Back-to-work blues
It’s always tricky coming back to the office after the holidays. You get a bit ring-rusty and it can take a few days before you’re firing on all cylinders again.
So we’re going to be charitable and assume that lack of match fitness was the cause of Scottish Labour’s astonishing multi-track trainwreck yesterday.
An extraordinary mess of incoherent press releases yesterday had social-media satirists struggling to catch up. First came the bizarre pledge to employ 1000 more nurses than the SNP, no matter what number the SNP pledged, and to fund the pledge with the proceeds from a mansion tax in the south-east of England.
It’s difficult to know where to start on picking holes in it.
1. Health is devolved to Holyrood, so as a 2015 election pledge it’s completely meaningless. Whichever MPs get elected to Scottish seats in May, they’ll have absolutely no control over how many nurses are employed in Scotland, because Westminster MPs don’t get a vote on it.
2. What happens if the SNP pledge that they’ll employ 1000 nurses more than Labour? What happens if they refuse to specify a number at all? What happens if they pledge a billion, just for a laugh? Will Labour be forced to campaign on a pledge to hire 1,000,001,000 nurses in Scotland?
3. The alleged sums raised from the mansion tax don’t add up to anywhere near the amount Labour are claiming will come to Scotland as Barnett consequentials.
4. And even if they did, whether that’s enough money to fulfil the pledge or not depends entirely on what the SNP promise. If the policy really produced £250m that might indeed pay for 1000 nurses, but what if the SNP have pledged 1000 of their own? That would mean Labour then needed 2000, which would cost twice as much. The price of the policy is unknown, so a fixed sum can’t cover it.
And so on and so on. The pledge is intellectually fatuous on every possible level, yet Labour seem doggedly convinced that the Scottish public are gullible, innumerate idiots who will swallow this rubbish unthinkingly.
But they weren’t finished. Yesterday also saw the party sourly object to the delivery of universal free school meals for P1-P3 children – a policy enjoying such widespread support among the public, children’s organisations and charities that even the Daily Record was forced to condemn Labour’s stance a year ago.
Mindbogglingly, the party compounded the idiocy by pinning its objections to the claim that Nicola Sturgeon and her husband Peter Murrell would be among the people with most to gain, despite the fact that the couple have no children. Iain Gray – the man last seen in Holyrood asking where you get the money for an oil fund (hint: the clue’s in the name) – issued a press release insisting that:
Labour’s policy on free school meals is completely all over the place. The Labour-run Glasgow City Council backs the policy, as do a number of other Labour councils in the UK who have already implemented it:
Jim Murphy was allowed to claim unchallenged on last night’s Scotland 2015 (from 14m) that Labour had in fact voted for the SNP’s introduction of the policy, which is a flat-out lie. All of Labour’s MSPs actually voted No, rather than even abstaining as is the party’s usual policy on anything vaguely tricky, but Murphy insisted – albeit in rather equivocal and grudging terms – that Scottish Labour would support universal free school meals even as his own education spokesman issued bitter, angry press releases complaining about them.
Hypocrisy, dishonesty, unfunded spending pledges, the left hand not knowing what the right hand’s doing, treating the Scottish electorate like fools. Some readers might feel that actually, that’s not back-to-work blues at all – for Scottish Labour, it sounds a lot like business as usual.
Unfortunately, until the MSM gets their act together and actually challenge Jim Murphy and his chums, they can say whatever they like. They can claim anything, say anything, lie and twist because unless they are picked up on it there and then, it becomes part of the background unease that people vaguely recall.
Just as they did in the referendum campaign.
But what is their hold on the media, such that they get away with so much?
What have the UK establishment got against progressive politics and progressive parties (SNP, Plaid, Greens, NHA) ?
Duh! Silly me, of course, progress! Tried it, Didn’t like it.
Seeing Labour’s descent into farce reminds me of watching the Keystone Cops as a child. Some frantic piano music would accompany the chaos well.
Yep ring out the old, ring in the new.
Labour Executives Policy on Economic Reform.
Anybody spot the obvious.
Scottish Labour blew all their gaskets in 2014, and their replacement mechanic has reverse-engineered the driveshaft causing them to emit thick noxious emissions every time they try to fire up. It’s a clapped out old banger.
Surely, SURELY, someone is going to actually be prosecuted for deliberate (and shameless) dishonesty toward an electorate. It’s incredible that we’re now in 2015, and yet Labour politicians can still literally say whatever they like and not be properly called to account when what they’re saying is utter hogwash.
A biased media giving them a free ride is one thing, but I can’t understand why the law doesn’t get involved when there’s clear evidence of attempts to manipulate the result of a democratic election via fraudulent means.
My head spins, it really does.
The £250 Million Jim’s promising we’ll get from Barnett is 10% of the £2.5 Billion Ed’s promised the English NHS.
It’s made up of Mansion Tax (£1.2 Billion), Tax avoidance clampdown (£1.1 Billion) and a levy on Tobacco firms (£0.15 Billion)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/ed-miliband/11115965/Ed-Miliband-will-use-mansion-tax-to-hire-36000-doctors-nurses-and-midwives.html
In a way, can we actually blame them? They’ve treated Scots like fools for decades, and they’ve been rewarded handsomely for it. They are rather extracting the urine now, mind.
The General Election will be the acid test for our much-vaunted “most politically engaged electorate in Western Europe”. Let’s hope we pass it. The signs are promising, but we won’t know for sure until we start seeing those red-rosetted donkeys getting the heave-ho.
I think we’re seeing very early on that Jim Murphy, far from being the smart politician he’s credited as being, has actually just been flying by the seat of his pants all this time. Opportunism can only get you so far, and being able to sweet-talk people is no substitute for political strategy. There’s no point being a good salesman if your “product” is visibly falling to bits.
Over on Bella Caledonia I wrote a comment comparing the contribution that most MSM, the BBC and Labour make to democracy is the same as wank has to really having children.
Some parts of the process are similar but nothing productive, other than some self gratification, comes from the former action.
This article confirms that description for Labour and the BBC, now I’ll see how the ‘newspapers’ cover all this.
it did take Bella a couple of days decide the comment could be allowed. I’m not sure if it was the word, wank, or the words, Labour, BBC for MSM that they found needed consideration before printing.
Noel Chidwick: “Unfortunately, until the MSM gets their act together and actually challenge Jim Murphy and his chums,”
The problem is, most media pundits just aren’t on top of their brief, so they substitute barracking for challenging the interviewee’s statements forensically. (NB: barracking levels may vary).
There is no doubt that the MSM are not interested in holding Murphy to account, therefore, he is free to lie as much as he does. The problem here is not so much Murphy lying, we all know he does that so often anyway. The real difficulty is nobody in the mainstream media is going to pressure him on his lies. Vested interests mean Murphy is almost untouchable in terms of scrutiny from the MSM.
They’re just making stuff up now, aren’t they?
A case of we can say and do anything we like because not a single soul in the mainstream media will challenge a word we utter.
I honestly don’t know who is the more contemptible, the media or the Labour party.
McConnell gave back £1.3Billion to Westminster. Gray was voted out but is still drawing a salary paid by Scottish taxpayers, whose elected leaders’, he insults.
Murphy’s lies once again brings Scotland into disrepute. With fiscal autonomy/Independence Scotlnd would have an excellent Health Service. No more spent on Trident and illegal wars, killing and maiming people worldwide, but on improved health care.
Yesterday was only the FIRST day of 2015 GE campaign. If Labour continue as they’ve begun we’re in for an extremely busy time debunking every lie they utter.
Should we rename Wings as Mockery Central because we’re gonna be dissecting some right howlers from now on if yesterday is anything to go by 😉
I think that Murphy’s biggest blunder so far was to reveal an intention to use English mansion tax revenues to fund an extra 1000 nurses in Scotland. Putting it mildly, it hasn’t gone down very well south of the border.
Oh Dear.
@Doug Daniel
The General Election will be the acid test for our much-vaunted “most politically engaged electorate in Western Europe”.
I am very dubious about that claim. It sounds far to self regarding for my liking.
“Surely, SURELY, someone is going to actually be prosecuted for deliberate (and shameless) dishonesty toward an electorate.”
Unlikely, because it’s not illegal.
http://wingsoverscotland.com/how-politicians-are-licenced-to-lie/
@ Doug Daniel 12.30pm – My thoughts exactly!
Thank you Rev, another excellently put article.
If that’s you “ring-rusty” pitty help the fools when you’re on form.
Thank you also for the link to last nights ‘Scotland 2015’ as i’ve been searching for it all morning without success.
Very much appreciated.
from the SNP website:
Labour voted against free school meals on January 7 2014: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28862.aspx?r=9393#.VKu5ztJSj3c
During the Stage 3 debate on last year’s budget on 5 February 2014, Iain Gray who was Labour’s Finance and is now Education spokesperson said: “The budget, wrongly in our view, prioritises the extension of free school meals to better-off—not well-off, but better-off—families over accelerating the provision of childcare to half of Scotland’s two-year-olds.” http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28862.aspx?r=9443#.VKuxlaJSj3c
This is documented evidence:
Iain Gray and his collegues in Scottish labour did not support or vote for this bill.
It is beyond belief that Jim Murphy was not aware of this, before he went shouting his mouth of yesterday geez their incompetance is astonishing.
Time perhaps for Wings to contact the interviewers directly and ask them why.
And then if any answers are forthcoming, publish them here.
If no answers then expose the interviewer.
Its time these so called professionals were taken to task.
Because Labour intend to create a single health authority to “pool and share resources” across the UK?
treating the Scottish electorate like fools? Aye, because that’s what the mainstream media in Scotland have been doing and will continue to do for Labour. As Stu keeps pointing out, the standard of mainstream journalism is poor beyond belief.
The SNP should pledge to employ as many nurses as Scotland needs.
Daily Politics NHS Shadow health Minister agreeing with Murphy on Mansion Tax to fund the 1000 Nurses,fun & games with this one ha ha, where,s Milliband standing on this issue, we have a right to know,or do we ? .
I wouldn’t be surprised if your low information Labour voter in Scotland saw much of this as a cunning plan.
It ticks the boxes of taxing the rich while maintaining the Scottish subsidy myth. In this case, Scottish NHS funding dependent on English taxes.
Is there any evidence that they think deeply about any of their policies?
It is as I said before, they are utterly desperate, and lie after lie will pile up, all intended to confuse the electorate. All in the hope they may gain from the confusion.
There is no depth to which they will fall too, there are no lies they will not spin ( with the usual help!), they are truly scum.
I hage to play tne role of agent provocateur,bjt is Murphy,s promise not something we should be hammering home in English websites.I know it will promote ill feeling down south, but is this not ultimately to our advantage. Conversely do we just sit back and do nothing whilst Labour are given free reign to spout this rubbish.
Yes, it’s all very well picking holes it this, but you have to remember that the “100 nurses” thing is a “pledge”, which – as we all know – in Labour terms means “lie”.
So it doesn’t actually matter that they couldn’t implement it anyway, because they have no intention of even trying.
Labour produce soundbite lies (“1000 nurses”, “Home Rule”, “independence will stop your pensions”) to give people a reason to vote the way Labour wants them to without having to actually think for themselves.
Labour assumes that most of these voters will forget about their “pledges” later, because they aren’t really interested, so they won’t mind when they turn out to be untrue.
That’s the Labour way. Their pledges mean nothing.
Bring on FM’s question time, I want to see how deputy dugdale handles this red-tory crapfest.
I am an insturgeont.
Once labour is elected, any dropped jelly pieces which fail to land, jam side down, will incurr an additional tax…….
Now if only I can come up with a snappy name for this new law…..
Should the labour party in England be commenting on Murphs use of the mansion tax?
According to the Labour Party UK website they are still considering their 2015 manifesto and asking for input from the public.
It makes even less sense, to me at least, for Jim Murphy to be making promises on the hoof that might not appear in print.
That said, their pre manifesto, manifesto, “Changing Britain Together” promises 20,000 more nurses and 8,000 more doctors, paid for from a new Mansion Tax and by tackling tax avoidance, all by 2020. I assume this is UK wide – it gets complicated with pick and mix policies and parliaments, where health is devolved but taxation isn`t.
There could be fun to be had comparing what Jim and Ed say and post online against what will presumably be one print run for the Labour UK manifesto.
Jim “THICKO” Murphy the man who makes Iain Gray look and sound like a genius.
No wonder Murphy didn’t finish his degree at university.
I’m afraid Labour are performing just as this country, and the media have allowed for decades. They simply don’t have the wit or experience of politics. Even English Labour politicians have had to work for their constituency. They are entitled to laugh at their colleagues up here, who have no clue.
They still think their position is their right, in Scotland. I just hope enough of our fellow Scots are waking up in time.
It would be nice if “Scottish Labour” actually thought about what is best for the people of Scotland.
They continue to re-write history as regards what Labour have done in the past or how they have voted.
They seek to push convergence in Scotland to reduce the policy gap between the SNP and Labour while pushing a completely different policy aimed at wooing middle England.
All the main Westminster Parties are locked into the debate that the SNP will let the “other one” in.
All the people of Scotland want is a fairer society.
Party spin, media bias and political pundits are focused on keeping the cosy Westminster system which benefits them all.
We need pressure INSIDE the evil den to protect people from these people.
…..and that was just in Scotland, it seemed a bit of train wreck in London yesterday too with Ed Balls coming in at the tail end to assure everyone that the sums do add up because he will continue with Tory pay freezes and austerity cuts.
It is a funny old world.
Does ‘our’ National newspaper dismiss Murphy’s claims? On the front page?
Do they have journalists intellectually quicker than a speeding bullet?
I stopped buying it after successive days of anodyne articles and features; I could not tell the difference between it and the Herald, other the number of pages.
I sent two complaint to the BBC Yesterday regarding it’s Labour Scottish Branch Mouthpiece joke for reporting re Free School Meals.
Mainly about lack of investigation and reference to any material backing up it more than obvious Labour Party Mantra.
Can’t wait for the replies – if only to see if the BBC try and distance itself from the fact that feeding children from poorer backgrounds is a bad thing.
Or maybe they’d happily sit in the glasshouse canteen at Pacific Quay and watch the little urchins pinned up against the glass as they eat subsidised produce lovingly prepared in house. (they’ll be pedantic and say the canteen is on the 4th floor or something..)
Jamie McIvor even reiterated JoLa in saying (from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-30671988)
“..One argument for extending free school meals was that it would abolish any stigma for children from low income families.
In practice, cashless payment systems have helped to do this already and the debate has moved into other areas, especially the benefits to public health and children’s education.”
I’ve seen the above before on on some Labour site and JoLa said it (but i can’t find the link to it the now. But there are references to it)
As for the NHS and a 1000 nurses story. It just beggars belief that none of the MSM (even the National) picked up/reported the truth on Murphy’s empty claims given that Health is a devolved matter. He can pick what ever random figure he wants out his anus -(not his sarwar), it makes not a blind of difference.
But hey, if reporters can conjure up imaginary children for the FM, then any old shite’s possible in the news.
I’m just waiting for the story where the MSM report that Jim is going to harness the power of the light shining out his arse to power the Scottish Parliament, making it the greenest powered building in the EU.
The Herald (online) have run Jim Murphy’s 1000 nurses story three times in the space of a day.
Does he have a drawer of photographs of the editor in a compromising position?
Just stupid.
No wonder uk has so much debt.
ScotLabour could’nae manage toffee!
The Sin of Silence in the Face of Wrong-Doing in Public Office Makes Cowards Out of Honest Men.
May 1999.
Convicted criminal Alex Mosson is the new Lord Provost of Glasgow. The Labour politician will become the public face of Scotland’s largest city despite convictions for assault and housebreaking. Colleagues in the Labour Group of Glasgow City Council voted by a clear majority for Mosson to take over the high-profile civic role, which will pay him pounds 24,000 a year of public money. Reformed alcoholic Mosson will also become Lord Lieutenant of Glasgow – the Queen’s official representative in the city. Last night, the 58-year-old said: ‘My colleagues have placed their trust in me and I won’t let them down. ‘I’m looking forward to working with a unified group and taking Glasgow into the Millennium. ‘I’ve overcome my past difficulties with the support of my family and today with the help of the Labour Party.’ It was revealed in the press that Mosson had been jailed for nine months for assault and six months for housebreaking.
Part 1 – Financial and other scandals up to the end of 2009
http://caltonjock.com/2015/01/06/the-sin-of-silence-in-sin-city-glasgow-part-1-up-to-2008-read-it-and-weep/
I think the idea of Labour in Scotland, or Labour anywhere for that matter, having a policy of joined up thinking is actually beyond any of them at Labour H.Q. or their wee branch office in Glasgow. 😀
They only have to fool some of the people some of the time (namely, May). They only have to whittle the SNP lead down below the magic FPTP point where seats start falling like dominos – about 38%, I think.
Is Scotland so uniquely deprived of gullible, innumerate idiots, that this ploy isn’t worth a punt?
Vote for Murphy………what can go wrong?
Well now, Boris Johnstone is now complaining about Jim Murphy’s ‘divisive policy’ saying that Jim is telling voters in Scotland that Labour will tax the rich Londoners ‘until the pips squeak’ as Jim thinks this will go down well in Scotland, but that Labour are telling Londoners something else!
Boris has warned that this is ‘not the way to fight a campaign’ and that it’s ‘building up resentment from Scots towards the wealthy English’!!!
He want’s Ed Milliband to say if he supports this policy.
Interestingly the Guardian article makes the comment that Ed Milliband was not informed of this policy before it was released by Jim Murphy.
One things for sure, if Jim Murphy is setting out to win Labour Voters back in Glasgow/Scotland, by releasing statements or policy promises, that damages the REAL Labour Parties electoral hopes in Middle England, we can be in for a very very interesting Election campaign.
Is Scottish Labour a branch office? or are they becoming more INDEPENDENT?
