Lie by lie
The Scottish Mail on Sunday’s shock-horror Forth Road Bridge story today is also accompanied by an editorial leader. And if the main article was a piece of bare-faced deception, it’s got nothing on the opinion piece.
No he didn’t. That’s a lie. The SMoS prints Barry Colford’s email, ostensibly in full, and it makes no mention whatsoever of any need for “urgent repairs”. All it does is notify Lesley Hinds, convenor of the old and now-defunct bridge authority FETA, that he’s placing a restriction on abnormal loads of over 150 tonnes on the bridge.
(Lesley Hinds is nothing to do with the SNP. When not working for FETA she was, and still is, actually a Scottish Labour councillor in Edinburgh.)
No he didn’t. That’s a lie. He says that the abnormal-load restriction will apply until such times as strengthening/replacement work takes place. 150 tonnes is over 120 new Mini Coopers. The number of such loads seeking to cross the bridge in a year could be counted on thumbs, and as such isn’t a priority issue.
Also, Lesley Hinds and Sue Bruce were officials of FETA, not Transport Scotland. Take note of that fact (and of the past tense), because it’s about to become important.
No it hasn’t. That’s a lie. There is no “advice” in the email, other than in the sense of “being advised of a fact”. The email doesn’t call for any action from Ms Hinds. It tells her a decision about the maintenance work will have to be made after May, but Mr Colford expresses no view on what that decision should be.
Indeed, the “smoking gun” email is actually telling Lesley Hinds the exact opposite of what the SMoS says it is – it’s saying that she doesn’t need to do anything at all, because FETA was being abolished in May to be replaced by Transport Scotland.
As an alert Wings reader spotted, what Mr Colford was in fact emailing Hinds to say was “I’m letting you know that we’re imposing this minor restriction now, but you don’t need to worry about it beyond that because the long-term decision can’t be made until after May, which means it’ll be Transport Scotland’s problem, not yours”.
No he didn’t. That’s a lie. The email raises no “concerns” about “safety” whatsoever. There’s not a single word about anything being unsafe.
This paragraph is at least partly true, the only one in the entire editorial that is. But the abolition of tolls passed at Holyrood by 120 votes to 0. If it was a “populist” decision, it was one entirely without opposition in the Parliament.
No she doesn’t. That’s a lie. The FM has said that she HOPES the bridge will open again “early in the New Year”, but has said the work is dependent on weather.
No it wouldn’t. That’s a lie. Mr Colford didn’t give Ministers any advice at all. He didn’t even write to any Ministers – he wrote to Lesley Hinds, who’s in neither the Scottish Government nor the SNP, and he offered her no advice.
If he had been offering advice, we can only presume the Scottish Mail on Sunday is claiming that it would have been to conduct the repair/replacement work, in which case the bridge would have been closed anyway, for an uncertain amount of time. The work might or might not have been complete by now.
(The bridge would certainly have spent a period out of operation, and at least now it’ll be over a holiday season when traffic is lighter, and at a time of year when weather can often close it anyway.)
The editorial is a tissue of falsehood from the first line to the last. We only wish it was in some way atypical of the Scottish media’s coverage of the matter to date.
Wonder who wrote the editorial?, maybe brainbox and greatest living civil engineer Dr Scott Arthur sounds like his pish…
Assuming the propaganda sheets are not routinely copied in on emails, what is the source of the document?
Did Mr Colford supply it? Did TS supply it? Was it a Labour Party source?
I’m getting tired of all this crap. The new bridge will be open soon. Nobody has died here. So the old bridge cracked, shit happens. Move on.
Sadly, it’s not atypical; it’s just typical.
Unfortunately, it is not atypical of the Scottish media’s coverage of the matter to date.
That is why we have to come here – to find out what it’s really about.
I don’t think Lesley Hinds has/had any role in Transport Scotland, at the time that email was sent the chief executive was a chap named Middleton. I believe she is involved in the South East Scotland Transport Partnership so maybe she received the email in that capacity.
If somebody is prepared to treat the decades-long plundering of Scotland’s resources by the UK government as an irrelevance, and if that same person considers the shameful and superficial ennoblement of people like Flipper and Danny Alexander as appropriate, and if that same person considers the temporary closure of a bridge for the safety of road users as a major catastrophe, that person could be neatly summed up in one of two ways: brain-dead or brainwashed.
Wow, what a shower. Unfortunately this bile will be taken as fact by their readers.
The bridge ‘story’ is also being reported on Radio Scotland news at 5pm. I can only guess they are trying to shore up the Unionist vote.
The SNP scares them and desperate times call for desperate measures. Buckle up it’s a long time until polling day in May!
And so it continues eh? I really feel for the folk who read this nonsense. I’m currently reading Batman the killing joke. It’s much better and the bonus is that it doesn’t pretend to be true unlike this twaddle. C’mon the comic’s.
The Mail on Sunday is doing nothing more than indulging in wishful thinking. They would like the SNP government to be culpable in this episode. They might even believe that the SNP are responsible. But they are not capable of assimilating the evidence and reaching a logical conclusion. And even if they could, they would still run the same story and editorial because they could not bring themselves to recognise good government delivered by the SNP.
So they spout their nonsense which really just amounts to SNP BAD. Meanwhile, the government are just quietly and competently getting on with the job. I really think the Scottish electorate see things for what they are in increasing numbers.
The minute the bridge was closed and people were saying that it was a good thing that the Scottish Government had decided to build a replacement bridge you knew with 100% certainty that all of this hooha would be the result.
It is so depressingly predictable.
Its aim is to wear us down so that we grow tired of commenting on articles in the press – where comments are allowed – rebutting the misinformation they peddle.
But you know what? It just makes people more determined to keep at it – me anyway.
To keep pointing out the fallacies and falsehoods in articles and pointing out the sins of omission and commission in them. This has a twofold purpose. Firstly it gets the truth into the public domain because the media are giving us a platform via their on-line comments section.
Secondly, for the many who read the comments sections of the on-line editions, and there are many although they may never comment, it underscores the point that the media are not a reliable source. Thus it undermines the credibility of the media.
“I don’t think Lesley Hinds has/had any role in Transport Scotland”
Whoops, misread. Fixed, ta. (In my defence, it’s the SMoS that says Colford wrote to “officials of Transport Scotland”.)
Just watched Politics Scotland in which the various pundits had a lovely time speculating (hoping) that the Forth Bridge problems would finally wake the Scottish electorate up to the SNPs ineptitude. In a previous post on the FB you ended by saying ‘…meanwhile the world rolls it’s eyes’ I wish. Sadly I suspect a great many people simply accept the MSM version of events. You are the finger in the dyke Rev. please keep telling it how it is.
It’s a further sign of unionist desperation.
Lesley Hinds was convenor of FETA the body responsible for bridge maintenance until June 2015 a fact SNP bashing politocos ignore
This has only got a wee bit to do with the SNP but McGarry and Thomson’s personal financial irregularities aside, the Forth Road Bridge closing is all the media and opposition parties have got, so they are going to flog it for all it is worth.
What a shame a meteorite can’t fall out the sky and smash into Edinburgh Castle so the media can blame that on the SNP too.
Philip
Wouldn’t worry too much, I mean, how many folk watch Politics Scotland?
And how many of them are reading this! 😀
It’s time the SNP did more to counteract this lying propaganda.
Craig P
“…but McGarry and Thomson’s personal financial irregularities aside…”
Just to point out that there is no evidence in the public domain of any “financial irregularities” on the part of McGarry or Thomson. There is the usual innuendo and smear from the media – that is all.
@Legerwood – spot on!
Looks like they are emptying the magazine before the called for enquiry by SLab gets hit by the SNP guided missiles.
Out shopping in Glenrothes Matalan today, no irate folk complaining about not being able to get to the ‘Big Shops’ just the usual tired kids in tow and wondering what to get Aunty Jeanie and Grandad Tom for Christmas. Said to one fed up looking gent, ‘At least you didn’t have to go into Embra!’ Said he hoped the FRB would be closed every bloody Christmas!
@Philip Maughan 5:32pm
“…speculating (hoping) that the Forth Bridge problems would finally wake the Scottish electorate up to the SNPs ineptitude.”
The fact that they are reduced to such speculation shows how desperate they are.
I’ve got six envelopes here in Spain addressed to Nicola and five Scottish ‘newspapers’. In each one is a copy of the Daily Record and Daily Mail front pages with their lies about our Bridge, as well as Wings analysis of the truth. I will post tomorrow morning and all six will be in London tomorrow evening, on their way to Scotland.
I look forward to an Enquiry about our Bridge, to include an Enquiry about our Press.
We must all do our bit and turn back the bile being hurled at us.
I find it strange that Labour have issued a timeline for the bridge which is almost word for word. Then again ,they probably gave the Press briefing.
The The Labour timeline is also a tissus of deceit.
There must be something we can do collectively to hold these “journalists” to account? It’s one thing for them to give their own views on things. It’s quite another to peddle blatant falsehoods for partisan political ends.
