Broontervening is Gordon Brown’s favourite activity these days, apart from hiding in storm drains and handing out balloons to pensioners. It allows him to tell himself that he’s still politically relevant, a delusion in which he’s ably assisted by the Scottish media and especially the BBC. We’ve been hearing a lot about him since the Scottish Parliament election produced a large majority of pro-independence MSPs because the holder of the title of most incompetent and inept Prime Minister before the last three has now managed to secure a royal warrant of appointment for the jar of invisible jam that he’s determined to flog to the Scottish public. He’s now the official royal family’s approved and appointed purveyor of federalist fantasies and anti-independence promises that he has no power to keep.
But hey, at least we can now spread his invisible jam on some Duchy Original scones, hand crafted in Balmoral by Will-n-Kate as their contribution to the Great British Please Don’t Leave Us Scotland Bake Off. A contribution which in no way contravenes the long standing British constitutional conventions that the royal family doesn’t get involved in attempts to influence the outcome of democratic decisions to be made by the electorate, that Prince Philip wasn’t a racist, and that Prince Andrew never sends inappropriate text messages to teenagers.
Shortly before Gordie had his nothing-to see-here meeting with Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge in Edinburgh, he had announced that his think tank Our Scottish Future was to be converted into an anti-independence campaigning organisation, although to be honest it was always more of a wishful thinking tank than an organisation aiming to develop realistic policies with any chance of implementation in the real world.
As he made the announcement Gordie held a press conference during which he unveiled the results of an opinion poll he had commissioned which claimed to identify 40% of the Scottish population as “Middle Scotland”, people who he said are neither staunch unionists nor committed to Scottish independence. These are the people Gordon Brown claims will decide the future of Scotland and are the group which his rebranded Vow generation organisation hopes to appeal to. The poll didn’t try to identify what percentage of the population doesn’t immediately sigh and go: “Oh bugger off with that reheated auld guff, We’ve heard it all before and you did hee haw about it when you promised it to us in 2014, you discredited charlatan in clown shoes,” every time Gordie creeps out of his crypt and starts to make promises about federalism, but it’s certainly a great deal smaller than 40%.
It later transpired that Gordie’s poll had in fact found that there’s already majority support in Scotland for independence, although this finding was buried away on page 91 of the report. Respondents to the poll had been asked to rate their support for Scottish independence on a scale from 0 to ten where 0 represented strong opposition and ten represented strong support. It was only some time later that it came out that 55% of respondents had placed themselves between six and ten on the scale, indicating support for independence. Only 38% had placed themselves between zero and four, indicating opposition to independence. A further 8% had rated themselves as a five, suggesting that they are undecided on the question.
It also later transpired that the 40% figure quoted by Brown as representing his so-called “Middle Scotland” was in fact made up of everyone who had placed themselves anywhere on the scale between two and eight. Brown sought to present this group as being essentially undecided on the subject of independence, although as we’ve seen his own findings show that only 8% of respondents placed themselves at a five on the scale. We have also seen that people who placed themselves at between six and ten considerably out-number those who put themselves between zero and four. That means that once the 8% of genuine don’t knows is removed just shy of 60% of Brown’s supposed Middle Scotland will be composed of people who rank their support for independence at between six and eight on his scale of zero to ten. In other words these are people who are already leaning – in many cases heavily leaning – towards voting yes in a future referendum.
A person who places themself as an eight on a zero to ten scale of support for independence has already pretty much made up their mind on the subject. What they’re not going to be is a person who is going to change their opinion just because the second in line to the throne and his wife are going to spend more time at Balmoral and provide the press with a few more photo ops in a tea room in St Andrews where they’ll be photographed spreading their scones with Gordie’s patented and royal appointed magic federalism jam.
It speaks volumes about the utter cluelessness and tin ear of the British establishment that they think that a suitable response to the demand from Scotland that the promises and commitments of 2014 that won the referendum for No should be respected is :” Here, have some more Prince William in a kilt and a duchess in a designer frock.”
What Gordie Broon’s Middle Scotland” wants is that this country should have been listened to during Brexit negotiations and that its vote against Brexit should have been taken into account when the British government was deciding what kind of Brexit it wanted. But that didn’t happen. What Gordie Broon’s Middle Scotland” wants is for the British government and the Conservative party to keep its promise that no changes would be made to the devolution settlement without the express consent of the Scottish Parliament and the people of Scotland, but that’s not happening either.
Goordie Broon and his pie in the sky promises of federalism can’t change any of that. He had his chance in 2014 when he made his Vow, he swore to us that he personally would ensure that the leaders of the anti-independence parties kept their word. And then he buggered off and did nothing. Yet now, spooked by an increase in support for independence that only happened because of Brown’s own lies, arrogance and complacency, he’s popping up with a clueless pampered pair of royal idiots whose sense of entitlement is exceeded only by his own to provide a bit of glamour to his transparent deceit. “Middle Scotland” is not going to be convinced.
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Wee Ginger Dug 
Well said, Paul. Two points.
Brown could not get away with his nonsense without the active connivance of the media which operates in Scotland. They are a disgrace to journalism.
I don’t support a monarchy, but am astonished at the risk the royals are putting themselves in, by choosing a side. Then again, after independence their connection with Scotland would wither and die anyway.
Gordon Browns use of number games reminds me of why when he was Prime Minister he got the nickname *Crash Gordon*
The more the Unionists scream about their opposition to Independence the more the electorate understand why they’re panicking
The SNP had Independence in their manifesto and won the election, as did the Greens, since that time only a short few weeks ago neither the FM or the Greens have made much mention of it except to say it’s going to happen, but the opposition have once again never stopped screaming about it on a daily basis then complaining it’s not them who’s talking about it in the hope that the voters will fall for this boring trick yet again
How many times do we hear them bleating about the SNP going on about Independence when they never mention the word, the only people they’re talking to are themselves on this, even the most ardent opponent of Independence knows this to be true but the con is to keep repeating and repeating the same thing over and over again until folk get fed up hearing about it and treat it as hostile instinctively, it’s an old fashioned trick and used to work up to a point when Ruth Davidson employed it as a tactic until folk actually counted the times Davidson had repeated the word and it was several hundred times more than the FM in one year
We don’t really have to do much these days to convince folk Independence is the way forward for Scotland, they’ve seen it now, they’ve learned to see the tell tale signs, they’re educated to what’s happening to our country and they can see with their own eyes who’s doing the damage
No matter how much the media don’t report and misreport it’s too late for the *I’m all right Jack* Union party now, with every day that passes it’s getting worse for them and it’s all on view for everyone to see
Bringing in the Royals is the biggest throw of their loaded dice and so far it has far from had any impact whatsoever except for the almost comedic element of desperation, so who else are they going to rope a dope in to save their Arses from themselves
[…] Wee Ginger Dug The royal warrant on a jar of invisible jam Broontervening is Gordon Brown’s favourite activity these days, apart from hiding in […]
All this is good practice – and also amounts to a ‘dry run’ for the Cambridges (or whatever their titles are in Scotland). And, yes, yet again, Scotland is chosen as the experimental area (not least because she is further down the road to independence than we are. You may also remember such things as trialling the Poll Tax on Scotland first, before inflicting it on the rest of us on these islands, and doubtless other ‘Westminster experiments’).
But we should also be aware of the other ramifications of such ‘trialling’ involving the guinea pigs (willingly or otherwise) that the Cambridges are presenting themselves.
At the risk of offending any Royalists (yes, I know there will be such lurkers of this blog, but I don’t care), it won’t belong before Charles Windsor accedes to the place of his mother. (Such is the nature of these things and she is of a venerable age). Upon so doing, he relinquishes the role of Prince of my country (whether you support this flummery or not, it’s a fact) and will be so minded to make Wills his successor in that department. (It’s NOT automatic – the sovereign has to indicate that his/her eldest son is PoW.)
Now, there will be an immediate ramping up of the so-called ‘charm offensive’ (see passim) in order to sell the new Prince (and his wife, the Princess of Wales) to ‘his people. Like his father, there may well be plans for a crash course in learning some expressions used by the natives in their daily discourse, and some years hence, a full-blooded fest of flummery (Welsh word originally, believe it or not) to invest said Willy Wales with his Principality – probably in one of those Edwardian castles, which will remind us all us Welshies of our place and to pay homage at the invader’s gates. (If historical precedent is your thing, both the future Edward VIII and Charles III were invested in my home town’s castle, Caernarfon).