Popcorn and a few tins, at the ready 🙂
The whole Mansion Tax gimmick paying for 1000 plus nurses is a complete charade as UK spending cuts will be in the region of £25 billion to £60 billion after 2015 merely to tackle to UK’s annual current account deficit and spiralling National Debt.
This will mean billions of the Scottish block grant rather than £250 million extra to pay for 1000 nurses. Why does the supine Scottish press corps not tackle Murphy and Labour MPs on this fact.
Does Ed Miliband not live in Islington in a home owned by his wife barrister Justine Thornton (earnings £200,000 a year) who paid £1.6 million for it in 2009 yet his two children benefit from local Labour Council’s free school meal policy?
On free school meals
Labour candidate for London Mayor reacted with horror to Jim Murphy’s comments. Diane Abbott called them “surprising”
walofs
Donald Dewar, Henry Mcleish, Jack McConnell, Wendy Alexander, Iain Gray, Johann Lamont, Jim Murphy …….. to me that represents a downward political trend, evolution in reverse.
Not even Johann Lamont fecked up her leadership credentials this early as leader of Scottish Labour.
Jim Murphy must be really, really thick.
Ah, savoured Jenny Marra being challenged this morning on the “Today” programme over Murphy’s demand ( “without consulting Miliband” ) for some of the mansion tax proceeds – she responded that as Scotland voted to remain with the UK, this was equivalent to sharing the proceeds from ” Scotland’s oil ” !!
It would seem that the get out for mistakes like these is for someone to pop up and claim they weren’t election pledges, they were just aspirations.
As for the media, both press and tv, as I have said before, they Know they really burnt their boats during the referendum campaign so are now stuck with an openly unionist supporting line!
One of the rising stars of New Labour – once hailed by Tony Blair as a ‘visionary’ – has quit politics amid a growing drugs scandal. Steven Purcell was seen as a talented young moderniser who was tipped for a glittering career in the party he joined aged just 14. But the 37-year-old has resigned as leader of Scotland’s biggest council, citing stress and exhaustion – amid lurid claims about his drug use. It emerged yesterday that the gay former Councillor had been warned by police last year about an underworld plot to blackmail him.
A company created by former Glasgow City Council leader Steven Purcell is facing an independent audit after awarding around £10 million of contracts to a firm run by Labour’s biggest Scottish donor. City Building (Glasgow) LLP, an arm’s-length company set up by the Labour – run city council, awarded two large deals to City Refrigeration Holdings UK in 2007. The founder and boss of City Refrigeration is Willie Haughey, who has donated more than £1.1m to Labour since 2003. City Building, which replaced the council’s Building Services Department, was created in 2006 as a tax-efficient trading unit, which could bid for construction work beyond Glasgow, and now has a turnover of £180m and more than 2,000 employees.
Part 3 to follow
http://caltonjock.com/2015/01/06/the-sin-of-silence-in-sin-city-glasgow-part-2-2010-a-year-of-turmoil-and-scandal/
@boris
You do know Alex Mossan supported the Yes campaign?
Career politicians in the Politics Industry – formerly the Public Service, with the Public replaced by Big Business, the Ruling Elite and neo-Liberalism – oh, and don’t forget – themselves.
Without a State propaganda media, there is absolutely no need for government or political parties to tell the truth to the voters. What is broadcast will be believed by the majority simply because they trust the media to tell the truth and cannot think otherwise. It is a mind set. Others call it brainwashing – which I wouldn’t of course.
Once politicians switched to self-service as their primary motivation, encouraged by Mgt. Thatcher and her neo-Liberal revolution, the PR merchants have taken politics down to a whole new level.
I suspect that most people don’t know that.
Most people still think in terms of old politics – my MP representing me in Parliament and all that stuff.
Simple minded, politically illiterate electorate.
No one told them politics is now a business;
and the business of business is to make money;
and the business of politics is to make money out of the taxpayer – by stealing it.
But first you have to pull the wool over their eyes which is where State propaganda through a State controlled media comes in.
The majority trust the media and anything the media allows to go unchallenged.
Murphy’s PR team know precisely what they are doing and while it may appear stupid and incompetent to us, it isn’t to their target audience – beginning with 1 million elderly people – who are already ‘programmed’ to stay well away from the ‘insurgents’.
We think in terms of telling the electorate all that’s good about an Independent Scotland and such like.
Unionist PR people think in terms of how to get control of the people’s minds; what emotion can we stir up in the electorate which will ensure they vote only one way. The tried and tested – fear.
Or bribery, 1000 extra nurses to look after the elderly – that’ll do it. Old people will feel good about that.
Every step of the way, Murphy’s campaign will seek to manipulate the minds and emotions of their TARGET VOTERS.
With a COMPLIANT, STATE CONTROLLED MEDIA, the result is guaranteed.
The unionists think we don’t know much about politics – but we’re learning faster than they are.
As a first step, the Scottish Government MUST take action to bring postal voting under proper, secure, democratic control.
The SNP MUST TARGET the same groups as the unionists do but most especially the elderly.
Jim Murphy believes he has got the SNP in a panic over his cunning mansion tax announcements.
http://www.order-order.com/2015/01/06/red-on-red-audio-of-murphy-v-abbott-mansion-tax-bunfight/
I wonder if Jim is starting to realise that “pooling and sharing” is not really the two-way street he thinks it to be?
O/T and something I may have missed over the holiday period. My partner was given a new i-phone at Christmas and has been catching up with family and friends on Facebook.
She showed me a post from a Scot living in Germany who was denied Euros in exchange for Scottish £20 notes. Livid at this treatment, the person demanded to know why his Scottish notes were being refused. He was told an order had come through in October to only accept English notes. His demand for more information resulted in a call to the bank’s headquarters, which confirmed the order came from the Bank of England.
The branch staff called a rival German bank on his behalf and they confirmed that Scottish notes were no longer being accepted.
Understandingly furious at this, he told the staff that the three main Westminster leaders had begged Scotland to remain in the union and the resulting NO means that Britain still exists. The manager replied that in his view the Bank of England didn’t agree and it appeared to be a political decision. Perhaps someone with business links in Europe can verify this.
It sounds ludicrous, but given London’s past actions, I wouldn’t be surprised at any chicanery they got up to.
Has anybody managed to get hold of a copy of the Mythical Constitution of the Mythical Scottish Labour Party? You knoe the one – the one that Messiah Murphy says that he is going to rewrite.
On the subject of lies and Murphy is there any chances of the following being enacted and made to work:-
Pass legislation similar to that applying to Perjury on Oath in the Law Courts but applying to all politicians – not just those elected but anybody standing for election making it a criminal offence to deliberately utter anything untrue or misleading (including at WM overriding rights of Parliamentary Privilege) punishable by imprisonment and a permanent ban on standing for political office. This would apply to all candidates for political office whether for councils, devolved legislatures, WM or EU.
All aspirants for election to political office would be required to swear an oath similar to that in courts of law at the time of nomination. The law would obviously have to apply also to non-elcted party activists such as the loathesome McTernan.
Proving that any dishonesty was deliberate may pose a problem but a similar problem must exist with the current Perjury Laws.
I would alos propose similar legislation to apply to all journalists and contributors to the media and they should also be required to swear an oath of honesty or sign a legally binding pledge of honesty. Similar penalties to that applying to poliicians would apply.
These 2 measures if it was considered that they could be effectively operated and enforced would go along way to cleaning up both politics and the media including our not so beloved BBC.
How about a petition to WM.
I reckon such measures woulod be popular with all sections of society irrespective of political views except of course the politicians and the eminences grise behind the media.
The “British ” press are on the case as we speak, see Times and Telegraph front pages.
http://en.kiosko.net/uk/
Carolyn Leckie wrote an excellent piece on the need for Universalism in The National yesterday (contrasting it with the New Labour Party’s new Individualism). Unfortunately, they don’t have a website to make it available widely. Carolyn needs her own website if she doesn’t already have one.
KenC, that story about foreign banks not exchanging Scottish notes has been confirmed to be FALSE by the Bank of Scotland.
Best came today with Murphy demanding a stability fund for the NE of Scotland to enable oil price changes to be mitigated.
(We are to set up the fund without the income!!!)
“With a household income of at least £218,000 it is exactly people like the First Minister who stand to gain the most from the introduction of free school meals.”
People exactly like the FM’s household would gain nothing, people similar with children would gain far less as a % of income than those less fortunate. (And would probably be educating thir children privately anyway).
As for nurses, pledges count for nothing james, it has to be at least a vow to count these days.
For every policy announcement, he should be asked if he vows to do it or not.
Didn’t anybody see that halo over Murphy’s heed. Why wouldn’t he get the south of England to pay for 1000 nurses to add value to the service before it goes the way of the Post Office. I bet that he could also arrange for the chilten report to be delivered pre election as an act of good faith towards the electorate. What’s not to like about the new Murphy
If Stuart intends to fund n print another WBB exposing Labour lies, it’s going to be the size of a telephone book!!
The irony of Jim Murphy justifying the pooling and sharing of the estimated £1.2 billion raised from a proposed mansion tax (primarily from SE England where the assets are) on the basis of £5-10 billion of North Sea oil tax revenues (from Scotland where the assets are).
One is actual tax revenue with a 40 year record and 5-10 times the size of the theoretical one that is unlikely ever to be implemented.
What’s yours is ours but not vice versa.
Jim Murphy,I see he is calling for the Scottish Government to set up a resilience fund is this just another name for an oil fund that the SNP has been crying out for a long time,heard him on TV today a right smarmy voiced man,would not turn my back on him.
Just fired an email off to Boris Johnstones office to remind him that it’s not 1000 nurses the wealthy Londoners will be paying for, it’s 1000 over and above what the SNP promise!
I mentioned that this may result in 2,000 extra nurses for Scotland, as well as all the other ‘Huge Spending Promises’ that Labour have said they will concede, if the SNP helps them form a government in the even of a hung parliament.
I mentioned Kesia’s little accident yesterday, as well 🙂
O/T
Have summarised some of your thoughts on the Union of Snakes, together with other material here. Enjoy
https://eurofree3.wordpress.com/2015/01/06/land-of-hope-and-glory/
O/T
Interesting media project looking for a few bob, not far to go.
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/post-issue-4-energy-politics-in-scotland/x/2349839
Did Murphy think this cunning stunt up on his own or is Oor Kezia a party to this. Presumably she will have to carry the can in the Parliament if the subject arises.
@Clootie,
Why not, it has never stopped Labour before. Look at our debt
This is only the beginning.
Folks, you do realise that, if the SNP’s lead in the opinion polls remains stable for a few more weeks, that anxiety will give way to sheer desperation, and JM and his Red Tory chums will make more and more ridiculous promises to the electorate.
It will be difficult for Stu and WoS to keep up with them.
The Sun
Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy “Hero of the Year”
“Don’t stay up there too long Jim, your wider country may need you.”
bfh—a week is a long time in politics–walofs
Carolyn does have a twitter page. Article here.
https://twitter.com/carolynleckie/status/552055132087926784/photo/1
Labour should be held to account for abandoning the principle of Universalism.
Jim Murphy’s idea of pooling and sharing of resources has not gone down well with his own party and his former Better Together colleagues.
The universal response from England has been, “Scots can go and f**k themselves”.
Re school meals; surely the higher the income the less the benefit from free school meals as it is a smaller proportion of the total household budget? SLAB would be more excited by an extra £5 donation than SNP….
The universal response from England has been, “Scots can go and f**k themselves”.
Aye, it’s ok for us to send them all our oil and whisky revenues, but don’t dare ask for a wee bit back.
Labour are so blinded by their hatred of the SNP and the First Minister that they can’t even be bothered to check their facts before launching a nasty personal attack.
Every day sees them becoming more desperate and Saint Jim telling more lies.
Desperation and bitterness are all they have to offer. Lets get rid of them once and for all.
Not only that, Susan, I think there is a negative correlation between wealth and number of children. That wealthier families tend to be smaller, thus poorer families will benefit disproportionately in a very direct way.
Labour MP Diane Abbott has accused Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy of trying to “buy” Scottish votes with money “expropriated” from London.
It follows Mr Murphy’s pledge that a UK-wide “mansion tax” would allow a future Labour government to create 1,000 new nursing posts in Scotland.
Ah Murphy’s law, what a hoot!
Looks like the fallout from Murphy’s nurses vow is coming home to roost rather sooner then he thought. 🙂
https://archive.today/Vd94V
my new years message to slab is, go away, you’ve painted your selves’s into a corner.
A controversial quango boss who gave lucrative contracts to millionaire Labour donors is set to pocket Scotland’s biggest ever public sector ‘golden goodbye’. Willie Docherty, head of cash-strapped Scottish council’s arm’s-length firm, is in line to receive a staggering £615,000 when he steps down next year. Part of a special super-charged early retirement package, the prospective deal includes a £465,000 tax-free sum on top of his £150,000 salary – an annual wage higher than Prime Minister David Cameron. Mr Docherty, 55, the chief executive of City Building Glasgow, is no stranger to controversy, as he was closely linked to drugs shame former Glasgow City Council leader Steven Purcell and has faced repeated cronyism accusations because of his links with Labour.
Part 4 to follow
http://caltonjock.com/2015/01/06/the-sin-of-silence-in-sin-city-glasgow-part-3-2011-2012-years-of-scandal-massive-pay-offs/
Do Labour even have a left hand any more?
muttley79 says: @boris You do know Alex Mossan supported the Yes campaign?
Yes. A number of the old guard Labour politicians came out in favour of independence. They are most definitely agin Murphy & New Labour, at present.
Of course Independence or even devo-max would leave more than enough resources to fund SNHS.
All Murphy’s ‘plan’ has done is to fuel the belief in England that Scotland gets more and more subsidies at England’s expense.
His pooling and sharing would only work if they believed Scotland did at sometimes contribute more, but Labour politicians have pushed the idea that for the last 30years Scotland has been in deficit and dependent on England.
Nice to see Kezia ( anyone else note the rosy cheeked makeover has begun?) on Scotland Tonight stating “Lets not forget that the SNP needed the Tories to get their budgets approved when in Minority Government” as if there couldbe some Tory-SNP deal at Westminster(yawn!).
Do Scottish Labour think before they speak?
After all the people of Scotland hated that idea of SNP and parties co-operating so much for the greater good ( 1000 more Police etc) that they forgot altogether about Labour at the next Scottish Election.
To be fair, wee Ruthie tore Kezia to ribbons with her rant about Scotland liking David Cameron more than Ed Miliband…Kezia just sat there glaikit!
Murphy was on World at One today – Radio 4 – keeping the “pooling and sharing” soundbite going with reference to the nurses/mansion tax – and the wealth of Aberdeen. Huge oil wealth shared around the UK, so the mainly SE England-derived mansion tax going the other way isn’t an issue, apparently.
I thought that there wasn’t huge oil wealth, Jim…?
A new slogan for the Tories, “It’s England’s taxes”
A new slogan for Labour, “It’s NOT Scotland’s oil”
That is ‘pooling and sharing’ Westminster style.
I forgot to add that I’ve just heard a clip of the WATO interview on the news on 6 music (off all places!), so perhaps the BBC are going to have JM on all stations at all times?
Wonder when he’ll be on Thought For The Day?
Well, perhaps Murphy is a deep sleeper for the Indy movement and having secured the leadership of Labour in Scotland has now been awakened.
Or he’s positioning Labour so that in the last week before the
referendumelection he’ll come out with a VOW for Independence, along with plans for how he will set up Scottish Labour as totally independent from London. That would cause a flutter in the YES camp among those supporting the SNP just for Indy.The SNP should be prepared …
If New York is the city that never sleeps, Glasgow is the toon where some fly bastard is always up to something. The rot starts at the top, with the city council synonymous with corruption, cronyism and sheer incompetence. Labour have run the show for 60-odd years, almost as long as the Communist Party ran the Soviet Union, and all that power seems to have gone to their heads… alongside the cocaine (allegedly) (definitely true).
Sin City part 5 to follow
http://caltonjock.com/2015/01/06/silence-in-sin-city-glasgow-part-4-2013-a-year-of-misconduct-and-scandal/
O/T Rev,
But is the the Wee Ginger Dugs tram set your featuring !!.
“Unlikely, because it’s not illegal”.
That’s kind of my point, sir. It bloody well should be illegal to lie to an electorate.
Here is a photo for a caption competition. Milliband and Murphy in happier times …
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/About/General/2011/3/28/1301332872560/Jim-Murphy-r-with-Ed-Mili-007.jpg
Everytime WoS identifies
1. a lie being told by SLAB (whoever)
2. It not being challenged directly by whatever MSM medium, then every reader should write to their Labour MSP and/or MP and demand an explanation. The MSP/MP/s verified response/s should then be published by WoS. (verification may not be easy)
The UK’s five richest families have more cash between them than the poorest 20 per cent of the entire population – some 12.6 million people. (Though note that none of the Big Five are Scottish.)
Three of the five GERA directors who approved the Saez deal were Labour city Councillors. They included James Coleman, a former deputy council leader who was the chair of the agency; the vice-chair Councillor Catherine McMaster; and George Redmond, who signed off the accounts. A subsequent report by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator said the pay-out amounted to “misconduct” and was “wholly unacceptable”.
c. Sadly, this will confirm for many the governance of Glasgow as a dubious and shady old pals’ act. Given the need for vigilance over the disbursement of public funds and the activities of agencies registered as charities, the council must act swiftly and decisively to clear up the appalling impression left by this episode.
Sin City 5 The end so far
http://caltonjock.com/2015/01/06/silence-in-sin-city-glasgow-part-5-2014-2015-city-council-in-need-of-clear-out/
Labour have told so many lies, you can trust nothing. Think how shocked we’d all be if Murphy said something genuine and truthful! But, that’s how the kind of enquiring people who frequent WoS see things. Remember there are a lot of folks out their who have spent their lives trusting the Labour Party and the BBC. We know it’s al shite, but we need to make as many others as possible see the truth.
