Ever onwards
Running total (10am March 8th, including “offsite” donations): £103,163
As the main posts about our 2014 fundraiser are now off the front page, we’re pinning the above link so that it’s always easy to find, check progress and of course donate. We’re now dizzyingly far beyond our original target, but the more money we collect the more we can do – more printed materials, more polls, more events, more promotions.
We’ve already used the power of Wings to help other fundraisers too, and will likely do so again between now and our own appeal’s close at the end of March. But the incredible total we’ve raised so far has come from barely 0.5% of the site’s readers, so there’s plenty of scope to gather more and do more good work. You don’t disband your football team just because you’ve won a couple of cups.
I’m stunned by the amount raised, Rev but also stunned that only 0.5% of the readership dipped into their pockets.
I think it’s shocking that 99.5% of the people that visit this website arrive to extract whatever value they choose, completely free of charge. And it’s a lot of value. The proof is in the size of the readership.
Come on people, if you’re willing to pay a daily charge for comics like the Herald, Scotsman, Daily Record etc, is it really too difficult to contribute just once to this website?
Mmmmnnn – think you mean 99.5%
I have already donated my pittance but it would be great if it could reach 100k and appear in the MSM.
Good idea to highlight other funding requirements, hopefully that will continue in the future.
And Stu if you spend the money come back for more. A few more opinion polls targeted at subjects such as how confident people are of No delivering further devolution amongst other questions could help sway people to Yes.
And at least pay yourself the Living Wage not the minimum wage, the overwhelming majority of us who read your columns would go for that as a bottom line.
A question …
If, once we are into the ‘campaign proper’ there are limits set in what the official YES and NO campaigns can spend, are there any limits on the spending of unofficial campaigning groups like Wings?
Just sayin’
Stu, trying to send some GBP from sunny Sweden by card but it sticks at the final donate button. Please have this checked out.
I’m certainly glad to have contributed to WoS and read the MSM for free – never pay them a penny including the BBC. Very satisfying. However, I kind of wish I’d sent less to WoS so I could have supported some of the other worthy causes. Should have a bit of spare cash next month for other worthy causes. (don’t get me wrong, WoS is doing an AMAZING job and delighted to support it). Even better, WoS is really pissing off the establishment. More power to yous.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=p35FOjoIM3A
Fix the wedsite first.
Some posters/contributor can’t post.
If by coming to Wings for information they vote ‘Yes’ then the site has done it’s job.
Why cavil about the only 0.5% when such a magnificent sum has been gathered?
Some folk are never pleased.
Wings Over Scotland is a shining light in the murky cesspool of Scottish ref coverage & discussion.
Only fools would now claim ‘reliability’ of Scottish Press & BBC Coverage.
Take it as a compliment Rev if you deflect a portion of the bile directed at the First Minister, onto yourself
I’ve just made my contribution. Only a small amount but every little helps and all that.
The work done on this site in nothing short of amazing. Long may it continue. With a day off on Friday 19th September of course.
Stu,
trying to send money from Australia but same as Ian Kirkwood. Sent you e-mail but realise it may take weeks to plough through them.
“Fix the wedsite first.”
We are doing. We’ve grown so spectacularly in the last month that our traffic overwhelmed the original planned upgrade when we tried to move over on Wednesday, so our hosts are working on our new super-fancy dedicated server as we speak. Should be sorted in the next few days.
I’m not aware of anyone being unable to comment, however.
“Stu, trying to send some GBP from sunny Sweden by card but it sticks at the final donate button. Please have this checked out.”
Indiegogo can’t explain it – they suspect it’s a problem at the bank’s end, blocking certain kinds of overseas payment automatically unless you tell them not to. (I’ve had similar stuff in the past with my own credit card, with online poker sites being blocked as a “security” measure – even for 20 quid – until I ring the bank and shout at them that I actually WANT to play a bit of online poker.)
If you don’t want to bother with phoning the bank or they deny all knowledge, you can always circumvent Indiegogo and donate using the normal Donate page, or by direct bank transfer. The info you’ll need for international transfers is:
BIC MIDLGB2168C
IBAN GB94MIDL40478000606723
Orkers, I don’t thing Stu was being ungreatful or anything by pointing out the 0.5% figure… just using it to highlight the scale of potential.
“If, once we are into the ‘campaign proper’ there are limits set in what the official YES and NO campaigns can spend, are there any limits on the spending of unofficial campaigning groups like Wings?”
It’s an interesting question, and one that was at the heart of the (unsuccessful) opposition to the “lobbying” bill. The short version is that I don’t THINK it would affect us in the long term, for a variety of reasons, but the details aren’t yet entirely clear.
However, we should be fine in the short term – the Electoral Commission website says “The main changes to the rules will come into effect from 19 September 2014“, which is a handy and perhaps not entirely coincidental bit of timing 🙂
http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/our-work/our-views/parliamentary-briefings/transparency-of-lobbying,-non-party-campaigning-and-trade-union-administration-bill
“And at least pay yourself the Living Wage not the minimum wage,”
The fundraiser page stipulates that I am indeed paying myself the Living Wage (£7.65/hr) for 50 hours a week.
“We really fancy making a badge of this”
Oh, please do… 🙂
A strange thing just happened on twitter.
Someone posted a pic showing the headline of the SUN which read “Labour chiefs say it’s OK to have Sex with 10 Year olds”.
I commented on it and then it disappeared from Twitter.
I don’t see how any rules can affect what this site does. Wings is not part of or affiliated to any official campaign. What Wings does with it’s money is surely up to Wings.
Keep up the good work Stu and all those people that are working towards an Independent Scotland
We will win with support like we have seen at WoS
“I’m stunned by the amount raised, Rev but also stunned that only 0.5% of the readership dipped into their pockets. I think it’s shocking that 99.5% of the people that visit this website arrive to extract whatever value they choose, completely free of charge.”
I wasn’t complaining. Any fundraiser is usually doing okay to get 1% of the potential audience to contribute (we got something like 2.5% last year), and we’re at (a bit more than) half that after just three days out of 35.
It was more a gentle rebuff to those people saying “You should close it down now and tell people to give their money to Yes Scotland instead” and the like, the point being that some people will want to donate to Wings but haven’t had the chance yet. We have 240,000 readers a month, but typically less than 10% of them will visit on any one given day.
I did notice an ad the other week for an editor of a very small local newspaper £50-60K. Details witheld 😉
“I don’t see how any rules can affect what this site does. Wings is not part of or affiliated to any official campaign. What Wings does with it’s money is surely up to Wings.”
As I say, I haven’t examined the bill in enough depth yet to know for sure. As we’re not donors to an official party or campaign, and we’re not registered as a charity, I think we’ll be fine. But it’s an alarming bill in general.
Experience similar situation with Ian Kirkwood.
Pls advice Rev.
To all, bravo for your big heart.
Cheers.
Well that’s the full force of February’s spectacular BBC UKOK vote NO campaign on Scotland over. WoS explodes in popularity but what do BetterTogetherBBC do next? What’s totally bizarre about the BBC in Scotland is their vote NO bias is so completely insulated from any kind of criticism, like the Man Who Sued God kind of thing. At the very least we can vote for Westminster MP’s but the House of Lords and the BBC are extraordinary examples of how undemocratic teamGB really is.
Please Stu can we spend some of the cash “setting about” the BBC. Exposing them for the biased state broadcaster that they are.
A successful tactic that I have found that works in converting folk to Yes (the few that I have managed here in unionland) is to at first concentrate on the MSM / BBC bias. Leave for a couple of weeks till they “join up the dots” for themselves. Go back and the task is so much easier.
IMO the BBC is the biggest obstacle to our democratic cause.
Rev. If you get a smaller percentage of readership, I think it will be because you are now attracting, well let’s not use the word ‘casual’ let’s say less ‘activist-like’, types.
Which is precisely what we want isn’t it?
I mean, ideally the entire readership would be from the soft middle and I think, by nature, they would be less inclined to donate.
So from that POV, its probably a good sign.
@heedtracker
Great minds etc.
Thanks for the reply Stu. I’m fairly sure your suspicions are correct.
Re. Spending limits, etc.
The Electoral Commission site has some useful info for campaigners. It suggests there are advantages to registering as a campaign organisation in that you can then spend over £10,000. However, I guess the downside is that there would be a lot of bureaucracy involved including, maybe restrictions on who could donate?
http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/party-or-campaigner/campaigners-in-referendums
I guess only an expert could decide the dividing line between a media organisation and a campaigning one? e.g. Would the Daily Hail or BBC have to register as campaigners? 🙂
To clarify, I wasn’t criticising you Rev or the generosity of those who have so far contributed (I have donated twice for the record by the way), nor concluded that your post was a complaint.
I do urge those that get some value from this website to consider what that value is worth. They might also compare what value they extract from other media resources & what they currently pay, for that value.
Newspapers charge a print cover fee & the online versions extract money via pay walls & advertising. The BBC has built a bloated empire from a state enforced license fee & uses vast sums of cash to broadcast/publish blatant, pro British propaganda.
This website does none of that, yet delivers deep, analytical, investigative journalism at no cost to anyone except Rev. Campbell. Consequently, there is huge value in what is produced.
Folks who haven’t considered making a donation, just might want to reflect deeply about those costs & what they think the information is worth & respond according to individual economic circumstances.
Yeah, Im all for running some sort of campaign to open the eyes of the public as to what the BBC are up to. If we can damage their credibility in some way Im sure it can only help YES. I don’t think the SNP will ever go in hard, as would be a dangerous move for them, but will await with interest as to how the Holyrood committee will approach the UWS report later this month, I think.
@the man in the jar – they have already been exposed by the UWS study in to news reporting, they just carry on regardless the only thing we can do is keep spreading the message
“99.5% of the people that visit this website arrive to extract whatever value they choose, completely free of charge” Its more like mass online therapy for progressive liberal people, all over the world. It looks like a daily therapy session with Reverend Stu.
O/T but a quote from Alistair Carmichaelmoore in the Scotsman today pricked my ears, “Businesses are duty bound by the Companies Act to consider and disclose the risks of independence as they see them”.
Hadn’t come across this in Wings or NNS or anywhere else, but found article in the Scotsman published on 9th Feb quoting the Financial Reporting Council:
“The Companies Act and the corporate governance code essentially require directors to set out the prospects for the business, highlighting principal risks. So if boards consider that a vote in favour of Scottish independence is a strategic issue or a principal risk, then disclosure should be made.”
http://archive.is/zDDJ6
Is the wording of this, and Carmichael’s quote, not pejorative? Haven’t seen the original text from the Financial Reporting Council, so no idea if this is just Scotsman spin or UK government spin, but if it is official, couldn’t the Yes Campaign make official complaint at the language used?
Re the propaganda and underhand machinations.
I wonder at what point this guy (or an underling) might become interested?
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/TruthJusticeReparation/Pages/Index.aspx
Hugh MacDiarmid, in Direadh I (near the end) anticipating this moment…
“So we scale the summit and leap into the abyss,
And lo! we have wings.”
Ok, ok, I know poems is against the house rules, but I thought his contribution should be acknowledged.
Proabably O/T but hopefully enough comments made.
