In this week’s dugcast I’m delighted to be joined by Craig Dalzell, blogger and director of policy for CommonWeal. This podcast was held over from Friday because of Jackson Carlaw’s surprise resignation. We chat about the resignation and what it means for the Scottish Conservatives, the GERS figures and how the coronavirus epidemic breaks them, and a whole lot more besides.
The Within Our Grasp paper which Craig mentions in the podcast can be found here : https://commonweal.scot/policy-library/within-our-grasp
Some of the issues we cover in this week’s dugcast were also covered in Craig’s own podcast this week. You can hear it by clicking on the following link : https://commonweal.scot/common-weal-policy-podcast-episode-54
https://soundcloud.com/user-291670852/dugcast-31-07-2020-with-craig-dalzell
If you have problems with the embedded link, you can access the podcast directly here : https://soundcloud.com/user-291670852/dugcast-31-07-2020-with-craig-dalzell
In other news, I’ve decided to take next week off from blogging. I’ve blogged every day almost without a break since before we went into lockdown and I want a bit of time away from Scottish politics to recharge my batteries. I’ve been getting a bit exasperated with the negativity and gloom mongering and need some time to myself so that I can come back with a positive attitude. I’ve been working away on some new Gaelic maps while we were in lockdown and want to get them finished. So instead of ranting about the Tories I’ll be losing myself in the Gaelic place names of Skye and the Small Isles.
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My new book has just been published by Vagabond Voices. Containing the best articles from The National from 2016 to date. Weighing in at over 350 pages, this is the biggest and best anthology of Wee Gingerisms yet. This collection of pieces covers the increasingly demented Brexit years, and the continuing presence and strength of Scotland’s independence movement.
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https://www.vagabondvoices.co.uk/rants/barking-up-the-right-tree-2019
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Wee Ginger Dug 
Have a good break.
[…] Wee Ginger Dug Dugcast fae the dughoose – with Craig Dalzell In this week’s dugcast I’m delighted to be joined by Craig Dalzell, blogger and […]
I hope you enjoy a well-earned break. You have been indefatigable recently and have done a lot to lift our spirits while we are beset with conflicting views.
I agree with you 100% regards having a well earned break arayner 1936 but isn’t having ” conflicting ” views exactly what a healthy democracy is all about? Discussions & debate strengthens democracy .
Staying silent about controversial topics that are relevant now is never the right approach.
GRA , Hate crime Bill , the witch hunt against Craig Murray & Mark Hirst & now the latest scandal over Joanna Cherry are things everyone of us , independent of our views should be discussing.
I’m very curious indeed to hear WGD s opinions on these subjects. Sorry WGD if I have missed them along the way but I read your blog regularly & haven’t yet seen any.
Perhaps some of us disagree about just how relevant Stuart Campbell’s favourite talking points actually are.
And with that – I’m off for a break. So I won’t be replying further to this or any other comment.
Fair doos WGD, I appreciate your swift response thnx,albeit just a tad disappointing. Relevance is relative. To insinuate that only Stuart Campbell & his followers are interested in these topics is to say the least questionable. I didn’t even mention him. I have my own mind & can think for myself thank you very much. I to don’t agree with everything he says.
It’s like telling a cancer patient that yes , curing your cancer is our main goal, while at the same time amputating a few limbs & giving him / her a lobotomy.
The SNP certainly cannot afford to loose their majority at the next election but it seems that is exactly what they are in the process of doing sad to say.
Once again appreciate your response WGD, yours respectfully
Ian.
My personal opinion is that Stuarts recent activities is trying is a sort of political realignment of the independence movement in order to create a voice that is distinctive and different enough from that of the SNP.
It seems a logical position so that all the eggs are not put into the same basket by being solely dependent politically on the SNP as well keeping the SNP on it’s toes by ensuring it is settling up, both in Westminster and Holyrood, and not settling in.
Whether that strategy is harmful or not to the overall independence movement remains to be seen. IMHO, it is down to the execution of such a strategy. It is risky and needs to have experienced pairs of hands to drive this rather than something that is being radical for the sake of it and attacking everybody but achieving nothing.
I disagree with you Ian Dolan , I think the issues at large on wingsoverscotland will not affect voting intentions , gender recognition laws and candidate selection policy will not change many voters from YES to NO , some people might disagree with those SNP policies but they won’t change from a YES vote to a NO vote if they genuinely want Scottish independence
Fair doos to you to Terence, if that’s your opinion fine, I dearly hope that you’re right. Once more I must point out to you that nowhere in my post did I once mention WoS or Stuart Campbell! The issues I mentioned are live ,imminent & need to be aired now & not when it’s too late. When is the next Indi Ref going to happen?
I think many women ( & men like me ) would disagree with you & WGD about the GRA legislation for example.Closing down all discussion on these issues is the wrong way to go IMO, that’s still the only point I was making.
I am & will always be an avid supporter of Independence, it’s a broad church & everyone should be welcome.
It should come as no surprise at all that more & more people are looking for alternatives to the SNP when open debate is stifled & shut down in this way.
Yours sincerely
Ian.
PS
Sorry for the late reply.
What is happening to Dornan, Cherry, GRA, Hate crime bill etc, is shocking.
It is clear that this current SNP administration are prioritizing identity politics over the constitution.
I voted SNP at the 2019 GE, because they promised to place ‘Scotland’s future in Scotland’s hands’.
They didn’t and I gave up on them after that disasterous press conference in Edinburgh, which was billed as Nicola revealing her secret master plan, which the gradualists still maintain she has.
I will still vote for them in the constituency vote but will be giving my list vote to the ISP or a Wings party.
Wings party? The guy who lives in Bath? The guy who wants Scottish independence so much he doesn’t live here? And votes Lib Dem? The guy whose vote put them in a coalition with the Tories and we know how well that went? That would be a proper waste of a vote but on you go. You’d be as well using invisible ink on your ballot paper.
Well debate is all well and good, but that’s rarely what happens on the internet unfortunately.
Mostly what happens is that someone posts an inflammatory rant about some issue that they have a personal emotional attachment to, rather than a rational and well-reasoned position. Someone comes back saying they disagree with that and the original poster takes that as some personal attack and out comes the text-based equivalent of monkeys flinging poo at each other.
People attack the messenger, rather than the message. One of the lessons programmed into us by social engineering perhaps.
Besides, right now, independence is the goal, and people need to focus on that.
Plenty of time for democratic debate and picking out political parties when we’re actually living in a democracy. Right now, we aren’t.
I couldn’t agree more. When there is darkness all around, your optimistic spirit and such has been pretty well what kept me going.
Your break is well deserved.
Have a good break Paul, I sympathise, I feel that way myself from time to time and your work rate is twice mine
Ahhh a discussion about independence. How refreshing.
Do you think it might catch on?
Have a good break Paul and thanks for all that you are doing.
Following on the Dugcast, very soon – and I mean very soon with a capital F – the economic Armageddon is going to hit home. My hope is that Nicola will have a workable opportunity, in the next few weeks/months, to convince the Scots that avoiding life destroying levels of unemployment can only be achieved by giving her and the Scottish Government their backing.
I am certain you will have much to write about when you get back. If you’re stuck you can always resort to the BBC “SCANDAL” approach to reporting.
Excellent podcast, have enjoyed Craig’s view and analyses remotely on many an occasion over the past 5+ years, his grasp on the machinations of GERS and debunking projected perceptions a particular delight, I didn’t even realise it’s origins were from the anti-devolution campaign.
Shame a link to the Common Weal podcast Craig referred to wasn’t provided for us old fogeys (aka lazy sods), but will go root it out…
Regulars have read the same whitaboutery and miseryguts commentary building as you over the last wee while, beyond the resident gloom mongers and conspiracy theorists there is a marked uptick in new “interference”, so time to kick back and consider what to do, your blog is most definitely being targeted, which means it is important beyond your normal readership.
Enjoy your break away, all 3 of you deserve it, we’ll still be here…. 👍
I did provide a link to the CommonWeal podcast.
My apologies, you did indeed, did imply I was a lazy old sod, guess I just proved it 🤣
Enjoy the break, it’s going to get busy..
From a protest political movement party to the most successful and most powerful party of government Scotland has ever seen the SNP have evolved percentage wise into the biggest party in these Islands
Some want a return to the protest party, some like the evolution, some want more control over the party, but one thing’s sure, the people of Scotland by majority now see a future that looks more promising without the control of Westminster and along the way towards this aim some people’s feelings are going to get hurt
The demand for Nicola Sturgeon to be all things to all men/women is an unbearable weight for any one person to carry but there’s no doubt at the moment she’s carrying that weight despite the onslaught of the entirety of the ruling British class and their helpers
The machinations of political parties has morphed into the new fan clubbery with all sorts of activating activists getting themselves involved with the interpersonal relationships of the various representatives of them now, a thing that never happened unitl the advent of the social media internetting commentariat which is on its way to destroying the hold that newspapers once had over what they decided to report as news, and in Scotland that interest has worked its way into the most poplular party, the SNP, some who scribble their opinions on the internet feel they have more right than others to say what they think and some just lie exactly like the newspapers did and still do even when they don’t know the facts of what they opine on or pretend that they do, and that’s a problem that the Internet has created by its easy accessibility
The Wee Ginger Dug blog is a reasonably civilised area where most people have a go at the real enemy of Scotland, the Union, and I for one like and appreciate that, other blogs have turned themselves into hate fest and mud slinging diatribes of vitriol because that’s the readership they want to attract to voice whatever opinions they wish to reflect, and that’s up to them
I personally don’t care for pointless internet arguments engineered by some to remove dialogue in order to concentrate on their real objective which is hatred and denigration in order to divert the original purpose of support for a thing to destruction of a thing, and the people who engage in this conduct are cowardly and certainly most of the time not in the least bit civil
We know them when we see them, and we know their tactics and often we know their names and we know we shouldn’t under any circumstances reply to them when they appear, and that’s always been good advice which I have to say I’ve slipped up myself sometimes by disregarding and I’ve slapped my own face for doing so
In order to succeed in their endeavours, the people who engage in this will invade any blog, any space creating annoyance and anger, for what it’s worth not replying to them leaves them open to their own exasperation to expand on thier bile and will offer the opportunity for them either to be blocked by the author of the blog or the successful exposure of themselves for what they are
Nothing is more important to the future of Scotland right now than getting rid of Covid 19 and then self determination, and both of those things look like they’re right around the corner, and the thing is I don’t care about the opinions of those who don’t agree with me and feel compelled to insistantly tell me they don’t agree with me, I don’t want to talk to those people
Self determination y’see
You are not just part of the problem
YOU are the problem pal ,
Blind deaf and dumb what a combination eh
Blind to what is happening around you
Deaf to even reasonable supporters concerns
Dumb and keeping quiet about the direction the party is being pushed in
Yes you are an enabler, bad things happen when good men stay silent , YOU .
The SNP have been hi jacked and your on the sidelines cheering on
Robert Graham so only you see! We are all blind to see what is going on! You decide what is reasonable or not. Really?
Grow up. We can make our own mind up thank you.
Your attempt as a mini wings supporter is easy to spot. In fairness though you haven’t used offensive language.
I would happily raise issues there but I was blocked by Campbell. My crime, I disagreed over his attacks on the FM and snp, during the GE and my opinion that Campbell’s Outspoken comments were a distraction and gift to the unionists. No effen or blinding , no c words but I was blocked.
Freedom of speech. Guffaw.
Well said Hamish100
Robert graham,
Paul is not a problem. If the objective is independence, which I think this blog demonstrates in spades, then what the heck has he done that suggests for one moment that he is not committed to that cause?
Over to you.
Ever thought that WoS has been highjacked by the British State and is intent on fulfilling the BritNats number one aim which is to get rid of Nicola Sturgeon and destroy the SNP? Check out how many articles focus on the SNP in comparison to politicians of all other political parties north and south of the border. Even people who are blind, deaf and dumb (apologies to anyone suffering from such conditions) have the ability to count.
I don’t agree with the Rev on a lot of things and comment on Wings in order to try in my humble way to get across a sensible position on a number of subjects. One these these things that I don’t agree with his his position in regards to Nicola Sturgeon.
IMHO, the Rev’s dislike of Sturgeon is personal and down to her congratulating Dugdale in her legal case against him. To say that the Rev is a British agent without any evidence is rather disingenuous, yes?
Disingenuous Pacman?
Firstly I don’t remember Nicola Sturgeon congratulating Kezia Dugdale on her win at all. Disingenuous of you to assume that’s the case. If I’m wrong about this I’ll expect you to post some corrective evidence? And secondly it was a ”thought” on my part in that instead of considering (for example) the Dugdale scenario we should look at alternative reasons for the constant WoS attacks on Nicola Sturgeon. Being revengeful towards someone for congratulating KD, as you say, or annoyed about Bills that can be amended or Laws that can be repealed, as others say, doesn’t quite hack it.
Mr Campbell, a typical narcissist, imo, seems to make the bullets and then gets others, patsies and the more malevolent BritNat crew, to fire them. Some of the comments that he himself has made about the FM of Scotland are utterly obnoxious and in fact beyond the defamation pale. Writing comments about her which are untrue, could be damaging to her reputation and are in fact technically stirring up hatred against her calls for legal action, imo. His behaviour is not just disingenuous but abominable and downright sinister. No wonder he’s so concerned about the Hate Crime Bill. He’s been using his site as a platform for people to call her an agent, lesbian, traitor and so on. Far too many examples to mention on here in fact. They’ve even got their ”early morning top dog”, Donald where’s your troosers, calling for her impeachment, FGS. These posts are never removed by the hypocritical man who was kicking up a stink about being called homophobic. Let’s hope that someone has been keeping account of them. I’ll just end by saying that there’s more to all of this than meets the eye.
Petra,
I’m beginning to think that that is what they’re now trying to do to this site.
Independence sits at a steady positive figure and suddenly a lot of ‘names’ appear sowing division.
Coincidence ? I think not.
The age old ploy of ‘Divide and Conquer’, it certainly worked for them during Empire.
They think that if they destroy the SNP then they destroy the Independence movement, well they’re wrong. It’s in every other house in every other street in every other town and city across Scotland and it will continue to grow.
The good people of Scotland are waking up to the fact that ‘Yes, We can do things better than Westminster’.
It’s why they’re desperate to get the FM Briefings stopped.
I don’t go with all these ‘Independence Supporters’ attacking the SNP, at the moment they are our clearest route to Independence and they have done a terrific job IMO of mitigating Austerity to the best of their ability.
Also IMO Nicola Sturgeon is one of the top leaders in Europe.
Cue attacks!
The top no doubt, and it is time we shouted it more often. I have been following politics since I was a boy in the early 1950’s and am not easily impressed, I have voted labour until 10 years ago it is a very hard thing to admit you were wrong, but she is the best full stop.
”I’m beginning to think that that is what they’re now trying to do to this site.”
They are trying alright but they won’t win, Jim 😀😎.
Jim, I think the likes of you and Petra miss the point. If the SNP LEADERSHIP isn’t calling for a referendum on INDEPENDENCE which they aren’t, then nobody can be ambling to divide and conquer the pro Independence movement. What we are disagreeing about at the moment is the FAILURE of the SNP LEADERSHIP to call for a vote on INDEPENDENCE.
I have rather crudely emboldened the key words to assist with what the dispute is. But I think that the shenanigans with CHERRY and DORNAN should have given you pause for thought . If that’s possible.
Eh Mbiyd, in case you hadn’t noticed Nicola Sturgeon is dealing with a life and death pandemic right now. Are you seriously saying that she should start bleating on about Independence at this given time?
Are you suggesting that Nicola Sturgeon cant deal with more than one issue at a time? Most unionists will say British PMs had to deal with world wars, internal revolutions, pandemics and famines all in the same day…
It’s a pathetic excuse.
If Nicola was to start talking about Independence in the middle of the Covid pandemic- the press and opposition would have a field day
Covid is and should be her focus
Irrespective of what the SNP does or does not do right now, during the current situation the indy movement can’t do the kind of face to face canvassing, mass gatherings, town hall style meetings, and one on one persuasion which we rely on to get our message across.
The media in this country is overwhelmingly anti-independence. If we were to be thrown into a proper campaign right now we’d be fighting with both hands tied behind our backs. We cannot rely on online campaigning or our digital presence. Online campaigning simply does not have the reach that is required.
Whether Nicola Sturgeon can or cannot multitask is utterly irrelevant to that broader reality. Sometimes you know, it really isn’t about Nicola Sturgeon.
I’m sure that she can, and definitely does, deal with more than one thing at a time, Mbiyd. The point however is that it wouldn’t go down well with MANY Scots if she was to start talking about Independence right now. Her ratings have gone up and support for independence has been rising due to the way that she has handled this crisis compared to the Westminster buffoons … without bringing independence into the equation. We also lost last time around, as per the experts, because people were frightened of the economic challenges that may face us as an independent country, so imagine how they’ll be feeling right now with one place after another closing down and the unemployment rate rising. She didn’t ask for this crisis and was preparing to get us out of the hellhole following fighting for the 62% of Scots who wanted to remain in the EU. And why compare her with British PM’s who were / are dealing with issue’s, often unsuccessfully, relating to an independent country when ours is not?
If you think back Petra, Nicola Sturgeon said very clearly that she *doesn’t just want to just hold a referendum she wants to win it* and since she was elected FM three British Prime Ministers have gone out of their way to avoid contact with her, Johnson even ran away from her out of the back door of Bute House because she’s too difficult to deal with when it comes to Scotland’s Independence
The folk who spread their nonsense about Nicola Sturgeon not wanting to hold a referendum seem to have ommitted the facts that three British Prime Ministers believe her when she says it or they wouldn’t be making such a fuss about not *granting* one so why are the folk who are wanting rid of her supporting or inventing this fabrication that she doesn’t
If the plan is as the haters of Nicola Sturgeon say it is, which is not to hold a referendum and that somehow she is in league with the British state because she’s happy being a colonial administrator surely she would have done a deal with the British state to lose a referendum thereby satisfying Scotland’s desire to have one then say *Aw shucks we lost oh dear how sad never mind* and slipped off to become an MP, which she has stated repeatedly that she’d never do, or indeed put someone else in charge of the referendum and he or she would have to resign when it was lost so she could stay on as FM thereby fulfilling her supposed fake duty and getting back to being colonial administrator
There’s more to this than these Nicola Sturgeon haters care to admit when it comes to their very thin arguments about who and what they say they’re supporting, especially as you say there are never any attacks on the opposition anymore about who they’re being bad to, assaulting, raping and even murdering, but up here in Scotland the Sturgeon haters big topics are a bill they don’t like or somebody doesn’t like somebody else and it’s all a disgrace so the SNP can’t be trusted so don’t vote for such bad people, well haud oan tae a take the electrodes oot ma heid
The haters are conning folk with schoolyard arguments for 12 year olds and it’s bullcrap
Thanks for another excellent post, Dr Jim. Talking sense as usual. If Nicola Sturgeon, knows as we do, that she’s the greatest threat to the Union and is in a position to dissolve the Union which as ”they” say she doesn’t want to do she would have b*ggered off long before now and gotten herself a less stressful and more VIP lucrative job. ”They” must all think that we came up the Clyde on a bl**dy banana skin 🤡.
Jim, I think the likes of you and Petra miss the point. If the SNP LEADERSHIP isn’t calling for a referendum on INDEPENDENCE which they aren’t, then nobody can be ambling to divide and conquer the pro Independence movement. What we are disagreeing about at the moment is the FAILURE of the SNP LEADERSHIP to call for a vote on INDEPENDENCE.
I have rather crudely emboldened the key words to assist with what the dispute is. But I think that the shenanigans with CHERRY and DORNAN should have given you pause for thought . If that’s possible.
Mbyd, with respect, I feel that it is yourself which misses the point. Now feel free to disagree, but in my opinion it comes down to this…
Constitutionally, Scots can not repeat an indyref within seven years. She can ask for, even formally request an S30 order because it is within Westminster’s power to consent at any time to one. But, she is in no position to DEMAND one until seven years have passed AND there is demonstrable evidence that the Scots indeed want another. Should Westminster then refuse, a judicial review on that refusal can be sought.
Like most of us, I am also frustrated and impatient for another referendum, but it is what it is.
Now, regarding the demonstrable evidence that Scots indeed want another referendum, well, we’re almost there. Since the start of the year, polls have consistently shown a majority support for independence. What I can claim to be the case, yet not apparent, but can extrapolate is that… along with that, is that the majority of Scots also want another referendum, and the two questions are not the same. The final piece will be the election in Holyrood 2021 of an SNP/pro-independence majority.
Nothing I can see in the actions of our FM has done anything to damage the prospect of Indyref II, on the contrary she is pursuing the steady progress which is incumbent on her to do so, as a supporter of independence.
Reflect a little on my above, and ask yourself… where was the majority support for independence, consistently shown previous to this year?
Also, what the hell has GRA or anything to do with independence?
And finally, please be aware, that the Britnats will do anything to subvert the will of Scots to choose independence. “The Big Lie”, regarding “once in a generation”, is not the only lie they will seize upon. Voting for another “indy” party on the list, will not be regarded as a desire for independence/another referendum; as… and take your pick… they did not win any seats; it was not a vote for Sturgeon; it was “the wrong kind of snow on the tracks” [to independence]… and I’m sure they will have more to add if needed.
Like it or lump it, the gradualists HAVE been shown to have the right strategy.
Your using the good Friday agreement as a template.
Has Sturgeon and her hubby announced there is a fresh vote next year?
See my comment above. You appear to want us to have a campaign at a time when the independence movement cannot use its strengths.
Mbiyd wrote – “Your using the good Friday agreement as a template”.
I’m using the UK constitution. The GFA forms part of the constitution.
“Has Sturgeon and her hubby announced there is a fresh vote next year”?
We’ll have to wait and see what’s in the manifesto Mbiyd.
What would YOUR plan be?
Well wings editorial did change after his pc was confiscated and searched.
How do we not know that the security services haven’t “planted files they found with appropriate date stamps on them” and then said do as we ask or your going to jail.
Its not like they have not had form in the past to fit people up etc. And if the state is threatned they do have pretty much unlimited powers to protect the state.
Or have we all forgotten about Willie McRae?
Spot on undeadshuan. That’s exactly when things started to change.
Oh Dr Jim,
See what you did there, saying you don’t want engagement then being provocative knowing full well you will get a response.from us hate filled plebs
I and we, are too wee, too poor, too stupid to have an opinion and anyway Now is Not the Time to question the thoughts of Chairman Jim.
Have a .look in the mirror and you might find Irony staring back at you but clever fools never reaĺly see themselves because they think they are so clever.
Oh dear scrandoonyeah , don’t be daft
Enjoy your break, Paul!
Massive commitment. Haste ye back
Your site in been taken over by a small Clique of 5 people Paul , they are stifling and stopping any open debate , question anything the current administration are doing is seen as you are either a troll or unionist plant no central ground or discussion is allowed , then the personal stuff starts and if you defend yourself, you are gone, Clique satisfied and cheers all round it’s a pity but it’s pretty obvious , maybe you haven’t noticed it or indeed don’t care anyway it’s unfortunate . Byee
100% correct. It is truly sad what has happened to this site.
I will not apologise because this blog doesn’t follow Wings Over Scotland’s agenda. If that’s what you’re looking for you can post there to your heart’s content.
I have been reading this site for quite a long time, and commentating intermittently. I think I am lucky to have found another ‘home’ – Munguins Republic is where I learnt about all this alternative media stuff, – and both are where debate is usually pretty civilised and constructive. I do not agree with every word that our good host says, but he runs an impressive and persuasive perspective on modern Scotland.
I think he deserves praise and not some of the criticism that has appeared on this thread.
So, I am a fan of the ‘Wee Ginger Dug’ and I am not at all embarrassed to say so.
I think WGD gives a fair crack of the whip for all opinions. As far as I can see more people log on, we enjoy the dugcast with its varied speakers. It discusses,Independence in all its forms.
Robert,
I’d have thought that your allowed comment rather jiggered your point?
YMMV.
Nonsense Robert graham
Off back to WoS where a ”clique” of around 5 people support Nicola Sturgeon / the SNP against dozens of others. Where people that were formerly in that ”clique” are now banned. Not just leaving of their own accord. That makes good sense, lol.
I agree completely.
Open debate is now being stifled. I have been called a Unionist several times for being critical of the Sturgeon leadership.
I dont criticise Paul for that.
I bought all of Paul’s journals, gaelic maps, went to the National shows Perthshire, Angus, Dundee etc now I’m scared to express an opinion on this blog, which I dearly like and admire, for fear of falling foul of the clique.
