Party conference season is upon us, the time of year when politicians make speeches aimed at pleasing their party’s base and the rest of us switch off. These are likely to be the last party conferences before the Westminster general election which is due next year, and the parties will be using their conferences as an opportunity to set out their stalls for voters in the “let’s get rid of the Tories election” that is anticipated. Unfortunately for everyone who is not an avid viewer of those right wing ‘news’ channels that are proliferating on British televisions like dog turds on a dog park, all the British parties are vying with one another to adopt as many Conservative policies as they can in order to minimise the attacks on them by the UK’s ludicrously right wing media which means that although we may get rid of the Tories by name at the next general election, their mean spirited and vicious politics of punishing the poor in order to reward the rich will very much live on.
First up it’s the Lib Dem party conference in Bournemouth, always guaranteed to be an exercise in grandstanding, futility, and irrelevance. Naturally BBC Scotland took advantage of the excuse to give airtime to party leader Ed Davey, who was allowed to prattle on completely unchallenged for several minutes about how much he hates the SNP.
Not to be outdone by Labour leader Keir Starmer in the right wing U turn stakes, Davey has a right wing U turn of his own to debate at his party conference. In interviews over the weekend to mark the conference Davey refused to say that the LibDems want the UK to rejoin the EU, although this remains official party policy, at least for now. However the Lib Dem website https://www.libdems.org.uk/ merely talks about “eventually” rejoining the European Single Market and adds that the party’s “long term ambition” is to see the UK “at the heart of Europe once more”, carefully avoiding the scary words “rejoin the EU,” far less giving a time table for doing so.
The Lib Dems hope to boost their chances at the general election by treating it as essentially a series of local campaigns, focusing on local issues in each constituency in the hopes of taking votes from disenchanted Conservative voters and not scaring away Tory Leave voters by talking about rejoining the EU. Davey even claimed in one interview that no one is talking about rejoining the EU, something which is certainly facilitated by the BBC choosing to ignore the large pro-EU demonstration held in London over the weekend even as it gave coverage in the main news bulletin to a much smaller protest against banning American bully XL dogs which was taking place nearby.
However the prize for delusion goes to Scottish Lib Dem groupuscule leader Alex Cole-Hamilton, the man who leads the smallest group in the Scottish Parliament yet who has the biggest ego and the highest estimation of himself. Alex doesn’t need a kindly granny to tell him how wonderful he is, he does that himself each morning every time he looks in the mirror. Alex thinks this counts as self-reflection.
Onieweys, Alex’s unintentional comedy sketch which passed for his speech to the party faithful was notable for the claim that Humza Yousaf was going to be the last “nationalist” first minister of Scotland. He asserted that the SNP is “haemorrhaging fair minded, reasonable voters” and that people were “looking for a party to inspire them again, adding: “We are the answer they’ve been looking for, and it’s why Humza Yousaf will be the last nationalist First Minister of Scotland.”
This claim is deluded on three counts, firstly because despite their recent political travails the SNP remain by far and away the largest political party in Scotland and recent polling suggests that the next Scottish Parliament is most likely to retain a pro-independence majority, meaning that Alex looks set to have to continue confusing his self-importance with political relevance.
Secondly, and perhaps even more delusional, even if the SNP were to be ousted at the next Holyrood election as the largest party in terms of MSPs by either Labour or the Tories, both these parties are now nakedly nationalist. Both fully support Brexit, both wrap themselves in British flags, both extol the monarchy, the armed forces and “British traditions.”
Just because a key tenet of British nationalism is an abiding refusal to acknowledge that it is in fact a species of nationalism, and a rather nasty and intolerant one at that, does not give British nationalists a free pass, a Labour, or may all the gods forbid, Tory first minister of Scotland will still be very much a nationalist first minister, just an Anglo-British nationalist one. British nationalists are the Christian fundamentalists of nationalism. Certain Christian fundamentalists typically refuse to acknowledge that they have a religion. To their mind they possess the absolute truth, “religion” is something that characterises lesser belief systems.
Thirdly, it’s delusional because no one is inspired by the Lib Dems, least of all Scottish voters who favour independence and a return to the European Union. The Lib Dem’s brand of muscular unionism is just as unappealing as that of the Conservatives, and their promise of a federal United Kingdom is so much pie in the sky with as much substance as their desire to rejoin the European Single Market “eventually.” I have as much chance of becoming the next first minister as Alex Cole-Hamilton does, I even know how to wear a waistcoat properly, [hint Alex, you shouldn’t see your shirt poking out between the bottom of your waistcoat and your belt.] but I’d rather poke my eyes out with rusty knitting needles than stand for Parliament.
However there is one way in which Alex’s, ahem, prediction may come true. Scotland could become independent and then we’ll have a Scottish Prime Minister and not the First Minister of a devolved parliament. But then Alex is the guy who told the Oxford Union that Scotland should not and must not exist again. Very few voters in Scotland will find that extremist sentiment “fair minded and reasonable.”
We are in for a lot more of this kind of – what we can kindly call comedy – from the parties of we’re not nationalists we’re British as the conference season progresses.
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Any FM opposed to Scottish / British EU/EEA/EFTA membership would be appropriately classed as ‘Nationalist’, while one that supports such membership is unquestionably ‘unionist’.
Paul , giving Alex Cole-Hamilton Esquire ( ACHE ! ) the oxygen of publicity by speaking about his abysmal speech is justified by ridiculing his monstrous ego .
As the old saying has it , ”If he was Chocolate , he would eat himself ! ”
As for the LibDems , they were the midwives who delivered Austerity with the Tories back in 2010 , and SIR Ed Davey got his wee reward afterwards .
The absolute brassneck of that man to talk up HIS party’s chances of getting into power ANYWHERE is an affront to every person in the UK who has suffered ( and continues to suffer ! ) under the disastrous policies of a Tory Party that HE and HIS party empowered !
LibDems are worse than the Tories . The Tories are completely open about their intentions before any election – reverse Robin Hood policies ! But the LibDems swan about pretending that they are some superior form of political pondlife when they have shown time after time that they are wolf’s in wolf’s clothing .
Wouldn’t “giving Alex Cole-Hamilton Esquire ( ACHE ! ) the oxygen of publicity ” be considered a sneeze, ACHEOO ?
The state of political affairs in Britain is now so bad that supposedly once middle of the road party the Lib Dems is now reduced to defending British and English nationalism as the correct and only alternative to freedom for Scotland
Is there much further to the right these people are prepared to defend before they stop? are they hoping people will be so crushed by the state they’ll just give in? are they calculating the point where people become so angry they can’t be controlled, before they stop the madness?
Liberal Democrats used to be the nice version of the Tories, they had Tweed jackets with leather patches, Plus four troosers and Brogue walking shoes and the men dressed up as well *boom boom*, now Tory Labour and Lib Dem are indistinguishable from one another with their England is Britain and Britain is England nationalism
Scotland is officially a colony of England, and Wales a Principality, it says so on the UK government website, although they have since removed that reference and claimed a software error caused that, (and I have a beauty spot with palm trees and a lagoon growing out of my head)
It’ll be that AI (artificial intelligence) again eh, it certainly wasn’t a UK government person with real intelligence was it
They get away with this stuff because no news media will report it to the people
To them the trouble with Scotland is, it’s full of Scots, and like the Irish and Welsh we’re all expendable simpletons
There are 65 other countries before us who aren’t simpletons anymore, they’re free
I missed ACH’s rhetorical tour de force, perhaps for the best. I didn’t know the Lib Dem conference was on. They are so irrelevant in the Capella residence that I can scarcely remember the names of all the recent incumbents for leader of the party.
Jo Grimond was the last one of any relevance IMO. Recently there was that woman who represented a Scottish seat but lived in England and spoke with mangled vowels – no matter – she replaced a Christian who couldn’t agree with the dogma who replaced the economic genius who boasted of taking down Rupert Murdoch who replaced the Tory prop who now advises Facebook about something… all the way back to the one who had a boyfriend who shot a dog (allegedly) and I do remember he was called Jeremy Thorpe.
I don’t know why anyone would vote for these nonentities. They have been promising Home Rule for Scotland for a hundred years and electoral reform for about as long. When they joined with the Gang of Four renegades from Labour to transform the face of British Politics and fizzled out I thought we’d heard the last of them.
At this point I wonder if a reasons for Labour’s and the LibDems’ issues in getting seats off the Tories for long isn’t that Tories are the most likely of the three to keep their promises: the LibDems promise electoral reform for a hundred years and toss that in the bin against a post in government. Labour promises the abolition of the House of Lords for a century running and stuffs it with Labour Lords at the first opportunity. The Tories promise to go with the madness of Johnson’s “oven-ready” Brexit plan…and actually do it.
Apologies for going OT so soon – the school strike in Scotland is the top BBC story on the website, they so pleased to have something BAD about Scotland to report.
The Unite and GMB unions have suspended strike action to ballot members. Unison has gone ahead with the strike without balloting members it seems:
https://archive.ph/BKgD0#selection-1133.0-1167.97
So the unison decision isn’t a local Scottish member’s one as they have not been consulted on the most recent COSLA offer?
Unison’s Scottish secretary Lilian Macer criticised Mr Yousaf for “staying silent” until the last moment, claiming the dispute “could have been sorted months ago.”
This is quite a telling quote:
She said: “If the Scottish government was serious about avoiding disruption for pupils, parents and staff, ministers should have been in touch, and spoken to us. But they’ve been conspicuously absent.
The negotiations are not with the Scottish government, but with COSLA.
With regard to recent WGD articles, I note the use of ‘Scottish’ in this case is an optional identity mark. If Unison was a Scottish union, it would just be ‘Unison’s secretary’. 🙂
Indeed – and it calls into question the claim by Stephen Smellie, the depute convenor of Unison Scotland, that the decision was entirely democratic. From the article Yesindyref2 quoted on the previous thread:
Not a ballot of members as Unite and GMB are conducting.
The national appears to have it wrong. From the herald:
“Unite and the GMB union both cancelled strikes to put the offer from local authority body Cosla to members, while Unison opted to ballot staff while continuing action. ”
From Unison:
“The union’s local government committee agreed that strikes will continue, and they will consult local government members on COSLA’s offer and recommend they reject it.”
https://unison-scotland.org/school-strikes-will-go-ahead-after-revised-offer-too-little-too-late/
“Unison opted to ballot staff while continuing action”
[…] Source […]
“The Scottish government was urged to “work flat-out to avert strikes” by the Scottish Tories.”
One assumes the ‘Scottish’ Tories are urging their bosses, the UK of England’s Govt in London, to “work flat-out to avert strikes” of one sort or another currently going on indefinitely in England or am I just being silly?
On the other hand a few ‘strikes by the Scottish Tories’ might be a welcome relief. Who would lift a finger to stop that?
It is of course important to remind the likes of Cole-Hamilton that they are, in fact, nationalists themselves, but then maybe that is being lenient in a way. We may be nationalists, but really they are imperialists, and I know which I’d rather be. There is left-wing, civic nationalism (see Ireland as well as Scotland), but the word “imperialism” does not have an equivalent non-toxic sense.
As Golfnut.
As I understand the situation,
South Ayrshire schools closed.
East Ayrshire schools not closed.
??
That was meant as a reply to SS at 5:11.
I also wonder why 24 of the 32 councils’ workers are taking strike action which means 8 are not. I haven’t seen a list of those 8 or any explanation of the different approach.
Maybe it’s because the staff concerned in the 8 are primarily members of from the other two unions who are actually consulting members on the latest offer.
My daughter is off for 3 days here in Aberdeenshire. Still getting stuff to do by email from the teachers.
Ok, this doesn’t seem very impartial nor democratic. She longer heads the union, but how can it act in members interests if leaders are taking sides in the press like this?
From last summer.
https://archive.ph/dB3yJ
Unison boss criticises £20m independence vote amid mass job cull
THE leader of the country’s largest trade union has criticised the Scottish Government’s plan to set aside £20million for Indyref2 next year as she warned of widespread strike action if mass jobs losses go ahead.