I just wanted to say a couple of things about No school kids who haven’t a clue as to why they will vote No or are mis-informed or who are ‘not interested in history’
The only way to get to ones like that is to point them in the direction of the ‘uncool’ Noers; the Krankies (if they could), John Barrowman in his tartan jaiket, I would probably miss out SuBo as she has done well under difficult circumstances – I’m struggling to think of any one else.
And ‘cool’ Yesers; Frankie Boyle, Kevin Bridges, Biffy Clyro, Glasvegas, Noel Gallagher etc.
@Croompenstein
I know. Bateman’s blog is doing a great job on this but Bateman does not have the readership that wings has.
I am thinking more about a campaign of billboards, leaflets etc. Getting the message out to the general public many of whom never read political blogs and accept the BBC as being honest.
@Marker Post, similarly pricked ears.
Looking at the wording does at first appear onerous where it says strategic issues or principle risk but this could play both ways. CNR yesterday for example pointed out that it has issues with Osborne and the Treasury which perhaps Carmichaelmoore might find does not fit with his pushing of the Companies Act.
Looks like it could backfire as Companies have been dying to let rip on this subject for some time.
How about inviting a piece from Derek? Bound to get well received.
@heedtracker
There is not a single newspaper or broadcaster anywhere in the UK that is pro-independence so it should come as no surprise that this site has attracted huge numbers of readers.
But more important than its political viewpoint, is that it savagely pulls apart & debunks the lies, scare stories & pro British propaganda delivered via newspapers & the BBC.
You just made a statement that claimed, “Its more like mass online therapy for progressive liberal people, all over the world.”
An example of a typical therapy session would be to ask you to provide evidence to back up your claim.
It seems that a lot of people are enjoying the therapy.
@ liz
A Little Blue School Book? As well as everything else it might carry some historical counter-cultural cachet by association with the red 70s predecessor.
But whatever, I agree. The role of schools in the debate has to be given greater scrutiny. Perhaps Wings could invite some comment from the Scottish teaching unions, or the GTC.
Given the population difference, the current total is the equivalent of a UK-wide blog raising a million pounds. And it would be in the news.
EU : Confirmation if any were needed that Scotland will be welcomed. (I would prefer a referendum once independent but I won’t be upset either way)
…………..
SENIOR European Conservatives, including a key ally of Prime Minister David Cameron, have dismissed claims by Jose Manuel Barroso that an independent Scotland could be kept out of the EU.
The Commission president has faced a growing continental backlash since he declared last month that Scottish membership would be “difficult if not impossible”.
Now, in a morale-booster for the Yes campaign, Mr Barroso’s assertions have come under direct fire from former Czech president Vaclav Klaus and Joelle Garriaud-Maylam, a senior French senator specialising in foreign policy.
http://archive.is/m87w1
SNP press release on YouGov poll suggests when DK excluded, the YES vote has hit 40%, a first for YouGov. The other side of the coin of course is the 60% NO.
Do we have any info on the validity of this poll as I thought the polls were all narrowing/converging.
@call me dave
Ooo, that’s nice. Time to spread a little joy.
Thanks Dave. Timing on that link just perfect. 🙂
It is a cracking amount and it was a joy to see the three Yes fund raisers reach their total too.
Somme good writers out there that deserve a wider audience
http://mjaei.wordpress.com/
perhaps future article writers to give the Rev a break from time to time.
Funny how the BBC fail to cover the positive EU stories with the same energy (if at all)
Anybody got any thoughts on latest YouGov Poll? http://t.co/nthaG0CQHK
Bunter,
see the previous thread as S_S had a quick look at it.
Yougov poll details.
http://tinyurl.com/obsav8s
Seriously.
Yougov does show a slight narrowing. That’s all anyone should take from it. The base is completely flawed and methodology crap.
meanwhile in Edinburgh this morning – activists get read for canvassing/leafleting;
https://twitter.com/stewartbremner/status/439742077736202240/photo/1
@scottish_skier -Thanks for that.
G H Graham says:
“I’m stunned by the amount raised, Rev but also stunned that only 0.5% of the readership dipped into their pockets.
I think it’s shocking that 99.5% of the people that visit this website arrive to extract whatever value they choose, completely free of charge. And it’s a lot of value. The proof is in the size of the readership.”
I think you’re being a wee bit hard here.
Wings exists to inform as many people as possible about the truth regarding independence and the referendum. Which is why we need some cash inflow to hold, improve and expand it.
As with any organisation or club etc. there is always a hard core of folk who do the work neccessary to make it function. Sure it would be great if we had 1-2-3-4-5% or more stumping up cash, so let’s be thankful that we do have the dedication of the “Few”.
This is excellent news, and puts Better Together’s money-begging chain letter to shame.
If you are putting new ideas together Stu, my contribution would be as follows:
In exposing and tackling BBC bias: I would like to see a regular feature which lists which stories the BBC have covered and which they have ignored. To get into the grey area in between, if there was also mention of how they ranked each story that would be good. And further still, if there was an easily-replicable set of criteria for judging bias within a story (eg misleading headline, emphasis on some, not all of the story, failure to investigate alternative points of view etc), that would also be useful and potentially form a weekly/monthly score-sheet with which to assess the Beeb.
This is similar in some respects to what the UWS did for televised BBC news, but I think the important aspect that they did not cover was the stories that were completely ignored (and probably the worst form of bias). The recent incident of the Standard & Poor report is a classic example of bias by omission which has to be publicised as widely as possible.
With reference to the school kids, a girl recently posted on twitter from her school, two computer screen photos one the Yes site indicating it was blocked and unavailable and one from the BT site which was available, this was in the Inverclyde area. When asked about this the education authority said it was a technical glitch. How exactly are we to get the message to the young people who will be voting. Dornoch Academy is having a mock referendum on Tuesday next week and I really do despair of the result.
@bunter
“SNP press release on YouGov poll suggests when DK excluded, the YES vote has hit 40%, a first for YouGov. ”
Well yes, a First for YouGov in the current campaign.
However in March 2006 for instance, a YouGov poll on independence produced 54% Yes (excluding DKs) which was actually typical for the time.
This was pre credit crunch. The failure of the banks and the manipulation of that by B & D to imply ‘Scottish’ banks were worse by ‘burying’ the extent to which Barclay’s was bailed out and playing down Northern Rock etc. and impLYING that an independent Scotland would have had to bear the bail out for them itself, had a quite devastating effect on the core YES vote. We are still recovering from it.
Silver lining, is threats to relocate South by RBS are more likely to produce the reaction ‘Phew!’ in most voters than the intended scare.
I agree with some Wingers that the BBC should be the first target !
Newspapers are owned privately but the BBC , our national Broadcasting Corporation according to its own rules , should be fair and unbiased in its reporting .
IT IS NOT ! IT is completely biased to the Better Together .
It was quite a relief to find Wings and people who were like minded . A site that is without bile is unusual in this referendum !
For those having issues with indiegogo donations, couldn’t you check out with paypal at the end? I don’t think you need to create a paypal account to make a card payment.
Just back from hols and catching up. Amazing fund raising effort, which BT could only dream about. £50 on its way and thanks to Stu for the daily and powerful antidotes to the MSM and BBC.
Meanwhile O/T, I was sent this letter, which,I gather, appeared sometime ago. Quite powerful statement as to what happens if we vote NO and how you’ll feel afterwards. No idea of source.
“If you vote no, never EVER complain about Westminster policies again. You voted for it. You voted for the next UK war lead by Washington, you voted for continually seeing the wealth of the nation being pooled and sent to the top 1 or 2 percent while politicians in red pretending to be socialists tell you they are sharing resources across the UK. You voted for retention of Trident and other weapons of mass destruction, you voted for the continuing decimation of our industries. You voted for an agenda lead by the bampot fringe of UKIP blaming European immigration for the decline of the UK, you voted for wicked taxation like the next Poll tax or the next bedroom tax and you voted for food banks.
You voted for seeing the continuing redistribution of wealth to one section of these islands over all others and you voted to be looked at by the world at large as the most cowardly, subservient and gutless nation on the planet. Never call yourself Scottish ever again if you vote no – because decades of self-doubt, the Scottish cringe and increased negativity are your future. You’ll be asked by your children and grandchildren how you voted when they see the devastation of the country you and they live in – (where it will be 1 in 2 children in some areas living in poverty or worse thanks to the pocket money of the block grant being reduced further or the Parliament being taken away as it is not a permanent institution, boys and girls ).
You’ll be asked – “is this all there is?”
This pretty much sums up why I am voting YES…
I cannot see how the electoral commission can regulate sites such as this one. They can and will regulate the participating parties, but that will be it.
They have stated that the cannot regulate where bias is shown in the MSM or anything other than the “Official” side of the debate.
Therefore it will be wall to wall, bias BBC (who we know are meant to keep unbiased from appearing, but do the opposite ) and all the rest with our daily scares tactic.
It follows that to help fund and encourage as many pro sites, blogs, and campaigns that we can, makes ultimate sense.
I would like to see a loose association of Pro sites and blogs where when a big negative story is thrown out that they ALL debunk it in unison.
Doing this would bring an effective way of counteracting the NO’s, by making it clear to the very many that do read these sites/blogs, they in turn can pass the information on to all and sundry who will listen. Call it a more disciplined approach rather than a fragmented one.
Some European states have been found guilty for not ensuring plurality and balance in their state broadcasters in the ECtHR. Unfortunately, the UK’s scandalously high court costs makes it all but impossible to ‘exhaust the local remedies’ before you can pursue them there.
There was an attempt to extend the remit of the Aarhus Agreement, the capping of national court expenses for those pursuing an environmental issue but that seems to have floundered.
The UN has Special Rapporteurs who can act if they decide it is appropriate to do so, however, the threshold for them doing so is, depending on how quiet things are elsewhere, which they are currently not, a lot higher.
However, we did see a Special Rapporteur embarrass the UK government (more overseas coverage than at home) over the issue of growth in food banks last year.
The posts are being delayed. Why?
There are still substantial sums to come in. £Millions? Haven’t donated yet but fully intend to get to the Bank.
BTW SNP members donate £Millions to the the Independence cause as well. To all the ‘pretendy Independys’. ‘I’m not a Nationalist but ‘. The Scottish NATIONAL Party. SNP members are Internationalists as well. Internationalist enough, to want to join the world and govern their own country. Just like everyone else in the world.
chicmac says
Chic,
I totally agree with your last post, RBS could pose more danger to Scotland AND others, in my view, if rUK wants them, let them have them.
“The posts are being delayed. Why?”
A new user’s first post has to be manually approved.
I’ve nae problem with being part of the 0.5%. For most of the past year I’ve lurked and learned, and contributed the occasional tippeny comment. But mostly it’s been a year of learning and revelation, which made me want to support the fundraiser this year. Next year, many of our new readers will be in that same position: and we’ll need Stu’s skills even more then, to make sense of the claims and counter-claims being made as we run up to March 2016. And how much d’ya think 0.5% of next year’s readership will generate? 🙂
Hi Rev and X-Sticks
Just a wee note to confirm that’s me just paid in my £20 for Ronnie A’s badge.
Having a busy wee day oot in Aberdeen today – with a couple of Wingers I actually know in real life! We are animated and excited and will be having a wee Saturday afternoon dram chatting about Wings in the pub…..