I’m not sure I buy the cynical strategy of Labour helping Jim Murphy demonstrate that “he stands up for Scotland”.
The downside of what they are doing makes them look shambolic nationally – the Labour Party. It also undermines their treasured “safe with the economy” line that Ed Balls is desperate to cling to (Jim is already talking about spending a tax that currently does not exist). Finally, it seems to prove that Ed Miliband is the weak leader people perceive him to be and the press are desperate to leap on.
A Contemporary Scottish History of UK Government Lies.
The background.
The UK Government has been lying to the people of Scotland on a massive scale since 1974 when the McCrone Report on North Sea oil was declared secret.
Complicit in the continuation of the McCrone lie were Blair & Brown, together with Darling and every Scottish labour MP.
The McCrone Lie began with Heath and continues to this day.
Here is the line of successive lying governments and the respective Prime Ministers.
Conservative Government (1970–1974)Edward Heath
Labour Government (1974–1979)Harold Wilson (1974–1976)
James Callaghan (1976–1979)
Conservative Government (1979–1997) Margaret Thatcher,
John Major (1990–1997)
Labour Government (1997–2010) Tony Blair (1997–2007)
Devolution for Scotland and Wales
Gordon Brown (2007–2010)
Coalition Government (2010–present)
David Cameron (2010–present)
The Oil Lie has since been extended since the 1990’s to include the Atlantic Margins, the Clyde Basin and the area around Shetland.
Now it is bad enough that Scotland has been deprived of untold prosperity by the UK Gov., but that huge numbers of Scots should continue to vote and behave as if these matters were inconsequential beggars belief. Is the Scottish Nation afflicted with a societal character defect which produces widespread gullibility and naivity bordering on idiocy.
Since the financial crash of 2007/08, more astonishing deception has gained almost universal credence in these islands. First from Brown & Darling and then Cameron & Osborne since 2010.
This huge lie is that GB is on the road to recovery,
and that nothing must be allowed to stand in it’s way.
Nothing could be further from the truth because the UK cannot escape the ever deepening whirlpool of it’s debts.
The McCrone Lie enabled Westminster & the City to grab Scotland’s oil & gas wealth.
The Recovery Lie is to buy time in which the City and the ruling classes can garner as much taxpayer cash as possible to themselves, in order to see them through Britain’s impoverished and derelict future bankruptcy.
GE15 is simply a step along this road of gathering in Britain’s wealth to the ruling classes. In other words, it’s a race against time. To gain the power again with which to amass as much money as possible before the truth about Britain being irretrievably bankrupt and hideously ruined, dawns in the collective mind of the 60 million residents of the UK who will have to suffer in abject misery and poverty as a result.
In September last, Scotland had an escape route from the path of unending austerity – but chose to play the gullibility card instead and followed the pied piper, Gordon Brown.
But all is not lost. Another opportunity lies ahead. Another chance to escape the whirlpool of UK debt and ruination.
On May 7th, we have another chance. If we seize the moment, we will be just one step away from rescue and safety.
Please beware therefore the mistakes of recent past. Close your ears to the bribing Piper’s beguiling tune. Take a firm grip instead on the knowledge of the impending doom awaiting all who follow him – and act accordingly. Cast off the naive folly of yesteryear and make the bold and right choice.
Is it not time we stepped out from under the chilling mist of cold grey lies from Westminster.
It is highly unlikely there will be any more chances to escape after this one.
What Scottish Labour don’t seem to have realised is that a huge number of Scots have reached the stage where they really don’t care whether the next UK government is Labour or Conservative. Neither is much use to us. I never thought I would hear myself say such a thing, We must vote on what is best for Scotland not what is best for the Westminster parties.
@ Black Douglas
Can I ask why you decided on the name Black Douglas? Is it a regimental connection?
ChrisDWhyte appears to be calling for the state to intervene in political debate by lining up for prosecution anyone who dares to say anything with which Chris disagrees. No authoritarianism there then!
John Curtice writes…
May’s general election is widely being viewed as one of the most unpredictable in living memory. Yet there is one prediction that can probably be safely made – the campaign in Scotland will be a very distinct affair.
http://theconversation.com/labour-really-does-face-a-tough-battle-in-scotland-35929
Albaman @ 3:58: No, although I’m guessing WGD knows what it is. (Great photo pick, Rev!)
That’s an older photo of the Lake/Wells junction (and, for the railfans amongst you, Tower 18) on Chicago’s “L” system’s downtown Loop. The “L” Loop was erected in stages between 1895-97, and while it’s evolved over the century and almost-score, it’s still performing its intended function.
People here kvetch about the “L”, but we’d be gridlocked without it. Give it a ride if you’re ever in my corner of the world (and let me know if you’re coming; the craft beer movement is alive and very well here).
If i told a lie in order to defraud or con my next door neighbour he would quite rightly call the cops and i’d be in trouble,or if i was in court that would be perjury, even in the street if i failed to answer a cops questions satisfactorily i’d be off to the pokey, if an employee lied to you in a shop just to get a sale they would likely end up sacked, so should there not be an insistence from the electorate that Political leaders and Activists be held to the normal laws of the land inasmuch as lying to gain profit of any kind is an offence and Political Lies to gain favour be criminalised instead of being described as a legitimate tactic, it’s not a tactic, it’s a lie and all of us are the losers for it…I am an Insturgeont
Kenzie says:
6 January, 2015 at 4:45 pm
@ Black Douglas
Can I ask why you decided on the name Black Douglas? Is it a regimental connection?
No(to the regimental link) Kenzie the link below will explain better than I and in much less time. 🙂
https://archive.today/LFZrM
JimW
Recently I realised I don’t care who is in power in Westminster and will never again vote for any party (other than the SNP) who want my vote to get them into the UK parliament.
Perhaps JIm is a Tory sleeper,(Jackson Society, Atlantic Bridge, Friend of Israel, Arch Blairite), and is tasked with destroying Labour in Scotland to allow as best a chance as possible to the Tories remaining the party with the most seats, but possibly not an outright majority, so that they have first call on forming a minority Gov or Coalition with UKIP. In this scenario SNP no’s at WM are nullified and any new opportunities for more powers/ Indy Ref put on hold until the EU Ref and Smith Comm. Proposals are discussed sometime around 2017.
Jim then gets parachuted into a safe seat and rapidly elevated to Ermine for services rendered.
Job done, TOries get more time to loot before bankruptcy, Ukip help pull us out of EUrope and JIm is set for life of luxury.
Won’t trouble him in the slightest I imagine.
Does the Scottish Government have the power to create a new law concerning politicians telling lies?
Brian says:
Everytime WoS identifies
1. a lie being told by SLAB (whoever)
2. It not being challenged directly by whatever MSM medium, then every reader should write to their Labour MSP and/or MP and demand an explanation. The MSP/MP/s verified response/s should then be published by WoS. (verification may not be easy)
Unfortunately, or maybe it should be fortunately, I do not have a Labour M.P. but I DO have Scotland’s pet Tory M.P. maybe he can help. 😉 Come to think about it he probably knows MORE about the inner workings of Labour branch H.Q. than Murph the Smurph, after all were Labour not the Tory lap dogs during the referendum? 😛
I point blank refuse to ask my M.S.P. anything about Labour’s inner workings … I value what’s left of my hearing far too much to risk one of her shouting responses! 😀
Once again a great artical – surely this will be on the news tonight?
The NHS in meltdown patients waiting too long , queues and operations cancelled. BBC Scotland reports but not in England, here in Scotland funny old world innit… innit!
Also Murphy in trouble with everyone promising 1000 new nurses, forgot to ask Ed first.
The kiddy on spat between right wing hardman Murphy (pretendy Scotch boss) an right wing LONDON hardman and bagman millipede (boss of bosses) supported by Boris the right wing toff, Abott the not so right wing toff and documented by the LONDON Establishments licensed lie masters EBC & MSM. Script by that well known clown J McTernan.
Unfortunately there are to many people in Scotland who want to believe all this shit, so yes there are a lot of thickos in this world.
Meanwhile the EBC reports that the average price for first time home buyers in LONDINIUM is £600,000 (deposit £29,000). Wonder where they get the money from? SCOTS being ripped off at every opertunity and of course there’s yon confounded oil. BRING OUT THE THICKOS.
Jim Murphy’s unilateral pronouncements on the use of mansion tax takings don’t seem to be going down too well with his southern colleagues. London mayor hopeful, Diane Abbott, reckons that John (yup, she doesn’t even know his first name!) has ‘jumped the gun’. This failure to consult is going to rile the Real Labour Party. Ed Balls is not going to take kindly to ‘John’ making financial pronouncements, and Ed Milliband will not take kindly to being the leader that John ignores. We can expect more fun and games as the election rhetoric hots up.
£250 million for a 1000 jobs. That’s 250,000 per nurse job.
Thick as shit or just bullshit.
@ Morag. Thanks for reply. It sounded unlikely. The Facebook post was written as a personal experience. I’ll ask my partner to enquire further.
This leaves murphy with egg on his face…
🙂
jackie g: at 12:42 pm
Aye jackie g:
Labour’s opposition to free school meals leaves a bad taste in The Daily Retards mouth
piece.O/T I see Ed Miliband is aiming to achieve 4 million conversations in the UK before the election.
He’s just copying us, 360,000 should be in Scotland then, if you are privileged to hear one. Just say Nah!
My mistake earlier. 🙂
STV telling me this NHS meltdown is in England, Scotland’s figures out next week but Elanour Bradford has let the cat out the bag today on the BBC.
It’s no joke down South and all patients have my sympathy no matter which side of the border they are on.
Just watched a section in BBC’s Reporting Scotland re Jim Murphy’s “I’ll add 1000 nurses more to the pot” and it’s backlash from English MPs (Red and Blue Tories). What a bunch of useless, incompetent twats the BBC journo’s are. As usual they entirely miss the point which is explained so eloquently by the Rev at the top of this page. Halfwits every last one of them.
Don’t be taken in by the fake rows being manufactured by JM & LabHQ/ Boris Johnson etc-it’s a put up job.Faux rage plays well with the brainwashed public, don’t you know?
People will remember the row & with the added bonus of Diane Abbott wading in with even more faux but oh so softly spoken rage at JM.
Murray McCallum posted the news clip at 2.07 today-listen to it & hear DA say that Ed didn’t know anything about JM’s announcement-bullshit!! The interviewer didn’t even have to ask the question she followed the script & volunteered the info.
Many will think DA & EM don’t get on-don’t believe it.She gives the impression of being a backbench dissenter but she toes the Labour line on almost everything. She is planning to seek election for Boris Johnson’s job as Mayor. She’s doing this to earn Brownie points from Ed & because it gives her a heaven sent opportunity to impress London voters by speaking out against Scotland/Murphy & in defence of London keeping taxes for itself.
Diane Abbott is as two faced as they come & very much on a par with Mr Murphy & Ed Millibland. This is all a put up job from start to finish. Anyone who believes this needs their bumps felt.
All the BBC news reports on Radio 4 are talking about Jim’s pledge to fund “1,000 extra nurses” – not the “1,000 more than whatever number SNP pledges” figure from their poster.
Is this deliberate mis-reporting by the beeb (surely not) or am I missing something?
@Rev
A heads-up on an interesting bit of news that could merit its own article, from the Herald “Labour must tackle inequality, says top economist bidding to succeed Darling”.
The top economist is Angus Armstrong, the main part of NIESR, the main spokwsperson for a thinktank hailed as “impartial” by the MSM, and one of the main enemies not to put too fine a point on it, of Independence during the Ref campaign. He is hoping to take on Edinburgh North-West – for Labour.
Of the many questions the unionist BBC and media are too scared to ask Murphy yet another obvious one would be “is this scottish pledge a manifesto commitment by Ed Miliband?”.
The simple truth of the matter is that Murphy is a westminster MP who takes the Labour whip and is wholly subordinate to Ed Miliband. Murphy can say what he likes and promise the moon on a stick, but unless Ed Miliband has approved every aspect of the the policy for the Labour manifesto then it’s clearly just a backbench Blairite MP throwing promises about he simply cannot keep.
Murphy has no power whatsoever to deliver his laughably incoherent pledge yet how many in the unionist media will point out this obvious and glaring flaw to either Murphy or Ed Miliband?
Always remember that Murphy is a right-wing Blairite who happily cheered on the Iraq catastrophe as hundreds of thousands of ordinary scots marched against it in Glasgow. The same unionist media trying to put a gloss on his bullshit pledge cheered on Iraq too.
It’s so funny seeing Slabbers releases on Facebook and so easy to wind up the SlabberServative Sycophants, not that there’s that many of them, seems to be the same old die hards.
Ruthie & Kezia’s spat is also a put up job-manufactured for press & gullible viewers consumption. They are going through the motions-first rule of politics-learn to act!
Neither are very good at it.
In the event of a Labour victory,doesn’t Scottish Labour have to what the NEC wants?
I believe Murphy is lining up the Holyrood election 2016 its the only sensible conclusion to his recent statements. Perhaps he has conceded GE2015 and is now lining up first minister as his personal goal.
Whoa-Labour really have got all the ducks in a row. Just read Curtice’s puff piece posted by Nana @ 5pm (thanks Nana-excellent timing)where he is reinforcing the lie that EM knew nothing of JM’s announcement yesterday. So Curtice is onside then.
What is the first thing you see on his site? The declaration that it is not funded by any company or political party i.e. no affiliations.
He truly does think everyone’s heads button up the back. It’s an outright lie but because he is a so called independent, people will believe him. Nope-not in a month of Sundays professor.
Obviously you can’t fund 1,000 extra nurses with the amount of money a mansion tax would actually generate. Then again, that doesn’t stop Yes campaigners crowing about all the things we could do by scrapping Trident, which costs us roughly £250 million a year (i.e. half the cost of the Commonwealth Games – practically nothing in the grand scheme of government expenditure).
Two populist parties (Labour and the SNP) making disingenuous arguments to whip up grievances among idiots. Welcome to Scottish politics.
@Lesley-Anne
I too have the pet Tory as MP.Remember when he started in Lockerbie such a keen Lib-Dem but as soon as he got a whiff of power he was off to the Tories.the way Scotland is going he may send his CV to Ms Sturgeon.Had great time today winding up my English colleagues today about “mansion tax” Vs Oil but have to say many of them were of the opinion “bugger the SE” just tax them and use the money for Up North Including Scotland
Well I’m confussed! As the money raised by the mansion tax is er, revenue, unless and until it is all actually allocated as English NHS expenditure, we wont get any Barnett consequential, even if all expected £2.5bilion is raised. I can see both Con + Lab finding something else to spend it on in London (sewage system anyone?) whereby Scotland will receive nowt of it.
@ Call me Dave at 5.24pm
You’ve noted about queues at A & E in Scotland. This is how the dismantling of the NHS in England started. You don’t see any good news being reported about NHS-just everything that is bad.
WM is already starting the softening up process that we were subjected to in England for the last 4 years or so.
You all need to watch this film about the sell off/demolition of NHS England because this is already starting to happen in Scotland & they will follow the same pattern of destruction.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ultKvnw2h3Q
Sorry it’s a bit long but is well worth the time spent-forewarned is forarmed & all that. We can’t stop it in England but Scotland can if SNP does well in GE2015.
The UK has the biggest health market in the world after US. The aim is to move all of the UK to the US insurance based system with no publicly owned health services.
My apologies, that Angus Armstrong seat should be Edinburgh South-West, 38th down the list of SNP winnable seats, according to Ladbrokes odds sorted in order: http://yesindyref2.wordpress.com
Murphy is even more stupid than I dared hope. Keep going Murphy, you are making a total fool of yourself.
https://firstlook.org/theintercept/2015/01/06/police-increasingly-monitoring-criminalizing-online-speech/
i know this is way of topic
but it needs reading by all
I know we aren’t supposed to feed the trolls.but Andy Fields,to the best of my knowledge,the SNP have said nought about nurses,only Labour-in-Scotland has.
Regarding the voting, labour did vote for free school meals but only on their amended motion.
On Radio 4, PM or news, I heard Murphy say, ‘When I am First Minister..’
Not sure what else he said, I had just burst out laughing and missed the rest.
Someone else coined the phrase that the No voters were either … their phrase … Gullible, Gutless or Greedy. While harsh, the phrase did stick in my mind and is close to the truth.
The Greedy are probably a lost cause.
The Gutless need to realise that the BetterTogther option isn’t the safe one! We all need to make them feel more comfortable moving away from WM dependence and being Scotland focused for solutions to our many ails.
The Gullible, of the three, must be the easiest to get through to, if done face to face. These are, in part the folks who have spent their life’s trusting Labour and the BBC. Education, education, educations … someone once said.
It was proved beyond doubt that during the referendum campaign the unionist party’s could, and did, lie with impunity. This present campaign is merely a re-run of that strategy, agreed to by a compliant media. So while Stuart, and others, will be keeping us fully appraised of their falsehoods, it won’t actually make much difference, as I am afraid that a great many people still believe whatever nonsense the M.S.M spout, and there will be plenty, believe me. Our only answer is, once again, to get back on the canvassing trail, and yes, in our area we were out prior to the festive season, and got our message out to as many folk as possible. We won every ward in our main town, and the aim is to do the same again, overturn a large Labour majority, and return an S.N.P M.P to Westminster.
Saw Boris on the TV getting his knickers in a twist over the Murphy plan to get his mits on the mansion tax money.
Doesn’t Boris know that we are much better “pooling and sharing”. What a pillock, a right pair of plonkers??
@galamcennalath 8.10
Agreed – the main reason to analyse the different ways of looking at the NO vote is to devise ways of communication and persuasion for each group, and to figure out various methods that will work the next time to get an extra 5.5% or more.