There are a lot of people who comment on this blog who were driven out of another place or made to feel uncomfortable there because they did not share the view of the site owner that the SNP doesn’t really want independence and that Nicola Sturgeon is the root of all evil who is the primary block on achieving independence. They believe that it fell prey to an obsession with other issues unrelated to independence – issues which are for some (not all) people merely a cover for an underlying bigotry. They do not want to see this place go the same way. You must surely appreciate their fears and apprehensions when they see some of the same arguments and talking points being made here by some of the same people that they recognise from another place.
Yes, I agree with you that sometimes people who comment here regularly can be overly defensive, which is not pleasant for those who don’t agree with them. They are protecting one of the few safe spaces left to them. I get that, even if I don’t agree with demonising people who take a contrary position. I don’t believe you are a unionist plant and in future I shall endeavour to discourage others from using that kind of language. Our disagreements are fundamentally disagreements about tactics and strategy, not about the end goal.
However there is an understandable worry on the part of regular commentators here that this place will also become dominated by people who spend all their time and energy attacking other parts of the independence movement for a supposed lack of purity, instead of making arguments for independence that will persuade undecided voters or soft noes. That latter is and will remain the primary purpose of this blog and this commenting space.
SNP NEC members???
It’s very sad reading the various Scottish blogs recently – snatching defeat from the jaws of victory springs to mind. Sometimes I think we all get caught up in the inconsequential nonsense generated mostly by the media and the political machine – for good reason. To divert and divide.
It’s worth remembering just what dog is in this fight – aside from Covid. It’s not Boris or the shills of British nationalism – it’s their masters. You may have already seen this insightful documentary when it was released a couple of years back – but you’d do well to revisit it again in the present circumstances.
When any politician talks about protecting the economy – this is what they mean. This is the dog we need focus on and make sure it never barks again.
I can totally understand why you need a break from all the negativity Paul. I appreciate all the hard work you do. I look forward to seeing your Gaelic Maps of my favourite place on earth – Skye
That was an interesting bit of film Mark, thank you. Here was I thinking that the Brits were good people who just got a bad press. Lolz.
I suppose I see now how, all my life, the Labour protection racket party have been doing their very best to clean up this mess and ensure that their leading lights got mega rich in the process. The moral of this story is:never trust the Brits but in truth I knew that.
What to do about it? That surely is the question.
I have logged the information and I have decided to continue to promote the return of Scotland to independence. I now have even more reasons to despise the British and those who worship at their feet. I will now find it even more entertaining to watch the shambles being acted out by the present British government and their loyal opposition.
Beyond that I will need to have a think but I sure as he’ll won’t let it keep me awake at nights. It is minimally important compared to the thought of the millions of children maimed, traumatised, orphaned and killed by British violence during my lifetime.
That’s what I call a scandal.
Hello Arthur – hope you’re all well. Nick Shaxon has uncovered a squalid secret in the banking/finance world. I guess it comes as no surprise, but the detail is quite staggering. When you consider that governments, banks and the institutions that support them – the legal and accountancy professions predominately – have used their powers of money creation, not for the good or benefit for their citizens – or the world – but for personal enrichment and greed.
As if we didn’t know. Just consider the amount of money that has been created in this way over the last few decades. What’s it been used for? Where has it gone?
In a transparent democracy, every single penny would be accounted for. When there is too much cash in the private sector, taxation is used to rebalance the economy to prevent inflation. But what has happened is that greed won the day and excess cash can be ‘removed’ from the economy by simply hiding it. That creates all sorts of problems – not just wealth inequalities – but in the banking system itself. These issues can only be resolved by creating a crisis – a global emergency – that permits governments and banks to press the “restore” button that effectively draws a line under past expenditure.
The same producers released another documentary about Japan recently. It too is worth a watch – if for no other reason, it explains the machinations behind what we normally see.
As Joe South warned, it’s just ‘The Games People Play”.
Take care.
Thanks again for that Mark. More food for thought.
We know that some disturbed individuals are driven by sociopathic greed, some have been socialised to believe that they have a special entitlement and others find themselves in the position where they are sucked, with little resistance, into corruption. Enmesh these people in elaborately contrived immoral/criminal conspiracies and the result is impoverishment for honest people everywhere. It was always thus and was how Scotland ended up being entrapped and how degenerate elements of its population were instrumental in the criminal project called the British empire.
The daily struggle to make something worthwhile out of what, I have no doubt, has always been a thoroughly corrupted world, goes on. Sadly, there is no single, world wide solution to put it right. Corruption will always be a universal problem, endemic to a greater or lesser degree from one community to the next. The various flawed ideological solutions that have been tried over time have, in my opinion, only made matters considerably worse. They have turned out to be no more than corrupt protection rackets that have been as bad or considerably worse than what they claim to be protecting people against.
Hope springs eternal but we only succeed, in my view, when civilised people create small oases that that offer a better quality of life. There are a fair few examples of these, small countries that thrive and survive through social cohesion, guile and dexterity. I want Scotland to be one of these oases, where my grandchildren can choose to live. I have no doubt that it can be.
This is called corruption above and beyond us poor people could ever think. A very interesting film Mark thanks for that.
… well I’ll just say, I enjoyed that Podcast “fae the dughoose” .. and last week’s with the Welsh member of the Welsh Parliament …. interesting times !!! … and great conversations !! … enjoy yer break Paul and come back ready for battle.
Excellent, excellent, excellent! This is by far your best Dugcast to date. I’ve enjoyed them all but Craig Dalzell is one of the most intelligent commentators on all things Scottish and Independent of our times. His sense of humour and positivity shines brightly and I always love listening to him.
I’m glad you’ve chosen to interview a representative from Common Weal; they are a wonderful collective of individuals with much in the way of powerful and compelling policies which will push forward a Scottish renaissance once we take our Independence.
I hope Jack Collatin isn’t too upset that you’ve included the lefty dreamers in your conversation pieces.
I’ll let you be in my dream if I can be in yours, Neil.
I would question whether Craig’s seeming acceptance that the legality of Scottish independence stems only from an internal UK perspective, since the final arbiter in matters of self determination is international law and international recognition.
‘I would question whether Craig’s seeming acceptance ‘.
As would I, nor do I understand the seeming blind acceptance that Scotland must somehow reach its goal by adherence to an unwritten British constitution, a constitution that as a body of law has no legal standing in court, only explicit statutes pertaining to both Scots and English Constitutional law. Treaty law overrides domestic law and the ToU embedded, is in deed the very basis of equal partnership, two separate legal systems into the british constitution, one is not superior to the other. Ditching the Union need only meet the legal requirements of one them.
Enjoy your break Paul and thank you for my fragile sanity!
You’ve been doing an absolutely amazing job Paul and truly deserve a break. I don’t know how these blogs actually function but if possible it might be an idea to shut it down a couple of days a week (no posts getting through) to get a regular break from work like most other normal people. Take care of yourself (the dug and Peter) XXX
Excellent dugcast.
I think we should all be extremely concerned about Davidson.
From 1st January 2021 Scotland will have
a Scottish ‘Raj (Davidson) upholding English rule in Scotland.
There is an old Scottish word ‘Radge’ which means uncontrollable beast and Gove and co are about to unleash their beast on Scotland.
Come January Scotland will have a ‘ ‘Scottish Radge’ to uphold English rule in Scotland to put the boot in, and be in no doubt she will.
Scotland Beware, we are close to self determination and the beast has been resurrected to stop that happening
She is not near as bright or as scary as you think she is. She is nothing more than a rampant self publicist If she tries to put the boot in to Scotland plenty of us will fight back and I don’t mean in a violent way
I just hope you are right but remember she has the full force of the Britnat state behind her, the BBC propaganda machine and the MSM
”It is more obvious now that Scotland can do better itself and Westminster does not have Scotland’s interests at heart.” Actor @Alancumming tells #TheNine that he would return to Scotland to campaign for independence, should another referendum go ahead.” https://mobile.twitter.com/BBCScotNine/status/1288940908940005376
………………………….
Meanwhile it looks as though LBJ et al are going to be dealing with many ”Threats and Risks.” Read the report.
”It’s hard to overstate how unusual the language in this report is. SAGE and its sub-committees do not usually make warnings as stark as this. The report was “considered” by the whole of SAGE on 2nd July – we don’t know, though, what was discussed or what the response was.” https://mobile.twitter.com/BenKentish/status/1289233994546966529
A follow up article from Richard Murphy on the SPI-B Policing and Security sub-Group of SAGE report.
‘What should be done to manage lockdowns is known, but it’s not happening.’
http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2020/08/01/what-should-be-done-ti-manage-lockdowns-is-known-but-its-not-happening/
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Check out the Indyref2 site for more links from Ann.
https://indyref2.space/forum/topic/links-sunday-2-august-2020/
Johnson & Cummings:- ”WAGE WAR ON THE BRITISH STATE.”
…………………………………….
”Who really owns Scotland?”
”The claim that Scotland has the most inequitable land ownership of anywhere in the developed world holds considerable weight. Today it’s estimated around half of its private rural land is owned by just under 500 individuals, while the Panama Papers revealed that as much as 750,000 acres of this may be owned by companies registered in offshore tax havens.”…
http://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/politics/who-really-owns-scotland-land-ownership-reform-act-registry
Enjoy the break Paul.
Skiver, {:0 )
As often as I can. 🙂
Chicmac/Golfnut
I too enjoyed that podcast but also picked up on what sounded to me like CD conceding at one point that Scotland’s future is ultimately in Johnson’s hands. A good podcast somewhat marred by that and I’d have liked WGD to question him further on that to clarify exactly what he meant.
The people of Scotland are sovereign in Scotland. We don’t need England’s permission to regain our independence.
Boris Johnston considers using M25 as a border to protect London from a spike, but apparently 2 weeks ago there is no border between Scotland and England.
Talk about double standards. They’re just making this shit up as they go along.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/boris-johnson-considers-m25-border-among-new-lockdown-measures/ar-BB17tCC1
Scottish independence is the priority
The people who are trying to make other issues more important than Scottish independence
have lost their way
Gender recognition ?
I am not an expert so I leave the legislating to those who do have expertise
If they get it wrong changes will be made
I trust the experts to get it right
Candidate selection ?
I don’t know SNP constitutions rules and interpretations
I’m sure there are people involved who are pulling strings in different directions for reasons other than or in addition to what is best for Scottish independence
For that reason I think it best that the leadership of the SNP decide which candidates are best
The voters get to vote for the candidates that are put forward but they don’t get to choose the candidates
If they did we would have hundreds of candidates
What the SNP are doing is normal practice
If the SNP NEC do not follow correct procedures I’m sure the SNP will deal with them accordingly
Spot on Terence, I would only add to “The people who are trying to make other issues more important than Scottish independence have lost their way”, that they have unwittingly had their buttons pressed by a group of propagandists.
I noted recently a huge stooshie being generated over the draft “Hate Crimes” bill, not a normal discussion but a sophisticated campaign to shoot at SNP from multiple angles. There will be more of this to come, each turning another group’s opinion “this is the last straw”, until it reaches a critical mass, just as the Brexit campaign.
There are dark forces at play here with a singular purpose, to defuse the ticking bomb of Independence.
Dark organised forces, highly motivated, lots of dosh. I’ve noticed messaging on Facebook has become a little more sophisticated, e.g. ‘ of course we can afford our share of the debt, no problem, no worries, but the debt figure is inflated to £400 billion. Coming in dribs and drabs at moment but will no doubt increase.
I agree with you for sure Bob Lamont
So many good SNP candidates. Unionist parties haven’t got enough members to stand. They have to drag them off the street. Or make HoL illegally stuffed full of them. Unelected. What a shambles.
Johnston will be voted out. Who wants the poisoned chalice? Next. Any Westminster leader who does not support Independence for Scotland does not last very long.
SNP Gov doing well in Scotland. Keeping people well and the virus down.
Support for SNP/Independence rising.
Vote Tory to die younger.
Scotland has a right to roam. For a small outlay people can go where they like. Plenty of open spaces. Beautiful scenery and landscapes. Most towns are within 30 mins of the countryside. The Cities are a bit further away but with parks and open spaces.
Land is average £5,000 an acre. Anyone can put a shed on it. A few can club together and buy it. Get a loan. People do not have to because they can roam all over the place. For a relative small outlay.
More land has been bought back in buy outs. Aided by the government. Pension funds own the land in other parts.
Land used for tax evasion. Land exempt from tax. Non Don tax evading owners. Press owners and others evading tax. Foreign owners evading tax. Getting subsidies.
Landowner’s paying 10% or no tax. No corporation or capital gains.
Scotland loses £3Billion+? from tax evasion. More from underestimated VAT receipts. Westminster UK Gov does not enforce Tax Laws. Let’s wealthy multinationals and £Billionaires evade tax. The UK world’s tax evasion havens. London tax evasion capital.
Excellent article from the New York Times on trade deal.
Don’t think it matters who gets to be President of USA. Big pharma absolutely hate the NHS because it sets a trade deal benchmark on prices which most of the EU then refers to when they negotiate a deal in their own countries.
Making the UK the next US state, Privatising the NHS (in all 4 UK countries) and assisting stuffing up Scots Indy (oil, gas, whisky and water) will be pushed by all the NeoConservative backers of Presidential Candidates.
Have a great break Paul.
Enjoy your break, Paul.
The SH1t is about to hit the fan for the Blue Tories.
By analysing the ‘jig saw’ of info on the MP charged with rape, he is a Very Big Fish indeed….
Perhaps that can be Baroness’ Davidson’s first job…defending this man…with the same warped logic she justified the Rape Clause to Glenn Campbell.
This could bring Johnson’s Government down…seriously.
On other news, Kuennsberg for Johnson’s Communications Director, or will she be reaching for a barge pole now.
Joe Biden’s Running Mate? James Murdoch?
Aye Jack, a big fish is likely as the media are NOT publishing the name.
Wondering when we’re going to get the herald article on who he was supported by.
The jigsaw, as Craig Murray, have a look at the listings of mps, add in age, gender and ex-minister, the people in the parliament will know, but what does it matter the polis will declare a squirrel, no need to look any further.
Unless of course it’s not one of the doris brexiteers.
And where is all the outrage shouted in all the newspapers and tv like when Alex Salmond was arrested on sexual charges??
How come he was named and shamed , but this Tory guy gets to remain anonymous?
He should be named.
He’s that big that the Chief Whip and Jacob Rees Mogg sat on this for a month….
The Regs Down South know who he is…wait until the second shoe drops..all hell will break loose.
I must have missed the Sunday Herald 8 page colour supplement edited by Tom Gordon on the Rise and Rise of Supermom Davidson…strangely, her ‘elevation’ seems to have been suppressed by our Dead Tree Scrolls and her Second Home, BBC North Korea on Pathetic Quay.
Talk about bl**dy hypocracy 🤬. They don’t want to name him as he may be innocent and naming him could impact on his reputation. They couldnae wait to name Alex Salmond and drag his name through the mud. Ah, but that was different he was just a wee sweaty sock that was (and still is) a threat to their Union.
Anyway let’s hope that it’s not LBJ as he’s our greatest asset, other than Nicola Sturgeon, right now 😀.
”The alleged rape victim of a senior Tory MP said it is ‘insulting’ that he was not suspended from the party after his arrest. The unnamed MP, in his 50s, was taken into custody on Saturday morning after being accused of raping a former parliamentary aide. Met Police received reports of four separate incidents ‘involving allegations of sexual offences and assault’ involving a woman in her 20s. The alleged victim, who cannot be identified, said she needed hospital treatment after being raped on one of the dates in question, according to The Times. She has accused the MP of assaulting her between July 2019 and January this year.”..
https://metro.co.uk/2020/08/03/alleged-rape-victim-tory-mp-devastated-wasnt-suspended-13074443/
Well it seems their in no hurry with the elevation, she needs the Hollyrood income until the election as she will be the spokesperson until DROSS is made leader.
The old venn diagram is throwing up some strange answers, when did the minister become an ex-minister?, on Friday last perhaps.
Dave, the 3 locations of the alleged assaults, the accused’s age, he is obviously male, and ex Cabinet Minister…narrows it ‘way down.
I we assume that he is ‘Home Counties’ there is a short leet of ,well, one.
RIP John Hume, truly a man of peace in the midst of madness.
If only we had more like him.
Absolutely Jack, now we have men of madness in a time of peace….
Hume was an old fashioned politician who didn’t look to the electoral cycle to work to his benefit but worked tirelessly for the benefit of all in a time of peril, one of the last of the breed.
Men and women of such vision are rarities these days, the next election is all that matters, with a handy fridge for a breather/respite.
Job done John Hume, RIP
‘John Hume, who won Nobel Peace Prize for work to end Northern Ireland violence, dead at 83.’
http://www.chicagotribune.com/nation-world/ct-nw-john-hume-northern-ireland-dead-20200803-4ad27kzturfuflixiaqd4yt7j4-story.html
RIP John Hume.
here’s another view of John Hume’s legacy https://eurofree3.wordpress.com/2020/08/06/john-hume-1937-2020/
Dafty Ross is letting the Scots know in advance what he’s planning to next.
‘Douglas Ross vows to strip power from Holyrood as he launches bid to lead Scottish Tories.’
..”Scottish Conservative leadership candidate Douglas Ross has vowed to take power out of the hands of the Scottish Parliament and give it to local communities, as he officially launches his bid to take over the party.”
And that’s us telt!
..”The leadership candidate firmly ruled out a second independence referendum, making clear: “We had that debate. We had that vote six years ago and we were told it was a once in a generation event. What I want to do is leave that in the past.”
https://inews.co.uk/news/scotland/douglas-ross-holyrood-scottish-conservatives-569122
🤣 What’s he going to do, show HR a red card ?
Ross needs to escape WM as he knows he’s dead come the next GE (if one happens before Indy), ambitious certainly, full of himself undoubtedly, but what he and the smirking Bowie don’t realise is what they need is pedalo and an open sea, for now he’s doing the Swaynseon routine.
On the outside of every thistle there is a Bowie or a Ross….
A case of musical chairs Bob. He’s hoping to get into Holyrood as Rooth the Mooth heads off to the Lords. On the other hand he’s trying to undermine and destroy Holyrood, so maybe he’s been promised a wee knighthood too for being another Scot who’s willing to do the dirty on Scotland. What a legacy, eh?
I don’t doubt his ambitions, but he’ll never be elected to a position where he can execute any damage to Holyrood, he’s a brainfart in a suit wi a mooth.
Every couple of nights right now Andy McIver the ex Scottish Tory adviser has appeared on our Tellys insisting that the Unionist parties in Scotland are not controlled by their head office in Westminster yet every day the evidence for exactly that situation is clear, for example before the Brexit vote you could count on the fingers of one hand the amount of MSPs who supported Brexit, almost all of them spoke out vociferously against it but immediately the Brexit vote was passed in favour of leaving the EU all of the Tories insisted Brexit all of a sudden was great, the Labour party said oh dear we’ll just have to live with it then, the Liberal democrats said much the same thing with the caveat of we’ll try to get another referendum but if not well we’re stuck with it
Even if you believed for one nano second that the Unionist parties in Scotland were’nt controlled by Westminster you’d have to admit that they at the very least took their instruction from the electorate in England and not from the electorate in Scotland who voted for them by 62% to oppose Brexit
So when the SNP and the Greens accuse them of not standing up for Scotland, not only are they 100% right but they could also accuse them of standing up for the population of England who didn’t vote for any of them against the wishes of their own constituents and country
Ex Labour leader in Scotland Johann Lamont admitted quite clearly that Holyrood Labour indeed were a branch office in Scotland when she whipped out her knife to stick it between the shoulder blades of her head office when she was deposed, Michelle Ballantyne Tory MSP in an angry interview repeated the same thing on Jackboot Jackdaw’s removal from office, and we know that Robin Leotard the Labour leader in Scotland was parachuted straight into his position by Jeremy Corbyn, and I won’t even go into the Lib Dem Jo Swinson stitch up, remember her!
So what sort of strategy does Andy McIver think he’s pursuing here that’s going to convince Scots that these are not the facts, are they just 100-1 coincidences that could never happen except they do 100% of the time, does Andy McIver really think or believe there are Scots out there really just that stupid, if he does it’s pretty insulting
Independence is inevitable
Dearie me, someone will have to point out to Andy McIver that the polls are predicting that ….
‘Scottish Tory voters to hang onto only Westminster seat.’
”Today’s Opinium Poll mapped by Flavible, above, suggests the SNP would take all-but-one of Scotland’s 59 Westminster seats in the next General Election.”
……………………
The Labour Party? Finished of course, along with the Tories in Scotland.
”Former Labour MP Katy Clark had accepted a peerage and a seat in the undemocratic and unaccountable House of Lords.”
…”Katy explained her actions to the Labour List website. She still calls for the abolition of the House of Lords”…
EH!
http://campbellmartin.blogspot.com/
”Good Morning Scotland is running another ‘Scotland Bad/England Good’ pandemic story this morning. It’s about chronic pain sufferers travelling to England for treatment. They were touting for people to contact them over three weeks ago as Fiona Stalker’s tweet reveals.” https://mobile.twitter.com/msm_monitor/status/1290169962766561281
……………………….
They seem to forget that we know that English patients were being sent to Scotland long before CV19 because they had a lack of beds. Did Fiona Stalker report on that?
”The NHS in England is sending patients who are seriously ill with eating disorders to Scotland for treatment because chronic bed shortages mean they cannot be cared for in England. Vulnerable patients, mainly teenagers and young adults, are being taken hundreds of miles from their homes in order to receive residential care in Glasgow and near Edinburgh.”
..”During her stay in the Priory, which has 25-30 beds, “about seven of the people there were from Hertfordshire,” she said. “The number of English people there massively outnumbered Scots.”
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/dec/11/nhs-england-anorexic-patients-scotland-mental-health
Mark Blyth, Professor of International Economics, USA …. with a Scottish accent. How we Scots manage to get around!
‘’There’s absolutely no doubt Scotland could be independent…The question is ‘How much cost are you willing to bear to get from where you are now to where you want to be?” https://mobile.twitter.com/PhantomPower14/status/1289851400663392263
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Check out more of Ann’s links on the Indyref2 site.
https://indyref2.space/forum/topic/links-monday-3-august-2020/
Yir man in America knows diddley squat about Scotland’s finances if he believes Scotland gets a hand out, which sort of spoils everything else, apart from ‘ we need our own currency ‘ he displays an incredible ignorance of UK finance.
You misunderstand.. Mark Blyth is an international finance expert (originally from Dundee?), now a Prof at Brown Uni I think.
He knows a lot more about Scotland’s finances than you give him credit for… He’s no fan of the EU’s financial mechanisms, it is the cost of these (hence the austerity binge crack) he’s referring to not the existing UK financial arrangements…
If you read my comment at 7:32 am, then listen to what he is actually saying minus the ‘of course Scotland can be an Independent country ‘ , he is reinforcing the negatives regards Scotland’s finances. I would expect an economic expert to be aware that the per capita spending in Scotland is driven by the number of devolved competencies. NI higher, Wales lower.
I’ll leave it at that Bob.
Let’s not forget.
..”Now IS the time for this. It’s an affordable and effective alternative to a billboard campaign that we can all get behind.”
https://indyref2.space/forum/topic/national-banner-library/#postid-1854
Jeezo the Russians are at it again.
‘Russian hackers stole classified US trade documents from Liam Fox’s account, report says.’
”Confidential documents which sparked claims that the NHS is on the table in US trade talks were stolen from Liam Fox’s email account by suspected Russian hackers, it has been alleged.”
http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/russian-hackers-stole-classified-us-trade-documents-from-liam-fox-s-account-report-says/ar-BB17vNZI?ocid=msedgntp
………………………………..
”An area that is particularly badly affected.” Eh, that would be England. Close the border, Nicola.
..”However, Number 10 acknowledged that measures to effectively ban travel around hotspots in England were part of the armoury to combat the disease. The “Contain” framework drawn up by officials in July sets out “the possibility of putting in place restrictions on travel if there is an area that is particularly badly affected”, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said.”..
http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/travel-restrictions-could-be-used-to-curb-coronavirus-spread-no-10/ar-BB17w7Vm?ocid=msedgntp
“Close the border, Nicola.” – AJ “Over my dead body” – “Fairy Nuff” – AJ “Pardon? ” – THUD
Another excellent conversation with a top notch guest.
