All across the land
The Unionist parties are taking such a kicking in the polls for next month’s Holyrood election that you could forgive them for not always knowing where they were.
The above tweet does indeed have the potential to be “astonishing”, given that (a) Ruth Davidson isn’t standing in Carnoustie, and (b) the 2011 result suggests that there are only around 700 Labour voters to find in the entire town behind the “1000s” of doors that 20 Tories have impressively managed to knock by teatime.
(Indeed, the area is so Labour-unfriendly that the Tories actually managed to come 2nd five years ago, getting over 50% more votes than the Labour candidate.)
But it’s not the only piece of geographical confusion afflicting the UK parties.
The Tories are also putting out leaflets urging people to vote for her in Glasgow:
…where she isn’t standing either, having abandoned the region where she got just 1,845 votes in 2011 in order to seek a slightly easier seat in Tory-friendly Lothian.
The same leaflet features a ringing testimonial to Davidson from a former Labour voter called Angela who lives, we’re told, in North Ayrshire:
Which is odd, as just last week a remarkably similar-looking former Labour voter called Angela appeared in a Tory election broadcast claiming to be from Glasgow:
But it’s not just the Tories who are all over the place.
Former Labour leadership contender Ken Macintosh is sending out leaflets in the hope of getting re-elected in “East Ren”, which is short for East Renfrewshire.
The one hitch is that Ken Macintosh has NEVER been elected in East Renfrewshire, which is a Westminster constituency formerly held by ex-branch office manager Jim Murphy, and before that by the Tories since 1924.
The Holyrood seat being fought by Macintosh covers a significantly smaller area and is called Eastwood. But compared to “Keep Ken for East Ren” we suppose “Vote for Ken – he’s not the least good in Eastwood” doesn’t have quite the same ring to it.
(To help Ken out, on the map of East Renfrewshire constituency below we’ve shaded in roughly the parts that AREN’T in Eastwood.)
It’s probably going to be asking a bit too much for the Unionist parties to win many constituencies at this election. But it doesn’t seem excessive to hope that they’d at least know which ones they were standing in.
I can understand why the guy in the tank is hiding his face!
See you’re on form today Rev. Must have had a good weekend. Keep on keeping on-you’re untouchable when you’re in this mood 🙂
Can’t wait for the parade of “ordinary mums”.
Thats an impressive number of activists out hitting the doors of Carnoustie until you realist at least two (Ross Thomson, Cllr in Aberdeen and Alex Johnstone – Aberdeenshire East MSP).
I suppose give the age demographic, the blue tories might struggle a bit with local “active” activists.
The Airdrie Labour guy starts the leaflet with, “I’m not in politics for a career…”.
Which is probably the most true statement in the whole thing.
And yet – people still vote Tory and Red Tory. Dumb as rocks innit?
Surely not dirty tricks by the respectable Tories and squeegee clean media darling Ruth.
Sorry to go O/T so soon but it didn’t take long for Tories and Unionist press to blame SNP for Edinburgh’s PFI scandal.
http://archive.is/5tm51
This online banner headline from The Scotsman that hasn’t yet mentioned Labour in connection with PFI.
They are literally all over the place with this.
I have only had two leaflets regarding this campaign. One SNP and one Tory (which was a scotland wide one I think) Labour and LibDems – tumbleweed. Well it is Uddingston and Bellshill.
Basically its vote Ruth Davidson for the Ruth Davidson party in every seat? That lassie gets about a bit. 😮
No that shocked Labour candidates don’t know whether its Monday or Eastwood right enough. 🙂
“Well it is Uddingston and Bellshill.”
A seat, of course, currently held by Labour. You’d think they’d put at least some effort into hanging onto it.
And ‘Leanne’ looks uncannily similar to the ‘NHS Scotland’ nurse who caused a wee, bittie kerfuffle during the Indy Ref.
Is it the same wummin or a doppleganger?
I must admit I am rather seriously p****d off with all those *cough* opposition party leaders.
1) Why have I never been able to have a wee “fireside chat” with wee Ruthie after all she appears all over Baby Fluff’s litter that is put through my door NOT by 10’s,100’s or even 1,000’s of Tory activists but by the mailman. (He actually supports the SNP by the way. 🙂 )I’m sure it cannae be cause there’s no ony parking spaces fur her Leetle Tankette … can it? 😀
2) What have I done to upset the Poisoned Dwarf? 😉
I mean she was in my village yesterday. My kettle is always full and ready to make a wee cuppa so where the hell was she? 😉
Why did she no come roon ma hoose fur a wee “fireside chat?” 😀
3) Yo Willie whaurs ma leaflets telling me how great and fantastic YOU and your *ahem* party are? 😉
The Lie Dems are noticed roon ma way by the complete lack of ANY election material! 😀
Pity nominations for standing are over, I’d have created a ‘Ruth Davidsson Party’ where all the candidates standing in constituencies would be named Ruth Davidsson. Think of the tory votes that would be wasted on that…
This is all an irrelevance. Once UKIP take over Hollywood everything will be fine.
The Ruth Davidson leaflet hilariously urges you to vote for her because “The SNP is cutting frontline services and it’s really unfair.”
Are there actual real people who exist out there who are actually taken in by this guff? Do they realise yet that the Ruth Davidson Party is just a front for the Tories? LOLZ.
OT
@Sinky
From the linked article on that Scotsman page:
“‘Wasteful’ deals under scrutiny as checks continue at city’s schools” and very interesting: “Local authorities across Scotland built schools using the PPP model before the SNP government set up the not-for-profit Scottish Futures Trust in 2008.”
Perhaps the Scotsman is seeing that this can’t be held under wraps, and it won’t be long before the Conservatives realise there’s more capital to be made pointing the finger at Labour, than there is at the SNP.
How many people actually read these leaflets in depth? Not many I suspect.