Could we all en-masse flood the watchdog with complaints? Have a crowd-funder to take one of the most blatantly false stories to court? Maybe use proceeds from that, assuming we won, to launch further court cases? Basically, hit them in the wallet frequently enough that it’s no longer cost-effective for them to mislead the public?
Can nothing be done about this lying rag of a paper?
The crux of the matter is this.
Has FETA or anyone who worked in FETA in a senior capacity,notified the Scottish Government that the bridge was considered dangerous and had to be shut for emergency repair ?
If not ,why not?
It often becomes very depressing seeing/hearing BUM and BBC forever running anti-Scottish government propaganda, but it’s also truly amazing how a visit to ‘Wings’ really dispels much of the anger and replaces it with even more steely determination to see these deadbeats gone forever.
It is going to get worse, so we just buckle up for the ride – it is going to go our way, no question of that!!
“Headline news”
Instead of us reacting to the Corpmed headlines and editorials , let ‘s write our own here every evening before the presses begin . It will give us some idea where we feel the “news ” is and highlight the bias we put up with.
eg today . ” Leaked Email reveals Labour antipathy to FRB”
” Baillie reveals Labour Scots tax plan is no change ”
” Cameron running scared of his own party”
I feel this will help concentrate our counterattack and make the comments more readable. Only a serving suggestion.
“SNP’s Bridge BUNGLE “…what about ZIPPY….GEORGE…and …GEOFFREY………” Doubly Galling ” ( a term I must admit I myself frequently use) that they only included BUNGLE in their headline…..Positive they are all usually together….
So think headline should really have been ‘SNP’s Bridge BUNGLE,ZIPPY,GEORGE and GEOFFREY’…..SORTED…NO THANKS REQUIRED MR NEWSPAPER MEN ( a term I infrequently use re Daily Mail ). Guffaw …..and another Guffaw fir luck.
Imagine how much it bugs these frauds watching the new bridge coming along, under budget, ahead of schedule, looks stunning etc.
They’ll need to keep the old one open for britnat creeps like the Heil, who will refuse to use the new one on UKOK principle.
The BBC is repeating the lie on Ceefax and in news bulletins
Is it true that maintenance budgets were “greatly reduced” due to the abolition of tolls in 2007? If so, was this reduction raised in the debates leading to abolition?
Black Joan at 5.44
Do you know how it can do so when it has mo control of the media?
The SNP has put a complete and detailed rebuttal of all this nonsense out but who has put it on a front page ?
Liar Liar!
Only the profoundly ignorant still listen to this bullshit. I feel sorry for them.
Anybody any idea how you can fix something before it is broken?
Good work as always Rev. Lesley Hinds is the Holyrood Labour candidate here in Edinburgh North and Leith and she’ll be keeping her trap shut about this. If the unionist line of attack is that MacKay/Sturgeon/SNP/Uncle Tom Cobbley and all did nothing…then it follows that Hinds – therefore Labour – are equally culpable for not flagging it up. The Mails smear-job cuts both ways and if Labour tries to take advantage then it’s legit to ask why Hinds sat on her fat backside – despite her being equally as unculpable as MacKay or anyone else. It’s all a bit fucking insane but thats yoonyoonism for you.
So, has anyone asked Lesley Hinds when (!) she became aware of impending catastrophe?
Simon Chadwick at 6.22
No
As a semi-retired journalist, I despair of the attitudes of the guys who are running desks these days.
A lot of the problem is poor management. I am currently dealing with the fourth different departmental editor in this calendar year on one paper for which I write fairly regularly. Kids are being promoted above their abilities, far too soon.
I also have to admit, the lack of a proper regulatory authority contributes to the way the BUMS can more-or-less write what they like. If there was proper press regulation, which hit offenders where it hurt, in their pockets, we would soon see the end of the lies and half-truths.
Also, if corrections and retractions HAD to be given the same position and prominence as the original error, again, things would be different.
Westminster politicians, being so-corrupt themselves, will never sort out their fellow gangsters in the media, just in case it comes back to haunt them. We are in a mess, and nae wonder.
So an email from the chief bridge engineer was sent to Lesley Hinds, a Labour councilor and candidate for an MSP’s position in Edinburgh.
If she wins that may be a good thing. The people want answers so let’s start with hers.
People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.
. If there was proper press regulation, which hit offenders where it hurt, in their pockets, we would soon see the end of the lies and half-truths.
Freedom of speech is what its all about. So a few dreary professional liars fart out endless attacks on SNP Scots.gov, we should never let them threaten our basic rights.
Look where its got them anyway. The right to say what you think is far more important than anything UKOK tories at the Heil say about our nascent democracy and they’d be the first to shut it all of it down.
Mind how they hunted down several YES voters last year.
Croompenstein at 5.03pm.
“Wonder who wrote the editorial?, maybe brainbox and greatest living civil engineer Dr Scott Arthur sounds like his pish…”
Here, that’s no way to speak about a Kirk Elder (and one of Ian Murray’s constituents too…)
It seems to me, that while the allegations contained in this post are clearly, and efficiently, exposed for the worthless lies that they are.
Isn’t there any other form of redress, by judicial means, towards the author of this dreadful distortion of the truth ?. For this how I see it. A complete and utter fraud.
What to do? There are lies enough to warrant a complaint to the Independent Press Standards Organisation (which replaced the Press Complaints Commission).
https://www.ipso.co.uk/IPSO/index.html
Isn’t there any other form of redress, by judicial means, towards the author of this dreadful distortion of the truth ?.
Where would you start though? Courts completely clogged for decades with endless UKOK media fraud perpetrated on Scotland, shock.
Then once they do finally get to m’lud’s decider, look what happens
http://www.thenational.scot/news/someone-has-changed-alistair-carmichaels-wikipedia-entry-with-predictable-results.11057
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-32962263, Murdoch goon, gets away with it.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-35070715 CPS drop all charges.
you can do this all day.
Corruption or journalism?
I get it – they’re lying.
The Chief Engineer was in such a state of worry that he advised the repairs could wait till Transport Scotland took over in May ?
I thought this bridge was on the verge of imminent collapse and that the SNP ignored that fact ?
There must clearly then be e mails or letters pointing out to the SNP the engineers advice to shut the bridge immediately.
There must also be e mails from FETA to the Government highlighting the urgency of shutting the bridge due to potential disaster/ loss of life.
Bet you there is nothing of the kind
DonnyMac at 5.03pm
Not another kirk elder? Bear in mind that Carmichael has the same kirk status & it didn’t stop him lying his erse off, did it?
Funny how no-one from the kirk has said anything about Carmichael. Closed their ranks maybe? That says enough for me.
If The National doesn’t print the truth tomorrow, will those supporting it continue to support it?
Sorry should have been DonnyMac at 6.51pm
Aye the Scottish mail on Sunday,
Their Brain teaser crossword has about six different answers !!!
That sums up their readership.
As for Hinds,
Trams, Nuf said.
In 2003 an inspection programme was ordered into the state of the bridge because problems had been found in bridges in the US of similar construction. The report was completed in 2005 and showed that the main cables had lost 8-10% of their strength.
The report also said that this loss of strength was likely to accelerate over time. The projection was that by 2014 there would have to be a decrease on the loading on the bridge with full closure by 2020.
The severity of the projections and their implications led to an audit of the report being commissioned. This confirmed that the original report had been carried out properly and it was correct in its assessment. In fact the consultants who carried out the report gave 2013 as the target date for limiting the loads using the bridge.
This email merely confirms what has been known since 2005-6. In fact the maintenance and other measures put in place have extended the period before the limits needed to be put in place.
So what is the fuss about?
The number of loads of 150 tonnes or more is relatively small The restrictions came in 9-10 months ago. So the heavy loads have been limited and are not directly responsible for this crack which is likely to have happened within the last few weeks.
FETA had to make decisions about what maintenance/repairs should be made to keep the bridge in operation until the new bridge comes into operation. At which point the old bridge would be closed for extensive refurbishment then re-opened. It was a judgement call based on risk assessment and engineering experience as to what was prioritised and what was deferred until the bridge was taken out of service.
They found the crack, it is going to be fixed and the bridge did not fall down. End of story – if only that were so but labour are not going to let it go. They will keep at it beyond reason and then wonder why their fortunes are collapsing but the bridge isn’t.
It was a judgement call based on risk assessment.
Dave McEwan Hill,
“The SNP has put a complete and detailed rebuttal of all this nonsense out but who has put it on a front page ?”
Waiting for your favourite paper, The National, to do that tomorrow.
If it doesn’t, even you will have to accept that the only purpose of The National is to be a cash cow to milk gullible Yes supporters like yourself to keep The Herald alive.
bbc have similar rubbish on website
They’re baiting and waiting.
The appropriate response people is point and laugh. WOS has laid out timelines, sources and dissection. The SMoS?
Not so much. 😀
@ Lollysmum
Yes that font of all knowledge Dr Scott is an expert in “Holistic sewerage asset management” aka A PLUMBER and “The hydraulic and operational performance of roof drainage” A ROOFER!