I would suggest that there are 10 or more categories of NO voter and use less pejorative terms, but it seems to me that several sets of 5.5% are available
@Alex Beveridge 8.27
true BUT it is worth writing incomplaining to MSM about downright inaccuracies – I used to work in the media and good factual corrections and complaints that are not abusive but politely suggest bias or query what the right questions were not asked to work if you keep at it in many cases
So this is Murphy tryig to prove he’s leader of the ‘Independent’ Scottish Labour Patry?
O/T. I seen the following on an entry on the facebook page of John Armout who recently won a landslide victory for the SNP for a council election in AandBute Council.
It looks factual to me and if so should be investigated further.
From someone in Germany:
I live in Germany and this morning, 2nd January, 2015, I went to my village bank. The VOLKSBANK is Germany’s second largest bank. I put down 35 Scots 20-pound notes on the counter. “Can you change these into Euros please?”
The lady looked at them and said, “Sorry, since October 1st 2014, we can only change Bank of England notes from the UK”. I got the manager to come over, asked who had written that order, and made quite a fuss, believe me. I’ve been a customer of theirs for years. The manager made a couple of calls and came back. He said, apologetically, “Apparently the British Government in London recommended that all European banks only change English notes, I’m sorry, it seems to be a political decision.” I asked him to call the Sparkasse, his competitor, and ask them. They also said, “No, no Scots notes at all. “
Agree entirely with Lollysmum
This “set up” is solely and exclusively to
Ensure “headline news ” for Jim Murphy here
In Scotland and this strategy will continue
Until GE in May . This makes it easy for the BBC
And newspapers to pick up and run with , thus
Continually increasing his exposure and profile
It matters not a jot whether “it’s a pack of lies
” or party policy or not.The plan is all in the
“Headlines” ( not the details or feasibility )
“they are all effin eejits and will believe anything – the BBC Scotland can be guaranteed to cover up any inconsistencies” http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/About/General/2011/3/28/1301332872560/Jim-Murphy-r-with-Ed-Mili-007.jpg
@msean
Is that right, aye!
usually a fair answer to the Trolls, or
You don’t say, eh! or how about..NAW? get away!
seerat ahnever newrat!
@EphemeralDeception
It’s a HOAX.
I’ve got to agree with some of the earlier posts. I wrote about it today also and mentioned that I thought the whole thing could be contrived. The thought struck me instinctively while writing, in the knowledge of what a fly bugger the smurph is.
I already posted in this very thread that the story about the non-acceptance of the Scottish notes had been confirmed as false by the Bank of Scotland.
*People who don’t read a thread and come crashing in with something that’s already been dealt with, I don’t know, what’s the world coming to, what do they teach them in these schools, younger generation, grumble moan complain*
Trident/illegal wars £Billions. The Oil revenues the equivalent of £Billions (Thatcher wrote the theft – ‘This must be kept secret’, -Cancelled a pipe line wasting the equivalent of £Billions of Gas. Ministers resign. Labour lied about the Oil revenues. The McCrone Report kept secret for thirty years. While the Scottish Office colluded and lied.
Taxes raised in Scotland £53Billon++. Taxes raised in the UK £490 Billion. Borrowing and spending in the rest of the UK £100Billion. Scotland gets lumbered with the debt repayments £4Billion but doesn’t spend the money. The rest of the UK borrows and spends £10Billion more pro rata (but Scotland gets lumbered with the £4Billion repayments) Scotland could save £1.5Billion with a tax on ‘loss leading’ drink, and £1.5Billion on Trident/illegal wars.
Westminster increased the Oil tax on NS 11% (£2Billion) in the 2011 Budget, losing Scotland £4Billion+ a year. All together it adds up to £21Billion. That different policies in Scotland would make.
£4Billion debt repayments (on money not borrowed or spent) – £4Billion Oil tax revenues (lost) -£3Billion (could be saved) The rest of the UK borrows and spends £10Billion more pro rata. = £21Billion. The cost of the Union.
Scotland doesn’t need mansion tax proceeding. Scotland needs fiscal autonomy/Independence for an excellent NHS/Education system. Fiscal autonomy as promised.
@ Murray MCallum 12:58pm, Papadox 5:30pm, Lollysmum 6:54pm & Iain Grays Subway Lament 7:07pm
I saw a link Recently to an article where the Journo predicted that when Jim inevitable gets elected to look out for manufactured Argy-Bargy purely to make it appear that Jim is standing up for Scotland. (I really can’t remember the link.. I click on that many sometimes my head hurts)
His Acting skills are going to be set to 11 over the next few months I think.
Snuggling up to one another back stage, but the minute the curtain opens they trade blows – Oh look Jim is standing up to the Labour Puppet masters in London, oh no he isn’t it..
At all times they will be following the script very carefully.
Going to be fun seeing how this Pantomime pans out (especially with the MSM and BBC backing the Party up to the eyeballs – the Pantomime in full glorious technicolor)
@Morag
It’s also been confirmed as false by the Bank of England. I’d put a link but who knows where i read that.
As Napoleon said “Never disturb your enemy when he is making a complete arse of himself”
Or words to that effect.
IOOO more nurses than the SNP.Seem to remember a Mr Murray saying if Celtic spent £1 his team would spend £10.Wonder what happened to them.
follow on from earlier post..
Is Ed really going to sit back and let Murphy say/do what he wants.. (especially after the English press jumping on the Tax Millionaire Mansions to pay for Scots Nurses)
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/nov/02/jim-murphy-ed-miliband-scottish-labour-leadership
Last paragraph..
Ed Miliband’s chances of becoming prime minister are now hugely dependent on what happens in Scotland over the next six months. That he is hoping salvation is at hand in the person of Jim Murphy is the most delicious of ironies.
@BrainW
There’s no doubt they will try a whole load of manufactured bullshit but it can’t hide the unassailable crucial fact that Murphy is a mere backbench Labour MP who takes the Labour whip. Murphy can do nothing and promise absolutely NOTHING unless Ed Miliband first approves it in a Labour manifesto.
Lamont has been proven 100% correct about ‘scottish’ Labour being a London branch office. What is more everyone knows it and the unionist media inevitably only looks as dishonest and untrustworthy as Murphy and Ed Miliband when they try to pretend otherwise.
The same laughable posturing from a desperate ‘scottish’ Labour trying to distance themselves from the tories will also not work.
The scottish public have only just sat through over two years of one the most remarkable and memorable campaigns scotland has ever seen.
A Campaign during which scottish voters can hardly have bloody missed the nauseating tory and Labour ‘love in’ with them cheek to jowl telling us all how much “Better Together” we would be if only we stick with the tory and Labour westminster twins.
Can Eggman Murphy and Ed Miliband really be so stupid that they still don’t realise why they are facing a complete hammering and are doing so badly in the polls? It would appear so.
They’ve been frantically trying to distance themselves from the tories for months now and it simply has not and will not work.
Unless Murphy is planning to throw an Egg at Ed Miliband every week from now till election day, then there’s no way the Red Tories will persuade enough scottish voters that an ultra-Blarite, right-wing, Westminster MP like Murphy will do a better job of looking out for scotland’s interests than Nicola and the SNP.
O/T
Just had an email from SNP London branch giving details of speakers till March. Next week is Alysson Pollock one of the stars of the NHS England sell off film I posted here earlier today but February is a belter-David Torrance-aaargh. Guess I’ll be giving that one a miss then! Can’t stand his lying & posturing online so certainly not interested in seeing him in the flesh. Wouldn’t be able to resist heckling him 😉
Those who follow my weekly blog know I refine essays over days after publishing … as will happen with this latest, but here’s a preview:
‘Sex and the Single Girl’ Grouse Beater on WordPress
Brian says: BBC backing the Party up to the eyeballs
I’ve sent a letter of complaint to the chairperson of the BBC Trust, (my first) asking her to investigate why BBC journalists persist in promoting the lie Mark Carney, Governor of the Bank of England, categorically stated that sharing the pound sterling was a complete non-starter.
The Trust is duty bound to reply. I’ll post it on my blog first, a heads up on Wings.
Happy hunting.
🙂
A peek at tomorrow’s ‘The National’ front page;
https://twitter.com/ScotNational/status/552580244411269122/photo/1
@ Alex Clark 9.07 The link was posted on here a couple of days ago on Scottish bank notes,dont know what thread tho.
Lollysmum
When I went to SNP London Branch meetings in the early 80’s we had Gavin Strang, Teddy Taylor and JIm Naughtie.
here’s a though:
Is it possible that Jim Murphy, despises Milliband who dumped hi from the cabinet, so much that he is seeking revenge by destroying the Labour parties chance of getting into power at Westminster?
We all saw how Gordon Browns bitterness was enough to cause him to smear Blair and damage New Labour, so why not Murphy?
Jon in Chicago @20-15
For Gods sake don’t let the Edinburgh city council see that junction, otherwise they’ll want one for a””four way” when/if they extend the tramway down Leithwalk !.
Epitaph for Murph’s SLab, 2015
The Pogues, ‘Worms’ –
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAC47w80lSI
@ Alex Clark the scottish bank notes post was posted by Shoutout Wix .com, for klik bait for the blog site. supposedly by a Ron Shankland in Germany.
Just read that Vince Cable is to be sacked tomorrow. Something to do with spending £8,000 more on election than he should have.
Anyone else heard this too?
@Marcia 9.46pm
Could they possibly have chosen any more unflattering photos? Oh my God, I would be hiding under the bed if I saw myself looking like either of those two. 🙂
OT:
“Four SNP councillors filmed setting fire to the Smith Commission report on new Holyrood powers have been suspended from the party for two months.”
“Former council leader Brian Lawson and councillors Will Mylet, Mags MacLaren and Kenny MacLaren were involved in the stunt, carried out in December.”
“Filmed outside Renfrewshire Council headquarters in Paisley, it was posted on YouTube, but later removed.”
“SNP officials said their actions fell far short of the standards expected.”
source: BBC Text Service.
Marcia at 9.50
When I talked to Teddy Taylor around 1960 he told me he had been a member of the Glasgow University Nationalist Association
@ Iain Grays Subway Lament 9:33pm
I wish I’d written that. I just hope the public, like you say, remember Tory and Labour coorying up to another. Lets face it the MSM won’t remind us.
P.S. I do hope no eggs were harmed in the writing of your post.
@ Grouse Beater 9:46pm
I’ve lost times the amount of times I’ve complained to the BBC via their (limited to x amount of characters) on line complaints bit (twice yesterday re School Meals coverage).
I also use the link for a possible story just to annoy them and it gets things off my chest. It all gets logged and catalogued as to how many complaints they get, and against which category.
I do however get a stock reply with no hint of any error/wrong doing/apology. Never has there been a time where they have said, yeah we have misled, we used incorrect info etc etc. Do they see themselves as invisible and beyond reproach?
Just thinking. Is it not about time someone targeted England with the pitch something along the lines of, “isn’t it time you told your politicians to let Scottish democracy run its course and if the choose to leave, let them”. I suspect most folks down south have no idea of the dirty tricks campaign which has, and is, run to maintain the Union.
Albaman @ 10 p.m.:
Heh. If the Edinburgh City Council is looking for a “four way”, it’ll cost them a lot less than that. But perhaps that’s only if they qualify for a group discount…
(Sorry. The straight line was too good to ignore.)
A “four way” is technically known as a “grand union” (Heh, again). And if you scroll not too far down the relevant Wikipedia page, you’ll find the photo, too.
>Grouse Beater says:
“Does ‘our’ National newspaper dismiss Murphy’s claims? On the front page?
..
I stopped buying it after successive days of anodyne articles and features; I could not tell the difference between it and the Herald, other the number of pages.”
They had a pro-SNP editorial today and an image of Nicola on the front cover with the quote:
“MAKE SCOTLAND’S VOICE HEARD”
The biggest value of the National comes from a providing a viewpoint to passers-by, rather than preaching to the converted who buy it.
That said, if enough people don’t buy it then it will disappear.
In Tesco’s today, several other newspapers were leading with Jim Murphy’s 1000 nurses.
I remember thinking.. What a refreshing change to see a pro-Scottish viewpoint there in the supermarkets amongst all the propaganda. Something we never had before.
The cost of a billboard advert with similar exposure to daily shoppers would be many thousands.
@ Grouse Beater @ 9.46pm –
Well done you, look forward to reading the response.
😉
oh and by the way.. remember Jim telling us the only way to protect the NHS was to Stay united…
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-30705689
Full of shite Jim.. Just like your pretendy wee spats with the Labour Mother Ship in London.
As a backbench WM Mp the only think Skeletor can do with our Scottish NHS is Spend a penny ….. just like the rst of us !
Sorry O/T but a wee keek at the link may help you ” Back to work Blues”
http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/conlist_scot.html
@Onwards 10.27
totally correct – a pro-Scottish bill-board in every shop that will stand out given the normal MSM wallpaper
BBC Scotland2015 at it again. Reporter Jane Chilton saying that Murphy would introduce 1000 nurses, if he became FIRST MINISTER, what? Surely not another lot of lies?
Brian: Never has there been a time where they [BBC]said, yeah we have misled, we used incorrect info, etc
Aye, a fair comment. When an executive I was trained in the craft of the diplomatic non-apology.
You do it thinking you are protecting the good name of your department staff, and the reputation of the programme makers, director, editor, writer, (who might well be from a commissioned independent production company these days) but really all you’re doing is pretending there is freedom of discussion, whilst restricting debate that might reflect badly on the institution, stopping it at the point of access.
There must come a point when some Jurno’s in msm have a little integrity?
The BBC just did a parody of political analysis with absolutely nobody pointing out the bleeding obvious.
Which is that Murphy’s ‘pledge’ is meaningless, can’t be delivered, the sums don’t add up, it’s totally unenforceable and it’s not a manifesto commitment and thus a complete irrelevance to the GE anyway.
How in god’s name could they miss all that and still keep a straight face?
The kind of blinkered and biased interpretation of Murphy’s posturing and the blatant propaganda that the unionist BBC are giving to it is even more laughable and one sided than anything Labour own spindoctors could do.
@Iain Gray’s Subway Lament http://wingsoverscotland.com/back-to-work-blues/comment-page-1/#comment-1946588
@John Walsh
There must come a point when some Jurno’s in msm have a little integrity?
Going on past and current performance, it doesn’t look likely.
As Abe Lincoln said “you can fool some of the people some of the time etc—–“.Sorry Jim, We are too smart for that now.We are politically aware up here now, or did yoj miss that?
@Albaman 10:00 pm
For Gods sake don’t let the Edinburgh city council see that junction, otherwise they’ll want one for a””four way” when/if they extend the tramway down Leithwalk !.
Great Junction Street (at the foot of Leith Walk) could really live up to it’s name then!
Just what do the government of today call those that control the media?
Ministry of Indoctrination maybe?
The Ministry of Information (MOI), headed by the Minister of Information, was a United Kingdom government department created briefly at the end of World War I and again during World War II.
“it was the central government department responsible for publicity and propaganda”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ministry_of_Information_(United_Kingdom)
The Ministry of Truth is involved with news media, entertainment, the fine arts and educational books. Its purpose is to rewrite history to change the facts to fit Party doctrine for propaganda effect.
For example, if Big Brother makes a prediction that turns out to be wrong, the employees of the Ministry of Truth go back and rewrite the prediction so that any prediction Big Brother previously made is accurate.
1984 Orwell
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ministry_of_Truth
It’s probably been said already.
This will have been cleared through Milipede. It’s only a branch office. It’s even worse than the tories UK referendum promise, labour would need to win two seperate elections.
The National is worth buying for the crossword alone.
The media in Scotland will continue to give Murphy an easy ride but with the stakes high he will not get so many favours from those down south and it will be much harder for the media here to hold the line on behalf of Labour.
The Abbott/Murphy spat seems to be entertaining Guido Fawkes and others. I think the average voter is becoming increasingly unsure as to what Labour really supports or is in favour of.
Check out Jim’s favourite Tory.
http://labour-uncut.co.uk/2011/05/03/knowing-me-knowing-jim-murphy/
What I learned from today:
Never agree to paint a communal door
If you can, go to the gaming exhibition at the national Museum in Edinburgh
The Royal Oak is still amazing
Guid night Wingers – I love what we are. Let’s meet soon – can I suggest the black bull on Leith Street?
Give me a date and let’s make it happen.
I am rather enjoying going on media sites and telling the English readership how grateful I am for the payback cheque we will receive courtesy of their mansions,.It is not going down at all well
I do the crossword in the National then leave it in a prominent place – works for me.
Some upcoming events
http://www.indyscot.info/
Including Scrap Trident Events, Hope Over Fear Rallies, Artists for Food Banks and more.
Sadly, no BBC demos yet!
Aberdeen City Council want SG to hold a summitt on the Oil price ect ect , have they now recinded they,re ban on SNP useing Council property, they do know that the Oil/Gas isent a devolved matter.Seems funny Murphs been in Aberdeen, them they release this to the Bbc.
@Tam Jardine
Black Bull sounds good. I fancy Friday the 13th of February.
Do you feel lucky?
At long last the Rev has finished the publication of Labour’s book of lies…
http://tinyurl.com/k8tyl9e
And Labour’s progressive policy book…
http://tinyurl.com/nax8fom
What would the BBC protest about?
Front page of National is a con by Murphy/McTernan/McDougal with the connivance of London Labour to make it look like he is his own man and he is not being controlled by London Labour .
London Labour want the Scottish MP`s ,Labour supporters in Scotland want a strong Scottish Labour ,it is all an act a show smoke and mirrors trying to fool Scottish Labour supporters that Murphy is not a Westminster stooge.
At the same time, she insisted that a full exit by Greece was not on the cards since the euro rules say that “membership is irrevocable.”
http://caltonjock.com/2015/01/07/cameron-and-ukip-in-trouble-european-membership-is-irrevocable-states-executive-commission/
Really nasty boot up the jacksy from Nick Clegg BBC sound bite for some R4 politics doc/load of tosh but Clegg says “chancers like Russell Brand, Salmond and Farage can never sully UKOK democracy” or something like that. Have to hand to Westminster liggers, they have the BBC UKOK propaganda stage but they are really wasting it all.