Let us not forget ex labour councillors who have also made that switch…
http://archive.is/km0Me
Personally I’m waiting for Mr Luvva luvva’s leaflet to hit the hall carpet. Willie Rennie – matchmaker to the porcine community.
Eight panels and no staples.
Macintosh: “Don’t let them [the SNP]… drag Scotland into another referendum.”
If I want another referendum, I’ll bloody well vote for the party that has one in its manifesto. What you afraid of, Macintosh? Democracy?
The people of this country were CHEATED with lies and false promises by the triumvarite of Unionist Parties, the rabid BritNat press and auntie with her great big Anglosaxophone. That is the feeling of the vast majority of YESSERS. And it is a feeling that won’t be going away any time soon.
May is unfinished business.
SNP x 2
Nice graph from Ken of East Ren there. The SNP & Tory bars are more-or-less in proportion but the Labour one should be about 15% shorter to be properly scaled.
Ken Knows it’s Eastwood. In fact he is totally dependent upon it. Unfortunately the SNP held East Ren constituency includes Barrhead and the poorer bits of the area that are outwith Eastwood. Eastwood is packed full of privileged Red and Blue Tories. It will be just about he toughest seat for the SNP to win in Scotland.
Isn’t it time we changed the rules surrounding elections?
Surely false claims, lies (political or personal) and overspending should become grounds for extreme censure?
Where necessary by elections could be called and the electorate given the reasons and thus the opportunity to make a more informed decision!
The present arrangement rewards breaking the rules and doing whatever is necessary to get elected (Carmichael), however odious.
As has been proved, getting rid of them after the event is horrendously expensive and nigh on impossible!
It would be a start if election literature had to at least pass Advertising Standards.
Something, just to rein them in a bit and level the playing field!
Of course pigs might fly!
At least it would keep them safe from Camoron (yes I did intend that spelling) ;o)
Am I the only person who thinks there may be a bit of family resemblance between ‘Angela’ and Ruth Davidson? I can’t quite put my finger on it, but something tells me they may have shared genes, or at least shared the same bit of carpet at a Christmas gathering….. :-O
@Holebender
How pathetic have SLAB become to resort to an old mainstay tactic of the Lib Dems: the poorly scaled “only we can stop party X” graph. It’s tantamount to conceding they are joining the Lib Dems in the politically irrelevant wannabes club.
It was slimy enough in FPTP general elections. It’s both slimy and STUPID under the D’Hondt voting system.
Another complaint into effort of BBC to not mention the L word in their programmes/news items about Edinburgh schools. As someone said here ‘is there a veto on the word Labour’ I asked in my complaint if it had been dropped out of their vocabulary altogether. The BBC impartial, honest, fair who are they kidding – only themselves. The absolute silence from JB she hasn’t even asked for a Public Enquiry, and KD standing in Edinburgh but not a word ok it will be too difficult for her to explain or spin. Every time the BBC news reports they mention the Scottish Government and their press releases but not once have they mentioned labours part in all this. What on earth can we do to make sure everyone knows who is responsible. The Scottish Govt is too nice to put the boot in.
1000’s of doors in Carnoustie! blink and you’ll miss it, think this is another Tory fantasy,,
Re. The Wee Black Book Poster, 2ft by 3ft.
Can whoever asked for this try downloading from mailbigfile mbf.me/uJdKZX
Let me know if it’s okay, I haven’t looked at it yet myself.
Tartan Tory at 2:24
Well John, as mccart says.
“That lassie gets about a bit.”
😉
@Winifred McCartney 2.34pm.
I have no doubt that the Scottish Government are heads down trying to resolve the Edinburgh schools mess for the children and their parents. I equally have no doubt that there is a team looking right now into how the people responsible for the shambles can be held to account.
One of the many things the modern SNP has been good at has been its considered and calculated approach to dealing with crises. I am confident that the outcome of this will be what it should be – the unionist parties having the finger pointed straight at them and the SNP being seen to provide the kind of government all sensible people want.
That isn’t a statement of ‘faith’, it is an observation based on their record of good governance.
If they merge and call themselves the Rule Brittania party, they could at least get 50,000 door knocking.
Bobo the Chimp Unionist Party SNP Out
Would get the same amount of votes as the Ruth Davidson Party
There are Yoons and there are “YOONS” and that second lot would vote for anything not the SNP and it wouldn’t matter if it was proved scientifically by Stephen Hawkins and a bucket full of NASA geniuses that Unionists were a lying bunch of Toe rags of the highest order
Those Yoons will never, ever, in their lifetime admit they’re wrong or admit fault, they don’t care about what’s right or good, only one thing above all, The Union, Mother England, The Great British Empire of London and long may she reign
This United Kingdom of England didn’t sacrifice millions of unimportant lives just to give in to a few Stinking Democratic Jocks, and if it takes more lives to be sacrificed it’s all for the greater good and furtherance of their blessed Union
We can prove it all day long and might win the next Referendum even by a landslide but they still won’t give in
With bared teeth and foaming mouths the Establishment Yoons and their supporters will seek to thwart every attempt Scotland makes to move forward and will punish us unmercifully if they get the chance
All the words of negotiation and fraternal warmth will be employed by Yoon high command and every single one of those words will be betrayed as they always have been, born of an inbuilt hatred of all things not in their control
We can still win but we’ll have to fight for it by voter numbers, and then we’ll have to win it again by outmaneuvering the Yoons at every turn
Cheery aren’t I… (I don’t know where that came from)
I am developing a taste for mustard. It makes the consumtion of all this HAM tolerable.
Damn, too far West here in the Ferry. Despite that this Council Ward returns two Tories to the council before anyone else we have had no Tory canvassers and their leaflet today was delivered by the postman which gives you an idea of the number of their activists here as well as their average age.
We have steps at the front making it hard for zimmer frames or mobility scooters.
Angela from Ayrshire / Glasgow.