Dont think we will be taking any advice on bridge maintenance from him and Im surprised that the Hairy Twat University are not paying a bit more attention to his extra curricular activities considering where a large part of their funding comes from.
A little light relief: https://www.facebook.com/LADbible/videos/2591896340857540/?pnref=story
Right,.that’s it..
Last few nights have been reading posts on here about how to pussyfoot around former, and, (as seen by their ability to accept these newspapers as gospel) GULLIBLE, NO voters… lest we upset our harmonious workplaces.
Joke’s over, barefaced subterfuge must be met with outspoken truth.
This (weak) attempt to remove a government minister by misleading the electorate is ALMOST CRIMINAL..
Luckily for us, everything is out in the open. Holyrood’s open government speaks for itself, so the papers often have to quote non political types to give credence to their thin lies.
To really, really, want the minister to resign on this issue, shows COMPLETE DISRESPECT.
I will be making clear, in good humour, to all I meet and work with..
..that the behaviour of the ‘establishment’ seems pseudo-treason-like, to me.
..acting against, and with an evil contempt for, half the people in our country.
AND PROVES..
They just need to fool…
SOME OF THE PEOPLE, ALL OF THE TIME.
If I come across any of the ‘some of the people’ they hear my disappointment, and my hope for change for the better.
Everyone has a soft spot, primary and secondary colours included, we’ll chip chip till they crumble. They’ve been around for a while, but we will be here even longer, give it up now big man, bring on a better future, count our blessings.
Rock at 7.16
And I buy the Beano to keep the Sunday Post alive as well.
I know I’ve mentioned this before, but what must be galling for the M.S.M is that, at least in our constituency, their propoganda aint working.
Out canvassing today, and not one mention of the F.R.B. So while they promote their lies for all their worth, it seems more and more real people just no longer believe them.
It’s the arrogance of unionist politicians and the unionist media which is most on show. They really believe that just because they say something is the case, regardless of its lack of veracity, then the public must accept it. Pro-indy politics and the internet have changed Scotland irrevocably in the last few years. Unionists can’t bring themselves to acknowledge the change; they are living in the past.
Blair McDougall ?@blairmcdougall 44m44 minutes ago
Labour ask for all documents on #FRB repair to be published by SNP Govt. They accuse us of playing politics. What does that tell you?
It tells us SLabour are playing politics teacher Bliar.
Come on everyone: complain to the Independent Press Standards Organisation.
https://www.ipso.co.uk/IPSO/index.html
Let’s do this on a crowd-funding scale. Let’s do it to other newspapers when they lapse into lies in their bias against the SNP. Let’s attack them with the charged enthusiasm of the Referendum campaign. These people deserve to suffer. IPSO may not always sustain our complaints, but it and the newspapers and journalists we complain about will be harassed and sick of the trouble and extra work we give them.
Rock
Spot on. I have been saying this for some time that the National is no more a paper of independence than the Scotsman with is non catching dark printed background headlines about nothing with just a few soft pro SNP stories to get the Yes voters business.
Don`t buy this con of a newspaper and give your money to “WINGS“ as it is the only source of information that counters the MSM lies and speaks up for the Scottish government when being unfairly attacked by a barrage of lies and distortions.
The SNP should read “WINGS`, they might learn something,
I’m trying hard to figure out why it took so long to make a decision about a new Forth Road Bridge.
They knew about problems with the bridge way back in 2005.
Did they really think that a tram system in Edinburgh was more important than a bridge?
What about the parliament building was that considered more important than a bridge?
“Perma-bile” about sums up the generic behaviour of the slimy rag and its UKOK compatriots.
They are now in effect also smearing Ms Hinds and Dame Bruce. But who cares, anything to sell an SNPbad lie.
“Disingenuous”, “evasive”, “blatant”, “self-serving” …, what case was it those judges were pronouncing on? It’s hard to tell. So much choice.
Still, the more egregious the lies and smears they pour out, the more they tell us how brown their underwear is getting. They know what’s coming … .
Tick tick tick.
Just watched Brewery on the I player, this moron is a pig ignorant, I would say arsehole, but an arsehole at least has a use, it was very upsetting having to watch Jaba whilst eating my tea.
Brewery’s guests on just now talking TOTAL BOLLOX.
The usual mealy mouthed sh*te
The Forth Road Bridge is going to be their only attack, which will spectacularly back fire on them.
Carrel, some bint from a paper and the guy from the big shoe( won’t be buying that again). Tossers.
At least I have the satisfaction that I don’t pay Brewery the wankers wages.
I feel like going to one of his Friday lunch time shows, and asking him live on air,
“Why is he such a Wanker?”
Any guesses Wiggy Burd and KwianE fae the valleys will be headlining this new revelation on their mind numbingly garbage programmes tomorrow.
You can feel the SNEEEERS.
Pathetic.
Derek Mackay “the man for the job.”
100% backing from me.
Come on folks! Get real. The Daily Mail has decades of lying and deceit in its history and a great deal of dodgy association with fascist causes. It is implacably opposed to any form of advance or self determination on the part of the Scottish people and the Scottish Daily Mail is simply a subsidised version of the parent tarted up, cobbled together north of the border with a few Scottish pages to give succour and support to the dwindling band of Tories and unionist SLAB supporters that still survive.
Of far more concern is the consistent failure of our “national” broadcaster to even attempt to present balanced reporting on those issues. For a few minutes I watched as Politics Scotland with Gordon Brewer and a panel comprising Severin Carrell of the Grauniad, Katy Grant from, I imagine, The Lady and someone from The Big Issue wondering (hoping earnestly) that the FRB could damage the SNP image.
Try complaining to Pacific Quay and see how far you get!
Bliar likes the BBC very much
Blair McDougall ?@blairmcdougall 5h5 hours ago
Blair McDougall Retweeted BBC Scotland News
Damning stuff. When will someone in the SNP Government take responsibility?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-35087433
“Scotland’s transport authority was told of an urgent need to repair the Forth Road Bridge 10 months ago, a leaked email has revealed.”
No they weren’t. “That’s a lie. The SMoS prints Barry Colford’s email, ostensibly in full, and it makes no mention whatsoever of any need for “urgent repairs”
BBC Scotland are truly UKOK hideous but at the very least Bliar MaCdofuckall likes them.
Bliar also not mentioning Lesley Hinds is Slabour, and neither does the BBC vote Scotland conartists,
Spooky.
A catastrophe for Hinds would be dropping her burger in a rain drenched gutter.
PFI and Trams anyone?
In most countries such blatant misinformation would result in a (temporary) suspension of press cards.
Journalists from certain papers would not be invited to press conferences from the government and its affiliates until the lies have been rectified – in full.
Not six months later on page 23 in a 6 point font.
STV news Guilty too with shameless propaganda.
I can’t understand why SNP doesn’t e-mail every
party member with a reality check in the format
that the Rev supports us with?
Interesting that Kirk Elders like Carmichael and Scott Arthur
are high profile Liars in another corrupt establishment that
is dying. How can the church uphold Christian teachings when they
support members who preach lies, deception, and corruption to benefit themselves.
The same circumstances sees the newspaper industry, Lib Dems, and Slab, all dying off. but all too slowly.
Plebiscite.
A plebiscite of Scotland’s governmental portfolios has become entirely appropriate given the ambiguity of the alleged “vow”, and the alleged default on the promises of more powers. As such, in the interests of clarity alone, the Scottish Government is entirely within its remit to conduct a fact finding plebiscite to have the Scottish electorate determine which powers they wish to have administered in Edinburgh.
I am no legal eagle, but as I understand the laws governing referenda and plebiscites, Westminster CANNOT intervene to prevent such fact finding exercise taking place. It is a matter ENTIRELY within the Scottish domain and requires neither an Edinburgh agreement nor any mandate approved by Westminster.
IF Scotland, (say), voted to see broadcasting becoming a matter for Scotland’s government, not Westminster, (and God help us if we voted it shouldn’t), then Nicola, and our SNP landslides at Holyrood and Westminster have an unstoppable mandate from the people of Scotland to intervene directly with, and put an end to the propagandist bullshit which is pumped into our homes on a daily basis.
If someone has a better idea, then speak up. If such an idea is unworkable for any reason, then please tell me why.
Right now, I see two SNP juggernauts at Holyrood and Westminster who, frankly, seem to be floundering a little, and are in danger of losing their initiative and momentum. With such powerful majorities both here and in London, it begs the question of how much stronger any pro-Independence movement is ever likely to become. Improved share of the vote? Improved majority? Great. Terrific. But the reality is, such events would change nothing beyond that which we already have now.
The SNP has to act, and act soon, or risk appearing moribund and indecisive. It has to articulate it’s plans, and fight to seize the initiative. It is my fervent belief that the Plebiscite such as I have described would not only seize the initiative, but dominate the agenda, and God willing, deliver Scotland from the hateful clutches of the BBC Ministry of Truth, and thereafter, for the first time, Scotland will be free to discuss its future unfettered by the Unionist monopoly on broadcast media and the lack of integrity within that media.