Tracey Dalling, the Scottish Secretary of Unison, which represents 150,000 workers north of the Border, said it was her view a vote on the constitution was “not a priority” during major spending cutbacks and in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis.
My guess is the members were not balloted on the leader that’s supposed to speak for them saying this. It’s very Labour-like to do this.
I am strongly supportive of unionisation; I was a member of UCU for 23 years as a uni employee. But stances on such things need to be backed by members.
I hasted to add that Tracey Dalling did the above after, erm, this:
https://archive.ph/1DBew
Unison members back second Scottish independence referendum
Members of the trade union Unison have voted in support of a second independence referendum.
So it seems at least some unison management have form in not representing members, but pursuing personal party political agendas.
It does look like Unison leadership has a habit of ignoring members’ wishes.
There ae some interesting numbers in that article such as the increase in public sector workforce due to the pandemic.
This response from then FM, Nicola Sturgeon, is good:
A spokesperson from Unison now claims the strike is not about wages now but future terms conditions redundancies and planned cuts to pay for the wage increases
COSLA denies all of those allegations with complete bemusement
If folk still think this is a righteous strike by Unison after being offered around £40 quid a week of an increase given that they didn’t even consider putting that to their members to decide upon, I don’t know how much more obvious Unison needs to make it that this action is political Labour designed and timed right before an election
much like the investigation into the heinous murder tent crimes of former FM Nicola Sturgeon that look to be continually investigated past the next general election
The British nationalists need all the media edge and support they can get to keep Tory disasters and Labour invisibility off the radar in Scotland
All English Starver’s Labour seem to have left at the moment is “Trussst in meee and you’ll see” as they snake like twist themselves in circles avoiding any answers to all question asked of them
Good, but not unexpected. From the National:
—————–
By Bill Ramsay
AS convener of the SNP Trade Union Group I was appalled by the recent article in The National (“Questions for Unison official as Labour and Unionist link revealed”) quoting an unnamed SNP source taking issue with a decision of Unison’s Local Government Negotiating Committee regarding strike action.
Stephen Smellie, depute convenor of Unison Scotland, is absolutely right to condemn this as an outrageous slur (“It’s nonsense to suggest Unison school strike is linked to party bias”, September 25).
The executive committee of the SNP Trade Union Group believes strongly that the democratic structures of Scotland’s trade unions are a matter for Scotland’s trade unions and their members.
Current employment and trade union laws are being imposed on Scottish workers by Westminster and are the most draconian in Western Europe. Consequently, the bar that needs to be crossed to win a majority in a strike ballot is extraordinarily high.
Given that reality, the suggestion made by an anonymous source from my party implying that Unison members are simple souls being duped, Svengali-like, by a senior union official is not only insulting but reveals an embarrassing lack of understanding of how industrial relations are undertaken in Scotland is 2023. That sort of decision is made by a committee of union members, collectively.
The notion that the contemporary Scottish trade union movement is a glove puppet of the Labour Party, or any other party, is simply untrue.
Additionally, more than 40 years’ worth of academic research shows that a consistent feature in the pro-independence demographic is that the further down the socioeconomic scale you go, the greater the support for Scottish self-determination. Consequently, support for independence has grown considerably over the past decade, and in particular among Scottish trade union members.
It is common among some independence activists who have little or no experience of trade union activism not to appreciate that trade unions are there to accommodate and recognise the views of all of their members. That applies whether those trade unionists are independence supporters, members of no fixed view on the matter or members of a Unionist persuasion.
If that was not fully understood by some union officials before the 2014 referendum, they understood it very clearly by the end of that campaign – and have since amended their behaviours appropriately.
Indeed many leading Scottish trade unionists who were not and are not SNP members then have since made no secret of their support for Scottish statehood, if not the SNP.
As the largest affiliate body within the SNP, the Trade Union Group stands in solidarity with our Unison colleagues and their democratically determined struggle for decent pay, conditions and public services – not least the large number of low-paid women workers it represents.
If the unnamed SNP source in the original article wishes to reach out I am more than happy, in confidence of course, to discuss the matter further and put the record straight.
Bill Ramsay is the convener of the SNP Trade Union Group, the party’s largest affiliate body representing some 12,000 members.
———–
“As the largest affiliate body within the SNP, the Trade Union Group stands in solidarity with our Unison colleagues …“
https://www.thenational.scot/politics/23815370.2014-independence-vote-proved-trade-unions-not-labour-sock-puppets/
At times I feel like a lone voice in the wilderness.
A lone witterer would be correct.
Nobody has said a bad word against average union members. You know this, as do WGD readers.
A brave speech on behalf of the union, but let’s not mention SIU and who is a member of that organisation
Did you miss the bit where that is written by Bill Ramsay, a member of the SNP, and convener of the SNP TUG which I presume you’ve heard of, a group which has 12,000 members – one-sixth of the SNP membership?
Lastly, and hopefully an end to the destructive divisiveness which Allister Jack would be chortling about all over his dictatorial viceroyship:
“Unison votes to back calls for second independence referendum” (1st February 2020)
https://www.thenational.scot/news/18204375.unison-votes-back-calls-second-independence-referendum/
I have to wonder why nobody else posted this. It created a stir in the Independence movement.
From the Herald (1 Feb 2020):
“Commenting, Keith Brown MSP said: “There is now an unstoppable momentum behind a fresh independence referendum.
…
”Unison, Scotland’s biggest trade union, is the latest respected body to support a transfer of powers so the Scottish Parliament can hold a fresh referendum at a time of its choosing. The democratic right of the people of Scotland to determine our own future cannot be ignored by Westminster. … ”
https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/18204369.unison-scotland-backs-call-second-independence-referendum/
Whatever happened to that “respected body”? How did hope turn to bitterness and despair for a few?
I already posted this further up the thread. As indy supporters, this is well known.
People have concerns about a few union officials taking overt party political stances, openly campaigning against member interests, and not consulting them on strike action (current case it appears). The influence of English HQ and Labour here is being mulled.
As much as you try to present it as such, nobody has said a bad word about average members themselves here or, from what I could see, on the national BTL comments either.
I have to wonder why nobody else posted this. It created a stir in the Independence movement.
Apart from it having been posted only about six hours before you mentioned it, do you think it merits any criticism that Unison’s Scottish secretary is explicitly calling for her members’ vote on this issue to be ignored?
“Apart from it having been posted only about six hours before you mentioned it”
The articles are from 2020.
“that Unison’s Scottish secretary is explicitly calling for her members’ vote on this issue to be ignored”
That is a lie.
As predictable as Scotland’s media have been over negative reporting of SG in it’s current administration, you do have to wonder who is feeding them the basis of their articles, and why they make the selections they do.
eg In prime spot for BBC/UK is “Bills crisis: ‘I’m paying for basics on a credit card'” with “UN refugee agency rejects Suella Braverman asylum comments” second.
Meanwhile BBC/Scotland features “Fire cuts delayed Ayr hotel blaze response, says union” and “Anger at speed of progress on buffer zones at abortion clinics” in second.
STV promotes their own “By-election candidates spar over tax rises and benefit cap on STV debate”.
So whilst BBC/UK readers should despair over their financial conditions and the lunacy of Westminster policies, their Scots counterparts should be concerned over financial strangulation of SFRS as conveyed by a Union without mention of Westminster constraints, and Holyrood being slow to enact legal changes which exist nowhere else in the UK…
“The News where you are….” right enough…
Just noticed this. I wonder why the BBC selected him.
https://archive.ph/BKgD0#selection-1029.0-1033.84
Mark Ferguson, who is Unison’s chair of local government, told the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland programme the dispute was about years of under-funding and job cuts as well as pay.
Maybe this is why?
https://archive.ph/zUNqG
Mark Ferguson is the Head of Labour Link, and leads the team responsible for Labour Link work at a UK-wide level. You can contact the National Labour Link team here.
Sorry if I’ve lost him as an indy supporter for mentioning this folks. I know we are supposed to ‘wheesht for indy’ on such things.
The executive committee of the SNP Trade Union Group believes strongly that the democratic structures of Scotland’s trade unions are a matter for Scotland’s trade unions and their members.
(from Bill Ramsay’s article in The National)
Indeed. Manipulation of public opinion however is a matter for all of us, including trade union members.
I was astonished to read of the decision of Unison to start a strike during a period when the members are balloting on a new offer, and before the ballot has been completed. This is a new one on me. I have seen many things but I have never seen this before, to start a strike in the middle of a ballot on a wage offer.
(from the letters page of The National)
“9 Expiry of mandate for industrial action
(1)In section 234 of the 1992 Act (period after which ballot ceases to be effective), for subsection (1) substitute—
“(1)Industrial action that is regarded as having the support of a ballot shall cease to be so regarded at the end of the period, beginning with the date of the ballot—
(a)of six months, or
(b)of such longer duration not exceeding nine months as is agreed between the union and the members’ employer.
(1A)Subsection (1) has effect—
(a)without prejudice to the possibility of the industrial action getting the support of a fresh ballot; and
(b)subject to the following provisions.”
(2)Subsection (1) and paragraphs 13 and 14 of Schedule 4 do not apply to any industrial action the ballot for which opened before the day on which this section comes into force.
For this purpose a ballot is “opened” on the first day when a voting paper is sent to any person entitled to vote in the ballot.”
The 6 week ballot (Unison) started on 23 May 2023 and finished on Tuesday 4 July. It’s therefore STILL VALID, without prejudice to a new ballot being started.
Far from ignoring members’ votes, Unison is fully honouring them.
And you insult union members when you say:
“Manipulation of public opinion however is a matter for all of us, including trade union members.”
Do you think they zip up at the back?
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2016/15/section/9/enacted
That’s the Law, which being the Law, needs to be observed by Union officials. Anyone saying they don’t is accusing them of breaking the Law, and without proof, that is defamation.
This bitter and remorseless attack on a diligent union official doing her job, totally disgusts me.
Do you condemn the other two unions in this dispute who have expressed bemusement and criticised Unison for continuing with strike action whilst they have suspended same in order to consult members ?
Is this your source? From the Herald:
https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/23807280.unite-blasts-unisons-bizarre-decision-not-call-off-school-strike/
“ In an astonishing development, Unite’s branch in East Dunbartonshire attacked Unison for holding out, describing the decision to push on with next week’s action as “bizarre.”
They even recommended members cross the picket lines and work rather than lose out on wages. ”
One council branch.
But later in the article:
“The advice was later rejected by Unite’s HQ. A spokesman said: “This is not official Unite guidance. Under no circumstances are we advising our members to cross the official picket lines of any trade union taking strike action.” ”
That’s fake news James, and sadly far too many Indy supporters fall for it, probably because you want it to be true.
Ah, I should have known.
Your source just quoted the email from East Dunbartonshire Council Branch – without pointing out that the Unite HQ disowned the advice.
One single council branch who – get this – recommended crossing the picket line.
”My source ” ? Are you now a mind reader ? LoL !
…and you are at pains to quote ( at length ) the legislation on strike action . This also applies to the other two unions in the dispute – but they elected to suspend action while seeking their members’ decision on the offer .
That’s their choice.
Do you actually care about the truth at all?
May I ask in which country Unite HQ is located?
East Dunbartonshire I know; that’s West of Scotland.
Thanks.
Follow the link and then ask the Herald.
It’s their quote not mine.
The concerns around the union official who is a part of the conviction organisation SIU are definitely valid, you can’t be attached to something like that then claim to be politically neutral in a job that can wield political power and influence without being questions raised about that neutrality
It’s not quite the same thing as a golf club or bowling club membership, SIU sole existence is to prevent Scotland becoming a self determining country, so anyone who has anything to do with a body like that, and who has authority in a workforce representing and numbering many thousands of people, must come under scrutiny
If they don’t then there’s something not right, we question authority in every other walk of life as to their purposes functions and allegiances, it’s part of being in these types of jobs surely
As a former member of UCU (in my old job), I can say that I was very keen to know if any officials who were supposed to be representing me, were actually acting against my interests, such as campaigning for the union and/or pushing personal party political interests.