Looks like she’s in this pic hiding behind the “locals”.
http://www.glasgowconservatives.com/sites/www.glasgowconservatives.com/files/streetstallphoto.jpg
2nd row behind the girl with the sign to the left of Tank Commander.
Dodgy hairdo? check
Dodgy scarf? check
Image is only appearing on the Glasgow tory site and johnforglasgow.com who seems to be another tory with high hopes and low esteem.
50% OT
Herald now carrying the Liz Smith press release. You should read the comments below the line! Wonder how many of them will survive …
Arbroath1320 asks where are the LieDems since he hasn’t had any leaflets. I reckon this is their cunning plan. They get noticed because they are not leafleting or doing much of anything. Occasionally Wullie gets to talk tripe on telly and quoted in the media. It’s probably all they can afford given they have to fund Carmichael’s big bill.
‘Ken for East Ren’ campaigning against another referendum.
Good. Let the London based parties split the unionist vote between them.
And Ukip think our Parliament is in the district of “Hollywood”, Los Angeles.
Arthur Thomson: “One of the many things the modern SNP has been good at has been its considered and calculated approach to dealing with crises.”
I agree, Arthur, but to myself and some others on here the SNP just seem to lack teeth at times. It also seems like they are always responding to events and attacks rather than orchestrating.
It seems to work, whatever the strategy is, but I don’t see the logic of it — maybe that’s why I’m a shit-kicker who eats at Subway and those SNP fellas eat at KFC.
inverclyder
I looked at that photo, the wee dog on the left, in dog speak that is “black affronted”
#Sadness in his eyes
Well, it’s obvious, innit? Tank Commander Ruthie’s army of Tory canvassers was shipped in from nearby Dundee! =laugh=
Andrew McLean
You have to wonder how many of them were bussed in.
Looks like some sort of “Good at Feng Shui / like listening to ABBA” type student group with a few dodgy characters thrown in to make up the numbers.
Hearing that the dog apparently committed suicide later that day.
All very sad considering the dog was a lifelong Labour voter and true blue paid up season ticket holder at the rangers.
It found being forced to vote Tory very ruff and jumped in front of a bus.
No bones about it a very sad end.
You winalot you lose some.
Your just not looking at this within the correct cosmological context. All the trendy Yoons are using Brane cosmology. The advantages are compelling.
Get with the program! Be in two places at the same time, or neither, or be a a regular quadrilateral.
Live long and prosper. 😉
Most folk who voted YES in 2014 (and a good number of soft NO voters) have already decided how they will vote in May, and for the majority, this will involve giving the Labour party another painful kicking. What we are witnessing, IMO is a rather undignified scrap between the unionist parties for those SNP-hating NO voters who have yet to make up their minds how best they can use their vote. Labour’s private polling will be telling them that the YES voters ain’t coming back, but it’s as if they cannot believe they have lost such a large chunk of their support forever – hence the mixed messages coming from Kezia et al. The rabbit is in the headlights and does not know which way to run (and ends up getting flattened).
It must be awful being a Scottish unionist right now. No wonder they always look so bloody miserable. 🙂
In Aberdeen Central, Lewis Macdonald is putting out leaflets saying “Re-elect Lewis Macdonald”, which will be a surprise to the people who voted for Kevin Stewart to be the MSP for Aberdeen Central last time.
Give them a chance to mislead voters, and they’ll grab it with both hands.
Oh a “kicking in the polls”. I thought you said something ruder there for a moment.
They are surely having problems getting canvassers in Carnoustie. The guy bottom right is Alexander Burnett who is standing for Aberdeen West.
I suppose it shows that not only do the not know where they are on policy they simply don’t know where they are.
Considering Ruthie was crowd funding her campaign (how did that go?) It seems a little goes a long long way.
So it needs to be questioned WHO is actually funding all the leaflets etc. Obviously someone who knows nothing about the political geography of Scotland eh David!
I remember Murdo Fraser wanting to re-brand the Tories in Scotland. It now seems they have. I received that same leaflet today. It’s full of “I’m voting for Ruth” The only time he C**********e word is mentioned is a small logo on the back.
Also on he subject of the Ruth Party, I thought Unionists were fond of criticising SNP supporters over the supposed “cult of personality” surrounding Nicola Sturgeon.
A better rhyme for Labour might be :- “Vote down the aspirations of your neighbour – Vote Britsh Labour”.
Hopefully the PFI Schools shambles will lose Slabour another couple of percentage points. We can’t rely on MSM for that though!
That colour blue jackets like those are the uniform for some company, can’t think who.
The people without them probably thought it was an advert for their shops / product.
Did they borrow the jackets from the Blue Order at Ibrox!
Cameron about to answer questions on his tax and shares
http://parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/b7fe1d16-a671-4d1f-aab4-f1e442156545
I notice the Herald has an invitation to access “more stories like these” via your phone – I’m sure there will be loadsa folk doing that.
Does anyone know when their circulation figures are due – I need a wee guffaw!
Angela …. over Scotland.
That 1845 votes for Davidson is just staggering considering her blanket coverage. The ref was so close but her tax dodger tory party reprobates still govern Scotland, so what can you do.
if half are candidates then all this shows is how few activists there are
someone should crop out the background and change it for ben nevis, the eiffel tower etc and name the individuals.
the whole point of ruthies photo is designed to mislead the public as to how few tory activists they have
we should exposes this con
OT
A poster on that “SNP Accused” article posts “How low can the journalistic standards of the Herald get?”
I understand limbo dancing classes are mandatory.
CameronB Brodie said:
Now I get it. The Unionist parties have obtained real Hermione Granger time-turners thanks to shedloads of development funding from she who must not be named!
The hadwashing element seems to consist simply of a reply that the inspections were already the responsibility of the local councils. In other words it should already be being done and the SNP aren’t in the habit of micromanaging local councils.
Obviously an SNP led council might face some embarassment if it turned out not to have had regular inspections carried out. There’s nothing to show that to be the case.