We will see by that time how the Cymry will react to a new English Prince of Wales treading the boards of his Principality and whether this latest throw of the Windsor-English Establishment dice is meant to keep them subservient and quiet again and dismiss any notions of independence.
I’m sure by the time Wullie and Katie get around to loving Wales they’ll enthuse over that with even more gusto after their loving of Scotland falls flat on its face and Wales by then might be further down the road of noticing that having their own country is a pretty good idea too
They road tested the Will/Kate/Jolly-Hockeysticks concept already and it died on it’s feet, so why not promote the one who already did ?
“he had announced that his think tank Our Scottish Future was to be converted into an anti-independence campaigning organisation” – converted? It was not always thus ?
The Tory problem is simple enough, who might they possibly send who might command the attention or respect of Scots, none are willing, so they’re back to Broon,
You have to feel a smidge of sympathy for them after so many turning them down, it must be like that lingering fug still peeling the wallpaper hours after the SiU convention has ended, the fragrant aroma of Pennington’s patent “Ombres de la Mort” always lingering…
I’m fascinated by the title of his ‘think tank’ – Our Scottish Future.
Presumably, his vision of ‘our’ Scottish Future is to have it determined by England-dominated Westminster, Forever and Ever, Amen. No doubt as a young man of the manse he would have heard those last few words many a time. And now it’s Gordy’s Prayer.
“Our Scottish future” must be left in the hands of Englands government
Funny ambition to have
I think Ganpaw Broon’s “middle Scotland” is really more akin to Tolkien’s “Middle Earth” – in other words, it’s not a real place, or populated by real people.
But then “Mad eye” Broon lives in a Fantasyland, where he has special magical powers, and despite lack of a long white beard or walking staff, his continued existence it testament to his lazarus- like ability to reanimate, when his former paymasters announce a disturbance in the force.
The thing about the cinema is that, however wonderful an experience it can be, eventually we all have to stagger out into the daylight and reality again. Which is what Federal Broon desperately needs to do now as well, before he adds any more harm to the considerable damage he has already wrought in his (thankfully well-past) political career.
Reblogged this on Ramblings of a now 60+ Female.
One of the many problems that Broon now faces is that the establishment in London are making it very clear that they wish to vanish Scotland as an entity.
How is he going to sell that in the Midlothian Miner’s Social club?
Singing Scotland no more by the Proclaimers perhaps?
He only ever had any purchase with many Labour voters who thought that Scotland had a future as a partner in the UK union.
That has turned out to be just another lie to keep the plebs subservient to England’s Tories.
gavinochiltree says: at 4:38 pm
“They are a disgrace to journalism.”
But not to propagandaism!!!!
They only ever appear when the polls are going bad. they don’t get much for Scotland the rest of the time, do they?
By the Chief, BBC Distorting Scotland , which now has as much gravitas and quaint amateurism as the Auchenshuggle United Free Reform parish magazine, was full of ‘concerns’ ‘controversy’ and ‘complaints’ tonight.
When 15,000 True Blue Loyalist RFC ‘fans celebrated’ their teams win by rampaging through Glasgow, injuring 47 police officers, and causing £58,000 worth of damage, this outrage barely warranted a mention.
Obviously nobody raised concerns, there were no critics on hand to interview, and nobody complained.
Yet the thought of 3000 genuine well behaved members of the Tartan Army gathering on Glasgow Green, socially distancing, waving saltires, singing 500 miles, and cheering on the Country which Boris Johnson has ordered all civil servants and that includes the BBC talking heads at Plantation Quay, never to say out loud in his presence, has been pummelled for days now, on TV and BBC Clockwork Radio Jockland.
Jackie Bailie big rotund face glowered at us tonight…test and trace… it should be cancelled…all those Jocks cheering and flags..horror of horrors.. what if they beat Bailie’s ‘country’ England?
A young father (you wonder how BBC Stockade gets to know of these strangely well spoken Brits who have such a specific rather minor ‘complaint.) complained that he was barred from his daughter’s nursery graduation, yet 3000 ya de ya de ya.
People will die and it’s all Sturgeon’s fault!
So the ‘growing controversy’ was Jackie Baillie and a young lad…
There was an item on face masks in Care Homes…Old Folk forced to wear face masks in Common Rooms.. which was greeted by a ‘complaint’ from a woman whose mother would certainly not be wearing one!
The Guidance does not enforce face mask wearing on Care Home residents…but why let facts get in the way of BAD SNP bating?
BBC Jockland’s half truths, half assed, distorted reports, misrepresenting the actual facts of the situation is getting worse.
The Sports guy interviewed 4 youngsters, One Scot, one English, one Croat and one Czech…
Scotland at best will get third….Let’s all get behind the lads, but not BBC Plantation Quay..
If there were ever a time to be unashamedly ‘Scottish’ it is now..but not,under pain of the sack, on the Banks of the Clyde, in Little England.
The real headline, the actual fucking news, which should have been top of the bulletin, the report of the terrible killings of ten workers from the Halo Mine Clearing charity based in Dumfries, was relegated to the end of the ‘news’ portion, before a seasonal piece on the RNLI in Eyemouth, and Scottish Opera on Tour in a Trailer.
Of course we are Scotland, we don’t have any news Up Here..we are like Leicester, a small region of England.
Now we know why England is shutting BBC Jockland…It is merely a catalogue of unrelenting pointless shallow drivel now. Nobody will miss it, which I observe without complaint, criticism or controversy.
,
Jack: Sadly, I feel that many people would be glad to see it go as it would at least remove any last pretence that they are reporting the things that actually are happening in Scotland, instead of the insipid drip, drip of heavy managed negative stories that it tries to pass off as news.
I pay a TV tax to finance this garbage, Stephen.
It is sheer Third Reich strength Englund Uber A
Alles dross.
On BBC prime time tonight, at Nine o’Clock, labelled ‘BBC Scotland’.
On One, yet another mindless piece of rubbish in the ‘Great British’ Series…They are televising a sewing bee..
On BBC 2? ‘Building Britain’s Biggest Nuclear Power Station’. This one is apparently episode 2 in a series.
On BBC 4? ‘Coventry Cathedral: Building for a new Britain.’
You get the recurring theme?
And later on BBC One Scotland?
At 22.45 Gary Neville and ‘rappers’ Krept and Konan: ‘We Are England : Krept and Konan explore Englishness while creating a Euros football anthem.’
And just so we get the message, over on BBC 4 later we can choose to tune in to ‘the British Photography Challenge’.
It insults all Scots citizens to continue to pretend that there is any such beast as ‘BBC Scotland’, never mind shove this ‘British’ and ‘English’ brainwashing Manchurian candidate strength junk down our tv cable links.
They have gone completely mad Down There now.
They can shut Pathetic Quay down tonight, and save me a licence fee.
Gordon Brown is a Northern Briton apparently. He’ll be tuning in for news from the Mothership.
As far as BBC Scotland is concerned nothing positive has happened since May 2007 in Scotland, if they have had a good news story regarding Scotland I must have missed it. To be fair to them I no longer watch their output, it is beyond parochial, I’m surprised they don’t use ‘Would you stop your tickling jock’ for their opening title music.
Can anyone name a BBC Scotland programme (that’s one which is actually made in Scotland and uses Scottish staff/artists, rather than something with just a BBC Scotland tag at the end) in the last ten years you would consider a must see. I can’t think of anything after the 1980’s, the ambition is so low and London basically controls everything in the network drama department. It’s basically a broadcasting backwater, if it disappeared tomorrow would anyone outside PQ notice.