I am sure pro-indy members of unison feel exactly the same.
O/T So the Rosebank oil discovery – the one located in the ‘North Sea’ that is NOT in the North Sea – is to be developed. The positive statements being made by Westminster Government ministers are notable when viewed from a Scotland perspective, and especially if viewed with prospect of an independent Scotland in mind.
We learn that Rosebank is so big it will ensure UK energy security for decades: how big is Scotland’s demand for oil relative to the UK’s?
We learn that it will make ‘us secure against tyrants like Putin’: that too will be useful for an independent Scotland!
We learn that it will secure billions of pounds of investment: what will this investment per head of population be and achieve when coming to an independent Scotland (pop. 5.5m) rather than the UK (pop. 65m)?
Alister Jack tells us it will play a ‘huge role’ enabling the UK transitions to net zero: how much more of a role would it play in Scotland’s transition if – and it’s a big if – an independent Scotland’s democratically elected representatives in its parliament decide it should!
Mr Jack also tells us that Rosebank’s development and production will play a big role in developing the economy and in providing skilled jobs in Scotland ‘for generations to come’: what’s changed from the gloom and doom forecasts of the demise of the oil & gas industry in Scotland being made back in 2014?
The CEO of one of the companies developing Rosebank, Ithaca, has reminded us that production will provide ‘a significant amount of tax revenue for the treasury’: rather than hope for a 10% share of that benefit why not guarantee a 100% share for an independent Scotland’s treasury?
Tax to the UK government; profit to Norwegian company, Equinor the lead partner in Rosebank; dividends from Equinor to the Norwegian Government; spending by the latter to benefit the people of Norway. Feeling short changed?
And recall, the UK Treasury has already benefited from 100% of the windfall tax raised from offshore oil & gas companies operating offshore Scotland, a windfall that has rescued the UK during its recent financial and energy price crisis. And more to come: I understand that Labour wants to raise further windfall tax from companies operating in the ‘North Sea’ to finance its election promises if it comes to power in 2024. You do get the feeling that unlike the framing back in 2014, offshore oil & gas is and remains crucial not to Scotland’s but actually to the UK public finances! What a difference independence would make!
Today’s its Rosebank: next Cambo? And even if we in Scotland wanted to forego these ‘riches’ on environmental grounds, at present we can’t.
What England wants Scotland gets regardless – except for the tax returns of course!
Looks to me like England is what English Tories would call a ‘subsidy junkie living the highlife off the backs of other people’s taxes’.
My guess would be HMG polling has swung so solidly behind Indy that they’re now selling off the farm’s assets before the bailiffs arrive….
Funny isn’t it, by the time Rosebank is producing oil Vladimir Putin will have died of old age or be in his 90s
Maybe they’re scared of his ghost
Last comment. From that naational letter:
“I was astonished to read of the decision of Unison to start a strike during a period when the members are balloting on a new offer, and before the ballot has been completed. This is a new one on me. I have seen many things but I have never seen this before, to start a strike in the middle of a ballot on a wage offer. ”
Unison didn’t “start a strike”, they didn’t call it off.
The strike was already planned, and in fact accord that 2016 law:
“8 Two weeks’ notice to be given to employers of industrial action”
The Cosla offer was on the 21st September – just 1 week ago, and further talks over the weekend, failed. The notice period of 2 weeks is still valid,
Unison are completely and absolutely within their rights to continue the strike action.
Opinions should be based on verifiable facts and the law. Sadly truth is a stranger to some. The Truth shall set us free. A lack of Truth will keep us in chains.
I’m out.
Here’s the link to the reader’s letter where said reader – a member of unison it appears – doesn’t suggest anything illegal has occurred at all.
https://archive.ph/fXqBQ
The strike definitely started. No question about that. My daughter has been at home for 2 days now.
The other two unions affected called off any strike action while they sought member’s views as to whether the significant new package on offer from COSLA was acceptable. Unison officials (including several in Labour with close links to Starmer) chose not to do this, but decide for themselves that strike action should proceed. Not illegal at all, but not exactly representing members interests.
This has clearly angered at least some unison members, which you have kindly shown us with this reader’s letter.
Great it’s your last comment on the matter.
You just can’t help yourself can you?
You: “This has clearly angered at least some unison members,”
but
“which you have kindly shown us with this reader’s letter.”
You can’t even make one single sentence without showing that your “some” means one single person.
Are you suggesting just a single unison member is unhappy? That sounds statistically improbable. I’d not make an erse of myself proposing something so unlikely without evidence. Who knows how many are happy / unhappy, but there must be more than one in each case!
If Unison high heid yins had actually balloted their members, we’d properly know the latter’s opinion on the package vs strike action!
You just can’t help yourself can you?
This is funny. I thought the above was your last comment? 🙂
“Are you suggesting just a single unison member is unhappy?”
You just can’t help yourself can you?
Don’t try and twist my words, no I didn’t and no I’m not.
At this stage nobody knows how many actually affected are happy – or unhappy.
“That sounds statistically improbable.”
A statistician would know the difference between “some” and one.
Thirdly as the letter says:
“Even today at 84 I am still a retired member of Unison.”
So, being retired, not directly affected.
At this stage nobody knows how many actually affected are happy – or unhappy.
Yes (thank you for repeating my post), because Unison are not actually balloting their members to assess this, as the other two unions are. Instead, we have the English HQ e.g. ‘disowning local Scottish branch decisions’ according to you:
I’m not sure if this is true, but it should be up to Scottish unions / union branches here to decide on strike action, whether to cross lines etc, IMO. It’s not a matter for English HQ’s to interfere in our politics as that is anti-democratic. However the decision making process for unison is up to members, and maybe since they are being prevented from doing this in the current case, they might want to take action against their leadership. I would have in the same circumstances when I was in UCU.
No idea how that WGD thing happened, I thought I linked to your post:
https://tinyurl.com/mvjatr8n
Your posting is total anti-English xenophobic nonsense.
You are really giving yourself away now.
“because Unison are not actually balloting their members to assess this, as the other two unions are”
“UNISON Scotland’s local government committee, which is made up of representatives from local government branches across Scotland, voted unanimously to continue with strikes and to recommend rejection to UNISON members in a consultative ballot”
https://unison-scotland.org/school-strikes-will-go-ahead-after-revised-offer-too-little-too-late/
Personally, I think that Unions committee should of voted to stop the strikes, but they made their decision, as you say if Unite members are unhappy with the fact they did they can vote them out.
That’s not members being balloted.
Yes it is, they are holding a ballot to ask their members if they want to accept the pay deal. This is exactly what the other two unions are doing.
@James. No, the other unions put off strike action to get actually get members views on whether to strike or accept the new COSLA pay offer. Unison actively decided not seek a new go-ahead on strikes from members / ask them if they wanted to accept the new pay offer and not strike.
Thanks for this BTW. I made the mistake of just accepting what Yes2 seemed to be implying in that this was a pre-planned strike that just ‘went ahead’ due to the lateness of the hour. You have shown me in fact no, it was a conscious decision by union officials to not wait for members views, but to act unilaterally.
That’s really interesting in light of the revelations of union officials and their close links to Labour / the No campaign. Another piece in the puzzle. Appreciated for the heads up.
If the ballot comes back as ‘accept the new deal, no need for a strike’, this will take on a whole new dimension, and serious questions will need to be asked.
You just can’t help yourself can you?
If you actually read the postings you’d see that Unison already had a ballot
@Yes2
If you could direct me to the result of the members ballot on the most recent pay offer from COSLA I’d be much obliged.
Are you for real?
If you’re actually having a laugh and trolling everybody, chapeau!
Makes you wonder why *Scotland’s* so called media are so keen on helping Labour get voted into UK government when Sir Kid Starver keeps insisting nothing’s going to change from all the Tory policies folk say they don’t like
Ah the brave same union that we already have
In England the media loves quoting former PMs, however in Scotland the media never quote former FMs unless they oppose the current SNP FM
It’s not that the media are biased against the SNP or anything like that, and nobody should ever dare to accuse them of such, they are beyond scrutiny and loyal and faithful solely to non politicised accurate journalism in the service of their British viewer
If Scotland were independent there would be no need for Rosebank as the existing fields would be sufficient for Scotland’s future needs until the end of time
England wants and needs more money from Scotland yet again and are prepared to commit environmental vandalism to get it
Not long to go before they come after our abundance of fresh clean water
Flag waving nationalist Cole-Hamilton.
Gone are the days of him waving flags of unions of independent states working together as equals. Now it’s flags of parochial, imperial, inward-looking nationalist authoritarian states.
https://archive.ph/Zinjh
Alex Cole-Hamilton spotted waving Union flag at late-night party
SCOTTISH LibDem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has been accused of hypocrisy after he was spotted waving a Union flag during a late-night session at the party’s UK conference.
Well he certainly wasn’t photographed waving a flag…
That wouldn’t be the ‘next FM’ of the irritable vowel syndrome fame in the right ?
Oh yeah that is the lovely Joanne Swinson (sarcasm) my former Mp .. The one who was mostly living in England during her last term as our Mp
Every night we hear this lie:
The hypocrisy of those that use Putins illegal war as the cause of the cost of living crisis is staggering when you consider if Ukraine was flowing with oil the war would’ve been over practically by the end of day one, because the entire west would have come down like a ton of bricks on Russia and ended them
If you’ve got oil they’ll either pay you screw you or kill you for it, but they’ll never destroy the oil, the west could’ve done that on day one too, but guess why they didn’t
England’s politicians are vomit inducing liars, and their branch offices in Scotland are less than pathetic sickening wee minions
Boris Johnson Liz Truss Rishi Sunak caused the cost of living crisis and Sir Kid Starver will just carry it right on because England needs money so who are they going to screw? whose votes don’t count in general elections?
Scotland’s of course, because we’ve got oil and we don’t fight back, unlike Ukraine who won’t give up an inch of their country for free
Clearly some people are desperate to distract with this Unison story; quoting readers letters and BTL comments as evidence of something is about as desperate as you can get.
Turning to wider events, it looks like that Yougov showing the SNP building a 10 point lead over Labour isn’t a fluke of variance.
I am monitoring their UK poll subsamples, and these are showing the same thing. Since early August, Labour have been falling sharply, losing to the Tories and maybe a bit to the SNP, with the latter steadily but slowly on the up since the big dip after Sturgeon left / before Yousaf took office (agrees with Yousaf steadily climbing in personal ratings).
Of course if you are a North British Tory, you are facing the horror of a UK Labour government, and the coming by election would be a feather in Starmer’s cap here, putting wind in his sails. So better vote Tory or even SNP to try and stop this! After all, an SNP win won’t change anything as Scottish people can’t get mandates for the English parliament; only brits have that right. So you are safe to vote SNP to stop Labour even if pro-union.
I suspect Starmer’s sharp turn to the right is also starting to have an effect in Scotland. This has featured increasingly since late summer in the media, and ties in with Labour falling by 5% or more over this period.
The pressure is all on English Labour to win the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election by a good 10%, otherwise it would bode very badly for them and the union. To be looking at a return to Labour dominance in Scotland, 60% is really needed (2010 type levels).
They should also be stealing the Tamworth by-election in England if they are hoping to win the next UKGE.
Indeed, voting Labour in Scotland doesn’t result in a Labour government in England
If England votes Labour then and only then does Labour win anything
The majorities that Labour have won general elections on in the last 50 odd years have been more than the amount of MPs Scotland is *allowed* to elect, making Labour governments just a matter of coincidence in Scotland
Wales is in the same position, and of course Northern Ireland has no Labour Tory or Liberal Democrat candidates at all, so those folk are even more disenfranchised than the rest of us
It was never more true than now the old saying “vote Labour get Tory” because now Labour are the Tories
The UK government charges a higher windfall tax on renewable projects than on oil and gas. Nor can renewables write off investment costs against tax, unlike oil and gas.
