Back in the distant days of early 2016, there was no real prospect of another independence referendum any time soon. Indeed there was no prospect of one any time within the next decade. I remember doing a talk for a local SNP branch in early 2016 and was asked when I thought that we’d once again be on the march for independence. Realistically, we were then looking at another ten years before it even became a serious option. It was entirely possible that there would be no second referendum before 2030.
But that was then and this is now. Over the weekend DRoss used his conference speech to the Conservative party to castigate his fellow members south of the border for not caring enough about keeping the UK together. The speech prompted BBC presenter Andrew Marr, no friend of the independence cause, to ask part time Prime Minister Boris Johnson if he took any responsibility for the rise in support for independence and the fact that it is now widely believed that the UK is in a terminal decline and that Scottish independence is on the horizon.
Naturally Johnson denied that any of this was his fault. What else would anyone expect of a man who has spent his entire life shirking responsibility. Johnson can’t even take responsbility for the number of children that he’s sired. Instead we got more of his usual vacuous waffle about how much the UK does for Scotland, how ‘awesome’ it is, and the inevitable spurious pleading that a generation hadn’t passed. He also made a statement which was unintentionally revealing. This is a man who has spent his entire political career pandering to a brand of right wing specifically English nationalism, and he remarked to Marr that the union was “one of the great achievements of this country”. Which merely begs the question, which country was he referring to? In the eyes of a politician like Johnson, whose actions in office have proven that he cannot distinguish between British and English nationalism, the remark seems to mean that on a deeper level – one which is possibly not even that deep – he views the political subjugation of Scotland as one of England’s greatest achievements.
The speech that Douglas Ross made was revealing in its own way too. In the eyes of the leading shill for British nationalism in Scotland, the precious union is at risk because his own party is unaware that it’s a union at all. However he had no real suggestions about how the Conservatives should respond to the crisis that he identifies, other than to redouble their efforts to subjugate Scotland even further as though this would make the ‘problem’ of Scottish independence go away. The solution which the Scottish Conservatives seek is that of an abusive spouse who believes that he can force his partner to love him through threats and intimidation.
However what really upset Douglas was the growing belief within his own party that the end of the UK is approaching. After spending decades telling Scotland that it’s too poor and to dependent upon a fiscal transfer from England, British nationalists in Scotland are now finding to their horror that their message has been internalised by the wrong people. Conservatives in England are coming to the view that if England gets rid of Scotland they’ll financially benefit, and they’ll no longer have a significant part of the UK which loudly and obstinately voices its opposition to the vainglorious Brexit project.
The truth that opponents of independence are still in denial about is that the rise in support for independence, the fact that the topic of another referendum is very much on the table, is very much their responsibility. This was not inevitable. If opponents of independence had been more circumspect, had listened more, and above all had not taken the victory in 2014 as a signal that they could ignore the desire in Scotland for self-determination, Scotland could indeed still have been decades away from taking the prospect of independence seriously.
Instead the Conservatives and Labour took 2014 not as a warning from the people of Scotland, not as a shot across the bows of a British state which was taking Scotland for granted, but as a vindication. They paid – at best – lip service to fulfilling the promises and commitments that they made in order to win the referendum, while at the same time hypocritically castigating those of us who continue to support independence for ‘not respecting the result of the referendum’.
Even Brexit did not have to be a boost to independence. But instead of acknowledging that Scotland had voted to remain in the EU by a considerably larger margin than it had voted against independence, we got Conservative politicians telling us that Brexit was a UK wide vote and Scotland simply had to suck it up. They compounded this error by not allowing the Scottish Government or wider Scottish society any input into the form that Brexit was to take. The result is a Brexit that was made in England by the right wing extreme of the Conservative party, which is being foisted upon a reluctant and unwilling Scotland. That’s bad enough, but then the Conservatives decided to use Brexit as the opportunity to undermine the devolution settlement and to centralise power in the UK even more. If you wanted a political exercise in how to piss Scotland off, you couldn’t have done better.
All this was compounded by the British Government’s woeful mishandling of the covid-19 pandemic. Now we have British nationalist politicians who have done their utmost to ensure that Scotland doesn’t have the full powers of an independent nation insist that they are fed up with independence supporters comparing Scotland’s performance to England’s. Yet comparing Scotland to England is the only valid comparison to be made as long as Scotland remains a part of the British state.
There is now an increasing body of opinion in Scotland which seeks independence not for reasons of nationalism, but simply because we’re fed up with the lies and deceit of the British state in general and the Conservatives in particular. If we must be governed by incompetent self-serving fools, we should at least ensure that those are fools that people in Scotland have the power to vote out of office. Scottish independence is not driven by the usual claims of nationalism, the aggrandisement, the harping back to lost days of glory, the vanity, the delusions of grandeur, the imperial arrogance – those are all to be found in abundance amongst British nationalists. Scotland’s independence supporters are driven by the simple desire to live in a normal country with a government that is answerable to the people of this country. That is entirely the fault of the British parties, and the Conservatives in particular. The only reason that independence is back on the table is down to their lies, their incompetence, and their deceit.
The purpose of this blog is to make a positive case for independence, to attack the pretensions of British nationalism, and to formulate arguments which will help to persuade no voters, undecideds, and soft yes voters to support independence. It’s also to boost the morale of those of us who are already involved in this campaign. I do not provide this platform to allow people to attack others in the movement with whom they disagree. Other people might choose to use their platforms to do so, I don’t.
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Wee Ginger Dug 
the fact that the topic of another referendum is very much on the table, is very much their responsibility. This was not inevitable.
no, it wasn’t inevitable, at every step of the way, westminster has put its foot in it. I suspect that the success of the snp has robbed the unionist parties down in westminster of any real scottish talent within their respective parties. Scots unionist voices are relegated to the cheap seats in westminster. This has left a void in all of the unionists parties down south which has been filled by a different more pro english rhetoric, that of the scots being subsidy junkies.
of course, there are sensible unionist voices in WM, but no one is listening to them anymore. whether bojo and co actually believe the subsidy junky myth is unsure, but the rank and file in wm certainly do and so does a large slice the english electorate. This will lead bojo into a paradox, if scotland wants to leave and they cost us, the english, money, why stop them? why refuse indyref?
i think the numbers in the government cabinet who believe the subsidy myth is large and growing, it isnt impossible that when the push comes to the shove and we win big in 2021 HE, the reply may well be, “be gone”
Never going to happen .
England doesn’t let its occupied territories go because they make money from them.
England will keep control of Scotland until we break free.