Really, really desperate stuff. Surely this Broontervening business has finally run its course? With diminishing returns each time he is wheeled out, its only a matter of time before the Broon effects become negative. When this point is reached (and the establishment actually realise it) then he is finished. He is only useful for as long as he is useful, and we must be reaching the critical point by now. There may be a time lag I suppose, given how out-of-touch the establishment actually is regarding Scotland. May take em a while yet. Why does Broonster continue with this painful exercise? Three possible reasons: 1) He has nothing else to do, it makes him feel relevant, 2) He is desperate for public (yoon) recognition – no knighthood for Broonster though methinks, or 3) His love of the union is so deep, he feels he has to do absolutely anything and everything to defend it. Take yer pick. Personally, I think its a bit of all three, depending on what side of the bed he got out of in the morning. 🙂
You’ve covered Broon’s deeply suspect motivations fairly well, but I reckon his usefulness to the Union is well past already, it’s just that his minders in London haven’t realised it yet. Wishful thinking isn’t in short supply among the English Establishment and their media helpers, mixed as it increasingly is with cold desperation.
Though among a more far-sighted and principled current minority of them, an increasing acceptance that Scotland and England are inexorably heading towards a constitutional parting of the ways.
“I reckon his usefulness to the Union is well past already, it’s just that his minders in London haven’t realised it yet.”
Ssshhh!
If we’re lucky, they won’t notice at all. If they do, they may come up with something/someone more effective…
“Though among a more far-sighted and principled current minority of them, an increasing acceptance that Scotland and England are inexorably heading towards a constitutional parting of the ways.”
You know,it never ceases to surprise me how they don’t try to sell this parting as a good thing, which simultaneously gives all freedom, yet “Saves The Union” – and their faces:
– ‘Modernising the union to bring it into the 21st Century’ (although the 20th would be a good start!)
– ‘Unchaining all 4 Countries to fulfil their potential as part of New Union of Independent “British” (go on, throw them a bone) Nations’
– ‘A new, Domestic Commonwealth’
Of course, that wouldn’t be the status quo.
Philip Hammond remember him? when asked on BBCs the nine programme about the Union said ..”I fear for the Union” then went on to say ” Nobody is making the case for it and the case for the Union is an emotional one”
My my, not a word about the Too Poor or the Too Wee then
Someone who ranks their support for independence at 8 out of 10 is, in theory at least, open to the idea of supporting the status quo instead … However I’d venture to suggest that to persuade an “8 out of 10” it would require arguments of a very persuasive nature, delivered by someone who is both eloquent and not seen to have any vested interest in Scotland not deciding for independence.
Now how should I put this politely? I’m doubtful that Gordon Brown has the calibre of arguments that would be needed, and it’s pretty certain that he would fail at the task of being the person to present them!
So the royals are prejudiced against Scotland, Brown is being ignored by Johnson and the brexiters, Davidson’s done a runnner. Ross’s isolation is nearly up after telling everyone the covid rules should be relaxed for hospitality -excepting any support for Scotland in a field which can hold 100000 but may have 6000 social distanced souls 2 metres apart.
BBC Scotland is now given up any pretence of trying to keep to its unionist impartiality.
All of this and the SNP and Greens have a mandate from the election from just one month ago.You wouldn’t know.
Still let’s have some comfort music and put the Battle of the River Plate on the tele or even Dunkirk- that’s the spirit lad’s.
The First Minister, cabinet and every MP must now be less nice to biased interviewers such as Coburn – call them out. Tell them to their face they are britnats and are biased and keep telling them when they interrupt for the 40th time in a 5 minute interview or be silent let them fill the gap as you know you want be given fairness. 50% + of us gave them a mandate. By Autumn the 3rd wave will have gone , vaccinations will have progressed.
We don’t need just rescuing from Covid-19 but also from a right wing junta which unfortunately is supported by its English citizens.
Debate night ;
Andrew Wilson just said “if Scotland chose to become independent next year we’d be the richest country ever do do it, right now with the taxes Scotland pays the Scottish government could pay every single thing that’s being paid for now” meaning no other country has ever had as much as we have now and they did it, the interviewer said *deficit* and Andrew Wilson blew that argument away as well
The Scottish cringe was on display as well with some folk having these strange ideas that everything about Independence must be laid out examined guaranteed and locked in before we do it as if somehow that were even possible given that we’re still imprisoned by the Union and nobody is Eva Petulengro with the absolute crystal ball 20 20 future vision of perfectness
Welsh Sion makes a good point about the P O W ( Prince of Wales – not John Mills in another plucky captured English soldier making the Nazis look foolish movie ) .
When Charlie is on the throne ( calling himself George we hear ) and thus vacates the P O W post , said post is advertised in the local Welsh Job Centre , qualifications for which are –
must be related to Charlie/George , go by the name of Will and be available to start immediately .
So , if Will ‘n Kate ( patent pending ) are ensconced in Wales keeping the revolting peasants on the side of the Greek/German dynasty – what happens to the verminous Scots ?
Who will be keeping them in line ?
Will n’ Kate are young(ish ) and energetic but even a Royal cannot be in two places at once
( except for Andrew in a Pizza restaurant when an alibi is needed – allegedly ) so their plate will be full as they desperately pretend that ”Wales shaped them ” and that ”laverbread has brought them closer to the good people of Wales ”.
Who among the Royals will be brave enough ( not you Eddie ! ) or stupid enough ( Anne , Mmm ? ) to assume the task of keeping the Union intact .
Could they , in extremis , send for Harry and Meghan ? Wow ! Could they fit it in between their Netflix and Oprah commitments ?
It will need to be handled with subtlety , diplomacy and intelligence – sadly the Chookyembra is no longer with us so we’ll just have to let Boris handle it !
Ot.
I see on flight radar a private jet flying in from Faro to Glasgow. Is this the wealthy trying to avoid the new covid rules by avoiding national airlines? Could it be Charles on his way to Balmoral since he loves us all?
08.35 hrs, Thursday. There’s also a Learjet just about to land at Dundee coming from Biggin Hill!
Tonight, as last night, Newsnight reduced the Irish Protocol debacle to an argument over the EU ban on Sainsbury shipping sausages to their East Belfast store.
Nigel, now Lord, Dodds was on, quite categorically stating that Johnson knew what he was signing up to just to be able to announce that he had Got Brexit Done, in the full knowledge that the Border down The Irish Sea would blow up in their faces, right about now, 6 months in to Global England’s push into their Free Trade Brave New World.
It has been said of government that there are two things that you never want the public to see you making, policy, and sausages.
Most of us can recall the ‘Eurosausage’ episode of Yes Minister.
Hacker: (To Bernard.)
“Do I have to sign this one? (A Christmas card) It’s from Maurice in Brussels. He’s the one who forced through the plan to standardise the eurosausage.By the end of next year we shall be waving goodbye to the good old British sausage and be forced to accept some sort of foreign muck like salami or bratwurst or something in its place.”
Bernard:
“They can’t stop us eating the British sausage, can they?”
Hacker:
“They can stop us calling it the sausage though. Apparently it’s got to be called (reads paper) ‘the emulsified high fat offal tube’.”
Bernard:
“And you swallowed that?”
Hacker:
“It’s my job to implement EEC (bless) regulations. It could finish my career.”
Bernard:
What have they got against our sausage?”
Hacker:
“Don’t you ever read the papers you give me? (Reads) apparently there’s not enough meat in it. The average British sausage consists of 32 ½ % fat, 6 ½ % rind, 20% water, 10% rusk, 5% seasoning, preservatives and colouring, and only 26% meat which is mostly gristle, head meat, other off cuts, and mechanically recovered meat steamed off the carcass.”
(Hacker belches, sits down, holding his stomach.)
Hacker:
“I don’t feel particularly w…I had one for breakfast.”
This was written over 40 years ago, as satire.
Yet today, Johnson, Nigel Dodds, and Emily Maitlis are the stout defenders of the Great British Sausage against Johnnie Furriner. The Protocol, the GFA, reduced to a row over the Great British offal tube?
What is the French for ‘‘the emulsified high fat offal tube”?
GFA ? Whit?
I post this to lighten the mood. We need a laugh right about now. I know that I do.
Otherwise we’d weep.
Jack,
As I said on another thread, watching the reruns of Yes Minister on BBC4 is like watching a documentary. Every episode, old as they are, seems to have something relevant to the current shenanigans in Westminster.
L, Jacob Rees Mogg was Jim Hacker today at the Despatch Box defending the Great British Sausage, to deflect from answering why Johnson had flown by private jet from London, all the way above the M4, A 30, to St Ives in Cornwall.