Will catch up on comments and other exciting bits and pieces later….
If any members Or lurkers read the comment above about 99.5% of the readers not sending cash to the crowdfund but come hear and read Revs. work feel a tad offended, don’t, you contribute by raising the stats of this site.
Some people need to think before making these type of statements, Is this the way its become, all about ££££.
Not everyone has the means or ability to use online payment systems.
My faith has been dented today.
@ Bruce Wallace.
I don’t see it coming across as any way ungrateful.
Its just a statement that these type of fundraisers often get 1% of readers making a small donation, so we can look forward to an even bigger total.. probably breaking the £100k mark and getting some media attention.
As a Yes supporter, the more money this site makes the better, because it all goes towards the YES campaign, one way or another.
This is a truly stunning total so far. Like many on here I have donated to the SNP, of which I am a member, Yes Scotland, Newsnet Scotland and Bella Caledonia. There is no doubt that this is the media that can help win. The bias of the BBC is quite disgraceful and I don’t believe they can be trusted in this at all. I keep pointing this out to to my friends. Two of them are starting to think about it and were thinking “No” but are now undecided, looking for more info and obviously wanting to vote “Yes”. I’ll be working to convince them.
It was ‘interesting’ to see Rupert Soames chipping into the debate on the day before he decided to jump ship and work with these delightful human beings. His family does have form on the issue of human rights violations so I guess we shouldnt really be surprised:
Serco
The Union of Christmas Island Workers highlighted the systemic failure by Serco to manage the Christmas Island Immigration Reception and Processing Centre. The centre detains a large number of refugees including 1,000 children.[66] Under Serco, there has been an increase of deaths in custody, self-harm, and of Serco staff beating prisoners. As well, there has been a deterioration of facilities leading to the decline of the physical and the mental health of detainees and of staff. Ombudsman Allan Asher on the Australian radio show AM said, “In the first week of June when I visited Christmas Island, more than 30 incidents of self-harm by detainees held there were reported.”[66] Serco, in a staged memo leaked to The Australian, blamed the detainees for “creating a culture of self-harm,” in order to use it as a “bargaining tool.”[66] The former manager of the Serco run detention centre stated the centre was grossly understaffed whereby it was “typically 15 staff members short every day.”[66]
In health services, Serco’s difficulties include the poor handling of pathology labs and fatal errors in patient records. At St Thomas’ Hospital, the increase in the number of clinical incidents arising from Serco non-clinical management has resulted in patients receiving incorrect and infected blood, as well as patients suffering kidney damage due to Serco providing incorrect data used for medical calculations.[67] A Serco employee later revealed that the company had falsified 252 reports to the National Health Service regarding Serco health services in Cornwall.[68]
In September 2013, Ireland rejected a tender by Serco when the company was found to be involved in a £56 million pound fraud in Britain.[69]
In September 2013, Serco was accused of extensive sexual abuse cover-ups of immigrants at Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre prison in Bedfordshire, England [70]
It emerged in November 2013, Serco, which won a contract for Suffolk Community Healthcare in 2012, had 72 vacancies after earlier cutting 137 posts. Problems identified by Ipswich and East Suffolk Clinical Commissioning Group include “staff capacity, skill mix, workload, succession planning and morale, training, communication, mobile working, care co-ordination centre processes, incidents and near miss incidents”.[71]
C’mon now Stu you really are taking the proverbial here, aren’t you? 😉
After all I’m sure I’m not alone in “agreeing” with your very close friend and drinking buddie Mr McColm when he says he has evidence that this ever rising total is solely down to you removing the money then “re-donating” it. By the way have you heard from him recently, how’s his article for the Scotsman on Sunday doing? you know the one about how you’re removing the money and re-donating it to yourself.
My tenner is still on the sideboard ready and willing to be donated to your crowd funded class action law suit. 🙂
The irony is that the model WoS uses is a bit like Camerons people power and philanthropy “Big Society” model…! bet the tory’s didn’t see that coming.
see http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-10680062 for a reminder oif the speech.
Its not just the BBC, it’s the entire Scottish media people are pissed off at.
If it wasn’t for the internet, blogs, facebook etc, we wouldn’t be having a referendum at all.
T hat’s why the UK parties try to smear online opinion as ‘cybernats’ – they hate losing control of the media.
I’m standing in tescos’s last week looking at the newspaper stands.. it’s like a giant billboard of anti-Scottish crap, day in, day out.
No wonder people want an alternative and are prepared to contribute to it.
Maybe we should get some web address stickers to put on the stands..
“Tired of being patronised and insulted?
Look here instead”
@Onwards says:
1 March, 2014 at 2:45 pm
I’m standing in tescos’s last week looking at the newspaper stands.. it’s like a giant billboard of anti-Scottish crap, day in, day out.
Maybe we should get some web address stickers to put on the stands..
It occurred to me when I was in a supermarket this week that the normal flat newspaper display stand is pretty well-designed if you were minded to walk round it, while casually slipping an “Aye Right” flyer or card into the top copy of some of the papers.
Just sayin’
Maybe we should get some web address stickers to put on the stands..
“Tired of being patronised and insulted?
Look here instead”
This This This!!!
Ex top Labour chairman Bob Thompson,for 51 years, says “Enough Labour have no vision, I’m voting YES!”
http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/labour-veteran-says-yes-154115n.23560339
Also our favourite Labour diva and how she lost 4 stone in weight. maybe Jackie Baillie, has been pinching her lunch.
http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/lifestyle/active-2014/labour-leader-johann-tells-of-weight-loss-success-153897n.23534894
BBC news did a five minute report on the Better Together camp, a spokesman for them said they’ve changed their tactics, and are actively targeting voters.
How they do this, when they find out voters details they then send them a personalised letter, aimed specifically at them, telling the potential no voter the benefits to them if they vote no, a spokesman said this approach appears to be working.
No link I’m afraid.
Maybe if we are lucky Andy-B, J-Lo will keep on losing weight… until she completely disappears!
O/T At last the students have organised at Glasgow Caledonian Uni (GCU); they are way outnumbered by big BT drive, so give them a vote of confidence on Facebook if you can spare the time.
https://www.facebook.com/YesScotlandGCU
I just don’t get it? is she trying to be crass or comical?, or is it neither, just idiotic ramblings, of a demented columnist, I give up.
http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/feb/25/impress-balamory-wee-davey-going-scotch
@Andy-B
I think I just watched the same BBC news 24 piece on the campaign styles. It started with the RIC canvas of Easterhouse and interviewed a RIC campaigner. Then Blair yes had a say then Blair no. Finished with a small better together group. Thought it was an interesting piece that fairly showed both campaigns.
My first thoughts were ‘What has happened to the BBC?’ Maybe a change in their approach is happening.
@haartime.
Yip its the same one the RIC are trying to do a good job for the independence movement in Easterhouse, and with a third of residents on benefits, something has to be done, and it all begins with a YES!
@haartime says:
Steady – if it is a change at BBC it will be squashed by bosses; or Paul Sinclair.
Rev – don’t see my contribution on the list. It was on the evening of the 26th but seems to have disappeared. If there was a glitch with it I am happy to resend.
Brilliant…
@call me Dave.
I reckon we could make a difference in this campaign if we write to officials and MEPs throughout Europe telling them that we,citizens of the EU,are constantly being told by the British PM that we’ll be expelled from the EU if we vote YES.We could write to newspapers all over the continent.
O/T Usual Yougov poll underplaying the Yes vote in today’s Scotsman( NorthBritonman) as it should be called.I think I will stop looking at these made up polls and only concern myself with the one that matters on 18/09/2014
No matter what your thoughts are about Tommy Sheridan folks you might find this wee video interesting.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hON1otzI8o&app=desktop
“Rev – don’t see my contribution on the list. It was on the evening of the 26th but seems to have disappeared. If there was a glitch with it I am happy to resend.”
Can you drop me a line via the Contact page with a bit more info, Bill?
Ryanair boss, Michael O’Leary backs Scottish independence.
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/02/28/ryanair-oleary-scottish-independence-apd_n_4874557.html?utm_hp_ref=uk-politics&ir=UK+Politics
“I just don’t get it? is she trying to be crass or comical?”
Reads like Vicky Pollard.
Should anyone have any doubts about the forcefulness of Better Together getting their message out to the people here they are today.
http://www.twitter.com/bellacaledonia/status/439801131523248128/photo/1
you know somedays, and today might even be one of those days, I wish I was there in person, just so I could go up and give them a hug or something like that. They look so lonely standing there.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5EqHfJqFDw
Jeremy Fox and his claims that Scottish nationalists that’s us folk,are full of vitriol towards the English, and that we’re really just insecure attention seekers.
http://www.opendemocracy.net/ourkingdom/jeremy-fox/scots-referendum-debate-could-do-without-vitriol
Sorry , but what list@Bill Maclean ? I contributed but didn’t know there was a list . I got an email saying ” thank you ” .
I’m a bit concerned about the Ukraine Crisis . The media talk about it being in Russia,s backyard . Is Scotland not in UK,s backyard and then we are all in USA ,s backyard !
It may seem selfish , and I was cheering the Ukrainian people on , but I don’t want Cameron to have any excuses to say that we’re better together !
For us of the ” Silver ” generation , we have been waiting for Independence a LONG TIME !
Flower – if you donated directly there is a
list of donors. Click on “2014 fundraiser” below the picture of the lion at the beginning of this post and it will take you to a page where you can view the list of donors!
Well not long until the Scottish branch labour conference this month. Lamont’s jam versus Ed Miniballs jam. Damp squib time.
A ‘NO’ vote hoping for better together times is a wasted vote. A ‘YES’ on the other hand and we can make our own jam.
http://archive.is/P59D4
Thanks Bill found it ! I do get there eventually !
Wow it was amazing seeing the list of contributors !
WELL DONE EVERYBODY !
Mon Then, a pound each, the rest of you!
Andy-B
Jeremy Fox
it’s like Bowie 2 the movie
Could you give these guys a bung to help out with “YES in the Glen”.
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/yes-in-the-glen
Rev – A bunch of us want to go out on the sauce tonight at our local, we’re all YES supporters any chance of a bung for –
htp/www.wakemeupb4ugogo.com/projects/ YES-in-the-Tavern
Rev, shouldn’t you mark this as ‘Pinned’ on the front page, just that some visitors might think there are no new articles?
“This pretty much sums up why I am voting YES…”
What the hell is wrong with you?
do you like making people cry?
WELL DO YOU? 🙂
Slightly O/T
Just been reading an article on Sky News website concerning the situation in Ukraine.
It was a comment at the ‘what do you think’ section at the bottom of the page that had me grinding my teeth!
YORKSHIREMAN
4:00 PM on 1/3/2014
What would be our reaction if Scotland achieves independence and decides to take total control for themselves of our naval bases in Scotland and all the armaments there in?.
So suddenly we have the idea that Scottish Naval bases belong to England after Scotland votes for Independence,, no doubt many in the South think that
http://news.sky.com/story/1219402/crimea-may-just-be-the-start-for-russia
K1,
Alan Bissett is a true icon of the independence movement. I’ve already made a small contribution towards his play as a private act of gratitude for ‘Vote Britain’.
