a generation ” is a nonsense and should be dismissed as such . Even if every politician gave a commitment to this timescale it has no authority with the people . NO ONE can constrain the democratic right of the people to vote when and if they choose !
I wish meaningless soundbite was challenged every time it is uttered – it is arrant nonsense !
There is also an aspect regularly trotted out by all politicians, that undertakings binding on one parliament are not binding on the next etc..
In whatever context “Once in a generation” was made, it equally cannot be held as binding on the current party leader, first minister, or government, or for that matter the electorate..
Are journalists and politicians going to drag up David Cameron’s 2014 opinion on the EU, and insist it should still apply?
Even with the fixed term parliament act the electorate get to change their minds every 5 years, this GE was the 3rd in that time, and politicians have changed “opinion” so many times as to a resemble a weather vane, the current PM in particular, and he’s still spinning yet…
And the date on which the ‘Boris’ election result was declared in London? ………… Friday the Thirteenth, of course…….
Westminster has HAD Scotland
“There is as much interest in the topic in England as the airtime given to the Camanachd Cup on BBC West Midlands.”
I was in a London pub about 45 years ago and there were quite a few people sitting watching the cricket on the TV. Rain stopped play and they showed the Camanachd Cup Final instead, so it does happen. They found it amusing and were amazed that I knew half of the Kyles team from school.
As usual the predicted reply well maybe not even a reply , Boris and his return to sender pish never realising his every move is adding more support to Independence .
On another point if I may , I made the mistake of watching FMQs oh god I despair , watching rats scrabbling about it shite and trying to figure who gets the chance to try and chuck some of it , what a depressing sight , and add to that the Clowns sitting in our Parliament most of them have been rejected by the electorate , I don’t think anyone could embarrass this lot , they are beyond shame .
FMQ Today
The Presiding Officer the Britnat Scotland in Union supporting McIntosh from Busby, East Renfrewshire lets the Britnats go on and on in a long tirade/list about every sector of the Scottish economy (except the media of course – they are beyond criticism being Britnat propagandists) not actually asking a question and then chides the SNP for not being happy about it.
Someone should remind McIntosh that it is PMQs and they are supposed to ask a question. Pretty shameful bias from McIntosh. McIntosh was defeated in the 2016 Scottish parliament Election. The voters placed him third but he then got in to the parliament on the Labour list and then gets appointed Presiding Officer. Rewarded after being comprehensively rejected by his constituents. This is just not acceptable.
A SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT that has 3 BRITISH parties and a BRITISH PRESIDING OFFICER is not fit for purpose. A Scottish Parliament that is served by a UK controlled civil service is not fit for purpose.
Independence is the solution. Time to end the Treaty of Union 1707.
Yep, spot on!!
Excellent article WGD.
I don’t know if love bombing is going to happen or not but they have certainly been screwing Scotland for a long long time – hundreds of years in fact.
Is the path to authoritarianism not the first port of call on the way to fascism.
The message is coming across loud and clear from the Britnats – we ignore your votes they don’t count in the UK. Scots don’t count in the UK – get back in your box and shut up.
I think one thing needs to be made clear and explained to people. Scotland and the indy movement are NOT anti English, we are anti establishment. You can be sure the press is gonna spin us as racist so this point needs to be made.
It’s a point I’ve made repeatedly.
A wee comment then you can tell me to piss off –
This don’t mention the English thing is a bit awkward ,it’s difficult to avoid referring to the ELEPHANT in the room and after the election results a lot of folk might find it difficult to avoid disparaging remarks ,for instance the stupidity and shortsightedness of a lot of people to the south of us who happen not to be Scottish , the obvious comment would be stoopid bleedn *nglish tossers but rules are rules and I hope you give folks a bit of latitude before you dump their comment , after all it ain’t the French or the Italians or indeed the Irish that are holding us hostage it’s the ******h , no other way of saying it I am afraid .
Robert, not trying to wind up WGD but you could always say the people inhabiting the lands south of the Scottish border and east of the Welsh border.
Just trying to come up with a working compromise. tis the season of goodwill after all. Merry Christmas and all the best for an independent Scotland in the New Year.