Anyone know why that would be the case?
BBC News – Sanquhar wind farm project delayed over new renewables tax
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-66939029
Ken Loach, internationally acclaimed film maker who was thrown out of the Labour Party by the present leadership, doesn’t trust Keir Starmer.
Ken Loach gives brutal verdict on Keir Starmer in BBC interview
https://web.archive.org/web/20230928081521/https://www.thenational.scot/news/23818194.ken-loach-gives-brutal-verdict-keir-starmer-bbc-interview/
On that same theme — UK Declassified has an article by Matt Kennard on Keir Starmer joining the Trilateral Commission while pretending to be a Labour MP.
https://www.declassifieduk.org/keir-starmer-joined-secretive-cia-linked-group-while-serving-in-corbyns-shadow-cabinet/
If Tories and Labour really were interested and cared about what their constituents in Scotland wanted then they’d be campaigning for independence so they could be elected as the government of Scotland to put the policies they keep complaining they want into effect
Guess why they don’t, I’m only joking, but when you drill down to the bare bones of the existence of these people they know that what they stand for is repugnant to the majority of Scots so they wouldn’t ever be elected in Scotland as a government, so the only way they can rule Scotland is by keeping England as the overlord country
Vote Labour Lib Dem or Tory, get England government
SNP MSP Fergus Ewing has always known that, that’s why he’s always been a Tory in the SNP , he has principles about the governance of Scotland belonging to the people of Scotland
The branch offices of Labour Lib Dem and Conservative in Scotland have no principles whatsoever, they are employees of an English corporation
The ego of some is incredible. What is it with people who demand you must see things their way? That their option is the correct one and no deviation is allowed; that makes you ‘anti-English xenophobic’.
It is perfectly acceptable for people to be concerned about strikes going ahead without the results of a members ballot on a new pay package – the acceptance of which would mean no strikes are required – having actually been completed. This is highly unusual, so much so members of the union concerned and others are questioning it, as are the public and media.
It is also perfectly acceptable for people to be concerned that senior union representatives work had in glove with anti-democratic forces including Scotland in Union and the English Labour party. How can union representatives be acting in the interests of members if they do this? How can Baxter in any way fairly represent pro-Yes voters in Unison? Such politician allegiances should be left at home if you take up such a post.
I’m very supportive of people being better paid. I have consistently voted to increase my own taxes, and would not seek to harm people on low incomes for my own benefit by voting English Lab/Con/Lib. I’ve not said a bad word about unison members; all my personal concerns are around process and potential party political bias of certain high ranking figures.
This strike isn’t the wee guy versus the multi-million corporation, nor soon to have their lives destroyed workers versus Thatcher. I luckily work from home so childcare is not an issue. I imagine for some the schools closing will be hurting them hard here; imagine you need to pay for childcare for a number of kids for 3 days at short notice near the end of the month? Given three unions are involved, a united front would make the most sense rather that one or more of these acting unilaterally, as that only hurts members of all three. It’s a divide and rule approach. Also, if there’s a new offer (6-10% here, which I’d love myself), then let members consider it, don’t tell them what should happen.
COSLA and the Scottish government would gladly raise wages healthily if they could and are clearly trying their best. However, the English government has done nothing but cut Scotland’s pocket money (while raking it in with the windfall tax etc) and force a economically illiterate brexit cost of living crisis on Scots, which is the root cause of the problem. The picket lines should be outside No 10.
Anyway, the arrogance of people ‘telling me’ what I should believe about Unison reminds me so much of English / British nationalist political parties telling me the same about what’s best for Scotland. It’s people from these that also call Scots ‘xenophobic’ at any opportunity. It’s such a giveaway of their true political leanings.
You’re grand Skier, folk like that exist to annoy, it’s a way of life for them
I have to laugh at the amount of Alba followers that rant daily in the readers columns of the National about how much they despise Nicola Sturgeon for having done nothing about Scotland’s independence, without Nicola Sturgeon there wouldn’t have even been a National newspaper, there wouldn’t be 50% of the population demanding independence, she did what her predecessor didn’t do, she put Scotland on the world map
Today the Alba followers are grinding and grumping their complaints about the former FM because she’s standing on the picket line with Unison members, apparently that definitely proves she’s a unionist in their heads because of the SIU affiliation of one of that unions leaders
Nicola Sturgeon is standing with the “members” of the union in their quest for better, she’s not supporting anything else but that, the members of unison are not responsible for one person’s political aspirations, just as Nicola Sturgeon is not responsible for the travails of and the one thing that Alba really are complaining about, and they know it
Without Nicola Sturgeon following 2014 there would be nothing, she picked the country back up from a defeat so bad that people collected all over the country in grief at what happened, and time after time she continued to do it while suffering death threats to her and threats to her family
Alba should remember when the referendum was lost their now leader did a runner
There’s no rule anywhere that says a political party leader has to resign following a vote of any kind, but he did, just as David Cameron did later following the Brexit referendum
It’s not Nicola Sturgeon’s fault that she didn’t force British nationalists into becoming independence supporters
Alba supporters need to take a look at the so called party they support that appears to have no other purpose in life other than to oppose everything and anything the SNP comes up with, while their leader refuses to stand for election on whatever principles he claims he has, knowing full well Scotland will not vote for him
Tinkle or get off the potty
Re Capella’s post @ 9.20 and Ken Loach/Starmer. A few years ago on a radio programme I heard a Jewish gentleman from the North of England somewhere talking about the Labour Party of which he had been a lifelong member and saying that he had been expelled for being ‘anti-semitic’. How ridiculous is that?
Meanwhile, on the subject of u-turns, Starmer has changed his mind about removing charitable status from private schools and making fees subject to VAT. According to one BBC radio commentator, it would be too complicated as the legislation goes back hundreds of years to when many of these establishments were founded! So there you are.
‘Antisemitic’ comes from the same people calling Scots ‘anti-English’…
I mean Corbyn some sort of hateful racist antisemite? FFS. I’d not vote Labour, but the media attacks on him were appalling. You’d struggle to find someone less racist than him from all I have seen of the man. He was left wing, so gets the full right wing assault, just as we Scots do. Anyone trying to promote a fairer, more democratic UK gets it.
The right specialise in Freud type projection to deflect. The British / English nationalist right’s hatred for Scots is projected onto Scots as our ‘Anti-English xenophobia’. Their hatred for minority groups in general is projected onto lefties like Corbyn, with antisemitism such an easy one because of the moderate to left’s concerns about the situation in Palestine (where even former Israeli security chiefs are taking about it being an ‘apartheid’ state now).
The British / English media is no friend to the left nor the Scots / Welsh / Irish, but in the pockets of the right, so they all join in, including the BBC, which is the worst of them all in how subtly insidious it is.
Mmm, well, maybe Sturgeon has read my posts – or more likely noticed the controversy in the National.
https://archive.ph/FlhSF
“Calls by union for Yousaf meeting as Sturgeon joins picket line”
The Herald may be over-egging it a bit, read for yourselves, but Sturgeon would know better than most how important it is to respect the Unions and the STUC. She was the FM of a Government that made it possible and brought both Government and the SNP closer together.
I worked years ago in Germany and the way unions, government and employers worked together was an eye-opener, and it’s what I want for Independent Scotland.
“closer together” = closer together with them!
Sturgeon supports better pay for workers like we all do. I was very pleased to see her showing solidarity here, as per my previous posts showing the same. The workers concerned have my 100% backing for a good deal.
I just hope Unison leadership – some of whom have very close links to English Right-Wing Labour – have not done damage here by pushing ahead with strikes rather than listening to members on the new pay deal like the majority (2/3) of trade unions involved have have done. It is children and parents on low incomes being hurt by these strikes after all, not the cause of the problem, i.e. the right-wing brexiter English government. Negotiation is always the better approach in such circumstances. Are kids scabs if they cross the picket line? What about teachers? That’s the sad fact of the matter. Divide and conquer, and people trying to score points here are doing exactly that. It’s obvious to all and does them no good.
I suspect your posts don’t factor highly in Sturgeon’s life, nor mine!
Is this your last, last, last ‘outa here now’ post on the subject? This time maybe? Telling the truth here will set you free. 🙂
Ha ha! Nick Robinson blames “news avoiders” for drop in listeners to BBC R4 morning brainwashing show. That’s me. If I want news I go online. I think he’s in denial.
BBC’s Nick Robinson blames ‘news avoiders’ for falling ratings
https://web.archive.org/web/20230928175109/https://www.thenational.scot/news/23819709.bbcs-nick-robinson-blames-news-avoiders-falling-ratings/
The BTL comments were priceless… Nick Robinson can’t bring himself to recognise they are ‘BBC news avoiders’, it is not only Scots who remember vividly his version of ‘the news’…
I could cite over a dozen articles by eminent psychiatrists and psychologists definitively pointing to UK mainstream news broadcasters as the main contributors to the level of depression and heightened anxiety within the UK population
One quote reads: “In a desperate race to attract viewer ratings and the sale of advertising space with 24 hour continuous rolling news, the media in the UK has adopted the habit of reporting news from a doomsday scenario point of view with an over emphasis on political events creating anxiety often to panic levels in much of our population, this practice by the UK media is an unconscionable assault on the mental health of the population of the UK”
I looked this up today because at FMQs the Tories were complaining about the medical profession prescribing anti depressants to more patients, which the Tories blamed on the SNP, even though politicians do not and never have prescribed medicines as every sane person on planet earth knows, this was just one more example of opposition politicians pre preparing and using the media to amplify these types of untruths which BBC Scotland right on cue later did that very thing
We’ve seen this disgusting behaviour in Scotland from the opposition and media since the SNP came into government, everything from a sick bird that flew in a window to a pothole used as a blame item and laser directed at the FM as though they are responsible for every event and accident that befalls every person in Scotland, even now the RAAC faulty brick story is becoming the latest story with which to whip the SNP, who were never in government when one single brick of this material was ever laid
The debt and disasters from previous Labour administrations is never mentioned except as a complaint that the SNP haven’t mitigated or fixed a problem that others created
No matter what Westminster does to Scotland the news becomes about what is the SNP Scottish government going to do about Westminster’s bad behaviour and when are they going to do it, then the opposition and their media demand a target date so that if missed the blame lies squarely with the SNP for someone else’s blunder mistake or just plain mis-squandered cash
There is no doubt that England’s dictatorial and racist union that Scotland is currently imprisoned within is hugely responsible for most of Scotland’s ailments both physical and mental, Scotland cannot wear a mask to protect our country but we can leave England politically behind us or we will not recover our health and vigour in order to prosper in the years ahead
There is one more item I must mention and that is the lack of respect agenda that was and is encouraged by the media particularly in Scotland
We Scots have been indoctrinated to respect England’s politicians because they have the power of complete rule whereas Scotland’s politicians elected or not have not the power to rule
The media in Scotland use that tactic every single day to foment lack of respect for our own people, even though we the people elected them
Translated, that’s tug your forelocks to the powerful English ya bunch of unimportant wee Jocky’s
Given: That the BBC is anti-Scottish
To Prove That: Further proof that BBC Radio 4 and in particular the Today programme is indeed biased
Proof: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvLR5maGf2E
QED.
Ha ha ha ha ha. This has made my day.
“Go tell it to the algorithms!”
As a ‘respected’ [sic.] Member of the LinkedIN community for a good many years, with a masthead indicating, “SNP Activist”, the powers that be have be have decided I need to make new friends:
“Connect with Alba Party”
screams the latest email in my in-box.
What is it they say in Glasgow? Aye, right.
AI still has some way to go.
You only need cast your eye over Tory Ministers and a plethora of ‘celebrities’ to realise that…
The BBC is not only anti-Scottish and Welsh, they seem to be anti reality. There was a revealing passage in the Ken Loach article linked to above where he stopped Sarah Montague form attempting to smear him while interviewing him. This is a typical BBC tactic which Loach was fit for.
Of course, Montague then went on to tell listeners that the BBC had fact checked his claim about Labour and implied it was false.