But I’ll freely admit that it’s unusual for me to support the theatre. I’m fae Fife after all, luvvies…
Rev. Stu that Gazzette thing should come with a BIG WARNING
I just click on it by accident and I’m still shivering. That collection of news from the welfare war are something WoS should do a “roll of fallen” about.
By now I’ve completely forgotten what happy comment I wanted to share and I need a very large dram of Laphroigh.
Is beyond frightening.
YES Moray have put up a video on their meeting in Fochabers last night.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaBoN9dgTS4
Been hooked on Wings since the site was just a little teeny baby but never posted, partly because of first posts needing manual approval and so my pearls of wisdom likely appearing out of context.
Since contributing my wee bit at last year’s crowd fund, I’ve felt a real sense of shared ownership and the success of this year’s appeal has put a big smile on my face, just when I’d been getting a wee bit down.
So now I can post away freely – haud me back!
Sorry to ask again, but it was never answered:
Please provide one single solitary reason why the rest of the UK would prefer a formal currency union to informal sterlingisation of Scotland.
It goes like this:
Formal currency union: cost & hassle of changing current systems. Irritation with having to consult a foreign government on decisions. More irritation as said foreign government constantly strops about being outvoted. Instability & disaster if said foreign government mucks things up.
Sterlingisation: retain common currency benefits. No costs, no hassle. Benefit as large banks and other finance companies shift out of foreign country into remaining UK. Trebles all round!
Sorry, why exactly would any sane person think Osborne, Balls & Alexander are bluffing?
The “Great Economist”, by rejecting the idea of a new currency, has painted himself into a corner. The Unionists are now in a win-win position. It is only a matter of time before this percolates through – decisively.
“Please provide one single solitary reason why the rest of the UK would prefer a formal currency union to informal sterlingisation of Scotland.”
One? I can think of 150 billion.
Oops guess who screwed up, the Fochabers video actually has 4 parts.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaBoN9dgTS4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUIaDH-k29U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnWakKsfssY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95CZ33teBzg
“One? I can think of 150 billion.”
This implies you think the threat to renege on debt which clearly belongs to Scotland is credible.
I think it’s risible. So does the rest of the world.
If I was wrong, then both the £ and UK Gilts would have taken a sharp downtick. They have not.
QED.
Lindsay,
I can’t decide whether you’re a real person employed by the Treasury or an automated spambot.
Either way your ham-fisted interventions in the affairs of our nation are not welcome.
Please move along!
“This implies you think the threat to renege on debt which clearly belongs to Scotland is credible.
I think it’s risible. So does the rest of the world.”
Sigh. This, for the thousandth time? Must we?
Scotland has no debt. It cannot therefore “renege” on it. If you don’t pay your rent and the landlord then can’t pay the mortgage, the bank comes after him, not you.
You can assert to the contrary until you’re purple in the face, but nobody’s buying it, so why not save your breath? It’s really boring.
(Also: if Salmond didn’t get a currency union but took on £150bn of UK debt anyway he’d be chased out of Scotland by a howling mob with pitchforks and flaming torches, and I’d be in it.)
Having cancelled my standard life policy yesterday i am now £10 a month better off,so will be donating this money to wings and other much more deserving causes!
Rev. Thanks for the e-mail
Didn’t reply by e-mail as I’m sure your inbox is swamped.
Let’s spend some of the money getting in the BBC’s face.
How about a billboard campaign in the Pacific Quay area on the theme of ‘Things The BBC Don’t Want You To know”?
Please provide one single solitary reason why the rest of the UK would prefer a formal currency union to informal sterlingisation of Scotland.
If an iScotland does not have access to Sterling ‘created’ by a shared central bank, i.e. as part of a sterling zone, it can’t be expected to service Sterling debt. No shared currency ‘creation’ = no shared debt. Oh the fun of fiat currencies…
Some advice. Round the back of your head, usually just to one side of your left ear, is a button with ‘engage’ written on it. Have a feel and press. Worth a shot. Might have already have been pressed, in which case there’s not much I can help you with.
@Lindsay
I dont know if you’ve noticed that on this site people actually do you the commom courtest of providing answers to your repetitive questions. You have not been barred and your posts have not been deleted.
Maybe your colleagues on BT sites could learn a few lessons from this. Its called being honest and open.
In so far as Lindsay keeps asking questions to which there has been exhaustive answers already I suggest he is best ignored. As he obviously can type and spell the answers are readily available to him so if he was looking for a serious debate he could indicate which part of them he didn’t understand and he could have them explained to him in easy to understand terms
Can I bang on again about internet radio?
Most of us are sitting at our computers every night at 9pm writing and responding and picking up news . We could be doing so while listening to Wings Radio Free Scotland on the net. For an initial appx £3000 and running costs of a couple of hundred per month the whole world could listen (as long as they were on broadband).
@John King 7.33,( making people cry ) aye they do that awe rite,further more they do it deliberately, nae bliddy shame in the people of this WOS site,but we keep coming back.
We,re glutton,s fur punishment, pushing the boundary,s fur
oor cause, an we,re no stoppin .lol
@Andrew Morton 9.19, wan o they big advertizing balloons,
DON’T PAY THE BIAS BBC LICENSE FEE, would that get their
attention.( added benefit it is moveable).
Rev an idea better than static billboards, ah bags the 1st
wan,ah have a big back garden on a main rd.
Maybe not such a big deal but at the football pie and bovril queue today I overheard a couple of folk talking about the Wings appeal and how they wished the Rev could become Chairman and get us some badly needed dosh. His fame is spreading like wildfire.
Also a quick half time straw poll of my closest footballing compadres resulted in 10 for yes, 2 don’t knows and 1 No but persuadable.
@Dave McEwan Hill
With Dick Gaughan Jockeying? I’d listen.
@Lindsay – bluffing! I don’t think the SG should be pursuing currency union but rather leave westminster with all their debt as they have decided we do not warrant successor state status, with Scottish tax and revenues out of their thieving hands let’s see who the fuck is bluffing then..
Arel says:
Also a quick half time straw poll of my closest footballing compadres resulted in 10 for yes, 2 don’t knows and 1 No but persuadable.
Think that counts up as 13 for YES there Arel. 🙂
Hi Rev Stu, I have just lobbed in my £20 for Ronnie. Pleasure to do so and thank you again, Rev and Ronnie!
“Scotland has no debt. It cannot therefore “renege” on it.”
“If an iScotland does not have access to Sterling ‘created’ by a shared central bank, i.e. as part of a sterling zone, it can’t be expected to service Sterling debt.”
The UK has debt. Scotland is part of the UK. Therefore Scotland is seen by global lenders as having part of the UK debt. If an “independent” Scotland’s first act were to renege on its debt to its largest nominal creditor – the continuing UK – then that would be seen as a risk to all future creditors. How much does Argentina pay for debt?
Those global lenders do not care what arrangements debtors have to make in order to make repayments in the required currency.
Suppose the pair of you are right. In that case, global debt and currency markets would have already priced in the risks you claim to exist. They. Have. Not. Done. So.
This has all been carefully timed and phased. The initial “unpleasant shock” effect will fade. However, from now on there is going to be a regular parade of corporate and other reports saying over and over again “no currency union = no central bank = no last resort lender = corporate HQ leaves”.
And all because the Great Economist didn’t have the guts to propose a separate currency.
Of course, in that case he’d lose as well.
So does the rest of the world…..whooooaahhh!
Westminster has already told the global lenders they’ll pay.
Who run up the debt?
A unionist with morals, well I never.
@Ronnie Anderson 9.54 pm
Hi Ronnie, you sound a lot better now.
My thought was really about applying the pressure to the BBC and their staff so that every day when they went in to work they would be passing messages which say, ‘We know what you’re up to, and now everybody else does too!’
The UK has debt. Scotland is part of the UK eh ! not for too much longer thankfully
Lindsay says:
The UK has debt. Scotland is part of the UK. Therefore Scotland is seen by global lenders as having part of the UK debt. If an “independent” Scotland’s first act were to renege on its debt to its largest nominal creditor – the continuing UK – then that would be seen as a risk to all future creditors. How much does Argentina pay for debt?
How on earth can Scotland have ANY debt we have not accrued any debt. Scotland currently has, as far as I am aware, no powers at present that permit the Scottish Government to go to the world finance centres to borrow money. Plans may be slowly coming but the S.G. will only be permitted to go to Westminster to borrow money, not the best idea in my view.
Further more Westminster have quite clearly stated quite recently, if memory serves me right, that THEY, Westminster, would be responsible for ALL debt up till Scottish independence. Surely this alone should be enough to kill stone dead any notion that you have that an iScotland would start off with any debt, currency union or not!
The ONLY reason Scotland taking her geographical share of the debt has ever come up is because, in an attempt to be a good neighbour to rUK, Alex Salmond has continually stated that as part of a Currency Union we, Scotland, would take our national share, cause that’s what good neighbours do in a currency union. Should Westminster continue to go down this rocky road of desperation then we, Scotland, have every right to walk away from the union, as we surely will, keep the pound as our currency and leave Westminster with the whole £1.6 Trillion debt.
“The UK has debt. Scotland is part of the UK. Therefore Scotland is seen by global lenders as having part of the UK debt.”
Wrong. The name on the debt is the United Kingdom not Scotland. YOU might WANT to see it differently, but that is the reality.
Scotland has already said it WILL take it’s share of the debt, but ONLY if it gets its share of the assets.
No assets = no debt. It’s not hard to understand.
Arbroath
Thanks for the link to the Moray YES meeting. Enjoyed it and was heartened in as much as it was an informative and polite affair.
Answers were fine in most cases and the ‘NO’ campaign were not mention apart from one quote from AD regarding that “a currency union would be a sensible arrangement”.
Glad to help cmd.
I thought the event went quite well, some good questions from the floor and they were, in my view, answered quite well. By the sounds of it I think the audience went away more than happy with the answers they got. Would be nice if we could find out if there were any undecdeds there who have moved their position as a result of last night’s presentation. The same goes for the Irvine “debate” last night as well.
How about hiring the Goodyear blimp and flying it around with a huge Wings emblem on it?
@ Lindsay -come on me and you buy a flat and share the mortgage. ( 5 years later ) Lindsay I’m leaving, have a new job up North so you can give me my share of the flat or put it on the market.
You reply ” no way, your leaving so tough luck – your getting nothing and as I can’t afford the mortgage you’ll still have to pay your share.
I leave, you can’t pay the mortgage and the flat is re-posessed
@twenty14 – Lindsay(from Slovenia) I’m leaving..sounds great
@Andrew Morton – I don’t think it would be fair to paint a wings emblem on Jackie Baillie but on the other hand…
@Marcia – Sunday Herald front page please – when your ready 🙂
It’s great news. Congratulations. I couldn’t believe the total raised in the first day, alone. I was delighted. I’m sorry to add a small note of caution but I’m a bit concerned when you talk about the number of different users. I go on the site every day but I don’t have a log in or anything, so as far as I know, I’m appearing as a new reader each time, when that isn’t the case. Hopefully, I’m wrong and the system recognizes me from before, so different users/readers/viewers really are different people each time. Anyway, hopefully I’m wrong and I just count as one reader. Congratulations on the total raised again.