The next thing we will get from those in England’s Westminster that you refer to is that Scotland cannot leave until they have paid their debts….GERS
They are sneaky lying unreliable n the extreme
The trouble with this attitude is that it gets us absolutely nowhere. It offers no hope of any route forward, conceding all advantage to London. A self-fulfilling prophecy of doom.
Beside which, I don’t believe it’s correct. The evidence is slowly accumulating that people in England, to whom we have always been “semi-attached”, are increasingly expecting us to be gone. It’s all very well for a small self-regarding Establishment elite to fear a loss of face at our departure, but with a majority in England accepting it as well as a majority in Scotland actively willing it, there’s nothing they can actually do to prevent it. That’s simply due to the weight of numbers. And politically-speaking in England, there’s no downside whatever for them anyway. They can wave us gone with a brief flourish of sour grapes. (Then try to screw as much advantage from us in the ensuing negotiations as they can manage. There’s probably someone in the murky depths of Whitehall working on that game plan already.)
Absolutely right. I don’t think we’re far away from a critical mass of people expecting it to happen, who will then, in the next step, start to ask why it isn’t happening.
No there will be no release voluntarily we will have to break away and there will be bad feeling
That is reality
TC @ 4.14 pm
England doesn’t pay its own debts. Scotland won’t be paying down England’s debts.
Of course I agree
But you didn’t read what I said
What I said is that England’s Westminster will say that we have to pay our debts before we can leave…GERS….you know …the never ending mysteriously calculated heap of fiction created by Westminster
Scotland doesn’t have any debt
When we declare independence we will do so with a clean sheet
But the problem thereafter will be getting what belongs to us
Maybe , but the history of the empire disagrees with your analysis.
Of the former colonies, only USA and ROI had armed insurrection to break free. And only India engaged in mass disobedience.
In fact the majority gained independence more easily than you portray.
And as was mentioned in the article, there is a growing call in England to cut Scotland loose and save money.
When it boils down to English Unionist parties, they will listen to whatever views gives them a majority.
And the benefits of Brexit more than outweigh any losses for the rich doners and rich influention MPs like Rees Mogg, within the Tory Party.
“cut Scotland loose and save money.”
We need to be promoting that slogan in England!
Kenyans and the Boers (South African War) also suffered dreadfully in their struggle for freedom from the British Empire
You’re mistaken about the Boers, Ben. They suffered when Imperial (and imperialist) Britain attacked them in the two so-called Boer Wars, and forcibly annexed their territories. (Which itself has a certain irony, given that this is Africa after all.)
In point of fact, when Britain in effect walked away for good in 1948, it left the entire show to their descendents, not just the original Boer territories. So if anything, a strong counterexample! (sorry)
was thinking of the concentration camps the Boers were herded into and the hardship inflicted on the women and children.
Who gained independence from Britain easily ?
Tommy …
Well, almost everyone, actually. Especially the ones most like us (Canada, Australia, NZ, etc.).
The only notable exception to that of course were the American Colonies back in 1776, but that was an entirely different age.
So you’re on a sticky wicket here. The main obstacle to our independence has not been from down south, but from our own heretofore longstanding reluctance. I would have thought that obvious.
the last time the union broke up, 100y ago, it was the country MOST like the UK, and took war for years. So, nah.
I said in reply to another post that at times the feeble attempts to big up the union seem a bit of a tick box exercise rather than a heartfelt desire to keep hold of Scotland and its assets. I think perhaps that more and more of the “wrong” people as Paul said are believing that England would prosper if it jettisoned Scotland. Which is obviously fine by us! So many in Parliament are hard of thinking and if they believe all the levers set up to denigrate Scotland then I forsee a change there, too. In the near future, with a majority of people in England wanting Scotland gone, and parliamentarians who’ve read GERS etc and believe the UK’s deficit is mainly down to Scotland (and Wales and NI!), then who wouldn’t want to break it all up?
Keep at it, UK Gov.! You’re doing a great job!
Excellent analysis Paul! Now if we could all just stop tearing ourselves apart and work towards Independence, what a force we could be!
I do understand why many people are upset with the SNP at the moment; however, it is the only vehicle we have and the closest we have ever been to Independence. I was really upset when we lost in 2014, as like you, I believed the chance had gone. The fact that we are where we are 6 years later is completely down to UK hubris. We just can’t lose it again. If we do it will be because we have, in true Scottish fashion, snatched defeat instead of victory.
On a separate note – I am so sorry you have been subject to abuse. It’s completely wrong and unnecessary, especially since you are a long time and well known SNP & indy supporter. Folk should know better!
Not many, a few people are upset, shouters and bawlers and infiltrators acting on the instructions of the Tory party to disrupt the independence movement. Westminster has AGREED umpteen times that the SCOTTISH PEOPLE ARE SOVEREIGN. The Scottish Government with the consent of the people can declare independence and repeal the Treaty. There is nothing Westminster can do about it.
Reblogged this on Ramblings of a now 60+ Female.
BREXIT
made in England by England for England
I agree with all you’ve said, but I’d go further. In 2014, after the referendum, that could have been it for much longer than a decade. Imagine if they’d come good on all their promises, there would’ve been a sizeable chunk of the population who would have been happy.
Instead there were two things. EVEL from their side. A massive surge and determination from our side. Both of which were down to them.
Part of me is still a bit befuddled as to why they stuck the boot in right away, a move sure to antagonise, and not very sensible. However, they’re Tories and part of the British State so they appear to not be able to help themselves with their “that’ll show them” attitude.
They certainly didn’t expect it to massively backfire, but they never do do they?
What you say about Brexit was spot on. There were so many ways forward from the result, so many grown up ways. Perplexing! What makes me really laugh is the fact that because they have done the Scotland as a burden schtik for so long their own side now believes it – that’s beautiful that is!!!Not only do their supporters think Scotland should be cut loose, but the sensible folk in England who were all for keeping the Union together are now telling Scotland to “get out while you can”! I don’t think ther’ll be a shortage of immigrants to Scotland when we finally get rid of the UK.
It’s a truly Shakespearian kind of thing. The fatal flaw in the protagonist which inevitably leads to his fall. In this case, the heavily-ingrained inability of the Brenglish Establishment to cede any power to anyone else. The particular EngNat faction of the Cartel currently in charge in London, foolishly believing that the mild concessions to devolution previously made are the cause of all the trouble, are by their own reactions actively hastening their own demise. Just as The Bard so often portrayed.
Now that would be a play to watch!
As The Man also said, “all the world’s a stage”. And we seem to have a humdinger of a Scottish Play being enacted upon it right now, no…? {rueful grin}
Spot on! I look forward to reading your blog everyday and find on almost all occasions I am in complete agreement. Your summing up of the difference between British nationalism and the Scottish desire for independence is 100% on the mark. I have reposted that section on FB.