So, six (six!) outright lies and one pish-poor attempt at one in one editorial… I would say that’s some kind of a record when ‘commenting’ on Scottish affairs, but as it’s the Sunday version of the Mail there are bound to be past editorials with even more! Still and all, six definites and one attempt is quite something…
The official UK mainstream-of-pish media is no more than a front for the British state.
The only ‘news’ they report in the newspapers is fluff-piece garbage – celebrities, kittens, recipe-of-the-month and the like, weather (because it just ‘is’), and football (because the results just ‘are’). All politics are written with bias and partiality to the continuation of the British state. The SNP, and its aim of Scottish independence, is to be treated with hostility, always in a negative light and never given kudos or praise for its policies.
The broadcast media is more of the same, just in a visual guise – X-factor, Celebrity Strictly Come Dancing, Great British (whatever), Dr.Who, weather reports, football, blah-blah… Here, they have an even bigger responsibility to propagandize the British state’s hostility to the SNP by means that are not quite blatantly obvious and indisputable… and oftentimes failing.
It’s all calculated to keep the masses stunned and inactive. Don’t think too much, just do birth, school, work, death and all will continue as we are in UK perpetually.
All politics must be approved through the British state’s prism, what is to be aired, and, more importantly, what is not to be aired – note the farce of the Scotland Bill for an example.
That is the state of things as we are now at the tail-end of 2015. An escape from this ongoing disgrace perpetrated upon Scotland and its people, a new beginning, can only come with independence. Next year, 2016, will be here soon. Let’s start on that new beginning by ridding Scotland of as many Unionist MSPs as possible in May.
When Scotland has a fair, unbiased and impartial media then, and only then, will it be truly free.
Gordon Brewer and the friends he had round at Pacific Quay today seem to think they are on a winner with this carry on at the FRB.
They actually think the Scottish Government should fall, based on the above “facts”.
As someone said earlier on, the journalists behind these stories should be getting charged with slander.
If only Leveson would hold an inquiry, oh that’s right, he already has.
@Effijy 8:16pm
A friend of mine who is a SNP member was happily surprised to receive an email last week from the SNP giving three internet addresses [including WOS] which clarified misinformation from the unionist media. Sorry, I can’t remember which issue exactly, but at least the SNP is now seeing the usefulness of spreading information from pro-indy sites to those peole who may not know about sites like WOS.
Ian @7.59 great idea lets all complain even if it does not make to much difference it will at least let them know we are checking
https://www.ipso.co.uk/IPSO/index.html
We have got to get the First Minister the 100,000 signatures required for her Stop the bombing in Syria petition.
Only 347 now required but the number is making little progress.
If we cannot get 100,000 Scots to back her on a humanitarian issue
like this, how can we expect her to deliver 2,000,000 plus independence votes?
http://www.snp.org/dont-bomb-syria?mc_cid=86a2a6caac&mc_eid=2ca6f3edb9
@Breeks
I think you might be onto something here. It’s ours, just take it.
Labour & all their friends in the press can bleat all they like. Some less informed voters may buy this pish hook line & sinker. Others though have begun to see things differently. Labour in Holyrood have put their faith in something really bad happening as a means of attacking the SNP. The Forth Bridge, a big snowfall etc. The Labour party’s corpse is being held up by the press & its mouth is moved by the Mail, Record & Scotsman. Is this all they have? Trying to bring down the government through a sequence of naturally occurring events isn’t really having an idea or any policies. Will Cameron be attacked for allowing the M6 to be closed for repairs? Of course not because that would just ridiculous. If I was a labour voter I would be quite pissed off by the behaviour of my representatives
The main problem with the Forth Road Bridge is not cracks on girders which can be replaced, it’s the wires snapping on the main suspension cables each of which have 11618 wires. This is due to corrosion, additional stresses due to heavier traffic.
All new suspension bridges have all their cables covered in ducting with continuous desiccated air blowing over the wires in the cables thus preventing corrosion.
The Severn Suspension Bridge is in a far worse state than the Forth Bridge, it’s snapping at least a wire a month, twice that of the Forth Bridge, and shortly will have to restrict heavy goods vehicles.
Funny nae mention of that in our shite excuse for Scottish newspapers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The only way to replace main cables on suspension bridges is to remove the road decks from the bridges and then replace the cables containing 20 thousand wires in each one plus renew the road decks and supporting cables. A major job taking 2 years or more to do.
All of this was known many years ago to engineers of all persuasions and written up in many well circulated engineering publications.
This shit storm SNP bad is coming from the so called scottish press who are in fact London toalie controlled scum and when it comes to engineering these earselings could not fit a nut in a monkey’ mouth, and probably have trouble fitting their earses to lavvy pans. The nearest they have come to engineering is when an engineer tumbled their mother.
see Im gullible again because I buy the National, they say we are too wee, too poor and too stupid to be independent, certainly some of the latter post on here.
Ruby @ 8.02 pm
If by ‘they’ you mean Labour then the answers to your questions are, yes and yes.
Even the LibDems were pushing for a decision on a new bridge at the end of 2006. Tavish Scott was the Transport Minister at the time and he was convinced of the need for a new bridge but Mr McConnell wanted the decision deferred until after the election.
The rest as they say is history.
Blair McDougall ?@blairmcdougall 1m1 minute ago
Next up after Hosie’s tweet – Shona Robison: the NHS isn’t making people sicker so stop moaning.
Not playing politics Bliar’s a bit weak tonight.
‘re press regulation’
Did the SG not commission a review into press conduct, which they rejected as to draconian.
I don’t remember to much about it or its content, but might be worth a revisit.
IMO, the SG and SNP have little to lose, since they are
under continual assault, and need to defend themselves.
I realize that the Corp media will go apeshit ‘re press freedom’ but what a way to expose the media’s co-ordinated attempts to mislead the public through lies and misrepresentation.
Reporting anything to IPSO is a waste of time. Nothing will be done. A slap on the wrist at most. Nothing will change. A complaint about extreme bias against the SNP in the UK’s print media…? Utterly pointless. You would be laughed at. They are Britnats to the core. They are the print media.
Read it and weep: From IPSO’s website…
“It is the responsibility of editors and publishers to apply the Code to editorial material in both printed and online versions of publications. They should take care to ensure it is observed rigorously by all editorial staff and external contributors, including non-journalists, in printed and online versions of publications.
Editors should co-operate swiftly with the Independent Press Standards Organisation CIC (the ‘Regulator’) in the resolution of complaints. Any publication judged to have breached the Code must publish the adjudication in full and with due prominence agreed by the Regulator, including headline reference to the Regulator.”
Clause 1 Accuracy
i) The Press must take care not to publish inaccurate, misleading or distorted information, including pictures.
ii) A significant inaccuracy, misleading statement or distortion once recognised must be corrected, promptly and with due prominence, and – where appropriate – an apology published. In cases involving the Regulator, prominence should be agreed with the Regulator in advance.
iii) The Press, whilst free to be partisan, must distinguish clearly between comment, conjecture and fact.
iv) A publication must report fairly and accurately the outcome of an action for defamation to which it has been a party, unless an agreed settlement states otherwise, or an agreed statement is published.
Yes, every section of that Accuracy clause has been violated by that Sunday Mail editorial (above), but go ahead and report it to IPSO and see what transpires. It will be somewhere along the lines of these three words: Sweet. Fuck. All.
A Britnat Establishment organisation, with resulting corruption guaranteed.
If Alex Salmond had taken the opportunity and applied the Scots equivalent of the Leveson Inquiry recommendations in Scotland, the old media wouldn’t have tried a stunt like the one above.
@Rock (7.07) –
Ach Rock, FFS, I was giving you credit t’other day for calling the Carmichael result many moons ago (much as it pained me to say it) but you don’t half bang on about the same stuff – that bee in your bunnet must be knackered.
🙂
The National is a NEWSPAPER. It’s not a print version of a political blog, and no-one should expect it to be. By your logic no-one with even the vaguest socialist tendencies should ever have anything to do with the SNP on the basis that it’s ‘business-friendly’, and those with stronger sympathies shouldn’t even bother with SSP/Solidarity/RISE because they’re not calling for immediate revolution.
The type of publication you want the National to be does not exist for the simple reason that nowhere near enough people would consider buying anything so ‘radical’ – samizdat, by definition, does not appear on the shelves of newsagents and supermarkets.
West FM radio news is reporting it as “heavy lorries” banned from the FRB since February.
Weight limit for a “heavy lorry” i.e, 5 or 6 axle arctic or axle-draw is 44 tonnes, not 150 tonnes. The limit for a category C abnormal load IS 150 tonnes, not over it.
For over 150 tonnes, it needs a “Department of Transport Special Order plus 5 clear days’ notice to Police and 5 clear days’ notice with indemnity to Highway and Bridge Authorities” (presumably Transport Scotland not DOT).
Whoever puts the news together is illiterate and a moron. Who knew.
I think they have done us a favour by going OTT on the SNP bad stories.
People are waking up to the press bias. I hear more and more people openly mocking these stories.