Clegg alone will be lucky to keep his Sheffield seat as he’s right in their two big uni’s where he campaigned hard on LibDem no tuition fees pledge farce. They want rid of him asap.
Alan Cochrane calls Jim Murphys plan a Masterstroke
Provoking Boris Johnson could yet prove a masterstroke for Jim Murphy as he plays at class warrior
Getting into a fight with a top Tory toff is just what Scottish Labour would want
IF Jim Murphy were a bibulous carnivore, I’m sure he’d happily stand Boris Johnson a beer and a burger for the huge boost the Mayor of London has given his hopes of reigniting Labour’s flame in Scotland.
By attacking so vehemently Mr Murphy’s plans to use the taxes on home owners in Chelsea and Kensington to fund an extra 1000 nurses in Scotland, Boris has earned the new Scottish Labour leader’s eternal gratitude. Mind you, I suppose a glass of beetroot juice and a nut cutlet would be a more appropriate reward from Mr Murphy – a teetotal vegan – but the response from Boris, in describing the plan as “vindictive”, has been like manna from heaven for Scottish Labour.
It may well have been a wholly cynical and desperately short-term and short-sighted ploy, but these are desperate times, and the one thing that Jim Murphy needs to prove to a one-time Labour congregation in West Central Scotland is that he’s no Blairite Right-winger; rather, that he’s an in-your-face class warrior ready to hammer the toffs.
And if someone like Boris Johnson, who’s seen by many as the epitome of an Eton-educated posh boy, takes Jim to task in such terms, then that can only be to Labour’s advantage on the doorsteps of places like Glasgow, Dundee, West Dunbartonshire and North Lanarkshire, which all ignored their former party’s advice and voted Yes in September’s referendum.
The Mayor of London, not to mention Diane Abbot who managed to get Murphy’s name wrong in her attack on him, should have seen through the Scottish leader’s wholly transparent little game. He and his old sparring partner Ed Miliband want a Labour victory in May, but their best chance of getting one is by hanging on to the bulk of the 41 Scottish seats they won in 2010.
It is Murphy’s job to achieve that, and getting bashed by a Tory toff is a pretty good start, so what Boris might wish to ponder this morning is that wading into Jim as he has might well help usher Ed into Downing Street. Is that what he wants?
On the other hand, however, Mr Murphy had better hope that Labour wins in May because, if they don’t and the Tories are once again in the driving seat, I can see a very determined response to what’s being seen by many MPs as deliberate anti-English antagonism. The demand for English votes for English laws, reducing significantly Labour’s influence in the Commons, already has a head of steam behind it; Mr Murphy has just given it a major boost. Already in the firing line for English MPs, especially with significant new powers heading Holyrood’s way, is the Barnett formula, which guarantees Scotland a fixed proportion of overall UK spending.
Mr Murphy’s unashamed, and frankly provocative, plan to equate what is essentially a tax on the English to boost Scotland will increase the pressure to scrap Barnett.
The truth, of course, is that there is absolutely no need to use English taxes to pay for the extra Scottish nurses – that was little more than a cheap trick which, thanks to Mr Johnson’s ill-judged intervention, achieved the desired result. With a budget of more than £30?billion and any number of “freebies”, such as the
£40?million identified by the Tories as the cost of universal free prescriptions, or the more than £500?million for free university education, the money’s already there in the Scottish Government’s coffers.
Mr Murphy was determined to make an impact with his first major speech as Scottish leader. It wasn’t much of an effort but with a little help from an unlikely friend, he’s succeeded in proving he’s a genuine class warrior who’s not scared of taking on the English, so no doubt he and his cheerleaders will be well satisfied.
What this opening gambit means for the rest of this marathon campaign, however, we can only guess. Not sweetness and light, I would guess.
Paula Rose says:
“What would the BBC protest about?”
You, probably!
Ronnie Anderson 11.58pm
Well spotted there Ronnie.
That clown Murphy has some “neck” on him. He waits until the oil coffers are empty and then tells the SNP to start putting money into a fund to save jobs in Aberdeen. But not one penny was saved by Labour when the coffers were overflowing with cash.
In the good years the oil money was sent south to help strengthen the London/South East of England economy, aided by Scottish Labour.
This idiot is really starting to annoy me. He also gets maximum “Murphy Time” on BBC Scotland, making him out as some kind of saviour of the universe.
Rev, please keep hounding this guy, right up until the GE.
Someone mention Friday the thirteenth of February – my birthday?
@ Scot Finlayson (12.10am).
Put it this way Scot, if some of the current theories of all this Murphy/Miliband farce is to be believed, about it all being a show, and i believe it is, then The National is either a part of it or has fallen for it.
But then again, i’m posting this without knowing anything about the accompanying articles wording. I sincerely hope it is exposing them and their little game. No doubt we’ll soon find out.
“All of Labour’s MSPs actually voted No, rather than even abstaining as is the party’s usual policy on anything vaguely tricky”
The above is patently not true – my own MSP Duncan McNeil was off campaigning in a by election in Cumbernauld that very afternoon and thus did not vote no…strange but true.
Can everybody get this straight before May 7th. Scotland receives around £28 Billion despite paying in around £58 Billion to the treasury coffers.
So we get the money we raise to spend as the SG sees fit, there is more money spent per head in London than there is in Scotland. It is disguised as “national spending”.
Boris Johnson wants tp spend another £27 Billion on Crossrail 2, coincidentally the Tories plan to cut spending on welfare and services by £25 billion.
I am sick of this. I don’t button up the back.
I’ll let them know when I make my vote.
Hi,
Saw a new piece on BBC News 24 were Boris Johnson is infuriated with Jim Muprhpy’s Mansion Tax plan.
It made “The Vow” pamphlet; http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/millionaire-boris-johnson-launches-furious-4927185
Told you Jim Murphy was a “Richard”
“Labour seem doggedly convinced that the Scottish public are gullible, innumerate idiots who will swallow this rubbish unthinkingly.”
At least 25% are.
Morag,
“KenC, that story about foreign banks not exchanging Scottish notes has been confirmed to be FALSE by the Bank of Scotland.”
How can the Bank of Scotland confirm that? How would they know if two German banks had refused to exchange Scottish banks, as had been explicitly stated in the post?
Do we still believe what the Bank of Scotland and the Bank of England say? They are probably trying to reverse the orders they themselves issued to prevent Scottish notes to be exchanged.
@Rock
Yawn, nothing happening. Think I’ll go back to sleep.
EXCLUSIVE!!!
Jim Murphy will announce later today, in a keynote speech launching Labour’s election campaign in North Britain, that planet Earth is actually FLAT!!! Labour’s Branch Leader intends exposing any and all SNP lies to the contrary.
I’d be astonished at the Labour Parties incompetence, if they really planned this spat with Jim Murphy to make him look tough.
If they did then they have done so without considering the reaction of the opposition, the right wing media, as well as the electorate in the South of England and particularly London.
Has no-one on Wings been reading the reaction from Boris/Farage/The London Times the Daily Telegraph? has no-one read the comments?
Do people realise that as far as winning General Elections in the UK go, ‘if you lose the South East, you lose the Election’?
Bloody hell people, it’s a spectacular own goal by Murphy and one that is churning up a lot of anger in England as this is feeding perfectly into a well worn narrative, that the ‘Scots are winging scroungers who are constantly demanding more and more of their fair share’
This story is a god-Send for UKIP as well as the Tories as it puts Ed Milliband into an impossible position, ie, he can slap Murphy down and risk losing seats in Scotland or he can refuse to slap Murphy down and lose a lot of seats in England.
We still haven’t even heard from Wales or Northern Ireland who usually have something to say when Scotland is getting something they aren’t.
I think recent polls have Labour just a few percentages ahead, if Labour were playing this kind of game, they would have needed to take leave of their senses.
They are lying scumbags, who have trampled all over the loyalty of voters in Scotland for decades, but they are very careful how they tread in the South East, so the suggestion that they would ever upset London or The Wealthy English Shires, is simply not true.
No folks, this is a big mistake by Murphy or a deliberate ploy to get back at Milliband who destroyed Murphy’s career, (or tried too)
Oh and this may be me talking out of turn, but it seems strange that in classic New Labour style, that as Jim Murphy and Kesia Dugdale have both been blundering over the past few days, and the On-Line Media has been red hot with discussions and sharing this story and reaction,
this strange myth about Banks refusing to except Scottish bank notes at the behest of Westminster has suddenly appeared.
I think three people have brought it up on this thread alone, and one claimed it in the first person!
Hmmm! give them a story that will make them feel insulted and take their minds off from this story that can do Labour some real damage?
So c’mon Wingers, get writing to English based MP’s, MSM, etc, and tell them that you fully support Labours new leaders pledge to Scotland that Scottish Labour will be getting a lot of our oil money back and us benefit scroungers will be able to sit on our fat lazy ginger arses and do nothing but drink Buckfast and sing songs about how much we hate the English…
…or words to that effect!!!
O/T
A last shout for this media fundraiser, only £125 to go.
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/post-issue-4-energy-politics-in-scotland/x/2349839
I hope the “National” explains to it’s readers that this Murphy story about providing another 1000 extra nurses to the Scottish NHS is nothing more than an ill-thought-out publicity stunt. This will backfire badly on the Labour Party.
Murphy has no authority to make such claims, he hasn’t the power to provide 1000 elastoplasts to the Scottish NHS never mind 1000 nurses.
The guy is mentally ill, he is an out and out fruitcake and the scary thing is, he thinks we’re all fruitcakes as well.
O/T
Another example of the BBC’s fine work;
http://www.palestinechronicle.com/the-bbc-has-lost-its-way/
Scotland receives £28Billion + £15Billion? In (UK) pension/welfare benefits. Ie Scottish taxpayers pay (UK) pensions/benefits. That was another Referendum lie. £43Billion. Then Defence ie £3.5Billion – (without Trident/illegal wars £2.5Billion) Defence is not based in Scotland which would increase increase Scottish economy. Amin expense not based in Scotland (London) which would boost Scottish economy. Taxes which should accrue to Scotland for commercial activity paid through London HQ’s. Tax evasion through the City of London ie Whsky Companies tax avoid.
Westminster economy policies mean Scotland loses £4Billion+ a year because Oil tax were increased 11% (£2Billion) in 2011Budget. Up to 32% (reduced 2% in Autumn Statement)
Westminster take 50% of all production + 30% = 80% (higher on different regimes) = up to 90% + corp tax on profits (worldwide activities) NI, Income tax. Going through London HQ’s.
£4Billion repayments is lumped on Scotland for money it doesn’t borrow or spend. The rest of theUK borrows and spends £100Billion more. (pro rata £10Billion) Scotland doesn’t get any of the borrowed money but is lumbered by Westminster with £4repayments. That is why Scotland spending us falsely said to be so high £63Billion – Scotland is being falsely included in debt which it doesn’t borrow or spend. Scotland coukd also save on a tax on’loss leading’ drink £1.5Billion
Scotland raises £53Billion. More than enough to cover all it’s expenditure.+ It loses £4Billion a year because of the increased Oil taxes. It could save £3Billion a year (Defence + tax on alcohol)
It is lumbered with £4Billion debt repayments on money it doesn’t borrow or spend and gets £10Billion less than what the rest of the UK borrows and spends. Scotland loses £20Billion to the UK Treasury.
£4Billion in Oil revenues (increased taxes) Lumbered with £4Billion debt repayments on (£10Billion it doesn’t borrow or spend). Could save £3Billion on Defence- tax on alcohol). Rest of tbe UK borrows and spends £100Billion more than it raises in tax. It all adds up to £21Billion.
I.e on the falsified books which the UK creates Scotland is accurred debts it doesn’t make and debt repayments it has to make on the debt it doesn’t borrow or spend. Loses revenues because of UK tax policies, Revenues from Scotland going through City of London HQ’s from commercial activities in Scotland. The pooling but non sharing of the UK Gov -covered up by the Barnett Formula. It is a fraud. Westminster secrets and lies. Deliberately applied to make Scotland poorer and the rest of the UK wealthier. Scotland’s wealth goes to London and doesn’t come back.
Scotland raises £53Billion in tax and could raise more (Oil increased activity) and spend less
(Defence + tax on alcohol) without Westminster’s interference.
The UK raises £490Billion. The rest of the UK borrows and spends £100Billion more. Scotland would be far better off with fiscal autonomy/Independence. Historically even more. Scotland could have had an Oil fund of £220Billion if Westminster had not wasted it.
John Moss says
“Told you Jim Murphy was a “Richard”
🙂
Patrick Roden says
“So c’mon Wingers, get writing to English based MP’s, MSM, etc, and tell them that you fully support Labours new leaders pledge to Scotland that Scottish Labour will be getting a lot of our oil money back and us benefit scroungers will be able to sit on our fat lazy ginger arses and do nothing but drink Buckfast and sing songs about how much we hate the English…
…or words to that effect!!!”
You theivin get, I wrote that over a year ago,
Or words to that effect.
ps its just as effin funny as it was then! 🙂
just for laffs
quote from Guardian article
“There is a fair bit of talent among a rising generation of Scottish Labour politicians”
WOOHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Scotland is being lumped into the rest of UK NHS failure. BBC crap.
In 2010 the ConDems policy was to cut 20% (?) off the UK NHS bill. A deficit calculated to be £30Billion by 2020. (£3Billion in Scotland) The Health Service had been receiving less funding in real terms. Scotland NHS Bill is paid from the Scottish Block Grant. Cut £1.3Billion a year since 2011.
In Scotland the Scottish Gov has put in extra money taken from elsewhere in the Scottish budget. £1/2Billion. Personal care/prescription policies in Scotland (a long term policy) means there is less stress on the NHS in Scotland. In Scotland a tax on ‘loss leading’ alcohol would reduce the NHS bill.
Anyone else clocked the front page of today’s hardcopy Mirror?
NHS IN CRISIS!
Who knew?
Oh and as for Murphy’s train wreck campaign launch? Don’t underestimate this fella.
Remember he’s trying to build some street cred in Scotland and what better way to achieve this than having the likes of Abbot, Jowell and BoJo at odds with his cack handed nurses policy? It doesn’t have to be either costed or deliverable, it just has to produce publicity which sees him at odds with parties south of the border and chime with the less politically astute readers and listeners.
We know the nature of the beast, but many do not.
James Kelly on Scot goes pop
came up with abrammer
If Labour did seduction:
“When you move in with me, I’ll buy you one more box of chocolates per year than that bastard boyfriend of yours buys you.”
“But he doesn’t buy me chocolates.”
“Thank Christ for that, I’m a bit short on cash anyway.”
Snort.
What Macart says
We laughed all the way to the referendum at their stupid scare stories but enough people believed them, while these liars have the BBC watching their backs we’re pissing in the wind!
Received an email from a friend in the West Midlands and I quote part of it as an unsolicited view from there,
“News is very frustrating, all about the crisis with A&E at hospitals. They keep saying they don’t know the cause, but it seems so obvious to me. Mom was at the doctors yesterday and there was a 4 hour queue to see a receptionist who was handing out appointments for about 3 weeks time, the phone was ringing off the hook, the receptionist didn’t speak English and was rude and the screening for Ebola before you could make an appointment slowed everything down even further. There are notices in all medical places now that you are not allowed to enter if you have flu or ebola symptoms and to contact an appropriate medical practitioner, but who that is they do not say.
Our neighbour over Christmas was hospitalised with a chest infection because there were no doctors available to address it before it was life threatening.
OK rant over.”
It’s coming to this here too!
Enjoy!
Its time to re-name Scottish NHS, before it is lumped in with the rest and sold for American privatisation. Right now would be the time to do it, thus highlighting the difference and advertising it to the general public, and not a good idea for Labour to oppose it.
I don’t see us getting independence for at least five years, sad but I think realistic. In that time our budget will have been cut by about £1 bn a year cumulatively a min of 10% per annum in reality higher as we are billed for what we don’t spend. We will have to manage on that budget and it will cause great pain. We are going to have to be very clever to hold onto all we have and o so super efficient. We can and will make political capital out of the pain but it would be best if we use this time to create a shining beacon of lean efficient public provision. It will not be pleasant nor easy but we are being given a sows ear we can rail against it or get working on a silk purse.
It also has the great advantage of changing the dynamics of the economic argument, for you can be sure that when the austerity is over it will be business as usual except we will continue to provide our taxes to a much reduced state, in short the southerly flow of money will have increased. The economic case for Indy will be unequivocally made and we will have a very efficient government ready and waiting to relieve a very angry nation of its imperial masters.
Ps I strongly suggest that we limit corporate lobbying now whilst the msps have no trough to surrender, as I feel that it is the corporate lobby that has subsumed democracy in Westminster for fiscal advantage. ( one good labour idea arg )
A wee poll…
http://scottishnews.info/poll-abolish-monarchy/
Some interesting stuff here…
http://may2015.com/ideas/we-now-trust-trade-unionists-and-civil-servants-twice-as-much-as-politicians/
Macart @ 8.41 is right.
Murphy is relishing the massive publicity and couldn’t care less about the facts as he was an enthusiastic cheerleader for the invasion of Iraq and he will lie to fool the public.
On GMS this morning Gary Roberston cut off Ruth Davidson when she was putting the boot into Murphy.
The unctuous North British branch manager is on GMS to-morrow as Labour is getting the last word of the party leaders in Scotland as BBC is playing the Westminster numbers game over the next 120 days.
I will wait to see if he is challenged on fact that the austerity cuts will take much more from Scottish budget than his £250 million for Nurses.
Challenged on fact that he lied about Labour voting for Free School Meals at Holyrood.