“The BBC is not only anti-Scottish and Welsh, they seem to be anti reality” – Viewers in England are a bit later than Scots to recognise the propaganda in play from the BBC, but once seen, they can’t unsee it either.
I note that Sir Michael Gambon (RIP) was Irish, not just ‘born in Dublin’ as per British media reports.
Classic cultural appropriation:
The Dublin-born actor…
…Sir Michael’s family had moved to London when he was a child…
…He was knighted for services to the entertainment industry in 1998. Although Irish-born, he had become a British citizen in his childhood.
This is a great clip; quite the comedian too.
A really great Irish actor and a sad loss.
Oops forgot BBC link where quotes came from: https://archive.ph/CLPfm
Loved Michael Gambon. He always played a slightly wistful, nostalgic character in the films I remember. Very sad news.
I had to laugh at this, utter nonsense. This government are off their heads.
Britain backs undersea cable to tap Moroccan renewable power
I guess Westminster are going to refuse to buy renewable energy from an Independent Scotland and get it from Morocco instead LOL
https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/africa/2023-09-29-britain-backs-undersea-cable-to-tap-moroccan-renewable-power/
Government Minister on Sky News this morning describes Wales as a province!
Heydrich never goes out of date it appears.
Of the project to “Germanize” Czechoslovakia, Heydrich said:
deprive the people of their national consciousness
treat them as a tribe and not a nation
dilute their national pride
do not teach their history
propagate their language as inferior
imply they have a cultural void
emphasize their customs are primitive
dismiss independence as a barbaric anomaly
Story yet to appear on nation.cymru.
Scoop for WGD!
BBC rerunning ferries cost increase again. The latest costs increase is largely driven by changes required by safety regulator the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA)
This story came out some weeks ago but always worth a rinse and repeat.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-66945640
Yeah coz somehow they were completely unaware of the design of the ferries over all this time
Oversight was it? clerical error? sumbdy wiz sick in the health and safety office? holidays?
Even if you’re not a conspiracy theorist like me you’d have to think by now that there are people who just didn’t want these ferries built, but if they have to be then let’s keep interfering to make the government look as bad as we can plus have the BBC on speed dial
Sir Count Dracula Starmer arrived in Rutherglen on the doomed ship Labour Demeter where Anas Renfield Sarwar awaited the arrival of his master from abroad
On arrival Count Starmer told the eager scribblers from Scotland’s media that whatever he says is what Anas Renfield Sarwar will say without alteration
So let it be written, so let it be done as Pharaoh Ramses used to say, except he still couldn’t keep hold of the slaves could he, can Count Starmer?
Yanis Vararoufakis says Starmer is spineless and no different from Sunak. I’d say he’s right, vote Starmer and you are voting for a Tory.
https://twitter.com/Channel4News/status/1707731877883154781
They appear to have taken that clip down. Probably a copyright claim.
But we still get the picture and he’s right – it is the death of democracy in the UK as well as in the USA where they call it the “uniparty”.
Why are foreign politicians interfering in a Scottish by election?
How are the people of Scotland supposed to freely self-determine if English money and politicians are being sent over the border into our country to try and sway votes in our constituencies?
https://archive.ph/ogntJ
“The attack on Unison’s Johanna Baxter is nonsense – here’s why
By Roz Foyer
STUC General Secretary”
for instance:
“And, yes, many of our activists within trade unions will, oddly enough, be active members of a political party. They’re in Labour. They’re in the SNP (around 14,000 of them as I understand it). They’re in the Scottish Green Party, Scottish Socialist Party, Communist Party, Socialist Party and many more besides.”
and
“I’ve also come to expect that for almost every intervention I make in Scotland’s print or broadcast media, there will be a barrage of abuse from both nationalist and Unionist camps who seem determined to interpret my every word – sometimes even the same words – as proving me to be either “a Nat sympathiser in bed with the Scottish Government” or a “secret Unionist conspirator working for my masters in London”.
Sadly, this is now expected but not accepted. We need to call it out. ”
So far none of these parties has disowned the disgusting attacks on union officials.
“This week alone I’ve been called a “traitor”, “quisling”, “Keir’s puppet”, “Red Tory” and “anti-Scottish”. Johanna has been called much more besides. ”
Wouldn’t that just warm the cockles of your inhuman heart?
“Your comment is awaiting moderation.”
So meanwhile:
https://www.thenational.scot/politics/23823562.attack-unisons-johanna-baxter-nonsense–/
That came through so I’m guessing the word filter doesn’t like words from the National article.
Interesting recent article Google News suggested to me earlier:
https://archive.ph/rkt1L
A Labour government is what working people need, says UNISON
Posted on
12 September 2023
Was there some reason you didn’t mention that that was UNISON UK, not Unison Scotland?
Here’s where you should be looking:
https://unison-scotland.org/
Note the word “scotland” in the URL.
Note the word “scotland” in the URL.
https://www.scotlandinunion.co.uk/
Found this too:
https://www.scottishconservatives.com/
A further example of this sort of thing.
Did you not notice this from the article he linked to:
“Commenting on the speech by deputy leader of the Labour Party Angela Rayner at the 155th Trades Union Congress in Liverpool today (Tuesday) UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said:
“Labour in government would dramatically improve the lives of working people and their families.
“It’s much needed after 13 years of the Conservatives trashing the economy, harming public services and letting living standards slide.”
Do you think that was about Scotland, or the UK as a whole?
And this from Roz Foyer, STUC:
“As such, I know this might be hard for those to hear, especially those within the cyber-space independence fringes who have been frothing at their keyboards to attack Johanna, myself and striking Unison workers, but not everything is about the constitution. ”
Do you support these “… cyber-space independence fringes who have been frothing at their keyboards to attack Johanna, myself and striking Unison workers …“?
Well?
Well?
I’ll tell you what I think, every post you make here is looking for trouble. You set out to start arguments and take great delight when you get a response.
Grow up.
You didn’t answer my question.
Do you support these “… cyber-space independence fringes who have been frothing at their keyboards to attack Johanna, myself and striking Unison workers …“?
(Roz Foyer STUC General Secretary in the National).
She also said:
“The STUC has received an apology from the editor and, to their credit, The National is allowing me this additional column to set the record straight.”
Do you think she was looking for trouble?
Well?
You can’t help yourself can you. My last word to you is pathetic.
Whatever happened to you Alex?
You used to be better than this.
I didn’t make any comment at all. I just posted a link to an article. Are Unison Scotland backing a different party? I’d be keen to know if you have details thanks.
Note the word “scotland” in the URL.
Yes, sorry, but I know this. They have different websites for UK ‘regions’:
https://www.unison.org.uk/about/our-organisation/structure/regions/unisons-regional-offices/
UNISON’s regional offices
Cymru/ Wales
Eastern
East Midlands
Greater London
Northern
Northern Ireland
North West
Scotland
South East
South West
West Midlands
Yorkshire and Humberside
Yorkshire one for example:
https://yorks.unison.org.uk/
So you weren’t trying to pass it off as though Unison Scotland – that’s the whole union in Scotland including those who belong to the SNP, the Scottish Green Party, Scottish Socialist Party, Communist Party, Socialist Party and many more besides – were supporting a Labour Government in Scotland?
Do want a 50-50 or call a friend?
Again, I have posted links from my research. That’s it.
I think it’s better people read and decide for themselves on stuff.
Unison UK back Labour. I don’t know if members in Scotland, in majority, support that or not.
This cropped up as well. Forgive me if I’ve not quite transcribed it correctly.
https://archive.ph/Vdplk
England should take every last drop of oil from Scottish North Sea, Rishi Sunak says
The English Prime Minister said further drilling of fossil fuels in Scottish waters would create revenue for England’s exchequer while protecting his country’s energy security.
If was for this reason his government, in agreement with the Labour opposition, would continue to legally block Scottish people voting in a new referendum on their country’s independence.
To quote others… ‘The truth will set you free’.
“To quote others… ‘The truth will set you free’.”
You should try it some time.
Would be good if you could expand on your accusations here.
‘Tis sad when bitterness is put ahead of reality.
The attack on Unison’s Johanna Baxter is nonsense.
I totally disassociate myself from any of the extremist comments made against Unison, or any of its officials or members.
Who on here has made extremist comments against Unison its members or its officers. No one. If that has happened elsewhere then take that up with the sites involved You are very good at casting aspersions without evidence. As my late mother used to say some people could cause a fight in an empty house. At times that old saying could apply to you. Some of us here have voiced concerns about Unison still telling their members to strike before a ballot takes place unlike the other two unions involved. Some including me also feel concerned that a senior union official in the Glasgow Council branch of Unison is also involved in Scottish in Union and the biase that may imply. We are entitled to our opinions. As a former long term of Glasgow Council Unison I am likely to be far more aware of the machinations of that branch and the inadequacies of the union leadership than you are. I have no issue with members striking as is their strike. I just hope they are not be led up the garden path by the union as happened to my colleagues and I more than once. I don’t get the point of your recent comments re this which serm to imply some here are involved in extremist comments against Unison
Last quote from that article by Roz Foyer, and me:
““But social media amplifies and encourages those who are hostile to women’s rights, those who are hostile to women. I genuinely worry about the impact this has on women and girls generally, but in particular our ability to attract women into public life. The environment in politics today for women, and I don’t say this lightly, is harsher and more hostile than at any time in my political career. That deeply concerns and appals me, and we must challenge it.” – (Nicola Sturgeon, 2023).“
This won’t be your last quote though on the subject. You say that again and again, but then keep going.
There are many Union leaders in Scotland who are affiliated to the Labour party and use (abuse) their position to berate the Scottish government because that government is run by the SNP.
Their job is to represent their members to the best of their ability but there are those who see such disputes as a chance to make themselves heard by a media only too happy to give them column space. They use this chance to attack the SNP rather than talk up their members grievances.
Two such Union officials are Chris Mitchell, the GMB’s convenor for cleansing in Glasgow who was never off the news during the bin strikes in Glasgow in the run up to COP 26. The other is Unison’s leader in Scotland., she is also the Chair of the National Executive of the Labour Party.
Think about that without looking at the fact she is a leader of a Trade Union in Scotland, she has been the chair of the NEC of Labour for the past year and on that committee for the last 4 years. Nobody can say she personally does not have any skin in this game.
She is also a hypocrite, she is demanding that workers she represent in Scotland be paid a minimum of £15/hour which is admirable but at the same time she fully supports Keir Starmer who only weeks ago refused to commit to whether a Labour government would ignore public sector pay rise recommendations from independent advisory panels.
I support Trade Unions but that doesn’t mean I must agree with their actions when they make it political rather than about the people they represent. If you fail to see that then I’m sorry but you’re an idiot.
I don’t believe how people can continue with fake news in the face of very clear evidence to the contrary.
https://www.thenational.scot/politics/23810397.nonsense-suggest-unison-school-strike-linked-party-bias/
“…
This recent decision on whether to call off the strike was taken by Unison’s Local Government Committee, made up of ordinary members, elected by local branches. All are employees in Scottish councils. As Unison lead negotiator, Baxter communicates with Cosla but follows the instructions of the committee.
The political affiliations of the members of the committee are mixedwith both Labour and SNP members sitting with members of no party. The decision to continue with the strikes was unanimous, and neither Baxter nor any other employee of the union had a vote in that decision.
…
Stephen Smellie is the depute convenor of Unison Scotland“”
He also came out for YES in June 2014.
The vile attacks on union officials need to be disowned very publicly by the party leaders. This issue is clearly not going to go away.
What party leaders are you referring to. There you go casting aspersions again!!
It’s not about me Eilidh, it’s about what is right, and what is wrong.
It’s also about antagonising up to 550,000 members of unions with the STUC, many of whom would have been YES, before all this.
What’s more important? A bitter meaningless grudge, or doing what’s right and gaining Independence for Scotland?
Some people seem to have lost sight of the actual objective in their hatred of Labour – around 30% of whose voters, are YES.