>Lindsay, I don’t believe they would renege on ALL the UK debt as a matter of honour, but would certainly deduct a BIG chunk, after putting a price on sterling and the Bank of England assets and goodwill, and also the debt it owes to itself.
Most people would think this is reasonable, as Scotland has played it’s part in building up the BofE and the currency system.
Apart from this, a formal currency union still makes sense to the rUK, as Scotland would have practically no influence on monetary policy – much the same as now – so it’s not like much would change.
This is fair enough, due to population differences.
But negotiations around the currency would want to prevent Scotland from slashing corporation tax – the UK government is terrified of this.
Stone I don’t think the visitor numbers works off a sign in, I think it works of your computer’s ISPN. As each computer has a unique ISPN then no matter how many times you go onto a site you are only registered as one visitor. At least I think that’s how it works, no doubt Stu will be on at some point to correct my blinkered attempt at explaining it. 😉
Quinie frae Angus says:
“Just a wee note to confirm that’s me just paid in my £20 for Ronnie A’s badge.”
Thanks Quinie. Let me know next time you’re getting together in Abz an I’ll buy you a drink 😉
Anyone else who’s still to put in their pledge just add it to the indiegogo appeal and give Stu a shout out (catching up backwards here BTW)
Lindsay; “The UK has debt. Scotland is part of the UK. Therefore Scotland is seen by global lenders as having part of the UK debt.”
Rubbish. Total and utter rubbish. Did you perhaps miss the UK Treasury stating pretty clearly that all UK debt was their responsibility? If you did, which part of that did you fail to understand? It is not Scotland’s debt. International markets will very clearly see it as the UK Treasury responsibility. It is not Scotland’s debt. You CANNOT renege on that which is not your responsibility. I am not sure how I can make that any clearer. It’s like your flatmate running up debt in their name but claiming it’s for both of you. Your flatmate will STILL be paying for it.
It is not our debt. International markets will not see it as our debt. If you believe that is incorrect, best you back it up with some hefty, quality sources of information because frankly it looks like you are making it up as you go along.
Just to make it very clear to everyone. There is a world of legal difference between refusing to accept a share of debt which has been run up without any input from you, and not making payments against your own debt. The former is not accepting responsibility and in Scotland’s position is a perfectly legal, valid argument. The latter is reneging on debt, and isn’t legal.
So if everyone would like to stop referring to not accepting debt responsibility as defaulting, or reneging, that would be really good. Because it isn’t.
If an “independent” Scotland’s first act were to renege on its debt to its largest nominal creditor – the continuing UK – then that would be seen as a risk to all future creditors.
That is the crux of the matter. If there is an agreement between Holyrood and Westminster and Holyrood reneges on it then it will be seen as a risk to future creditors. The horse trading that will take place prior to that agreement the international money markets are not interested in. There is no set amount that an independent Scotland will owe. It is entirely dependent upon share of the assets that go with those liabilities. This could be agreed quickly or it could drag on. However, whether it is 80 billion or 130 billion it will be Scotland’s performance in paying the agreed amount that matters not what Westminster would like it to pay.
Lindsay:However, from now on there is going to be a regular parade of corporate and other reports
I do hope so. That should seal the deal. Certainly speed things along anyway.
Your mind is too probably closed to understand that though. I might advise you try to focus on the big picture.
Currency? EU? These are but ‘wee things’.
I recall the year the sun finally set. It was 1997 and the flag came down in Hong Kong. Just a few months later and the end of Britain arrived in mainland GB.
One generation on and here we are. Things have almost gone full circle.
Nothing lasts forever.
@Halftracknat,I thought that was all done,am folding more Yes paper,s the noo,ure you wanting tae git me greeting again
the team canny put wet paper paper,s through letter boxes, ah thought that song wiz Tear Drops On My Pillow, no on Yes Papers,lol thanks to ALL.
@ Andrew Morton, me sounding a lot better, n a w am using a
Spell checker,that,s if I remember to klik on the wee
squiggly rid line.
To continue on the theme of what percentage of people have paid money into the Wings fundraiser.
Personally I find it a bit uncomfortable to read about who has paid and who hasn’t paid. We are where we are, if the majority don’t want to pay or can’t pay, then let it go at that.
They could have money problems of their own. The positive point being that we have that amount of visitors to this site in the first place and spreading the information to undecided voters.
A good Scots attitude to life is to help out those less privileged than yourself.
And if you find yourself in a similar position as they are one day, then don’t be surprised when someone comes along and helps you until you get on your feet.
Whatever targets the REV sets then I am sure they will all be met.
Extremely proud Scot here.
X Stick,s, and to all, I haven’t, e mailed the Rev as yet I think he has more that enough to cope with just now.
But thank,s to all of you,s you ,s have made my week, I will
be of line next couple of day,s,I have hard task master,s in
Stuart & Betty Gamble, but them & the team are burning shoe
leather throughout Airdrie & Village,s delivering the
paper,s, A bit like us Winger,s with the Rev & his team
nose to the grind stone, but weil be awe the better for it
on the 19th Sept, so cheer,s to ALL.
@ Croompenstein 11.23,er Baillie/ An your on yer ain blawing
that up,jist oota quiosity
@Coompenstein 11.23, re Baillie & your on yer ain blawing
that up,jist oota curiosity whit hole do you intend blawing
intae. We blip on the last post.
Dear Lindsay.
Scotland has no borrowing powers and therefor no debt accrued.
However, Alex has nicely offered to pay a part of the UK debt if we vote iScotland, if of course Westminster agrees that the pound is indeed a shared asset. If Westminster does not agree that the pound belongs to both of us then the SNP think that Scotland does not have any debt at all and RUK will have to pay the lot. This seems quite fair. In fact this would appear to be not at all anti English, which is odd as anti Englishness is the only reason for Scottish independence.
If the doom and gloom BT is to be believed then we should be worried about the effects of a banking crash in the future that we couldn’t cope with.
Well at the moment we don’t have too many organisations that could put Scotland in that position. RBS and HBOS are owned by UK and the mighty Standard Life have said they ‘d move. Great. Scotland will not have to bail anyone out as all the suspect groups already belong to ruk. Those that don’t already, may move. To a place that may ruin them.
It’s not about money now. It’s about lack of intellegince/indifference.
We just have to hope that the Yessers are more numerous than the donuts who beleive the MSM.
Sunday Herald front page
http://twitpic.com/dx25nv
Well Wingers, it looks like Stu is not the only one “in the money” this week. 😉
http://tinyurl.com/puhpohz
@ Marcia – Muchos gratias
Guys your wasting space on that Lindsay thingy.
This person does not listen to dialogue and only appears to interupt by casting simplified repetitive BT assertions to distract and get a reaction
Honestly best ignored – like a child they will tire and go away to play elsewhere if they dont get the reaction they want.
I know it’s annoying but they are not going to listen, this type never does.
O/T Rev, been reading about the Aye Write festival over on bella, maybe an opportunity to get the wee blue book launch in there. Wings gets a mention, worth a gander.
Can I suggest another worthy cause that needs a fundraising boost:
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/yes-in-the-glen
If my memory serves me well, the Yes folks in Dunfermline were one of the groups whos stall was evicted from the street. It’s a stong Labour area and probably could do with a big Yes presence in the centre of town (the Glen is a park in mid Dunfermline).
They need another £3,500 in the next 30 hours to reach their target. Should be easy if we all get on it! 🙂
Lindsay says:
The UK has debt. Scotland is part of the UK. Therefore Scotland is seen by global lenders as having part of the UK debt. If an “independent” Scotland’s first act were to renege on its debt to its largest nominal creditor – the continuing UK – then that would be seen as a risk to all future creditors. How much does Argentina pay for debt?
No idea about Argentinia. In reference to Scotland are you able to provide evidence of Scotland’s borrowing for this “debt.” Is there a document that you are able to offer up as evidence that it exists?
Those global lenders do not care what arrangements debtors have to make in order to make repayments in the required currency.
The debt repayments must be made in Pounds Stirling – Westminster has been clear that it owns the debt. If Westminster did not make this clear then the markets would have become more nervier as to the debt position. It is not possible to split debt between two debtors as that would require Westminster to renege on the debt that they originally signed unto. They clarified their position to the markets that they are the sole debtors.
Suppose the pair of you are right. In that case, global debt and currency markets would have already priced in the risks you claim to exist. They. Have. Not. Done. So.
The markets are watching with interest (lots of interest – as Westminster is paying above many other countries on the interest repayment percentage rates). If Scotland becomes Independent the debts remain with Wesminster. The loans were taken out by Westminster and will be repaid by Westminster. The current Scottish Government have signalled a willingness to service a pre portion or these debts. Neither the Scottish Government or Westminster have claimed that the debts belong to Scotland in any way.
This has all been carefully timed and phased. The initial “unpleasant shock” effect will fade. However, from now on there is going to be a regular parade of corporate and other reports saying over and over again “no currency union = no central bank = no last resort lender = corporate HQ leaves”.
Scotland uses the pound now, the pound will also be used post Independence in March 2016 – this is the position being put forward by the Scottish Government and the advice that they have been given.
And all because the Great Economist didn’t have the guts to propose a separate currency.
A sharing of the currency is proposed in order to prevent the pound from crashing in the money markets. Without Scotland’s excellent balance of payments and exports the pound would become worthless overnight – the markets are more nervous about this proposition than you will be aware of. There is also another huge banking problem looming either this year or next year revolving around Barclays, RBS and others surrounding the libor fixing scandal. A major crash is a possibility and no one wants that to happen on their watch. Keep an eye out for this one as it will come back to bite!
Of course, in that case he’d lose as well.
If this Libor Scandle bites – no one will be worrying about Alex Salmond and john Swinney. The regular man and woman on the street will be the ones that pick up the tab – that you can guarantee as Dodgy bankers do not go to prison in the UK – only foreigners in places like Iceland do that. Interesting that the EU want to clamp down on these dodgy practices, yet George Osborne and David Cameron are fighting the EU on this point. I seem to remember being told of a different outcome when they were looking to get elected.
Seems like there’s a danger of Wings ending up with more money than it knows what to do with!
Anyway, donation in 🙂
Westminster is still spending £700Billion (including Scottish) revenues. Promises to protect NHS/Education and pay off the are not met. Broken promises. Multinationals (foreign) in Scotland are taxed at 60% to 80%, while (foreign) multinationals in the City of Lodon,making vast profits tax evade, and pay no tax. This damages Britsh business who pay their way and contribute to economy.
Tory bankers are ‘untouchable’ under UK tax regulation and do not go to jail. HMRC are warned not to go there, but will pursue struggling individuals and small businesses to death.
@Adrian B
Here is the contents of a comment I made in The Gardian not many days ago:
Funny you should mention Iceland:
What We Can Learn From Iceland.
Meanwhile in Ireland:
Ireland’s bankers in the dock: Anglo Irish chiefs charged with illegally bolstering bank’s share price.
Meantime in the YooKay the Bankers, the crooks who caused the crash, are wallowing in bonuses. Aye with money that the taxpayers have given them.
Reckon somebody has got it wrong… do you?