We have accused them of bias many, many times and the blatant bias on display this week by the media is proving the case for us.
https://archive.is/xa3dj
Torygraph piles in but a little different from mentalist Heil tone, told Transport Scotland urgent repairs needed becomes, raised concerns
https://archive.is/xa3dj#selection-925.0-929.181
SNP told to ‘come clean’ over Forth road bridge closure
A leaked email shows the bridge’s chief engineer raised concerns about a key part 10 months ago but Derek Mackay, the Transport Minister, accuses Labour of playing political games.”
TS will have to decide about trusses, after May 31st, is what Colford actually emailed.
Tut, tut, and still no support from any report on the Forth Road Bridge fiasco from any engineer for the SNP, delaying maintenance….
Instead of which Wings is flailing about trying to spin newspaper articles.
Wait until a few weeks of folk having longer journeys, in the middle of winter, on their daily commute sinks in.
Not to mention the cost to small businesses.
Still never mind eh?
*Waves Saltire*
The National of course is a unionist rag pretending to support the nationalists. To do so it it gives full pages every week to Mhari Black, George Kerevan. Lesley Riddoch, Pat Kane, Carolyn Leckie, Gordon McIntryre-Kemp, Wee Ginger Dug (Paul Kavanagh), Patrick Harvie, Tasmina Ahmed-Sheik, Cat Boyd, Jeanne Freeman,Greg Moodie, Andrew Tickell, Michael Gray, Alison Johnstone,Angry Salmond and regular contributions from others all pretending to support independence as they seek to deceive us.
Glad we cleared that up.
“The SNP should read “WINGS`, they might learn something”
I think you’ll find that many of our SNP elected representatives have been reading WOS for some time…
“Waves Saltire” which is in background of union rag flag.
Diddy.
Just read the the BBC news article… whole lot of carmichal’s going on there if everyone tells the same lie does it become true?
In the midst of all this controversy and hullaballoo, let’s never forget who the real heroes are – the Scottish parliament wouldn’t even exist if it hadn’t been for these two giants:
‘There Shall Be A Scottish Parliament’, starring George Foulkes and Jack McConnell –
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJ1fUj4Be_s&spfreload=10
Keep the OED definition for ‘subsequently’ petition lol
https://t.co/FccIJOMi8R
Wonder what the line in the BBC Tokyo Kay’s show will be
Ha ha ha
Just kidding
If all those whinging bastards had built the new bridge when it should have been built – mid 90’s then I’m sure todays problems would never have happened. Let’s hear more of the inaction over thirty years of the Tories, SLAB and the Fib/Dems that have really landed us where we are.
Auld Rock
Still never mind eh?
*Waves union jack*
you mean Stuart. You can’t even get that right:D
You’re Welcome.
Oh how I cannot wait to see their Unionist pusses after May 7th next year when the SNP increase their vote share and majority at Holyrood; when it finally dawns on these CorpMedia clowns that all their lies and spin has been thoroughly rejected by the thinking and informed people of Scotland; when we get to tell the meejits with one loud voice:YOUR LIES AIN’T FUCKING WORKING.
Tick, tock CorpMedia – tick-fucking-tock.
SNP x2 SE2016
Do sign the ‘don’t bomb Syria’ petition. Hasn’t the plight of Syrian civilians dropped off the front pages as the MSM assume collective amnesia amongst the voting public and assume a writing space for the oxymoron of neoliberal democracy. The MSM focus is a political project of state crafting as they cement their relationship with the political elite.
Goodness- in the first year of office PM Cameron had 27 meetings with New Corporation executives with an additional 86 meetings between different government ministers and News Corporation staff- that’s a lot of government time devoted to obscuring the truth (Gaber, 2012)
Thankfully there are other sources for information but it makes for uncomfortable reading;
https://www.hrw.org/middle-east/n-africa/syria
https://www.hrw.org/news/2015/11/13/if-no-quick-end-war-syria-can-be-found-least-protect-civilians
http://oxfordresearchgroup.org.uk/publications/briefing_papers_and_reports/stolen_futures
Gaber,I.(2012). Rupert and the three card trope-what you see ain’t necessarily what you get. Media, Culture & Society 34(5) 637-646
I’ll give you another little gem told to me by people in the know. In 2010 FETA cancelled the insurance of the bridge structure after having been told there was minimum risk. It was never renewed.
I do like the way the Rev has dissected the newspaper article. He would be good a jury going through all the evidence.
Stuart – finished your homework then? Bored? Try squeezing your plooks. That should keep you interested for an hour or two. Excuse my vulgarity – your type makes me want to throw up!
Stuart says: more stuff that he does not believe.
Don’t follow you Stuart the bridge maintenance engineers have said that the fault was not predictable and occurred in the last few weeks.
And that’s pretty much the SNP position as you call it.
Please correct me if I’m wrong here, but, according to ‘our’ esteemed press, a member of the labour party, elected to public office, was informed that the FRB required major remedial work in order to prevent a potentially fatal scenario that might kill hundreds of Scots and this WASN’T raised with the government?
That little prick, Stuart, who is now trolling every article in Wings is detrimental to this site. That’ll be the reasoning for its [sic] actions, nothing more.
I think this is more relevant to a couple of postings on the last thread about reading the media, but it is important that some of us do – as Rev does – so as to refute the lies, and correct the bias.
A for instance of that would be if some rag put in an article “heavy lorries banned from the FRB back in Feb” as per my posting on what I heard on West FM news.
All that’s needed is a simple reply, not criticising the so-called “journalist”, but correcting the article. That heavy lorries carry up to 44 tonnes and were NOT banned from the FRB, not even most abonrmal loads were banned, only those abnormal loads over 150 tonnes, which required special authorisation, and 5 days notice to the relevant authorities.
We can’t let the media get away with the omissions, distortion and outright lies. They know we post to contradict them, preferably with a gov.uk or gov.scot link, and that does keep them on their toes, and a bit away from the outright lies. It also helps to inform the undecided who can check the link themselves, and see for themselves how the media is lying to us, or even just misinforming us.
Lollysmum says:
13 December, 2015 at 9:22 pm
Keep the OED definition for ‘subsequently’ petition lol
https://t.co/FccIJOMi8R
Its time that prick Stuart @ 9.11 was banned because he is as much of a lying bastard as labour are
different point of view is fine but lying through your teeth trolling every artical needs dealt with
Here’s Iain Gray, another SLab Scottish patriot, joyously celebrating the 10th anniversary of devolution.
The video only lasts 2 mins and 8 seconds.
Just for a bit of fun, can you guess how many times he says ‘Scottish parliament’ and/or ‘parliament’ in that time? And (easier question) can he possibly manage to squeeze in any ‘SNP Baaad!’?
There’s only one way to find out…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PZBrm0j-3s
@Clootie at 9:06 pm
I think they have done us a favour by going OTT on the SNP bad stories.
People are waking up to the press bias. I hear more and more people openly mocking these stories.
Someone at my work was saying exactly that last week during the coffee break. There is no doubt that awareness is growing.
Ft takes a long hard piss over Scottish democracy. Also explains why their liggers are never far from Andrew Niel’s Daily Politics guest list
https://archive.is/FlKuh
SNP bad, badder, baddest ever
but
“Critics hope public anger over the bridge, which will not reopen until next year, will take some of the steam out of an SNP political juggernaut currently heading for a landslide in next May’s Scottish parliament elections.
Murdo Fraser, a Conservative member of the Scottish parliament, said the bridge closure could threaten the SNP’s reputation for competence.
Even critics accepted that SNP ministers were in the main of “better mettle” than previous Scottish administrations, Mr Fraser wrote on the Think Scotland website.
“Reputations for competence are hard won, but easily lost,” he said. “The cracking story of the Forth Road Bridge may prove to be the point where one of the SNP’s strongest cards was carelessly discarded.”
I’ll echo Marcia’s sentiments at 9.39pm.
Great article Rev. You have a style unrivalled anywhere and, i’ll bet, secretly admired by the flopping failures masquerading within the unionist media.
Shall we tell them your secret? Do you think they know? I wonder what they tell the young apprentice journos? Do you think they get taught the key ingredient to what makes a good and successful journalist?
Och, if you’re not going to tell them i will. Four simple words.
Truth supported with proof.
BINGO!
SNP x 2
Fuckin BBC Scot still have this lie as lead headline on their web page,liars.With a load of the usual pish from the woman who funnily enough weighs the same as 120 mini coopers , Jackie (the blue whale) Baillie. As they can weigh 150 tons too!. This is all they have. Lets get rid of this lumpo’lard. Snp x 2 in May.
O/T for info
Update on Orkney 4 crowdfunder. £61,000 raised in 5 days. Still just under £14k to go but we’re getting there 🙂
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-people-versus-carmichael#/funders
A postie told me years ago that the best way to stop junk mail is to return it to sender and label it “Not at this address.”
I wonder how many copies of the Mail on Sunday were returned to sender by newsagents tonight. It is probably called the Mail on Sunday to show solidarity with the Sunday Mail. Both are undoubtedly junk.