YM, and even more viscerally, YPM, uncannily predicted Johnson’s Build Back Better Great Britain, sending up situations like leaving the EU, Nuclear weapons, the smoking ban, new hospitals with no patients, and the cronyism of the honours racket.
When it was established that Sir Humphrey 30 years earlier was a Junior Civil Servant who boobed by returning an MOD base and buildings in a remote Scottish Island to the leaseholder for nothing when the lease ran out, the cover up of incriminating documents included a flood in records offices, a fire, and redacted files censored as a matter of ‘National Security’.
Correct, L, YM has been used as a training manual by successive WM Govts ever since.
Yet still we laugh..perhaps that’s the problem.
Glaring as it is, who is really surprised ? https://mobile.twitter.com/msm_monitor/status/1402555707694718977
Same old, same old, Bob. For Scotland that is.
MSM Monitor:- ”Here’s how BBC Wales reacted to the announcement by the Welsh FM that up to 10,000 people can gather at events outdoors. No hysteria, no political agendas, just factual reporting. Contrast this with the behaviour of BBC Scotland. Incredible.” https://mobile.twitter.com/msm_monitor/status/1402608921261522953
…………………………….
‘Westminster can’t trick us into staying in the UK by hiding our history.’
http://www.businessforscotland.com/westminster-cant-trick-us-into-staying-in-the-uk-by-hiding-our-history/
Here we go. Bowie keeping the ”One Nation” pot boiling.
”The NHS across the UK is under immense pressure as we open up and they deal with postponed procedures. I asked @MattHancock what he was doing to ensure that, wherever you live, you will have the same access to services. Our One National Health Service for our One Nation 👇.” https://mobile.twitter.com/AndrewBowie_MP/status/1402246609669345280
………………………………..
Philippa Whitford:- ”Already anonymised data sharing for public health & academic research. UK Gov plan is for commercial use! As Scottish MP & Dr, I find it really worrying DIT offering access to data on 65m people. #NHSScotland is NOT part of this commercial plan – England = 55m.” https://mobile.twitter.com/Dr_PhilippaW/status/1402711591678775298
‘Good Law Project boss criticises BBC for ‘curious’ interview with him after ruling.’
..”The barrister claimed that the corporation’s “attack-minded positioning” left him feeling that by exposing the Government it was him “who had done something wrong”..
http://www.thenational.scot/news/19360443.good-law-project-boss-criticises-bbc-curious-interview-ruling/
………………………………..
Just in case the BBC forgets to let you know.
ScottishPoliticsNews:- ”More than 90,000 children in Scotland will be entitled to free school meals by January 2022, regardless of their background, the Scottish Government education secretary has announced.” https://mobile.twitter.com/ScoPoliticsNews/status/1402384865815846912
Video – ILI Group:- ”We are proud to announce our 450MW Pumped Storage Hydro project Red John on the shores of Loch Ness has gained Planning consent.This decision will pave the way for £550m of investment and 100s of new jobs in the area whilst helping Scotland hit its Net-zero targets.” https://mobile.twitter.com/ILIENERGY/status/1402198738702159873
………………………….
‘Scotland’s businesses save thousands more than England’s with rates relief extension.’
http://www.businessforscotland.com/scottlands-businesses-save-thousands-more-than-englands-from-rates-relief-extension/?doing_wp_cron=1623245517.5471389293670654296875
‘Should Britain send back the Benin Bronzes?’
..”The looting of Benin City was not a uniquely egregious act of cultural vandalism – from Maqdala to Mandalay, British 19th century military expeditions plundered treasures – but it happened towards the very end of the period of imperial expansion, and is extremely well documented in photographs, letters and journals.”..
..”Boris Johnson’s government has made its position clear; the culture secretary Oliver Dowden has written to national museums, telling them not to remove objects with “difficult and contentious” histories. His letter came with a thinly veiled threat.”..
http://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/brexit-news/the-story-of-the-benin-bronzes-7989816
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‘Rapid test kits rolled out to pharmacies.’
http://www.gov.scot/news/rapid-test-kits-rolled-out-to-pharmacies/
‘Lesley Riddoch: Feeble Keir Starmer is enabling habitual Tory rule breakers.’
http://www.thenational.scot/news/19361568.lesley-riddoch-feeble-keir-starmer-enabling-habitual-tory-rule-breakers/
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Check out Ann’s latest links on the Indyref2 site.
https://indyref2.space/forum/topic/links-thursday-10-june-2021/
“a clueless pampered pair of royal idiots” – I like that.
In Gordon Brown’s brave new federal world could Scotland get rid of Trident?
I think I will give this a miss Gordon. The Guardians review of Gordon Browns latest effort to convince us that he has something to say.
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/jun/10/seven-ways-to-change-the-world-by-gordon-brown-review-a-restless-search-for-answers
BBC Scotland seem to getting all excited about driving theory test delays in Scotland compared to England, I suspect they see it as something they can pin on the Scotgov, or it could be their ‘isn’t Scotland crap’ routine kicking in. As far as I’m aware, I could be wrong, the theory test is a UK gov run entity, you book through their website not the Scotgov one, so if their is a failure it is a UK government run one.
On another subject I see the Tories want to have oversight on what history is taught in Scotland’s schools, only pure British history, another bit of 1930’s Germany kicking into place.
The only history taught when I was in school was the rewritten English version of British history
The government in England is returning the island of Britain to the pre war state of political run Englishness of that time by replacing all public service appointments with political appointees for the facilitation of easier total control, the system on which they based the building of their empire with no dissent no argument and no debate, a system that the regime in Germany in the 1930s copied in order to build their dominance, the attempt by the then German regime only failed because they proceeded too quickly and overstepped themselves, if they had done what England did and taken more time they would have no doubt succeeded in their ambitions, whether England under the guise of Britishness will succeed in it’s ambitions this time is difficult to predict but they do hold all the cards when it comes to authority now because Englands voters gave them that power and according to all the polls would do so again
So much so are the English government feeling so empowered by themselves they are at this moment considering an early general election in 2023 right at the same moment when the Scottish government are planning to announce a second referendum on Independence
We should also consider the English government at this moment are making boundary changes to constituencies across Britain to increase the Tory vote and to cut ten MPs from Scotland should the Scottish government decide to even take part in another UK general election, they may not want to but may be forced into so doing because of the deliberate timing of the English government strategy to create as much mud around the situation as they can to head off the rise in favour of Scottish Independence
All the English government needs is to sew as much doubt and lay as many false obstacles in our path then deny the Scottish government the ability to rebutt using the power of the British controlled media which by then will be more powerful than it is now given that the BBC in particular will be totally under the control of English government appointed politicians and programming in Scotland will be under that same control meaning even more bias than exists at this present moment by multiples
This pandemic did political favours for England handing them the ability to time everything to suit their agenda and left the nations of Scotland and Wales at the mercy of England’s political clock because as we’ve all seen and heard the voters of England wouldn’t care if the Tories consumed living human beings for lunch live on news at one with human blood running down their faces, they’re still going to vote Tory and keep them right where they are, to the right of Attila the Hun where the *control* is
If Scotland doesn’t vote for Independence next time we’re trapped forever and it’ll be bad
I think that we have reached that stage in the dissolution of their precious union, that it is unconscionable that any English administration can ‘deny’ us Scots anything. We are ironically taking back control, to coin a phrase.
The Scottish Government has a clear mandate to begin the process of coming out of England’s ‘union’.
They know that it is coming, hence the quite insane articles in the Herald scotsman and Record.
What will this sad old gaggle of hacks do for a living when they join BBC Jockland’s Pathetic Crew in the Job Centre queue?
Ventured out earlier. On Radio 4 Kate Adie and ‘From our Correspondent’ On radio Jordanhill? Stephen Jardine and a foot doctor taking phone calls about verucas and fallen arches.
It must number in the tens, the audience count for this People’s Friend crap.
What is the point of BBC Jockland, other than to belittle Scotland?
Good news for Maya Forstater who has won her appeal against a Tribunal decision that her belief that sex is immutable was “not worthy of respect in a democratic society”. Slowly, common sense is returning to the public sphere.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-57426579
”Slowly, common sense is returning to the public sphere.”