Totally agree with everything you said Ann, including abuse towards Paul,
I want Scotland to be sooo different, from our past in so many ways,
We need to pull together as a nation.
They have nothing to offer Scotland now except the next big lie which will not be accepted, then will come the threats, the pattern never changes because it can’t, they’ve lost the argument so will have to mitigate for the fallout, they know they have no option but to do business with Scotland even though they’ll howl and say they won’t, so the initial promises will be larger than before, and we all know just as reliable leaving only the threats being made even larger
Scotland the territory, land and sea, potential all gone from them, so blame will follow for the administration who loses Scotland and all it contains, so the people who really run things, and that’s not Boris Johnson and his cronies (as most folks think) will come down on them so hard their ancestors will feel it
The breaking of the UK will be a massive event that will shake the Western world to its fingertips, even people in Scotland waiting for this event to happen will be astonished at how big this is going to be and the English government themselves haven’t even begun to equate it yet because there are still some who think if they cross their fingers tight enough perhaps it won’t really happen and Bobby Ewing will come out of the shower and it was all a bad dream
A great day for Scotland, a bad century for England
I don’t believe there will be blame in England, at least initially in the political sense. The volte-face will be presented as UKGov generosity and largesse. But I anticipate that the eventual aftershocks will reverberate through the English political system as people ask “what just happened?” and the conclusion will be that their whole apparatus has long been in dire need of root-and-branch reform (eg. electoral system, HoL, etc., etc.).
So in fact, our departure will achieve the long-overdue reform in England which will never happen as long as we stay.
Agreed, but it will take them decades to reform, the mafia apparatus extends to a media who will fight tooth and nail to prevent further diminution of their power.
I believe our departure will in fairly short order produce the necessary abrupt shock wave to overwhelm all the inertia factors to which you refer that beset the system right now. Which is likely another fundamental reason – if entirely peripheral to us – why the English Establishment are so desperate to hang on to us. They fear an opening of the flood gates of change in their own back yard.
Ironically, the last gift we will give the people of England with our leaving will be a better, fairer polity for them also. It will be good to have a closest neighbour that is equally blessed by good governance.
I agree. One of the reasons (a smaller reason) I want Scottish independence is that it will free England from an archaic and disabling political system that is holding back the whole of the UK.
A silly analogy – It reminds me of my mum who stuck steadfastly to her twin tub washing machine way past when automatics became the norm. I told her how great an automatic was when I left home, but she wasn’t having any of it – how could it be better?! – and it wasn’t until she saw it in action when she came to stay with me that she actually believed it was better. Whereupon she immediately bought one and ditched the twin tub!
Flood gate? 62 countries have already rid themselves of the *Bringlish* empire, Scotland will be number 63 and they still don’t believe there’s something wrong with them, that’s their problem, they don’t learn, they do the same thing over and over again
Yes, but this one is not far, far away but at home, right on the doorstep. That’s what makes it especially problematic for the BritNats. An aspect of the resistance to a new indyref that I think we have all tended to overlook.
Bravo Paul, you more eloquently expressed and exampled a point I’d raised elsewhere concerning Mr Murray’s latest gush “The Scots Aren’t Interested In Independence”, lies and deceit are all that’s left of London based politics, and bluntly Scots are tired of it.
Scotland’s last surviving Labour MP is wearing his Morningside waders supporting England’s latest dyslexic “King Cnut”, and with the rising tide they will grow quiet…
Enough lies, we’re off..
Your analogy of King Cnut rather applies to Ian “Plastic Tory” Murray himself, at least in the popular sense of a foolish person who over-reaches himself. (Though the real Cnut, I believe, was rather trying to make a delibarate – and very currently pertinent – point to his adherents that he was just another human being with strictly limited scope to act.)
People like Murray defending their little sandcastle can succeed only so long as people believe in him, but once the faith begins to falter, each successive bluster merely diminishes him instead. With each incoming wave, the sandy battlements erode just a little more, until soon enough there’s nothing left.
Whoops – “deliberate”. (Note to self: must proof-read better.)
Ian Murray and his sandcastle …
… obviously he hasn’t go the right sort of grit that we independentistas have!
Agreed, but Murray is equally the modern dyslexic version, legends in their own lunchtime.
The Murrays the DRosss and the Bowies are shitting themselves as their power ebbs away, they played the WM game and the Scots folded, all that’s left is the headcount…
Here’s one I prepared earlier:
10. (of 60.)
The house that Jack built
Once upon a time, a man called Jack decided to build a house. He collected together some white bricks and started to lay the foundations to his house. But he was not happy with just white bricks, so he found some black bricks and mortared them beside the white bricks. And then he found some red bricks and placed them into the west wing of his house, and then some blue bricks which he placed in the north wing and finally, some green bricks.
Jack’s house was now built and he stood back to admire his handiwork. He was very happy with his efforts. But something seemed to be missing. Yes, that was it. All those different brick colours were rather jarring to the eye. He should try to minimise their effect – create some sort of uniformity.
Jack thought first he should paint the whole house white. Then he had second thoughts. A neighbour, not too far down the road had already called his place ‘The White House’ and Jack did not wish to offend his neighbour. The man was known to get angry very quickly, was generally irritable and for ever meddling in other peoples’ affairs. It was best to keep on the right side of his neighbour, not to cross him thought Jack. So Jack dismissed the idea of painting his own house completely white.
Then Jack thought that uniformity was best applied by painting his house all over in red, white and blue. That would effectively submerge the black and green bricks, and the blue and red bricks would think – mistakenly, of course – that they had some role in the great design that was the house that Jack built. The white bricks of course were very happy – being more numerous in the first place, they could easily assimilate themselves with the new paint. And so it was that Jack painted his house red, white and blue. He called his new home, ‘Union House’ and he was very pleased with all that he had achieved.
*****
And then, one dark night, there was a very violent thunderstorm outside. Union House shook in the wind and the roof creaked. Jack was a little afraid and had very little sleep that night.
When Jack got up the following morning, the first thing he did was to survey the damage. He noticed that the rain had washed off much of the red, white and blue paint from the front of the house. The green bricks were now visible again. Worse, some (but not all) of the green bricks had become loose and were now scattered about all over the garden. The blue and red bricks had also reappeared, but at least they were still attached to the house. There seemed to be little damage to the south wing of the house where the white bricks were. In fact, it was hard to tell where their
whiteness ended and the white of the red, white and blue paint started.
Anyway, the upshot was this – the house had not collapsed in the storm, despite the damage to some of the green bricks, Jack reapplied the red, white and blue paint to the remaining house bricks. Hhe had however less paint this time, and he was also a little less careful than previously, so if you looked carefully, you could see the original blue, red or black brick standing out.