@ Tartan Tory 2.24 Comoan Mr whit ur you trying tae say, they wur engaded in ah wee bit rough n fumble, LGBT day club out lol
@Dorothy Devine
“The Herald: 32,100 (down 13.2%)”
“Sunday Herald: 25,000 (down 22.4%)”
http://wingsoverscotland.com/the-sands-of-the-times/
Robert J. Sutherland
I wouldn’t know about that,sorry, I’m not really in to wizards. 🙂
Please people. Stop anoying the man in the jar.
It’s NOT a tank. It’s a abbot self propelled gun. It’s used by the Royal Artillery. Tanks
are used by the Royal Armoured Corps. Two completely different arms. In fact there are only three regiments left with tanks and they are all on Salisbury plain. They don’t move as there is no money to run them. Ruthie could all ways go to the tank museum at Bovington. Ether way it’s a long way to go to get your leg over.
OT – schools
http://archive.is/Nelsu
Never mind the crap article, read the comments.
That needs to be done on every media article about this, including somehow the complicit BBC and STV.
How do they manage it? At least the British nationalists excel at something.
A wee bit OT.
A by-election will be held for the Gordon ( blow up a building ) Matheson. Anderston/City ward on May 5th.
They kept that one quiet
SNP X 3
For all those who are ‘concerned’ by the lack of Libdum activists and literature, just wait till that cheque arrives from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
Can they not find anything better to do? Instead of tax evading and robbing the vulnerable.
The Burnettt’s own half of Aberdeenshire. A cousin of the Queen.
I hear Monty Python are planning to remake the Whicker’s World sketch with Ruth Davidsons instead of Alan Whickers.
@ yesindyref2
Working parents should take out a class action for childcare costs. Edinburgh council should be sueing for costs of Teachers Wages, there,s also the costs of transport Buses ect & Lollypop men/women, those people still have to be payed.
Important correction, Rob James:
It’s “The Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust, Ltd.” (It’s not a charity.)
The Rowntree charities do important work and are not at all happy at being associated with that organisation. Neither for that matter are the Quakers, who feel that the original aims of the Trust have been hijacked by the LieDems.
orri says :
Obviously an SNP led council might face some embarrassment if it turned out not to have had regular inspections carried out. There’s nothing to show that to be the case.
As a layperson, id be looking at the design drawings, were ties included? If they were, its a major error for not installing them, if they weren’t, its an even bigger mistake. There are no in-betweens.
No inspection would find this out, as the ties would be hidden in the cavity between the walls.
Still, wait and see.
Could someone please explain to me what is a yoon
The prime minister’s critics hate anyone who has a hint of wealth in their life!
The wealthy need to be protected and we don’t want this house to be filled with low achievers. (says)
Rt Hon Sir Alan Duncan MP (Rutland and Melton, Conservative)
Dave thanks him for his support. 🙂
Short for unionist Bill. A derogatory term.
Off topic
Just a wee chuckle.
Dennis Skinner refused to withdraw his comment of ‘Dodgy Dave’, so Bercow told him to leave for the remainder of the sitting for today.
Angus Robertson used his questions well to highlight Scotland’s land held off shore, and would the PM help to give transparency.
Peppas pal in a very arrogant mood. Obviously annoyed at having to make a statement.
Ha got to hand it to Ruthie she in at the kill picking the bones while Hamish has a nap after mauling the crap out of slab.
Watch out Ruthie Hamish has one eye open and is still hungry.
Full britnat spin overdrive on the PFI scandal though i guess we expected that,yoons what are they like shower of lying gits.
Not worried though simply because they are divided and was always going to be that way inside better together zoomer land,yoons will be yoons they cant help stabbing each other in the back and now they are fighting for control of better together zoomer land.
I will place my trust in the yessers coming out in force and doing the same thing if not even more as the GE,and out of the many friends i have who voted yes none of them have changed their mind however two soft no`s are furious as they wanted devo max best of both worlds and are now realising they were sold a lie both will vote SNP and for indy next time.
Devo max people dont forget that little gem on the doorsteps a lot of soft no`s voted for devo max make them see that is not what they got.
Yoon = Yoonyinist
@Robert J. Sutherland
Yes, and at that it’s been “captured” by the LibDems:
http://bellacaledonia.org.uk/2016/03/28/frenchgate-a-case-of-quaker-agency-capture/
Vambomarbeleye says:
11 April, 2016 at 3:52 pm
Please people. Stop anoying the man in the jar.
It’s NOT a tank. It’s a abbot self propelled gun. It’s used by the Royal Artillery.
Aye indeed, but you have to admit:
“Ruthie the Abbot self-propelled gun commander” just doesn’t have quite the same ring to it!
Put it down to artistic licence. 🙂
O/T sorry. Just watching Cameron,Corbyn, ROBERTSON in Westminster on declarations of income etc.
Just a thought which will show my ignorance. Will CARMICHAEL have to declare his gifts from Rowntree and Wee Willie and be taxed on them? Thanks.
One thing to consider. If this is down to not installing the correct amount of wall ties then either
1) There were too many left over at the end of the build which should have raised alarm bells.
2) They were deliberately hidden if not sold for profit by the bricklayers.
3) Not enough were supplied in the first place.
or
4) They were built as designed to a poor specification.
From a brief reading they not only stop the two walls moving apart which might lead to any insulation falling to the bottom but the also lend strength to the entire structure which is far more concerning.
Remedial work can resolve this which involves drilling into the wall and embedding a bolt. Will cost a fair penny.
OT
Yoon – I don’t like the word myself, not if it’s applied to all NO voters, rather than just the active activists. Not the way to “hearts and minds”.
But I guess it leaves the word “Unionist” relatively safe to use.
Would Kezia or Ruthie like to comment on this expose of Labour’s shoddy PFI building programme.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/2181931.stm
oops should have mentioned your WBB should take all the credit Rev i just showed them it 🙂
I know we don’t want to be seen making a political football of kid’s welfare and education, but is there a case for only fixing the schools that are in areas that voted SNP? Or, to be more surgical, fix on a class by class basis depending on how the majority of parents voted in each class.