The General Secretary of the STUC intervening with an article in the National, should make some people think again. Which is why the party leaders have to now intervene.
The leaders clearly are those of the pro-indy parties. It’s up to the unionists what they want to do; in the (actually generous) words of Roz Foyer:
“… for almost every intervention I make in Scotland’s print or broadcast media,there will be a barrage of abuse from both nationalist and Unionist camps“.
Back to watching Star Wars, yet again. May the Force be with you.
I think your posts about this situation should be posted on social media or The National where the problem may lie. I barely look at X and don’t do political stuff on FB so have seen nothing that you allude to .None of the comments here have done nothing more than express an opinion there has been nothing hateful about them
Word
It must not be forgotten that Labour run Glasgow City Council in collusion with the trade unions were the ones responsible for denying female workers equal pay alongside their male colleagues.
Both parties were happy to settle on higher wages for male employees at the expense of their female workers. This was only finally settled when the SNP won the majority of seats in Glasgow and settled the claims against them which the Labour council spent millions paying lawyers instead of women over many years.
To give Unison their due they were far better in Glasgow Council Branch at fighting for equal pay for women than the other two unions particularly GMB.
Remind me again which groups was it that organised and implemented protests and front line MSM statements.
All because the new council was not fixing their F**k Up quick enough. And was there not a union person who (in theory) colluded with and organised the denial of equal pay.
Then as a party leader complained long and bitter about the speed of the settlements alongside the unions.
None of which acknowledged the previous administration and union bourach.
I was referring to the time when I was in Unison which ended over 11 years ago when I left GCC. Our equal pay problems were due to the 2006 regrading for all GCC employees. Mine was resolved before I left the council. Unison is in Admin workers union we never had bonuses unlike manual workers but were better paid than care workers even on our lower Admin grades . GMB sought to protect the substantial bonuses of folk like bin men whilst not trying to get their predominantly women care workers the same deal . Agree with you re Richard whatihsname he did have some nerve and remains a total rampant hypocrite in regard to equal pay situation
Aye – Forever burned in my memory is the Mis-Reporting-Scotland video report featuring Richard Leonard et al marching in ‘solidarity’ with the women waiting on financial remedy soon after the SNP took over administration of GCC, because they ‘weren’t sorting it out fast enough’…
Not a single mention of Leonard’s role in the mafia who created the equal pay dispute and had fought so bitterly against it’s remedy, all quietly forgotten by the ‘impartial’ broadcaster, BBC Scotland…
There is much about the latest stooshie which stinks of similar ‘torches and pitchforks’ contrivance…
I can’t for the life of me understand how people posting links to Unison’s website, noting some members are Labour / Scotland in union activists, and that the organisation itself actively seeks Labour governments, will somehow damage the Yes campaign. This is just nonsense. ‘Am no gonnae vote Yes noo cos some anonymous guy on the interweb pointed oot that Unison fund Labour’. This is as stupid as the ‘Ah dinnae support indy cos Salmond/Sturgeon/Yousaf’ britnat idiocy.
Unison are 100% open about their direct affiliation with the English / British Labour Party, and their desire to see Labour government in Scotland / UK-wide forever and a day. Baxter doesn’t hide her Scotland in Union status, nor her close relationship with Starmer; she’s totally open about these and loves being snapped with the Kid Starver it seems. FHS, Unison openly ask you to give them money to give to Labour. If anything, pointing people in the direction of their website is helping them with this. How could that possibly annoy them and damage the Yes campaign? I mean WTAF?
Here’s a good summary from Unison’s Scottish regional branch website of the link:
https://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/labourlink/value.html
The Value of Labour Link
…Following a ballot of all members in 1995, UNISON uniquely decided to have a political fund with two sections. The General Political Fund (GPF) which finances political campaigns in the wider public arena and the Affiliated Political Fund (APF) which finances our affiliation to the Labour Party…
…we argue our case at local and Scottish [Labour] policy forums and at conferences, winning the support of party members.
UNISON Scotland ensures that [Labour] MSPs are given the facts with which to take forward our policies in the Scottish Parliament and in lobbying Ministers. This also helps UNISON push for advances that protect our members in the short term, for example, by negotiating PPP staffing protection, while continuing to argue against private funding for public services.
Links: UK Labour Party | Scottish Labour Party
This doesn’t mean unison members are all rabid British nationalist Labour voters; something which absolutely nobody has claimed here and in national articles. Sturgeon knows this, which is why she’s being photographed with them; she’s courting the ‘average member on the street’ in the hope they’ll back the SNP / indy.
As I posted previously, members back iref2 for example. They don’t have to support Labour nor contribute to the fund. However, as an organisation, Unison does fund Labour and actively seeks Labour governments, both in Holyrood and Westminster. This means that those with working roles in the union must promote this agenda actively, at least until such time as members might vote to end the affiliation.
Other unions don’t do this, for example UCU, which I was a member of as a uni employee for 23 years:
https://www.ucu.org.uk/politicalfund
However UCU operates a fund which expressly does not contribute to any political party. All our political fund income is used to promote the interests of UCU members, campaigning and lobbying irrespective of party political affiliation.
I would have been very uncomfortable in UCU if it had been affiliated with any party, including the SNP. IMO, unions can only truly serve members interests if they are party neutral. If they are affiliated with a party, they will end up acting against the interests of at least some members, as is the case with Unison promoting Labour when some members at least must be SNP, Green etc.
As others have noted, union links to parties has not proven healthy in the past. It is so readily open to abuse and the development of cabals whose only interest is perpetuating themselves; Labour in Scotland being historically case in point.
Coming back to UCU, this highlights the nonsense of trying to suggest people noting that unison is affiliated with Labour is somehow an attack on other unions, such as UCU. What utter drivel. Nobody in other unions is going to be annoyed and change their vote because someone on the interweb points out what’s openly on Unison’s website. Nobody’s going to be raising concerns about UCU links to parties as they don’t have these.
Anyway, all this has a been another great distraction. Pit janitors and cleaners against low income families and their kids while England’s government continues to squeeze every last penny out of Scotland. I’d be very wary of those trying to make hay here.
And I might add that nobody should pay a blind bit of attention to anyone quoting ‘unnamed sources’. The National were right to get their knuckles wrapped for printing things from ‘unnamed sources’. Such sources could be anything from a guy down the pub to not existing at all. Such quotes should never be used as evidence of anything, never mind apparently reflecting the views of party members. That’s what Brit tabloids do and the National should not be aping these.
TBH, the National should be saying sorry to SNP members for this. By doing the above, the gave a perfect opening for the usual suspects to jump on said anonymous comments and try to argue they reflect badly on the whole Yes movement / SNP and are ‘damaging the cause’ etc in an attempt to sow discord.
The press have always protected the identity of their sources. Many journalists and editors have gone to jail to do so. It is perfectly legitimate to quote unnamed sources providing you verify the accuracy of their claims.
There are many people ready to speak out about various wrong doings but don’t due to all the obvious consequences , or will only speak if their identities are not disclosed because they fear the resulting backlash from their employers and fellow professionals who become tarred with the same brush
Today’s society in particular is a cesspit of professional complainers ready to challenge and be offended by anything anybody says
Speech is free for sure, but the consequences of doing so can be devastating, because everybody thinks they’re a journalist or a campaigner for the rights of those yet to realise they’re been offended because nobody told them they have the right to be, even if they weren’t
Scotland, which is our concern, has turned into some weird parody version of America’s East Texas where the slightest misinterpreted word (usually deliberately done) can lead to ridiculous levels of confected animosity, and the keyboard warriors and faux offended will march upon anyone pitchfork and torch in hand to make totally damn sure that their opinion is the one and only opinion that is correct or damn you to hell for your blasphemy
We all know it don’t we
Ok, for clarity ‘unnamed SNP sources’ which translates as ‘not the view of elected SNP reps, nor the membership, and might not even exist’.
“Unnamed SNP sources” are usually those with a grievance and are very well known by the amount of column inches they get in the anti-Independence Unionist press.
I don’t think this discussion is a distraction from our goal of independence.
We have to be aware that the entire public arena in Scotland will be littered with plants, agents provocateurs and manipulators of public opinion whose job it is to prevent progress. That’s why we analyse the output of the MSM, politicians in Westminster and Holyrood and leadership of other public bodies such as Trade Unions. I regard that as a perfectly legitimate subject for independence supporters.
Raising awareness of this is important and because of the near monopoly the opposition has on public media the online resource is the only one we have apart from the streets. Of course, the establishment will make every effort to control the online sphere as well using their enormous power to censor and cancel any perceived threat to the status quo.
The argument is simple, there are a bunch of people diving around protecting a person that is a member of an organisation whose sole existence is to deny the rights of freedom of choice for our country of Scotland in favour of the continuing dictatorship domination by the country of England
I’ll bet half the country doesn’t even know what Scotland in union is, let alone that such a thing even exists or what it stands for, the media definitely will never highlight what kind of practices they employ to prevent people having their say
When figures like Pamela Nash appear on our TVs yapping about the union and Britain most folk likely just mentally switch off at yet again more political gum bumping but have no conception what kind of nationalism she represents
Remember folks it was never the SNP that labelled themselves or us *Scottish Nationalists* it was the British English Nationalists that did that
There is no such thing as the Scottish Nationalist party, and never was, so when the complainers say we have no right to complain about people who tell lies about who we are turn up in jobs where they have the ear of many thousands of people, we the people have the right to question and reject the distortions of facts by those protecting them from scrutiny
Nobody, not one soul is implying that all the members of a trade union are of the same opinion or ilk and they know it, but that is the lying style being used in defending their attacks on us
It’s all very typically British, when found out attack the messenger by avoiding the point of the question
I have to say that I’m bemused by English / British Labour in that, when faced with half of Scots wishing to leave the union ‘first thing tomorrow morning’, they are not trying to counter this by making the UK a more attractive prospect, but are busy throwing the kitchen sink at winning a single deckchair on the titanic.
They need to get like 55% of the vote in the coming by-election to look like they are back to their winning ways in Scotland. That and they themselves have said they ‘need to win over 50% of the vote or they have no mandate’.
I think I posted this before but it’s worth posting again just hear Michael Sheen speak – and I got the name right this time!
Diolch / Thank you, Capella.
Brilliant voice – great delivery – he’s a star 🌟
It makes you wonder at a people ( including in Scotland) that don’t want to hear these truths in favour of the country that carried and still carries out these atrocities, physical mental and now financial
65 other countries around the world have rid themselves of England, we have seen it up close and yet …..
Let’s never stop posting these speeches by Michael Sheen – inspirational. Where is Scotland’s Michael Sheen? We need to invoke head AND heart in advancing the cause.
I write this whilst watching ITV/STV’s build up to Scotland vs Romania at the rugby World Cup. I’m having to endure on screen Scott Hastings, the man in 2014 who stated on a BBC panel programme that he could NEVER vote YES for Scotland’s independence because it would mean future Scottish rugby players could never have a place in the British Lions. I’ve never forgotten this man’s crassness – seems to epitomise the ‘proud Scot but’!
Brian Cox has a good voice and has provided commentary on some independence videos. But I believe Michael Sheen wrote this speech himself. The passion he communicates is inspiring.
Full speech is on Youtube 2 hrs but there are clips of key moments if you scroll down.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbVdA7zS8dE
UK welfare budget could be cut to pave way for tax cuts, says Jeremy Hunt
https://archive.ph/qDeyO
This is typical from the Tories and Starmer will be no different, Hunt is desperate to find the money from somewhere to pay for tax cuts. Last week one of these proposed tax cuts was to scrap inheritance tax which would cost about £8 billion it looks like the welfare budget must be cut to pay for the likes of that.
What you rarely read about in these stories is the by far the largest portion of the “welfare budget” is state pensions. What also has been ignored is that the triple lock means that state pensions have risen by 10% this year and will rise another 8% next year. This must mean there will be even less for other recipients of “welfare” such as disabled people, those that have serious illness or mental health problems.