Challenged on fact that despite Scotland voting Labour in 2010 we got a Tory Westminster government as Labour refused to enter into a progressive coalition with SNP and others that would have had a working majority yet in 2012 Labour formed several coalitions with Tories in local government.
Challenged on his support for Student tuition fees and membership of the Henry Jackson Society.
Any other suggestions wingers?
@Ken500
Ken, I’ve been reading your posts for quite a while now and it’s obvious that you have done a lot of work on Scotland’s actual financial situation.
Unfortunately, because of the way my brain works, I’m not able to take in the information you have at your fingertips when it’s written out the way you usually do. I think I’m a visual learner, so charts and graphs are necessary for me when it comes to figures, although I do get concepts okay from the written word.
So I’d like to suggest that you put your information together in a different way, perhaps like what I saw on Twitter a couple of days ago, with a map of Britain and a big arrow from Scotland showing the total tax raised then arrows from London to Scotland showing the Block Grant and the additional amounts allocated to Scotland and where it comes from, ie, additional borrowings.
I think you have a lot more detail available than was shown by that graphic and I’d like to see it all put together in a chart or table or graph. If you submitted this to the Rev as an article, even better.
Starlaw
Utterly agree with you it is imperative that our unique institutions are not tarred by failing rUK ones. It allows the MSM to obfuscate with ease. Or just plain lie.
The thing is, jim murphy and labour don’t have to be in any way competent. They have the bulk of the media in scotland, especially the BBC to paint lipstick on the pig.
Criticisms of jim murphy’s links to Israel will be labelled personal attacks and will vilify the SNP. It’s hard to know how to play it, even though the guy is a fraud.
It’s good to point out the folly here people, but remember – don’t fall into Murphy’s trap of making it all about him. This pledge has the stink of McTernan about it, and the fee school meals blunders came from Iain Grey.
Don’t give Murphy what he wants by getting personal. He’s nor worth it.
@Ronnie Anderson. Thanks. Facebook is something I have no experience of. We live and learn. 🙂
Murphy will say or do anything if he thinks it will gain him popularity, which is what happens once you cast yourself adrift from any ideological basis for your political views.
Another Union Dividend.
I have a suggestion challenge them regarding the farce over abolishing the bedroom tax!
Anas sarwar was on STV screaming at Nicola Sturgeon to sign his petition, knowing full well it was toilet paper.
Nicola knew this and refused to sign her name to it, they then had the bare faced cheek not to turn up when the vote went to parliment?
With his recent nonsense, JM is clearly targeting the vulnerable pensioner Labour vote, and it makes perfect sense. It worked for BT in 2014, and the intention is to repeat the deception in 2015. This group votes en masse and believes the BBC and Daily Record. JM doesn’t give a stuff about the rest of us – we are already a lost cause, but he knows that he needs to hold on to enough OAPs to ensure that the SNP swing is held below the critical level. If he can reduce the SNP gains to 10 seats or less, then he can claim a great victory in May.
The SNP usually go for mass appeal, but this time they really need to counter JM’s targeting of the pensioners. JM has made his move – there are no surprises but he needs to be headed off at the pass. The SNP need to fight clever and neutralise the now familiar Red Tory tactic.
Watch out for a big increase in postal vote applications – not in itself evidence of dirty tricks, but a clear sign that the Red Tories are targeting the grey vote.
@macart, I agree. I was reading the Torygraph report of the nurses pledge, and the responses from Abbott, and it suddenly occurred to me that this is most likely a manufactured spat.
Lurch looks like he is fighting for the jocks, regardless of what anyone in London says. Abbott looks good, as she is fighting for her corner. Thus reinforcing two distinct parts of their party.
Boris, being the attack dog for Tory can always be relied on to come out frothing at any mention of the jocks.
@Brotyboy
Good article from your earlier link. Sad thing is BBC haven’t lost their way, they know exactly where they’re going
I agree with previous posters that the National needs to get tore into these liebore fantasies. Why don’t they question Spud Murphy about his ridiculous claims?
They really need to start imitating Rev.Stu’s style of journalism rather than their cosy preaching to the converted way of writing.
Someone more cynical than myself might start thinking that they are just telling us what we want to hear.
I submitted a wee complaint to the BBC about Murphy’s treatment on Scotland 2015. Aye, it’s a long shot, but you’ve got to try. Hopefully at some point the shame gets to some of the journalists and they try a wee bit harder. I filed the complaint under “interviewing standards” rather than “bias” because really, any politician who lies outright should be challenged, if only to keep their story straight. Here’s what I said:
“Jim Murphy claimed in his interview that Scottish Labour MSPs had voted in favour of universal free school meals. They did not and the party’s education spokesman had spoken earlier in the day against the policy. The interviewer did not challenge this assertion at all. Mr. Murphy also made a pledge to recruit 1000 additional nurses with the proceeds from the so-called “mansion tax,” but the interviewer failed to ask how this policy applied to a Westminster election when NHS spending in Scotland is allocated by the Scottish Government (currently the SNP), let alone how this money could possibly be hypothecated to Scottish nurses given the way the Barnett formula allocates money to the Scottish block grant. He was not even questioned about whether UK Labour supported the policy. Furthermore, Mr. Murphy asserted that he expected to hold all Labour’s Scottish seats at the General Election and perhaps win more. While this can easily be dismissed as campaign rhetoric, I would have expected a serious interviewer to challenge this more directly and perhaps ask if Mr. Murphy would resign as leader if he failed to achieve this goal, or even to ask what would happen if he lost his own seat and was thus ineligible to remain as leader of Labour in Scotland.
I do not necessarily regard this as biased interviewing, but to fail to challenge an outright lie, a nonsensical policy AND an apparently very unlikely aspiration in one interview looks like very poor journalism.”
I suggest that everyone sends complaints about everything on the BBC that bothers them when it comes to their poor coverage of Scottish politics. Sooner or later the complaint-handlers will have to do something if only to clear their own desks. A few thousand complaints every time Murphy lies and doesn’t get called out on it must surely have SOME impact. Right? RIGHT?! :-/
@ Valerie
Of course what Murphy is most counting on is a complete lack of intelligence amongst the Scottish electorate and the full compliant backing of the media. A pretty obvious tactic, but it has proven effective for Labour in the past. Using a truck to swat a fly as it were.
However, today’s Scottish electorate are a bit more clued up on politics than they were even two years ago. As long as we are aware of what the professional political class are capable of then whether this is an intentional ploy or not, it won’t affect our reasoning on the issue at hand.
As for the meeja? We took twenty points off the unionist lead in a two year period with absolutely zero aid from the massed ranks of the UK media. We did this through hard work and direct communication. Door to door and face to face. They have zero control over this. We keep our communication going and it will build on the numbers achieved during the referendum. 😉
Murphy on GMS tomorrow (Thursday) according to BBC. Hope he gets the same treatment, with interruptions, that Sturgeon and Ruthie got.
Agree with Brotyboy at 9.17 regarding Ken500 at 7.39.
A lot on information there but I too seem to read it and not be able to assimilate it coherently. A graphic would help. Importantly, if it is done well it could be used as a downloadable graphic for the coming election. Perhaps Ken could think about an article or alternatively maybe the info could find its way to Indyposterboy who has done a lot of images pre-ref and post. He is linked to above, on the links bar at the top of the page
Tick Tock. How long until Murphy gets told to get back on message by London Labour. The guy is now claiming that London benefits from oil revenues. But during the referendum he said the opposite about oil. Oh aye it’s about pulling and sharing resources. You have all our oil and we will have 1000 extra nurses. Sounds like a fair deal! Not!
News is very frustrating, all about the crisis with A&E at hospitals. They keep saying they don’t know the cause
The neo-liberal process is always the same:
1. Reduce funding by dribs and drabs.
2. Wait for its effect to cause public anger.
3. Agree the system/institution could be run better.
4. Stimulate fatuous debate in the press and media.
5. Ensure the public think lack of money is the cause.
6. Encourage the public to refuse tax rises as solution.
7. Suggest a degree of privatisation is the answer.
8. Pass a bill to privatise profitable part of the system.
9. Add expensive quango to ‘oversee’ standards of private section.
10. Deny the combined costs of a large no cost grant to the private company, together with running a quango, are as much or more as would have been provided by NOT withdrawing funds in the first place.
Objective achieved – privatisation of a once publically owned system, democratic rights over it all but lost.
The collateral damage is, we all pay to use the system that was once free, hence we end up paying a new tax.
Neo-cons 1 – social democrats 0
I would like the Scottish Government to challenge each and every print and broadcast lie.
Challenge the Editor of any publication to print retractions of lies and inaccuracies – every time.
Let none of them away with anything. not so much as a misunderstanding.
I exchanged Scottish banknotes – of varying colours! – about 4 times in Lanzarote in November. The variety got a few laughs, and the fact I was Scottish brought a good bit of friendly banter. No hint of a problem at all. Great interest in our indyref as the Catalonia ‘vote’ was going on. I refuse to deliberately take BoE notes out of principle.
O/T but Alex starts a series of interviews in tomorrows Press & Journal (Aberdeenshire news!!). I don’t buy the rag for obvious reasons but interested to see what the main man has to say. What shall I do!!!
@ Kenny 10.39am.
Well done, Kenny, your attitude is spot on.
We need to inundate the BBC with genuine complaints and concerns each and every single time.
And despite what some may say, it is effective if enough of us do it often enough.
And you do not need a licence to make an online complaint.
Sooner or later, when their system starts getting bogged down under the volume of complaints backsides start getting booted.
BBC Scotland MUST be exposed for what it truly is – a Slabber mouthpiece infested to its very core with Slabberites.
@Gods Country
I thought it will be in Dundee Courier.
@Gods Country
I thought it will be in Dundee Courier.
I wish people would lay off The National, it’s a NEWSpaper not a political blog. We want our voice heard and this paper is our only voice in the MSM. This means that unionist politicians can be brought to task publicly. some of you folks won’t buy it because of who’s face is on the front page….come on! I have bought two copies from day one, leaving them on the mess room tables at work. I think it has steadily improved every week and today’s copy is excellent. Wednesday sees a new section for links to YES blogs with extracts printed from WGD, Scot goes Pop, Missy M etc. Too many people too quick to condemn. The National is a fantastic new paper and I couldn’t care less who owns it.
Grouse Beater, you would think the General Public would understand what is going on, this is what has been done to every item they have privatised. Is anything better, of course not. Just had a conversation with my husband about the good old days when most things worked, well at least weren’t creaking. Remember when you went to the doctor, sat in the surgery to be taken. Well when you think back there were several surgeries in an area all with patients. Now we have the Medical Centres which do not even have the number of Doctors who used to service an area, no wonder you have to wait ages for an non urgent appointment. Does anyone actually believe the Health Service will be better for Privatisation, of course not, look at the energy companies, the railways, the telephone service. I am not advocating that everything needs to be in Public Hands but so much needs to be. I would never suggest that we do not have businesses, but essentials need to be kept for the public good.
Well said snode1965
YES lay off The National, it is not Pravda but will be as near the truth as is fair unlike most of unionist newspapers such as Express, Mail,Telegraph etc
With regard to Murphy and his 1,000 nurses. I have two scenario’s in mind for him. He wants to ensure that he is seen as fighting for Scotland, but he is also fighting to keep Miliband out of Government, he wants to pay Miliband back because that is surely what will happen if Miliband even concedes that he is right. The Southern English want nothing to do with us whinging Jock and would vote Tory or Ukip to do all in their power to keep the Tory Party in.
or Murphy has changed his little mind about the result of the Independence Referendum in the light that he will never be PM but he can become FM in Scotland, therefore the power in Labour in Scotland.
I could be very wrong, he might just be bitching.
Calgacus says:
7 January, 2015 at 10:39 am
I agree with previous posters that the National needs to get tore into these liebore fantasies. Why don’t they question Spud Murphy about his ridiculous claims?
They really need to start imitating Rev.Stu’s style of journalism rather than their cosy preaching to the converted way of writing.
Someone more cynical than myself might start thinking that they are just telling us what we want to hear.
===========================================
I would be very surprised if Murphy or any of the rest labour ppl would agree to be interviewed by the National.
I wonder how many non-indy supporters actually read the National?
Those slagging the National are asking a newspaper to do the very thing they don’t use MSM!
FFS guys, this is the only daily we have, there is a GE, they have to win No voters.
Who are you working for? Can’t you resist printing your undermining thoughts?
Jim Murphy- Labour voting readers of this website may think we are all running scared of Murphy, but we actually think he is great news for the SNP GE2015 campaign.
Murph’s wheeze about pooling and sharing Mansion tax revenues is covered well in today’s The National editorial, which headlines,
“Murphy row proves once again that Labour just does not get devolution”
They have a go at Murphy’s message which has drawn criticism from UK MPs and say “..Labour has to first resolve the dysfunctional relationship within the party.”
For me that is EXACTLY the problem with Labour. They are all ego maniacs vying for position and Murphy’s antics have unintended consequences in that this dysfunctional behaviour plays right into the SNP’s hands:
Murphy is trying to show he is the big brave Jock standing up for Scotland, but it has exposed that UK London Labour comrades are not having any of this pooling and sharing nonsense. They are divided on how the Mansion Tax revenues should be distributed, and I can forecast with some certainty that post GE2015 Scottish Labour MP’s would lose, and so too would Scotland. On the other hand the SNP message is
“Scotland only wins when the SNP wins.
The stronger we are, the louder Scotland’s voice will be and the greater influence this nation will have.”
So thanks Jim Murphy (soon to be former MP), for giving the SNP a new line of attack-
The Labour Party can’t even agree amongst themselves about what is the best deal for Scotland, so why should the Scottish electorate trust them?
@Grouse Beeater – spot on mate.
The problem with the NHS is that it has been chronically under-funded since day 1.
Waiting lists, log jams, or whatever occur when demand exceeds supply. So when you reduce hospital beds and cut staff all that happens is a back up further down the line. If A&Es then bounce everything back to GPs then general practice (which is already struggling to meet demand) will simply grind to a halt instead.
The only solution is to increase capacity throughout the system.
If we want our health service to be up there with best that has to be paid for and the fairest way to pay for it is through central taxation – it’s that universalism thing again. But that requires politicians of all colours to be honest and say that taxes must go up. If they had true courage and could reach cross-party consesnus it would feel less like turkeys voting for Christmas.
But unless and until that happens the NHS is going to continue to struggle badly.
There was a poll online yesterday – #indyref Watch Report – it’s in an adobe format which I don’t know how to copy and haven’t gone through carefully yet and I’m not a polling expert so I can’t verify the accuracy of it, but it did make the point that there were several reasons/concerns folk had about independence and BT concentrated on CU, economics and the EU.
In other words they set the agenda and the Yes campaign spent most of the time following and refuting the stories that they ran with, so a lot of other issues which we could have capitalised on fell by the wayside.
BT owned the MSM/BBC, Yes owned on-line media, so what I think’s happening here is that the Murphy team – MacDougall, McTernan, etc are setting the agenda and we are following and refuting.
They are now getting too much time spent on them on-line now and I think this is deliberate.
They make the most outrageous statements, like the ‘austerity fund’, which is guaranteed to raise hackles and is therefore professional trolling.
This is to keep Murphy’s name in the media until May and I don’t know what the best way is to deal with this.
You are quite right Valerie, we should stop slagging of the National, okay it is not perfect but it is the best we have.
We need a newspaper which tells the truth, which investigates just like Stu does, but give it time. What we do not need is a compliant media because how do you think Labour in Scotland got in the mess it is in.
The National is not vigorous enough, nor contemporary enough in its analysis or presentation.
It’s too reverential, too establishment respectable. There is a sense of slippers and pipes about it.
But above all, it is not anarchic in tone, able to tilt at injustice and stupidy swiftly and fearlessly, and with a great degree of wit and satire.
No point in bringing a feather duster to a revolution.
Valerie says:
“Who are you working for? Can’t you resist printing your undermining thoughts?”
OK, nae bother, we’ll just shut our mouths and keep our thoughts to ourselves while you get to say whatever you like, nae bother!
Aye, right!
For me personally, its not hard-hitting enough, OK, and i have my doubts about it, OK, and no amount of gestapo tactics is going to prevent me from voicing those concerns or opinions.
To suggest we keep our thoughts to ourselves, because they conflict with yours is both arrogant and dictatorial.
We are entitled to our opinions, just as much as you.
Surely Gary Robertson of BBC Scotland GMS, must open his questioning of Murphy tomorrow morning with,
“In the run up to the 2010 GE you asked the Scottish electorate to vote for the Labour Party to keep out the Tories. The majority of Scots done what you said and voted for the Labour Party, yet they STILL ended up with a Tory led Westminster Government. Why will it be different this time round Mr Murphy.”
Aye Grouse Beater but it is all we have right now. I just wonder who we want this to aim at. Us the decided or them the undecided. I can get everything I need on here and all over the net. What about the person not so able, would you want them not to read the National?
Who voted in their thousands, the elderly, do you want them to continue reading the Daily Retard or would you like them to pick up a National?
The National had a section in it today on Bella, Wings, Scot goes pop, WGD. So pointing readers in thats direction.
@stoker you miss the point surely? Is that deliberate? Unionists must be wetting themselves in mirth at this bitchfest on a pro Indy site, about our only daily that declares itself pro Indy – job done.
You don’t have to write down every random nasty thought passing through, or perhaps you do. The point of intelligence is surely using it to discern when a comment harms our cause?
There is an email address readily available to contact the National, they invite input.
Ever think the National are just trying to report balanced, and that’s something we don’t have otherwise. You don’t think today’s front page is unique among the MSM front pages
Hatred is an ugly thing that blinds you to other subtle approaches.
I have never read a piece by the Rev. That gets tore in, he uses all the evidence, and presents it.
You may not like the National, but what would be you motivation in putting anyone off reading the only daily who is trying?
@Macart says:6 January, 2015 at 12:35 pm:
” … I honestly don’t know who is the more contemptible, the media or the Labour party.”