@7.16.. . . . Crawl under . . . A rock
BBC does a radio programme on the North. But only in the further north than Scotland. Interesting parallels in Scandinavia, Greenland and Iceland. Social democracy, equality, happiness, good education and so on. They value independence too. It’s all good.
So why not here?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06rwg9f
Stuart@9.11pm
You are more to be pitied , i have often seen your comments on here and thought what a clown.
You honestly dont give a fuck about the people travelling miles to get home or to work whilst the bridge is repaired , your just angry & sad that its closing time on the union and the only thing left in denial.
The SNP baad currency is being devalued to the extent that something will come along in the future where the SNP have royally screwed up and it will gain zero traction because everyone expects the media to take the same angle whatever the situation.
The media and the unionist parties think some vague, wafer thin blame piece is going to gain traction. They underestimate the general public’s perceptiveness at every turn.
The Scottish media class think everyone is interested in politics- damn it, they probably think most people catch either Scotland 2015 or Scotland Today on STV! They think a press release automatically enters the general public’s consciousness verbatim without any critical faculties interfering.
When the media are trying to tell members of the public that Derek Mackay (someone they have never heard of and therefore relatively new to the transport brief) is somehow to blame for the Forth Road Bridge closure it doesn’t make any sense. In Edinburgh we’ve been talking about the problems with the bridge for many, many years so how is this new guy culpable?
Plus- that new bridge rising from Forth is coming along… thats an SNP bridge. They didn’t wait until the old one fell down- they started building it years ago.
The SNP could press for the biggest enquiry possible and nail the intransigent previous administrations to the wall but it would be a waste of time as the press would give it no coverage.
Meanwhile the Scottish Government cracks on with the job at hand. Every ‘scandal’ the press whip up is diluting their diminished power. And they called the Yes campaign an echo chamber!
If you search ‘Labour Forth Road Bridge’ via Youtube, you get the following, which has had only 20 views.
I’ve no idea how it might affect either side of the ‘argument’, if at all – it’s all Greek to me:
‘Scottish Labour call for a discussion on bridge funding’ –
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ox-yffe-eZE
Unionist politicians also read Wings. I wonder if their clamouring for an enquiry will fade noticeably in the days ahead, given the content of the last five articles.
The Scottish Government should call their bluff by granting an enquiry. Then watch all the unionist motor-mouths squirm as their blame-game falls apart.
Here’s a strange one – posted on YT in the past few hours, it has a computerised ‘voice’.
It’s had only 5 views so far.
Bizarre…
So bizarre it even quotes Will-E Rennie…
🙂
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hkkf9DJ5QdY
@Ian Brotherhood
Now it’s had 21 views. Bah!
Look it’s obvious. The bridge was designed to a standard/code that is now outdated.
Who you gonna call? This crap so depresses me.
Right wheres OUR fucking share of the £45 billion HS2 project eh eh? Answer me that you establishment arse licking journalists.
NO YOU WON’T!
I no longer care, you can go to hell for all I care. I’m certain you will be comfortable there. No excuses for losing the plot and getting angry.
Though you should be ashamed of your lying, your toadying and arse licking of the establishments agenda. You are on trial and your fellow Scots, 50% at least find you guilty.
Have you ever seen an entire media scrambling about so much looking for Snp bad stories.
They are hopeless. They tried scandalising Mps epic fail, they went back to NHS fail. Now it’s the bridge crisis. But still those polls ain’t shifting.
People outside the Media bubble know what’s going on. The 50% yes supporters aren’t going back to No.
Free Scotland @ 10:20
Probably quite a few as I keep sticking the Sunday Herald papers over them. I know I feel very bad and ashamed of myself..
Mind you I have had over 60 years practice..
@ Stu, a very good piece!
Have posted this link before, but it’s always worth another look…so many big-hitters, so many promises…
And what about the production ‘values’? – how professional is this, compared to the fodder we get now?
From STV News:
‘Archive Report – 1996 Labour U-Turn on Devolution’ –
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjk8ZeZewao
My belief is the media are attempting to provoke an Ireland situation by trying to make people angry in order to remove SNP that way
They know that the sole opposition to bringing down SNP is up to them because the political opposition hasn’t worked
The run up to the Holyrood elections looks like being a tense time, the volume of blatant lies now being peddled in every paper and TV channel is unprecedented and undisguised
I was talking with my daughter (40years old) about some of the lies the media are pumping out
Her reply, “Haven’t seen it or heard it, don’t watch it or listen to it, don’t care, I’m voting SNP along with everybody I know” and she knows a lot of people, along with my other daughter all the Grandkids, who are voting age and all their friends
Say’s it all really….. #Yoons will fail
The Daily Mail is worse than the Daily Record in many ways. As late as 7th July 1939, the Daily Mail Proprietor Lord Rothermere met up with the German Foreign Minister Von Ribbentrop. What they discussed remains a secret. In March 1939 Lord Rothermere sent Hitler a congratulatory telegram on the fall of Prague. The Daily Mail was not the only Reactionary Rag. Believe it or not, the other rag that supported Fascism was the Daily Mirror. Both raised money for causes ranging from the Spanish Civil War through to recruitment drives for the British Union of Fascists. A lot of Tory and Labour Politicians , especially Labour Politicians forget this scumbag was an integrale part of their respective parties as well as an MP. And they have a nerve to go on about the SNP. Scumbags Nawbags.
When you point this out to staunch Daily Mail readers like my Auntie they simply change the subject. Although some are embarrassed and others ignorant, the majority simply couldn’t care less.
Along with the British Unionist Media, British Unionist Parties and certain Individuals, and organisations like the Orange Order, the fight is now on for our Freedom or Destruction. I think this is now a fight to the death for the soul of Scotland. There is now an orchestrated attempt to not only destroy Scottish Independence, but Scottish Culture, History and of Scottish Democracy itself. This is going to a short but dirty fight, where people are accused of falsehoods in an attempt at good old British Divide and Rule. They are after our MP’s, our MSP’s and Councillors. Party members and Supporters will be next.
Stephen.
Just caught up with Miss-Reporting Scotland , they are still preaching the lies.
I feel it is now so bad that they clearly do not question or attempt to verify anything.
Is there other e-mails ?
The BUM certainly are reporting on a different e-mail , you would think.
I cannot call it journalism , its “Parrotism”
So FETA did not bother with Insurance ……. brilliant Bob.
Ian Brotherhood , I stopped buying a paper way back in 70’s or early 80’s , I tried so hard to buy the National every day. Failed !
Ach ,a canna di cross-words now either.
Watched the YT video STV news from 2010 , thats it up to 22 view darn it .
@heedtracker at 10.09 pm
“Murdo Fraser, a Conservative member of the Scottish parliament, said the bridge closure could threaten the SNP’s reputation for competence.
Even critics accepted that SNP ministers were in the main of “better mettle” than previous Scottish administrations, Mr Fraser wrote on the Think Scotland website.
“Reputations for competence are hard won, but easily lost,” he said. “The cracking story of the Forth Road Bridge may prove to be the point where one of the SNP’s strongest cards was carelessly discarded.””
Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Murdo Fraser vomiting up comedy-gold nuggets with every utterance.
@Ian Brotherhood
Astonishing. History is everything. Cheers.
Broadcasting and newspapers may be a reserved matter to the non-Scots parliament but fraud is not.
Our parliament can create legislation that makes it a crime for anyone to mislead and deceive people…which can also include the media.
Got it?
Fraud is not a reerved matter, so, take the hint and let’s campaign against fraudulent and misleading behaviour.
Fraud is a crime. I don’t know of anything that say’s the media is exempt, do you?
Surely truthfulness is something that we should expect from all responsible bodies?
@Tackety Beets
Your posts are always worth reading. Just stop right!
@ John Moss
I’m trying to imagine how one would frame a law making it a crime for anyone to mislead or deceive people.
But failing.
The press are hysterical enough as it is about the SNP without giving them more ammunition.
The new bridge, soon to be finished, is testament to all who are interested that the SNP SG acted in the interests of Scotland.
Labour are on very weak ground over this matter and an inquiry or an enquiry (take your pick) will not benefit them in the long run.
Here’s two from the Herald.
BBC ignoring Scotland over the future of public broadcasting.
https://archive.is/MDkVz
Nice picture of Carmichael here.
Carmichael the Liar: he hasn’t suffered reputational damage, he’s suffered reputational obliteration
https://archive.is/idUkJ
archie :-
“There must be something we can do collectively to hold these ‘journalists’ to account ?’
airchie read my mind !! ….could we crowd fund a legal challenge ? if it’s a lie then lets hold their feet tae the fire !!!, if we’ve got the proof then lets shine a light on this ‘merde’ … time we fought back and show our fellow Citizens the deceit that is passed off daily as “News” …… I’m in for a contribution.
Complaint has been sent to ISPO re Mail on Sunday editorial. I would suggest that each correspondent on here do the same. It only takes a few minutes. Let’s have as many complaints as possible submitted. This budgie cage matting material must not get away with such ‘carmicheals’.
Re above entry. Could all correspondents who submit a complaint please post on this site that they have done same. The more pressure put on ISPO, the better.