The same filtering could be applied to the Forth bridges so that No voters and Yoons generally wouldn’t be allowed to use the new Bridge.
Ok forget it, I’m ahead of my time… this whole thing is beneath me.
@orri
I’d guess there’s going to have to be a lot of Non Destructive Testing, and the people who work in that are well paid so it won’t be cheap.
They’d also perhaps (I’m not a builder) have to jack and support to make sure stress was evened out, gaps even, and alignment correct before putting in bolts. I think after that it could be guaranteed again, but it wouldn’t be cheap at all, and would take a long time.
Maybe the support ties were all in place but were made from cheap Chinese steel? Does SLAB know? Can they respond to ANY of the hundreds of questions this calamity raises?
No. They can’t. Schtum.
But we know. We know alright who is to blame for this mess.
SNP x 2
Message for Ruth Davidson. That “Tank” Commander Babe Ruth thing you had going on…..Sucked. Just saying, in case you thought it was pure dead brilliant, It wasn’t.
seanair says:
11 April, 2016 at 4:31 pm
Will CARMICHAEL have to declare his gifts from Rowntree and Wee Willie and be taxed on them?
===========
No he just has to lie about it when asked !
It’s a great summary of the JRRT situation, yesindyref2, thanks.
Now I don’t want to take this thread O/T, but even that scandal and Carmichael’s “political” lying aren’t the worst part of what the LieDems have been up to of late. I’m becoming more and more aware that they have been scheming with fringe “separatist” groups in the Western and Northern isles to turn them into Crown Dependencies (like the British Virgin Isles, for heaven’s sake!), so that they can be kept in the UK when Scotland gets its independence.
I can put up with a great deal of disagreement over politics, since many people across the spectrum have honestly-held (if to me sometimes erroneous or useless) views. But this is the vilest cynical divide-and-conquer opportunism, so utterly malign that it’s downright treasonable.
Sorry for this outburst, probably not too relevant here, but this situation has truly scandalised me far, far more than anything else from the Unionist camp. Maybe the Rev Stu can do a good piece on this some day…
Eh no NeoconNat that is just an absurd idea but with a name like that maybe not unexpected lol
Nope what we do is fix the damn schools out of our already stressed out budget and we must take a serious look into telling the PFI gits to get lost the day we get indy if they aint happy they can send their bills to the Labour party HQ in England.
When we had the Forth Bridge closure, much was made (not by Unionists) of Labour’s refusal to build a new crossing when in power. Or, even before Devo. The Tories were considering it, but when Blair came to power it was abandoned.
Maybe just as well!
Labour would probably have build a new crossing using PFI!
Doesn’t bear thinking about.
How much did “What’s the point of a Wullie Rennie” get from the Rowntree foundation?
He categorically stated on shortbread last week that his budget for the election is £2,000.
Then again the Lib Dems are economical with the truth.
Dodgy Dave getting red in the face
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXl5r16Y7Jk
The Super Injunction forbidding the mention of LABOUR in connection with their ménage à trois (Westminster, Holyrood and Edinburgh City Council) still applying to BBC Radio Scotland 5 pm coverage of the Edinburgh schools PFI scandal.
Hopefully the Sunday Mail will put things right.
Derek, I’ve moved on…
@Robert J. Sutherland
OT
I’m not a Quaker, but was freelance for a lot of years and had the good fortune to have half my contracts with a big company that was founded by a Quaker (Tom Watson). Basically you were given responsibility for a job, encouraged to ask for resources or help if you needed, and left in peace to get on with it, no politics, no need to spend most of the time watching your back writing silly memos or emails explaining how it wasn’t your fault the project would fail in 3 months time. Unlike the financial sector.
No wonder Quakers were good in business, if my business I did after that life had managed to grow (still hope!) I’d have put in place the principles behind the Quakers – even though I’m not being one and having no intention.
Yes, heard about the Orkney / Shetland things strangely enough some via Unionist posters who wanted to do down Indy. The “Yoons” have their uses!
Great sport,Stu.Its one of your many posts that give the troops a laugh and a lift.I have to say,though,Nicola is being pushed just as much as Ruth the Tank.Kezia? Not so much.The picture of the Tory activists in Carnoustie would pretty much show their full strength over the two constituencies of Angus South and Angus North and Mearns.Its not a bad number,actually,compared to Labour and Libdems who struggle to muster more than three a piece.
So let’s enjoy a wee laugh at the expense of those Tory activists,but also acknowledge that atleast they are prepared to put in a bit of an effort for what they,albeit misguidedly,believe in.Unlike tens of thousands of SNP members who are too busy watching Coronation Street to be bothered helping me leaflet tonight.
@yesindyref2, 3.55
thanks for posting the archived link to the Herald article. The comments are bang on target.
JRRT, not Rowntree Foundation, Gary45%. Big diff.
“To the Scottish Liberal Democrats, in the run up to the 2016 Scottish Parliamentary elections: £50,000”
Even though they are not supposed to fund “administrative or other core costs of party organisations”.
You can find all the awards at:
http://www.jrrt.org.uk/grants-awarded
loadsa LieDem awards in there (among many others).
Let’s not forget either, folks, that the whole PFI/PPP was introduced by a SLabour-LibDum coalition. The Libdums are just as culpablef or this almighty mess. Forlicking around the farm with your pigs won’t make this one fly, Wullie.
@Nana
Well done Nana, the highlight of a drab Q&A session that I saw.
You’ll have to give me a lesson capturing such moments.
It is one of those powers yet to be devolved to me. 🙂
Well done Mr Skinner!
@mealer
Got two election leaflets today. One from the Ruth Davidson party delivered by the postie and a second from the SNP handed to my wife as she came home from walking the dog.
