Let’s make this simpler
The Strathclyde Commission report, 15 months in the making and repeatedly delayed, is just 16 pages long. We’re not too sure what the team did for 14 months and three weeks of that time, because in essence the report is the executive summary of Scottish Labour’s “Powers For A Purpose” paper with a couple of numbers changed.
(Luckily they’re fantasy numbers that won’t affect anything, as the powers they refer to can never be used and in fact will be delivered by the Scotland Act 2012 anyway.)
So rather than bore you by going through it making all the same arguments that we made about the Labour report again, we’re going to keep it short.
1. The Tories never expect to control the Scottish Parliament. They expect, quite reasonably given that Scotland hasn’t voted Tory for almost 60 years, that for the forseeable future it will always be controlled by either the SNP or Labour.
2. Therefore, it’s not in the Conservatives’ interests to ever do anything to make it stronger, because all it’s ever likely to do is get in the way of a Tory government at Westminster and cause trouble.
3. Therefore, anything the Tories actually propose will in fact be designed to have the effect of weakening the Scottish Parliament so that it can be less of thorn in Westminster’s side. This isn’t particularly evil, just sensible, pragmatic politics.
(In this particular case, the mechanism of weakening is to impose a large burden of additional and pointless bureaucracy in order to administer an abstract and unusable “power” and put extra strain on the Scottish budget, limiting its ability to introduce or maintain social-democratic policies at odds with Tory ideology.)
There you go. Now for a sandwich.
Admirably concise.
Anyone who thinks that the Scottish Conservatives are interested, in the slightest, in doing anything which benefits Scotland over Westminster has clearly been living inside a sealed cold war nuclear bunker for decades. It’s self evident that the Tories know they have zero chance of even getting as much as a sniff at power in Scotland and the only relevance they have is what they can do for their London masters – and mostly, for the moment at least, that means doing everything possible to scare people into voting No to independence. Simples.
That’s the facts in a nutshell. Tories will never give Scotland extra powers, Cameron himself has stated this pr-referendum.
Like I said, it is a confidence trick!
We will NEVER get what we need from ANY Westminster Government. Only Indy delivers for Scotland.
I can recommend Whole Earth peanut butter (crunchy) and some strawberry jam. Three of your food groups in one wholesome bite 🙂
.. and let’s never forget that all it would take to “remove” the Scottish Parliament is a vote at Westminster..!
Enjoy your long lunch ….
It’s possible that the Scottish Tories are trying to snare votes from an element of comfortable professional middle-class Scots (too poor for private health or education, but rich enough for a sizeable mortgage) who agree in idea at least that Holyrood is good and should have a bit more power (but let’s not rock the boat with this independence malarky) but would never vote Tory because That’s Just Not What We Do.
Sadly for Ruthie, that demographic should be literate enough to understand “higher tax, no higher spending” and “lower tax, poorer NHS/schools” are what comes with these proposals.
Mine’s roast beef and onion
Don’t trust them anyway. Had enough of these guys having too much say in our lives, even though they were electorally rejected repeatedly.
That was money well spent- Classical example of ‘Tory spending priorities’ – delay, delay, and then let’s say nothing new what-so-ever.
Didn’t it take Johann Lamont’s devo commission over 2 years to try and make jackshit look like something other than jackshit?
A pithy analysis of a report full of pish.
We just need UKIP to come up with some devo-max proposals and then we’ll have the complete set. What’s Lord Monckton up to these days?
So the Tories deliver a pamphlet on the future governance of Scotland described by Glenn Campbell as ‘significant and brave’ … while the Scottish Government published a 640-page tome on the future of a nation and the Tories still cry ‘not enough’. Send Ruthy a response on a back of a postcard it’s all they deserve.
What the Tory parties of all colours in Scotland will do after a NO vote is to bring down Holyrood, fillet it and serve it up to the local authorities.
Essentially you can say that in three words: never trust Tories.
Devo Con.
But Glen Campbell said it was substantial and bold!
Who to believe?
Both Slab and Tories know the SNP govt will continue to be trusted by the Scots, so they want to bypass them and give power to Local Authorities.
Hmm Sky just had wee Ruthie spouting pish without challenge.