****
Now all the professional and local seismologists were convinced that the area on which Jack’s house was located was an area particularly prone to earthquakes. Indeed, there had been a few rumbles noted after the violent thunderstorm we mentioned earlier – but Jack had taken very little notice of these.
They did however cause the red, white and blue paintwork to peel a little more. As a result, the original blue, red and black bricks had become more and more visible.
The seismologists were further convinced that a very large earthquake was imminent. They advised Jack to leave Union House as they feared that when (not ‘if’) such an event occurred, it was exceedingly likely that Union House would be completely destroyed and that Jack himself would be found under its rubble.
Jack was in a quandary. He didn’t want to believe the seismologists or any other experts. He had had ‘enough’ of such experts. And he didn’t want to leave Union House. Yet he was fearful that if all the prognostics were correct, he would become a casualty in his own home when the earthquake came and Union House collapsed around his ears.
The build up to the earthquake was proving to be very exciting.
_______
Parables for the New Politics
2012-2020
In other words Union Jack cares not a docken for building regulations nor any other regulation – as usual. Looking forward to the inevitable demolition.
I have a similar piece related to Hurricane Nicola …. 😀
There’s a kind of natural symmetry in history sometimes, so here we go.
In the beginning of the Union there was Bobbin John, the first Secretary of State for Scotland in the Union. Then in 1715 he was in the Jacobite Uprising but his incompetence led to its failure in battle. The heart was willing but the brain wasn’t all there.
But they named the dunny after him, though it wasn’t called the dunny in those days, probablly not even the cludgie as corners of rooms on first floors of poash houses tended to do the job, so to speak. And so we had the john, though most still called it the roses as they flung it out the windae onto the chanty dyke below. But that doesn’t matter.
So in all those years we had the Union Jack, with a great big flag and a red cross on it, though years before the Red Cross came into existence to succour its victims. I did say succour. But that doesn’t matter.
This sailed on for many a year, with any filthy landlubber keelhauled and sent down to the depths below for a yo ho ho and a bottle of rum. But that doesn’t matter either.
Then we had Bobbin Jack, and lo and behold, another thicko rose to the occasion. His heart was in the Union but his brain was back in the dunny or even the john or cludgie, and whatever he did failed miserably.
Here endeth the Union.
If Scotland is a country on the bread line and always lining up for handouts. A country of no hope and little future ! Can someone/anyone explain to me why there seems to be a disproportional number of non Scots around and more than normal numbers of English people appearing to be on ,”holiday,” or enquiring about house purchasing?
Good question. Whatever the answer we need independence – now.
Don’t worry Paul the UK is saved they have just enobled Ian ‘Beefy’ Botham. Huzzah… Huzzah
He and the Baroness Harrison of Rapeclauseanish will make us nasty seps think again and make us bask in the light of the Land of Hope and Glory..
Pass the sick bag please
Ach, he’ll likely bowl a googly, trip over his stumps and land in silly mid off, never to be seen or heard of again. If none of that makes any sense to you – me neither!
Yet another piece of lying theatrical propagandised nonsense for the brain dead, how can anyone swear allegiance to the Queen her heirs and successors according to law when the Queen nor any of her successors can neither make the law nor take any constitutional part in it being as the Monarchy was abolished and now only carries out the duties of a stick of Blackpool rock waving from inside a car
Equality? society based on merit? I sometimes wonder if folk realise what they think they’re looking at when they see this
Queen sovereign? no she’s not, it’s the English parliament that’s sovereign, which makes Boris Johnson the official King, if she was asked to sign the death warrants of thousands she’d do it or the next document placed before her would be titled *Abdication*
At least now we will know ”who ate all the pies” from the HoL canteen !
I was confused for a minute when I heard ‘Beefy’ was on the way to the house of Lords, don’t know why that was. For services to foot massagers I presume.
Spotted what looks to be quite a few press ensconced outside Margaret Ferriers house today, making getting out of the estate dangerous as you needed to drive on the wrong side of the road at a blind corner because of how they had parked their vehicles. Not sure what they are expecting from someone isolating.
Allegiance to the Queen’s hairs 🤣🤣
Old joke, Petra:
Q: What’s the difference between Prince Charles, a bald man and a mummy gorilla?
A: One is the Heir Apparent. The 2nd, has no hair apparent. The last is a hairy parent.
Can anybody help by posting a link to the actual speech?
I did try searching online but no luck.
Some of us like to hear the words emanating from the monkeys mouth, to evaluate what the organ grinder is saying.
😉
It’s on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYk8s7ngZgI&feature=emb_logo
There’s also a transcript here https://archive.vn/wip/NreAv
Define now? Today, 2020 end of? June 2021?
Another great article Paul summed up nicely with, ”Scotland’s independence supporters are driven by the simple desire to live in a normal country with a government that is answerable to the people of this country.”
Which means that at the end of the day if we unite, KEY word, to achieve Independence we will then find ourselves in the position of holding our own politicians feet to the fire. Undermining the only political party, the SNP, capable of getting us our Independence, at this critical juncture in our history, is doing the BritNats job for them and who would want to do that?
As to the Westminster ”opposition”, I reckon that many of them have no idea how much Scotland contributes to the UK overall thanks to the Establishment’s propaganda mouthpieces, such as the BBC: So all credit, for witnessing a Union in its death throes now, should go to them 😀.
The bottom line is that we could go on listing everything that they’ve done to p*ss off the Scots, over decades if not centuries, and when you analyse what’s been going on it relates to ”attitude.” The same attitude that they have towards all other ”foreigners”, albeit diluted to a certain extent because we’re, in the main, white and speak English. And that attitude will NEVER change, nor the related consequences for us, because it runs through their very veins, their personalities that have developed from day one, like a spider’s web. They, the BritNats, see us as being an inferior race of people incapable of running our own country. Only ”they” can do it. Scotland as they see it is chockful of alcoholics, drug addicts, crooks, benefit scroungers and more so parasites that are bleeding England dry and that’s why people like DRoss are now finding themselves with little support from South (and North) of the border. They’ve scored an own goal 😀. Hell mend them.
Re-houses,they are selling up.an awful lot of them selling up around here, only the house are not selling, because they sold up down south at high prices and grabbed cheaper houses here, they did the same in Wales, now we’re going out the EU, they can’t get subsidies for small Croft’s, lamas, horses, ducks and special breeding, dogs and cat kennels, their off.
Except the Scots aren’t daft enough to buy back these places at extortionate prices, and I hope Wale’s aren’t either.