I reckon that you’re right Capella and thank goodness for that. I see that more and more organisations are pulling out of Stonewall’s ”diversity scheme”, including the Equality and Human Rights Commission, ACAS and even Channel 4 now. Let’s hope that commonsense will prevail and that the lawmakers will find a means of supporting both sides in this debate.
http://www.personneltoday.com/hr/stonewalls-diversity-scheme-accused-of-being-unlawful/
”Brown …is silent on the questions of Scottish Independence and Brexit ” – well , one out of two ain’t bad !
Brown ”silent ” on Scottish independence ? How can you take a journalist seriously when he comes up with crap like this ?
Clearly anything that happens in North Britain is not reported where these journos live , nor , it appears , does it matter .
He obviously hasn’t heard that Brown has weaponized his ”Think Tank” into an anti-independence attack vehicle .
Whoever wrote this has NO idea what we in Scotland have to put up with when Brown leaves his semi-permanent hibernation state .
He has a season ticket to the Pacific Quay Propaganda Centre .
Is NEVER asked to substantiate his views on independence .
Is still treated by the media as is he MATTERED !
The English media have evidently got NO IDEA what is happening in North Britain , hence their worship of Brown .
This is compounded by their apparent belief that The Royals can change opinion among the revolting Scots .
What do the Royals have in common with the midge ? A host of them appear in Scotland in the Summer and are a pest !
This “one nation” guff is scarily reminiscent of “ein volk, ein reich, ein fuhrer”.
‘British jobs for British workers” bellowed the Clunking Fist.
What a sinister little man Brown is, was, and always will be.
I switched on R Scotland earlier but had to switch off again. Stephen Jardine, as you say, filling in the tedious hours with vox pops about nothing in particular. I could hardly summon the will to listen at all. What a parody of a broadcasting service. Is there any other country in the world subjected to this level of gaslighting?
I find twitter and blogs a better source of news. You can choose your source. Also, Prof Robertson is great at demolishing the myths as they pour out of the maw of Plantation Quay.
When ‘Tubby’ Dross (he really has been beasting in to the self service breakfasts in the Edinburgh hotel where he self isolated hasn’t he?) and his fellow Tory Anas Sarwar were screaming nonsense and lies about this year’s Educational assessments , ably joined by Wee Willie Rennie, who is apparently now getting the chance to speak once every three weeks, in WM Robert Buckland Justice Minister was fielding MP questions about the Hillsborough Trials, a football related issue which should have had Tory MP Dross full attention. Down There in WM Jacob Rees Lord Snooty was on his feet next defending the Great British Sausage and accusing the Bad EU of all sorts of things, while ignoring the Labvour MP query on Johnson’s commitment to climate change since he took a private jet all the way along the M4 from London to Cornwall…
I assume that Dross punched his time cards for both jobs today?
Why do we put up with this theft?
I know that Allison Johnstone has just taken over as speaker, but she needs to nip these three minute speeches from the Red Blue and Yellow Better Together Tories at FMQ.
Already we have Brit MSPs demanding that our FM intervene with one of their constituent’s GP because of appointment delays.
They are determined to debase our Parliament from the get go.
Three hours of Gary Robertson followed by three hours of Kaye Adams followed by 90 minutes of Johnnie Beattie, then two and half hours of Janice Forsyth followed by more ‘news’ from Beattie, and assorted Brit Nat guests from Tom Harris to Murdo Fraser…..
The day permeated with ‘What the Papers Say’ Brit Nat Propaganda, from The Telegraph, Guardian, The Times, and the ‘Scottish’ Daily Express, the ‘Scottish’ Sun, the ‘Scottish’ Daily Mail and of course, the Herald Britland, the Hootsman, and the Police Gazette/Steven Gerrard Gazette, the Daily Record.
No other country on the planet would put up with this poison.
He is invariably referred to as a ”son of the manse” as this is intended to bolster his moral/ethical position and his utterances .
His moral/ethical position was clearly evident when in Government he continually briefed ( slyly ) against his colleagues to gain more power .
This is the man who remained silent through much of the Iraq tragedy and failed to condemn the lies being published as ”proof” which were used to prosecute the war .
This is the man who perpetrated the PFI scheme to enrich large conglomerates at the expense of council ratepayers .
This is the man … F*ck it , enough time wasted on this cnut !
“Son of the Manse” the con trick being as though that’s some Godly guarantee of of veracity and fidelity
Wasn’t David Steel a son of the manse too? Alistair Carmichael an elder in the Cof S, another lid dem the Moderator of the C of S.
Makes you weep.
I have written about this CoS-ia Nostra mafia before.
Willie Rennie is a ‘grandson’ of the manse. Sarah Smith was married by Douglas and Wendy Alexander’s father, so they too are children of the manse. Even Baroness No Name put on her wiki page that she was a CoS Sunday School teacher. I seem to recall that Sally Magnusson is an elder..Oh,yes, and Lib Dem Lord Jim Wallace is the Moderator.
In my younger more innocent days, I believed that the Christians adopted a ‘Render unto Caesar’ arms length approach to politics..fool me.
I have listed the MSM Broadcast Gang on here before…they are almost exclusively from the same background, culture and ‘standing’ in the Scottish ‘community’.
Their influence is waning, but still formidable.
The Kaffliks are as bad, mind you.
The Christian Religion has a lot to answer for.
How did they get away with preaching that if you are poor and struggle in this life, you will get your reward in heaven, for two thousand years?
I am old enough to remember the nonsense: Kaffliks vote labour, Proddies Tory.
Theresa May another one 🙄.
Gordon Brown put it on a big red mug, like Boris Johnson put his crap on a big red bus
For example – Lorn Dey retweeted a clip from Debate Night of Andrew Wilson asserting that Scotland is easily rich enough to be independent. https://twitter.com/LeePirie/status/1402750427406422017?s=20
Frankie Boyle said “Voting yes to Independence will consign the Tories to oblivion, you’ll feel like Ripley blasting the alien out of the airlock”
‘Boris Johnson Covid conferences criticised by Lords over Union Jackery.’
..”Stuart McMillan, the SNP MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, said the Tory government’s obsession with Union Jackery has now been “exposed as a direct risk to public health”…
http://www.thenational.scot/news/19362511.boris-johnson-covid-conferences-criticised-lords-union-jackery/
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‘People can’t stop laughing at Unionist’s plan to scrap Scotland’s football team.’
..”Deans argued that the four nations of the UK should disband their football teams to form Team GB.”..
http://www.thenational.scot/news/19363547.people-cant-stop-laughing-unionists-plan-scrap-scotlands-football-team/
I have little interest in football, but am amused at the idea of Team GB which would, of course, end up being an all-England team with their fans waving union flags. One of the Freeview channels has been showing a programme entitled “When England ruled European Football”. Just as I was quickly flicking past, I heard a Scottish voice – Graeme Souness. I didn’t hang around, but I’ve no doubt there would be others. I vaguely remember that Welsh and NI players played for the top English teams, too.
The kind of bonkers argument coming out from notorious BritNat Effie Deans accidentally reveals their growing level of panic. Back in the really old days, Scottish interests were safeguarded by the Unionists (not least the Tories, funnily enough), because they were self-confident in their Union and of course there was no alternative view. London governments were rightly wary and very careful not to stray into matters Scottish for fear of assured very strong reaction.
How things have changed. The more the prospect of independence looms, the more these poor insecure modern Unionists seek refuge in ever-greater unitary statism. They foolishly hope that by pretending that Scotland doesn’t exist, that the UK isn’t a Union at all, but one unified Brenglish country – which both in theory and in practice it never was – they can somehow wish away the future they increasingly fear is coming.
They feel the tide of history coming in, and for comfort are trying to erect around themselves a sandcastle with a little Union Rag stuck on top. The rest of us just look on and laugh (and not sympathetically).
Oh, and isn’t it odd that while for some a retreat into unitary statism is apparently the Britnat reaction du jour, deluded (or otherwise?) Federal Broon and his sidekick Henry the Fence-Sitter are simultaneously trying to conjure up the polar opposite, a wonderful souped-up-nearest-thing-to-federalism-shiny-new-devo-maxi Union. (Some others now too, it appears, though I can’t think why.)