Aye point taken Cubby , kind of like self censorship , I will leave it there it’s Paul’s blog so I guess if he doesn’t take control it will be like the Wild West I just felt I had to make a point without trying to annoy or insult anyone .
The real problem here is that there’s a very clear set of double standards in the British media and with the British nationalist parties. They are very quick to leap on anything that they can paint as “anti-English racism”, while dismissing blatant anti-Scottish racism as “just a bit of banter”. So we have to be extra careful with the language that we use – but that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t call out the hypocrisy and the double standards.
When you see pictures of the people from south of the Scottish border and east of the Welsh border taking selfies with Johnson and voting for a PM who is anti Scottish and has published a racist article about Scots then I think they don’t care about insulting the Scots.
Cubby, they don’t care. I wrote a comment last week on a post, of a long time male pal from Yorkshire, who was agreeable with we Scots and Independence, but can’t understand the EU thing, he did however, have some serious bigoted, racist attitudes not towards Scots, but ‘commie’ directed. However, it was his friends, from the deepest darkest south who have never met me or my family up here in central Scotland who threw out some incredibly racist misogynistic jibes directed at me in the hope I would rise to the bait. Nope. They, on the other hand just got angrier and angrier.
Friend in Yorkshire deleted his post. No word of apology on behalf of his gender.
Sad really.
Robert Burns had it sussed in ‘To a Louse’ – to see oursels as others see us. It’s just a different culture, that’s all. There was a really good speech by one of the conservative MPs during the queens speech debate this afternoon – can’t remember his name, but he was from Walsall/Black Country. He destroyed Labour and the Lib Dems and explained succinctly and entertainingly, why the election delivered the result (in England).
Having lived south of the border for the last 20 years – I’ve encountered characters like this regularly. Passionate, driven, funny – and full of common sense. No different to many people I now in Scotland – but just with a different perspective. I hoped he would make comment about Scotland, but he kept the focus on England – but I’m fairly certain, if he was asked privately, Scottish independence would be something he supported. I’m sure many Scots were recoiling in horror during his speech, but it was the most honest, cogent an entertaining contribution I’ve heard for a long time.
Leave the English people alone. They’re on a parallel, very different road – but one that has the same destination. Eventually. Hopefully.
”Leave the English people alone …” but they won’t leave US alone , will they ? It is their Governments through their elected representatives who have continually dismissed Scotland’s concerns , dragged us out of the EU , imposed THEIR policies on us , and in recent years taken to ridiculing our MPs in the House Of Commons .
Don’t pish on my back and say it is raining ! They are culpable , if only through their ignorance of what THEIR Parliament is doing to MY country !
You have a strange idea of what ‘parallel’ means, Mark.
That we and Brit Nat Little Englunders are on a ‘parallel’ path is news to me.
They are about to close the borders, and hem Scotland in by force.
England chose to be a ‘third country’, an isolated little dot on the planet; we didn’t.
The @english’ Homeland Sedurity is about to ensnare Scotland ina wall of barbed wire, against our express wishes.
I too have wandered the highways and byways of Dear Old Merrie England over the decades.
They are a different breed.
No one in Scotland will be telling you to piss off Robert if you are a nice person and respect Scotland .You are and always will be welcome after independence!we don’t ask for much we just want the same privilege you have to rule our own country and finances like all the other normal sovereign countries of the beautiful world we live in !
While we are making / observing points.
Let us remember Westminster is not now nor has it ever been a democracy.
It is in fact still as it has always been.
AN ELECTIVE DICTATORSHIP
And is currently fast approaching fascism.
On the other hand the the current UK Prime Minister is undoubtedly racist and has published an article that is clearly racist towards Scots.
I made a comment about Holyrood earlier and my mistake of actually watching the proceedings , I made my mind up to avoid the rat house on the banks of the Thames absolutely no chance it’s on all the News channels , what struck me was the Language used in the statements being read out would not have been out of place in Victorian England , this whole pantomime that should have been consigned to history is in full flow , if I could make a suggestion I believe The Disney Corporation could put on a far better show this isn’t democracy at work it’s a total embarrassing farce , a sitcom without the laughs .
The union has relied on Scots backing an English party, so as to ensure its voice was not silenced by an English majority.