Maybe the Rev can keep a note of number of submissions just to ascertain how effective the ISPO is.
LYING, LYING AND MORE LYING! One story after another day after day, week after week and month after month. From every element of the CorpMedia other than the National. Lying from right to left, under and over and from top to bottom right across the UK. We are surrounded by enemies: within Scotland and of course from South of the border.
We are doing our utmost to get the truth out there on sites like this and through knocking on doors and standing at stalls in the street however no matter what we do, however hard we work, we’ll NEVER beat them at this rate.
Forget about the 3 Amigos, the Vow, the Banks, the supermarkets, the state pension, the economy, currency, oil and so on. These issues didn’t, in the main, lead to us losing the Referendum. We all know that the CorpMedia propaganda machine was the despicable culprit in this case. Freedom of a Nation lost to nothing more or less than CorpMedia manipulation and lies.
In turn we know, therefore, that broadcasting HAS to be devolved to Scotland if we are to make any headway at all, such as in Catalonia (80% of people voting for Independence). Westminster knows this too so it ain’t going to happen. Repression, suppression, unfairness, injustice, ethnic and national inequality continues to be the status quo. Rich wee Scotland a Third World Country.
The bottom line is that the Media liars thwarted us from getting our Independence last year and will continue to do so unless we fight fire with fire.
And time is NOT on our side folks.
As we discuss constantly, on here in our Very Own United Bubble, about who is lying about whatsoever every other day of the week Scotland is now being absolutely FLOODED (this year) with rUK relocators who voted no (last year – 74%). If they had been excluded from voting we would have won the Referendum.
They weren’t but just check out (research findings online) what’s happened in Wales. Over 20% of their population are rUK relocators which means that they have VERY little hope indeed now of EVER getting their Independence. Check out the latest Scottish emigration figures (young, highly educated Scots) versus migration figures. Check out the latest Scottish electoral figures by region and get the message.
The two major obstacles in relation to us ever getting our Independence is CorpMedia lying and no voting rUK relocators (and migrants in general).
Let’s get moving here before it’s too late. We can’t do a great deal about migrants voting unless we put ‘timelines’ in place next time round.
What we CAN do right now is to choose one of the most influential, lying and corrupt newspapers in Scotland (Daily Record comes to mind) and take them to Court. Select on the basis of concrete evidence of manipulation and interference regarding democratic election / s … incidences of defamation of character or whatever it takes …. Legally. In doing so we’ll be firing a warning shot across the bow of a number of other Media liars. May make them all buck up / shut up.
Let’s just get this going right now by fund raising to get some Legal advice in relation to how we stand one way or another on this issue.
I for one am sick and bl**dy tired of scrutinising, analysing, discussing and personally commenting on CorpMedia lies. Sick and tired of a Country (and site) chock full of highly intelligent people letting them get away with this.
And when it comes to devolved broadcasting let’s find out what the UN and the EU have to say about one Country’s Freedom of Speech being suppressed by another.
Hoping too that the SNP are looking into this.
The liars are preventing us from
A couple of my postings in the Herald deleted. They quoted from dudley.gov.uk where it relates to descriptions of the 150 tonne descriptions, lorries only up to 44 tonnes, 5 days notice to authorities for over 150 tonnes, and gave the URL – of a .gov.uk website which is supposedly allowed by the Herald.
It seems the Herald is allergic to provable Truth. What a disgrace it is.
Oops sorry last line of my last post to be excluded!
B.U.M. are TRYING to fight us but are growing more and more feeble.
The three flagging parties are now collectively reduced to carping from the sidelines…
As predicted. Because they only seem to care about their saleries, not at all about the people they are paid to serve.
I do not watch live broadcast news reports anymore but read the STV offerings a little later. It gives me time to digest their version of the news without being subjected to hype or anxiety inducing tones.
Also, I get a chance to reply when I can no longer tolerate the inacuracies and spin. Interestingly, a fair few folk have also started commenting, especialy to redirect what comes across as negative spin about the FRB.
Normaly articles stay up for a few days but the ones where the Scottish Government is supported are quickly replaced and disappear. Same happened with Carmichael articles. All gone.
At least we are making them work a bit harder 🙂
And who knows, maybe there are at least one or two Independence-minded journalists within those ranks who could begin to turn the tables from within = )
Thank you yet again, Rev, for the forensic work. Not just impressed with the detail you do to rebut this but also that it means you have to wade through the Mail – that’s heroism!
Not impressed with National today, seems to be following the BUM line on the bridge!
Yes, lazy journalism from National, looks like cut and paste from BBC website to me. Ah well think ill give it a bye from now on.
The BBC Commission, the Banking Regulators, the Utility Regulators, the Railway Regulators, the Electoral Commission, and any Obudsman you care to mention, provide graphic illustration of how futile it is appealing for justice in this country. Parliamentary Standards? Don’t make me laugh. Press complaints?
I am deeply troubled that so many people still recognise these agencies as effective safeguards of acceptable conduct in public office. Not one of them even comes close.
The Courts? Well, for me, my own experience, the Megrahi carry on, and most recently the Carmichael adjudication should be ringing the loudest of alarm bells that our Scottish Courts are more concerned with expediency and protocol rather than the overriding principles of justice. You trust them if you like. I don’t.
I don’t even have faith our SNP; they are are willing to dispense sophistry and evasive replies as the best of them. They remain however the recognised voice in the world of politics who remain tru to the ideal of Scottish Independence, so they are by far the best of a bad lot.
I truly despair at the lack of accountability and indifference to standards in public office throughout every tier of Scottish Society. Corruption, dishonesty, and nepotism is rife in the country, and I am sorry, but I find many people’s views to be niaive and parochial, and I despair in your faith that lodging complaints and signing petitions is going to do a bloody thing to put matters to right.
I grow tired of the SNP being content to remain a punchbag, and celebrate victory that the stitching hasn’t burst. I want the SNP to be a political Rottweiler with teeth and claws, setting the agenda, setting the pace, and holding Westminster against the ropes. What are you waiting for? Westminster taking pity on you? That isn’t going to happen.
You were elected to do something, and do something more that fill the seats of a coach heading for London.
Independence will not be easily won. We need leadership as driven and uncompromising as Wallace, Bruce, or any other champion of a free Scotland. Can you imagine such people wringing their hands , perplexed with indecision on how to deal with a hostile gang of propagandists at large inside our borders who treat Scotland like a doormat and actively plot our undoing?
If we want to be a country, then dealing with such issues should not pose us with any difficulty. On the contrary, if we cannot surmount these hostile devices, then maybe we aren’t savvy enough to look after Scotland’s best interests as a sovereign state. Bleak point to make, but there it is.
O/T links
http://www.snp.org/tough_choices_ahead_for_scotland_in_wake_of_tory_chancellor_cuts
http://news.scotland.gov.uk/News/Employability-services-budget-slashed-2055.aspx?platform=hootsuite
In this video Cabinet Secretary for Fair Work, Skills and Training Roseanna Cunningham explains why she has written to UK Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith over concerns around how the UK Government Spending Review will impact on unemployed Scots.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3J-lEYKwLcA&app=desktop
http://ilegal.org.uk/thread/9176/tories-carry-kicking-sick-disabled?page=1&scrollTo=23048
Brian Doonthetoon
Of course the SNP reads “WINGS“, I was being sarcastic, but you would never know it by their lack of use of the valuable facts and information provided by this site which could counter so much of the MSM lies and distortions.
http://www.shetnews.co.uk/viewpoint/11892-opinion-will-tavish-pay-for-carmichael-s-lie
https://petewishart.wordpress.com/2015/12/13/could-the-tories-beat-labour/
https://scottovoce.wordpress.com/2015/12/13/a-crisis-of-crises/
http://www.newcivilengineer.com/treasury-rejects-new-forth-bridge-payment-plan/1957952.fullarticle
http://web.archive.org/web/20131225233110/http://www.snp.org/media-centre/news/2013/dec/labour-brand-new-forth-crossing-vanity-project
O/T links
https://www.politicshome.com/foreign-and-defence/articles/story/tony-blair-and-jack-straw-must-come-clean-shaker-aamer-says-alex
http://presstv.com//Detail/2015/12/11/441253/Blair-facing-MPs-questions-over-Libya
http://sputniknews.com/politics/20151213/1031684531/politician-guantanamo-pm-bbc.html
http://newint.org/features/web-exclusive/2015/12/12/cop21-paris-deal-epi-fail-on-planetary-scale/
http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/video-canada-welcomes-syrian-refugees-song-refuge-sang-prophet-mohammed-435505490
Breeks,7.31
Have you brought this up at your local SNP branch meeting?
the National prints today the same SNP bad line on the smoking gun email.it more or less follows the mails story. so glad i stopped my subscription because of similar articles recently .
No one will vote for useless Unionists politicians who couldn’t even build a new Bridge, but put £Billions to Westminster Treasury.