Before indyref2 starts, they might all want to decide which one of these fantasies they want to try to punt to an increasingly-sceptical Scottish public. Both together are only likely to cancel each other out. (Not that I care. Each reveals the mendacity of the other.)
Latest from some tin-pot Tory nobody back home:
https://nation.cymru/news/dont-refer-to-the-uk-as-four-nations-senior-welsh-tory-suggests/
Don’t refer to the UK as ‘four nations’, senior Welsh Tory suggests
10 Jun 2021 2 minutes Read
Well, at least you seem to be bereft of “devo-maxers”, WS, so in that you’re one up on us! {laugh}
What?
After all the hard work it took the Welsh to stop the BBC from giving the “Weather Forecast for England” including Cardiff?!
It’s bad enough being part of EnglundunDwales, without going backwards!
They never give up, do they, even when they’re proven to be ignorant, sneaky, lying erses over and over again.
‘Westminster: Andrew Bowie’s attempt to point-score over Scottish education backfires.’
http://www.thenational.scot/news/19363205.westminster-andrew-bowies-attempt-point-score-scottish-education-backfires/
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‘FMQs: Nicola Sturgeon slams Douglas Ross ‘misrepresentation’ of grade row.’
http://www.thenational.scot/news/19363284.fmqs-nicola-sturgeon-slams-douglas-ross-misrepresentation-grade-row/
This is the news that Distorting Scotland at lunchtime didn’t deem worthy of reporting:=
Scottish Covid numbers: 10 June 2021
Summary
735 new cases of COVID-19 reported
28,379 new tests for COVID-19 that reported results
2.8% of these were positive
1 new reported death(s) of people who have tested positive
14 people were in intensive care yesterday with recently confirmed COVID-19
124 people were in hospital yesterday with recently confirmed COVID-19
3,441,217 people have received the first dose of the Covid vaccination and 2,345,181 have received their second dose
Nothing to see here, it looks too much like positive news, move on.
My Everlovin’ gets her second jag tomorrow, on track with the vaccine programme.
Meanwhile Graham Stewart and Kirsten Campbell were declaring that Scottish pupils were being ‘cheated’ by the Scottish government of Assessments this year (according to Tubby Dross and his fellow arch right Wing Capitalist Tory Buddy Anas, and Willie Rennie screaming from, the bleachers) with Casmpbell adding that Nikla Sturgeon was being ‘sleekit’ (according to Tubby D) and what about those Fanzones when parents aren’t allowed to attend school Sports Day bleats Stewart.
How about a wee story about pregnant women and their ‘concerns’ about the jag?
Oh yes, and Sellik huv a new manager…and that’s all you’re getting from Plantation Quay, ye Scots colonists.
SNP, cheatin’ sleekit bassas!
Aye
If you want to get a real moan on Jack listen to BBC Drivetime John Beattie, wall to wall SNP Scottish government Sturgeon all BAD BAD BAD and more BAD, he also likes to tell us what he thinks, which is BAD, in agreement with all the other BAD
…doubtless he will have declared that the ‘sleekit’ Bad SNP ‘cheated’ pupils just to make up the set.
Tomorrow morning Gary will review the English Dead Tree Scrolls and read out a headline declaring that Nikla Sturgeon ‘cheated’ the Scots pupils, the sleekit sod that she is.
C’mon Scotland you can do it ⚽ 😀 💖.
Scotland National Team:- “A lot can happen in 23 years…” https://mobile.twitter.com/ScotlandNT/status/1402656986324299778
If our teams meet in the final, I’m taking a sabbatical from here – and for 90 minutes not wishing the best for Scotland! 🙂
Ach yer alright WS I don’t reckon there’s many in Scotland would hold anything against Wales win or lose
Good luck to your team
Mmhhh 🤬. We’ll turn a blind eye to that one WS because it’s you 😀.
Very kind, I’m sure.
Still, I’d like to think that Scotland are my number 2 team for Euro 2020 🙂
We are all Welsh tomorrow, WS.
I may even make a big pot of leak and potato soup. Ham stock, bread and butter…mmmm.
We need to keep our strength up; we’ve got 51 games to get through after all. (51 games? Callum MacGregor snorts. You don’t know you’re living.)
Getting into the mood now 😀.
‘Braw – A Long Time Coming.’ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4FMkkJV2mM
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‘SCOTLAND SQUAD 2021’. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGwc_mCY2No
‘All systems go: PLEASE SIGN the parliamentary petition calling for powers over broadcasting to be devolved to the Scottish Parliament.’
https://scotgoespop.blogspot.com/2021/06/all-systems-go-please-sign.html
I don’t know how (if at all) he mentioned Scotland, but this is how Hancock was shown up by the Welshies today after appearing before the HoC Committee:
https://nation.cymru/news/welsh-government-fires-back-at-wrong-hancock-claims-about-vaccine-success-we-are-simply-more-efficient/
Welsh Government fires back at ‘wrong’ Hancock claims about vaccine success: ‘We are simply more efficient’
10 Jun 2021 4 minutes Read
And at 6.30 Sally Magnusson says that the Scottish Government has cheated pupils….and repeats the lunchtime Bad SNP Covid nonsense in the headlines..oh, and pregnant women’s ‘concerns’, or was it ‘fears’ about the jag?
Two minutes was enough for me.
I pay for this?
Where truth goes to die Jack, Pacific Quay….
It’s going to get worse Jack, they’ve appointed a new Tory to take over to remove all trace of Scottishness from the in BBC Scotland, we’re a one nation BBC now
Why, oh why does the ‘public service broadcaster’ NEVER seem to take the time, exert the journalistic effort, to provide an objective, evidence-based, agenda-free account of what is actually being implemented in Scotland in terms of public policy? It should be doing this – in line with its Charter – and, by all means, THEN allow critics be heard by viewers/listeners but within that context.
Presumably it’s because BBC news coverage in Scotland is simply not motivated to provide a balanced, public information service for all.
What we had tonight on Reporting Scotland was more than just negative framing around this year’s national qualifications assessment. It went further: it repeatedly emphasised charges of ‘cheating’ young people without evidence. When language like this is used in public service broadcasting – especially when it affects the young or the vulnerable – the BBC should take much greater care to contextualise, inform, justify and, yes challenge. No chance!
Well said, stewartb; my point exactly.
Sally Magnusson merely repeated the junk spewed out by Ross as ‘facts’.
The comprehensive reply to this three cornered barrage by the Better together Collaboration becomes obscured, and edited into a few words.
That Magnusson, and Stewart, and Campbell and Miller attribute the ‘cheating’ and ‘sleekit’ vitriol to Dross is neither here nor there.
The message is that Ross Sarwar and Rennie are the story, not the revised Qualifications Assessment process this year and the FM’s detailed responses to Q’s..
Ergo, I have no problem in stating that the BBC Hacks were reporting that Nicola Sturgeon is ‘cheating’, and ‘sleekit’, since they refuse to indulge in serious grown up tele-journalism and report the whole exchange.
What we the public demand is facts, not a replay of ross Sarwar and Rennie’s name calling.
I’ll be charitable and suggest that this lot are just not very good at this journalism lark, otherwise they would have been drafted into the London Team.
Let’s party when the last helicopter takes off from the roof of Plantation Quay.
.
According to the BBC the Scottish government *claim* but the opposition *says*
The difference in inference isn’t even subtle, to claim could be a lie but to say sounds more truthful
Soukin up tae ‘royalty’ seems tae be a Labour thing the nou. Check out Andy Burnham’s comment about students takkin doun a pictur o the queen fae aff their common room wa– he says it wis “a divisive gesture” an that “We should always respect the Queen”.
Whitna damnt affrontry. Whit an arselikkin troup o joukers hae Labour cam out tae be.
..are there no honest reporters in bbc Scotland?
No. Anyone remotely honest got their P45 a long time ago. Derek Bateman, Isobel Fraser, Lesley Riddoch, Ken MacDonald and others. Remember in 2014 when the BBC announced that Ken MacDonald’s newspaper review was to be replaced by Kezia Dugdale, a serving Labour politician, during an independence referendum campaign? The outcry forced a U turn on that ridiculous decision. But the BBC got rid of them just the same.