Is this the balance we can expect in this regulated period?
ruth Davidson
Scottish Parliament
“stabilisers off”
isn’t that a huge insult to Scottish people
“What’s Lord Monckton up to these days?”
apprently he’s learning to play the bagpipes. 🙂
“Handclapping” roast beef and onion ! flash bastard, I had to make do with cheese
There is one scenario where the Tories could be involved in decision making in the Scottish Parliament.
If there is a no vote on September 18th, and if the SNP, SSP and Greens fail to win a majority at the next Holyrood election, the Tories may well combine with labour and any remaining lib dems to vote to emasculate the Scottish Parliament.
A scary thought, that can only be avoided by a Yes vote in the referendum.
Boy that cuts to the quick does it not.
Makes complete sense of the blurb.
‘As a nation, we must avoid future damaging and divisive debates on separatism’.
As the good Reverend never tires of telling us, they’re playing this bit of the debate dead straight.
I Agree with bunter // Devolution Con No. 1 fits the bill
Strathlyde commision = Dev Con 1 (Like the old US nuke monicker DEFCON 1)
It’s very simple … Vote No and damage Scotland!
Potential No voters need to appreciate the situation. Status quo has gone, it’s toast, it’s history. Things will never be the same again.
There are two choices:
Yes, and we take out chances in the world like every other country. Our wealth is ours to use for Scotland’s benefit. Our decisions will be ours, and we will live with the consequences, good and not so good.
No, and we remove the threat of leaving the UK for many years to come. By removing that threat we open ourselves to allowing the London parties to do to us what they’ve been too scared to do in the past. Labour will redistribute our wealth to English regions. Tories will appease their English voters by ‘clipping Scotland’s wings’ and forcing public services cuts. Both will used devolution as a tool against us.
Never mind the Union wish we could state the bleedin’ obvious
Stop sleepwalking into a perpetual UK Coma
Vote YES to Save Scotland !
If Scotland is to control all income tax ,what affect will this have on how Scotlands block grant
is calculated?
@john king Apparently he’s learning to play the bagpipes. 🙂
I thought it would be the trombone because he wears a bowler hat (what else would one use it for?) and can form a threesome with McDougall’s tuba and Coburn’s fluba. Sorry, indelible image there…
Just heard R Davidson on the lunch-time news saying the Holyrood government should take more responsibility for how they spend taxpayers’ money. She should be telling that to the bitter crew from Westminster who spent almost £50,000 of taxpayers’ money on an opinion poll and then refused to give those same taxpayers the benefit of the information obtained because it showed a massive surge in support of a YES vote.
Devo-Con sums it up from me.
They made up Annabel Goldie to the House of Lords after a couple of years as Scottish Conservative leader, so if Ruth can keep up the charade with a straight face, she has a very bright future as Baroness Davidson of Bishopton in the County of Renfrewshire II, peer for life, £300 per day.
And Baroness Ruth will be joined by the likes of Flipper Darling, Danny Alexander, Ian Davidson, Willie Rennie, and on it goes in this teamGB madhouse democracy.
So even though the Conservatives will never get near power in Scotlandshire, they are hard at work in the Lords, unelected and very powerful.
Hard to stomach the lies from westminster at times. Harder to stomach the fact that they are paid a good wage to lie to the population, how they sleep at night I just do not know. It seems to be part of their actual makeup, part of the job. Thankfully most people can see straight through their fairy tales.
@MajorBloodnok –
‘What’s Lord Monckton up to these days?
He’s keeping one eye on Farage, and the other on an imaginary fly.
We’d be better talking about the Common Weal report methinks
Well, that’s certainly whetted my appetite.
Sandwich, please!
Going O/T here (Sorry Stu)
The Tories’ transparency bill, or gagging law as it’s more commonly known, comes into full effect on the day after the referendum.
From the 19th September (as far as I understand it) anyone who blogs regarding politics, political parties, or policies will be seen as a non-party campaigner and as such will be required to supply their full name and address on their blog/website – This is regardless of whether you are a registered campaigner with the Electoral Commission or not.
Strict spending limits will be imposed with the registration amount dropping to £2000 before registration is compulsory in Scotland. The amount remains higher in England.
Regardless of the outcome in September, this puts Scotland at an immediate disadvantage as spending limits for registered campaigners are even stricter with whole constituencies having limits even before the official campaign period begins – apart from the MPs who are allowed to spend what they wish until the official period.