They don’t talk about people in work who are in receipt of Universal Credit, instead they focus on the small proportion of the overall budget that is paid to the unemployed as it is easy to attack “the scroungers” because they are an easy target and no-one stands up for them.
He talks of needing a “mix of carrot and stick” which does not surprise me, he believes unemployed people are lazy donkeys and need to treated as dumb animals and made to do what they’re told. These people, Johnson, Truss, Sunak Hunt, Braverman, Patel, Rees-Mogg ect ect ect they are the lowest of the low.
They behave like the type of politician I didn’t believe we would see in the UK, there is a name for them, we know it and so do they. In fact they revel in it.
But UK state pension rose by 3.1% in 2022 when UK inflation was 11.1%. Theresa Coffey said it wasn’t real inflation so the triple lock didn’t count.
The state pension increased by 3.1% which was the rate of inflation (CPI). They had suspended the earnings element of the Triple Lock for that year, “due to distortions to the earnings statistics”.
Earnings had risen by 8.2% that year but they just decided that they would break their manifesto pledge to honour the triple lock and just pay the pensioners what they decided would be more than enough.
https://archive.ph/QP3Yr
CPI is another fiddle – I think they took out housing costs to reduce the RPI. If you take out all the stuff that most people pay for then yes inflation is quite low! Caviar and champagne are probably not much dearer.
But in any case the triple lock should have meant that pensions increased by the highest of three factors which was inflation at 11%. The quibble about wages is just a red herring.
The rate earnings were rising is not a red herring. What makes you believe that in September 2021, when the decision on the increase in state pensions for 2022/23 was taken, that the rate of inflation was 11%?
I was looking at the rate of inflation in October 2022 which was 11.1% but the pension increase this year was 10.1%. Sorry if I have got the years mixed up.
The Times has a Money Mentor table which summarises the increases. You have to scroll down for the table:
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/money-mentor/article/state-pension-increase/
This is a more accurate link.
https://news.sky.com/story/triple-lock-on-pensions-will-be-temporarily-scrapped-for-2022-23-government-announces-12401394
One days wage for a train driver is one weeks income for a state pensioner
Pensioners don’t have a union
Are these the actions of a democratic government? In tomorrows obsever:
Revealed: UK government keeping files on education critics’ social media activity
https://archive.ph/JoyCS
Unbelievable that in UKOK you will be spied on if you diagree with or are critical of this government.
Hard to believe that sensible people in Scotland would actually vote for the type of government that would do this to it’s own citizens, time for Independence and an escape from this lot of fanatics in power.
This is a natural step in the progression of Brexit Brengland towards an authoritarian dystopia.
Watch your backs people; England doesn’t play nice. This is a country talking about leaving the ECHR after all. Only a regime planning serious crackdowns to remain in power would consider such a move.
Decent article from Prof C on why a Labour win itself in Rutherglen and Hamilton West will mean very little for their prospects in Scotland. Rather, a really thumping win is what’s needed if they are to be looking good for the next English General Election in Scotland.
https://archive.ph/PvVf8
Polling guru John Curtice on Labour’s election odds in Scotland
LABOUR will need to match the scale of the SNP’s last win in Rutherglen and Hamilton West if the party are to meet their expectations for the General Election in Scotland, according to a leading pollster.
As I’ve said previously, that’s basically a 10% lead over the SNP Labour need to be slapping each other’s backs. Anything less would bode increasingly badly for their future prospects. To be back to the good old days of 2010 and before, they’d need 55% or so. That’s what’s needed for champagne corks popping.
I note that Labour share of the electorate in the seat has progressively fallen in every election since 2010. Even when they took the seat in 2017, they had less voters backing them than the last time, it’s just the SNP share fell far more sharply, mainly due to a large drop in turnout as the election was all about England. Well, even more so than usual as it’s always about England.
Sure if they win it they English/British media will spin it as the end of indy and justification for no referendum etc. But that will just piss off Scots and help the SNP. The electorate pay little to no intention to spin; they vote as they see fit for what they wish.
Now if there’s anything that’s projection this is it :
https://nation.cymru/news/snp-trying-to-undermine-devolution-settlement-claims-scottish-secretary/
SNP trying to undermine devolution settlement, claims Scottish Secretary
01 Oct 2023 3 minute read
The Scottish Secretary is to accuse the Scottish Government of repeatedly seeking to “undermine the devolution settlement” to provoke unnecessary disagreement, in a speech to his party’s conference.
Alister Jack will urge the Government to respect the devolution settlement and work constructively with the UK administration when he speaks in Manchester on Sunday.
[…]
“Mr Jack will say: “My view of devolution is straightforward: it is about Scotland’s two governments, at Westminster and Holyrood, respecting each other’s roles and working together where we can.”
– This from Westminster’s man in Scotland who will never work together with the Government of Scotland for the benefit of the people of Scotland.
Labour and the Lib Dems undermining the union then. After all, they voted for GRR.
You wonder what’s causing this.
It’s the sort of thing you’d expect if a government had a heavy anti-immigrant focus, was anti-free movement etc. Maybe even got the people to endorse such things via a referendum.
Anyone know what political parties in Scotland do this? Are they pro-indy or pro-union? I think I can be pretty confident they’re not pro-EU/EEA/EFTA!
https://archive.ph/vXg0E
NHS staff warn racism now an ‘everyday occurrence’ as number of incidents doubles
Health workers in Scotland face an “extremely worrying” rise in racist abuse as exclusive new analysis reveals the number of incidents reported by staff has more than doubled in the past five years.
A series of freedom of information requests submitted to every NHS board has uncovered an increase of 117%, from 213 in 2018/19 to 437 in 2022/23.
Ok, so I guess the far right supremacists described here are not Scottish nationalists. Very much nationalists I imagine, just not Scottish.
Look at the side panel.
“How … baked beans … could cut emissions”
(But presumably they could increase greenhouse gases … 😀 )
😀 Lol.
Cut CO2 but increase methane!
I know there are some here who can’t get enough Michael Sheen (and I’m so proud to share his nationality), that I’m happy to share these with you.
Thanks for the encouragement, stuartb:
https://nation.cymru/culture/watch-the-many-times-michael-sheen-stood-up-for-wales/
Brilliant – thx for posting. If he ever went into politics he’d sweep the board.
You see. The UK government is literally 100% responsible for all Scotland’s ills. They can bypass the Scottish government at any time, so are able to solve all our problems. If they don’t, it’s because they are negligent.
UK Government to bypass Holyrood with towns funding in devolution snub
THE UK Government is set to bypass the Scottish Parliament and give funding directly to seven Scottish councils in the latest devolution snub.
The reason Unison workers are not getting a bigger pay rise is because of No 10. They could step in at any moment and give councils funding for this. The chose not to, so the blame lies entirely with them.
This is what undoing devolution means; the buck passes to London on everything. London either doesn’t ever bypass Holyrood or it steps in whenever the latter is ‘not doing its job properly’ according to the media. Can’t have it both ways.
Aye, the school strikes are 100% No 10’s fault. Not even indirectly, but directly. SoS could step in tomorrow and sort it.
Link: https://archive.ph/par7m
£1 billion spread out over the whole of the British isles towns and villages is like promising to give every kid a penny caramel, as if a penny could actually buy a McCowans penny dainty anyway (remember them?)
Every Tory PM dreams of a war:
Well it shouldn’t be too long now before wee Rishi Rich gets himself into a set of army fatigues and doing a Gary tank commander down a Ukraine street near those folks as he pokes and prods the Russian bear with hints of sending British soldiers into Ukraine to *train and advise* those soldiers in that country
The British are never done coming up with these wheezes that they later deny as happening *any time soon* exactly so the Russians will reply with very loud strong words on the subject and threaten world war three upon us all, and that’s the reason the English Nationalists British do this kind of thing in the first place
They want Russia to threaten, they want Russia to react, it’s how Britain works in these circumstances time and time again, and we the population are all supposed to fall for this “we only offered to train and advise by sending in a couple of thousand soldiers, the Russians are over reacting” (totally puzzled innocent face)
So we can all look forward to Rishi Rich in his made to measure Gary tank commander suit looking statesman like but innocent of all Russian accusations as he escalates us into stupidity for the sake of Tory votes and a possible adjourning of any general election if he sees fit and thinks he’s going to lose anyway
Rishi Rich Sunak the expert in claiming “it wiznae me honest it wiz world events”
You know what’s worse? Sir Kid Starver will condemn Sunak’s actions then tell us we all have to back the PM and Britain in the face of Russian threats
Let’s all remember where the British park their nuclear weapons so if and when the shooting starts England isn’t hit first
Dr Jim,
Are you thinking of today’s Sunday Telegraph?
https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/D8CC/production/_131300555_1001ch-stnst-1-011023-a001c-st-page-001.jpg.webp
” we can all look forward to Rishi Rich in his made to measure Gary tank commander suit looking statesman like ”
I think maybe he’ll get something of the peg from ” actionman ‘
Golfnut
It’s bait for the swivel-eyed armchair generals in the Tory Party who are in Conference mode now. You only have to read the hysterical nonsense by Hamish de Bretton Gordon in The Telegraph to realise how detached from reality these people are. But they can still produce theatre for the masses at home. The Russians will be killing themselves laughing (maybe that’s the secret plan!).
The Russians say they will hit the “decision making centres” if necessary so that rules out Scotland. Shame about London though.
In other words, it’s all bravado and bluster.
From a bit of a search, it seems one of our two governments has made absolutely zero attempt to engage with either the unions or COSLA. No negations, no pay offers, no attempt to free up some budget to find pay rises. Nothing. Schools across Scotland shut for 3 days last week and London sat on it’s hands. It’s a f’n disgrace. A total dereliction of duty. At least the Scottish government are making an effort to solve the problem.
What exactly is the point of us having Westminster as a second government if doesn’t actually try to solve such problems?
Then there’s the drug deaths. Once again total inaction from our ‘other’ government in London. It goes on and on about how we have two of these, and how this benefits us, yet they do nothing. The literally twiddle their thumbs while people die. It’s appalling.
We might as well be independent if London isn’t actually prepared to govern us.
‘Then there’s the drug deaths. Once again total inaction from our ‘other’ government in London.’
Hardly a surprise when the Westminster government appears complacent regarding the efficacy of its drugs policies despite the sustained steep rise in drug deaths in places such as NE England and the growing gap in drug deaths between the NE and for example London.
The absolute number of drug deaths in Scotland is shockingly high although the upward trend seems, thankfully and belatedly, to be stalling.
However, the Westminster government, other Unionist politicians and a complicit media are too keen to repeat endlessly the ‘highest in Europe’ charge against Scotland for its drug deaths whilst ignoring the long term rising trend and marked regional discrepancies in drug deaths across England.
Sorry, I was being a bit tongue in cheek there.
Yes, the problem is primarily generational. The opiate addicts that Thatcherism created in the rubble of Scotland’s industrial heartlands back in the 80’s are dying early. It seems the peak of the wave has passed, and, much to the disappointment of British/English unionist parties / their media, we should hopefully see a continued decline from now on.
The safe consumption rooms will be particularly helpful, notably in the face of synthetic opioids which have made a recent appearance and are so easy to overdose on due to their extreme potency. The USA is facing a real crisis with these.
Meanwhile England continues to actually be ‘the cocaine capital of Europe’; it being a European country with the full powers of independence, unlike Scotland, which isn’t country when it comes to drugs, but a British region. English drug addicts are English; those in Scotland are British as it’s a reserved matter.
England has safe drug consumption rooms; the toilets in Westminster.
So, in 2017, the SNP + Green (24.6%) lead over Labour (18%) as a % of the electorate was 6.6%. Labour lost some voters compared to 2015 but won Rutherglen and Hamilton West by 0.5% of votes cast because SNP voters didn’t turn out.
In the latest full Scottish poll from Yougov, the SNP + Green combined share of total the electorate (including DKs, WNVs etc) is 31%; identical to what it was in the 2019 election. This is a lead of 11.0% over Labour (20%) compared to 2017’s 6.6%.