Thanks for the work with the Gaelic as well. Most appreciated
Scroll down to the Becky Want / Matt Hancock interview on BBC Manchester radio (Josh Hallliday post). Where did they manage to the galoots from? The galoots that are running the UK https://mobile.twitter.com/garius/status/1289127360348987394
And the US. https://twitter.com/paulhutcheon/status/1290544996475719681
OMFG 😲🤣
”Leaked message shows senior Tory MSP saying she will resign unless Douglas Ross reforms the party Michelle Ballantyne said she agreed to back Ross as leader on the understanding the Scottish Tories will be “Boris backing” and “Brexit positive” https://mobile.twitter.com/paulhutcheon/status/1290184130924130304
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Check out Ann’s links on the Indyref2 site.
https://indyref2.space/forum/topic/links-tuesday-4-august-2020/
WGD:- ‘This is the real reason Tories threw Jackson Carlaw under a bus.’
…”There may be some in the independence movement who fear the Conservatives can say no to another Scottish referendum forever, but the Conservatives themselves clearly don’t share that opinion. If they did, then there would have been no need to get rid of the ineffectual Jackson Carlaw, because it wouldn’t have made any difference anyway. The fact they’ve moved so decisively and brutally to remove him proves that the party hierarchy is very worried indeed. And so they should be.”..
http://www.thenational.scot/news/18626013.real-reason-tories-threw-jackson-carlaw-bus/
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In other words he’s a liar. Good Tory start Douglas. Keep it up.
‘Douglas Ross ‘rewriting history’ with indyref2 claim.’
..”Nicola Sturgeon did sign that agreement with the UK and Scottish Governments that it would be once in a generation.”
Ross was presumably referring to the Edinburgh Agreement, which transferred power from Westminster to Holyrood to ensure the 2014 independence referendum was legally watertight. However, there was no time limit on further independence referendums included in the agreement.”
http://www.thenational.scot/news/18626036.douglas-ross-rewriting-history-indyref2-claim/
Agreed on both articles, Paul’s observations in the National particularly on point, the Tories are terrified and pulling out all the stops.
Ross isn’t dangerous he’s the fall guy, and given his penchant for resigning on principle (aka to fight another day) I’d give him max nine months before he does it again.
A long battle ahead with MSM as ever leading the mirage…
They’re scared that independence is around the corner. What has added fuel to the flames? Brexit & Boris Johnson. He is the greatest threat to the Union. So their magic plan to save the union is?
Don’t talk about the union. Back Boris. Back Brexit – and with that, their course is charted and once again they march onto the irrelevance bus to nowhere town, while the union lies bleeding out in the gutter.
This is very bad news, we don’t want Tory MSP Michelle Ballantyne to resign, she’s so good at being Michelle Ballantyne and a credit to her party, if ever there were a poster girl for Tory values she’s it, the living breathing walking talking embodiment of everything a civilised society shouldn’t be, she’s like a public health warning
She won’t resign, she got Ross’s word he will do as she demanded 🤣 So no worries, we’re safe, she will continue building support for independence…
Paul enjoy your well deserved break and come back even stronger for the fight ahead
Don’t be dragged down by those who would deny us Independence – by any underhand means they can use
Victory is within grasp!
Lugless Ross is an incompetent liar with full media backing, but to be fair he is following in the footsteps of giants such as Liam Fox…
This had a fair stench to it when got floated by the Beeb (or arrived at the surface of it’s own accord) https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-53642923 but was highly amused by https://skwawkbox.org/2020/08/04/media-now-claim-foxs-trade-papers-hacked-from-12-7-19-onwards-before-used-by-corbyn-so-how-did-telegraph-publish-them-two-days-earlier/ tearing it to pieces.
Lugless Ross will doubtless follow up his blatant lie over the Edinburgh agreement incorporating no time-limit on the next referendum, as having been hacked by Russians using a time-machine
https://www.snp.org/who-is-douglas-ross-5-things-you-need-to-know-about-the-tory-leadership-contender/
Here he is, the Britnats are determined to polish a t**d.
I had thought the title originally said, ‘what is Dr’! It seemed quite apt really, becuase these people are a construct of whatever the Britnats make them to be, fashioned in the way in which they believe people will fall for.
D.R. not Dr!
Perhaps Democratic Rectum ?
That’s the number one issue that will frighten the life out of many Scots who know nothing about politics.
Douglas Ross, ”Voted against protecting the NHS from being sold off and opened up to private firms in post-Brexit trade deals.”
Yep, that would be good on a flyer come the election campaign, if he is crowned leader of the Tory UK English HQ’d party in Scotland.
Rooth the Mooth will say, from now to then, that she and her party in Scotland will protect the SNHS of course. She didn’t vote at Westminster. Some wee scam that they’ve got going on. She here and him there.
Trailer for BBC channel 9 tonight shows a glimpse of a Ruth Davidson car crash interview where the BBC looks like they’re doing their job for a change in accusing the Tories of stitch ups over the Douglas Ross implantation into his new post as the new *not there leader*, we’ll see after the whole interview has aired
Just watched it on I Player, Dr Jim.
The usual soft cosy we pre-recorded chat to launch Her New Career..
Geissler omitting the big issues.
Leaving the EU in December; the power grab of 24 devolved areas; Davidson tried to argue that she and Ross, one of Johnson’s fucking MPs would be independent of WM and Johnson/Cummings and of course Gueissler let it slip by.
The utter nonsense that Davidson, Carpetbagger of the first order, is handed the Big Ticket to millions by Johnson, will be ‘independent’ of the London and Edinburgh Brit Nat Elite is laughable of course, but, this Big Lie spoken out loud goes unpunished by Martin.
She’s going to reform the HoL from within..and Guissler says nothing.
Even Andrew Neill would have reached out and plucked her heart from her lying breast.
Davidson got to laugh coyly in that cutesy wee schoolgirl way of hers, which is beginning to take on a ‘Whaterever Happened To Baby Jane’ grotesquerie now, when Guissler actually flirted with her on screen, no less.
Ross is OK but he’s ‘not you’, he purred, implying that she is the firebrand who’s going to swing Scotland to the Fascist Right in 9 months.
Davison will never be given a hard time by any of the Brit Nat Hack Pack.
She was probably in the editing room as they edited the taped interview.
It is an absolute insult to our democracy that this self seeking little woman can stroll through life dipping in and out of Hoplyrood at will. It borders on totalitarian evil that the Hacks fall at her feet and worship her.
That’s what Giessler, and Kerr did the other night.
Covid 19; the English Plague; leaving the EU in December against our will.
Obviously forbidden areas.
WE live in an oppressed colony.
What on earth did we, Scotland, do to suffer this? Corrupt politicians and inept journalists.
‘Baroness Porkypie’: Ruth Davidson caught out by BBC question.’
http://www.thenational.scot/news/18628525.baroness-porkypie-ruth-davidson-caught-bbc-question/
……………………………………………………..
‘Ruth Davidson’s vow to make Lords more democratic torn apart.’
http://www.thenational.scot/news/18629413.ruth-davidsons-vow-make-lords-democratic-torn-apart/
Does anyone else think that this was all planned quite some time ago?
James Kelly:- ‘Why Douglas Ross’ ‘Boris-backing, Brexit-positive, anti-nat’ ploy will fail.’
”In retrospect, the obvious suspicion about Douglas Ross’s display of hitherto unguessed-at backbone in becoming the only Tory minister to resign over the Cummings affair is that he had a fair idea that his leadership tilt was imminent and that he thought semi-distancing himself from Boris Johnson’s government would prove to be advantageous with Scottish voters.”..
http://www.thenational.scot/news/18627915.douglas-ross-boris-backing-brexit-positive-anti-nat-ploy-will-fail/
Yup, but why they figure Ross and Davidson will stem the terminal decline of the Tories in Scotland is anybody’s guess, Ruth’s media image has tarnished and Lugless never had one.
James’s surmise over the resignation is likely, possibly even his recent voting record will have been tailored, they desperately needed to create credibility and know Johnson is loathed.
Another strand to this is to prevent the Scottish Branch separating until Indy is won, and then they will have their “man in Edinburgh”.
Thanks for that summary Jack, essentially the Gove/Johnson/Ross snippet as trailer was a ruse by ABC to double the live viewing audience to 6, and probably took a few takes to perfect.
Davidson and Ross are going to be a hard sell to the public even with ABC’s dwindling audience share, the myth-builders will find the Scottish neither so gullible nor forgiving this time.
My granddaughter got good results with several A’s. Her school is in a poorer bit of Glasgow compared to Glasgow – not bearsden nor Eastwood.
Does she get upgraded or should all her pals with B’s and C’s just get the same grade?
However, the wider issue of the inequality of the education system by bias to private and well off areas still require action.
Of course all private schools are registered charities. The breeding ground of the middle classes who have no wish to give their “right” to overlord us all.
Well done to your granddaughter Hamish and best wishes for her future X
Petra thanks. GD is very pro independence. Our future and can now vote.
Scotland!
I go away a few days and all hell breaks loose and Surname Surname gets dumped!
Ah well…
Hi Folks,
Has anyone else seen this spurious crap? 😡 you won’t be surprised who started it. Shame on them.
https://www.change.org/p/petition-vote-of-no-confidence-in-nicola-sturgeon-and-the-scottish-government-resignsturgeon?source_location=petitions_browse
It’s a bl**dy disgrace Jacksg. The cabal that’s determined to ensure that we don’t get our Independence at all. I can just see many people jumping on that bandwagon including people from right across England, such as those living in Bath.
So gorgeous George has started petition.
What are these international socialists like? Is there a more reprehensible Tory than an international socialist? Sociopathic freaks who, without conscience, cream off what little is left of the carcass for the poor when the up front fascists have gorged to their heartless content.
Lower than vermin, as Bevan said. I am confident that the cringe is slowly being eradicated across Scotland and Galloway will get no traction. We have to be patient because there is no alternative.
With regard to divide and rule, the “divisions” people are apparently concerned about are irrelevant tosh. People suffering from over inflated egos who are utterly insignificant in the wider scheme of things. Their ravings are exactly that – ravings. As too are the occasional brief undermining remarks from known people who claim to be super drivers for Indy but are actually working for the Brits. All irrelevant when all that really matters is a substantial majority of Scots deciding “yep, I’ve had enough of this union shit”.
If George Galloway is responsible for the distorted image of Sturgoen on this laughable ‘petition’, in danger of reaching an astronomiocal 6000 out of 5.6 million Scots as I clack, then he merely confirms what we already knew:- he is a grubby little opportunist, and by manipulating an image of our FM in this evil way, he mirrors the Goebbells’ hellish poster campaign against Jews in the Last Reich, in Hitler’s Germany.
I can see him cosying up to Baroness Davidson of Pilate now; and she will welcome him with open arms as a fellow fascist traveller.
Was George no part of a corrupt labour mob in Dundee about the 1980’s before he done a runner thinking we would all forget about it. Socialist ma F*****g Arse.
I’ve just launched a campaign on the same site
Award Nicola Sturgeon the best politician In the UK accolade politician of the year award UK
This is the link
Please support it!
http://chng.it/HKHyPy6j
‘The UK Tories want a veto over Scottish democracy. We must resist.’
..”Essentially any attempt to protect the environment or improve services in Scotland beyond what is done in England could be prevented and even reversed, including Scotland’s effective bans on fracking and new nuclear power, which could easily be construed as discriminatory towards businesses in England that specialise in these technologies.”..
..”With subsidies reserved and zero tolerance of “discrimination” it’s hard to see how the Scottish Government could continue to invest in Scottish companies, and a route would open to allow challenges to the retention of NHS Scotland and other services in public hands where they have been privatised in England.”..
..”Currently Scotland is free to take its own path in devolved areas. Free to keep the NHS in public hands, to prohibit fracking, to provide public transport for free… but these proposals would end that. Of course, the UK Government will insist that whilst the would have the power to strike these policies down they won’t. But they expect us to take their word for it whilst voting against laws that would, for example, explicitly protect the NHS from privatisation.”..
https://greens.scot/blog/the-uk-tories-want-a-veto-over-scottish-democracy-we-must-resist
……………………………………
The UK’s ”Internal Border.” God you couldn’t make this stuff up!
”Govt to enforce “internal borders” within the county of Kent. Lorry drivers will have to obtain a ‘Kent Access Permt” – a KAP – to drive freely there. Failure to do so will result in on-the-spot fines of £300 for drivers. Proposed legislation just released to “enforce” operation Brock. This will involve draconian traffic regulations and the use of “internal border policing” within England.” https://mobile.twitter.com/nicktolhurst/status/1290602967842934787
‘Proposed legislative amendments on enforcing Operation Brock – Published 3 August 2020.’
http://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/enforcing-operation-brock-plans-in-2021/proposed-legislative-amendments-on-enforcing-operation-brock
I dare anyone to accuse me of hyperbole when I refer to the English Brit Regime as ‘the Fourth Reich’.
In five months time I shall be held under house arrest by a ‘foreign’ government which we Scots rejected, and taken out of the EU by force,
This is not hyperbole; this is fact.
Davidson was given air time by BBC North Stockade to churn out utter trash, and Geissler nodded in the right places.
We cannot sit on our hands until next May. There will be nothing left of Scotland by then.
They’ll burn the crops, slaughter the cattle, and throw the carcasses into our wells rivers and reservoirs by then.
Except for Davidson’s Holy Cow, of course.
It will soon be that other Glorious Twelfth, no.not OO 12 th July, but chinless Filthy Rich Elite animal slaughtering August 12th, when 1/5 of Scotland becomes the England Nobility playground.
Can we not organise some sort of welcoming committee, AOUB?
For the life of me, (deliberate) why are our border points not closed to English citizens right now?
I see that the ‘anti-English’ automatic troll screams have resurfaced.
Do we need a Beirut level tragedy to strike Scotland before we act?
‘Do we need a Beirut level tragedy to strike Scotland before we act?’
How much more proof do the Scots really need to see that our beautiful country (and people) is going to be decimated between one thing and another? How much more proof do the Scots really need to see that we HAVE to break away from this loathsome, blood-sucking Union? The power grab with ALL that entails, Brexit and of course this Coronavirus that Westminster can’t seem to get under control in England.
On top of that, I have a REAL fear that something will go wrong at Faslane / Coulport or on our ”nuclear convoy” streets. It’s not out of the question for something absolutely horrendous to happen there when you take a look at the way everything else is being run by Westminster. And add to that being run in the USA.
https://news.sky.com/story/more-than-500-nuclear-safety-events-at-trident-base-since-2006-11557661
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07scf7h
Meanwhile with ALL of these atrocious threats that we’re facing right now we’ve got people bleating on about the GRA and the Hate Crime Bill and wanting to get rid of the person who could get us out of this. Shame on them. They’re a bl**dy disgrace.
Petra, it’s 13.33 as I type.
I have just watched the absolutely vital Public Health Update by our First Minister, who has had sadly to announce that Aberdeen pubs clubs and restaurants are to close because of the Australian strength upsurge in cases in the North East, Douglas Ross and Sub Lieutenant Andrew Bowie’s constituencies. (See what I did there?)
It seems that there has been a spike similar to the outbreak recently in the Borders, David Mundell’s and Alister Jack’s ares of responsibilities. ( I can muck rake with the best of them.)
Jackie Baillie would call this public service ‘political’.
I fully expect the Linesman to be first and centre on the lunch time BBC Northern Stockade ‘news’ to be featured, announcing his coronation, and doubtless also to condemn the selfish bastards among his followers in Moray for wilfully spreading the virus, because they needed a drink, which the hacks and broadcasters have peddled as ‘perfectly natural’ since we have been in lock down for months.
There were no new deaths overnight, and despite this drink fuelled spike in cases, in the North East and Inverclyde, we seem to be stemming the spread overall.
The gathered hacks today were as usual spreading fear and dread..can the schools reopen because a gang of selfish idiots in Aberdeen got pissed and pubs sold them enough drink to get into that state?
Our FM was as usual calm and measured. She resisted the temptation to observe #Well, we did warn you’.
Jackie Baillie, the soon to be next leader in a long line of Red Tory leaders since devolution, has Leonard not conceded yet? would have us in kept in the dark like subservient little colonists, so that Tom Gordon, Paul Hutcheon and Glenn Campbell, and the massed gathering of Brit Nat Hacks would be our only source of information regarding everything from Covid 19, to the MOD dumping even more nuclear waste off our shores.
I repeat, we are being held in the vice like grip of a totalitarian regime to the South, and Richard Leonard, Willie Rennie, and Baroness Davidson of Pilate, who announced to Guissler that she will not be held responsible for any of her WM Boss’ policies, Trident, UCS, the Rape Clause, the Bedroom Tax, Austerity cuts, zero hour contracts, tax beaks to the rich, cuts to public services for the poor, WASPI, are Cummings’ willing Fifth Column.
The health, welfare, well being, and security of the people who voted for them, us Scots citizens, are of no importance to them.
A big boy did it and ran away, is Davidson’s argument for washing her hands of her Imperial Masters’ Rape of Scotland.
Tens of thousands die, and they avert their gaze southwards and the prospect of Brown Envelope pay offs to come.
Not long before Davidson is getting tens of thousands in fees to speak at New World |Order Meetings, just like her fellow Better Together Chancer, Lord Darling, who is to leave HoL as Davidson rolls up in a Jock MSM fanfare.
What Scotland wants and for which it votes matters nought to these quite frankly evil people.;
They must protect England/Britland, or go the way of Carlaw and Lamont.
England may fall first as Brexit bites in October, and Covid really takes hold, unreported and hidden by the Iron Heel Oligarchy in London and Edinburgh.
There will be riots down there as supermarket shelves empty of EU imp[orts, as imminently as early autumn.
When they start blasting grouse to smithereens next week, think on this. 1/5th of Scotland is the Royals and the Filthy Rich’s playground; and we Scots can do nothing about that?
Rant over.
I wish I could ”rant” as well as you can, Jack 😀, however I can’t, unfortunately, but totally agree with all that you say nevertheless. Many Scots have had their eyes opened due to Westminster’s ”mishandling” of this Coronavirus and much as I don’t want to see anyone injured, anywhere, I reckon that the penny will really drop when the BBC has to broadcast riots in England as outlined as a real possibility in a UKGov document that I posted recently. When the Scots see that things have gotten totally out of control south of the border, over and above CV19, we may, hopefully, see a surge in support. More than enough to get us out of this freckin nightmare. Fingers, and all else, crossed.
The South of England is to boil in temperatures in the 30’s over the week end ,Petra.
The beaches will be mobbed and pubs and clubs will be saturated with drunken yobs.
There will be rammies in the ghettoes.
This is Johnson’s England.
No news yet in how the rehiring and training the 20,000 police and 50,000 nurses Osborne Alexander Cameron and Clegg cut that Willie Rennie welcomed as an austerity success?
Or is he washing his hands of all that nasty Brit Nat stuff coming out of WM? Is he washing in the same Pontius Pilate zinc bowl which Baroness Supermom, who has obviously had enough of retiring from politics to become a full time mom now, used during her now legendary pre-recorded Luv-In with Martin G on the 9 the other night?
The New Brit tack is that we may be Unionists, but all that bad stuff from WM has absolutely nothing to do with us, but, we’re Better Together, it was Once in a Generation, and there is no appetite in Scotland for another Independence Referendum.
May I suggest that any future debate audience laugh out loud in their faces when they Too Wee Too Poor Too Stupid us in future.
As many people suffer from real poverty and hardship in Scotland, with shops boarded up and where potholes abound Westminster, England has done us, Scotland, out of £250 billion (and the rest).
‘£250bn: the cost of giving tax breaks to North Sea oil firms.’
..”The UK government (SCOTLAND) has lost over £250 billion in 13 years by giving generous tax breaks to North Sea oil companies, according to an expert report. Increasingly lax tax regimes by successive Westminster governments have also left taxpayers with a £23 billion bill for decommissioning old oil rigs, it says.”
…”Norway has amassed a trillion dollars in its state petroleum fund from extracting 43 billion barrels of oil. The UK has extracted 48 billion barrels but has no such fund, he points out, because “it elected to channel its petroleum windfall to fund tax breaks for oil and gas companies.” He adds: “The belief, in the face of such evidence, that the UK fiscal regime is not aberrant seems akin to the drunken driver’s conviction that it is everybody else who is going the wrong way down the motorway.”
https://theferret.scot/north-sea-oil-250-billion-tax-break/
…………………………………
Just as Gordon MacIntyre-Kemp is constantly telling us.
http://www.businessforscotland.com/category/oil-and-gas/
Petra, we are treated like any other English/Brit Colony. Drain the conquered land of its natural resources, sell it off to our relatives, class mates, and/or ultimate Pay Masters, then burden the colony with debt which they did not accrue, ask for, or accountable for, then bleed the oppressed citizens dry through taxes and GDP returns.
The English Empire; the Butcher’s Apron.
Our oil, gas, timber, fish, agriculture, whisky, all in the hands of our English Imperial Masters.
Yet Guissler and Co seem OK with that?
WE are on the Edge of Darkness; Apocalypse now.
Ah Jack, like you, I’m really scunnered right now. Political anoraks like us can see what’s been going on over time, what’s happening currently and how this is all going to end for us. If only, if only, if only the rest of Scotland could see it too.
I totally agree with everything that you have to say however you missed a point (that I’ve heard you mention before) relating to the strategies that they use when trying to beat their ”colonies” into total submission if they start to rebel.
This is the one area, divide and conquer, that’s really getting to me just now. We can’t control what they, Westminster, are getting up to other than trying to expose them on sites like this, however it’s clear that some people, even those supposedly on our side, are now doing Westminster’s dirty work for them. Time for them to take a long, hard look at themselves, if not those who are supporting them should start to question, imo, what’s actually going on here.
‘What is a Divide and Conquer Strategy?’
..”Leaders who use a divide and conquer strategy may encourage or foster feuds between smaller powers. This kind of political manoeuvring requires a great understanding of the people who are being manipulated. In order to foster feuds, for example, one must understand the political and social histories of the parties intended to take part in the feuds.”
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-divide-and-conquer-strategy.htm
The Tories can be taken to Court. They frequently are and the illegal decisions reversed. They have to comply with the Law. The make the Law and try to break the Law with impunity. They will be voted out. Never have so many been promoted about their capabilities. They will be gone before long.
The Tories are totally incompetent. Absolutely useless. The Brexit mess will be the end of them. A complete and utter shambles. Spending public money like their is no tomorrow. Making people poorer. It will not be tolerated. Liars always get found out
Vote Tory to die younger.
Where on earth is Westminster digging up these companies from? One after another. Are they owned and run by relatives or mates of the Tories?
Professor Simon Fisher:- ”UK government has placed a £161 million order for rapid COVID-19 test kits with DNANudge. This company sells personal food shopping & lifestyle advice based on a consumer’s DNA sequence. Let me join geneticists around the world as we scream into the void.” https://mobile.twitter.com/ProfSimonFisher/status/1290242308462587904
………………………..
Check out more of Ann’s informative links on the Indyref2 site.
https://indyref2.space/forum/topic/links-wednesday-5-august-2020/
DNANudge @ Companies House:
https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/09705888
https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/09705888/officers
Notice that the Prof seenms to have acquired UK citizenship and has a host of directorships behind him.
Decommissioning is tax free. The Oil & Gas companies cover the cost (worldwide). The Oil Companies cover the cost but do not pay tax on it. Decommissioning companies doing the work pay tax on profits.
Decommissioning provides jobs. Recently in Dundee etc. Shell projects. Taxes paid by companies on any profits. Decommissioning projects can often be transfer overseas because it is cheaper. Any undertaken in Scotland/UK provides employment.
Moves to renewable energy it is cheaper to produce and provide. Scotland in surplus. 25%. Scotland pays more despite being nearer the source.
Fracked US Gas is being imported. Worldwide. Gas from Russia into Europe. Pipe line to Germany under the Baltic Sea. Solar, wind, sea power is cheaper and less damaging.
The tax should be high when prices/ income is high, worldwide. The tax lowered when prices/income
Decommissioning has to get done somewhere. The Oil & Gas industry UK has paid £Billions/Trillions? tax since 1970. For years the tax revenues were in the region of £12Billion+ a year. Taxed at 80%. 20% costs and profit. The revenues the Westminster Treasury has had is in £Billions over the years.
Over fifty years of gross income. Wasted on illegal wars. $3Trn. Illegal Redundant weaponry. Nuclear. Tax evasion, especially by the wealthiest. £Billions lost. Multinationals (US). Illegal trade practices and overcharging. Create an illegal monopoly. Pay no tax and overcharge for goods and services. Foreign multinationals. The tax laws not enforced by Westminster UK Gov.