The SNP leaflet was delivered by MSP for Angus South, Graeme Dey who was by himself. As I live in a bit of an off the beaten track location it was a pleasant surprise.
Well done that man, let’s hope your efforts pay off.
Willie Rennie says:
Now’s not the time to talk about his tax returns during and election best to leave it till later
Mibbees he’d just finished eating his Quaker Porridge Oats
when that dawned on him
@cirsium
Yes. I tend to post “moderately” with some facts and a careful criticism, so as not to be deleted. But there’s some postings at the end of that thread with some real genuine anger in them, from posters whose style I know.
Who knows, the schools could become #scottishmediagate
The Daily Mail says:
They want to buy Yahoo!
Cannae be wae the munny they get from sellin papers in Scotland
@call me dave
Someone will need to give me a lesson as well, don’t tell anyone but I grabbed it from twitter.
Dugdale refuses to apologise for labour PFI. Did anyone expect slab to say sorry for anything.
http://toplocalnow.com/united-kingdom/scotland/glasgow
I wonder how their pals at pacific quay will report this scandal, SNP baaad no doubt.
If there was any doubt that the BBC is now an affront to the democratic process the news bulletin at 17:15 today is absolute proof.
How you can discuss Labours PFI policy and the school building projects carried out by Labour and not mention labour is absolutely astounding.
The state announcer constructed such a feat of wordsmithery, so amazing it dazzled the listener into believing the Labour party didn’t exist.
And that’s funny because if there is any justice in the world soon it won’t.
No wonder Jimmy Savill got away with his abuse for so long, protected by the BBC. It all now makes sense.
@Nana
Not to worry, this is too big to go away, it’s a question of when, not if.
And it would only take the likes of Panorama, Channel 4, Times or even Telegraph to pick up on it and do an in-depth, and there’ll be a whole load of news editors scurrying around with brown pants and red faces trying to tell the world they always did report the story fairly, it was Labour what done it, we said so.
Poor things, my heart bleeds for them.
Not.
Mealer
Some of us members are still in UKOK land 🙁 but I’ll be up there next week to give Morag a hand with leafleting her patch 🙂
OT
Mmm, STV News at Six hedging its bets on the schools scandal. But at least it did get back to 2003 and the previous LibDem colaition on PFI started by the Conservatives and ended by the SNP.
Very wise.
@Robert J Sutherland
I was aware that it was the JRRT which funded Carbuncle and co, but I still lump them together with JRF. If I ran a company with a subsidiary using my name, I am sure I would make sure that they were not abusing the principles.
Funny how they never uttered a peep until light was cast upon the subject by outside sources.
BBC r4 PM covered the schools closure and worth listening to as its a master class in BBC Scotland sneaky creepy yoonster reporting. Low info, tons of local vox pop, “its the fault of the builders, now taken over” repeated at least thrice. No Tory or Labour UK.gov or Labour held council mentioned whatsoever.
We’ve got an ex Labour councillor from Inverclyde on a Tory leaflet in Argyll.
@Rob James
JRRT is completely NOT under the control of JRF, it’s totally independent and not a subsidiary.
O/T
strangely missing from BBC News – http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/british-mp-performs-life-saving-cancer-operation-for-palestinians/ar-BBrxmQI?ocid=sf
Rob James,
The one isn’t a subsidiary of the other, though. They are entirely separate, related only through their common founder. The relationship is so distant that JRF very likely didn’t even realise what was going on with the other lot until it hit the headlines. The JRF does very valuable (& non-political) work.
Funnily enough, according to the JRRT terms of reference, WoS could probably qualify for an award from them on the grounds of substantial imbalance of Scottish media support for indy! (Don’t fancy the chances of getting one, mind!)
Strangely missing from BBC News – http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/british-mp-performs-life-saving-cancer-operation-for-palestinians/ar-BBrxmQI?ocid=sf
Super Injunction watch…..BBC National tv news at 6.20 failing to mention Labour in their Edinburgh Schools coverage
O/T For those who still watch tele Channel4 dispatches tonight has undercover footage taken after patients have left assessments.
http://www.able2uk.com/able2uk-news/capita-pays-employees-20k-a-month
Absolutely sickening.
Well guys out with a lot of mates at the weekend(10) and everyone of them voted for Indy and for the SNP but will not vote for them this time stating that we are a one party state and need a good opposition. Other complaints are that the SNP’s handling of the economy has been dire, no matter what I said was quashed. It looks like the MSM/BBC has done their job well, my mates have been duped and have fallen for the shit. I now feel with some conversations with some of the guys they are saying other friends and family are voting for other parties, hope this is not going to cause us problems, anybody else getting this reaction.
I notice the Tories parachuted in their candidate for Aberdeenshire West to make up the numbers in that first pic!
I got Ruth’s vote for me leaflet too. I was taken with the pitch
Look the SNP are going to walk this with over 50% of the vote, Labour are a ghastly mess, so vote for Ruth to be the bestest opposition.
This is weirdest election I can recall.
Thepnr, hi, hope you are well.
I was hoping you could clarify something that you said.
Here you say “a second from the SNP handed to my wife as she came home from walking the dog”.
Then you go on to say; “The SNP leaflet was delivered by MSP for Angus South, Graeme Dey who was by himself. As I live in a bit of an off the beaten track location it was a pleasant surprise”.
When you say it was a “pleasant surprise”, do you mean for you? I can only assume that if he handed it to your wife, you must mean it was a pleasant surprise for her?
It’s interesting that you also say you live in a remote “off the beaten track location”. Most women I know in a situation like that wouldn’t be pleasantly surprised, they’d be somewhere between alarmed and worried that a man was lurking about like that.
Furthermore, it sounds like you have some familiarity with Graeme Dey since you know his name. Or do you? Again, since it was your wife who intercepted him, we must assume that she told you it was Graeme Dey who delivered the leaflet which means she has familiarity with him.