But that consensus was withdrawn last week. In truth it’s been withdrawn since 2015. Every day the Union slowly dies. Lib dems are a joke. Labour decided to fight and die for the biggest nothing in history; British identity. The Tories will fight die for an unpopular English populist, and it was ever thus.
The SNP have to use the mandate this time. We deserve better than Tory bastards, lib dems clowns and labour cowards.
I heard Nicola’s speech in the car on the way to work this morning. All very reasoned and reasonable but I’m sure I detected a hint of anger in her voice, not something I’ve ever noticed before. She’s up for the fight!
The Tories have a brass neck, as always, telling the Scotgov to get on with the day job. The Tory UK gov has not even done the very essential basic of passing a budget.
Tory tossers.
Johnson at it again with his lies. Only Trump can best him for the volume of lies he spouts.
In H of Commons today.
” If there was one resounding lesson of this election campaign, one message I heard, in every corner of these islands, it’s not just that the British people want their government to get Brexit Done, though they do, they want to move politics on and move the country on.”
Not in Scotland you liar.
Nor Norn Irn, Cubby.
The man is as mad as a hatter, therefore has no concept of reality, therefore can’t lie.
The perfect patsy for the Iron Heel Oligarchy ruling England and its colonies.
It is going to get very nasty very very soon now.
I have no patience left.
Reblogged this on Ramblings of a 50+ Female.
Pardon my jump in comment
We’ve long known of the private schools and peadophiles who run the uk. They also include every degenerate activity we could try or imagine.
I liked that the youngest (23) mp described it as attending hog warts with the death walkers in charge. Don’t know hp but the bbc soon edited it out .
The thing that I find very worrying about today’s developments is that even if every person in Scotland voted for the SNP I don’t see any reason for Numb-nuts to do or say anything different.
That being the case, I can’t see how a Scottish Independence referendum can happen.
You have just described a dictatorship.
Oh I give up ,
just watching this afternoons debate on the referendum bill , I thought I had seen it all , The total bloody stupidity on show is breathtaking ,
Ok the previous question that was asked in 2014 must be tested again and again until the Electoral commission comes up with some way of blocking it , that’s it it’s as simple as that , the sight of Labour-Tory-Liedem all as one remember the band is getting together again remember better together Aye bloody snakes the lot of them.
After all that’s happened since Labour got their arses well and truly kicked you would have thought a slight change of course might be in order , NO bloody chance
The fools have just reverted to type , Why don’t these three parties just form the Britnat party , I fully expected Tomkins ( two jobs ) to sit in the Shop Stewards Lap that’s how close these Clowns are ,
Labour you had your chance , now all invitations are formally withdrawn go f/k yourselves and kiss Boriss arse you know you want to .
This Electoral Commission exactly how independent are they anyone know the make up of this lot , because questions remain over the various think tanks often referred to and there are many of them have some very dubious characters within their ranks , I suggest these vested interests are far from independent .
Sorry to keep chomping on this bone , This two jobs Tomkins really has a sense of humour , He has just proposed that the Purdah period be extended to the full period of any referendum campaign , Christ I nearly fell off me chair , the Barrel Scrapping for ways of stopping any and all Indy referendums is getting farcical now , with a straight face this Clown has stated Purdah must be enforced oh where do they get these actors from , I really pity the folk who voted for any of these Liars .
That is one of the main problems with the Scottish Parliament – no one VOTED for these chancers ( like Tomkins and James Kelly and Annie Wells …. ) they are guaranteed seats through the List System , so the old joke about a monkey with a red rosette being elected is evident on the Labour/Tory/Libdem seats .
Oh,Thompson is no as green as he’s cabbage lookin.
The Bill could, and can, only enforce a lengthy Purda on Holyrood.
It would have no powers to impose the same restrictions on Westminster!
Purdah is a convention which the “establishment” has abused to their advantage for ages, not least on psycho-manipulation on social media where they have refused to regulate against propagandising by political parties and pressure groups.
Pilger’s NHS film was stifled on that basis and he has loudly said so, technically correct within the rules IF it is partisan, but when it’s a balanced report reflecting a pertinent reality which might contradict one side’s portrayal, is that a correct interpretation ?