So, if that Yougov poll is correct, things are not as favourable for Labour as they were in 2017. But then I have been pointing out that polls keep putting Green in main prompt, artificially inflating their likely share. The reality is that Green voters have been primarily voting SNP under FPFP since their party backed indy. The most recent Yougov had these two on 44% combined. Green have averaged 0.75% since 2001 and their rise in Holyrood under PR has never transferred to FPTP votes. In fact their best result in a UKGE in Scotland in the devo era was in 2005 when indy was not mainstream.
Anyway, if SNP voters turn out and Green voter do the same, voting tactically for the SNP, Labour could be in trouble.
But it’s a by election and these can be weird.
While Westminster aka the Tories are discussing abandoning the European Convention on Human Rights, the Scottish Government has been consulting on a Human Rights Bill for Scotland. Who knows what barriers the UK government will erect to prevent it but it might be worth participating in its development.
https://www.gov.scot/publications/human-rights-bill-scotland-consultation/
A large collection of Scottish art was consigned to an inaccessible and neglected basement. Few people knew it existed. Now it is displayed in a new extension to the Gallery into Princes Street Gardens. It’s as if our cultural heritage is stumbling out of a dark prison into the light.
Murray Pittock: Stories behind National Gallery’s Scottish Galleries
https://archive.ph/2ND1m
What’s this? Scottish art? culture? no no no! there can be none of this kind of thing allowed, Alister Jack must issue a section something or other to block this without delay
Sir John Leighton was born in Belfast but studied Fine Art at Edinburgh University and in Edinburgh College of Art and so has some grasp of what Scottish Art is. When I was young the curators at our National Gallery were always English hence storing most of our art in the basement may not have seemed so… umm… disrespectful..
Anyone know why the UK government hasn’t solved the ferries issue yet? They’ve done absolutely nothing here. So much for being our second government, bypassing Holyrood when needed. F’n useless. They just devolve and forget.
https://archive.ph/P8brQ
Alister Jack: Devolve and forget era in Scotland is ‘dead’
Like HS2 the ferries must only be half built, thankfully in Scotland the UK has agents seeing to that very thing, what will they come up with next to delay these boats? the wrong kind of paint? Scottish water too salty? no passengers to be allowed? and that’s actually a thing the “health and safety” have already mooted
Now Alistair jack is on the case, we should expect no more school strikes. If he does not stop these, he needs to resign. London can’t just devolve and forget. Those days are gone.
Big fat liar English Jack:
Alister Jack said at the Tory party conference that “the SNP and their masters the Greens couldn’t even organise a bottle return scheme”
Now that’s what we should all call the rewriting of very recent history by Sec of State Jack, considering the scheme was on course and ready to go ahead on time and all Scotland’s supermarkets had already built the spaces for customers to bring their bottles to recycle, until he Alister Jack with his overblown ego and Tory donor pal that owns a bottling plant stuck their big English oar in and stopped it
If he keeps this up somebody will make him the subject of next weeks news this week
bbc trolling Scots with the Ryder Cup highlights, Bob McIntyre won his singles match but you could count on the one
hand the number of times he was shown and always negative, ie missing a put. Baistarts
Golfnut.
I heard a report on Radio $ about “Great European Success” in the golf. Was that someone else?
These jolly happy golfing lads are all British Europeans together though, until they become those foreigners again tomorrow
Oops, that Radio 4 – although it’s not wrong as it is…
Does anyone smell a rat here or am I being paranoid. I don’t want to set another hare running over accusing upstanding bastions of society of manipulating public opinion.
https://x.com/ChrisMusson/status/1708558958208688184?s=20
A Police Scotland decision, part of a wider plan, and one the UK government could stop by intervening.
Bet you Alistair Jack sits on his hands though and does nothing, showing how there’s no point to us having a second government in London if they just ‘devolve and forget’ like this.
Well , he works for The Sun , so make your own mind up . They are a newspaper of record , aren’t they ?
Award winning even – the Least Trusted Newspaper in Britain Award. Pipped the Daily Star and the Mail to the top spot.
https://x.com/jthomson_john/status/1708589766751535265?s=20
Hey, watch it! I was drinking when I read that..! 😀
Nothing Chief Smelly Rat Chris Musson passes as ‘news’ should be read at face value, even on the weather – I note his trademark ‘EXCLUSIVE’ has been reduced to ‘EXCL’, offering up the option of ‘EXCLAIM’ as interpretation, which is probably a more accurate descriptor of his relentless nonsense masquerading as journalism.
The Tories are all at it today folks
“Multiculturalism has failed” “War on the work shy” “Scotland the region” “Rishi to ignore EU judges on Rwanda plan” “Welfare benefits review”
What are we hearing and reading folks? it’s the Tories pitch to the hungriest of the red meat eaters of England to begin the war on those who are not them, and remember, Sir Kid Starver will ride right along on the back of this, promising nothing and as we know changing nothing because *the country* can’t afford it
There’ll always be an England, sing louder at the back, Jerusalem Jerusalem, three cheers for King Charles whoop de doo, everybody hates us we don’t care
Scotland and Wales? who? what? union? no no no! stop all this nonsense obsession about constitutions, this is England’s empire and all ye that are not England are citizens of nowhere
What are the Tories saying, that the UK union of 4 nations with different nationalities / cultures has failed?
Call me stupid, but how can you ‘give the SNP government a mid-term kicking’ by voting e.g. Labour in the Rutherglen & Hamilton West by-election? It’s an election for a parliament where the SNP are the opposition, not the government. You can only give the Tory UK government a kicking here, self-evidently.
A new Labour MP would actually please the Tories; it’s not as if they expect to win the seat, but it going to a fellow unionist would cheer them somewhat. So you’d not be ‘giving the SNP government a kicking’, but instead just be giving the Tory government a wee boost.
And a UK by-election can’t have any effect on party mandates gained in via Holyrood 2021. These stand even if every SNP UK parliament seat fell to Labour. It’s not like the 2011 mandate was cancelled out by Labour’s solid victory in 2010. Two separate parliaments, elections for which give two separate mandates.
If the desire is to give the SNP/Green government a kicking, this is only possible via a Holyrood by-election, rather obviously, as that’s where these are in government. Then you could frighten them by voting for an opposing party in a by-eleciton. However, if you were pro-indy, this would need to be Alba or IfS, as if you vote Lab/Con/Lib, that’s you voting for the union rather than trying to keep the SNP/Greens focussed on indy.
Comparing Alba to a pro independence party is like Labour members who *think* they’re pro democracy, or Tories who *think* they’re in a union, or Liberal Democrats who *think* they’re winning, their leaders just don’t tell them they’re none of these things
Rishi Sunak makes a crack about funding SNP motorhomes and Sir Kid Starver sends him a text thanking him for the help over the Rutherglen by election
Seems it takes three English political parties to beat one Scottish party
Gem from the wild-eyed Chancellor , Hunt , today .
”From last year , for the first time ever , you can earn £1000 a month and not pay a penny of Income Tax or National Insurance .”
Newsflash ! Tory tax dodgers have been doing that for years , Jeremy , including many Cabinet members and MPs !
From the Westminster Leader of Plaid Cymru, today:
Dear Member,
After months of embarrassing wrangling by this chaotic Tory government, it is now confirmed that HS2 won’t link to north Wales from Crewe.
The whole ‘England-and-Wales’ sham excuse has fallen apart entirely. This is now clearly, undeniably, a project that benefits England only.
That means Wales is owed billions from the Birmingham-London link. That’s billions we could invest in our rail and bus services.
Westminster no longer has any excuses to deny what Wales is owed.
Join Plaid Cymru in demanding Wales’ fair share.
It wasn’t the EU who took from us, we know who it was
It’s amazing it’s going 30 odd miles north of the Watford gap equivalent. That’s the ‘far north of England’ I understand.
Is that where the Lanisters or the Targarians live?
We’ve been robbed (again):
[…]
Unlike Scotland and Northern Ireland, Wales doesn’t receive Barnett consequentials from spending on HS2 because national rail infrastructure in Wales is reserved to the UK Government.
For this reason the Treasury has classified HS2 as a ‘national project’ which benefits both countries, despite the railway project – even if completed – being wholly in England.
A Cardiff University report found that if rail was devolved, Wales would have received an extra £514m investment in its rail infrastructure between 2011-12 and 2019-20 as a result of UK Government investment in HS2.
[…]
https://nation.cymru/news/5bn-rail-funding-loss-for-wales-above-my-pay-grade-says-andrew-rt-davies/
£5bn rail funding loss for Wales ‘above my pay grade’, says Andrew RT Davies
02 Oct 2023 4 minute read
If HS2 is a “national” project then Scotland won’t get Barnett consequentials either.
IIRC that was how they managed to get us all to pay for the Olympic infrastructure (national project)but Scotland had to pay for the Commonwealth Games from our paltry budget.
We might find there have been many “national” projects in England.
The Yes Cymru newsletter carries the story too:
The Tories and their Westminster minions are shameful.
A wee note to the National about contributors to the independence debate:
I’m so bored and fed up with this nonsense about *convincing* no voters to vote yes to Scottish independence
It costs good money and it’s a waste of our time and theirs knocking doors talking to lord knows who about something they will never vote for if the truth stared them right in the face
Purchase the TV time and make a PPB documentary with representatives of all 65 countries of the former British colonies that have taken their independence from England and just ask them the simple question “would you rejoin a union with England?” the answer would be a resounding “no thanks very much because England stole from us and is a lying undemocratic racist country that we’re glad to see the back of” and BOOM! no need for this convincing of supposed *soft NO’s* because they’ll have heard it direct from the horses mouth
No need for national conversations or street talky walkabouts and jobs for the tweed jacketed Byres road coffee shop conversationalist socialists, because independence is not about socialism conservatism or any other ism, it’s not about any political party choice either, it’s about freedom of decision making for the people of Scotland, and that’s all the people of whichever political persuasion ethnicity creed or colour
It’s about time these self important newspaper scribblers who long to be recognised as *thinkers* shut their gubs and listen, Independence for Scotland isn’t about them or their philosophy, it’s solely about choice, so butt out of the people’s choices, stop trying to sell your personal political preferences, we don’t want them, that’s the choice for us the people to make after we’re independent, not before
Interesting to note diversions to the HS2 row elsewhere being churned out by BBC Scotland, James must have read another ‘real’ email from AJ, “Make smoke…”
Even the 200 year old flooding problem at the Whitesands in Dumfries gets taken out for another airing.
Yet what ever catches my eye is the article HMS James Cook wishes to promote, usually in Scotland/Politics, with the “over to you the electorate” ploy of opening comments on which the frothier variety of the “Nicola ate my hamster” brigade will always descend to test their typing skills at impersonating Scots.
Hence the ” One in 10 Scots living in ‘very deep poverty’ ” https://archive.ph/ugfa9 article lurks in prime spot, despite having been demoted on the main Scotland page, 1055 comments demonstrating it’s popularity with “the voters”.
No mention of course of what HMG have chosen to splash tax revenue on over the years, such as a giant train-set going from nowhere to nowhere, and lately a bung to local authorities to deliberately sideline Holyrood…..
And let’s not mention the Covid Inquiry now focussing on what HMG did (and didn’t do)….
What else can James think up as distraction today…
From the Herald this morning : ‘
Douglas Ross has held secret talks with frustrated SNP rebels about the “direction of their government” – hoping it could lead to the downfall of Humza Yousaf’s coalition with the Scottish Greens.
The Scottish Conservative leader has suggested that “a number” of disgruntled SNP backbenchers have spoken to him about “ways that parliament can” hold the Scottish Government to account.
He probably bumped into Fergus Ewing in the corridor.
Dross, “Fergus, what’s all this about the A9 dualling? My constituents are fed up waiting.”
Fergus, “Well I know it’s taking a long time but I’m doing my bit to gee up the frontbench.”
Dross to BBC Scotland, the Daily Record, the Scotsman, the Herald etc, “Backbench revolt over Green’s running the SNP”.
Hold the front page!