The illegal Barnett Formula. Kept secret under the Official Secrets. ‘D’ notices.
Since 2016. Oil has been taxed at 20% corporation tax. 10% supplementary tax. 30%. The price had fallen 75%. Some older fields were given tax relief. Supplementary tax taken off.
Uk Gov Accounts. Oil & Gas revenues. Taxes and receipts. Scottish Gov Accounts.
The Westminster Gov totally mismanaged the Oil & Gas industry. Westminster it secret under the Official Secrets Act. McCrone Report. ‘D’ notices etc. Took all the revenues. Cut the Scottish budget. Left Scotland with nothing. Unemployment 15%. Shut all the manufacturing facilities in Scotland. Thatcher and lied about it.
The Tories had to get rid of Thatcher for closer ties with Europe to improve the UK economy. Now the Tories are damaging it. To aid tax evasion.
Mismanaged the fishing industry. Farming industry mismanaged. There will be changes in farming industry. Brexit. The majority of farmers over sixty. Farming land exempt from tax. To keep farms together to produce more. Many will be sold on. Food and drink industry worth £Billions in Scotland. Exports and revenues.
Scotland increase tax revenues from £60Billion to £63Billion. Increased £3Billion from renewables income.
Since 2010. The ConDems. Taxation and essential services revenue cuts. NHS cut £20Billion. From 2015 to 2020. £6Billion a year from Education. £16Billion cut from welfare. Austerity. Tax cuts for the wealthiest. Life expectancy in the South going down. 120,000 more premature deaths. Before the pandemic. More since. Increased poverty. Quantitative economics Average incomes going down.
Tax revenues in the UK average £650Billions More from council revenues. Illegally non scrutinised Gov contracts going to their associates. The Tory Brexiteers. Wasting public monies. Appalling politics. To line their pockets.
Westminster Treasury issues £1/2Trn in UK bonds.
As forecast, BBC Jock Stockade, lunchtime ‘news’. Aberdeen lockdown but yet agai, no Covid ‘good news’ that there were no overnight deaths, and then Toodle Oo The Noo in a 30 second item on Ross’ ‘coronation’, which Taylor mused was not Ross’ fault because nobody stood against him.
Aye, right.
He is Johnson’s poodle, Brian, and he will do as England tells him.
Davidson got a one sentence mention, and that was that.
She apparently had some unspecified influence in Ross’ nomination?
Whit?
Given the devastating events in Beirut, it was a ‘good day’ for terrible Blue Tory news, wasn’t it?
The ‘BBC News Team Where You Are’ at their news muffling best.
Apparently 7 out of 10 of us got our news from BBC/STV during April according to the Ofcom Watchdog…They just can’t help themselves, can they?
With the bbc giving Davidson an ex bbc colleague a free reign I assume the tories and liebour are still ok with the FM updating us on the pandemic?
Och, you’re just being silly, Hamish. Now that she’s a Baroness, perhaps Head of BBC Scotland when Donalda The Unseen leaves this month?
(It’s peein’ it down again today. I have work to do on the Pondarosa, but it will have to wait. Hence me pestering you all on here. Well, when the Dug’s away..)
We live in a very weird world where Twitter has a whole load of people from England complaining about Nicola Sturgeon placing restrictions on Aberdeen
One wonders if these folk Tweet about similar restrictions in other countries towns and cities throughout the world that they don’t live in
Also there seems to be folk in Aberdeen unhappy that the FM didnae *dae sumthin* before it happened, I seem to remember the FM on the Telly every day advising folk not to do the very things they did that could cause these things to happen
Still, it’s all the FM’s fault, she should have done that thing that the people all demanded that would have solved all the problems, that thing that’s the right thing to do, that thing that she didn’t do that makes her a bad FM, that thing that everybody suggested
*Sumthin*
Ace, Dr Jim
I’m really trying hard to resist the urge to rise to anger with some of the commentary being spilled out all over the place from various quarters on how up until quite recently these quarters complained bitterly on behalf of Scotland (they said) of the lack of powers the Scottish Parliament and our FM possesses, yet now these same people make loud vociferous and often vile complaints about the FM being endowed with virtual omnipresence and the super powers of Thanos the arch enemy of the Avengers out to destroy the world with a click of her fingers
Apparently she plots like Rasputin, sweeps all before her like Ghengis Khan and even controls other countries from her secret lair underneath Bute House with a select cabal of MI5 operatives intent on denying certain particular folk some rights that they feel they should have more than others, and she does all these things while pretending to the Scottish public that she craves Independence for her country while she doesn’t, they say
It all seems like a confusing tale these haters of the FM tell on an almost hourly basis now
She’s all powerful yet she’s not, she has no power yet she does, she knows everything that’s going on yet she doesn’t, but whatever she’s doing or not doing they don’t like it one little bit, and the more they don’t like it the more they spill their guts on to the Internet describing these indescribable awfulnesses that the FM does, and it’s all so indescribable because it’s a secret that she and only she knows, except for them because they know and they have the evidence but can’t say because she’ll go all Ghengis Kahn on their Asses with her tame subservient Polis and Judges and well just everybody that she controls with all this power that she doesn’t have
And here’s the thing that lets them all down every time they engage in this Attack of the Clones, they never mention the very bad politics of the opposition parties imprisoning Scotland within this benighted Union, they just bleat like sore toothed sheep that Nicola Sturgeon isn’t adressing every single individual persons complaints whether justified or not with the personal attention they say she should and that means her character is bad and she’ll never be a good and benificient God in a future Independent Scotland so best not to vote for her at all
Oh and of course Nicola Sturgeon is going to be the FM forever because she’s immortal too, and that makes her crimes even more worsier, how can Scotland live forever under the heel of this murdery power crazed woman, I for one am totally terrified of her and every time I receive a Christmas or a birthday card from her I quake with uncontrollable fear, and all the families who have received baby boxes and extra money for the kids must also dread the very thought of her being in charge
Brilliant Dr Jim. Just love the …
…and it’s all so indescribable because it’s a secret that she and only she knows, except for them because they know and they have the evidence but can’t say because she’ll go all Ghengis Kahn on their Asses with her tame subservient Polis and Judges and well just everybody that she controls with all this power that she doesn’t have.”..
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Well exampled Dr J..
On the England trolls, some don’t know what’s happening in their own back yard as it’s a secret so lash out at those who do, some are born with the teeth inserted in the wrong end of their body and prod the Jocks is a fun hing to do, then there are the professional stir-mongers..
The the fundamental difference between SG and #10 is that SG do it by the book (Incident Management Team decide what is publicised) while #10 do it by the look….
The FM made it clear from the start only a collaborative effort can succeed, the PM made it clear that it’s everybody else’s fault and only they can suck seed….
Totally weird country we live in.
DROSS elected in a one horse race, did better than the fish manny who lost a one horse race.
Preston to be the next city to lockdown in englandland.
Great news in the media, New Car Sales surge, from the worst level since the 1950’s.
Sky news playing with the virus transmission levels on graphics that show englandland at low levels but Manchester at high levels, this is due to the testing throwing up more positives.
Auld trump saying the same, the USA is top for testing and hence the leader, fails to notice that the USA is lower than the WORLD, must be watching too many movies.
The tory party in Scotland have just got DROSS as their leader, another submarine, jack must be too busy with the estate getting ready for the glorious twelfth.
Ex kings moving to the ‘Third’ world to avoid paying taxes.
In the USA it’s reported that 60 huge companies with earnings of $100billion paid NO tax to the FED.
Companies like Virgin apply for tax exemptions, Apple pay dividends by borrowing the money whilst having reportedly billions in the Caymans, salted away.
“Dross” – so succinct and apposite. An appellation to remember and reuse, I think…
Bad, bad Nicola, eh? I read somewhere that bad, bad Nicola Sturgeon felt like crying when she saw pictures of crowds gathered on Portobello Beach, a few weeks ago. You can understand how she feels (and her teams) when she’s working her butt off constantly to save lives: Not her own … OURS.
Well I was down at Largs on Sunday and I couldn’t believe how some people don’t seem to be giving a sh*t or are truly ignorant of the CV19 facts with the vast majority of them all milling around without wearing masks. And as far as independence supporters are concerned the sooner we get this behind us the sooner we get to dissolve this bad, bad Union.
The management of these premises are at fault. It is recognised by all. They are breaking the regulations. They are shutting down before they are closed down. H&S Laws. Other establishments are enforcing social distancing rules, The illegal actions of some are spoiling it for others.
The establishments should be pre booking social distancing meals. They do not make profit from drink alone.They make profits from meals.
The FM is not being criticised by anyone with any knowledge. She is being acknowledged for leading the fight against the virus and keeping people alive.
The people are in unison placing the blame where it should reside in the establishment not following the guidelines and regulation. Putting people at risk. They are breaking the rules and regulation in the circumstances. Putting restrictions on others. Totally misguided.
They are closing down before they are shut down and lose their license for putting people at risk. Not drinking will not kill people. In fact the opposite. Excessive drinking can kill people. Along with the virus. The authorities are duty bound to take action. To protect people.
Oh, the knives are definitely out. This was the response from jackie Baillie ( Courtesy of the Guardian) on the lockdown in Aberdeen. 🙄
Remind me Jackie, when was the last time Labour won an election in Scotland?
Jackie Baillie, Scottish Labour’s deputy leader, said the Scottish government and city council had made the right decision but she questioned why John Swinney, the deputy first minister blamed for overseeing controversial school exam results on Tuesday, was being put in charge of the Aberdeen outbreak.
There are numerous other ministers capable of leading this response and the choice of Mr Swinney cannot be used to escape scrutiny of the exam results fiasco. He had one job to do and he has spectacularly failed at that, so I wouldn’t put him in charge of anything else.
This is the same Minister for Social Justice under Henry McLeish with overview of the “Homelessness Task Force” ?
“He had one job to do and he has spectacularly failed at that, so I wouldn’t put him in charge of anything else.”
Ooh, Mr Pot, Mrs Kettle?
She’s still my favourite to take over from the hapless Wotsisname. Unlike the self-evidently incapable but (from our point of view) highly-desirable James Kelly MSP, she is eminently selectable by the remaining party faithful, but a Red Tory Ruthie Mk2 is just as likely to prove to the remaining unconvinced in Scotland that hardline BritNattery is a road to absolutely nowhere. So Labour, get on with it, please do…
The ”controversial school exam results”, where the VAST majority of results aren’t controversial at all was a means of awarding results through every pupil in Scotland’s own teachers forwarding data, such as their grade recommendations, to the SQA (made up of teachers). If Jackie Baillie, et al, has a gripe she should take it up with the teachers, not John Swinney. Better still she should have come up with a system of dealing with pupils who were unable to take exams due to CV19. Did she? Did she heck. Just the usual, that is picking up her pay cheque for doing nothing other than griping from the BritNat sidelines.
I think the greater question is why this particular “annual” campaign was so well rehearsed to desperately point at SG as the orchestrator despite the unique circumstances ?
All and sundry have reacted to results schoolkids had not even opened yet, not discussed with parents or teachers, it went off like a hare at a greyhound track, emotions rather than logic, but ALL of it in the media…
Much the same way as the “GRA “draft and recently the “Hate Crime” draft met a social media exploding despite not broadly giving a phut, the pattern is undeniable.
While ABC’s Gloom Morning Scotland and Mis-Reporting Scotland remain as ever “balanced”, the it’s a Propaganda war cranked up big time.
Enter an impartial referee 🤣
Petra,
In 2006 when Labour and the LibDems were in charge the ratio of University applications from the most advantaged pupils compared to the most disadvantaged pupils was 4.5:1. That is if you were in the most advantaged quintile you were 4.5 times more likely to apply to Uni than someone from the most disadvantaged.
By 2018 the SG had managed to get that ratio down to 2.6:1 and that narrowing of the attainment gap was down to the increase in applications from the most disadvantaged group.
That gap has continued to narrow. The applications from the most disadvantaged pupils as a percentage of the applications has risen from 9.6% in 2006 to 17.8% in 2018.
The figures are from UCAS and it should be noted that they handle just two-thirds of the applications from Scottish students who apply to go to Uni. The other third apply via different routes to Scottish Unis. Therefore the gap may be even narrower.
The Scottish Gov has poured hundreds of millions of pounds into schools in disadvantaged areas and into education from pre-school upwards and it is paying off.
Any Gov achieving those sort of results would be praised to the heavens except if it an SNP Gov in Scotland.
One final point. Pupils may find that they get into their uni and course of choice this year with some lower passes than first stated because the Unis are going to be short of students especially from overseas.
Well said, L.
Yet there was old bloated Iain Gray and List Blue Tory Jamie Greene of BBC Pathetic Quay tonight creating the ‘Results Row’ for The Northern outpost’s SNP Baddery..
And Ross and his missus walking with their toddler in the gardens..Aw, the nice.
BBC Scotland just doesn’t do journalism any more. They are mouthpieces for the sad Old Regime.
Douglas Ross declares that he will be FM next May.
Aye, right, mate. Enjoy the rest of your night.
Thanks for the timely reminder, Legerwood, of the Libdem / Labour performance in relation to education and disadvantaged children. Let’s not forget either that the Labour, LibDem and Tory parties in Scotland did very little at all to deal with poverty in general in Scotland when they were in control, rather just stood back and watched as Westminster robbed us blind. Additionally handing money back to Westminster as the Scots seemingly didn’t need it 😤.
The journalists and politicians, that are making a meal of this, seem to suffer from selective memory syndrome too in conveniently forgetting how much the SNP have done to narrow the attainment gap. Nor do they want to consider either that dumping the Westminster parasites will go a long way to creating a more equitable Scotland.
Nicola Sturgeon and John Swinney answered one ”repetitive” question after another yesterday about pupil’s results during the Coronavirus briefing. It was explained that this is not the end of the matter, they outlined how individuals can take the issue forward if unhappy with their results, that pupil’s can appeal the decision and gave out phone numbers and names of online sites that people can access to get help and advice. I just wonder if any of these journalists bothered their backsides to publish any of that information to help the pupils that they say they are so ”concerned” about?
The local authorities would have been shutting down these establishments. They are breaking local licensing Laws and distancing regulations. Keeping people safe. They are breaking the terms of their licensing by not following guidelines.
Scotland has one of the best education systems in the world, 50% go to university. Life long learning. 15 universities. More per population of anywhere in the world, Colleges and apprenticeships. Skills. Before the virus low unemployment. Medical establishment and expertise.
‘Scotland the Land of discovery and invention’. The Chinese.
Scottish invention changed the world. TV, radio and telecommunication worldwide. Led on to the internet. One of the first countries to have tertiary education for all. Supported learning. Loans, grants and education support.
It could be even better. If Scotland did not have to pay for illegal wars, redundant weaponry, Trident, tax evasion, Hinkley Point, HS2, HoL and other unnecessary expense. Brexit. Westminster unionist government bad, poor economic, social and foreign decisions. Instead of essential services and economic development in Scotland.
Aberdeen City Council. Labour members suspended from the Party for being in illegal coalition with the Tories. Kept in coalition by a two job Tory. Meetings and schedules rearranged to accommodate the said Tory. A voted in LibDem reneged and became an Independent to join the illegal coalition.
Aberdeen City Council £Billions in debt, illegal Unionist alliance sold the City on the stock market. More debt. Building empty shops, offices and hotels. Muse project. Cost to taxpayers £7Million a year in repayments. Over 30 years £200Million. A total waste of public monies.
Refused the UTGP approved by the taxpayers. Cost £20Million which would have pedestrianised and renovated the City Centre. Instead of empty shops and offices. Losing revenues and not funding essential services. Illegal Tory/Labour Alliance
Douglas Ross gives an interview to STVs Colin McKay in which he (paraphrasing) said
*We Tories might be a bunch of losers but I’ll be doing my best to make sure Scotland loses too*
Apparently that’s his ambition
Oh and he did say the words UK Union a couple of times because that’s central to his ambition
He was interviewed tonight on CH 4 too and thankfully didn’t get such an easy ride.
John Swinney could be involved in the Aberdeen/NE shutdown decisions because the schools are supposed to be going back on Tuesday. Will they be reopening in that time frame?
The result of some establishments not following the proper guidelines and regulations. The decisions made by the local authorities. Not enforcing the guidelines and regulations properly. Flaunting the regulations. The local unionist administration.
The disadvantaged education gap. Ignores the figures for mature students going or returning into education. 25% of students. Many from disadvantaged backgrounds, who return into education. Life long learning. A different pathway but they still progress. When those students percentage is taken into consideration. There is no non attainment gap. Quite the opposite.
The attainment statistics just cover those students going straight from school. Leaving out 25% of the mature student numbers in education. Students from lower income households get grants and loans. Under £21,000 households. Get a grant.
Mature students get more support over 25 year olds. Household income is evaluated independently. The SNP Gov no longer means tested students on household income.
It mean more students get more income support for university education. They all get the basic loan. Towards learning skills and training. A lifelong benefit. Instead of possible unemployment benefit. Or a larger debt just when they are starting out.
Overseas students pay the full cost. There will be less EU students (norm 15%). They could be less exchange visits. Students from Scotland studying abroad for a semester (6 months) or a year. The unis (EU authorities) are trying to work around that happening. Brexit.
Many university staff have left because of Brexit. Damaging the education system in the UK. Access to excellence. Less foreign students. Less exchange visits. A detrimental affect on the economy.
Education sector helps the economy. Life long learning contribution. Skills and training. EU citizens contribution to the UK economy. Especially Scotland. Deprived of citizens because of Westminster unionist poor, ill thought out decisions. A catastrophe. After the pandemic crisis,
If there is no EU-UK agreement, UK qualifications will not be recognized in the EU after Jan 2021 when Transition ends
The majority of the establishments flaunting the regulations and guidelines are owned and run by Tory/unionists. They have a part to play in the re lockdown. Along with the illegal Tory/Labour unionists Alliance not enforcing the rules. Spokesperson Liam Kerr. The tracing system was rolled out. The system worked. The local authorities took too long to act or react. To a fast developing situation. Shutting down the establishments flaunting the rules. They shut down voluntarily, knowing they were flaunting the regulations, The Scottish Gov had to act and did.
The Tories were demanding the pubs, clubs and hotels should reopen without proper guidelines and regulations in place. Then some of the establishments flaunted the rules and guidelines put in place. They followed them in other places for those who work in hospitality. Self catering, caravans and campsites.
areas of Scotland that support England’s control of Scotland have been following Boris Johnston’s advice about covid19 .
Their warped minds manage to dispel the evidence that shows the advice from Nicola Sturgeon and Scottish government is better more successful a good deal more honest and accurate than the advice from the bumbling fools in England’s Westminster .
Goes to show that these people who call themselves unionists will risk , even sacrifice their own wellbeing and that of their friends neighbours and family to support their political cause and it shows that they are not united with anyone they act as individuals and care not about the harm they do to the wider public you will never see them march like AUOB because they are not united at all.
Expect more of this type of behaviour from the British nationalists
Of course it is true that many of them have no allegiance to Scotland they don’t consider Scotland to be their country , why , they say should they care about Scotland’s future it’s Britain they covet.
We won the war they say ,it’s 75 years that have passed and still they go on and on about it even though most of them were not even alive when it ended and know next to nothing about events and the history of it.
Of course England’s propaganda war against Scotland includes a heck of a lot of we won the war rhetoric it’s meaningless to so many of those in Scotland who support England’s continued control of Scotland but it gives them a wagon to which they can hitch their horse
Westminster will have to work very hard indeed to install enough people in Scotland that will vote against Scottish independence before the next independence referendum , they will try but already fewer people are coming to U.K. because of covid19 especially students .
Students from overseas were a big group that voted against Scottish independence in 2014 a lot of them stay on here and get jobs but thank the wrong people for the opportunity by voting for Westminster instead of Scotland , they won’t do that again not so many of them anyway but Westminster will try and fill Scottish universities with students from England when they get the chance.
Half a million English folk in Scotland is often quoted but that was taken from the census ten years ago
It’s a lot more than that now
Nearly all vote for mother England ,obviously , why wouldn’t they .That won’t change they account for about a third of the NO vote , that’s a big chunk of the number stopping Scottish independence but it’s not insurmountable we are already well into a majority at 54%
Roll on the next Scottish independence referendum
10% of pop Scottish folk in England. 10% of pop of English folk in Scotland. 6% of electorate. 3% voters. Hardly any to make much different among the whole electorate.
EU citizens. (10%?) 1/2 million. More of them and Scottish voters as a % of the electorate voted No.
84% of the electorate voted. 16% did not vote. They held the balance. They did not vote.
It’s born and bred people in Scotland that voted No as a higher % in Scotland. Mainly elderly women who take less risks who voted No. They were against Independence.
54% support and rising. Young ones coming on board, in higher % numbers. It is a % of people from England in Scotland changing to YES. Especially because of Brexit and Tory mismanagement.
Ken…
Ten percent of Scottish folk moving to England and living in England is a tiny tiny proportion of the whole population of England less than half a percent in actual fact
In Scotland a whole ten percent of our population was English people ten years ago in the year 2000 according to the last census it is much more than ten percent now
There’s a huge difference between half a percent of England’s population being Scottish
and ten percent of Scotland’s population being English
I find it strange , very strange that you try to disguise that truth
What’s the point ?
3% of voters in Scotland and England. (Average up to 50% of electorate do not vote) Hardly enough to make a difference either way. Of total %. Over 16/18 years old can votes. Depending on election/Ref. Under age they cannot.
Scotland outvoted 10 to 1 in Westminster is undemocratic. Devolution. Scotland with too limited powers. Having to spend £Billions on what it does not need. Not have enough to spend on what it does need. The illegal Barnett Formula. No taxation without representation. Undemocratic.
It is 10% of English pop. Scots in England. Same %. Take out the children. They cannot vote. Take out the non voters in the electorate. Approx the same in each case. Except for possibly Refs. Equates to 3% each way. Hardly enough to swing the vote or apportion ‘blame’. An irrelevant argument, There are far more important factors. The number of people born and bred in Scotland once voting No. A far higher proportion in any case to convince. Especially the elderly.
Don’t be daft Ken 10% of England’s population is about 5 million there are not 5 million Scottish people in England
I have to say that I just assumed that wings was a pro independence site until one of its bloggers said it wasn’t. True enough!
“.. Wings Over Scotland is a (mainly) Scottish political media digest and monitor, which also offers its own commentary”.
How did I miss that?
Yes WOS is a Scottish political media digest and monitor but it is also a supporter of Scottish independence to say otherwise is silly
I remember your name on WOS Hamish. Have to say I didn’t always concur with your deliberations but thats fine…its called debate.Unfortunately, WOS has degenerated into a cesspit of anti-SNP vitriol.Very…very sad..it used to be such a boon for the yes movement.
WOS is still a Scottish independence supporting website
Two issues pervade there which Indy supporters don’t like one way or another
Gender recognition legislation being proposed
Slow progress to the next independence referendum
Tam the bam and Tc, cheers.
WoS It has been taken over by self interest groups with tacit support it appears.
The new members began to appear last year and attacked pro snp supporters. Before I was banned by WOS both WoS and individuals like misty ( living in France apparently) were quite targeted on attacks on folk like me. Leading up to a GE, WoS and others attacking the snp and Independence supporters.
Not the tories, not labour, not Lib Dem’s the SNP.
For the record to the genderista’s, if a person has a penis they should not be allowed into a female only changing area. Can we move on?
Now if anyone listed to Struan Stevenson -Tory, this morning on bbc it was full on anti snp and FM. Just like the majority on wings. I note of course that those supporting independence and the snp are getting warned to desist. Further bans on the way?
For me Independence can only happen with the snp. Simple fact.
Attacking the snp to the -pint of frenzy and splitting votes will provide a way in for the tories and Lib Dem’s to be in power next year.
Is that what we want?
Some do it appears.
We are politico’s we like to debate and discuss. The majority of the populace do not care. They believe Scotland’s control of COVId is better could have been much better at the beginning), they see Johnson, Cummings Gove Davidson and Ross as the alternative. Brexit still to come.
This will be our last chance certainly in my lifetime.
”Before I was banned by WOS both WoS and individuals like misty ( living in France apparently) were quite targeted on attacks on folk like me.”
That’s how it works. in fact if you follow the site you can predict who’s going to ”disappear” next.
Petra, you are correct. Sad that the good work in 2014 has been lost in the mists of time.
The attack on sites by pro unionists is quite noticeable even on sites such as The National.