If one tribe can lie without contradiction because a rule purporting to ensure democracy is invoked to prevent the lie being exposed, that rule abuses democracy.
Muppets will Tomkins will forever be throwing spanners to disrupt, none are interested in democracy only winning any way they can….
In the light of the Queen’s Speech the Scottish MPs must now withdraw from Westminster, unite with the Scottish Parliament and resile the Treaty of Union with England and revoke the Act of Union. Under International Law they have that right. No Prime Minister of England, who has no mandate in Scotland, and no Queen of England, who as far as Scotland is concerned, reigns by the will of the People of Scotland have the right to decide what the People of Scotland may choose.
The resiling of the Treaty and the revocation of the Act should be followed by a confirmatory referendum.
The oath of loyalty that the Scottish MPs took was to the Queen, not the Prime Minister, nor the English Government of the UK. The Queen is not the Sovereign in Scotland. She reigns under the sovereignty of the People of Scotland. It’s time for the People of Scotland to withdraw her right to reign in Scotland unless she submits to the will of the People of Scotland.
C4 News complaining that Johnson was remarkably restrained and didn’t read Scottish Nationalists the riot act. The insults just keep on coming. Nothing about the lack of democracy in the UK.
Our votes only count when we vote for a Britnat party. It’s a dictatorship and they have voted in their own English dictator.
@ Robert Graham – Purdah: Well it depends on “one’s” interpretation of Purdah, and which “authority” would be empowered to determine on transgressions.
I’d say the Tomkins Purdah initiative/model would be a 2 nil score advantage for the Establishment.The Establishment owning the referee is a route to ensuring they win.
Excessive leaflet spending by the LibDems/ Cambridge Analytics/ Blatant unionist lying.Action taken action by the Electoral Commission? Zilch.
Anything i’ve failed to mention? Ah, the D’Hondt voting scam.hence we have Tomkins, Annie Wells, Murdo Fraser, etc. My skill on the keyboard brought up moored instead of Murdo, seems very apt. Moored is moored at Holyrood, unelected and “earning” way way above the folk he pretends to represent.
Apologies for the heavy use of inverts – Johnson is “Prime” Minister, you’re kidding surely?
Gove lying again and the C4 interviewer lets him away with it.
Gove says:
“We had a referendum in 2014 and at the time everyone agreed the result of that referendum would be respected for a generation and Nicola Sturgeon and Alex Salmond signed the Edinburgh Agreement on the basis that this referendum would be held and we wouldn’t hold another one for a whole generation to come.
Just lies. Plain and simple lies and the Britnat media colluding with the politicians by not challenging them.
Ciaran Jenkins you are a disgrace. Nothing but a propagandist.
Ciaran also manages to paint the picture that the SNP won the election but don’t have a mandate for Indyref2 even though it is in the SNP manifesto – which funnily enough since he is reporting on a mandate he never mentions the SNP manifesto. That’s the normal place to look for a mandate but not Ciaran he finds a couple of punters in Crieff to tell him they voted against Boris and Brexit – therefore no mandate. Was it worse in the Soviet Union?
Cubby,
I joined Martin Geissler’s circle of friends and relatives, probably numbering 43 of us in all, watching The 9, to get BBC Jock land’s £30 million White Elephant take on Boris Johnson insulting the people of Scotland by checking his e mails during Ian Blackford’s response to the English Queen’s speech today at WM.
No coverage, edited out. It did not happen. The Ministry of Truth has spoken. 2+2 = 5.
But fish face Gove was featured delivering the same speech unchallenged yet again verbatim as the C4 version of truth and democracy.
“We had a referendum in 2014 and at the time everyone agreed the result of that referendum would be respected for a generation and Nicola Sturgeon and Alex Salmond signed the Edinburgh Agreement on the basis that this referendum would be held and we wouldn’t hold another one for a whole generation to come.”
1.6 million of us didn’t say that Indyref 2 was ‘a once in a generation’ choice, and we the People are more powerful than Alec Salmond, Gove, or List Tory Boy Failures WATP Professor Two Jobs Adam Tomkins and that other Loyal Son of William (gets the Gers’ votes after all) the all time record 7 times tried, 7 times spectacularly failed, but still gets his seat on the Blue Tory Gravy Train, Murdo Fraser, the most hapless Blue Tory on the Planet.