By the way the Anglo Irish bank is the one that Gideon recently threw a large chunk of our tax money at to stop it going tits-up… but we lost that money when in fact it did.
If this is true then these people should be given the freedom of Scotland’
What a pair.
http://archive.is/wGtrb
@alexicon
Aye I agree.
After reading the article I happened to read the comment section below it and this comment sprang out to me:
It’s a tad ironic that this unionist idiot can’t even get his facts right it was the ‘Euro Lottery’ that the Weirs won not the YooKay one, so in a sense it is also European money that is helping Scotland to reclaim its sovereignty back.
Roll_On_2014
A certain sandystuart had the following to say on the same article:
This is becoming sadly like an American political campaign with a great deal of money flying around and very dodgy accounting. A lot of sincere and honest Yes supporters no doubt contributed to the Wings Over Scotland appeal. Is there any accounting for where that money goes – other than to feather the nest of the fake “reverend” Stu?
Great article in Sunday Herald by Iain MacWhirter
http://www.heraldscotland.com/comment/columnists/forget-the-dam-busters-iscotland-would-be-oil-rich-and-creditworthy-even-without-.23565915
Also Sunday Times reports that Better Together has run out of cash.
Sorry, that should read sandystewart.
I cannot believe the amount raised while I wasn’t looking!
Money will be forthcoming Stu – honest!
Meanwhile may I ruin everyone’s day by posting this wee gem?
“The Scots really hate the English”.
Thanks SD I must have missed that one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tO7YxtlTKRY#t=20
To be found on youtube Melanie Philips being an arse interviewed by one Mary Kissel of the opinion journal – just in case I have made a mess of the links again!
@Another Union Dividend
Great article in the Herald today by Iain MacWhirter.
Do you think that the penny has finally dropped with him and he now realises that Devo-Max is not on the ballot paper.
He is intelligent and articulate. He is exactly the kind of person we need to rebut the media shit that we get day in day out.
So I do hope he comes out the closet very shortly and puts all his energy 100% behind the YES Campaign. With Iain MacWhirter and Derek Bateman on board, it doesn’t half strengthen the team.
And Henry McLeish, if you are reading this, we would love you to come over to YES. You know it makes sense.
I criticised Iain McWhirter recently for being a permanent fence sitter but this article certainly seems to have a much more positive attitude towards independence and without any of the yeah, buts, that we have been used to.
Independence will work if we want it to work; its up to all of us to take the opportunity of a lifetime, nay several lifetimes, to transform the future for us and our dependents.
Lets keep focused because the prize is in sight.
@Seasick Dave.
To be fair to McWhirter, he seems the type who will stick up for the under-dog and he will rubbish any form of spin that’s put in all the lazy journalism we see going on at the moment.
If he’s for or against he’s a breath of fresh air compared to many in the unionist leaning journalists lackey ranks.
Gardham?
Another Union Dividend
Here is your link via archive
Can you also provide an archive link for the Times article?
http://archive.is/oUydd
ronnie anderson says:
“But thank,s to all of you,s you ,s have made my week,”
I think it’s safe to say for all of us that it is our pleasure to have done a ‘wee thing’ to brighten your week. You’re an inspiration to us all, especially your creatinve use of commas 😉
Another interesting article in the Sunday Herald by Paul Hutcheon, who seems to be playing catch up regarding the union CWU deciding to back a No vote, without actually listening to its Scottish membership
http://archive.is/dIeGQ
@Edward
The UK GMB Union also decided for me that I was voting NO.
So I immediately cancelled my membership.
And told them to remove any information that they had about me from their database.
As part of the 95.5% I offer no apologies since I donated a nice bung the first time round and arguably helped the wings take off. Before I could draw breath this time the target was achieved and in fact was doubled and more so I donated to the YES campaign instead.
Best wishes to all on the YES side and I look forward to more healthy exercise stuffing letterboxes and chapping doors.
“99.5% of the people that visit this website arrive to extract whatever value they choose, completely free of charge”
How many of those people are living on or below minimum wage?
Exactly.
Juts a note to say the Independence debate that was in Irvine featuring Tommy Sheridan and Labour MP Brian Donohoe was recorded by Irvine beat FM and will be broadcast today (Sunday 02/03) at 12 noon till 2 pm
http://www.irvinebeat.com/
Interestingly Brian Donohue objected to having the debate filmed and to a live streaming of the event, despite everyone else quite happy for it to be filmed and live streamed, Irvine Beat FM were even going to provide sound feed to both the people filming and live streaming
So a politician paid by the tax payer does not want to be seen by the very public that pays him
Poll of polls
http://www.snp.org/media-centre/news/2014/mar/poll-polls-shows-monthly-move-towards-yes-vote
I have donated because I can and because wings is doing a fantastic job. I fully understand that this site will attract a lot of attention and only a small number of people, relatively, will contribute money. A larger proportion will contribute in other ways. We all need to be foot soldiers. That doesn’t make me better or financial non contributors worse. Economic retardation plays a big part in current Scottish life. I am pleased that wings exists and attracts viewers. It can only help our cause. I would have given more if I could have afforded it.
After the referendum we can ask, did you do everything in your power to make it happen? That is about more than money in my view
“After the referendum we can ask, did you do everything in your power to make it happen? That is about more than money in my view”
Absolutely. Have made that very clear. 1% is standard for fundraisers, that’s just how things are. There are a vast array of ways people can make a difference, giving money to sites like this is only one of them.
kalmar says:
“Seems like there’s a danger of Wings ending up with more money than it knows what to do with!
Anyway, donation in”
Have you ever thought about asking Better Together to help you spend this money since you guys are not genetically programmed to make political decisions?
It does appear to be very unfair for a pro-Scotland site to keep all this money for itself instead of distributing it to the people south of the border.
@You and My Comb
Here Here. Totally agree with you.
If we keep up all this talk of who done what with their money, then you start to drift into London Tory territory.
Where money is King.
Lets not contaminate ourselves with such poison.
As I mentioned earlier, if the REV puts out another appeal for funds at a later date, then I am confident we will also shoot by that target.
@Bruce Wallace 1st March 1:52 – Have to say I agree with you on this, donating is a purely personal choice and driven by personal circumstances I donate but I don’t have any beef with anyone who doesn’t and I don’t think we should harangue folk or imply they are leechers if they read the articles on this site and don’t donate.
A couple of weeks back someone on this site (I can’t remember who)predicted that this year’s appeal could reach £100,000, and I laughed and shook my head in disbelief. Whoever it was,please accept my apologies.
Donohue was shocking. Typical Labour MP though, how he has survived all these years is unbelievable. They do not like to have real questions thrown at them and by not allowing the cameras he can try to hide the fact that he got thrashed.
McWhirter’s article is fair enough.
But he has this curious notion that there exists something called the ‘Scottish’ media.
As was demonstrated on WoS recently, a total of 0% of the MSM in the central belt is owned in Scotland.
So where’s this Scottish media Iain?
Rev,
There was a question the other day asking whether you needed to register as a campaigner under the electoral commission rules. I probably missed your reply. Do you need to register?
“There was a question the other day asking whether you needed to register as a campaigner under the electoral commission rules. I probably missed your reply. Do you need to register?”
I don’t believe so.
“I don’t think we should harangue folk or imply they are leechers if they read the articles on this site and don’t donate.”
In fairness, I don’t think anyone HAS done that.
Edward @ 9.08
Sunday Times has a pay wall but it was front page headline news in papershop.
@Linda’s Back – Sunday Times article 2 March 2014
“BETTER TOGETHER, the cross-party campaign to save the Union, faces a financial crisis after failing to raise even half its £7m funding target.
With 200 days to go till the Scottish referendum, the group led by Alistair Darling says it fears public opinion could swing the nationalists’ way because it cannot match the yes camp’s war chest.
Although the prospect of secession has prompted businesses such as Standard Life to warn that they may pull out of Scotland, business people have been told the no campaign has raised only £3m. They are being asked to donate urgently so money can be spent before the end of May, when strict referendum spending rules take effect. During the 16-week “short campaign” both sides are limited to spending £1.5m.
By contrast the yes Scotland campaign — whose backers include Britain’s biggest lottery winners, Colin and Chris Weir — are preparing to mount one of the biggest advertising campaigns the country has seen before the restrictions take effect. The nationalists have booked about £2m of advertising space for a campaign starting this month.
Darling hinted at funding difficulties last month when he said an unnamed businessman had been about to make “quite a sizable donation” to the no campaign, only to withdraw the offer after pressure from the Scottish government which he said had warned that the businessman would never work for it again if he went ahead. In addition, Ian Taylor, chief executive of oil trading group Vitol, who gave £500,000 in a personal capacity, is not expected to make more donations after criticism of his involvement. It followed controversy over some of the company’s business dealings.
Better Together, which is about 10 points ahead in recent polls, said the no campaign was not in financial trouble but could not match the yes side for resources.
“There is no doubt that they’ve got way more money than us. We don’t have the luxury of the EuroMillions winners that they can turn to.” In April the Weirs donated £1m of their lottery winnings, helping swell the nationalist campaign coffers at that stage to £1.6m.”
I still can’t believe how quickly the target was smashed and by so much with still the best part of the month to go. With that in mind do you have any new stretch goals, other than those mentioned on the Indiegogo site?
Those not in a position to donate, really shouldn’t worry. There are tons of things you do to help both this site and the wider independence campaign.
If you use social media you can share links to this site and other sources of good information. You can get out there with your local pro-Yes groups. Even just talking to your own family and friends can pay dividends. If you’re a member of a trade union, then get your branch to organise a debate. The leadership of some unions might be firmly No but that doesn’t stop individual branches or members taking a different view. If you contact Trade Unionists for Independence they should be able to advise you further on this.
I noticed last year that there had been no leaflet drops from either Yes or BT in my local area and decided to take responsibility for my street. Since then I’ve done several leaflet drops on my way to and from work, using either leaflets I’ve picked up from Yes or ones I’ve had printed up. If everyone who read this site agreed to take responsibility for their own close or even just a small section of their street and ensured their neighbours were receiving Yes materials between now and the referendum, between us we could cover substantial ground.
Money’s great, it lets us do all sorts of stuff but it’s action that really counts.
Tommy, full laldy! Go big yin!
Hamish with the Wings. Great logo. Would look good on a t-shirt.
Crikey, this host!
“Listen up”
I am not sure I believe all the reports of poverty pleading by Better Together. It was only a few weeks ago that they were suggesting Yes Scotland was broke. In fact it has reached the stage that I don’t a believe a word Better Together say on anything.
The interview with the participants:
Donohue is like a lot of Scottish Labour MPs – a thug.
He makes clear by his waffle he knew he’d receive a poor reception so, to save face, he barred the debate from being broadcast.
When you have no intellectual ability to persuade, resort to censorship.
This nugget, Leonard.
I’m a socialist and I’d rather have Eck negotiating the terms than any of the “New Tories”.
listened to Irvine debate(good passionate audience)NO side
I felt Donohue,just wanted a dig at SNP every opportunity,even saying SNP bottled it not showing up.