Remarkable that we are at 54% despite the attacks on government and the movement. I would agree with WGD that the move is probably more permanent than transient.
I would agree that the SNP will also be infiltrated not just with britnats but with the chancers jumping on the bandwagon. Some have become elected officials!!!
Well ‘Me Bungo Pony’ was summarily dispatched this week and I suspect ‘Schrodingers Cat’ may well follow before much longer.I broke my self-imposed ban last night by responding to a post that quoted David Icke as an expert on Covid-19 (I couldnt resist!). This seemed to provoke The Rev to demand “Who rattled your cage?” so I may well find my head on the block also.
Ha! Is the same David Ickes Ex football commentator who predicted that the Isle of Arran was to sink into the sea. It’s still there a believe.
Yip too many covid is like the flu nutters around.
One benefit of all our hand washing etc is that we should still see less flu, colds and sickness this winter.excluding COVID of course.
Thats him!
OOOPS! Apparently ‘Who rattled your cage’ is the nom de plume of a new Wings poster and was not a pointed remark directed at yours truly (I’m getting old..lol) so it would appear my head will be spared the block for the time being.
Tam the Bam: if you check, you’ll see that Stu was not replying to you. The comment was directed at another commentator, called, ‘Whorattledyourcage’ asking the origin of his icon image. [Stu Campbell is a lovely guy actually; kind, gentle and shy].
Billy Bones , I’ve never met Stu as he is known but I would think you need a thick skin to do his job especially because he’s so good at it.
I like his comments on the whole but don’t agree with his worries about proposed legislation for gender recognition or the hate crime legislation both of which in my opinion appear to be changes for the good.
I don’t agree with his view that NS has no intention of having a Scottish independence referendum any time soon either.
Once covid19 is no longer top of the bill the referendum will be next
see the above post .
I don’t see Capella on there now either. Banned, scunnered off by the constant attacks or taking a break? That leaves, eh, Schrodinger’s Cat, lol.
Very true Petra.
But it’s good to go back now and again and argue debate discuss ,nothing wrong with differing opinions
I wouldn’t go back on there if you paid me, Terence. In saying that I’m just one of many who has been banned. Argue, debate and discuss? I mean to say how often can you ”argue, debate and discuss” the GRA and Hate Crime Bill? Repeat, rinse, repeat. As soon as we get our independence these issues can be resolved by the people of Scotland … amended or repealed. To my mind we’ve got far greater issue, critical issues, to be arguing and debating about right now. Additionally I can’t understand why people would be calling for Nicola Sturgeon to stand down (aye I can actually) when even the BritNats can see that she’s one of the best leaders in the World.
True NS is that good.
Repeat rinse repeat..I am sure I do argue debate discuss the same things with the same people over and over but I don’t always remember the daft names people hide behind and therefore just accept repetition .No harm done.
Does anyone remember the mighty Corbyn? The new messiah who, during his 15 minutes of fame, attacked the SNP and was a doughty fighter on behalf of the union. I vividly remember him and I remember too the “pro indy” blogs, bloggers and commenters who bizarrely we’re fullsome in support for and praise of him. I remember who they were.
I see now that they have found new reasons to try, unsuccessfully, to undermine the independence movement – that they apparently like to think they own. What no doubt frustrates them is that they are failures. A pro indy blog is only a success when it is frequented and supported by pro indy readers and commenters. When it is deliberately actually infested by droves of anti independence people it loses its pro indy support. It becomes no more than a source of nostalgia for when it was actually something good. It is something from the past. Consign it to the past and move on is my perspective. Nothing wrong with saying “how sad; what a shame; do you remember? I always thought . .. etc. etc.” but just let them wither on the vine.
I no longer visit these spaces on the net. I support Scotland’s drive for independence and I have no interest in the dribblings of people whose behaviour shows that they obviously dont – except to remember who they are for future reference.
”Two issues pervade there which Indy supporters don’t like one way or another.”
What about the other two? They don’t seem to like Nicola Sturgeon or the SNP either. You know the only political party that’s actually capable of getting us our independence.
Then there’s the multitude of BritNat ”issues” that will lead to our country being totally decimated. Never a mention of them. Strange one, eh, for a pro-Independence site?
True Petra
On Sunday, Professor Two Jobs ‘It’s The Law!’ Adam WATP Tomkins and Murdo 7 times political failure, 20 year Jobs For The Boys Blue Tory List ‘The Queen’s Eleven’ MSP Fraser, will presumably be in their executive seats at Ibrox when Ra Gers take to the field in a sea of Butchers’ Aprons to the strains of terraces ringing with all the old favourites about Irish Famines and Coatbridge Billy Boys, as their newly appointed Leader, DRoss scampers on to the park to run the line.
Poor St Mirren.
What chance the perfect hat trick?
A St Mirren goal ‘disallowed’ for offside? A St Mirren thug sent off for glaring at Morelos so hard that the poor lad falls over in a swoon? And a Gers’ penalty?
Ok, relax, ye Duggers who follow follow.
But you get my drift.
We are supposed to take this man seriously. He will carry on as a WM MP, still trouser thousands for his fitba’ ‘hobby’, and somehow now squeeze in the trifling little matter of being the election winning ‘leader’ of the Blue Tory Branch Office in the Northern Colony.
Perhaps the St Mirren Supporters may whistle ‘The Gypsy Rover’ as his Loftiness trots on to the park?
The amount of absolute garbage, ‘dross’ if you like, that the Hacks and TV automatons think that they can peddle to us, the Great Unwashed, obviously knows no bounds.
He is introduced as the Second Cumming? No spelling error there.
Come next May, and I may be sticking my neck out here, Ross will not lead a Government at Holyrood. He will be shooed in as a List MSP at best. I doubt that he will even be bothered to campaign, rather like Two Jobs in my constituency, because he will be on the List.
Will he give up his WM ‘career’, such as it is/was/will never be, to rot on the opposition benches in Edinburgh?
I very much doubt it.
But what a man. MP, Leader, Linesman, husband, father, and scourge of the Travellers, all in the one delicate frame.
The summer madness of the tired old hacks.
PS Yes, I know that we’re in lock down and Ibrox will be deserted. I am merely indulging in the same flight of fancy as our hacks and hackesses this week.
The Tory will be voted out. They are totally useless. Running down the economy. They have to drag them off the street to stand. They have such few candidates. The placement. Unelected.
Embezzling public monies on non scrutinised illegal contracts. Wasting £Billions. Killing people. Life expectancy going down. Trying to destroy Holyrood and the economy. Terminate. Spinning out of control. Brexit.
The Westminster unionists are beyond redemption. From crisis unto crisis of their own making. A bunch of sycophant psycho bastards. Their own description. No matter how much they manoeuvre the deck chairs. Especially in Scotland. Tanking into oblivion. Vote Tory to die younger.
Still a lot of people vote for the tories though Ken .
They don’t vote for them for their handling of the economy or brexit or covid19 it’s much more personal they vote for the tories so the tories will protect their capital , their property value , their income from rent that they don’t pay tax on because they don’t tell HMRC they own property and rent it out and HMRC don’t look or investigate .
Then there’s the self employed who don’t declare all they earn and claim expenses they have not had .
It’s that personal arrangement , don’t question how I fiddle my tax and I will vote for you.
We all have them , you know, the perfectly amiable reasonable relative that you find out actually votes for the conservatives but you can’t quite figure out why ? From what you know of them and what they say it just doesn’t make sense .
Then you find out about a property they own and rent out , you find out how little they got as furlough from the govt and think “that can’t be right”
Then the penny drops,
They got so little because it was based on what they previously declared as their income
And so it all comes together , you conclude that they under declare their income and over declare their expenses
A heck of a lot of self employed / businesses doing that
”We all have them , you know, the perfectly amiable reasonable relative.”..
Yeah I’ve got one. Thinks LBJ and Trump are brilliant. Owns three houses … say no more.
I have one , retired RAF , he thought I was a britnat because my parents were in HM forces he didn’t know they voted SNP.
When he heard me singing Alec Salmond praises the look on his face , he’s never really spoken to me much since then.
It’s human nature innit? Y’know, to feel safe, appreciated, relevant… wanted even. Any mix of those four basics and folk’ll respond positively. Any lack of them and ….?
You alienate or disenfranchise people and they’ll generally either respond in kind or up sticks and move to where they’ll feel safe, appreciated, relevant, wanted. They’ll defend any perceived safe space according to their nature. When you leave even the meekest and mildest of bods with no place to go, they’ll defend their safe place like a wounded tiger. Seems logical so far. Yes?
I’d say that there is a need to appreciate that it took decades of abuse and manipulation to push people away from traditional voting patterns. Those folk took betrayal by their respective parties and institutions badly. They felt (and feel) naked, vulnerable. No one likes that. No one. Placing their faith and trust elsewhere took just about everything they had. When speaking to each other, it can’t hurt to remember that.
Holding a hand out in friendship and understanding costs nothing, but can mean a lot. Same rule applies whether it’s a newspaper, a blog, a political party, a local community or a country.
Probably worth a thought.
I’m reminded of a song my Grannie used to sing…
There’s really nothing quite as bad
As a friend that stabs you in the back
A traitor, turncoat, hypocrite
Treacherous enough to make you sick
Understanding human nature is a critical part of our development. Sadly, so many in public life seem to have skived off that particular lesson. Keep well, Sam.
Appreciated.
And not just in public life Mark. A little bit of understanding can go a long way for all of us about now.
Though it’s safe to say that many bods in the political class and meeja have their empathy gland removed at birth near as I can tell. Helps them become more effective predators I suspect.
Some song that Mark
Do you know the name of it , or it’s origins ?
Some website’s diminishing appeal. Just like the Press. The open space market place. People’s choice.
Deleted and banned go somewhere else. Leads to the demise. A complete rammy of incoherent irrelevance.
Labour’s Jackie Baillie adopts the new old sleezy political tactic of accusing the Scottish government and FM of closing down Aberdeen to cover up exam results, this was in a retweet from Labour supporter and Lawyer Ian Smart who even went so far as to invent a conversation that never took place as *proof* of his invention
One *wonders* who Labour are getting their ideas from with this kind of nasty rumour mongering drivel
Desperation setting in, Dr Jim 😀
So many people are working their butts off to get US our Independence instead of just sitting on the side-lines, like some, griping. Let’s support them 😀.
‘Peoples Action on Section 30 by Forward as One.’
”This is the second fundraiser for the case MARTIN JAMES KEATINGS v (FIRST) THE ADVOCATE GENERAL FOR SCOTLAND; (SECOND) THE LORD ADVOCATE; and (THIRD) THE SCOTTISH MINISTERS (Commonly referred to as “The Peoples Action on Section 30″ case.)
The case is seeking a declarator of the Court, that the Scottish Parliament has the power to legislate for the holding of a referendum on whether Scotland should be an independent country, without requiring the consent of the UK government or any further amendment of the Scotland Act 1998 (the “1998 Act”).”..
http://www.crowdjustice.com/case/pas30/
……………………………………
‘ New Legal Strategy To Win Independence.’
..”This week I’ll launch ‘Controlling Scotland: the legal limits of devolution’. Through the series I’ll explain the Westminster rules that control what Scotland can and can’t do, how this system works behind the scenes, and expand on these vital arguments for change. It’ll be published through Skotia: media for a better Scotland. You can get the regular episodes and more through supporting our Patreon page.
The case for independence has never been stronger and support has never been higher, but we’ve got a bit further to go. A new legal strategy will play its part. Together, we’ll win.”
I’ve just received an email from Jolyon Maugham highlighting even more Westminster corruption.
Good Law Project
Dear *****,
The Government awarded a PPE contract worth £252 million to Ayanda Capital Limited, a ‘family office’ owned through a tax haven in Mauritius, with connections to Liz Truss. It is the largest PPE contract we have seen to date.
In response to judicial review proceedings issued by Good Law Project, the Government has admitted that the 50 million FFP2 masks they purchased from Ayanda Capital – for a price that we calculate to be between £156m and £177m – “will not be used in the NHS” because “there was concern as to whether the[y]… provided an adequate fixing.”
So, unless Government finds another use for, or seeks to sell, those unsuitable masks, that money has been wasted. And as for the remaining 150 million Type IIR masks purchased from Ayanda Capital? Government has admitted they also require further testing and have not been released for use in the NHS.
We have also unearthed another absolutely remarkable feature of the £252 million Ayanda contract. Matt Hancock’s lawyers have now admitted they planned to enter into that contract with a £100 company wholly owned by Liz Truss’ adviser Andrew Mills and his wife. Mr Mills asked – and Government agreed – to enter into it with Ayanda instead because the £100 company (Prospermill Limited) didn’t have “international payment infrastructure.” Just how much has this arrangement prospered Mills?
Good Law Project and EveryDoctor has now issued three sets of judicial review proceedings in relation to the procurement of PPE – with a pest controller, a confectioner, and Ayanda/Prospermill. Not one of those contracts has resulted in any PPE yet being released for use in the NHS. The entirety of the PPE delivered under these three contracts is either untested or has already been found to be unusable.
These are the facts – and they are not disputed.
The more we scratch the surface of the PPE fiasco, the more shocking the details that emerge. If we are to prevent more PPE failures and protect public funds, we need proper answers from this Government. With your support, we intend to get them.
Thank you,
Jolyon Maugham
Director
Read about this scandal this morning, the stench this government leave in their tracks with their corrupt behavior is insufferable. People really need to wake up to what is happening and all in plain sight. They have no shame.
I’m glad that at least one group, The Good Law Project have then in their sights.
Stephen Daisley writing in the Spectator is getting all excited that the arrival of Douglas Ross as the new leader of the Scottish branch office of the Tory party signals the end of devolution.
He expects Johnson to “reform” the Act of Union and according to him that will work out well for the Unionist parties and support for Independence will fade away once the Scottish government powers have been watered down and funding controlled by Westminister and local authorities. Something like that, here’s a summary.
Can Douglas Ross stop Scexit?
…”What ought to trouble separatist high command is the drip, drip, drip of signs that the Prime Minister is coming to an understanding of how much peril the country is in. Whitehall insiders tell me Covid-19 has rudely awakened Downing Street to just how far devolution has taken Scotland down the path to full secession and how thoroughly it has leeched away Westminster’s powers…”
“The readiest solution is to pass a new Act of Union defining the constitutional character of the UK and the locus of sovereignty as well as recalibrating the balance of powers between national, devolved and local government…”
“As long as secession remains a possibility in the near or medium-term future, the Nationalists will retain their talon-like grip on at least half the electorate. Remove the possibility and their claws can slowly begin to be prised loose and politics in Scotland returned to a battle over schools, hospitals, jobs and prosperity…”
https://archive.vn/VAzfn
There’s so much wrong with this lads thought process, ‘ pass a new Act of Union’ eh! Does the dimwit realise the union was created by Treaty. The best bit was the tacit admission on sovereignty, whether he realises what he’s done, I don’t know, but they are bricking it now.
Not entirely sure Mr Daisley has thought that one through. 😎
Hmmm. Apparently Mr Carlaw wasn’t brutal enough. Yeah, that’s what’s lacking for Scotland’s population. Some more brutality in an out of chambers. How do you do a facepalm emoji?
Some folk could understandably argue that the past six years have seen nothing but brutality from Conservative politicians, their central government, their meeja chooms and their support. Some folk might also note that said party of government haven’t covered themselves in glory over austerity legislation, Brexit or covid pandemic. They certainly don’t strike me as the caring, sharing types. (There may have been a hint of sarcasm involved in that line…)
I don’t think it’s about Mr Carlaw being tough enough .
Carlaw didn’t ever win a verbal debate in Holyrood
Westminster want more pressure put on Nicola Sturgeon than Carlaw was able to do so they’re hoping that bringing back Ruth Davidson will do that.
That’s the only reason Carlaw has gone.
The replacement Mr Ross isn’t capable of debate in Holyrood , have you ever seen him in discussion ? He babbles he can’t do it so they’ve thought let’s get Ms Davidson in to do the talking for Mr Ross til independence crunch time she has a better knowledge of past arguments than Ross and Carlaw.
That’s the only reason for this change.
Westminster want to put pressure on Nicola Sturgeon in addition to the covid19 epidemic that she deals with every day ,so they have come up with this ruse to make it look like Mr Carlaw wanted to leave voluntarily and that Mr Ross is just so busy with other things that he needs time to learn the ways of the Scottish Parliament .What a load of tosh Ross will never get near a lectern in Holyrood .
What the tories wanted to do was bring Davidson in to replace Carlaw but that would have been seen as a backward step , they’re now hoping that she will get tips and help from those in the House of Lords .
The House of Lords now having a direct link to interfere in the Scottish Parliament
“”What ought to trouble separatist high command is the drip, drip, drip of signs that the Prime Minister is coming to an understanding of how much peril the country is in” – Dear God, did someone draw it out for him using his crayons or did he not notice until now because of the fridge door.
Stiff upper lip stuff, what ? Separatist command ? 🤣
The only “drip, drip, drip..” is Daisley’s cranial incontinence, his pontifications perfectly encapsulating the high and mighty arse wi teeth Scots have increasingly rejected long before the Clown in #10 hove on the horizon on a zipwire with a stupid look.
“Let’s send a stern message to the natives” says Daisley, “Who’s the prick?” say the MacFeegles.
😁👍
“The readiest solution is to pass a new Act of Union defining the constitutional character of the UK and the locus of sovereignty”..
Where’s Lizg when you need her? She’ll sort them out on that one 😀
And this just reminds me of ”Auld Bob” the constitutional encyclopedia. The WoS ”educator” who was also scunnered off of the site. I’m really missing dear Robert Peffers and I’m hoping that all is well with him. If you are reading Robert come join us. X
The chat around mature students is interesting. From personal experience, I can vouch for the credibility of the SG when it comes to adult learning.
In my thirties, I did my first part-time diploma course with the OU. I paid for the course monthly out of my wages which was the only option for part-time students at that time in 2005. At the time had no intention of pursuing a degree but In 2009 I decided I wanted to look at the options available but found the financial burden too much so did not continue.
In 2013 I looked at the options again and found out that as I earned under a certain amount I could apply for a part-time fee grant which I had to apply for yearly in case my circumstances changed.
I continued with this until last year when I graduated from the OU with a BA Hons arts and science degree. There is no way I could have continued without assistance from the SG and I am sure there are many more like me in Scotland who have benefited from this.😊
FAB
”BA Hons arts and science degree.” Well done Jacksg. And well done to the SG too for making it all possible.
Ooooh. Tough guy Daisley promotes the idea of making secession illegal in the interests of “the country”. We are to be political prisoners. That worked well the last time the Brits took political prisoners. Who could forget the picture of the Brits with their tails between their legs when the Yanks stepped in and said “enough is enough, let’s get this sorted” in Northern Ireland. In the face of the big boys the Brits go pale and start to smell a bit. I make this point only to underline the FACT that the Brits are typical cowards. They are only ever tough when they have every advantage – which is why they are threatening the Chinese and the Russians NOT. No, they are threatening the Scots because they calculate that they can brush them aside with no risk to themselves. With every conceivable advantage since 2014 they have successfully increased support for independence. That’s what I call a world beating performance, British style. It’s on a par with their world beating performance on covid and the way they have left the EU a quivering, terrified mess now that they won’t have the broad shoulders of Daisley and his fellow Brits to lean on.
Well, Stephen son, I am just one wee man who learned early that dealing with bully boy cowards is entirely practical. All it needs is smart thinking, good preparation and a willingness to face up to your demons. The Indy movement is going to kick your sorry arse boy – metaphorically speaking of course. We’re coming to get you where you are.
I fear the use of the law to challenge the UK government over Scotland’s rights because that challenge would most likely end up being fought in English courts then the contest becomes sovereignty of law and I don’t believe with the best will in the world that any England court will not support the upholding of its own law and sovereignty, even the supreme court
If the UK attempts to change the treaty of union by changing their laws then I would be right behind any legal challenge to a retrospective treaty of union being altered thereby *changing* or removing Scotland’s rights, my fear in using the law right now in an attempt to *assert* Scotland’s rights is that it hands the initiative to the UK government in their right to defend and I worry they would keep this in court till the end of time using the legal argument of defence as a pretext to kick this can so far into the future we’d need Marty McFly and his hoverboard to get us out of it
The law serves the law and lawyers, most of the time justice isn’t involved in these processes
The language of law unfortunately is not the languge the rest of us speak, especially in England where the interpretation of the meanings of words can be entirely different from the spoken meaning, remember the phrase *The UK will not normally* which the UK then used to mean at any time they could choose to claim that the time was not normal so giving them the right to alter time and meaning, the SNP fought against this but the Unionist parties at Holyrood got their way and it happened
The UK is a dictatorship pretending to be a democracy and a Monarchy at the same time which is an impossible state and of course a lie, but they have perpetrated this lie for as long as they have existed and no matter what it costs financially they will borrow money till the American genetically hormone injected cows come home and pigs trot to win the Grand National in order to present a legal defence against themselves losing that fabrication, for if they were to lose, the unthinkable could happen, the collapse of their legal system, England the Monarchy and all could follow, England could be forced to become a normal country and that cannot be allowed to happen as their status in the world would plummet like a stone, they would be less than their fabricated selves and that’s why I fear taking the law to them
I think, let them bring their law to us, let them make the illegal and undemocratic mistake, let them openly appear and behave as what they are, tyrannical dictators, then challenge that
I have no legal expertise whatsoever, I’m guessing, but I know a thing or two about behaviour and based on all previous UK behaviour I wouldn’t trust them as far as I could throw Hulk Hogan, I’m a bit more wait for dark and cut their throats kind of guy, metaphorically speaking *of course*
I don’t agree Jim.
Scotland can if it has a majority in favour , determine that it wants independence , if it does so there is no requirement for a legal battle with the English courts .
Quote from Daisley (Alex Clark @ 1.33) with ref to ‘the nationalists’: “Remove the possibility and their claws can slowly begin to be prised loose and politics in Scotland returned to a battle over schools, hospitals, jobs and prosperity…”
You mean, Mr Daisley, like wot it used to be under the old Labour/Tory/LibDem regimes – cheap and tacky public buildings, cheap and tacky public housing and spells of crippling unemployment as more and more industries closed instead of expanding, modernising and moving forward to meet the challenges of the 21st Century? The periods of ‘boom and bust’. And let’s not forget the mega-theft of Scotland’s wealth which disappeared up the Thames and into Maggie T’s English handbag. That was under the …. eh Tories with the full co-operation of their best buddies, Labour.
Thanks but no thanks.
Daisleys employer is struggling to survive their stories get worse and worse desperately trying to attract attention and readers and buyers of their rag.
It’s not working their readership is getting smaller and smaller Daisley doesn’t write about much else he’s the chosen one for anti Scottish crap I’ve yet to see anything written by the man that is interesting he is a typical London journo dead beat.
Lost in his own wee world ,not for much longer though.
Daisley is usually on the bbc radio at the week-end to give a balanced press review . I know you cannot help but smile
Wee sneaky, lying backstabber. Ruth Davidson starting as she means to go on. Who’d have thunk it? https://mobile.twitter.com/rosscolquhoun/status/1291074891723296770
Ruth’ll have a new policy to bring forward like, No to Indyref2 or No more referendums after the SNP bad education hospital housing policy hits the floor
She’s a laugh though, quits because she doesn’t like Johnson, she says, and her family comes first, she says, Johnson sacks the guy who takes her job, gives her some ermine and cash and a title and she loves the very bones of him, and when everybody begins playing her interviews on the telly of her saying if a majority of Scotland wants Independence then there should be a referendum she’ll have to claim that 54% is less than more, and she’ll try to do it with a straight face
Gonna love watching her being ripped a new one by the FM because I don’t believe the FM will contain her patience anymore with this woman
Yep, I reckon the FM will go to town on Davidson when she swans back in.
The time for kid gloves are over and you can see that now. The FM has been hardened very much in having to deal with the crap she does every day in the briefings answering the most idiotic questions from the so called journalists. Their gas has been put at a peep and so too will Davidson’s.
Davidson has taken the twenty pieces of silver as the price for betraying her own principles and going to work for Johnson. She is the one who organised “Operation Arse” and is now licking his arse as payment for her promotion to a “Baroness”. Backstabbing Jackson in the process by going to Ross’s house in Moray. It turns out that she’s the biggest arse and it’s not gone unnoticed.
How ridiculous is that?
Professor John Robertson’s ‘Talking up Scotland’ site. There’s a number of recent articles on there that are well worth reading, IMO.
https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/blog-feed/
O/T – but for anyone that’s interested and may have missed the link in the middle of comments above, here’s my view of John Hume’s legacy https://eurofree3.wordpress.com/2020/08/06/john-hume-1937-2020/
Thanks for the article Ben. Says it all ….