No Blue Tory was available to be quizzed by The 9 but Geissler ladled into Deirdre Brock, joining his Fifth Column Hack Pack Up Here mates declaring that Johnson has ‘binned’ NS Indyref 2 document already, so that’s it, for five years.
Where are the Better Together cowars hiding tonight.
Face us Scots and tell us why we must bow down to your loathsome immoral leader.
Geissler peddled the Gordon Brewer nonsense that, anyway, there wasn’t time in 2020 to hold Indyref 2, so it would have to wait until after the 2021 SGE at the earliest.
Well done, Martin.
When BBC Jockland folds at the end of the financial year in March 2020, you’re assured a level transfer to BBC Ministry of Truth Pacific Quay’s main Propaganda Unit deep in the bowels of thePacific Quay Stockade.
The Better Together Band reformed today. Alec Rowley on his feet backing his Red Tory pals.
They’ll do anything for money, betray the Many in Scotland, and consign millions of Scots to five years, nay 10, 15, years of Boris Johnson.
Hang your heads in shame ‘Scottish’ Labour. You have sold your souls to the devil.
WE are not hanging around, Geissler.
Be warned.
There will be a Caledonia backlash.
BTW I’m free for interview any time you like. I’m in the book.
Understand though, if you adopt the Back in your box, Jox stance with me, I’ll respond accordingly.
Is ther nobody at BBC Scotland pro independence?
Have you all been warned off, under threat of sack and black listing?
Jack or anyone have any ideas on the sudden change of direction of SLAB , just when the idea of them grudgingly joining the rest of us was starting to slowly grow then bang reverse gear was engaged with gusto and they joined with the Tory & Liedem Britnat cabal once again ,the theme of all three was exactly the same ,it was coordinated and so obviously planned , outside manipulation is going on because these Clowns haven’t the wits to form a plan on their own ,Tomkins ( two jobs) appeared to have been chosen to present the case as he was on his feet more today than all his other performances combined , aye it’s game on .
The “impartial” BBC.
http://www.medialens.org/2019/the-arrogance-of-bbc-news/
Thanks for this link, Petra.
Geissler tonight was ‘on message’, as Alistair Campbell was wont to say in his Malcolm Tucker Spin Doctor Days.
Paul used the adjective ‘evil’ today, and I have used this extreme before in relation to the Brit Nat Blue Red and Yellow Tories.
We shall sit on our hands no more.
I think that we can take it as read, now. BBC Scotland is and outpost of the London Iron Heel Oligarchy.
The battle lines have been well and truly drawn now.
Laura Kuenssberg for Johnson’s Head of Communications any day soon now?
It is clear that the instruction has been passed to all the Britnat media. The SNP has no mandate. Only SNP politicians get grilled. Britnat politicians get to say what they want unchallenged no matter how obvious and big the lie is.
They promised not to have an independence referendum for a generation/lifetime/lifecycle or forever more until we are all dead twice over is the mantra to be repeated ad nauseam.
I agree with everything you say. However the SNP is missing many tricks.
Where’s the party political broadcasts laying out the case for independence? Where’s the blanket use of social media putting the arguments? Where’s a more aggressive stance with TV interviews?
We’re constantly putting reasonable, cautious argument against unionism in all its guises and its done no good. Time for the SNP to get itself on the front foot.
Where’s Jackie Bird these days?
Dear Anne,
Apologies for the BBC link – but here you go, re: the wee Bird.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2019/jackie-bird-reporting-scotland
PS Did we not meet once at an SNP Annual Conference a few years back? Seem to remember you being interviewed by Danish (or Swedish?) TV about independence. Perth, perhaps … 🙂
I even managed to get her into one of my songs:
17. (of 20.)
So long, farewell
There’s a joyful sort of clanging
From the clock in the hall
And the bells in the steeple, too.
And up on the telly,
An absurd jackie bird
Is popping up and saying, “Cuckoo! Cuckoo!
Joyfully they tell us
And firmly they compel us
To say goodbye to you.