Sorry, but all these proposals are about tax. TAX FFS. Call me old-fashioned, but I don’t think “vote NO and we’ll give you some more powers over income tax” is a winner. What are they smoking these people?
No wonder my lord of Forsyth is apoplectic about this. He sees it playing right into the hands of the Yes camp. For once, we all need to agree with him 😉
This team managed to produce around 8 words a day.
A page a month.
Impressive performance!
It’s a trap for the stupid.Point 3 in Stu’s intro is spot on the money.
“Beware Tories bearing gifts” – Trojan horse policy.
@Faolie
Was saying similar myself earlier. Can’t for the life of me understand why unionist parties are using the words ‘income tax’ and ‘Vote No’ in the same sentence.
Vote No = income tax (rise)
Talk about people not reading past the headline and just understanding that. Even if they do delve further, it looks even worse!
Lord Forsyth? Isn’t that the Scotland’s ex dictator/King? The one who ruled Scotland with no mandate? Thatchers governor general?
Gordon brown
complete devolution–daily record
ive read it 3 X and its waffle,no commitments
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/gordon-browns-vision-scotland-must-3635924
Want to make the Scottish Parliament more powerful? There is a way you know,vote yes all you Tories out there.Crazy thing is,you might actually make headway when seperated from your southern masters.
Useless after months of waiting. Tories I know expected something with a bit more teeth from Ian Davidson’s daughter!
@jacksloan2013
OMG you’re right. They could be related. Put Iain Davidson in a cerise jacket and Three Stooges Mo-style black wig and you have all the proof you need.
Lord Strathclyde, it should be noted, us one of the 90 hereditary peers still entitled to sit in the HoL. This man has a real, actual say over your life via the sperm lottery. In the 21st century, in the UK.
Watched SKY News Press report last night, there was the SKY guy and 2 others who were complete numpties who STILL think we are dependent on the English.
FFS, are no people with
a modicum of brains in London, they just need need to read the facts, that it is in fact the other way around.
The SKY Interviewer openly sneered after he said apparently the Tories are going to offer more tax powers to Scotland.
Quite appalling ignorance all round.Why would we want to keep this “Union”.
Daily Record taking down negative-Broon comments as soon as they are posted …
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/gordon-browns-vision-scotland-must-3635924
Sorry o/t but I have to get this off my chest somewhere. Was planning to visit local yes activist/campaigner Glasgow Maryhill on Wednesday to introduce myself and discuss local strategy etc but ended up with an hour to kill earlier today so went then instead.
First thing I noticed, no Yes posters in windows. Asked why, she said because we can’t get any. (Though also said they – the Yes Campaign – are maybe going to print some up sometime). I said I’d got mine from the office in Hope Street, she said that they don’t have them available there anymore. No wonder there are hardly any Yes posters in windows, around here anyway.
It then emerged that she has to personally pay for most of the campaign materials, printing costs, postage costs (to encourage registration for voting), flyers and various and sundry other expenses.
The impression I got was of someone trying very hard to do what they can to get the facts and information out there but with very little help (if any) from the SNP or the Yes Campaign management and strategists.
What are they doing with the donations they’ve received, from the Weirs’ and others? Why aren’t they taking out full page ads in the Scottish Sun and Daily Retard (assuming they’d run them that is) highlighting some positive and/or significant message and with the URL’s of WoS and others?
I’m beginning to get the impression that the SNP and Yes Campaign are content to sit back and let people on the ground do everything. People on the ground can do a lot but they CAN’T do everything.
Forgot to include in last post, latest in a series of more or less daily negative stories re Scottish Independence on Yahoo uk main page.
https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/scots-independence-bae-systems-chiefs-072217192.html
TickTock
Jam tommorow the FuFin breed i,ll be well blue molded & like
their policies unfit for human consumption.
Well, that’s my office 100% Yes after UKIPs UK-wide win. The last devo maxer has turned Yes.
So basically its :
Look its a Squirrel!
vs
Look its a Squire!
Well don Rev,you cut through all the speel and double talk, and get to the facts, Tories=lies no surprise their then. Even Brian Taylor wonders what the Tories are up to.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-27662921
If I was one of the people who wanted to keep the status quo (surely there must be some), I’d be really annoyed about this. It’s not on the ballot paper, so this is cheating.