Some houses around here have been on the market for three years,
I suspect that anyone moving to Scotland in the future will be to do with independence
James Cheyne.
News from my part of the world for you.
https://nation.cymru/news/council-calls-on-welsh-government-for-powers-to-limit-numbers-of-second-homes/
https://nation.cymru/news/ceredigion-housing-market-never-so-busy-due-to-covid-19-urban-exodus-says-estate-agent/
Back to that great sketch “come home to a living fire – buy a cottage in Wales”. I seem to remember there were quite a few holiday cottages mysteriously ablaze.
From 1979 to 1993 – over 200, diabloandco …
Funny Petra, I have been trying to say the same thing, you and Paul are just more eloquent,
We do need more than ever to come together, that is our strength,
Independence and People first,
Just as they thought devolution would be the end of the SNP, they thought that the 2014 win would be the end of the Indy movement.
You would have thought in May 2015, they would have stopped, thought carefully about their next move, instead of ploughing ahead with their silly Brexit.
The only jewel in the crown of it all is a very obviously subservient BBC, which is daily managing to piss off everyone along the way. Their influence will be greatly reduced at the next referendum.
What have you all had for breakfast today ?
I love your confidence but I don’t share your views of England saying off you go Scotland .
England started a war in Northern Ireland to keep control of it and Northern Ireland doesn’t have the resource value that Scotland has .
Furthermore England truly does believe this island belongs to them they won’t just walk away from a big chunk of it.
Yes some people in England are saying Scotland costs england so let them go but the people that count, those in Westminster and the House of Lords know otherwise and they will battle to keep it.
Sure some in Westminster will repeat the nonsense that Scotland’s costs england so let it go but they are just pandering to local opinion it won’t be their own personal opinion.
Some of them look daft and sound daft sometimes but believe me they’re not daft.
There is trouble ahead
Scotland will declare its independence
But be prepared for trouble because it’s inevitable
Still….I don’t fault your confidence
I agree we will win
But the opposition are not just gonna pick up their jackets and leave
That’s definitely not what I am saying Terence.
What I am saying is that English opposition to Scottish independence is not as solid as some people would have us believe. And what I am also saying is that the cracks are starting to show in the Conservative party. DRoss’s speech is an indication of that.
Don’t fall into the trap of believing your opponents’ hype.
To WGD
Sorry I wasn’t responding to your post I was responding to some of the comments above
such as
“ They can wave us gone with a brief flourish of sour grapes”
“ I said in reply to another post that at times the feeble attempts to big up the union seem a bit of a tick box exercise rather than a heartfelt desire to keep hold of Scotland and its assets.”
I will state who I’m responding to in future
Personally I don’t think people in England will have any say in Scotland’s independence Westminster won’t ask them or listen to their views.
Just today we have BJ on the radio saying their will be green energy enough to power every home in the U.K. and it will be coming from wind farms in Scotland North Wales and off the coast of NW England .
I think this energy supply will be a big reason why England’s Westminster won’t be letting Scotland become independent ,Scotland will have to declare independence because England won’t agree to it.
Perhaps britnats in Scotland are cracking at the seems but they are not the ones we have to defeat , sure defeating them makes it easier but the opponent is Westminster
I don’t know what you are taking, but anyway, your case is full of holes.
Making the comparison with NI back in the bad old bad old days is no more convincing. Those times are past, as the GFA attests. If it wasn’t for the diminishing ~half of NI that is still stuck somewhere back in the 1600s, UKGov would have got shot of the place long ago. It is a genuine burden on the UK Exchequer, unlike us. (Which is why the ROI, for all its conventional sentiments, isn’t hugely keen to take it on right now.)
In the end it’s all down to numbers. People do count. Once a recognisable majority evolves who refuse to grant any government a mandate, it’s game over. It really is as simple as that.
To me it’s merely a question of which, Scotland or NI, gets free first. And for our sakes, I just hope it’s us.
Be quite funny if it was Wales that went first. Sneaking up on the outside whilst all the attention was on what Scotland would do!
Work in progress, Holly Teine!
Remember we’re starting at a much lower base than you are – but with over 30%+ now for indy and a majority of ‘Welsh’ Labour for it (unlike ‘Scottish’ Labour), we are in fact starting from a higher base than you when Indy Ref 1 was called.
May both countries become normal ones soon!
In NI in the prosperous and full employment early 1960s they thought the days of the “troubles” and the “royitts” were just a bad memory from the 1920s.
All it took was an economic downturn to highlight the injustices and discrimination that the nationalist side had to put up with, and the rest, as they say is history.
I would not take the GFA as a guarantor of continuing peace ad infinitum.
Of course there are huge differences in the circumstances in NI and Scotland, however there are important lessons to be learned concerning how the British State and it’s security apparatus reacted then, and would not hesitate to act again, if thought necessary.
We are now entering an economic downturn that makes that of the late 1960s/early 1970s look tame in comparison. The consequences for both NI and Scotland cannot easily be predicted.
J Galt
I agree with what you say although
In the 1960,s I was living in Northern Ireland , Lisburn , I don’t recall prosperity and full employment .
There was bombing of shops , car bombs , people walking into pubs with a machine gun and shooting at everyone inside, there was tar and feathering kidnap and more horrors the British army moved in 1968 and it got worse.
The army moved in because the people who lived in NI and wanted Ireland reunited were becoming too powerful too influential Westminster wanted it stopped, they found it more difficult than expected.
Would Westminster send the army in again to NI or to Scotland or Wales ? doubtful in my view unless there was violence in the streets but I would not discount the possibility, violence in the streets really does only take one aggressive side , the other side then fights back saying they are defending themselves and there you have it ,reason enough for the army to move in.
It’s not all about resources either ,strategic positioning of a country is important too and often used as a means of bargaining worldwide .
I bow to your superior knowledge – perhaps I should have said a relative prosperity and employment situation compared to what followed in the 70s and 80s.
My point was that seemingly (relatively) stable situations can deteriorate quickly as unforeseen circumstances develop and solemn agreements such as the GFA can turn to dust in the twinkling of an eye.
Yes I still think the situation in Northern Ireland is dangerous it wouldn’t take much to spark it alight , currently Westminster is a place that pays little heed to other opinions and needs
O/T
Well I don’t agree with much of what Craig Murray has to say about the SNP or the route that we should take to achieving Independence, however you have to commend him when it comes to his support for Julian Assange.
Have a read at this but more so watch the video. Six cops arresting an old man. One in fact with dark hair and sideburns seems to get a kick out of harassing old men and women. If ever there was a (nother) reason for getting out of this Union this is it. Disgusting 🤬 .