This was a YES,NO debate
Saying Spain had a veto Scotland joining EU,
Spain again stealing British jobs(forked tongue)
——————————————————-
Richard putting Labour UK –NO
Fair enough wanting whole World Labour movement together
but again main attack SNP(calling then right-wing killed his credibility)
Is anyone aware or come across a situation on Facebook that they have received ‘Better Together’ messages, even although they are not signed up to or have ‘liked’ the Better Together Facebook page?
I’m aware from 2 family members, one a definite yes and the other a definite no, of the them receiving unsolicited message from BT, as if they have ‘liked’ the BT page, which in both cases, it would be a definite no, they haven’t.
At the same time, since it happened the BT ‘Like’ count has increased and is closing the gap with Yes Scotland.
Just wonder if anyone is aware of certain goings on with BT?
Edward that happened to me and somehow BT stole my like from a site they had banned. I went and clicked unlike. I would get your friends to do the same. They are a weird lot are BT.
Albalha The bitter together lot may not have the financial muscle of our yes side but what they have and we don’t is the British state and the entire press on their side which probably equates to tens of millions in free advertizing to compensate they have few activists and we have an army.
@Alba4Eva
Heaven forfend that I should criticise Stu.
My post was directed at G H Graham (the opening comment).
@ Edward – when BT managed to pull the plug on our facebook page and that of BT Norway, they somehow convinced FB that the 700 supporters had been duped and so were transferred to the ‘official’ page. There was then a spike in likes followed by a sudden dip.
One of our admins received stuff from BT which had generated a name from her email address – strikingly similar to the one she uses here, which caused a few palpitations. She had no contact with them, so one presumes they are using the electoral role or some other list to mail to.
Sorry Orkers, misunderstood your post. Clear now. 😉
Ever onwards thread has been up since last nite,is the site
under DdoS attack again. Or is the Rev working on the new
server.
Ronnie
The three below this item are today’s ones
@Ronnie
The Rev has ‘pinned’ the Ever Onwards thread to the top for the duration of the campaign.
The second entry is therefore actually the ‘top’ thread.
@Paul
To be clear that’s an article from the Sunday Times someone was looking for.
@handandshrimp,thanks pal,eyes looking,no seeing lol.
Folks, a wee reminder that Yes in the Glen, Dunfermline, need help in their fundraising campaign.
They have raised £1,764 of their £5,000 target but have only 14 hours to go. Please donate and share this fundraising campaign on fb.
This is an important district for the Yes campaign!
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/yes-in-the-glen
Thanks.
Comments above about the UK’s debt not being Scotland’s debt are a little misleading. True, the UK’s debt is the UK’s debt; true, if Scotland breaks away, and the rUK remains as the successor state, then the rUK inherits both assets and liabilities (other than those physically located in Scotland’s territory).
However, there is another scenario. Instead of insisting that it is the successor state, EWNI could take the view that independence is in fact the dissolution of the 1707 Union, so that both states has equal claim to be the successor. In that case, debts and assets would be apportioned by negotiation or arbitration, and both states would be in the same position wrt to international agreements. EU and NATO membership would be be a matter of negotiation for both new states, and the P5 seat on the UN Security Council would become vacant. (Good luck in getting that back, Dave).
I think that the chances of London choosing to see the result as abolition of the UK are up there with the flying pigs. But it is an option open to London, and if London wants to insist that Scotland take a share of the debt without a quid-pro-quo then it is their only option.
The more likely scenario is the one that seem to assume is the only scenario: rUK as successor state. In which case the negotiations will still be fun.
London wants: Faslane, Coulport, military co-operation (overflight, access to early warning systems such as RRH Benbecula, passage through territorial waters esp in the North Channel), assistance with UK’s presence in Northern Ireland .. and Scottish share of debt, Scottish oil to prop up sterling, which can come only through currency union.
Edinburgh wants: currency union, share of federal assets (such as BoE reserves).
It seems to me that Scotland has the upper hand here. Has anyone seen a more thorough analysis of the two sides’ negotiation agendas?
Just donated to both Wings and Yes on the Glen. Wish I could donate more. I’m so happy Wings has smashed it’s target but I really hope Yes on the Glen reaches their’s too as I think it will be a great event and I just pray it can go ahead.
donation made to yes in the glen
Just reading the Scotman’s pathetic reporting of the latest gift to ‘the cause’ by those wonderful people, the Euro Lottery winning Weirs. This story is nothing but good news for Yes and yet the Scotsman still has to do their best to put a negative spin on it.
http://tinyurl.com/puhpohz
The article is full of innuendo and suggestions of impropriety on the part of the SNP. The Scottish people are not idiots, the Weirs wouldn’t have handed over another million if they weren’t happy with where their money was going!
I’m just about donated out but have thrown something Yes on the Glens way. Only 12 hours left, hopefully a few more will chip in. Good luck to them anyhow.
Survey in the Guardian that the Together people are really going to need to explain as they are trying to sell us the Union crap, One nation, all the same.
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/mar/01/english-welsh-majority-against-scots-independence?commentpage=1
Claire McNab
Yes all to play for right enough, lots of wee things on both sides of the scales. I would be ‘astonished'(in word) if the backroom personnel on each side of the border are not burning the midnight oil drawing up a ledger.
Scotland has a strong hand to play and many international friends in the world wishing us well. 🙂
It is my personal opinion that you should do more than just one publication in the lead up to the indyref. I think a series would do more to capture the publics imagination. For all of us on here who know the truth and are shouting it from the rooftops (of cyberspace that is) there is one big problem. We are all in cyberspace. A publication is the right thing to do as too many people out there will never see any of what goes on in here, however much we all pin it, share it, like it or comment on it.
Cant wait to see the release and you will have a willing volunteer here if you need someone to hand it out.
The Scotsman will dig down to any depth. If you want to offer ridicule to the purveyors of half truths and junk journalism etc, then please have a look at this blog http://whitefeatherclub.wordpress.com/
50 bucks sent from the Australian WOS fan club!
Keep up the good work – its now a daily addiction!
Any of you guys think that this business in the Crimea is just another ruse by the BBC/better together/GCHQ/the herald/the scotsman to keep the referendum out of the news?
R Whittington
Last night my boss, a UKIP supporting southerner and very much against Independence for Scotland, said, with a completely straight face, “Crimea should just declare Independence and be done with it”.
I gave him one of those looks and he just knew 🙂
Scotland’s self-goverance and English shires under water forgotten for Oscar- no, not the Academy Awards, but Dear Oscar Pistorious, (who “looks drawn and tired) a man clearly innocent of firing a volley of bullets point blank at his girlfriend screaming in his locked toilet.
@R Whitington.
There shall be some damage to the cause. The Saltire is the Russian Naval Ensign once again. Conflation rules as always.
The Telegraph shows it thus. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/ukraine/10670603/Ukraine-in-pictures-Threat-of-war-between-Ukraine-and-Russia.html?frame=2838403.
Our own Saltire is the inverse but nevertheless the best propaganda is subtle.
Wikipedia describes it as St Andrews Cross. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Navy_Ensign.
Well we all know that Cameron was begging Putin to do something to help him sort out these uppity Jocks , we just don’t know what he wanted Putin to do .
The lovely people on this site have crowd funded an award for Ronnie,hows aboot crowd petitioning the award of OBE to Lindsay (unless he already holds that award).
Just sayin like !
As Betsy says further up, we can – and should – do as much as is reasonable. Print off leaflets and do your own drop offs, write to local papers, call into radio shows, and talk calmly to anyone and everyone you know about the benefits of indy.
Reading matter in cafes, kids soft-plays, dentists, doctors, etc. is pretty rubbish. Leave some Yes, WomenforIndy, BusinessforScotland, etc. stuff there. I’ve put my print outs into my backpack, which I take everywhere with me so I can leave stuff anywhere.
Typical, I just returned from abroad and I missed all the fun:
100 grand in a few days, wow!
Another small contribution will be on the way, soon.
L
Any mention for the lucky donor who takes the total over 100 grand?
Wow. So if every reader chipped in a fiver to the Yes campaign, it would raise £1m in a month
Is it worth a go, Stu? Just to see how far we get?
For those of you following the Willie Young story in Aberdeen, he’s been richly rewarded.
http://whitefeatherclub.wordpress.com/politicians/
Rev / X_sticks,
my contribution for Ronnie,s Badge just added (plus some extra):
Transaction ID: 1MJ67652E36405939
Invoice ID: 5750364
Saw this on the #Indigogo page – might be worth registering for, since your campaign clearly aims to empower women, girls and others …
On March 3rd, we’re matching one dollar for every $25 raised to campaigns empowering women or girls – Join us!
Here’s one we should give a BIG push to:
Women For Independence Our Voices Fundraiser
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/women-for-independence-our-voices-fundraiser
As we all know women’s votes will be key to winning. We should support everything that can help us win those votes.
There also seems to be a small fundraiser for a Yes Shop in Kirriemuir:
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/kirriemuir-yes-shop-fund
Rev…give your history…hows about a >b>Wings App…with latest site updates, and also listing important facts and figures that folk can refer too when needing to discuss the Truth behind the No Campaign fog etc?
WingsApp might be a better moniker that WOSA but both better that AWOS as thats just too darn close to ATOS
Sally Magnusson “On BBC Scotland News at 18:40…we discuss DevoMax and all possibilities!”
Oh and a new Michael MacIntrye chat show coming soon
I cant decide what piece made me cringe even more
Apologies….18:30
HOORAY – The Rev’s tweeted that we have reached £100,000 total.
WoSsers – what a formidable force we are.
@Rev
I gather there are at least two more issues of the Yes newspaper to go out…Next one due (at least for West Lothian – bottom of the list, as usual 🙁 ) in April
We’ve been putting out leaflets with the last bunch of papers (distributed close on 10,000 Aye Rights), and if there is any way you could make the Blue Book available to coincide with the Yes newspaper editions, we could push it out through the doors at the same time.
What is your thinking re the timing of your blue book?
People power. 🙂
Kilty – independently minded people power. 🙂
“What is your thinking re the timing of your blue book?”
I was thinking a wee bit later than that, to allow for events. Perhaps mid-late June.
Late June only gives about 10 to 12 weeks to produce and distribute. Timeline seems tight. Would have thought some time in May at the absolute latest. Must know most of the content by now. I’m assuming there is already much drafted?
O/T
‘Mind the Gap’ BBC2 9.00pm tonight – what an eye opener about the success story that is London (at the expense of everywhere else).
A real revelation – point the undecideds towards this on I player, specially last 10mins on funding infrastucture costs of £5 billion to rest of UK via taxes; Scots share 9% say.
If its such a success why are Scots funding this, when we have food banks on the increase??
Tuppenceworth to Kirriemuir Shoppie and Babes 4 Indy – G’luck folks!
@kininvie
“make the Blue Book available to coincide with the Yes newspaper editions, we could push it out through the doors at the same time”
I think separate drops are preferable in order to drip-feed information over the next few months, provided you have the bodies to do that. My theory is that people are more likely to put material in the bin if they get several pieces in a oner.