Can you imagine they changed the terms of a yes vote at this stage, saying if you vote yes, it will actually mean something else.
Mind you, that will probably be their next trick.
The Tories abolished the GLC (Greater London Council) for just those reasons. Watch your backs!
Almost every time a positive story comes up on wired-gov comes up the page won’t load.
Would one of you like to try and see if it opens for you.
Scottish independence referendum: Personal finance pack launched Wired-GOV (Press Release)
TickTock
On my last visit to the YES shop in Hope St, I remarked on the lack of promotional materials and was told that they didn’t have space for storage. I presume that they will be moving to a Just in Time model as they don’t want to spend money on stock which may be obsolete in a few months.
I ended up ordering from the YES online shop, cost me a few quid in postage. Perhaps you could point the Maryhill shop people in the direction of Indiegogo and get some funding going, I and I am sure plenty of others will help them out with cash donations.
one Lord says Aye ( Strathclyde ) one Lord says Naw ( Lord Forsyth ) am a LERT aleaping.
Commission on the Future Governance of Scotland
SUMMARY: Vote NO so that the SNP or North British Labour will be forced to raise income tax or slash public services.
Any questions?
MUST READ
http://bellacaledonia.org.uk/2014/06/02/crossfire/
“On top of this, Bella Caledonia can exclusively reveal that the replacement for the popular Headlines programme on Radio Scotland on Sunday mornings fronted by Ken MacDonald, will be called ‘Crossfire’ and will be hosted by Labour MSP, Kezia Dugdale. If confirmed it would be a incredible appointment for a public body under close scrutiny for bias during such a crucial period.”
@desimond
After UKIP’s performance in England it’s gone from “Look, its a squirrel.” to “Look, it’s a Nigel.”
@ MajorBloodnok, nice to see you back on line & on song.
Adrian, that can’t be right, surely?
Are they trying to arrange for a riot down Pacific Quay?
Interesting times indeed!
“As a nation, we must avoid future damaging and divisive debates on separatism”
Well, I’m sorry – this feeble half-baked half-hearted set of half measures is not going to do that job. Try again, Strathclyde.
sigh here we go again ,i only hope the people of Scotland see through these blatant lies that are being spun by MSM and their westminster masters.
This is nothing new to all us old nats who have seen this before the last time we tried to free ourselves from westminster tyranny.
Again the desperation not to let the golden goose escape is prevalent do yourself a favour Scotland vote yes.
Thanks Ronnie. It’s because I’m in the country for a bit now (until July) and have some important reports to write, hence I’m on here all day. I was always lurking though…
Its a blue squirrel, its a red squirrel, or a yellow squirrel. At the end of the day their all squirrels.
To spend 15 months to produce 16 pages is a bittie rich, I hope the writers did not get paid for that.
The elephant in the room about all the unionist promises about what they will do with a NO vote, is that a YES vote gives us everything and you would have to be really thick not to see that.
Brian Taylor’s piece on Ruthie’s intervention on the BBC was interesting. He doesn’t appear to believe a word of it though and has some eye to the realpolitik (makes a change).
As for Kieza Dugdale MSP fronting a BBC Scotland headlines show replacing Ken MacDonald, I mean what the…???
If Kezia Dugdale was the presenter wouldn’t this become an issuer for the Electoral Commission?
The BBC would be presenting information from one side of the debate.
Re BBC Scotland. HAHA WTF!
@Xsticks
Just seen your note – sorry I missed you at Ellon (Offshore).
I’m sure the new Yes wagon will have plenty of use this summer.
Maybe Kezia will be paid by BBC World Services (CBI Branch). They are exempt from impartiality due to international Empire law.
I wonder when the BBC will employ a neutral expert like Alistair Campbell to draw up a detailed Scotland dossier?
Only slightly off-topic, the Tories seem to feel Corporation Tax is something that should be devolved in Northern Ireland.
‘Northern Ireland corporation tax: Supporters optimistic
Supporters of the devolution of corporation tax to Northern Ireland have expressed growing optimism that the power will be in place by 2017. Stormont wants to be able to match the 12.5% tax rate in the Republic of Ireland. The optimism comes despite an assertion by the Conservative Party in Scotland that corporation tax was “the least suitable of all taxes for devolution”. That conclusion is contained in the party’s Scottish devolution commission. The commission is chaired by Lord Strathclyde, former leader of the House of Lords. It said that corporation tax was “not economical to collect on a small scale” and “does not generate a reliable yield”. It also asserts that “devolution would be complex in law”.