So, to sum up, your wife was at home by herself in a remote location — we haven’t any suggestion of where you were at this time or what you were doing — when a man familiar to her by the name of Graeme Dey visited. The facts as we know them indicate that he left a leaflet.
So far so straight forward. A couple of question though;
1) How long did Graeme Dey spend with your wife? Did they have tea or chat? Any info would be appreciated.
2) Assuming you were sincere when you said you hoped his “efforts pay off”, don’t you think it was a a bit of a wasted journey? The time he spent visiting your wife at a remote location could surely have been invested more fruitfully elsewhere, perhaps helping to convert wavers, for example.
Moreover, since Graeme was familiar to your wife, as appears to be the case, might we assume that she was also familiar to him and that the familiarity wasn’t just one way?
This isn’t 100% certain and I don’t wish to jump to conclusions, but if it was in fact the case that familiarity was in both directions, might we further assume that he probably knew that you and your wife were quite staunch SNP supporters and, therefore, this visit to a remote area was even more questionable and of the variety that you might call an indulgence of sorts?
Thanks in advance.
Holy smoke !!!
BBC Scotland just put the words “last labour government” and “knackered Schools” in the same sentence !….
…..
That aside, here’s how the others see things…
Labour blame the tories for non investment in old schools, despite the fact it’s the NEW schools labour built that are falling apart !
Tories blame the SNP for School inspectors not being structural engineers..!!
Lib dems….no idea, was not actually listening.
Remember though folks, yon SNP need to stop blaming everone else, like WM for example….hmmm…!
AIUI any party contesting a seat is entitled to have the Royal Mail deliver either 1 leaflet per house, or 1 leaflet per name on the electoral roll. For anything else they either have to do the delivery themselves, or use the Royal Mails unaddressed “Door to Door” (aka “D2D”) service as used by various pizza companies, Specsavers[1] and furniture shops.
In my area it would seem the Tories are really going for it on the leaflet front. They sent out a D2D leaflet a month or two ago, have sent out 2 different election leaflets this week (if there’s more than one name on the electoral roll for a given address then you can send different leaflets to each name) and also another D2D leaflet. An interesting approach given that they came 3rd last time, but then the local Westminster constituency went from LibDem to SNP in 2015 so I guess a second place finish isn’t out of the question anyway and every extra vote they can scour up might help with list seats.
[1] Other opticians are available …
Jackie Burd says the schools closure are turning political, unlike their campaign on the FRB not being political.
Glenn Campbell managed to get the Lab/LDs off the hook by giving all 3 political parties free range to spout their lies after NS made her statement.
The bbc in all its biased glory.
Got the “Vote Ruth” flyer in Moniaive today. Maybe they don’t want to admit that Fluffy Junior is standing here.
OT
Well, that was jackie Bird practically greetin’ as the report had to mention the Lab / Lib-Dem, but good old Glenn Campbell tried to save the day by saying the SNP version was basically the same – which it isn’t.
Looks like the BBC may be forced to throw Labour to the wolves on this in an attempt to save themselves, with Willie and Ruth trying to balme the SNP for maintenance which was included in the contracts signed via the Lab / Lib PFI lovers.
Popcorn time.
Meanwhile I think it would be a good idea for head teachers and appropriate teachers to start preparing the appeals for those doing exams, as at a bare minumum they’ll all need to appeal to try to get a higher grade just on account of this disruption.
This schools PFI thing goes back to 2003 when Kezia was applying for a job with the SNP.That makes it all the SNPs fault.The best solution is for Ruth to demolish all the schools concerned with her tank.And all other state schools as well.The money saved on education could go towards tax cuts for those who send their kids to private schools.
I think I just heard Jackie Bird say, referencing latest information just in from Edinburgh City Council.
“For clarification faults have only been found in the schools that have been inspected.”
Brilliant!
As for Ruthie having the nerve to try and blame the SNP she can get tae.
I hope the SNP blanket Edinburgh with leaflets highlighting exactly who is responsible for this scandal. They cannot be allowed to worm their way out of this one.
Dave McEwan Hill @ 6:16pm
Which ex Inverclyde Labour Councillor?
@NeoconNat
You forgot to ask Thepnr his shoe size.
Thousands of cobblers are waiting for the response.
https://twitter.com/davidtorrance
This toryboy doesn’t thinks that much of Ruthie babes at all. Famous as a Snatcher Thatcher zealot but not Ruth, very odd. Good story on BBC London and Snatcher Thatcher’s new bronze Westminster statue’s been blocked by problems over the statue clutching a handbag, toryboys dont like that for some reason.
Also the NON PFI London Olympic stadia handed to West Ham by Bojo has been blocked as its a waste of taxpayers money, which matters apparently. Quite a lot of Scots billions pumped/wasted into that UKOK white elephant alone, ofcourse no actual Scottish opinion sought.
This guy’s crowd funding for Margaret Thatcher’s memorial pyramid, in her Scotland region.
https://twitter.com/kevverage
@andy.D
No!
Re Ruthie straddling a 4″er.
Classic case of penis envy.
Crass, I know.
@Blair Paterson
Yoon short for Yoonionist= Unionist=Yoon
You’re welcome, but use it wisely young Padouin
@ Thepnr You had better cross your Ts & dot the Is wie that Nitwit NcN .
Thepnr says of the beaten track but does have close neighbours
NeoconNat I dont like your tone or your questions of Thepnr noo fuck rite off.
Millers built the Skye Bridge. PFI on that too.
Kezia says she is proud of the schools built by labour with PFI financing.
Really? You might want to reword that one. Then again who am I to give advice? Go for it Kez, you tell em, be PFI and proud.
@ defo So its no ah case of feel the lenght but feel the width Major he is awful but we like him .
OT
Apparently from Patrick Harvie to Nicola Sturgeon at NUS debate: “It does sound to me like a period of minority government might be really good for you.”
So an election result on 8th May that gives a minority Government at Holyrood is desirable to the Greens.