‘How a Police State Starts.’
http://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2020/10/how-a-police-state-starts/
O/T
Duggers will know me as a professional translator and a foot soldier for indy on two fronts (at least).
So I ask you bear with me as I struggle through 51 500 words of management speak for a certain health company which has to be translated into Welsh by the end of the month. (This may explain a few of my absences here – though, I don’t supposed I’ll be (over)missed.
Anyway, and in keeping with management speak and the issuing of forms to ascertain employee satisfaction, could someone tell me what this means:
“Relationships with fellow colleagues”
I mean – who has FELLOW colleagues?
Thanks in advance.
(The wife already suggested ‘co-colleagues’ – and I said that being the case the health company should coco.)
Fellow Co-Duggers, I suppose I should address you as …
I seem to remember the Yanks called them Co-workers.
All help gratefully acknowledged. ‘colleagues’ they are … (maybe these management types just want some padding.)
‘ Fellow ‘ is normally masculine, so no females then. Why not just ‘ colleagues ‘.
I’m with Golfnut on this.
Follow the old translator’s motto: If in doubt, leave it out.
‘Government dealt string of defeats on post-Brexit immigration bill in Lords.’
http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/government-dealt-string-of-defeats-on-post-brexit-immigration-bill-in-lords/ar-BB19IXYl?ocid=msedgntp
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‘Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro wins fight with Bank of England in his battle to gain access to £800m of disputed gold in its vaults.’
http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/venezuelan-president-nicolas-maduro-wins-fight-with-bank-of-england-in-his-battle-to-gain-access-to-800m-of-disputed-gold-in-its-vaults/ar-BB19JmRI?ocid=msedgntp
O/T
Petra, that msm report about presudent Maduro, Venezuela’s democratically elected givernment of their socialist government, is disgraceful propaganda.
Much better to check out teleSUREnglish new or even better, this.
https://venezuelanalysis.com
Guido is not the official opposition as msm reports, he has been placed there by the US, who have tried and are still trying to enact a pn illegal coup. Maduro is no evil dictator as msm reports. It’s hard to keep up with all the ‘news’, but it’s good news if Venezuela can get their gold back, they need the money because of terrible sanctions imposed by the US and in fact Europe.
I meant democratically elected president…
Thanks for the link ArtyHetty. Devoid of most of the propaganda being spread around like dung as usual. However I was taking it that most people on here can separate the wheat from the chaff and would only see that they had, hopefully, outwitted the BoE to get their money returned.
Test and Trace in England seems to be a shambles, BBC Scotland needs to find something wrong with Protect Scotland, presumably for balance so they report someone being told to isolate, possible in error.
They of course never explain , as has been pointed out numerous times on twitter, how does he know it was his neighbour as it is anonymous. Now I need to find out if he was ever at a hospital with a broken bone.
It’s one of those BBC Scotland stories isn’t it, they are so desperate to discredit the SNP handling of the virus they will just accept any negative story at face value (I’m being kind here as the alternative would paint them in a particularly bad light, make up your own mind).
Important points to remember about the Scottish movement for Independence.
We are motivated by working for future generations. We want to build a better, fairer society for everyone who lives here. It is about WE not I.
The current drive in the “UK” is self interest, short term issues, and looking backwards “Empire/Wars/Lords and Royals”. A greedy elite dominate.
We look forward to engaging with the World. The “Remains of the Empire” look eager to take American servitude.
We build on the idea of respect for others.
They strive to manipulate and control their citizens.
That is why we will win!
For some reason seeing “Lord Botham” on the news tonight summed up that vision. It is so ludicrous a picture for the 21st. Century…He will have a say in our children’s future for decades to come….unless!
It’s a topsy turvy world that’s for sure. Subsidy junkie Scotland, but England just can’t let go. What will the English establishment do to keep Scotland shackled, that is the crucial question. They have many bows to their arrow, let’s hope every one of them misses. So far, so good.
The Tories have always been despicable. Liars. That is why so few chose to join the Party. The average member is male and over seventy. Not fit for public office. Lies always get found out.
Assange and Snowden have friends in high places. Trying to give them support keep them safe. Chelsea Manning eventually got released. (7 years). With some considerable health problems. The absolute injustice. For telling the truth.
If people in Scotland want Independence they just have to vote for it. Demographically they just have to vote for it. Support rising since 1928. Universal Suffrage. Most people in England do not give a damn if Scotland is Independent or not. It is so far off their radar or experience. Just trying to survive.
Comparisons with Ireland and Scotland, are not helpful, without qualification. If Ireland had waited 5 years it would have been united and Independent. Illegal Partition 1923, did not solve anything. Universal Suffrage 1928,
Ireland could have voted for Home Rule – Independence. People jumped the gun. Just an example. People can now vote for it demographically. Support increasing. The lives and monies that have been wasted for unionist votes at Westminster. Shocking. Beyond contempt.
Scotland would be Independent now without Westminster sycophants colossal illegal interference. To line their pockets. The illegal Barnett Formula. The illegal wars. Kept secret under the Official Secrets Act. The financial fraud. Kept secret under the Official Secrets Act, illegal arms sakes, ‘D’ notices to hide their duplicity.
Iraq, Dunblane and Lockerbie kept secret for 100 years. The Westminster lying Parties. Liars always get found out.
There are enough good, smart people in Scotland to manage. Support for SNP/Independence rising. People just need to vote for it. The truth will be out. On the internet.
Scotland will be Independent within a few years.People just need to vote for it.
Unelected Lords. The irony. Undemocratic.
Test centres are everywhere. People see them. They are operational.
Venezuela pop 29million. £800Million?
Some businesses, airports etc have temperature guns. They just need to be placed, at distance, in front of people’s forehead. To tell if people have a high temperature. A simple precaution. There could be more of them. Relatively inexpensive.
Or take your own temperature every morning as I do
It only takes a few mins
Good to see a lot more people are getting involved in ‘ how money works ‘ argument.
Good link Golfnut. Westminster is reliant on people like me who know little about how the economy works, so yes as Osama Bhutto says, ”it’s time to shatter these myths.”
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This numpty has really cottoned on now to how lucrative Scottish renewable energy is. Another reason for them wanting to hold onto us.
‘Boris Johnson will pledge £160m for offshore wind power.’
..’The PM will also repeat his pledge for the UK to become the “Saudi Arabia of wind power”, adding: “As Saudi Arabia is to oil, the UK is to wind – a place of almost limitless resource, but in the case of wind without the carbon emissions and without the damage to the environment.”..
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-54421489
Saw his speech last night Petra and it included the usual empirical references,
” The wind that puffed the sails of Raleigh, Drake and Nelson”.( Boke!)