The BBC has British state propaganda readers like during wars to demoralize the opposition
Ken MacQuarrie was the director at BBC Scotland during that fiasco period. He then was elevated to London to oversee “Regional” broadcasting.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-54000734
His successor was Donalda Mackinnon. She promised to restore faith in BBC Scotland with a whole new schedule designed to engage the Scottish viewers and listeners. Failed. The decisions are all made in London so forget about changing the culture of BBC Scotland.
Present incumbent is Steve Carson, originally from Belfast.
Perfect fit for the pre-idependence-referendum times I would guess – an Ulsterman.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-53609884
The simple answer is no, they want to keep their jobs and will write whatever is required to achieve this, if they don’t they will soon find themselves claiming benefits, who else would employ them? If they are lucky one of the Britnat parties will see them as an asset and try and have them elected as politicians.
From bog standard hack to HoL’s, it’s the Scottish journalists Cinderella story, most can but dream.
BBC bias ? Don’t pay their license !
BBC Mis-Reporting Scotland ? Don’t pay their license !
BBC Radio Shortbread unionist mouthpiece ? Don’t pay their license !
BBC Scotland ‘ journalists’ ? Name one !
Kaye Addams biased ? Don’t pay her salary !
( she dodges tax any way by not using PAYE – she ”provides her services via a personal services company ” – her own words . I could make some off colour comparison with some other ‘professionals’ who use Personal Services Companies to avoid the taxman but I won’t – or did I ? )
Good Morning Scotland Let’s put the boot into the Scottish Government ( to give it its full title )
Don’t pay their license !
Don’t pay their license if you feel that they NOT doing what it says on the tin !
How about Lorraine Kelly who says she’s not Lorraine Kelly but an actress who plays the character Lorraine Kelly and has lawyers and tax accountants to prove she’s not who she doesn’t say she is
It’s all an illusion once you get the right people to create a company who represents the character and not the person, because that’s another different company who’s her agent
That’s entertainment, ta daah
Check out what they are getting up to now.
”A Scottish Tory MP has backed a controversial plan for the UK Government to root out “undue nationalist bias” in the teaching of British history in schools.” https://mobile.twitter.com/heraldscotland/status/1402730964758011910
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Well worth a read.
‘How ‘progressive’ anti-imperialism threatens the United Kingdom.’
..”To defend and promote an attractive idea of Britain, its past and its ‘global’ future, to Scottish voters, the Government should: Provision an entity within civil society to conduct a review of the way in which the history of Britain is actually taught in Scottish school classrooms, with a view to maintain political neutrality, exposing any undue Scottish nationalist bias.”
http://www.geostrategy.org.uk/research/how-progressive-anti-imperialism-threatens-the-united-kingdom/
That would not be ‘British nationalism’, of course, because as WGD has repeatedly pointed out, that isn’t nationalism. Oh no.
I believe that it was in the “milk snatcher’s” tenancy that History disappeared from the school curriculum to be essentially replaced by the “PC inoffensively titled” modern studies.
Who was it said “if you can take away a nations history they are easily adsorbed”
Oh! yes Stalin was it not ??
Must admit I am one of the lucky ones. My schooling predated unfettered Tory dominance and destruction. Before I left primary I knew about Kenneth, David, Malcolm Cann More, the lords of the isles, all the way through crown and political unions to Culloden and the Improvers.
Also the Greeks, the Romans, and the Egyptians, And the Tolpuddel marters, the spining jenny, industrial revolution, were topics as we left for secondary school.
How more blatant can they be in showing that they now believe the only way to hold on to Scotland is to wipe out their history and lie to people about how “Great” the Union has been.
The fact that they are getting more and more desperate is plain to see and a good sign. I think we’re winning 🙂
And from Professor John Robertson.
‘Fightback in Scottish history teaching!’
Scotland’s food industry warns of dangers in hurried trade deals
https://newsnet.scot/news-analysis/scotlands-food-industry-warns-of-dangers-in-hurried-trade-deals/
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‘Neil Oliver’s ‘staggeringly stupid’ tax tweets panned by just about everyone.’
http://www.thenational.scot/news/19364273.neil-olivers-staggeringly-stupid-tax-tweets-panned-just-everyone/
Almannymearns has a postcard for Mr Bowie.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3jD1Y0WYAMZNhJ?format=jpg&name=small
Philippa Whitford:- ”It’s appalling UK Gov has cut funding for Global Polio Eradication, promised by AlokSharma in 2019, by eye-watering 95%! After pandemic, EXTRA funding is needed for catch-up immunisation programmes – we can’t allow polio to re-emerge and destroy young lives! Video.” https://mobile.twitter.com/Dr_PhilippaW/status/1403020055051448324
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‘Bangers and Mash: Brexit and the Sausage Wars.’
Good one Capella. Strains of Nazi Germany right enough 🙄. Then again as people like Dr Jim point out the Nazis actually adopted many of the British propaganda techniques.
the Nazis actually adopted many of the British propaganda techniques.
________
As well as their ideas with regards to concentration camps.
Ah yes how easily the Britnats rewrite history to the natzies (sic) inventing concentration camps.
When that distinction lays so solidly with them.
Check out Professor John Robertson’s site.
https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/blog-feed/
………………………….
And Ann’s latest links on the Indyref2 site.
https://indyref2.space/forum/topic/links-friday-11-june-2021/
BBC ‘Scotland’ revs it up for the start of the Euroes?
Well, no, it’s the Glasgow Commonwealth Games all over again.
I’ve just checked BBC Scotland’s schedule for today.
Gary Linekar hosts the BBC ‘Scotland’ Euro show, and Peter Crouch, ‘Crouchy’, begins his late night ‘hilarious’ take on each day’s events as we approach the witching hour.
In other words, it will be wall to wall England for at least a week or so, and then, nothing, if England don’t get out of the group.
This morning, BBC England Brexit has already aired the clip of Gascoigne flicking the ball over Hendrie’s head and scoring against the Jocks.
That’s the Loyal Sons Of happy then.
What will BBC Plantation Quay Sports Department be doing over the next 4 weeks?
Do they all just go off on their hols, or will they be huddled around microphones in BBC Jock Clockwork Radio studios, sending out wireless reports, while the rest of Europe watches their teams on their national TV outlets?
BBC’s coverage of the Euros will be all about England, with awkward little slots scrunched in to Gary’s and his regular team’s Anglo centred analysis and By Jingo nationalism as sport.
BBC Scotland? Aye, richt.
Of course, when England get beat, Gary will turn to his second team, Germany, as they are wont to do, when England inevitably falls.
… while the rest of Europe watches their teams on their national TV outlets?
________
You think Cymru/Wales has its own national TV outlet, too?
Nah. We have to genuflect before the altar of Lineker and Crouchy, too.
Know your place you subservient Celts.
I know, WS, I know. I didn’t think it my place to comment on your behalf. You didn’t disappoint.
We’re all Welsh tomorrow, but in a good way, not a Laura Kuennsberg way..
Only you Leaks can bring a tear to the eye belting out a song about a saucepan.
Thanks for the support.
However, did you know there’s a town in Switzerland that’s called, “Sion”? 😀 (Of course, the Swiss pronounce it differently to how I say my first name – and they don’t have a circumflex accent over the ‘ô’).
Today, one of the Freeview shopping channels is advertising a pair of pre-planted Calibrachoa Union Jack hanging baskets just in case you feel your garden is incomplete. Had they just presented it as a colourful display, it would have been fine … but seriously, UJ (?).
Their sales for ‘union jackery’ products includes baseball caps and tea shirts emblazoned with union flags and ‘London, ENGLAND’. I’d have included a link for the page, but thought an advertising link might not be permitted (?).
They’re getting themselves tied in knots, desperately trying to keep their beloved England to the forefront, while flogging it as the UK/Britain/GB/Whatever. It’s not going to work.