Re blue book; portable sized similar to a passport, send out to every household? The Wings Scottish Passport of ideas and info. Maybe get a good deal on postage with the printer, some can deliver.
yeah,gordoz
I saw that,money follows the power
the 4 billion new trax line over London isbeing built using UK tax payer money was a jaw dropper.
labour MP London on newsnight said it was the young from London that paid the Scottish pensions
As per the last post, it’s a dilemma. Getting stuff through every door is a lot of work, and takes a long time. In this rural area, it can take me an hour to do 30 to 50 houses. There’s one run of 10 houses that takes at least half an hour. Not to mention the petrol.
I totally see your point and I will do a separate run for the Blue Book if necessary. However distribution is going to be the main problem and there’s something to be said for taking every short-cut you can.
Sorry, it was Mr. Mutterings’ post I was referring to. Damn DDoS again.
There was an interesting graphic shown on “Mind the Gap”..
It was the 3D map of Great Britain which showed the parts of the UK that generated the most income..
The map was of the type favoured by BBC weather, in that Scotland was tiny compared to the South East of England.
As the columns started rising, I was drawn to Scotland, several parts has risen just as high, if not more than, the South of England.
It needs someone with screen capture equipment to grab it and post it on here.. It really did look impressive..
Morag,
Our local area is similarly challenging. Even in town there is one area where 20 houses take 1hr (steep and about 20 steps leading to each house). We have a total of 7500-8000 houses to deliver to, 1000-2000 not economical to deliver to. 4000 in rural areas and I dread to think how long that takes. But we have a formidable army of leafleters beavering away at monthly drops to September.
And by the way, combining Yes with SNP leaflets is an absolute no-no with regard to by-elections and Euro election.
@Gordoz, the programme on London was indeed an eye opener. London is out of control, I hope all those billionaire Russians don’t up-sticks and leave in a hurry or it will all come crashing down…
It’s not only Cross-rail that we are paying for. We contributed 9% of the funding of most of the London infrastructure projects including, but not limited to, the following:
St Pancras Station £6bn; Channel Tunnel Rail Link £6bn; Thames flood barrier £20bn; Channel Tunnel £9bn; Healthrow Terminal 5 £4bn; Dockland transport connections £2.5bn; plans for Heathrow link to channel tunnel £10bn; London Olympics £18bn; Heathrow 3rd runway £18bn.
There’s lots more. It’s time we stopped subsidising all the excesses of London and spent our oil billions on Scotland instead.
My Mutterings, indeed the Euro elections are yet another thing. On the other hand, if an outlying house is either going to get an SNP leaflet and a Yes newspaper, or no Yes newspaper at all, I think it has to be considered.
I’m covering 1000 letterboxes, with one other person (plus two others folding). I don’t consider anything to be unreachable this year, and plan to trail up every farm track I have to trail up. But in that situation there may be times when we have to think about compromises.
Thanks for the twitter link to “For A’ That 41 – Shout!” podcast, Rev. I really enjoyed it, especially the section regarding crowdfunding and Wings (50 mins in for those who haven’t heard it):
http://www.spreaker.com/user/michaelgreenwell/for-a-that-41-shout
A Scottish poem in the wee sma oors
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XaJ16Vm21DE
Mary Bruce
I may have posted this elsewhere but Boris has also earmarked £300 million for upgrading some road junctions in London.
http://road.cc/content/news/112038-%C2%A3300m-be-spent-making-33-londons-most-dangerous-junctions-safer-cyclists
Another shout out for the Women For Independence Our Voices Fundraiser
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/women-for-independence-our-voices-fundraiser
They’ve set an ambitious target but it’s definitely a worthwhile cause. I think a large sector of the female No vote is soft, probably even more than the male No vote. Once that female vote is mobilised, Yes is in the bag.
Rev Stuart Campbell
This false write up has to be replied too
Dan hodges–telegraph
“Directly accusing the SNP of being behind the protest, Farage described the protesters as “racist Nazi scum”. The incident was, he said, “deeply racist and displayed a total hatred of the English”.
And he’s right. He wasn’t targeted on the basis of his race, but on the basis of his nationality. And as he said, that was racist. In the same way that when Ukip targets people on the basis of their nationality that’s racist as well.”
The protest was about racism,cuts to disabled in UKIP,nothing to do with him being English
“This false write up has to be replied too”
Done. But next time, DON’T MAKE ME GO AND FIND THE LINK MYSELF.
sorry bud,I’m not a subscriber of telegraph,my 6 free access ran out,thx for replying
Think it’s time to take the post off the top spot and let the rest trickle in.
A £100,000+ congrats Rev and all the Wingers! And, Ronnie got his badge, fabbie 🙂
Amazing amount reached so far ! Congratulations !
funny article,daily mash
http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/science-technology/independent-scotland-will-not-be-allowed-to-use-british-oxygen-2014021283498
Well done everyone. £100,000 and growing.
Well done on passing £100,000, Rev. 🙂
Way to go!
Just popped in to HSBC – donation made and still can’t believe the sum raised , fantastic!
Congratulations on passing £100k.
Might I suggest updating the date of the update as well as the running total, as today’s update still shows 10am 3rd March?
I predict a serious use of capitals in a few minutes. 😀
Amazing! Count me in for distributing Wee Blue books or similar.
WOW!
Just….
WOW!
£100,483
Greedy bastard!
If 30% of readers contributed we’d have raised more on this fundraiser than the whole Better Campaign in two years.
Proud and pleased to donate. It’s an investment in Scotland, whatever the result.
Observer journalist on Scotland Tonight attending Salmonds New Stateman lecture describes his speech as temperate, well balanced, logical, and well presented.
He describes the questions and answers session afterwards as “electric.”
A tweet from as member of the audience says, inspirational.
Seems to have been thoroughly impressed. Will he write about it in the same terms?
Was the lecture and Q&A broadcast? Are you kidding?
Did no one record it on video? Who knows?
Is there a transcript? Can’t be difficult to get a copy.
Grouse Beater – the Rev attended the New Statesman Lecture – I’m sure he’ll give us a reliable analysis tomorrow.
@TJenny
Ah, good man! Wish I had been there.
Many thanks for the head-up.
I wait impatiently for his report
Grouse Beater – me too. 🙂
Must have been a good speech because the erstwhile Scotsman wrote this in the Spectator,
http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2014/03/does-alex-salmond-want-to-swap-rule-from-london-for-rule-by-opec/
Nothing like a bit of negativity in the morning!
I am beginning to wonder if Scottish journalists are ,by and large , a bunch of masochists – do they love to be laughed at , love to be loathed and love to be ignored?
@TJenny Would be good to have the whole thing – Ed of the Spectator also said discussion ” electric “, and that’s an English audience.
@yerkitbreeks
In the article below this one someone has posted the speech.
Possible use of some of the “extra” funds – Apologies if this has been mentioned afore however the Hootsmon has a Friends of the paper scheme where for a fee people can publish their own articles – maybe someone could put a bid in?
This total is absolutely amazing. I’m proud to have been involved.
I’ve also just contributed to Kirriemuir’s Wee Shop and look forward to enjoying some coffee there!
Spread the word!
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/kirriemuir-yes-shop-fund
“This total is absolutely amazing. I’m proud to have been involved.
I’ve also just contributed to Kirriemuir’s Wee Shop and look forward to enjoying some coffee there!
Spread the word!
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/kirriemuir-yes-shop-fund”
😀
If what is planned works, the idea could be rolled out quickly to other indy campaign shops across the country. Imagine passers by being able to see the truth and satirical visuals on the telly 24/7.
Totally agree Chic, it’s in quite a thoroughfare, well for Kirrie anyway, and would certainly reach many people quite easily.
Come on YESKirrie!
Garry Henderson and Chic McGregor,
You’ve converted me. I’ve always liked Kirrie and now I’m off to the appeal to make a small contribution.
If the organisers had offered Kirriemuir Gingerbread as a perk I would have been there much earlier…
Still nothing in Scottish Media anywhere – ah well.
Rev – maybe if you donated the £100,000 to BT then it might get noticed; hmmm, but then I’m sure we would rather you did a KLF on it !
Next fundraiser in Bitcoin ? then at least Max Keiser would menton it on RT !
Helpmaboab
Fantastic every little helps!
Not just gingerbread from Kirriemuir. Cracking place for a golf outing. Decent course but not too long for a two rounder.
On Glasgow Caledonian University’s idea of participants in the Commonwealth Games –
I suggest that Mickey Mouse university drop “Caledonian” from their name to save them further embarrassment.
Totally unfair re Herald. I post there every day. You should not expect them to slavishly agree with you. If that is what you want print your own. I expect a lively debate on a wide range of subjects and a bit of humor. That is broadly what you get. Herald on-line is great value. Post your views there. I do every day.
Graham Hanson says re The Herald online site:
‘I expect a lively debate on a wide range of subjects and a bit of humor. That is broadly what you get.’
All very good Graham, but personally, the word ‘informed’ would be top of my list, I see it doesn’t even makes yours.
Why are people still providing revenue to these unionist papers? Don’t go near them. When the unionists end up arguing amongst themselves maybe the papers will reconsider their editorial policies and start publishing articles with a semblance of balance! Not for me to tell anyone what to do I accept but these papers need to reconsider – if you continue using their comments page slavishly they will use you like slaves!
Agree with everything you say Bill.
It’s all about profit for newspapers, and the latest incarnation, most notably visible in The Guardian, is to adopt a ‘schizophrenic’ editorial policy.
Have as many ‘opinion’ pieces as possible on the extremes of the argument. So instead of having one article that’s balanced and considers many factors – we have numerous at the very edges of the debate.
The editors have obviously sat down and said
‘Hey, instead of printing anti- Yes articles, let’s throw in a few pro-Yes article that are equally unbalanced and then we can attract double the number of visitors to our online site. That’ll please the advertising group.’
>Bill,
Boycotting the unionist media online is self-defeating.
While it’s great to see places like Wings doing well, there is nothing the unionist establishment would like more than to have all the pesky ‘cybernats’ talking to themselves on a few pro-indy sites.
Like it or not, the scotsman, guardian etc still receive many thousands of views every day, and if the overwhelming weight of comments are unionist, then readers will get the impression that is the general voice of the country.
As much as it is painful to provide them with ad-revenue, I think the greater good, this year at least, comes from making YES arguments heard in as many places as possible.
Onwards – While I respect your opinion I see no signs that fighting them in the pages of the unionist press is having any positive effect on our campaign. Forcing them to change is, in my view, the only way the press is going to change in any way, however minor. I used to look at sometimes contribute to the Herald – no more, but occasionally if it is archived i’ll have a look and I often note that most contributions are from Independence supporters by far. Has it made any difference in the polls?
Has it made any difference to the way the papers report?
Not that I can see. Time to try something different!
A thought on Yes newspaper deliveries.
I fold as I deliver. The paper is an easy two folds, once then once again. It’s easily done in between letterboxes.
I’m saying, is there any point in the folding being done by the ‘folders’?
If they can, get out there and widen the scope of our deliveries.
The papers are in a bag slung on my shoulder, easy to dip into. (I cut the vertical strap around them but not the horizontal, keeps them tidy and upright.) I fold as I’m walking to the next house, I often have two folded in hand on the go. (I always deliver it with the big ‘Yes’ upwards and nearest the door so folk can see what it is. And if I can, I try to leave the paper hanging out the other side of the letter box, without leaving it not shut for draughts, so folk don’t have to bend to pick it up.)