”(John Hume) a sincere man of integrity and courage, he was the only person in the world to have received the Nobel Peace Prize, the Gandhi Peace Prize and the Martin Luther King Peace Prize. Pope Benedict XVI made him a Knight Commander of the Papal Order of Saint Gregory the Great.”..
Scotland is a member of the UN. International Law supports self determination. Self government if people vote for it. The Westminster UK Gov will be breaking International Law if they do not support it. Breaking the UN Charter. They will be sanctioned because of it.
It has been suggested that the Westminster Gov is against Scottish Independence because it would lose any influence at the UN. Lose it’s seat as a smaller entity.
Just as (too limited) Devolution had to be obtained as members of the EU. Or the UK Gov (Blair) would have been sanctioned. The UK unionist Gov would be sanctioned at the UN. Lose influence for disobeying the Laws and rules.
The UK Gov is constantly being taken to Court for trying to break UN International Law on basic human rights etc. Extradition. Brexit. Policies breaking people’s human rights of fairness and justice. Breaking International Law, They have to comply and change policy.
Or be chucked out of the UN. Lose International rights and privileges. Become a third world State. They are trying to do that in any case. To line their own pockets. Graft and corruption at the heart of UK Gov. Killing people. Vote Tory/unionist to die younger.
The Tories will be voted out. The mess and shambles of Brexit unfolding. People will not stand for it. Or being denied their basic rights. The UK unionist Gov breaking International Law again and ruining the world economy. Costing £Trns.
The Tories are constantly being taken to Court. They have to change their decisions because of it. Trying to break the Law with impunity. Unelected and illegally unscrutinised. They will be voted out. The Scottish Gov can hold them to account. Johnston will not be there very long. Liars always get found out.
They can be taken to Court. They have to comply with the Law. International or otherwise.
Every day the TV presents us with the worry over debt and deficit for the *country* because of the Corona virus, before the Corona virus they kept telling us to worry about the debt and deficit over Brexit and before that David Cameron and George Osborne were never done worrying us about getting the debt and the deficit down, and these politicians and money programmes keep banging on about these things as if it’s the responsibility of the population to worry about the *country’s* finances, and it’s blackmail, because when the *country* is doing well these money folk and politicians don’t share the profits they’re making with us, they don’t come on the TV to tell us how great it is that the *country’s* making loads of money so everybody gets a lovely bonus
The market the market, they bang on about it holding us to ransom over worrying about their jobs which all of them are still in while the worrying population must be blackmailed into feeling guilty about them yet the population never benefits from austerity or the opposite one way or another, but the politicians will come on and crow about their particular brand of Toryism if they feel they’ve been successful in getting the deficit down and how proud of them we should all be so vote for them after making us the population poorer so they, the money sellers can get richer
Most every normal country in the world has debts and deficits but in all my years on this planet I never heard other *countries* use these statistics to blackmail the population into believing it’s their responsibility, they even conned the population into bailing out the banks who stole our money in the first place then pissed it up against a wall, that’s how stupid we’ve become
Which brings me to Scotland where we live on around three quarters of our own money, where our devolved government is forced to run our country on less money than it earns because the country next door keeps telling us they need more defence or overseas aid or pensions or social security or more money to fill up the House of Lords with their pals and cronies but Scotland’s to pay for it, and because Scotland has to pay for it they tell us we have debts and deficits and that’s an awful thing and somehow we’re the lowest of the low for being responsible for these things
They tell us all this money they spend on stuff that they want to spend it on is for our benefit, and this is where the democratic deficit comes in, Scotland is never asked, Scotland is never consulted and when it comes to general elections Scotland’s votes don’t count when it comes to electing a government in England who gets to decide how much they keep telling Scotland how much we owe them
I’m no money expert but when it comes to money that I don’t have and never will I get a tad aggrieved at the cheek these people have in telling me I’m somehow responsible for what they spend and on what they spend it on or speculate in *the markets*
I’ve got a pension and if I overspend it I’m responsible, the government in England don’t pop along to my house and say don’t worry about it we’ll make your next door neighbour pay for your debt or deficit and then make him feel guilty that you got into financial trouble
This is no way to run a country or economy, and that’s Scotland’s problem, we don’t get a say because we’re not a country, Scotland is a satellite, a colony, an oasis in the desert to be drunk from that’s always there, a bit stuck on the end to be used for cash but not get a say in the use of that cash
The debt and deficit argument is nonsense, or should I say the debt and deficit excuse for inflicting austerity, cuts, poverty on a population that didn’t create the debt in the first place. The real debts are the ones forced on us by low wages , lack of well paid jobs, and government policies on pensions and benefits. Covid was pounced on by the UK government to create more debt, furlough and business loans, money that was borrowed by the government in the first place are being used to control and manipulate the population. It’s not just recent policy either.
The interest on this is higher than the payments.
Talking about ”money”, Dr Jim.
‘Brexit has cost Scotland £5.4bn of EU funding for COVID-19 recovery.’
…”It is important to take into account how much financial support an independent Scotland could have received as an EU member, on top of this funding. The EU recovery funds allocation is based on the type of economic damage the country has experienced throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Spain and Italy, highlighted above, are likely to receive about 5% of their GDP over the next three years. Therefore, when considering Scotland’s GDP of £178.6 billion in 2018, if Scotland received 3% of its GDP, it would have received approximately £5.4bn of additional funding. This is evidently greater support than what is currently being offered to help Scotland deal with the effects of coronavirus from the UK. Moreover, the support offered by the UK Government is a loan, whereas 52% of the EU’s recovery package is offered as a grant.
http://www.businessforscotland.com/brexit-has-cost-scotland-5-4bn-of-eu-funding-for-covid-19-recovery/
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Ruth Wishart:- ”Worth noting that UK defence secretary Ben Wallace is lobbying US colleagues for yet another more powerful Trident missile system. Current one already has firepower of many Hiroshimas – which outrage is 75 years old this day. Not independent, not a deterrent. And obscene.” https://mobile.twitter.com/ruth_wishart/status/1291280103511654401
Excellent summary of the hold Westminster has over Scotland.
Destroys many of the lies and myths they keep perpetuating
Brilliant article from Gordon MacIntyre-Kemp.
‘Plan A or Plan B for Scottish independence – how we get to Yes from 54%.’
…”The mainstream media has generally accepted the Union is in dire trouble, if not already dead, and realises Boris Johnson is a significant liability to the cause. It’s all looking good for independence supporters but many are worried, obsessed even, over Westminster’s continuing claim they will say No to a Section 30 order. They worry that since the Scottish Government won’t hold a referendum without a Section 30 that the independence movement’s momentum will take us nowhere. That concern doesn’t even register with me. I want Westminster to keep saying No, indeed it’s a strategy I have been advising in meetings with Scottish Government Ministers since 2017.”…
..“Ah but Gordon, they can keep saying No forever” – no, they can’t. Plan A is the democratic gold standard; when all democratic, legal and proper routes have been exhausted, only then do other ways to deliver independence become acceptable. It is only when the FM can say she wanted the democratic route but has been forced by Westminster’s undemocratic, dictatorial approach and by overwhelming public opinion to offer a Plan B that it becomes acceptable, both to undecided and persuadable voters and also, vitally, to the international community.
…”Let’s get one thing straight, talking about Plan B when we don’t need a Plan B is nuts and a gift to the floundering Unionists.”..
…”It’s a fluid situation and all options remain on the table but the focus of the SNP and the wider independence movement must be the democratic gold standard of a Section 30 following a renewed SNP or SNP/Green majority. For Westminster to deny the democratically stated will of the Scottish people would make itself an international pariah. There is no easy short cut to independence but some people don’t understand the practicalities, that such ideas are often unworkable and, outside the independence movement, highly unpopular. When you think that way it’s easy to the blame the SNP for inaction but (internal wrangling aside) it’s doing its bit in helping to move the polls by … well, by getting on with the day job. The Yes movement needs to do its bit, people must stop looking for short cuts and get on with the job of informing, educating and convincing the hundreds of thousands of people who are becoming newly undecided and persuadable of the benefits of independence.”..
http://www.businessforscotland.com/plan-a-or-plan-b-for-scottish-independence-how-we-get-to-yes-from-54/
Those points by Gordon MacIntyre-Kemp are spot on. That is the road we have to and will travel. The only thing that would change that would be unforeseeable circumstances.
He finished the article with this and articulated exactly my thoughts on this hot topic and worth highlighting again
“The Yes movement needs to do its bit, people must stop looking for short cuts and get on with the job of informing, educating and convincing the hundreds of thousands of people who are becoming newly undecided and persuadable of the benefits of independence.”
I am not as optimistic as he is about a 60% Yes vote but I’m not looking for that, I’ll be quite happy with 55% 🙂
I’m happy with 50.0000001%
And to think this could be SLab’s next leader 🙄. Then again maybe they’ll follow the Tories lead and lumber us with a double act …. Baillie and Ian Murray 😀.
‘Shona Craven: Jackie Baillie’s poisonous p**h could cause real harm.’
..”This isn’t merely the latest in a toxic stream of gaffes from the woman who laughed along at a Highland games stall encouraging people to smash crockery with Nicola Sturgeon’s face on it. This isn’t just another example of her trademark bad taste – it’s potentially dangerous.”..
..”She was deluded enough to try tweeting Donald Trump back in 2018 when searching for answers about how Prestwick Airport was being used. “Do you think the Scottish Government should be using Scottish taxpayers [sic] money to subsidise the US Air Force and Turnberry Hotel?” she asked him. “Would be really helpful to have your view.” Oddly enough the president didn’t get back to her.”..
http://www.thenational.scot/news/18634420.shona-craven-jackie-baillies-poisonous-p-h-cause-real-harm/
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HA HA HA. Another has-been telling us to get back into our box.
‘David Mundell says no indyref2 even if pro-Yes parties win big.’
”Meanwhile, DRoss is due to meet with Rishi Sunk today, as the Chancellor heads north of the border.”
http://www.thenational.scot/news/18634345.david-mundell-says-no-indyref2-even-pro-yes-parties-win-big/
Military spending
World $1917Billion. 7Billion+ people
US pop 328million. $732Billion.
Highest pro rata in the world. Over 1/3 of all military spending.
UK pop 67Million $50Billion
Russia pop 150Million $65Billion
China pop 1.3Billion $261Billion.
Who are the warmongers blowing the world to bits.
Saudi Arabia pop 35million $62Billion. One of the highest (pro rata)
Illegal redundant weaponry destroying the world. Nuclear. The danger to the world survival.
Thanks, Petra.
That’s why I get so angry when the unionists scream that our Education is in disarray. I work in a university and I can assure you it is not.
Scotland has one of the best education systems in the world but it doesn’t suit the unionist media to report this. During my studies, I conducted interviews with some young people leaving care to report on what educational opportunities were available.
One young man despite going through a traumatic childhood left school with 8 Highers and went to University and obtained his degree. This was despite the dropout rate for care leavers being 5 per cent and if I remember correctly prior to 2010 the overall percentage of care leavers attending college/university was 1 per cent. 🤨
The BritNats have to focus on what’s devolved to the ScotGov, such as our educational system, SNHS and Policing, in their attempt to undermine Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP: In essence to destroy our chances of becoming independent. BritNat politicians who’s own track record in Scotland, in relation to all key areas, has been an abject failure rely on their media mates to suppress their past performance and the SNP’s ”good news” stories and dig around looking for dirt to spread. If they can’t find any they’re inclined to just make it up as they go along. What’s even more galling is the fact that England’s record in relation to their educational system, NHS and Policing (and the rest) is totally abysmal in comparison to Scotlands. Golfnut’s post at 10.47am being but one example. My daughter lectures at a Scottish University and works occasionally for the ScotGov (and online help for some English Universities 😀). My background included teaching, a number of friends and relatives teach and we totally agree with you that we still have one of the best education systems in the world with the caveat that there is always room for improvement of course.
All Scotland’s problems have been created by Nicola Sturgeon says Liberal Democrat Christine Jardine on Sky news
The people of Scotland don’t necessarily want Independence, Nicola Sturgeon is just having a Covid *bounce* she goes on to say, and she won’t win a majority at the next election anyway, emphasised Liberal Democrat Jardine who’s party is about to lose all political representation in Scotland
I wonder does the phrase Covid *bounce* mean we’re somehow delighted to be having Covid
The Sky news presenter said “Of course *Boris* has the legal authority to just say no*
I was not aware that Sky news presenters were trained in constitutional law and or spoke on behalf of the British government, 2014 on its way again
There was an Irish lady from the SDLP who was attempting to make the point that Nicola Sturgeon has every right to make her demands of she wins an election because Northern Ireland has that same option, but nobody wanted to listen to talk like that especially Liberal Democrat Christine Jardine as she constantly over talked the Irish lady to keep her shushed
Liberal Democrat, it’s a funny title for a political party that are in no way democratic, there are parties in Africa with the word democratic in their titles who just machete people to death if they don’t agree with them, one hopes that Christine Jardine Liberal Democrat who’s about to have zero representation in Scotland doesn’t have access to one of those in her shed
Any Scot who blurts out that we need an English citizen’s permission to hold a plebiscite on Self Determination is lying through their (look away now, those of faint heart) fucking teeth.
The only ‘bounce’ we are witnessing is the fat bloated bellies of Brit Nat Fellow Travellers, who hate Scotland and our Rights to Self Determination with an evil psychotic passion.
How the fuck do these people sleep at nights.
I’m their boss, not some English Puppet Master.
In any future televised ‘debate’ we must ensure that these liars and subversives get both barrels.
I’ve had enough of ‘polite’.
They are robbing Scotland blind.
They are dung beetles feeding off our carcass.
Murray Jardine Baillie Davidson…For god’s sake…is this the cream of the Yoon crop?
‘Give me men about me who are fat, men who sleep o’nights’ ?
Julius Caesar
Didn’t Christine Jardine work with Ruth Davidson at the bbc or was it labours presiding officer McIntosh or was it the ex labour minister Susan Deacon whose hubby helped run the BBC?
There are less children in care because of SNP Gov kinship payments and other support. The children are cared for within their (extended) families. Important for the children, the community and much less cost.
The number of children in care has declined. Children in care received additional support. In education grants, housing and support. They get Council tax relief.
There are not enough proper total abstinence rehab facilities. People should be under NHS care. Doctors can refer people to proper facilities. Social care is less affective.
Many councils (unionist) do not support proper facilities. It has to be paid privately, if people can afford it. It should be a combination of private/public. To help people manage addiction problems. These often lead to family break up and social problems. It costs more in public monies and costs to the community.
MUP has been effective in reducing these problems. Drug/drink addition makes people poorer. It causes depression and anxiety and leads to premature death. It spreads viruses.
People can be prescribed methadone and depressants for years. These are just as additive. Not a solution.
Sky news is nonsense. Hardly. Anyone watches it.
James Murdoch has left Fox. Supports climate change issues. Murdoch children are deserting him. Liars always get found out. 89 years. It is nearly over. The scary virus. The warmonger killing people. A lost cause of influence.
They can’t take it with them. Children Scottish mother. Half Scottish. US passports? Murdoch am American citizen for business and tax interest. Breaking International Law. A tax evading non Dom. Supports destroying the world. Typical right wing hypocrite.
Christine Jardine was married for 30 years to Calum McDonald. He was digital editor for Herald and Times. He died 55 from a heart attack 2017 GE. Health problems.
Christine Jardine worked for the BBC and lectured in journalism.
I keep meaning to thank you for some of the data that you post Ken2. So yes thanks for your input on here.
BBC Scotland shows us pictures of the thousands of protesting young people who claim to be disadvantaged by exam results, but hold on a minute there are only a couple of dozen outraged youngsters and guess what, organised by, drum roll, the Labour party
Over one hundred thousand Independence supporters can take to the streets protesting for self determination and half the time the BBC behaves like it never happened, I guess when the right political party phone up the BBC to come down and cover their prearranged political stab at the SNP the BBC can justify that outrage, but even with closely cut camera shots they couldn’t make this appear any bigger than it was and the FM appears to be correct when she she says the young folk have the next part of the process to go through, it’s not over yet, it looks like the school kids understand and accept that very well
The journalists at todays briefing made a point of informing the FM that the opposition parties were calling her bad names, she acknowledged that by not acknowledging or entertaining it
It’s a pretty poor state of affairs when opposition parties book TV time to queue up to see who can name call the worsest because they have no political questions, or indeed answers to anything
There are perfectly respectable jobs in sewage and water treatment if that’s what the opposition would find a more satisfying career
…”I guess when the right political party phone up the BBC to come down and cover their prearranged political stab at the SNP the BBC can justify that outrage.”
It was probably initiated, as a joint effort, by the Labour Party and the BBC, Dr Jim.
Petra,
‘the Labour Party and the BBC’ are one and the same thing.
They are an incestuous Red Tory Blair abomination.
They marry each other and have each other’s babies.
Boy, is the last helicopter taking off from the roof of Pathetic Quay going to be full.
”Boy, is the last helicopter taking off from the roof of Pathetic Quay going to be full.”
Hahaha. I can just see it. Operation Frequent (smelly) Wind 2.
The solution is there for all to see, Dr JIm. Give EVERYBODY A’s.
That’s what Murray and the Red Tories want..
And in ten years’ time when one of these fat bloated wasters is undergoing heart surgery, let’s hope that it’s not being performed by a newly qualified surgeon born in Castlemilk….
Our world is on fire, yet this lot would sell Scotland to England for money.
Opposition parties accuse SNP of being right would make a lousy headline Jack
Y’now if they’d given all the kids A passes the opposition would’ve been raging about the SNP trying to make Scottish education look better than it is to cover up their SNP bad record on education
So in effect the Scottish government is being accused of doing the right thing, this kind of attempted forcing on people to accept mentally irregular thinking is at long last sinking in to the electorate I think and they’re noticing it more and more because the opposition is becoming frantic in it’s attacks on everything just for the sake of it
👍
Dr Jim, there is no such thing as ‘Scottish ‘ Labour.
Now let’s see review what Leonard, Findlay, Gray Murray and Sarwar support.
Trident
Nuclear power stations.
PFI contracts
Tuition Fees
Road and Bridge tolls
Prescription Charges
Private education (Sarwar, Leonard, Baillie to name but a few.)
NHS Privatisation by the back door.
Foreign wars of attrition.
UCS
The bedroom Tax
Peers for cash
Rule of Scots by a foreign power in London
I’ll stop now. There’s more, but you get my drift.
The Red Blue and Yellow Second Division Tories Up Here seem to think that they are not accountable for the fascist excesses of their Puppet Masters in London.
Baroness Supermom admitted that the other day to the assembled Brit Nat Hackery.
Schools, health, and,er, summit else..is her remit.
So don’t ask her about 120,000 deaths from 2010 t0 2015 under Cameron and Clegg’s austerity obscenity. Nothin’ to do with her.
Same with Wee Rennie when he blurts out his regular FMQ rage against NS about the mental health of our children.
The abject poverty and deaths and massive social harm that he and his party,are nothing to do with Wee Willie Winkie personally.
Likewise the Brit Nat WM MP’s.
Because of EVEL they have no say in ‘UK’ policies in devolved areas..like English Health, Education, Law and Order.
What the feck do they do all day?
Nothing, according to Malcolm Rifkind when he was caught in a sting trying to sell his soul to a bogus Chinese Company. Jack Straw also got caught in the same grubby wee sting.
There is no Labour Party in Scotland. The Centre Left of Scottish Politics is now the domain of the SNP/Greens, with add-ons.
There is absolutely no point in continuing with this farce.
Has Leonard resigned/been pushed/ accidentally tripped yet?
I see Mundell has said even if we get a total majority on SNP at the May elections they will still say no to a referendum. What’s the point if waiting until May next year. Call a Scottish Government election now and save any more time. Tell Bojo this is the mandate for a Referendum. We need to call the shots now and not continually play catch up with Westminster.
Lets put pressure on Westminster whilst they are on the back foot.
Amazing how wee runts like Mundell think that they can dictate the future of a nation when over 50% of potential voters don’t agree with him. High time he got back into his box, eh, bin.
I don’t know if you’ve read this already Malcolm, but if not it’s worth taking a look at, imo.
http://www.businessforscotland.com/plan-a-or-plan-b-for-scottish-independence-how-we-get-to-yes-from-54/
Thanks Petra will have a look at it.
Indeed an excellent article I read earlier and instantly thought of 5 recent contributors to this forum who it would sail right past without recognising themselves in it.
What Gordon nailed perfectly was that the majority of Scots for independence is 54% and rising, 49% of England want English Independence (essentially the same outcome + NI + Wales), those fighting against a breakup of the Union are rapidly becoming the minority, the UDP of NI politics dictating to the rest “there is no appetite for it…”, and that before Brexit impacts.
What scunners me is that media and politicians who portray these facts otherwise get away with knowingly lying because that’s what British politics has become, cue the Ruth spotlight, cue the Leader of the Scottish Tories in waiting etc. “just as we rehearsed”. This is NOT journalism.
My first wish for the an Independent Scotland Government is restoration of the principle of truth in politics and media. You knowingly lie, you go, not for a sabbatical, but permanently to your own private wilderness. My second is draconian land reform.
Cue Fluffy “there is no appetite…”
Oops, that was supposed to be in response to Petra’s 10.38 posting on the article from Gordon MacIntyre-Kemp.
Mundell is voicing what they’re all thinking and they’re panicking over it, if it wasn’t bothering them they’d be saying nothing, but they’re launching their assaults before they’ve been attacked and that shows blind desperation
What the opposition are missing here is that the FM hasn’t said anything political yet so what Mundell and all the colours of Tories are doing is demonstrating their opposition to the population of Scotland’s opinions as shown in the actual opinion polls that reflect people not politicians
Theres a name for that and Scotland’s people get it now
the point of waiting is 4 months of no deal brexit
Pete , they know already they are going to lose so they say they will still refuse an indyref because they’re hoping some Indy supporters think it’s in the bag and decide to not bother voting allowing them odd britnat to sneak in
And of course the ‘4th estate’ will echo that ad nauseam and by way of ‘What the Papers Say’ we will have the ‘stalwart BBBC Scotland ‘ and STV dutifully bigging it up – reporting merrily but pretending with a more in sorrow than in anger face.
Our media is ghastly and the day bankruptcy beckons for some the happier I will be – they only have themselves to thank so hell mend them.
I guess those that organised the demonstration today (Labour) against the SQA and SNP solution for awarding grades without exams weren’t aware that more disadvantaged children than ever before have been accepted for University places in Scotland this year.
From Talking Up Scotland:
From UCAS on 4th August:
“The number of 18 year-olds from Scotland’s most deprived areas with a confirmed place has risen to a new high of 1,300 – meaning 11.9% of all young people belonging to this group have been accepted into university or college, and the gap to students from the least deprived areas has narrowed to its lowest ever point (a ratio of 3.29). The number of students (of all ages) accepted from the most deprived areas has also reached a new high of 4,360, with the gap to those accepted from the least deprived areas also reducing to the smallest ever ratio of 1.89.”
Oh yes, they would have been aware but didn’t care so long as they grabbed another SNP-bad headline.
Yet as Labour found to their cost previously, and as both they and the Tories will find shortly, Scots are equally aware of the truth. The pile of mince served up on a daily basis as news might suit the Surrey belt, but it is not about THEIR world.
It is not just the Union folks are increasingly incensed by but the shamocracy.
I know they would have been aware but was giving them the benefit of the doubt 🙂
I’m now just waiting on Jackie Bailey to come along any minute and tell us that UCAS are in the pocket of the SNP and that the numbers have been falsified. I’ve heard she likes to share a good conspiracy theory.
Counter Punch the online magazine fighting the cause for Black Lives Matter has an interesting piece by a mr Kelly in which he states that the far right are trying to distract people from the BLM campaign in USA by spreading word that the Irish were slaves to the English in USA in the 18th century he states that they were not really slaves in the same way that black Africans were slaves because the Irish were “indentured workers rather than slaves”.
OH I say , that’s okay then lucky Irish
In fact what happened was that England decimated Ireland killing millions of people threw them out of jobs and houses for terrible crimes like speaking their own language then offered them a deal “indenture”
Yes I suppose it is a little different from slavery in that when you are homeless , starving ,unemployed penniless and get to sign a contract saying you will work for some toff Englishman for free in USA on one of his plantations forever with no pay and no escape until he frees you it’s kind of a voluntary agreement, I prefer to call it slavery , it might be a different to the slavery of black Africans but it’s slavery nonetheless.