However, the BBC understands that HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) have almost completed detailed technical work on corporation tax devolution for Northern Ireland. HMRC is preparing advice for government lawyers who will draft the legislation which can then be brought before parliament before the end of 2014. The most likely time for an announcement from the Westminster government is around the time of the Chancellor’s autumn statement.’
http://tinyurl.com/o29m4ps
I’m still picking up my jaw from the floor after reading the story about the BBC having a sitting Labour MSP to front its new paper review prog ‘Crossfire’
Shurely shome mishtake?
If true, its where to begin, trying to fathom the thinking
Next Iain Gray as business editor. Health one Jac…..
Can’t believe the BBC could be so stupid, Well the’ve got form in being stupid so perhaps it’s true.
Electoral Commission, we know you read this site, get it sorted.
Johann Lamont is to appear on BBC Scotland’s soap River City as Molly O’Hara’s long lost twin sister.
Please tell me this is wrong. Surely to fuck BBC Scotland could not employ Kezia Dugdale as a presenter?
Simon Heffer and Lord Robertson to head up new BBC culture show – “We dinnae hae any o’ that”.
Jackie Baillie is to replace Jackie Bird on Reporting Scotland, now renamed as “Who ate all the pies?”
@cynicalHighlander
I think Ian Gray is booked for The Cooking Hour..first dish will be Subway sandwich followed by Humble Pie
Whatever the Strathclyde Report is attempting to do (and I agree that it’s probably about forcing a Scottish government of any political stripe to cut services in order to maintain tax competitiveness with our neighboiurs to the south), it is clearly not designed to allow Scots a parliament with the powers needed to grow the Scottish economy. I would suggest that both his Lordship and Ruth Davidson would struggle to find any reputable economist on the planet who would recommend this package as one equipped to expand a “regional” economy to provide employment opportunities and tackle the poverty which blights our fair land. Would any academic economist care to offer his or her opinion on the matter? Will any Scottish journalist make a phone call to ask?
I had Johann Lamont down for “Thought for the Day”…
Can anyone tell me if the oo has registered as part of the no team?
Got one of their leaflets today.
Well, that’s the devo offers from the Tories, the LibDems and Labour.
All we have to hear now is UKIP’s proposals for the Scottish parliament.
I can’t wait!
BBC Announcer June 2014
“And coming up after the news,Crossfire. Miss No holds barred Kezia Dugdale talks with Susan Calman, John Barrowman and Donald Trump about all thats wrong in this country! Pleas enote all calls are monitored and cyberfarting is likely”
@Tamson says:
2 June, 2014 at 3:30 pm
It doesn’t even require a sperm trail. He just has to be recorded on the birth certificate. I’m not suggesting that any titled person could be other than of regal birth.
I know my place…tugs forelock (and don’t mention Harry!)
Just reading tweets on the ‘Crossfire’ prog.
According to various, it will be 2 non journalists presenting the programme
Labour MSP, Kezia Dugdale and Andrew Wilson , from June 22nd
@bellacaledonia
@andywightman
@LesleyRiddoch ·
Really? Really? No way, sorry, just don’t believe the BBC Dugdale story, are they really that stupid?
Although, maybe it’s all part of the grand plan…
After all, the Westminster Govt is delighted with the way the BBC is behaving, they can’t wait to put the boot in next year, BBC will be so discredited the only way to save it will be privatisation.
The labourites at Pacific Quay (the fools) are only useful until September 19th at which point their bias and corruption will be exposed and they will all get the boot. They will be replaced by govt supporting staff from London, just in time for the general election coverage to begin.
Do you want to go mad?
This on Bella
“On top of this, Bella Caledonia can exclusively reveal that the replacement for the popular Headlines programme on Radio Scotland on Sunday mornings fronted by Ken MacDonald, will be called ‘Crossfire’ and will be hosted by Labour MSP, Kezia Dugdale. If confirmed it would be a incredible appointment for a public body under close scrutiny for bias during such a crucial period.