England is the next door neighbour who sits in our garden having a picnic while destroying our grass then tells us we’re lucky to have them as neighbours protecting us from other folk who might sit in our garden destroying our grass
Then they charge us protection money
We’d like to make our own television programmes please England, oh you can make as many as you want but you’re not putting them on our English channels without our permission
Well can we have permission to have our own television channels please England, no certainly not you’re British and will have English programming because that’s what being British is
But we’re Scottish, no you’re not
As the Tories and Labour are up in arms regarding the outdoor fan zone in Glasgow and want everyone attending Covid tested, I can only assume they must also want the same for all indoor hospitality, as we know indoor gatherings are much more likely to spread the virus. So they either want indoor testing in all hospitality, indoor hospitality closed if there is no testing or the more likely conclusion, they are a bunch of hypocrites that see a political opportunity and have no real interest in the health aspect.
3000 monitored people outdoors in an area that can hold 80.000 is as safe as you’re ever going to get considering when everyone was flocking to beaches sitting 6 feet apart when the death rate was still high and none of the opposition were demanding tests at that time
Political opportunism by amateur dickwads with no responsibility for anything who didn’t even stand for election because they knew they couldn’t get themselves elected in the normal recognised manner and deliberately got themselves listed so they didn’t even have to try
And now the dickwads tell US, who didn’t vote for them, that the government we did vote for is wrong and these lazy Bastirts who do nothing either for their constituents or the country think they have the right to use the British biased media to create stushies to make themselves appear important, they’re an embarrassment to Scotland
I see the Scotland football team has decided not to “ take the knee”.
This will allow our English cousins to develop a story line over how the Scots are racists and they are not.
Personally you can chose tokenism in order the box is ticked or you can say I am against racism, bigotry and the rest and I practice that belief in my own way and it is none of your business.
I await the Daily Mail, Torygraph and the rest to sit on their moral high ground or turd as I would call it to spout their venom in support of Engerland.
Whether anybody stands up, kneels doon, stands on one leg or waves their arms in the air amounts to nothing, do folk really think anybody who’s a racist wouldn’t lie about it and do what everybody else was doing anyway, no self respecting racist is going to tell the truth and admit they’re a racist by publicly not doing what what everybody else is doing
Once again the great British media dictating the terms and rules of people’s behaviour then pontificating on the outcomes to a dim and mindless readership who’ll swallow any old guff they’ll print
Seriously Hamish, let them crow, the players are not bound to “take the knee” to accommodate the propagandists, the few racists who persist in sport have long been despised by the rest, it is the few fans who have a problem, and of course the Daily Smell.
Were the Scots Squad to sing “A Man’s a man for aw that..” at full pelt, man THAT would would be something, a statement none would forget, except of course the Daily Smell…
Bob,
I am not asking for this to be done by the team merely suggesting the MSM will twist the message.
I also think the SFA should do more about sectarianism in Scotland. Is that fashionable?
Bob: The media will twist it regardless, they will always get some useful idiot to give a line or two such as, “I use to vote SNP, but after this, never again”.
As regards sectarianism, yes I fully agree for all of Scottish society and those in a position of influence including the SFA, but taking the knee or not, is an individuals choice.
Sorry, that reply was mean for Hamish100!..
Damned if they do – ‘Just copying us English’, ‘getting onto the anti-racist band-waggon’, etc etc
Damned if they don’t – ‘Scots are racist’ etc etc
(Not heard anything from the Cymru camp, yet).
There’s sure to be a leak, WS.
Couldn’t help myself.
Change of plan: Scotland will ‘take the knee’ at Wembley in solidarity with the England team.
Scotland will ‘stand against racism’ in the 2 games at Hampden.
You missed a bit. This is Steve Clarke being quoted on the BBC News website today:
‘”We will continue to take a stand – together, as one – for our matches at Hampden Park. For our match at Wembley, we will stand against racism and kneel against ignorance.”
See https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/57444726
You may be surprised (!) that Reporting Scotland this evening managed to miss out the ‘kneel against ignorance’ bit! Mind the company you keep!
Arch Unionist and wannabe Historian , Neil Oliver , has been slapped down in no uncertain style by Prof. Reicher of St Andrews for his remarks re,Lockdown in an interview given to that quality and politically neutral newspaper The Herald .
Oliver had claimed that Lockdown was ”the single biggest mistake in World History .”
Prof. Reicher did not miss him and hit the wall ( as my old mum used to say ):
”I’ll leave aside how offensive this argument is , given all the awful and genocidal decisions in World History . The wording is plainly hyperbolic and is more about gaining attention than respecting the evidence . The point is that it is just plain wrong !”
Whilst getting the backs of eminent professors he also laughably claimed in this attack on Covid that ” I’m apolitical … ” Which is why he has been signed up for Andrew Neil’s right wing ” news”channel .
Yes , Neil , we all believe you !
It’s a bit of PR pish doled out by him to get some attention for the new channel. The man’s only qualification is examining old relics, he will be right at home with Andrew Neil, he can possibly excavate what’s under that rug, some sort of void I suspect.
My only thought is “deary me”. Utter tripe.
Anybody else notice when Johnson is spewing out his nonsense (lies in effect) he has a tendency to smirk, almost break into a laugh, is he thinking ‘Are they really swallowing this tripe’. It will generate all the headlines in the UK media but he will never be confronted by them when none of the promises materialise.
He is untouchable, anyone that thinks they can embarrass him into resigning must surely by now realised he has no morals, he cannot be embarrassed, even if a p*rn video of him emerged he would merely shrug it off.
… even if a p*rn video of him emerged he would merely shrug it off.perhaps.
________
He’s a serial sh*gger in real life, so why should he be worried by a porn video?
There probably is a parody X rated movie out there already in any case. “Prime Meaterer” or “The Adventures of Johnson’s Johnson”,
All the Prime Ministers Women – what really happened at the Freezegate Building.
Oops, seems I’ve hit censors. May try again, later.
One of his speeches, when addressing the other leaders around the table, was absolutely diabolical. It looked as though he was just making it all up, gobbledygook, as he went along. Totally embarrassing 🤡.
………………….
This was posted on the Indyref2 site latterly with Ann issuing a warning – ”Do not watch if you have blood pressure problems.” https://mobile.twitter.com/AndrewBowie_MP/status/1402743593354280960
It would be good if the SNP benches remained empty from now on and we left those utterly vacant poseurs like Andrew Bowie to themselves. He’s my MP I’m ashamed to say. Why is he wearing a jacket that is several sizes too small for him? Or are giant shirt cuffs “in” this year? It’s like a parody parliament.
Someone should tell him – perhaps the speaker – that education is a devolved issue.
The rich and poor attainment gap in England is 55%, that’s 20 % more than in Scotland
This was a TV moment for the wee Nyaff boy Bowie and he grasped it with both hands because there weren’t any big boys to kick his head in at 4 ootside school for being a wee shite
Viewing the Queens birthday honours list It looks like the purchase of a Knighthood has shot up to a £500,000 ‘donation’ to the Tory party funds.
We really do need to break away from this mess.
Watchdog says Humza Yousaf child Covid claim ‘inaccurate’. The “watchdog” is the UK Statistical Authority.
Apparently, in a GMS interview, Humza Yousaf said that 10 children had been admitted to hospital because of Covid when he should have said “with Covid”.
The UK Stat Authority has taken the time to investigate this error and the Tories are demanding … yousaf should apologise.
The BBC tries hard to undermine the Public Health message.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-57446887
I know it was you Bojo, you broke my heart.
Biden, ” Look son, I’m Irish.”
Just don’t lie to me, it insults my intelligence
Scotland’s Baby Box to go on display in Amereican Designing Motherhood exhibition.
Designing Motherhood is currently displaying at the Mutter Museum, Philadelphia, and will show at the city’s Center for Architecture and Design from September.
from The National.
https://archive.fo/lNji2
Fascinating reaction to a young Scots poet reading her poem to the Scottish football team and using Scots words. The horror!
Left it unarchived so you can play the poem. Well done Erin!. Like Iona Fyffe, she gets loads of abuse on social media for using her own language.
https://www.thenational.scot/news/19368330.poet-wins-support-scotland-fans-bbc-video-prompts-social-media-abuse/
Good article in The National from Joanna Cherry spelling out the significance of the Maya Forstater win in the Employment Appeal Tribunal.
Let’s hope that the tenor of this particularly acrimonious debate will now improve.
https://archive.fo/wMcal