Scots suffered the same fate when thrown off their land penniless homeless jobless and starving .
I support BLM
I don’t support the view that the English did anything other than enslave Scots and Irish or kill them if one way or another if they didn’t agree to indenture.
The Business for Scotland Article
The author makes a fair case and a good number of points. He does not address these two points:
1. There was no gold standard referendum in 2014 and there will not be in the future because Britnats do not do fair, honest and reasonable. They did not adhere to the Edinburgh Agreement so it is not a gold standard just a typical Britnat standard.
2. A democratic vote for independence using an election is exactly that – democratic. The author completely ignores this possible approach.
A Gold Standard Referendum is without doubt one which is conducted after agreement has been reached as to its conduct and legality, thereafter signed by both parties. That’s what we had, that Westminster broke that agreement repeatedly including the Purda period doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t aspire to reach agreement again. The next referendum whatever its form will be watched much more closely by the International community. Highlighting that we want an agreement is politically necessary but it doesn’t mean that we stuck with it as the only route out of the union.
Golfnut – will the watching international community prevent one side of the referendum having complete control of the media as in 2014. I don’t think so – just another reason it was not a gold standard in 2014 and won’t be a gold standard in ?
So I disagree there never was a gold standard in 2014 and to suggest there may be in the future is in my opinion a very very very long shot.
Step back for a minute Cubby, if you were negotiating the next agreement, what changes would you want made to the original before ‘ you agreed ‘ to sign it.
We’ve learned lessons from the 2014 referendum. Firstly we should ensure that we hold exit polls and what about the Polish group that I heard Craig Murray talk about? They are invited into a particular country, in the lead up to an election / referendum, to monitor media bias. That might put the BBC’s, et al, gas on a peep.
Wouldn’t that be great if that was in the agreement, maybe add in non UK gov involvement through their ministries or gov funded think tanks. We need to highlight just how bad UK gov interfered in the 2014 referendum. Perhaps lies and misinformation used to influence the electorate could be made a criminal offence for the duration of the constitutional process.
There’s a lot extras could be added in to a new Edinburgh agreement. Criminal charges for those who lie and mislead during the constitutional process, UK gov sponsored reports from think tanks and experts, banned. A Yes budget and a No budget and definitely no interference from FB, Twitter and 77 brigade, or outside funding( dark money).
Well I’m guessing based on your comments that you both see why I think it is wrong to call it a gold standard in 2014.
Instead of an Edinburgh Agreement Mark2 I think a Glasgow or Dundeee agreement is what it should be called – proper independence cities.
I hope Tom Gordon is on a retainer from the Blue Tories. He’s their Go To Guy these days.
Today’s pieces from Mundell; it’s all NS fault if there’s a No Deal Brexit; and The Linesman demanding that an Independence referendum doesn’t get air time in May’s SGE.
Good Ol’ Tom, Master Cutter and Paster.
Somebody’s got to do it.
The Herald can’t be far from closing now.
I note also that The Linesman is going to had in his whistle and fleg when he becomes FM.
We have reached max lung capacity to laugh raucously at these idiots.
Patrick Harvie of the Greens gets himself involved in the exams row demanding all sorts of new and different rules, the Tories are putting forward a vote of no confidence in Johns Swinney and demanding resignations which gives Patrick Harvie a bit of power in his quest for young folk to vote for him by being defender of the kids when what he’s really doing is supporting Tories Labour and Lib Dems who cooked up this whole idea to give themselves some relevance
Apparently they’re not prepared to wait for the next step in the process because they’ve whipped the youngsters up now, the pitchforks are sharpened and the torches are ablaze and they’ll have to deliver A’s and gold stars all around plus the head of Alfredo Garcia, Oops sorry John Swinney or is he the monster Frankenswine
I’m not aware that John Swinney actually marked any papers up or down, he only came up with a system to try to achieve fairness which isn’t yet finished
I suppose the opposition and the media only have this at the moment so I guess they’ll rumble and rumble with it for a while
In other news Aberdeen football club could not be more apologetic after realising some of their players had been caught possibly putting their lives, other players lives and the public at risk of death by Corona virus
Stupid boys
Let’s see the media pile on against the UK government next week when English results for the non exams are announced. According to the Mail:
300,000 A-level pupils in England face lower marks than expected as 39% of grades set by teachers ‘will be downgraded’ – amid fury in Scotland over 25% of papers marked down
“Nearly 40% of A-level grades given by teachers in England will be downgraded when exam regulator Ofqual publishes students’ results next week. Up to 300,000 students stand to receive lower grades after exams were cancelled amid the coronavirus lockdown.
Grades will instead be issued according to Ofqual’s statistical model, which draws on each pupil’s previous exam results and their school’s recent exam history.
GCSEs are also expected to be downgraded at a similar rate, meaning more than 2 million grades set by teachers could be adjusted or ignored completely.
Criticism over this year’s exams is intensifying after Ofqual rejected 124,000 grade recommendations for students in Scotland earlier this week – a quarter of all entries.
Ofqual will allow schools to appeal their results if they think they will vary greatly from previous years’ but unlike Scottish students, English students are barred from getting their grades individually reconsidered.”
https://archive.vn/20vQ1
Another damp squib attack on the Scottish government fizzles out with a phut!
🤣
There’s nothing but upside to that
Good post Alex. I explained this to a friend this afternoon who was unaware that in England,the INDIVIDUAL student cannot appeal his/her result.Also,I caught Glenn Campbell’s interview with the FM and she rightly stated ” I can imagine what you would be accusing me of in this interview if all teacher assessments had been awarded without moderation and that the pass rate had suddenly shot up from 65% (last year) to 85% this year….”These results just arent credible FM!!! “. The crucially important thing to remember is that the appeals process is built-in to this model to enable a realistic and accurate INDIVIDUAL assessment based on the students previous attainments.
I love the Mail quote “amid fury in Scotland” the only fury on display in Scotland has been from the media and Unionist frothing at the mouth types from Labour, Libs and Tories. The vast majority of Scots can plainly see that passes are in fact higher than last year and that the majority of results predicted by teachers have been upheld.
You could imagine the outcry if none at all were downgraded based on past performance and then along comes England exam boards downgrading 40%. the truth is the Scottish government cannot win no matter which path they choose as it will be attacked as being the wrong path.
Shame though for the Unionists in Scotland that this line of attack has totally backfired now that those they look up to most with their superior governance have downgraded substantially more pupils grades but with no right to individually appeal. Now THAT is a disgrace!
Better Together hahahahaha 🙂
Asolutely….I noticed Neil Findlay was the ‘rabble-rouser’ – in – chief today @ Freedom Square with Harvie and Pauline O’Neil helping out!..Have to say I didnt see the ‘hundreds’ in attendance as claimed by the Daily Fail.
I also noticed Harvie was there, he’s another charlatan looking to score cheap political points. Common sense tells you that any chosen method involving grades being awarded without actual exam results meant that there would be controversy. However, it had to be done and at least those who felt they deserved a better grade have the right of appeal so this is not yet finished.
As I posted earlier it’s also a fact that more 18 year olds than ever from the most deprived 20% of schools have been offered a University place so progress is being made. Yet look at the outrage and “fury” the FM is facing every day at these Covid briefings.
Somehow I don’t think she’s in it for the money or because it’s a cushy job as some say, I reckon she actually cares about her responsibilities as First Minister and it is this that is getting her noticed by soft No voters for the first time and that’s why we are now polling at 54% for Independence. That’s a bonus and nothing more, the most important thing is that she steers Scotland through this crisis with as little damage as possible both to health and the economy.
A job, I believe that would be made much easier if she had full control of all the powers that every other Independent country has, it’s the main reason for me supporting Independence. I believe that Scottish voters should be governed by politicians they elect and not those from another country. Especially not those that have no interest in Scotland whatsoever other than as a country to squeeze as much from as you can to benefit themselves and their friends.
NS should call a GE if the Greens vote with the Brits in a no confidence vote.
What is Harvie doing?
Has he not analysed the actual results?
Call a snap SGE, Nicola.
I counted maybe 16 ‘students’ in Mad King SQ on BBC North Korea’s item.
This is clearly the Brit Nat MSM and their political pals and relatives flexing their failing muscles.
If the Greens allow themselves to be led by the nose by the Brits, they are toast.
A couple of Neil Findlay’s kids, Pauline McNeill’s weans and Patrick Harvies nieces and nephews and their Mammies plus 40 Tesco cardboard boxes hurriedly torn up wae wurds rote oan thum in felt tip
Makes you wonder, because kids are quite inventive normally and would usually have better looking protest banners than this
Niel Findlay probably knocked them up in the back of his van while they were waiting for the cameras to turn up thinking the BBC would CGI some better looking ones on them
I see that Mr Campbell has just progressed from being a fake ”Reverend” to ”Hercules” now.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
And on the subject of Gordon MacIntyre-Kemp’s latest article being praised by a poster on his site he’s followed it up with, ”I read that article this morning. It’s utter nonsense. If you want to be fed utter nonsense this isn’t the site for you 🙄😎.” In other words shut up. That’s followed up, in turn, with someone saying it’s probably been written by Nicola Sturgeon or Pete Wishart. Talk about being manipulated.
The ”Stench of Rotten Stables” is the title of his latest article and by God he got that one right.
All they’re missing’s a cauldron over there
SQA …. Click on the chart.
”The way the SQA adjusted the results was not to mark everyone down but to push the individual lower band limits up, estimated lower A’s became B’s and estimated lower B’s became C’s, as set out in their example. If you claim your A changed to an F then probably not the SQA.” https://twitter.com/Innealadair/status/1291767099350822913
You know what Petra? I think that was obvious. As if the SQA would single out anyone and change their grade from an A to a D or an E is utterly ridiculous.
This whole manufactured outrage and “fury” is ridiculous and at least in Scotland, any pupil who feels aggrieved with their awarded result has the right of appeal. Unlike those pupils south of the border who have no right of appeal as an individual, which in my opinion is just wrong and especially under current circumstances.
We can all see through it, Alex. See right through it. It doesn’t matter what Nicola Sturgeon / the SNP try to do for the betterment of Scotland as they, Britnat politicians and their media foghorns, are always at the ready to make a mountain out of a bl**dy molehill. Champing at the bit to find something, anything, to tear her to shreds with. That applies to sites like Mings over Scotland too.
You know I can understand that other politicians may not agree with SNP policies but when it gets to the point that they are just out to score political points at the expense of our children, in particular, they are heading towards the stank, imo. An absolute disgrace. The pits. SLab are just about ready to disappear right down the drain altogether now with the LibDems and the Tories following closely behind and yet they still don’t get it.
As to the English ”way” of dealing with this. Yes totally unfair. The usual Westminster botch-up but will the wee BritNat political creeps in Scotland, with their biased BritNat media buddies, have anything to say about that at all? We’ll all be waiting. Still waiting as they all sidle off keeping mum about English kids having their lives ruined (a price worth paying to put paid to Indyref2) … sidle off looking for the next thing to hit Nicola Sturgeon with. And yes, oh yes, they’ll find it as surely as night follows day.
And just to add if Patrick Harvie is involved in this latest stramash he and his party are finished in Scotland, imo. If that’s the case, under the ”list party” circumstances right now, is anyone else wondering if he’s suffering from masochistic personality disorder? Whatever the case it’s time for him and his party to buck up or if not just disappear into oblivion. Just wondering too why he is the leader of the Green Party when people like Andy Wightman comes across to me as having, let’s just say, genuine leadership potential.
Well said.
£9000 fees. The Westminster unionists ConDems cut £6Billion a year from Education from 2015 to 2020. The SNP Scottish Gov had to mitigate the cuts. Education is supported in Scotland. Higher educated teachers. Higher paid. 4 year degrees.
Education sector could be even more supported in Scotland without Westminster poor, bad decisions. The illegal Barnett Formula and Brexit. Supported by all unionist parties.
Austerity and Brexit supported by all unionists Parties at Westminster. The lies they tell about the education sector in Scotland. They should be ashamed.
WoS fake indy supporters are out in force tonight and concentrating their ire on SQA and SNP.Some are actually hoping Swinney loses a vote of confidence next week.They obviously want to get this done before the publication of the English results on Thursday.
Absolutely no chance of a call for a vote of no confidence in Swinney next week after the results and methods of the English Ofqual have been revealed. Much more likely will be a lot of red faces and much mumbling under their breath. Total chancers, every one of them.
The “Scottish” media too will now quietly drop this to save themselves any further embarrassment.
Who needs to read the BritNat newspapers now when you can just head off to WoS? The site that used to warn us about them and tear them to shreds. Not now. Not only using quotes from their articles but making dough (or loving having their big Johnny Come Lately BritNat ego massaged) from being in league with them in trying to destroy the independence movement altogether. Be rest assured it’ll all come out in the wash, folks. The BritNats will eventually sell …out.
40% of ‘A’ level predicted results to be downgraded in England. Unionist Parties in control.
Total hypocrites.
So Labour want to have a ‘No confidence’ vote on Mr Swinney. Hmm.
Would that be Labour who in 2006 presided over and Education system where, in 2006, pupils from the most advantaged areas were 4.5 times MORE likely to apply to go to Uni than pupils from the most disadvantaged areas?
Whereas by 2018 the SG, and Mr Swinney as Education Secretary, had managed to reduce the attainment gap to the point where pupils from the most advantaged areas were only 2.6 times more likely to apply to Uni compared to the most disadvantaged pupils. A narrowing that was solely due to the increase in applications from pupils in the most disadvantaged group. The gap has continued to narrow.
Labour’s record on Education was pretty bad. For example, the PISA scores in Maths and Reading between 2000 to 2006 fell nearly 30 points in each topic.
Maybe Labour should keep quiet on this subject.
Labour means tested student loans on household income. Students with straight ‘A’ s could not afford to go to uni. Without parental support. More students in Scotland stayed at home. Limited choices.
Just caught up in last couple days posts as I was away for a few days in the Lake District with a couple of friends one of whom is a secondary school teacher of almost 40 years standing in a school in deprived area of Glasgow. She is none to pleased with SQA as she had to do a heck of a lot of work to submit returns to SQA so her pupils could be graded re Highers etc. Things are not as simple as some people here seem to think. My friend feels devalued as a professional as it seems do quite a lot of other teachers, she feels also that her pupils are being treated unfairly why are they penalised more than schools in better area. This year substantial change took place in her school with new head teacher and more academic pupils but that has not been taken into account as SQA moderated grades based on past 3 years results.As someone who has studied statistics I understand why SQA did things they way they have but I also understand my friends point of view as she will have to deal with the fall out of very upset pupils who feel they are being penalised and their future is in tatters. One of my other friends daughters grade was downgraded so she is upset too. I should point out both these friends have been Snp voters in recent elections. There is no doubt that the media and political rivals are making political capital out of this. I have personal experience of the SQA re a course I did and was not impressed by them. They are an elitist and inefficient organisation I just hope the appeals system works well
The applications will be downgraded too. ie pupils will get into uni with lower grades. There are college places. Many people go to college and go on to uni. Into second year. There is lifelong learning. 25% of mature students.
Teachers are very hard working. Some can retire on full pensions. If Scotland was Independent. More could be spent on the education system. Instead of nuclear weaponry and other unionist nonsense. Taking £Billions out of Scotland.
The ConDems cut Education £6Billion a year from 2015 to 2020. Equates to a £1/2Billion cut a year to Scotland. Barnett Formula. Clegg had promised to support education. Reneged. £9000 fees elsewhere. Huge student debt. Loan companies making excess profits from student debt. Increasing not decreasing year on year. Tory associated student loan companies,
The Scottish Gov has to mitigate the cuts. Put more in from a limited budget. Limited by Westminster unionists. The Councils (unionist) try to cut Education funding. Cutting additional needs provision. Spending £Millions/Billions on empty,shops and offices. Non essential building projects and other nonsense instead of essential services. When they should be cutting class sizes and building better facilities. Not wasting taxpayers monies.
The average class size in Scotland is 13 but it is spread over different areas and regions. In fifth and six years the class sizes are small and there is more choice compared to other places. 5 Highers
fit into the curriculum. Instead of a limited (for choice) 3 ‘A’ levels.
In the South predictions are being down graded. 40% are being downgraded. Just the same, if not more. There is discussion some pupils will be able to take the exams at a later date. Or a year later. If they feel deprived.
Pupils can stay longer at school. Although leave to take up apprenticeships at 16. Or go to college to learn skills. In Scotland 98% go on to further study or training. Learn more skills. A highly educated population.
In a unforeseen pandemic there will be other complications or difficult choices. Not insurmountable difficulties. The SNP Scottish Gov does much to support the education sector. There is always mass hysteria every year at results times. Complaints all over. Every year. It goes with the territory.
The Scottish Gov are increasing funding in nursery provision. A vital service. Giving an addition £10 a week child benefit allowance to children in poorer households. The pandemic may have delayed these provisions for a time. Carers allowance has been increased. More children can concentrate on education.
Pupils who did not attend home schooling projects were being marked absent by educational authorities. A bit harsh in the circumstances. Poor internet facilities or other problems. Harassed working parents. Put more strain on the personnel and the outcomes. During a pandemic. Parents and teachers being hassled by education authorities. Dumb Councils. ‘D’ for dunces.
Personal care means the elderly and others can stay in their own homes for longer. Instead of £600 a week residential care. Or £600 a day hospital care. A better outcome.
Teachers do a really good job. It is much appreciated by many people. The educational sector is oversubscribed. It would be great to have more of them. If Scotland was Independent that could happen. Essential services being supported. Instead of Scotland being drained of £Billions. Syphoned off illegally on Westminster unionists poor bad decisions and misadventures. Total abuses. Worldwide.
Support for SNP/Independence rising. More further support for education and essential services. In the future. A better outcome. A better future.
Poor graduates and others trying to get a job in the pandemic circumstances. People getting paid off. Dire circumstances. Many facing unforeseen hardship. More problems arising. More people having to cope.
Next the Brexit shambles. The Tories total avoidable mess. The lying sycophants. They will get what is coming. Into oblivion. Especially in Scotland.
Laughable avoidable trips into the country. Unelected tax evaders. Honours? What a shower. They should hang their heads in shame. Liars always get found out. Trips undertaken. Tripping themselves up. Media hazards.
Most of them should call it quits, if they had any self awareness. Into oblivion. Another laughable car crash interview. Another unelected associate. If people did not laugh, they would cry. The Emperor has no clothes or substance. A gibbering fool. How much longer. Gie’s peace. It can’t come too soon.
As I understand the situation, teachers, schools, education boards and government managed against all the odds during a world wide pandemic to 1) increase the number of passes at higher grade, 2) reduce the attainment gap between haves and have not’s. That more kids will be offered college and university places this year than last year and it will be free but they want to sack the Education Secretary.
No idea how I managed to post the wrong link
Should have been
Just listened to the Makar on radio four. What a fascinating and inspirational person she is.
You’re lucky you were spared the usual garbage on GMS!
Yesterday I heard Lesley Riddoch being interviewed on the same radio four with some Brit propagandist. As per usual, I was incensed by the overtly abusive language of the Brit and I felt for Lesley having to try to be coherent and assertive under such pile of sh… It made me think how difficult it must be for Nicola facing this day after day after day.
I must have been feeling a bit sensitive because I was even more offended than usual by the classic abuser tropes being doled out by the Brit spokesperson. This led me to look on the net for a definition of COERCIVE CONTROL. This was what I found:
“Coercive control is a strategic pattern of behaviour designed to exploit, control, create dependency and dominate. ”
Next time anyone inside or outside of Scotland questions why the Scots voted against independence and are still struggling to break free – COERCIVE CONTROL .
Tragedy strikes in England as the sun shines and the temperature goes up and brings with it yet another disease that completely wipes out the short term memories of the people in that country, eliminating the memories of the deaths of 70.000 of their people from their minds
As shown in Aberdeen the lifting of a safety restriction can bring on the same illness
The strange thing when questioned about the effects of this illness the populations memories return instantly but the memory loss returns again almost immediately on them walking away, everyone is extremely apologetic about their memory loss but as we’ve seen with this new disease it strikes with suddeness robbing the person of all reasonable thought and care and only on the spot journalists questioning people as to their behaviour seems to have the power to return rational thought for several moments at any one time
It appears that animals are not affected by this new memory loss illness as they tend to always remember not to be where they can be killed by predators
If no permanent cure can be found for this new pandemic that occurs when the sun shines the human race is doomed and the animals and us scaredy oldies can have our planet back, at least for a while
It doesn’t have to be this way. The virus could be eliminated in the UK by Christmas IF all international travel was curtailed, with no exceptions – and a rigorous track & trace system implemented with full public co-operation. We will have to be quiet again and restrict personal contact until case numbers fall – as Scotland has already demonstrated, is possible.
Then, like New Zealand, we will have to quarantine all visitors to these islands in port of entry facilities to ensure we remain covid-free. The is no other way, as we are discovering.
We all face months of more distress and uncertainty because of incompetence, inexperience and stupidity from the Westminster cabal. I suggest they have even risked the capacity of the UK to protect and recover from the contagion – and until they are removed from inflicting further harm, there is the very real prospect of complete socio-economic collapse in England with no functioning government.
Consider the scenario and the dilemma for Scotland then. Do we help administer the affairs for our southerly neighbours? We may have to.
Every train to Blackpool South from Preston via St Annes today was packed today. As were the roads. But you can still book flights from Manchester to wherever you want to go – or drive up to Edinburgh for the day.
At least the roads will be quiet by the time this is done..
Just in case there are any lingering doubts about the meteoric rise to power( stop laughing) of the dross.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1081934212006008/permalink/1375456379320455/
Out of curiosity while I wait for the chips to golden (real chips) I popped on to WoS.
It’s been a while.
Jeez. It reminds me of passing Cathkin Park on the way to an international at hampden years after Third Lanark folded.
Underneath over grown weeds and shrubs, you could still make out the shape of the pitch, the crush barrriers, and the sense of needless decay and ruin.
That is WoS nowadays.
Something happened…
Chip butty with too much salt and dripping in vinegar. Mmmmmm
Sorry, where was I?
Get back on the saddle, Stu.
Your 40 days and nights in the desert are over.
So is that you on another health-kick Jack?….lol
Och, Tam, to quote one of my boyhood Mentors, St Augustine:-
“Lord, Grant me chastity and continence, but not yet.”.
They were satanically delicious.. spuds from Airdrie.
Is it just me or do some people on this blog not have too much time on their hands. They tend to overcomplicate matters and see everything as proof positive of a conspiracy.
Its just you Mbiyd.
Over the next few years? FGS, we’ll be well gone due to attitudes like his.
Kate Forbes MSP:- ”No sense on #GMS that Rishi Sunak gets Scotland’s urgent need for fiscal flexibilities. Its key to economic recovery, has cross-party and cross-society support – but he says he will consider over next few years. Far too late.” https://mobile.twitter.com/KateForbesMSP/status/1291639285356072960
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Maybe I missed something on the link? Does anyone know when this will happen and the route that they will take.
”The Digital Scottish Covenant coming to #everytowneverycity.” https://mobile.twitter.com/bridgesforindy/status/1291032300126445568
‘POLITICO London Playbook: Rishi’s turn in Scotland — Inside Whitehall — MPs on hols.’
”The Four Tops: The trip marks Sunak’s first visit to Scotland since becoming chancellor but the fourth by a Cabinet minister in little more than two weeks. Boris Johnson dropped into Orkney on July 23; Chief Secretary to the Treasury Steve Barclay was in Edinburgh the following day; and Business Secretary Alok Sharma went to Livingston on Wednesday. It all follows Johnson’s recent Cabinet edict for top ministers to head up more often ahead of Holyrood elections next year, amid rising support for independence and increasing dissatisfaction with Westminster’s handling of the coronavirus crisis.”
..”As you expected: The SNP is having none of it of course, and is demanding extra financial powers while blasting Sunak for winding down the furlough scheme. “Without these powers Scotland will be left with one hand tied behind its back — unable to stem the tide of job losses or prevent good businesses going under,” said SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford. “Other countries are taking action for an investment-led recovery but yet again Scotland is being held back by Westminster.”..
http://www.politico.eu/newsletter/london-playbook/politico-london-playbook-rishis-turn-in-scotland-inside-whitehall-mps-on-hols/
And, eh, Aberdeenshire MP Andrew Bowie has been on a tour of southern England …. Coronavirus land.