“The Saudi Arabia of Green energy”. He has stolen that term from someone I heard use it a few weeks ago, can’t remember who, and that person was talking about Scotland being the Saudi Arabia of Energy.
He talks about building more wind farms in Scotland and Wales ( what, none in leafy Englandshire to spoil the view) and infrastructure plants in the north east ( of England).
Scotland already produces enough wind energy to power 2 Scotland’s
https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/scotland-wind-power-shore-renewable-energy-climate-change-uk-a9013066.html
Well now it seems they’re coming after our energy which you can bet will continue to cost us more than it costs in the south east due to National Grid HQ based in Oxfordshire
If they want our energy they can bloody well pay for it, not steal it as they did with the oil.
I heard him too Jim. Idiotic and living in the past as usual but with the knowledge now that Scotland’s wind, wave and even more so tidal energy is worth far more than our oil ever was and is crucial to their economic future.
It’s a bit like Trident. They get all the benefits and we are left with the risks. We are subjected to extremely wet, windy and cold weather, much more so than in England, all of which will benefit them whilst we have to pay through the nose to connect to the grid and watch our elderly, poor and vulnerable freeze because they can’t afford to put their heating on. The resources of their ”colonies” are just being used to support over 55 million people in England. Westminster preparing to rob Scotland again .. and of course they’ve got their eyes on our water too.
Exactly Petra
The Hebrides have the highest tariffs in the U.K.
the wind energy from Hebrides goes to the U.K. grid and the Hebrides get it back through their electric sockets at a higher price than the south of England five hundred miles away
There’s no Scottish fuel company they’re all based in England
We provide so much oil gas electricity but england takes it all ,England distributes it and then they charge Scotland higher prices than they charge england
“He talks about building more wind farms in Scotland and Wales ( what, none in leafy Englandshire to spoil the view) and infrastructure plants in the north east ( of England).”
That may have something to do with the fact that there are already a large number of wind turbines in Northumberland (mainly the SE ‘Industrial’ part) plus extra turbines off its shore. Have a look on a satellite view, starting at more or less the mouth of the Tyne and go north to the Blyth, you’ll see a number of turbines not too far offshore. Then continue inland, certainly quite number, and more still being built.
There is a ‘Catapult’ centre in Blyth for testing the things, before they’re installed. It had a number of experimental small turbines alone its north breakwater for many years, then two close offshore around Cambois, now a massive one on the north breakwater, and the others between the two river mouths I mentioned.
https://www.edf-re.uk/our-sites/blyth
http://portofblyth.co.uk/worlds-longest-wind-turbine-blade-blyth/
Agreed, the more people who have the monetary myth veil lifted that Thatcher et al propagandised the better, myth is too perhaps too mild a term for what has in reality been a 49 year con which is still clocking up years under Sunak…
As to Johnson speechifying to gee up the troops, he neither knows nor cares about green energy beyond which party donor’s back in the industry he can scratch and whichbuz-words to deploy.
Scotland’s wind and wave energy potential is unique in Europe, but without a range of continental connectors, the entire concept of a pan-european network harnessing “it’s blowing a hooley somewhere” never gets off the blocks in the UK, Europe proceeds without us.
Now hazard a guess where the problem lies and why it is so expensive to export to England…
Next hazard a guess how much Scots are to be charged for their own water, because that one is lurking just around the corner…
Well that was refreshing. Great video, I’d like to see more of this type of short and simple explainer. Richard Murphy also has a series of videos on money esp MMT.
I’d vote for Qsama.
This video is t working anymore ?
The shops are full of Christmas goods, No one is buying. The shops are empty. People not Christmas shopping. People will be buying things on the internet.
October is the month people start Christmas shopping. The time when retail would make 70% of profit. People going over the top with waste. Quieter this year. Monies will go on other stuff. Like food. Sales/profits? up 20%. Taking on staff.
Monies. How it is spent? The poor, bad decisions. Totally unnecessary. Balanced by what is achieved or raised. Scotland does not have a deficit. The choices are made elsewhere. Westminster, Kept secret under the Official Secrets Act,
No taxation without representation,
Independence for Scotland would benefit the rest of the UK. Poor, bad, illegal Westminster decisions would have to changed. For the better. Stop killing people. Prematurely.
‘The Baroness, The Privy Council And Scotland.’
..”Yet this is not Baroness Colonel Ruth Davidson of the 32 Signal Regiment’s most controversial appointment. The most controversial, and puzzling, appointment Ruth Davidson has received is one made in 2016 in the wake of the Brexit vote. She was made a member of the Privy Council and received the title ‘The Right Honourable Ruth Davidson’ as a result.”..
http://www.isp.scot/the-baroness-scotland/
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DRoss’s speech to the Tory Conference. Video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYk8s7ngZgI&feature=youtu.be
‘The break-up of the UK is coming – but will it be violent or peaceful?’
..”Between 1991 and 1995 two multinational states fell apart. Yugoslavia broke up in a civil war that killed 150,000, while Czechoslovakia broke up peacefully following referendums in both of its constituent parts. Another such state now faces the prospect of doing the same: the United Kingdom. How might it happen? Where does the UK lie on the spectrum where one end is Yugoslavia and the other is Czechoslovakia?”..
https://politics.co.uk/comment-analysis/2020/10/05/the-break-up-of-the-uk-is-coming-but-will-it-be-violent-or-p
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”I got a yougov survey yesterday for the first time in months. It was all about Scottish water, and the perception of it. Looks like the big stable heater that owns yougov is testing the waters for his party to privatise it when they assimilate Scotland in January.” https://mobile.twitter.com/lord_prefab/status/1312835973366067201
I think you’ll find that Scottish Water is already largely ‘privatised’. Many, if not most, Water, and Waste Water, treatment plants are operated by ‘private’ companies. For instance by looking on Google Earth, I see that notice on the gate, at what was once the Glasgow Corporation ‘Dalmuir Sewage Works‘, indicates that a company named ‘SAUR’ operates here. My suspicion would be that ‘SAUR’ is a subsidiary of a private Water Company from somewhere, but perhaps someone more able than me to delve into the intricacies of the ownership private companies can confirm, or otherwise?
Alastair,
Always ready to help.
https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/03489046
https://www.saur-uk.com/
Based in England as usual and a front for a French company. And looking at their records they’ve been in existence for 22 years now.
Saur, Vivendi, etc are (both French) operators of plants under contract to Scottish Water who remain owners.
Thanks for that Welsh Sion and Bob L. French eh? Well that explains why the salmon, on the now rather tatty, Glasgow Coat of Arms above the entrance door both appear to have ‘Gauloises’ in their mouths instead of gold rings??? Check it out on Google Earth.