I came to the Fife village of Kelty from Edinburgh at a time when Kelty was still a very close knit, mainly mining, community. I was born on a farm and never really liked life in the city. One night in the local, (No.1 Goth), I was chatting with an old miner. The conversation went like this : –
Me: “Whit A’h like maist aboot Kelty is hoo a’biddy kens a’biddy else”
Auld Miner: “Ach! Boab, yon’s jist kis in Kelty a’biddy’s erse-hole connectit tae a’biddy else”.
For those not familiar with the Lallan’s Leid an, “erse-hole connection”, simply means related to.
So there you have the truth, Macart, There are far too many erse-hole connections between the Labour Party and BBC Scotland. You must also understand that both lots are just Scottish Branch Offices of their London Head Offices.
The National is subject to the Official Secret’s Act, the same as everyone in Britain. Westminster Secrecy and lies to cover up Westminster crimes. Only a vote for SNP/Alliance can change it.
Chicott verdict delayed until after GE. Transfer of useless powers delayed until after the GE.
When first released it was quite difficult to find a copy of The National in Cumbernauld. Had to skoot round the corner shops to get one. Today I walked into Tesco and front and centre are two piles of The National. The only other papers that gain two piles are The Sun and The Rectum. We are a growing positive populist movement, for all you dissentient voices please stand aside we’re coming through. 🙂
As regards criticism of The National – some people will never be satisfied.
At least at last we have a paper which supports Independence.
Starting from scratch with minimum resources it has done remarkably well and as it gains more resources it is improving.
However, can I make the following suggestions:-
As both The National and The Herald are both owned by Newsquest why can’t they give the Editor of The National access to all the content of The Herald so that the paper can be expanded to to include Features, Sport, Business, Entertainment & TV Listings and stuff like Sudoku.
In addition include all the Display and Classified Advertising from The Herald which would allow Newsquest to bump up their Ad Fees with the additional circulation.
In effect create the equivalent of the difference between the London and Scottish Editions of the UK blats with The Herald continuing with their Unionist stance and the likes of the Gardham rubbish while the National would contain its own editorial and other political content as now plus selected content from all of Newsquest’s publications including the likes of Rab McNeill’s words of wisdom.
One problem would be the difference in cover costs – perhaps the cover price of The Herald could be reduced and that of The National increased to meet somewhere in the middle.
It would cost Newsquest precisely nothing to give The National access to Herald copy.
If the above were to be carried out it would be interesting to see the comparative circulations of the 2 papers.
Grouse Beater, first time I’m disappointed in your comments. How can the National perform like WoS, when it operates within the MSM? If we weren’t fighting the might of the Establishment, then sure, there would be funders lining up to use the amazing Indy talented writers, who have to write on blogs.
The National have put their head above the parapet, they are giving a platform to recognised Indy writers, they are publicising Indy blogs!!! Now they aren’t good enough cos we need blood and guts, cos that will really draw in the No voters.
Buy Alex Salmond’s book, instead of the newspaper instalments. At least the money will go to a good cause. Independence.
All this The National talk…has it ever declaqred its anti Unionist parties?
If not why are folk expecting it to go after Scottish Labour?
Theres a difference between supporting Independence and supporting the SNP.
Your post would be a lot more helpful if it dealt with substantive points rather than nit-picking, often wrongly. Like missing the preposition “like” in Iain Gray’s press release.
The important point is that, under the SNP government, between September 2009 and June 2012, the number of nursing and midwifery staff in post in NHS Scotland fell by more than 2,240 whole time equivalent (WTE) posts – a cut of more than 3.8 per cent. Mr Murphy’s pledge was to reverse that trend.
The Herald, National is ‘loss leading’. Newsquest’s profits are made for UK Gov printing contracts and contracts printing literature for private education, worldwide.
Scotsman is also part of a printing company, with £300million in reconstructed debts, it prints Labour Party literature.
Herald/Scotsman print exactly the same ‘news’, always have the same exactly the sam headlines. Regurgitated news.
@Valerie 11.54, agree we should support the National, it’s a lone voice and all we have at this present time. If some of the no voters do read it all the better. I reckon it’s reasonably balanced and a good editorial today about Lurch
@Liz 12.10, I agree with you Liz, I’ve said it on here before. To much Murphy, it place right into his barra as they say. He just loves all the publicity drummed up online as well as in MSM and EBC. We know that neither of them will challenge or ask him a hard question. SLAB will always get an easy ride. So lets stop playing his game, please.
And @stoker, you might have a view the National is not fir you, but to describe my post ‘Gestapo tactics’???
Where have we heard that before?
I put forward my view as to why it seems madness to me to undermine the only daily we have, and on a pro Indy site.
Phil Robertson says, Your post would be a lot more helpful if it dealt with substantive points rather than nit-picking, often wrongly.
if you’re right Phil, why is there a drop in Sco0ts NHS staff like this? Oh yes, Scotland gets a block grant and that’s it right Phil. Murphy’s a conman. Labour in Scotland is UKOK fraud just like the BBC.
Agree the Nation isn’t as hard hitting as a lot of us would like but it has contained a lot of solid pro indy content and i feel we should be supporting it.
If it dies we will have lost the only hard copy news on our side.
Buy the National!
How else are we going to influence the news stands at the moment?
‘National’ not ‘nation’ obviously :/
Where’s Katie Hopkins when you need her with a
“Sponging Jocks using Mansion Tax to pay for nurses to treat Sweaty Jocks” tweet..
I can see how Jim may be manufacturing a wee internal tiff to show he’s no-ones lackie.
They may end up with a few extra votes in Scotland (people with half a brain who never actually question politicians half arsed ‘Vows’ & ‘Pledges’)
It does play into the hands of Labour opposition down souf. Labour will loose votes in key seats in the South East, and other parts in England.
This would cost them the GE and the Tories end up in power (possibly sharing a pint with Nige).
So is Ed happy to gain a few extra Votes in Scotland (knowing they are going to loose a huge amount of seats) all for wiping out any chance in the south east of England-shire.
For all of Jim’s bravado, what he has done will not go down well with some in the Labour Mother Ship. (cut to clip of Labour Red Death Star) – of just BBC News.. same thing.
On the BBC, I’m sure that folk in England check what the media up here are saying. The BBC spouting undying Love and Admiration for the Labour Party. Surely that must backfire for the Labour Party in some respect. No?
Right. lunch time musings/rant over. Best clock back in.
a poll
80% of YES supporters voting for SNP G/E 2015
a solid base of 35.76%
I think the National is excellent, it has to appeal to the population as a whole and reaches the parts that Alex Salmond’s book is never going to reach. There’s little point in endless preaching to the converted, it’s a waste of resources. That said, if you don’t like it don’t buy it, there’s no argument in matters of taste, end-of.
ASDA in Falkirk yesterday had no copies of the National on display? sold out or not stocked, no idea, just passing through the place and looked for a paper.
The National is all we have got. So get over it. When Stu doesn’t post very much people on here start getting at each other! Why is that? The Ex Labour voters on here don’t like voting for the SNP. It’s hard for them but they have to see the end game. More powers, Devo Max then Independence. The GE is the last chance for a while to gain a majority of SNP MPs to speak up for Scotland at Westminster.
The same thing is happening on Facebook. I think that there is a concerted effort by Unionists to infiltrate Indy sites. So beware! They will stop at nothing to keep a subsidised, not worth much Scotland! Ha!
Daily Rectum trawling on twitter for folk who have cancelled operations in Scotland. Told them that actually, my dad went in early today for his cataract op, but that would be of little use for SLab @ FMQs lol.
Flower of Scotland says:
7 January, 2015 at 1:40 pm
The National is all we have got. So get over it.
Its perfectly legitimate to debate the National as a newspaper. Its perfectly legitimate to debate anything. The fact is Scotland wants devo-max and didn’t get it. This is all a big test for teamGB democracy and how hard UKOK red and blue tory unionism wants to prevent it.
I buy the National to support it, in the hope that it will persuade others to the cause, not because I need to see those I despise eviscerated.
I read Wings and other pro Indy Blogs because they are doing excellent forensic work, in comparing, contrasting and therefore exposing the hypocrisy of certain politicians, the UK govt. etc.
All of this only cements my resolve, and helps me to try and persuade others by using the evidence.
The National was never conceived for the likes of me, but as a counter to the huge pro Union press, and yes perhaps to keep soft Yessrs on side, but surely also to help the No voter to start thinking independently, from the mush they are fed?
When I wished The Rev. a Happy Xmas, I said, with sincerety, is that his gift is to help others to “see”, to seek other views, to start to analyse and compare. He does not seek to write with prejudice (that is how I read his pieces) and you arrive at your own “feelings”.
@KenC says: 6 January, 2015 at 2:10 pm:
” … Livid at this treatment, the person demanded to know why his Scottish notes were being refused. He was told an order had come through in October to only accept English notes.”
Just a wee note here, KenC, (Pun Intended), there are actually no such banknotes as, “English”, banknotes. The Bank of England, was nationalised by the United Kingdom in 1949. That means all banknotes, (which are legally actually Promissory Notes, (i.e. IOUs), that promise to pay the bearer on demand at their head office in Pounds Sterling and Pounds Sterling is the currency of the United Kingdom. It is also an international trading currency and thus is legally usable by anyone who wishes to do so.
Now didn’t I notice that the Scots voted to remain part of the United Kingdom in the referendum? So correct me if I’m wrong but is it not thus against EU law to discriminate against any EU citizens? As citizens of the United Kingdom we Scots bear both UK and EU citizenship and that involves the European Courts of Justice.
How about we take an EU court class-action against any other EU person refusing to accept the Scottish Banknotes? Now if that means the UK government are complicit or even the instigators of the discrimination I’m sure the EU Parliament will be only too glad to shove the blame upon the Westminster Establishment.
heedtracker says:
7 January, 2015 at 1:18 pm
Phil Robertson says, Your post would be a lot more helpful if it dealt with substantive points rather than nit-picking, often wrongly.
if you’re right Phil, why is there a drop in Sco0ts NHS staff like this?
Sorry some people do not get it. The Barnett Formula exists to create confusion. The UK Gov maintains it cannot collect separate figures. A click on a computer.
The figures also vary from year to year as well.
Scotland raises £53Billion in taxes (Scottish Gov official website)
The UK raise £490Billion in taxes (UK Gov official website)
Subtract £53Billion from £490Billion (Scotland 5.2Million raises more tax than the rest of the UK 57million people raising £437Billion (pro rata) ie divide £437Billion by 57 million (people) Divide £53Billion by 5.2million (people) to get the average.
Scotland doesn’t get to keep the £53Billion but gets £28Billion + £15Billion? back in (UK) pension/welfare benefits = £43Billion A diffence of £10Billion Scotland would also need to pay Defence £3.5Bilkion + Admin £1.5Billion. = a difference of £5Billion.
Westminster borrows and spends £100Billion more in the rest of the UK, which Scotland doesn’t get -( but get lumbered with £4Billion repayments)
Westminster put up Oil tax in 2011 Budget. A wrong move which has cost Scotland £4Billion a year in lost revenues. The Oil companies stopped exploration, cutting production.
Scotland also loses revenues through tax paid through London companies HQ’s for commercial activities in Scotland tax evasion through London City HQ’s Whisky Companies tax evade.
The accounts the UK submit for Scotland are fraudulent. They state that Scotland raises £53Billion and Scotland spends £65Billion. That is not the case.They just lump £10Billion (a )proportion of the rest of the UK borrows and spends (£100Billion) on to Scotland. The real Scotland deficit is £2Billion. £53Billion – Scotland spends £55Billion in reality.
Thev £2Billion deficit could easily be offset by a tax on ‘loss leading’ alcohol, would raise £1.5Billion. Cut Trident/illegal wars spend – £1.5Billion. Cut the Oil revenue tax increased (11% – £2Billion in 2011) production worth £4Billion. = £7Billion Scotland would be in credit £5Billion from different spending policies. + £5Billion (difference between £53 raised £48Billion spent)
= £10Billion + taxes not accounted for or tax evaded which are going through Companies’ London HQ’s for commercial activities in Scotland.
Scotland raises more (pro rata) than the rest of the UK, but also loses revenues because of Westminster spending economic policies in Scotland. Scotland raises more and spends less but the balance goes to Westminster, which leaves Scotland (pro rata) worse off. Scotland should be better off but ends up worse off because of Westminster fiscal policies. Historically this has been going on since before 1928 because Westminster lied and secretly covered up the figures and said Scotland was subsidised. This was untrue.
Rev Stu has all the information documented previously. Check it out.
“heedtracker says:
7 January, 2015 at 1:18 pm
if you’re right Phil, why is there a drop in Sco0ts NHS staff like this? ”
Surely you know that the NHS in Scotland is the responsibility of Holyrood rather than Westminster. So the answer to your question is that it is SNP policy. It’s part of a wider trend. In Q3 2014, there were 541,900 people employed in the public sector in Scotland, a decrease of 37,900 (6.5%) in a year. Also the lowest number since records began. Again it’s the result of an SNP government in action.
I will continue to buy the National come hell or high water.It supports independence ,but is moderate in tone.What else would it be with a good editor?. It is currently primarily aimed at those who support independence,but may grow in time to encompass those of an opposing view.Therefore given it is purchased by primarily independence supporters at this time,why does it need to be bombastic? It already has willing audience if you get my point.
@Phil Robertson
Once again Phil you are being very selective in your choice of date periods.
The fact is that in Sept 2007 there were 57,050 Nursing & Midwifery staff and as of Sept 2014 there are 58,407.
An increase since the SNP came to power of 1,357 overall.
http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Workforce/Nursing-and-Midwifery/
heres another Indy Publication that needs our help in Funding
http://www.iscot.scot/ & our own Kendomacaroonbars on that team ( Ken Mc Donald).
Thanks for the Dec/Jan issue Ken very good read,see you soon.
C mon Wingers if you have a spare couple of ££ donate to iScot.
@ Valerie,
No, Valerie, it is you who is missing the point.
Look back through this thread and you will clearly see that those of us who criticise The National are doing just that, criticising The National. And those who are criticising us are doing just that, directly criticising us for daring to have a different opinion from theirs. I haven’t seen one single criticism of any individual just because they’re a reader of The National.
You use the term ‘bitchfest’ which i feel is a bit over-dramatic but i understand what you’re getting at. However, the only people who are turning this into a ‘bitchfest’ are those who are directly having a go at us individuals for expressing our opinions and concerns. You could have disagreed with our criticism rather than what came across more as an attack on the individuals for expressing a view.
You say;
“You don’t have to write down every random nasty thought”
There you go again!
Over-dramatic bull. What’s “nasty” about any of the criticism leveled at The National? And who are you to say they’re “random”
thoughts? My reasons for having concerns are very legitimate and thought out.
You say;
“You don’t think today’s front page is unique among the MSM front pages.”
Oh it probably is, but tell me Valerie, tell me about the accompanying article, does it do a hatchet job on Murphy, does it expose him for the liar that he is – just like the Rev has done – or does it follow the Unionist media line in reporting what a “ding-dong” big Jim has created? What line has it taken, i honestly don’t know but would be very interested to learn.
Has it done a hatchet job on Murphy’s recent 1000+ bullsheet and exposed him for the liar that he is – the way the Rev has successfully done, or has it went along a different route? Again, i don’t really know but would love to learn of its line on these matters.
And finally you say:
” what would be you motivation in putting anyone off reading the only daily who is trying?”
My only motivation is to question and i’m certainly not going to have my concerns and opinions silenced until The National reassures those concerns.
The difference is, Valerie, people like you need a paper on your table in the morning, i don’t. And i’m probably far more sceptical by nature than you so it stands to reason that we’ll have conflicting opinions on this topic.
We will just have to agree to disagree or challenge each others opinions rather than attacking each other.
After-all, we share the same journey to the same destination.
😉
In Sept 2012 there were 56,263, since then the increase has been 2,144.
What was your point again?
I caught the hin end of a report by Douglas Frazer yesterday in front of a graph on Oil 16$to4$ a barrel of crude, did anybody see that,i cant find it on Iplayer.Bbc scot news.
@Robert Peffers
I understand that this Refused Banknotes story can be filed under “PishTalk”.
My favourite experience commuting in London was shopping in Sainburys and teller asking his colleague “Do we take these” while showing her my offered Scottish £20 note.
His colleague replied “Yes!, You were off that day in training!”
Phil Robertson
How did you find out that SNP plan to re hire 1240 nurses, why did they tell Jim and how are they paying for it?
Pertinent questions. I fear you may not actually know the answers.
BBC Scotland online has a healdine on main Scotland Page Sturgeon to double MND nurse numbers.. (just clicked back and it not there now.. It was the third story down.. now self immolation story)
Anyway – Surely the Headline should be
Jim Murphy Vows & Pledges to Quadrouple MND Nurses numbers
Queue FanFare and Roly Poly Tap Dance Routine.
“Ken500
The £2Billion deficit could easily be offset by a tax on ‘loss leading’ alcohol, would raise £1.5Billion.”
As ever the arithmetic on this site is fascinating. Alcohol duty accounts for 2% of the tax take. So, for Scotland, the figure is around £1B. Are you suggesting more than doubling the tax on all alcohol, never mind the “loss-leading” variety?
@Manandboy
Fantastic post. Well said.
@Ken500
And a brilliant post from you. Quality.
@no no no yes
Nail on the head mate.
The National..Went to get one yesterday in my local Morrisons and there was an elderly fella covering them up with copies of the Sun..Ya gotta laugh.. I uncovered them as he moved away…However..
it’s still new and finding it’s level, it will need a little time to evolve, and it’s still on the cheap as yet, hopefully it will ease it’s way in to the NO voters by osmosis with time, better with it than without it i think. If you want something that hits hard then the NOs wont even consider looking at it just like the old Gent in Morrisons
I am an Insturgeont…
I only need to think back to life without The National to remember why I made a personal commitment to buy it.