“Cuckoo! Cuckoo!”
So long, farewell,
Auf Wiedersehen, good night.
We have to go and leave this ugly sight.
So long, farewell,
Auf Wiedersehen, adieu.
Adieu, adieu, to you and you and you.
So long, farewell,
Au revoir, Auf Wiedersehen.
We hate to stay and see more austerity.
[England:] “Please!” [Scotland:] “No!”
So long, farewell,
Auf Wiedersehen, goodbye.
We cheer, we smile,
We shout our goodbye.
We’re glad to go,
We cannot tell a lie.
We flit, we float,
We fleetly flee, we fly.
We’re off to indy, aye.
So let the Union die.
So long, farewell,
Auf Wiedersehen, goodbye.
Goodbye!
Goodbye!
Goodbye!
[With acknowledgements]
Songs for the New Politics
2013-2019
It may seem fairly self-evident to us, but to others having a wee read for the first time…. A couple of things to take on board.
Scotland is a country. NOT a region. Not a county. Not a city state. A country. Also. The population of Scotland (in ALL its many threads) vote markedly differently from the rest of the UK and has done so for quite some time.
We want to keep that privilege? Then the hand is still out…
NOT a region. NOT a county. NOT a city state.
Seems that we’ve now been demoted to being England’s backyard, Macart. https://mobile.twitter.com/AngusMacNeilSNP/status/1207752197225820160?s=20
As Iain Blackford rises to speak in the H of Commons large numbers of Tories/labour MPs rudely get out their seats and leave. If they do not want to listen to what Scotlands representatives have to say then why should we stay in the UK.
I suggest that as soon as Johnson gets up to speak the SNP MPs (other than Blackford) do the same to him and the Labour leader and walk out. Do this for as long as it takes until they stop walking out. The SNP MPs could then come back in to the chamber to listen to Iain Blackford.
If the Britnat media complain the SNP can say they are only doing what the Britnats have been doing for some time now to Blackford. Why did you not raise this with them.
You only have to look at the number of MPs present when the representatives of Wales and N.Ireland get up to speak to see the total lack of respect for Wales/N.Ireland/ Scotland that the English MPs have.
Don’t forget also, Cubby, in the New Year, there are plans afoot to reduce the number of Welsh / Scottish / NI / English MPs.
The figures are the most drastic for my country:
England: 501 (down from 533) MINUS 6%
Scotland: 53 (down from 59) MINUS 10.2%
Wales: 29 (down from 40) MINUS 27.5%
Northern Ireland: 17 (down from 18) MINUS 5.6%
Cue the words ‘shamocracy’ and ‘faux democracy’.
Merry Christmas / Nadolig Llawen, btw.
Same old same old, Petra. You win a mandate by their rules, in their system and using the arithmetic they claim gives them a mandate? Suddenly those rules don’t apply to you or they change to suit on a whim.
Mind you, we’re well aware that the inhabitants of the howf do hypocrisy and fibbery for a living. 😎
Much as I despise anything Tory, including the Boris, I have to admit the effectiveness of their rhetoric.
The Prime Minister claimed his Queen’s Speech “the most radical … for a generation”. . . . “and the biggest transformation of our infrastructure since the Victorian Age.” I hope Rees-Mogg was paying attention.
He said it “sets in motion a vast interlocking programme to unite the whole United Kingdom and unleash the potential of all our people.”
“This is not a programme for one year or one Parliament (he had already used the words ‘one generation’ with its anti-inde connotation) . . . it is a blueprint for the future of Britain.
“Just imagine where this country could be in 10 years’ time: trade deals across the world, creating jobs across the UK, 40 new hospitals, great schools in every community.
Yes the political geeks like us can see through the spin, the lies and promises that will never be fulfilled. We haven’t forgotten the Vow! But for the average, disinterested, apathetic punter the key words in this bullshit may well catch the attention.
‘Imagine the country’, ‘unite’, ‘radical transformation’, release potential, blueprint for the future’.
And what was the SNP vision.
Westminster leader Ian Blackford roused the troops by promising,
“SNP MPs will provide the strong, effective and united opposition to the Tories.”
Is that the national ambition? Will that defeatist promise stir the population to rally for independence????