Link – http://bellacaledonia.org.uk/2014/06/02/crossfire/
BBC Announcer July 2014
“And now, in replacement for the cancelled Crossfire series, a little Jimmy Shand”
Newspapers Scotland wide July 2014
Cybernat threats see brave Dugdale walk away from the show that dared highlight the seperatist lies!”
“A caller stated he knew I was an MSP for Labour. I felt so threatened he had been checking into my life. I havent quite phoned the Police yet, its all been such a shock,I’m just glad to be safe and away from such evil” said the woman many see as the epitome of Scottish Labour.
Duncan Hothersall over on twitter claiming the crossfire story is misinformation. Not sure why he would know for sure tho.
BBC Scotland are to run an independence referendum context programme fronted by world famous historian David Starkey.
“Scotland: A Feeble Little Country”
Better together with UKIP have praised this valuable contribution from a renowned and independent source.
Here’s the BBC complaints Department,and Ofcom lets complain in advance about the unionist Labour MSP Kezia Dugdale taking charge of a topical mainly political radio show.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/contact-us/
Mare BBC vote no grot hosted by Labour MSP, Kezia Dugdale.
Lets face it, could you actually tell the difference from any other BBC in Scotland “host?” Sorry for pointing out the obvious there, again.
More on the BBC story – and this is an important update to the information that I linked to earlier.
It would appear that the show is to be co-presented with Andrew Wilson, a former SNP MSP. The name ‘crossfire’ is not the sort of rhetoric that I think we wish to see.
Lesley Riddoch has a rant at Aunty about this and other things here:
http://rqs.libsyn.com/ranty-at-aunty
https://twitter.com/AndrewWilsonAJW
It is just unbelievable Dugdale to host a BBC programme in the run up to the Referendum. Cheek doesn’t come in to it.
Brilliant BBC Demo. Thanks Glasgow.
If Kezia is on the BBC payroll, The Baron won’t be far behind her in the queue …
What? Somebody other than Neil Oliver getting a BBC job?
June 2015
“And now on BBC Scotfree, Stuart Cosgrove concludes his 12 part reading of “Intae Them” by Sir Ian Davidson. Next week Janice Forsyth will be reading from “A line in the sand, your life in my hand”, a collection of poems by namesake Dame Ruth Davidson.”
This aint Devo Max, its Devo Lax.
If that news about the new host for Radio Scotland,then it shocking judgement,unless of course,you are only responsible to a far away Tory admin.
How does having a former SNP MSP on with a serving Labour MSP make it balanced? Why did he even agree?
STV news at six announcing a rise in support for Independence.
Fronting a show with a serving MSP cant be right, regardless of who the other presenter is.
Little taster for STV tv news. Hints at a rise for support for independence…is there a poll out???
Politicians should answering questions on radio,not asking them.
I admit it, I heard the word Crossfire and immediately thought of “The fastest game in the world”. I used to love firing the wee ball-bearings at that red and chrome puck!
http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/1/3/9/9/9/3/5/webimg/673927654_tp.jpg
The EBC PQ MAFIA. Have just given Scotland’s people the FINGER and are now about to PISS all over us with HMGs blessing. Aye better the GITHER. Think contempt isn’t to strong.
Regarding the nonsense report from the Tories today, it is is just one of many nonsense reports by unionist parties with their heads in the London trough. How freaking patronising can people be, offering to let Scots have a ‘wee bit control’, but London needs to stay in charge.
How freaking patronising, how freaking insulting.
As for the BBC, they are finished if they appoint somebody such as Labour MSP Dugdale as a presenter, in the run up to the referendum (or indeed at any time). Blatant biased propagandist state broadcaster, the lying BBC, serving you pro britannia propaganda 24/7.
Meanwhile, the electoral commission do nothing, as expected. The most pointless ‘regulatory’ body in the known universe. Anybody who seriously thinks the BBC will become balanced and unbiased in this ‘regulated’ period of the referendum, needs to see a head doctor.
The question I ask is simply this, just how much will the blatantly biased and anti independence BBC be allowed to usurp EVERY single democratic principle, before the Scottish Government gets on the phone to the council of Europe, and says we need observers ASAP. I don’t care if broadcasting is not their remit, this is THEIR referendum, this is THE country, for which they have responsibility, so they have every right to protect democracy in Scotland. They need to take the initiative. They need to wake up.
I hate to use UKIP as an example, but just look, they have told the BBC ‘include us in election debates or we’ll take you to the f’in cleaners in court’. (I paraphrase of course).