I knew then, as now, that it wasn’t perfect, and that it never would be. But as I don’t know anything or anyone who is perfect, that doesn’t bother me in the slightest.
I heard the Editor, Richard Walker, speak at the Hydro, during Nicola’s gig there, and he had something about him. I like him.
The National is on my side, the side of Independence.
To me, that’s all that matters.
Not taking sides on the row here but i got a row for having a row last week and was even threatened with action from Paula Rose that was enough for me so i stopped having a row..
I do know one thing, everybody’s opinion is correct, that’s why it’s called an opinion, not that i’m looking for a row
Attempt at comedy there..
@ ronnie,
Its not iplayer but is this any good to you?
https://archive.today/PG09U
OT I just saw this on radio newsboard “Radio Today”. OFCOM have found a London community station in breach of their licence because one programme showed bias in favour of Scottish Independence. Apparently there was ONE complaint.
Yes ONE complaint. Ummmm how many complaints about bias the other way were made here in Scotland? Rather than a complaint being referred it to OFCOM the BBC has its own investigation procedures. Its REALLY effective too isn’t it. The BBC fair, reasonable and completely unpatronising responses show true respect for its licence payers. That’s why I’m an EX licence payer.
I’m not sure if the Radio Today article can only be viewed by subscribers. I can post the text here if anyone wishes
bookie from hell says:
a poll
80% of YES supporters voting for SNP G/E 2015
a solid base of 35.76%
I am surprised it’s not 100% but there you go! Yes a solid base and add at least 10% who vote SNP at Holyrood for different reasons. 45% is a modest estimate of the vote. That’s landslide time for the SNP!
Dr Jim 2:39pm Re The National
“hopefully it will ease it’s way in to the NO voters by osmosis with time,”
We all have to play our part in spreading the word about The National and the High Street stalls and canvassing present great opportunities.
@stoker, pity you are making so many assumptions in your diatribe.
I haven’t bought a newspaper in years until the Sunday Herald declared for Indy.
Read back the thread, just to satisfy the interests of accuracy, I didn’t even address you, my first comment was a general plea. I used your name when you addressed me directly, and mentioned ‘Gestapo tactics’ in that post. Who is attacking who?
We might both support independence, but given that commonality, why would you use such emotive unionist language and then call me dramatic?
Having read your diatribe, we have very little in common, so I will leave it there, and thank other readers who are showing their support for the National.
I don’t need a newspaper on my desk every day, having given up the disgusting habit years ago. But I’ll buy The National every day, and also the Sunday Herald at the weekend.
One simple question for the doubters – Is the campaign better placed with or without The National?
Just buy it. If you don’t like it give it to someone who might. Or when we get our chance again don’t moan that all there is the Record and the Sun and the other rags.
Or try writing a letter to the editor; I’m sure he’s open to suggestions, might even print it. Just stop the fucking griping, please.
I buy The National and often go out of my life to leave it somewhere in public (where I am that day).
Pubs, cafes, inside the inflight entertainment section on a flight.
I support the paper because it supports independence. It even says that on it’s front page. Independence is normalised. I was reading it on a train a few days ago and noticed someone was staring over at me a few times, his phone then went and sounded like he was a councillor for a local council, and not an SNP one.
Also, had someone say ”On yerself, son” when reading it in public.
Murphy and his 1000 extra nurses is just a calculated stunt to show Murph in braveheart mode. Diane Abbot’s faux indignation is all part of the their ploy. She was singing the praises of St Jim on Andrew Neil’s This Week programme before Christmas.
In the run up to the GE, Labour are targeting the Health Service and trying to promote Murph as Labour’s hard man in the Scottish Branch Office standing up to Westminster. Despite the fact that health is devolved to Holyrood ,his party don’t form the Scottish Govt and Murph is’nt even in the Holyrood Parliament.
That does’nt bother Labour as its headlines in the MSM that they are after.
Expect much more of this in the run up to the election.
I travel on buses five days a week and always buy The national to read on my journeys. Also, I always leave my finished copy on the bus. There’s always a chance it will be read by a No voter and will help change his or her mind.
Archie -I thought about that conspiracy theory as well. But part of me thinks the Labour party are not that clever. Who knows might all be part of the strategy. I certainly wouldn’t put it past them. Even if London Labour gave Jim a ticking off that might be taken as part of the strategy. They are pretty twisted and cynical!
Phil Robertson says
Surely you know that the NHS in Scotland is the responsibility of Holyrood rather than Westminster.
I do Phil but do you know what the block grant is? Majority of Scots want devo max Phil as you know and why?
So until Scottish economy is run by Scotland and NOT another country, that takes our money and resources and “gives” us back what they decide we deserve, there’s only UKOK debt, slave wages, ghastly housing, public employment cuts…
Granted devo max is also not what unionists like you want, its UKOK or nothing, but until it happens and it will happen, you’re merely playing around Phil.
Whats your problem with Scotland running Scotland anyway Phil?
too scared Phil?
@Archie, I saw that programme too. Neil has Diane Abbot on his show as a commenter quite often, and has said she doesn’t always agree with her party.
Abbot absolutely knew his name then, and said he was the man for the job. I suspect she was the woman for the job, as a better known, and televised MP, and suits her mayoral campaign to be shown sticking up for London.
It could be only £1Billion to be saved by a tax on ‘loss leading alcohol as Scotland now consumes 17% more, not the previous 25% more. So Scot Gov policies are working. The Scottish Gov has put £1/2Billion more into NHS to mitigate the effects of the cut in Barnett. That could be the monies offset by fall in consumption of alcohol.The Block Grant is being cut by £1.3Billion a year, since 2011 Budget.
The disasterous effects the increased taxes have had on the Oil industry by Westminster and the lack of Inquires into Health & Safety issues to cover up Westminster’s governance of the NS industry and how badly this affects Scotland and the Scottish economy.
Ach, ignore the greetin faces moaning on here about the National. It’s a good paper, and clearly supports independence, so we can either buy it, or let it die and hope one of the greetin faces raises several million in order to launch their own mass produced daily print newspaper, with circulation across Scotland from day one.
Valerie & Helen
I ought to have said I’ve stopped buying the “National” on a regular basis; I didn’t mean to imply I have rejected it.
Neverthless, I accept your joint rebukes.
We should support what little we have.
However, for me it’s all about standards. I view some newspapers as I do ‘art’ galleries of the hideously commercial type. There are some that would rot your brain instantly if you enter them, so bad is the art for sale.
I’ll wait awhile to re-buy regularly, but purchase when issues need some additional information.
@Robin Ross says: 6 January, 2015 at 5:34 pm:
” … This failure to consult is going to rile the Real Labour Party.”
Eh!
Whit!
Where on Earth did you get the daft idea that a, “Real Labour Party”, has existed anywhere in the United Kingdom over the last four or five decades?
Dianne Abbot forgot Jim Murphy’s name to make him look irrelevant in Labour, because?
@ John King,
“You theivin get, I wrote that over a year ago,
Or words to that effect.
ps its just as effin funny as it was then! :)”
Great minds think alike John, because I didn’t copy from anyone’s posts in my comment. 😉
Valerie says:
@stoker,
“Read back the thread, just to satisfy the interests of accuracy, I didn’t even address you,”
Yes you did!
Valerie says:
“Those slagging the National are…”
I was one of them, so, yes you did.
Not only did you attempt to silence those who don’t share your view on this matter, you also start insulting us with suggestions of being some kind of undercover Unionists when you say:
““Who are you working for?”
You may not say it but the insinuation is there
As i said, we are entitled to our opinions just as much as you.
You say:
“why would you use such emotive unionist language”
There you go again with the subtle insinuation.
I didn’t realise the language i used belonged to the Unionists!
Next time, try disagreeing with the opinion expressed instead of directly having a go at the individuals expressing those opinions – it might save any confusion or ill feeling etc.
It is not just the tax take on alcohol which would increase it is the benefits that falling consumption would bring, less depression, less accidents, less liver complains, less fights, less murders, less policing, less social problems, domestic violence, marriage break ups, less house/fires. All relate to higher consumption of alcohol. Statistics show a relationship to high alcoholic consumption to crime etc. Resulting in higher public spending.
I got booted off the Scotsman for thanking them for the daily dose of Mr Murphy. Ho hum.
@ Patrick Roden “You theivin get.
Patrick in defence of John King he doesent theiv, he just porlions fur ah wee bitty, & you must admitt he is witty wie the posts.Onnyhow its no theivin whit ah frien gits.lol
Thank you Grouse Beater! You have cheered me, as I’ve always felt you write good sense, here and on your Blog.
The analogy has been used before, that we need many different types and voices on this Indy bus, to get to our destination. We can go other routes once we have arrived, but we surely have to support this one and only Daily newspaper.
Like others, I often buy two, and leave one somewhere public, or I’ve even randomly put it through my neighbours door, just to hope that independence becomes something others will open up to.
@Alex Clark says: 6 January, 2015 at 6:21 pm:
“O/T I see Ed Miliband is aiming to achieve 4 million conversations in the UK before the election.
He’s just copying us, 360,000 should be in Scotland then, if you are privileged to hear one. Just say Nah!
Not bloomin’ likely, Alex. If they turn up at my door I’ll invite them in and may even make and giver them tea and biscuits, (and I’ll only have the gas at a peep to waste time). Then I’ll ask as many hard questions, interrupt them on the pretext of not understanding their points and drag out the interview as long as I can.
Ye see if they are drinking my tea, eating my biscuits and answering my daft questions then they are NOT talking to some numptie who is receptive, and daft enough, to believe a word they say.
@Ken C
Just spoken with a friend that works for a German bank. The story is false and the B of E has no authority what so ever over any German bank.
Friend said that the story should be treated as Scheisshausparolen.
I will let you work out the translation for yourselves.
@ Stocker 2.50 thanks Stocker I was just intereasted as to why $16/$4 a barrel was being mentioned by Frazer,but Scots seeing that would be frightened allbe it Scotland derives no direct revenue from Oil/Gas/Energy.
@Robert Peffers
Good point! Might invite them in myself now taking your lead.
Then say Nah Thanks!
@Ronnie Anderson, agree about iScot mag, It’s got articles by folk we know, Morag and WGD amongst others.
At £5/month, it’s a good buy.
Valerie & Helena
Thank you Grouse Beater! You have cheered me,
Great inspiration, that’s me, a lifter of low spirits, a tonic, a boost to well-being, and great to cuddle, but who cures the therapist of his blues?
For you and Helena…
‘Sex and the Single Girl’ – Grouse Beater on WordPress.
PS: Some lucky sod in Stirling has won the Lottery but failed to collect their winnings – eek! When was I last in Stirling?
@Valerie
I agree , it is also aimed at boosting MSM coverage of Diane Abbot’s campaign to be next London Mayor by attacking Murph’s call for Mansion Taxes , the majority of which would be raised in London to be spent on the devolved Scottish Health Service.
Marga says:
“I got booted off the Scotsman for thanking them for the daily dose of Mr Murphy. Ho hum.”
Marga, can’t stop laughing.
Have a look at my post from yesterday @ 5.05pm on this link.
http://wingsoverscotland.com/a-minor-detail/#comments
Maybe you should drop Stephen McGinty an email, ask him what he thinks.
🙂
heraldnomore
Well said, I have got out of the habit of reading a “Daily” paper but still get the National, most of the time I don’t bother reading it.
After all the foray, bought a ‘National’ just because.
@David Mooney says: 6 January, 2015 at 6:53 pm:
” … What a bunch of useless, incompetent twats the BBC journo’s are. As usual they entirely miss the point which is explained so eloquently by the Rev at the top of this page. Halfwits every last one of them.”
You’re kidding yourself, David. Those BBC journos know exactly what the point is. They just have no intention of allowing the public in on it. Dishonest liars they may be but halfwits they are not.
Watched Sky news this morning with Eamonn Holms interviewing Labour Health Minister Andy Burnham.
Burnham attacked the Tory Party for missing their A & E waiting times target of 95% treated within 4 hours.
Eamonn asked why he was declaring the 92% achieved as appalling
when NHS Wales, run by Labour are only hitting 82% in A & E?
Our Andy advised that they could trade stats all day and that the
Welsh figures are not as bad as they sound as some hospitals perform at 60% and drag the others down?
He does’t seem to appreciate that Labour in Wales is also responsible for the 60% performance too.
The good news is he wants to take NHS Scotland back into a UK wide NHS service so that we can all get the service levels of NHS Wales.
Don’t know if a lobotomy would do him any good, but I’d put him on a Welsh Waiting List for fast track priority.
My apologies to our Celtic cousins for any anxiety caused.
Valerie,
“The National was never conceived for the likes of me, but as a counter to the huge pro Union press, and yes perhaps to keep soft Yessrs on side, but surely also to help the No voter to start thinking independently, from the mush they are fed?”
You couldn’t be further from the truth.
The National was conceived precisely for the likes of you to make money out of Yes supporters, nothing else, and certainly not for the independence cause.
They could have brought it out sometime during the three year referendum campaign if they cared about independence.
Now that independence is on the back burner again, they can happily shout their ‘pro-independence’ credentials knowing perfectly well that it will do no harm to the union, while pocketing your cash to subsidise the loss making venomously anti-independence Herald.
Even if they support the SNP in May, it will be in the sure knowledge that the vast majority of their readers support the SNP anyway.
As I have said before, those who buy the National in the belief that it is furthering the cause of independence are more gullible than those who voted No because of the ‘Vow’.
As a paper it might be fine, but it is milking the market, not furthering our cause.
What is up with some of you re The National?
For 50p you get a decent witty crossword, some info about stuff – called news and comment from various familiar faces.
Seems a reasonable deal to me.
Had my first case of somebody hiding `THE NATIONAL`under another newspaper,is this a common practice by the Traitors.
crazy world.
@Scot Finlayson
How very dare they! It’s our job to hide other newspapers under the National. There are two of us doing it at my local Sainsbury’s, and we’ve never even met.
Rock:
I now have the dubious distinction of being called arrogant, rude and aggressive by one poster and gullible by you (As I have said before, those who buy the National in the belief that it is furthering the cause of independence are more gullible than those who voted No because of the ‘Vow’.)
Let’s be accurate in our assessments – I was sarcastic and contemptuous, not rude and aggressive. Arrogant I admit to. Gullible? I don’t know, I’ll have to ask my astrologist what that means because I don’t know how to use a dictionary.
Always appreciate your brief efforts Paula. Sensible & succinct as ever.
Natasha,
“I now have the dubious distinction of”
You have the distinction of not answering the points raised but making up ones which haven’t been raised.
I pointed out why you were wrong but you didn’t bother to respond to that.
So having a national newspaper promoting independence is not advancing the cause….. That’s us gullible diddies telt then…
In recognising this “fact”, I really don’t understand why people on this site (including the host) were moaning about the mainstream media being virtually 100% opposed to the Yes campaign.
Rock
Actually I just got bored. Sorry, I have a short attention span. Comes of spending my day with five year olds (and then I come on here! Strange, that.)
@Fred
I know what you’re up to, trying to suck up to Paula Rose. You’re after one of those ‘I’ve been stroked’ badges, aren’t you? 🙂
O/T
Does anyone know about a set of miniature highland figures called `Men o Glaur` my Father a SNP man from the 70s who has recently passed away had/has a set of 14 of them from way back.
I know this site is not Antiques Roadshow but I thought some of the elder Nationalists might have some info about them.
Scot Finlayson
Can you imagine Fiona Bruce covering anything to do with the SNP? She’d have a heart attack!
Sorry, I know I’m being very annoying this evening.
It’s past your bedtime some of you, now up those apples and pears pronto.
@Rock,10.17pm
thanks for putting me straight then, much appreciated!
Amazing what you find out from other readers.
I’ll be promoting the Rancid or Heil from now on, for some balanced news reporting, seeing as I’ve been told, which I presume a number on here are doing anyway from the comments.
Thank you to the little legion of “paper shifters”, which I do as often as I can too!
Valerie
Don’t tell anybody, but I think Rock might be pre-menstrual. The tell-tale signs are all there; no sense of humour, flies off the handle at the slightest provocation, everyone else is being totally unreasonable . . . just like living with me, as my husband keeps saying!
Somebody please invent an irony font.
Seems a reasonable deal to me.
Fine. If that’s your standard.
@ Natasha, got it in one hen, sook, sook. 🙂
As for Rock, he’s just one of the guys who make this Oor Scotland a joy to live in, always the half-empty glass. the wallowing in dreichness, & rampant miserableism. I blame the after-effects of Presbyterianism, in its multiple flavours on the national psyche. I say “many flavours” because they never could stomach one another for very long and kept the builders busy, forever & anon throwing up yet another house of God, each one Free’er than the one down the road. Spending time on a desert island with Johann Lamont would be a delight compared to being cast-away with some of the posters on here.
I was reared reading the Daily Worker, shoved through the door by the proselytising Commie next door, and the Evening Times which my Maw took for the Deaths. They doubtless had their effect and so it will inevitably be with the National, it will be read by weans, grannies, workmates & train passengers and appreciated for its common-sense & differentness, commercial, mammon-spawned filler of the market gap, that it is.
Valerie,
“I’ll be promoting the Rancid or Heil from now on, for some balanced news reporting, seeing as I’ve been told, which I presume a number on here are doing anyway from the comments.”
What a dishonest comment.
Point to one comment in W O S’s history where anyone has suggested promoting the rags you refer to and called them balanced.
Why don’t you be honest and accept that your comment “The National was never conceived for the likes of me” is false?
It was conceived precisely to make money out of the likes of you. Do you think it was expecting No voters to queue up to buy it?
Look at Stuart’s latest article. Where is the National when it is should to be making front page news of Labour’s duplicity regarding an oil fund, if it was pro-independence?
Definitely pre-menstrual.
@Natasha – I think you’re right.