We’re all so busy fighting to get out of this Union that we, imo, don’t have the time (or energy) to delve into as much a we would like to do. When we get our independence rest assured our focus will be on looking very closely at any number of issues, such land reform. Meanwhile one of my greatest fears is that Westminster will take control of our water, in totality, and botch that up as they have done in England.
Scottish Water is not privatised AT ALL. It is state owned. All domestic supply is BY Scottish Water – which is state owned, not privatised at all.
https://www.scottishwater.co.uk/about-us/what-we-do/governance
Scottish Water has a subsidiary called Business Stream who are a wholesale supplier to BUSINESSES – the commercial sector. There they do compete with licenced suppliers, with the Scottish Government controlling the licencsing in Scotland.
https://www.scottishwater.co.uk/about-us/who-we-are/scottish-water-structure
When I last looked as a business consumer some years ago, Business Stream had well over 90% of business in Scotland in terms of numbers, as they were frankly well the best and cheapest. Only for heavy users of water was it worthwhile to look around.
The provision of water to business is privatised in Scotland
The provision of water to homes in not
Last time the UK broke up it was rather violent. That was 100y ago but maybe things have changed , hopefully
‘Britain unplugged: the security risk of a no-deal Brexit is dire.’
https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/brexit/2020/10/05/britain-unplugged-the-security-risk-of-a-no-deal-brexit-are-dire/
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‘Watch:- Exercise Joint Warrior: Scottish island bombed by RAF F-35 Lightning.’
..”On Monday, the Royal Navy’s new Carrier Strike Group assembled for the first time, marking the beginning of a “new era of operations”. Nine ships, 15 fighter jets, 11 helicopters and 3000 personnel from the UK, US and the Netherlands are now carrying out exercises in the North Sea, with HMS Queen Elizabeth at the centre of the group. It marks the beginning of joint carrier operations between the navy and its NATO allies.”
http://www.thenational.scot/news/18771264.exercise-joint-warrior-watch-raf-f-35-lightning-bombs-scots-island/
The latest articles from Professor John Robertson:-
https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/blog-feed/
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The latest links from Ann on the Indyref2 site.
https://indyref2.space/forum/topic/links-tuesday-6-october-2020/
With the benefit of hindsight we all know the past but we don’t have that benefit when it comes to the future, or do we, if you happen to be a Star Trek fan, the TV series written by Gene Roddenberry you would know that part of the laws that govern the future in that series is a law called the Prime Directive which is designed and supposed to be rigidly adhered to in order to avoid causing harm to other planets and the peoples and or species that inhabit them, now we know that in the series they didn’t always obey their own Prime Directive when they believed their was a danger or threat to life that they could prevent, but the theory is sound
The Prime Directive says that one species may not interfere with the development of another thus removing the precious right to choose their own future
Smart man Gene Roddenberry
Because England has been too lazy in its management and profligate with it’s own resources it has been proposed that they will remove Scotland’s water in their next big theft just as they removed Scotland’s oil and wasted every penny of it while we in Scotland cast our eyes a short distance across the North sea to Norway and point furiously at how that country stewarded its assets, do we expect England will have learned any lessons from Norway or indeed any other country in the management of assets, well no we probably don’t, England’s sewage systems are over 150 years old and when it rains those systems are unable to cope leading to overflow and release of faecal material into and on to rivers and fields the consequence being that the E coli levels in England’s waterways are above human levels of tolerance, which also brings us to animal welfare because their cows and other farm animals drink this stuff which is now being sold along with Scotland’s produce under the one banner of the Union flag of Britland, Scotland’s water is clean
Do we need to say anymore except maybe that history tells us that England under the guise of Britishness or Empire or UK or any new name they might conjure up for themselves takes what they want and consumes it then looks for more, the only thing England ever stewards and is prepared to spend money on is weapons and more ways of removing and securing what it desires at the expense of others
Think not too far into the future and compare England’s behaviour with the mutants in the Mad Max movies who do the same thing, consume until there’s nothing left then look for the next place to steal from having preserved or conserved nothing
Right now we have the campaign for black lives matter and that’s all fine except those folk are missing the point, it should be all lives matter, bearing in mind that to the people with power no lives matter irrespective of what colour anybody happens to be
Welsh sion, I remember very well the housing situation in Wales during the seventies and slightly earlier, my families work took them there ( early seventies) temporally, at first we got the cold shoulder, but when they learned that we came from Scotland and our country was going through the same housing problems, they were so understanding and friendly, we met some lovely people, and when we had to come back to Scotland there were tears on both sides and presents,
Scotland and north wales are so similar in country and their people’s attitude,
Their used to be a really old fashioned shop in the village, wooden counter top that folded over, wooden shelf’s all along the wall and draws everywhere, it sold everything from garden tools to food.
On my birthday the old lady gave me a turn of the century doll,( I showed signs of liking Celtic history early on,) of corse I never played with it, but This is something I treasure to this day.
Thank you for those memories and positives about my country.
Do you remember where you were in Cymru? My roots are about 2 miles west of what English speakers call Snowdon and 5 miles the other way from Caernarfon (usually referred to as ‘town’ and home to one of Edward Longshanks’s castles. See also Charles Windsor and 1969 an’ aw’ tha’ … ).
Kind regards,
There was something about Hanbury which we discussed earlier, and as I’m immersed in my big translation (and a side issue of breastfeeding – another translation due tomorrow before you ask), I came across this.
Perhaps Petra and others would like to join the dots.
https://nation.cymru/news/questions-over-gove-meeting-with-vote-leave-linked-pr-firm-to-discuss-the-union-and-devolution/
Questions over Gove meeting with Vote Leave-linked PR firm to discuss ‘the union and devolution’
6th October 2020
Questions have been asked after Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove met with a Vote Leave-linked PR form to discuss “the Union and devolution”.
The Cabinet Office is refusing to disclose any documents under the Freedom of Information Act that would explain what was discussed at the official meeting between Gove and PR firm Hanbury Strategy in February.
Welsh sion, we lived in Llanymawddwy. Not far from Bala,
Welsh sion your history of occupation of your country is so similar to ours and Ireland in the way it has been treated, our nations people are so very similar.
My grans last name was Morris, having said that the other sides were Gordon’s from Scotland, we fathers side from Ireland, so we surround England,😁
“Senior Tory shows support for replacement for Boris Johnson”
That’s a headline in the National, but the senior Tory is Murdo Fraser who’s never won an election in twenty years of his Arse being warmed on a seat in the Scottish parliament, so the attention to what he says is bound to be *huge* eh
I’m glad we have an Independence supporting paper but c’mon, really?