@alexicon
Snap!
PS.
Murray 2 sets to 0 up 🙂
Link to match on off topic in a minute.
BBC. The Voice of the Nation. It is an organ of the state people and as such it is fighting for the establishment and for the Union. You really think it cares what Scotland thinks when it’s backed by the UK Government?
Scenario 1: No vote. See, justified, everything back to normal, Reporting Scotland anyone?
Scenario 2: Yes vote. We were always going to be fu****ed over anyway so who cares? And we can still make money selling our programmes to them.
call me dave
I believe an Ipsos-Mori poll to be announced at 6pm – I presume that is when their news programme starts.
I find that the BBC in Scotland appear to have had a frontal lobotomy as far as their thinking is concerned.
Yes, by all means have a balance of 2 people, that can truly give balance and are not currently involved in the indy debate. Especially not sitting politicians!.
It is a format that might work.
But I would have kept on Ken MacDonald to referee the two and to ensure fairness. It would have made an acceptable and couthy listen.
But to have one current and very active MSP (regardless of the political party) involved in actually fronting the programme, is just bizarre
This ‘Crossfire’ programme is an export from the American news channels where 2 politicians from left and right discuss news items. Sky did something like that a few years back with Norman Tebbit and Austin Mitchell. I shan’t watch.
This is the problem.
The average person in the street just doesn’t understand any income tax proposals, or what it would mean for the Barnett Formula if they have even heard of it.
So unionists can get away with the vague concept of offering ‘more powers’, and repeating ‘the best of both worlds’.
Just basically lying about a ‘strong Scottish Parliament’
There is a nice YES Scotland chart on facebook, showing some differences.
But it’s hard to get the message over on this one.
We need to stop the nicey-nice approach, and get some hard-hitting billboards and adverts out there showing what we actually have.
A neutered and hamstrung Scottish parliament living in the shadow of Emerald City.
State broadcaster in meltdown! Ken MacDonald and Gary Robertson going out the side door to accomodate salaries for Naughtie and Smith junior. Rumour yesterday at the protest that staff were told to stay away from the windows or they would be sacked.
Morale must be rock bottom, I’ll try and get some inside info from a pal on Wednesday evening.
Funniest line I found in the Tory leaflet is the first sentence in p.11
“Devolution has been a core Tory value for decades”
No tittering at the back there!
STV poll.
http://news.stv.tv/scotland/277620-ipsos-mori-poll-for-stv-shows-gap-between-yes-and-no-closing/
BBC gone mad: Crossfire’s new presenter
Nothing on Dugdales twitter feed..
Re upcoming poll on indy I went onto site and got a security threat!
http://tinyurl.com/ltmxc2s
Latest Poll update
http://scotgoespop.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/pro-independence-campaign-make-crucial.html
Yes 36% (+4)
No 54% (-3)
Here is the poll.
http://news.stv.tv/scotland-decides/news/277620-ipsos-mori-poll-for-stv-shows-gap-between-yes-and-no-closing/
No offence Stuart but I am always amazed by how many people called Campbell are still so anti Scottish I mean they must be trying to ease their guilt over fighting against Charlie and Scotland all them years ago vote yes
The Holyrood Parliament has a Register of MSP`s Interests.
Presumably, Kezia Dugdale MSP has registered this BBC employment in the Register.
SNP HOLDS A MAJORITY – Ban this blatant bias with legislation.
Just watched Reporting Scotland stitch up on groceries north and south of the Irish Border. Surprise, surprise it’s cheaper in the North. A few weeks ago I did the same test on Tescos online service and there was no difference between the two.
Even if the reporter was on the level she omitted to say the shopping was cheaper in the smaller country.
Ian Davidson —sangs of praise
crossfire–to be renamed misfire
If Scotland vote No then every Yes supporter should vote UKIP at the next GE in 2016.
We are going to get screwed over anyway, might as well throw a couple dozen spanners in the works.(literally)
‘Time for a weather update now, with Jackson Carlaw. How’s it looking Jackson?’
OT, any info on how the demo went at pacific quay yesterday, numbers, pictures etc.
I just can’t find anything on the BBc about it !!!
Davy – re pics of demo at PQ, caz-m posted this link on another thread:
http://www.facebook.com/events/1425640054368278