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”The Tories have made more in profit from selling PPE that can’t be used than
@rishisunak has given to the Scottish Government to spend on protecting the economy in Scotland.” https://mobile.twitter.com/williemillersm1/status/1291629096682819584
‘Attack on Democracy: The Scotsman today in full propaganda mode.’
………………………………..
“Thousands of estimated A-level and GCSE grades in Wales will be lowered to account for teachers being “generous” and inconsistency across schools and colleges, the exams watchdog has said.” https://mobile.twitter.com/msm_monitor/status/1291749802527645700
I’d posted this on John’s link Petra but worth repeating here.
Note the complete contrast with ABC et al with their hype and contrived outrage, BBC Wales doing good old fashioned journalism, but with a nod to the furore in Scotland (absent mention it is media generated).
Agree that Robin McAlpine seems to have lost the plot if he ever had it in the first place. For someone who supposedly supported Indy at least at some point he comes across as an anarchist who clearly hates Nicola Sturgeon and I have to ask with his remarks and those of the blogger who shall not be named how much of their hatred is based on misogyny because there is a definite whiff of it sometimes. Robin’s comments re Scottish media not taking Snp to task are ludicrous. I know members of two different Snp branches and both have commented that some of those involved in hierarchy of their branches are morons so whilst the Snp leadership are not perfect at all clearly there are problems in some branches too
I believe his attitude, like many on the radical left, is fuelled by bitter resentment that their own pitch to the Scottish public is a complete non-starter. He used to be the arch-disciple of delay (presumably in the hope that his little band of Nirvana believers would over time supplant the SNP), then there was that unseemly backsliding flirtation (take a bow, Cat Boyd) with Corby, but the recent rise (pun intended) in popular support for the SNP due to the crisis seems to have really stoked the fires of jealousy. So now it’s a complete U-turn, having latched on to the instant-indy grumblewagon. You might wonder what good will come from assisting the ongoing BritNat divide-and-conquer campaign.
It’s a hard life these days for a revolutionary whose cause isn’t really what the actual revolution is about.
Well worth a read.
‘The Brexit Blog.’
..”We have also seen updates on the objections of Kent residents to the new Brexit lorry parks plus the news that Operation Brock is to be revived for the end of the transition (as for Holyhead, goodness knows how its problems will be dealt with), new warnings of food shortages in Northern Ireland because of the Irish Sea border, new warnings of an ‘environmental governance gap’ at the end of the transition, the revival of government plans for stockpiling medicines in preparation for possible disruptions, a new CBI survey showing business concern about, and lack of preparedness for, the end of the transition period, and the latest culture war volley in the elevation of prominent Brexiters to the House of Lords (forgotten, now, is the Brexiters’ insistence that it is crucial that our laws be made by those the people can vote out of office). As with the list of some of last week’s developments in last week’s post, the sheer diversity of complex problems is striking.
As for the latest good news about Brexit, that’s easily dealt with: there is none.”..
https://chrisgreybrexitblog.blogspot.com/2020/08/the-brexit-screw-tightens.html
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Loadsa dough to be found when it comes up their humph …. but not for Scotland!
‘Boris Johnson’s UK government is building a £200 million system to handle customs declarations for Northern Irish businesses after Brexit.’
http://www.businessinsider.com/brexit-boris-johnson-government-to-handle-import-checks-for-northern-ireland-businesses-2020-8?amp&r=US&IR=T&r=US&IR=T&__twitter_impression=true
Check out Ann’s latest links on the Indyref2 site.
https://indyref2.space/forum/topic/links-saturday-8-august-2020/
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Including the latest from Janey Godley.
”Janey Godley. “Ok Scottish football fans enjoy your Subbueto, coz am busting all the balls.” https://mobile.twitter.com/JaneyGodley/status/1291721741430075393
Not every leader is lucky enough to have a brilliant alter ego.
Maybe it isn’t luck. Maybe it’s mutual respect.
It is Arthur, there’s a video knocking aound somewhere of Nicola Sturgeon and Janey Godley at a SNP do where the FM does a wee bit of Janey doing herself
‘Weans’ World 2: SNP/SQA methodology same as in Con England and Lab Wales.’
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‘FBI could quiz David Mundell over Donald Trump’s lobbying for Open.’
http://archive.is/V16Ze
https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/08/07/fixing-the-covid-numbers/
This is what england are doing too, hiding the stats , the figures , from the public , mixing them up with the figures for wales NI and Scotland to make it look as if it’s not a bigger problem in England.
A lot in England will believe it just like they believe england supports wales NI and Scotland they also think wales NI and Scotland are backward compared to England and will be happily taken in with the belief that wales NI and Scotland will be making England’s figures look worse than they are.
Here above is what is going on in USA and you can bet your life on it that U.K. govt have exactly the same game plan.
Can you just picture fluffy being interviewed by the FBI? Lolz.
I wonder what the Yankee equivalent is to ” I smell sh….. “?
Arthur,
They may have to place Mundo on a witness protection programme and hide him away in a safe house until he can testify.
I’ve seen all the movies where witnesses are bumped off before they can ‘rat’ on the Boss. Remeber the opening of ‘Bullitt’?
So the Feds need to find the most secure remote out of the way safe place where there is no chance of Fuzzy being discovered even by accident.
Somewhere where no soul ventures, not even the cleaner these days.
May I suggest Ruth Davidson’s constituency office?
On the @john Swinney Resign’ summer tosh.
I note that Macwhirter and McKenna have returned to the Red Tory Fold now that Blair Mark II Starmer has ascended the throne.
Champagne socialism is back.
Tired Old Hacks churning out nonsense click bait. Brit Nattery churnalism as its most banal and predictable.
I sure hope I never get that hungry.
It can’t be long now until the Herald and Scotsman run out of Dark Money and BBC TV ‘Interns’.
Dr Jim, I only know what’s going on in the Herald, Scotsman etc. from the Net but I have zero doubt that they are kept afloat by Westminster money and their output has been under direct government control for years. Little wonder that they are so comically inept. I expect them to deteriorate even further now that Cumings and co. are busy purging all aspects of the tried and tested Brit system, including their propaganda machine. Cumings has shown that dishonesty no longer needs to be shrouded in subtlety. The hacks will be expected to follow his lead or be replaced. The last vestiges of the British empire are unravelling. It is going to become increasingly incoherent – a deliberate ploy on Cumings’
part that I think serves our interests. The more unprincipled the Brits become, the more Nicola Sturgeon’s mature approach is going to appeal during the chaotic period we are rapidly moving into.
Enter Starmer, the new Labour godfather. Like flies to a pile of sh…, fake Indy supporters are going to drop little blobs of crap into this site and others telling all, who are daft enough to believe it, that Starmer isn’t too bad after all. His unionism will be a better type of unionism and just like the last godfather he secretly isn’t a unionist at all. He’s just another kindly soul who can’t help but oppose independence in public because ….. But the fake Indy supporters who promote him will, of course, have inside knowledge of his real motives.
Watch out for those little blobs of crap and who drops them.
I see the Sunday Herald wants John Swinney to resign over the exam results. Well it was actually a london based journalist who has suggested that.
It got me thinking why not the head of the SQA? Where is she hiding?
Why not the teacher who falsely promised and promoted a pupil that a few several highers in music and suchlike means they can become a medical doctor. The raising of false expectations is just as wrong. Are all teachers “angels” EIS?
Since we know there is unfairness in education ( it has not just occurred this year) should we continue to support private education by giving charitable status to millionaires?
It is clear that the recalculation of some grades may be necessary. Should pupils who got A’s be downgrade to B’s? Difficult. Step up SQA Chief Executive.
Surely the benchmark for Mr Swinney Resigning or not is whether or not Englands Secretary of State for Education Gavin Williamson, MP also resigns or is fired.
It appears that Englands school pupils will not be able to appeal their results should they find them unfair or wrong. Surely by any benchmark natural justice must take place.
There are other examples where Scotland’s fallible system will still out perform the English and the Welsh system.
What will the news media do? Report with the same ferocity clamouring for resignations etc or will they self neuter and deny the simple fact the with all its faults the system in Scotland is still fairer and like every exam year some pupils will be unhappy. For them it is not the end, there are other options still to fulfil their dreams or to rethink what they would like to do.
The tories, labour, Lib Dem’s and maybe even the Greens? greatest crime is to suggest to young adults that they have no hope and there are no further options for their future.
This is just a lie and they know it.
”It got me thinking why not the head of the SQA? Where is she hiding?”
I read somewhere Hamish that she will be questioned by a Holyrood Committee on Wednesday.
……
Meanwhile it would seem that LBJ is heading back to Scotland again for a two week holiday, with partner and wean, in the midst of this crisis. Dragging his large, potentially coronavirus smitten, ”entourage” with him no doubt.
http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/pm-to-head-to-scotland-for-family-staycation/ar-BB17K9tu?ocid=msedgdhp
“promoted a pupil that a few several highers in music and suchlike means they can become a medical doctor”.
Exam results good enough to enter medical school (or any other degree course, particularly STEM subjects) are no guarantee that the student will qualify. There’s always a certain percentage of people who just can’t hack the course and usually switch to something easier in year 1 or 2.
I would just have let the students through according to their results before lockdown, confident they will find their own level at University or the Uni courses and exams will find it for them.
And just to scunner you all further, on a lovely Sunday morning, Lizzie, Phil and their ”HMS Bubble” entourage are now at Balmoral awaiting their relatives to arrive. No masks required. No one leaving and re-entering the Castle? LBJ and Lizzie of course encouraging others to travel North.
‘Why Queen Elizabeth II is not required to wear face mask during summer break at Balmoral.’
..”These limited staff will only be in close contact with Queen Elizabeth II, 94, and Prince Philip, 99. Hence neither the staff nor the couple will have to wear face masks. This social bubble comprises master of the household Vice-Admiral Tony Johnstone-Burt, the queen’s private secretary Sir Edward Young and Paul Whybrew and William Henderson, her pages.”
”Members of her family will not be allowed to stay in the main house, all of them will stay in separate houses on the estate. Local staff have had to isolate for two weeks before her visit to ensure everything is safe for her and the duke.”..
http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/why-queen-elizabeth-ii-is-not-required-to-wear-face-mask-during-summer-break-at-balmoral/ar-BB17Kwuo?ocid=msedgntp
Hamish I wholeheartedly agree that calling for a vote of no confidence in John Swinney is ridiculous but I too think SQA chief may have questions to answer. I don’t think it is fair to have a go at teachers though who did a lot of hard work to submit the neccessary returns/grades to SQA. I have friends who are teachers and don’t think any teacher would promise any pupil a music higher would help them study medicine particularly it is mostly science subjects you need to study that. Part of the problem re grades as that prelims are not standard exams they are created by departments in each school so not exactly the same standard across Scotland. I would agree that not all teachers are angels and the two subjects I failed at school were partially because I had crap teachers in those subjects. EIS are Labour supporting so their leaders spin anything to suit Labour so mostly are anti Snp and that shows in their media comments
I’ve been comparing a number of results, between pupils attending the same school, and have come to the conclusion that teachers did mark up some pupils (probably?) depending on their opinion of a particular pupil. If that’s the case we may see that happen right across the UK, that is marking them down again.
Eilidh,
Thanks for your comments. Re the school teacher hinting that a youngster could pursue a medical career the individual pupil was on the television. Music was just one of the subjects. No mention of Biology, chemistry or physics.
To think teachers will all mark papers accurately is a non starter. Even the best are fallible but some of the worst will hide behind this covid results issue.
Hamish 100 and Eilidh,
I worked at the Vet School in the mid-1970s and I remember the consternation and endless discussions among the professors when they were faced with Higher Music among their clutch of A grade Highers. Vet medicine is every bit as hard as Medicine to get into. I think they were looking for Higher History or Geography to make up the 5th Higher required for entry or a Language. I think the applicant was successful but it certainly caused quite a debate before a decision was reached.
As to the SQA. I would respectfully suggest that all teachers read the report issued by the SQA detailing their methodology etc before passing judgement. Partial, in every sense of that word, reporting is not a basis for good decision making
If John Swinney has to do a U-Turn on giving Pupils the Grades their teachers forecast there are going to be a lot of furious teachers out there, every year teachers have to provide predicted grades and every year many have over predicted, for those that don’t generally over predict the results have stood this year. One teacher friend has a colleague that regularly over predicts by 2 grades for students and has done so again this year – if these do get reversed my friend will have lower grades than her colleague – where is the fairness in that?
This is just a political stunt by the opposition whom should know better!
Absolutely…
Furthermore please feel free to refer them to Alisdair Macdonald’s excellent synopsis of it here https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2020/08/08/the-sqa-has-done-its-job-as-fairly-as-it-could/
This is a poliical/media contrived “scandal” with which incontinent pigeons and homicidal showerheads are uncomfortably familiar.
The average range of appeals is 10-12,000, variance of THAT should be our measure of how badly SQA or anyone else got it wrong in these extraordinary circumstances.
I don’t think it’s fair to have a go at anyone
This pandemic has caused mayhem
Teachers , pupils , SQA , Scottish govt have all done a fantastic job even getting results issued .
It’s not been possible to have exams so an estimate has been made of what might have been achieved
Heaven forbid some estimates may not be correct
WTF are people on about resignations for ?
Shall we start punishment for people catching covid19 too ? including doctors nurses etc etc okay you gave it your best but you caught it so you’ve failed ?
Now you must resign ?
Get a grip for gods sake , nobody should be resigning nobody blamed , if pupils have a good case for a better result they can appeal and get it corrected that is sufficient .
Are we to chase down those who benefitted from better results than expected and punish them for not rejecting those better results and should we seek resignations from teachers and SQV for that !
It’s a disease that we must put a stop to people here should know better than to go along with these britnat calls for resignation, they only need one resignation could be the cleaner on duty when results were issued and that would be enough for the britnat media to scream
“ SNP FAIL “
Fight back , reject calls for resignations
If anyone should resign or be sacked it’s the sicko thicko britnat journalists churning out this crap
Scottish government Mr Swinney and SQA have done a magnificent job
Magnificent
Terence, not a word I have ever thought I would use about any of your posts but here goes – magnificent.
Spot on Terence
Eilidh – what happens if the vote of “No Confidence” in John Swinney is carried?
Must he resign? Is someone else then appointed? Is the government at any risk of falling?
I dont think it will be carried asSnp won’t vote for it and if Greens did it would electoral suicide for them as I and many others would never give them our second vote at next years elections.
If it did pass it would be up to John Swinney whether he resigns there is no chance the government will fall because of this
Thanks for your reply Eilidh. Your last sentence was particularly reassuring
Oh I see that the Tories, whom many people say will refuse to let Scotland go, are terrified that it’s going to break away anyway. One may ask, once again, what exactly are they terrified about if they have the power to prevent this from happening?
‘The future of the UK is at ‘greater risk now than at any point in my lifetime,’ says David Lidington, former de facto deputy prime minister.’
http://www.businessinsider.com/former-government-minister-david-lidington-risk-of-scottish-independence-greatest-in-my-lifetime-2020-8?amp&r=US&IR=T&r=US&IR=T&__twitter_impression=true
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And I see now that LBJ is actually on paternity leave. That’s the paternity leave principle that he disagrees with. Heading to Scotland as Rome (England) burns. https://mobile.twitter.com/NoirMJ/status/1292216765246832641
‘The weal that will not heal? Plot-losing, conspiracy-hugging paranoia from Robin McAlpine.’
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Check out Ann’s links on the Indyref2 site.
A wee message from Nicola.
”A sensible message. Pals across the party, please listen to this and take heed of what Nicola is saying.” https://twitter.com/erikgeddes/status/1291997282783694849
BTL comment:- ”She’s right. Internecine bickering will be the fastest way to lose the independence campaign.
Ask yourselves who gains most from infighting? The Unionists. Ask yourselves who stoked the fire if division? Who rules through divide? The Unionists.
They are playing a clever game.”
Another one.
‘Nicola Sturgeon: Indyref2 commitment in SNP 2021 manifesto.’
”Nicola Sturgeon has said independence supporters can be “safely assured” of an explicit commitment to indyref2 in the SNP manifesto for next year’s Holyrood election.”
“The NEC I think wanted to guard against the possibility of lots of Westminster MPs (Like Joanna Cherry) deciding to stand and then create a whole slew of by-elections.”..
http://www.thenational.scot/news/18638401.nicola-sturgeon-indyref2-commitment-snp-2021-manifesto/
“You are joking – another one.”
A lady from England said these words previously about General Elections but they apply just as well to a mandate for a referendum on Scottish independence.
Time to be serious and put a mandate for independence in the manifesto .
Not so long ago many of these people complained about the FM not being visible enough and being unsupported by the media, now those same people complain the FMs too visible and the media are supporting her
They used to complain that it was the opposition who banged on about Independence more than the FM now they complain the FM doesn’t mention it enough
They used to complain the FM didn’t get an equal share of TV time, now they complain she’s on TV too much
The FM isn’t prominant enough as leader of the country they complained, now they accuse her of being presidential
These folk just can’t get their porridge at the right temperature can they and no matter what flavour the FM makes the porridge it’s going to be wrong, it’s too salty, there’s not enough salt, I like sugar and milk in mine, honey, what about honey, forget about the three bears, what we’ve got in Scotland at the moment is a half dozen brats stamping their feet outside McDonalds greetin over Mammy not ordering the right kind of Burgers to suit their individual diddy wee taste buds
Why aren’t they doing toys anymore, damn that First Minister Mammy I waant a Boris Johnson Daddy
If they keep this garbage up that’s what they’ll get, and they’ll blame FM Goldilocks for that too
Bloody weans
At LONG last! Please keep it up.
Rev. Stuart Campbell says, ”Well, that’ll teach ME to write something having a go at the Unionists rather than the SNP for a change. FFS, can’t win. I’m so tired.”
https://wingsoverscotland.com/englands-prisoners/#comments
Aye because it’s all about him
I guess there isn’t a blog without an ego behind it. It kinda goes with the territory, no?
The main thing is to harness it all to positive effect. And every step in that direction should be applauded. Otherwise what’s the point?
Right now, the more we are all pointing in the same direction the better. (We can return to bickering after we’ve won!)
Dr Jim, I responded to your comment of 9.04, in case you missed it. In particular I think the issue of Starmer is going live soon and that we can all benefit from being aware, so that we can avoid being unnecessarily suckered by Indy fakes.
I hope for the day when we no longer need the cause for Independence because we have the result of it, there are some who enjoy the cause for the sake of it but don’t always desire the result
I’ve found These activists, bloggers and interested parties to have differing purposes and those purposes are what destroyed the attempts by Corbyn in England in his bid to become Prime Minister (apart from his own ineptness that is) but in a time when the people of England had the choice between Theresa May and her horror show and Corbyn who on the face of it couldn’t have been any worse then her if he’d tried, they chose the horror show, and I believe they chose that because the so called supporters and activists of his *cause* were more interested in their own cause than the one Corbyn had in mind
Don’t get me wrong about Corbyn, I’m not and never have been any kind of fan of that stuff, and it’s English politics anyway so my interest was only as an observer, but half of what he was offering was nicked from the SNP and if it hadn’t been for Brexit I think England in normal times would’ve bought what he was selling, so why didn’t they, and I come back to the same point, he was destroyed from the inside out and it gave the media all they wanted to finish the poor old guy off
Those same type of people are at work here in our country whether being paid by Westminster or not, or just plain old interested in the idea of disrupting where they can like it’s some kind of entertainment for them
The day we can discuss the future of our country instead of how to get to the future will be a great day, there are just too many people pretending to know more than they do about how politics works and too many people eager to buy what some folk are selling, and it makes you think, have they forgotten the bilge that newspapers write, have they forgotten the legions of absolute lies they’ve told on behalf of something they support while pretending to be neutral
People must become more aware of who what and why they trust the things they do, the Internet’s a great thing but it’s just as bad as it is good, and as you rightly say Arthur, beware
👍 Both
Agreed!
Hey c’mon WGD time to come back. I can only read Bobs thumbs up so often.
👍🤣
Agreed!
Self government for Scotland isn’t a grey issue. Belief that Scotland is a country shouldn’t be up for debate. That people have the right to expect their governments owe them a duty of care and that they have a place in the world they can call home. There is no halfway house. It’s about freedom of choice or no choice. Independence or dependence. You either believe in the concept of popular sovereignty, a government by the people and for the people … or you don’t.
You don’t get to hide behind the word *union*. You don’t get to pretend you’re being canny or clever by voting for better togetherness (we quite demonstrably aren’t). As though that’s ever been some get out of jail free card for not accepting responsibility for the world you live in. 🙄
Scotland is a country. One that has seen its population badly abused over a great many years. If humanity and empathy means anything to you. If you believe in the concept of right and wrong? Then you already know why you should be supportive of the YES movement. Governments may come and go, (same for politics in general really), but a home where folk actually give a damn about you is more rare, more precious than … well… anything.
Macart, best post BTL on here for a while. Well said.
Now you’re talkin’, Sam.
Imagine storing all that explosive material in the heart of a major city Beirut. Criminal behaviour I thought.
Then I thought the UK stores all its nuclear weapons not that far from Glasgow. More criminal behaviour.
BREAKING NEWS
Jack Collatin goes rogue and posts on WOS. Shock horror jings ma crivens.
Good post Jack but will you be court martialled for this treasonous behaviour by the court of WGD.
Gotcha!!!
I know. I was to mix the sand and cement and lay a few slabs this morning, but I gather that the heavens are to open up to night, so I am a loose (ish) end for an hour or so.
Think of the parable of the lost sheep, Cubby.
“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?
And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbours, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’
Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
Or The Widow’s Mite
“Or what woman, having ten silver coins, a if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it?
And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbours, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’
Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”ere will be more joy in heaven..’
Stu has been a bit of a lost sheep for a wee while, ‘s’all.
His heart is in the right place.
Dorothy Devine was spot on, and I felt moved to comment.
Larry Flannagan is a joke. 54% of EIS members may support Self Determination (the teachers I know are Yes supporters) but Flannagan is a Marxists on footballer’s wages….He knows what side his bread is buttered. Destroy Scotland at any cost, including our children’s health, education and futures.
Too harsh? Not a bit of it.
All the ‘leaders’ of the Union Branches Up Here are Brit Nat placements, elected on the ‘Wet Thursday Night November Branch Meetings’ principle.
It is time GMB members challenged their Union, and that Dick Leonard’s free ride.
I have hopes that WoS is about to return to what it did really well; make the case for Independence.
The SNP is ephemeral, if you truly wish Scotland to return to Self Determination, governed by a Government of the Scottish people, elected by the people, accountable to the people, and serving, not ruling the people.
Like the saints who staff our food banks, it is surely the aim of any SNP politician to campaign for the day when their job is done.
This has been the Rev I M Jolly; signing off.
🤣
The BBC reports this morning that Scotlands economy is fast approaching stabilisation already
How did that happen so quickly? Wow! a couple of months ago they were predicting doom for years
Indeed, Dr Jim.
Scotland is a vastly rich resourceful country of 5.6 million citizens ina land mass the size of England’s with near 60 million souls sitting on top of each other. We have 62% of the coastline of this ‘sceptr’d isle’, and all that entails.
We are loaded!
England has to import food.
We export our excess.
Yet little vermin like Rennie and Davidson still lie about the country of their birth.
Indyref2 is going to be very nasty indeed, or I’m a Dutchman.
Has Leonard resigned yet?
Think of all that paperwork piling up at his desk in Castle GMB.
‘Is Douglas Ross any more than Ruth Davidson’s sock puppet?’
..”The Ruth Davidson for a Strong Opposition Party – briefly rebranded as the Ruth Davidson for First Minister Party – now seems to have transformed into the Ruth Davidson for Douglas Ross for a Strong Opposition Party. Or the Douglas Ross for Ruth Davidson for a Strong Opposition Party. Is the magic plan that Lady Davidson of Christ-Knows-Where for Christ-Knows-What will pretend she’s leading the Scottish Tory Party into May, hoping that the voting punters don’t notice that she’s actually abandoning her Edinburgh Central seat just as they cast their votes? How can you run on a joint ticket with someone who is giving up the ghost and graduating into an ermine overcoat when the voters go the polls?”..
………………………………
Another wee Westminster rip off.
‘Scotland ‘loses out on £1.8 billion in Tory Government rip off.’
..“Funding across the UK is supposed to be determined by the Barnett formula – the Tories can’t dish out large chunks of cash to Northern Ireland while snubbing Scotland.”..
http://www.thenational.scot/news/18639285.scotland-loses-1-8-billion-tory-government-rip-off/