So the priority of the Green party is …
The guy at the tank is Rod Sim owner of Tank Driving Scotland based at Auchterhouse near Dundee…maybe Roothie is going for Dundee too?
Neocon,
You must know some pretty weird women who would be alarmed by meeting a guy out delivering leaflets (no doubt with his picture on them).
Thepnr’s wife is not one of them.
As ronnie anderson says, noo… etc.
New conning Tory,
You really are an odious little shit, but I like you, you sneak your way in brilliantly, then when least expected wave your little cock about.
I had you pegged from the start, but it’s funny watching you manoeuvre round each poster, and occasionally you even show great wit, and you are to be congratulated on that!
Ronnie, WTF is yon neocon(doesn’t even know what that refers to)nat on ? Well fucked off sir, although The point of no return is well capable of seeing of such silly sods himself !
Did the Major ( I say !) Bloodnok beat me to it ? I haven’t had time to trawl through the comments.
I’ve tried the girth as opposed to length line myself, but it only goes so far with the ladies !
@Andrew Mclean
Rev has his emergency kitten, we have our emergency, well, words fail me.
@ defo, ye missed oot “throbbing!” & “squealing with delight!”
Channel 4 News tonight also had a piece on PFIgate, but likewise no mention of the political instigators.
A partial truth sometimes amounts to a lie. (Hence the usual witness oath in court.)
Am astonished…
I live in Carnoustie and have NOT see any Conservative canvassers. Neither have my family nor have mu friends seen any of these people.
Stu, does that picture you have at the top of this page show the highly unpleasant and offensive ex MSP Alex Johnstone? Heaven help him if that odious little man darkened my door.
These Conservatives are LYING when they boast about “1,000s” of doors being knocked in Carnoustie.
Maybe we should buy them all a Panama Hat to match their collective persona – devious, money grabbing, cripple-killing, expense-fiddling, gravy-train-riding, selfish, devious, crooks.
@ defo NCN doesent know who he,s talking about as TPRs no aboot I stepped in ,that fuckers overstepping the mark .
Fred
One has to be careful, in these oh so politically correct times. Can’t have the Revs bad name dragged any lower by association now can we !
BTW Ruthie best be careful herself. If that ‘serious’ brow furrows any further, her face will turn inside out.
Al-Stuart writes:
Ah, but it’s a political lie, and as we all know, that’s sanctioned. =sigh=
I saw it on the news but son sent me the dodgy dave youtube link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvIUa47x_Oc
@ronnie anderson
Oh I’m aboot ah right, unable to type for laughing till now.
Nice to see some Aberdeen Tories had the time to canvass Carnoustie. Maybe Aberdeen is such a lost cause for them that they’ve just written it off. But was that photo even taken in Carnoustie. Maybe they are the massed crowd of attendees at the Tories’ most recent conference. Minus Alistair Darling, of course.
Inverclyder at 6.52
Yvonne Robertson I am told
Also nice to see a young Michael-Gove-lookalike among the Carnoustie door chappers. That’s a role model worth following if you want to get young Toryettes’ juices flowing.
Please can someone advise me why the lying Tories can say they knocked “1,000s” of doors in Carnoustie, which given the picture of 20 Tories – must then knocked 100 doors each??? This is evidently a brazen lie.
Why is “Aberdeen Councillor Ross Thomson” bussing himself and fellow Aberdeenshire Tory all the way south to Angus to canvas??? Do the Carnoustie Conservatives not have enough troops on the ground to manage this???
Self named “Ross Thomson Tory” would be well advised to head back up the road and attend to his Aberdonian seagull problem… http://rossthomson.net/content/?page_id=667
Whilst ex-MSP Johnstone would be better off trying to fill in his expenses claims so as not to make a “mistake” fiddling (stealing) £9,975 from we taxpayers… https://theferret.scot/msp-expenses-nanette-milne-alex-johnstone/
I’m off to canvas Police Scotland as to why Alex Johnstone has not yet been charged with a crime for this attempt to pinch £9,975
These thieving Tories really scunner me. In fact I wish they had knocked my door so I could let them know a thing or two about the Conservative policy of killing cripples: http://www.calumslist.org
@Geeo
“Lib dems….no idea, was not actually listening.”£
Naebody’s Wullie said “…SNP budget cuts…” but you could have predicted that I’m sure.
Dave McEwan Hill
Seems former Labour Councillor Yvonne Robertson switched to Tories late 2015. Lost her seat to the Lib Dems in 2003.
Probably couldn’t tell the difference between Red and Blue.
I genuinely don’t get Ruth Davidson. I absolutely fail to see what charisma she has as a party leader. As a rule, I don’t get won over by a personality, nor do take an instant dislike to people but I have to make an exception for Ms Davidson. She has somehow earned my personal dislike in ways that Jackie Bailiie, J-Lo, and Kez could only aspire to.
She is the very best leader for the Tories in the same way that Jim Murphy earned his time in the spotlight for Labour. Make her the centrepiece of the Tory campaign? Tee hee hee. Do we have a mischievous mole at Tory HQ in Scotland? Hats off… Playing a blinder, whoever you are.
I wouldn’t vote for Ruthie Davidson unless it was in a Nick Griffin lookalike competition.
Angela of Glasgow has now turned up as Angela, north Ayrshire….
Breeks @ 2.28pm. It’s only the Britnat media that drool over Tank Top Davidson. Much good it’ll do her and her crowd of weirds; look how the Britnats orgasmed over Jim Murphy. Remember him, anyone?
“look how the Britnats orgasmed over Jim Murphy. Remember him, anyone?”
Aherm…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHVuPhOUDH4
Off topic – just saw this comment on the SLab FB page – wondered if anyone had any info re this: ‘My friend was going to vote Labour until he got an email from you implying that it is illegal to give both of your votes to the SNP. He is disgusted that you would employ such tactics. He has many followers on Twitter and is in the process of informing his followers.’