Ed Davey LD complaining that Cameron doesn’t support CCS. It was Hulne LD who refused permission for a coal CCS project at Longannet in Fife. Despite funds being available in case it run over. Thry built two new Coal Plants in the North of England £2Billion (each?). Invested £2Billion in Nissan green car production in the North of England. Where are they? Electric cars are 4 times cheaper to run. Is there no enough energy being produced to run them?
The Tories have ruined the Oil & Gas sector, losing thousands of jobs (the excessive UK Gov take). The Tories have banned coal production. Coal is plentiful all over the UK. The Tories have banned wind turbines and stopped investment in Renewables.The cheapest form of energy over time. Oil, Gas and coal will now have to imported putting up the balance of payments deficit and the debt. Losing thousands of jobs in the UK.
The Tories are building a £25Billion nuclear station (7%) at Hinkley Point, beside the sea. Funded by borrowed Chinese money. it will be over time and over budget. It will always be subsidised with public money. A disaster waiting to happened. The waste will be dumped in Africa. There are cheaper, safety alternatives. Labour cancelled a Humber Tidal Barrage cost £9Billion.
The Tories are lining their pockets embezzling and defrauding public money on Contracts, consultancies and fees for their associates families and friends. The Post Office Pension grab (£30Billion) and under sale, nuclear station, HS2, and Airport extension. The only reason why the Unionists polititians are in Governmrnt or join Unionist Parties. – self interest.
Unionists politicians illegally and secretly taken £Billions from Scotland. They have killed and maimed millions of vulnerable people. They have created the biggest migration crisis in the world. Most of them are useless, lying, greedy parasites. Most of them should be in jail, instead of swanning around the world leading £Millionaire lifestyles. Unionist politicians reward each other with honours and privilege while they kill, maim and embezzle from vulnerable people. Hiding their crimes under the Official Secrets Act. Child abusers, murders, fraudsters, embezzlers and tax evaders. Corruption and debt.
Vote SNP/SNP. Vote for Independence.
Derek Mackay coming out fighting this morning and Labour’s Alex Rowley making a pigs ear on Radio Scotland at 8.10 am.
Goes on about the “smoking gun” email then says he hasn’t seen the email.
80% of people in Catalonia are not voting for Independence. 2.4Million out of 7.5Million is not 80%. 80% of the electorate turned out. 4.4million out of 5.5Million. The voting regulation (like everything else) in Spain is flawed. 1Million? of citizens resident in Catalonia (Spain) do not get to vote. They can only vote in local and EU elections. They are not allowed to vote in regional or National elections. Breaking EU Laws on equal rights for EU citizens?
More of the Electorate support Independence in Scotland. Everyone eligible gets to vote. It just needs a 5% wing, especially with Tory cuts, lies and damaging policies. There could be a residential qualification in the next Referendum. 3 years? might be appropriate. People in Scotland voted for FFA, Home Rule Federalism – Not delivered. Just lies and spin.
To summarise the situation regarding the Bridge.
Labour cancelled plans to build a new crossing then went on to spend a fortune levelling much of Baghdad and killing a great many Iraqi civilians.
SNP did begin to build a new bridge.
A sensible gamble was made to delay work which would have entailed closing the existing bridge in the hope the new one would open for traffic first.
The existing bridge developed a problem before the new one opened.
The CorpMedia try to push an altered reality in their continuing scramble to undermine democracy,
UKOK, you reckon?
Wales proximately to London means people can live in Wales and work in London S/E. Wales is underfunded £1Billion. A majority in Wales do not support Independence for Wales. It has far higher support in Scotland. Cumbria was flooded because of cuts to public service and funding but Increased spending on illegal invasions and nuclear weapons.
Vote NO you get nothing.
@galamcennalath
Pretty much the whole stooshie in a nutshell there. They’re literally trying to make a crisis out of a deflection tactic. A crisis sells a narrative and they think newspapers. The worst that has happened here is that a sensible and reasonable gamble hasn’t quite come off and traffic delays due to age and deterioration of the older structure long expected by several administrations over two decades has come to pass.
Had a.n. other administration been in place we’d be staring at only now considering the construction of a second crossing. The original structure will be open (weather permitting) early in the new year after repairs, the second fit for purpose crossing a few months later.
@Macart
I posted a load of links which no doubt are awaiting moderation. This is one of them…
Peter Bell on crisis in Scotland!
https://scottovoce.wordpress.com/2015/12/13/a-crisis-of-crises/
I would like to see and hear the SNP make their case with BITE but I understand that it is a tricky tightrope to walk.
The media can do and say what it likes and present SNP bad at every turn.
The only thing that we can do is engage others and NOT buy the toilet roll newspapers and neither listen or watch the so called news as presented by the BBBC or STV.
It certainly helps my blood pressure.
Ken500: There could be a residential qualification in the next Referendum. 3 years?
It doesn’t make sense to allow anybody, short-term student or otherwise, free to vote in a nation’s Referendum. Certainly not when they assume their grant or residence might be at stake, or are being inculcated by their home nation to vote No.
Most countries have a minimum stay for eligibility to vote, as Ireland did for its abortion Referendum.
I think L hinds should stick to Tram Cars for Edinburgh I believe she has great experience in the construction of this form of transport
@Nana
Thanks for the link Nana and yeah, just as the post alludes, the next crisis will be along in a minute. (sigh)
The Sunday post was peddling the same regurgitated tripe
yesterday, that the Scottish Government had gambled and lost
in delaying the repairs to the Forth Road bridge
Breeks: “SNP; they are are willing to dispense sophistry and evasive replies as the best of them.”
I was nodding in agreement as I read your post until I reached that line and found no evidence to back it up.
And while you go on to say, erroneously, the SNP likes to be a punch bag, you’d prefer the SNP to act like a rabid dog it is, in my view, preferable they act in a statesman-like measured manner in all things.
That way demonstrates our acumen in major national affairs is mature, well suited to world affairs too … if only we were free and able to take part.
The tiresome and pathetic unionist media and unionist politicians really are the boy who cried wolf to many times. All they have to offer is lies and more negativity, they offer nothing positive.
It is not the fault of the SNP or it’s members who fund the Party. It is the fault of the 5% who voted NO. Many now regret it. Especially those who lived under Thatcher. Deju vu.
The Unionist cheated and lied at the Referendum. Broke the Election rules.
Vote NO you get nothing.
Yes, the National article on the FRB is disappointing. It seems to me it’s happy to have good articles about RISE, and carry the pulp fiction media line on the SNP, with no analysis such as Rev does (or even me). And the Herald has a better article on the meeting between Sturgeon and Cameron.
To sum up the last few days…
The SNP are the only grown-up party on these islands.
Their opposing media (the entire UK print and broadcasting media) WILL STOP AT NOTHING TO UNDERMINE THEM.
Where’s Panorama, or such like, where are the brave journalists.
There is a huge story here, about a clinging, morally corrupted establishment, manipulating the BBC NEWSROOMS.
Have McTernan and the Blairite Hawks knobbled everyone?
The National do need to start rebuffing the Unionist FRB lies on the front page. IMHO the National is aimed at a target market of pro independence YES folk. It is not designed to attract a neutral readership, therefore it is not going to convert people to vote YES . So it satisfies Yessers stops them pulling their hair out but has little effect on the political landscape. Under The Heralds Editorial is plastered a LIe, claiming not to favour any party or movement. Sucking in some poor sods to have their brains thoroughly washed. We need the National to continue, but slightly retuned to benefit a YES vote, to be more attractive to people who aren’t political anoraks.. Last I heard curculation was. Down to 17,000.
The National is better than nothing. All Press sales are down. BBC audience is down.
SNP and Independence support is up.
Scotland is..
OFTEN SMARTER, MUCH SHARPER, MORE PRODUCTIVE, LESS GULLIBLE, MORE PROGRESSIVE AND POLITICAL..
..than The rUK – based on voting patterns following negative campaigning by others.
Scotland, IS NOW, in a better place to deal with our future needs, but INDEPENDENCE is crucial to avoid erosion of our POSITIVITY.
@yesindyref2
How are you getting on with the old Herald these days dads? Last I heard, their moderation policy was getting a bit of a pasting.
IMO there’s a real danger for the public in what the press are doing at the moment. At some point (and humans being, well, human), the SNP will make a horrendous hash of something that should require proper investigation and penalty. The danger being of course, that not a soul will believe anything the press write on such an issue.
Literally there have been too many instances of the boy who cried wolf, so many ‘crises’ that never were. The stupid sods have managed to alienate and anger so many with poor reporting and indeed outright lies and misreporting that they’ve actually devalued themselves as a source of reliable information for the public.
Ken500 says: National is better than nothing.
I agree but it is not and should never be PRAVDA.
Other than Wings, it’s all we have got to rebut the six month unionist propaganda / SNP baad onslaught we are about to endure from MSM and unionist journalists at the BBC.
btw National is up to 60p to-morrow but with more pages plus 2016 Calendar! It does need your support. Use it or lose it.
It is hysterical watching the Unionists politicians beating themselves up. Repeating the same mistake, again and again and again.
The migration crisis in Europe is caused by the US/UK and France illegally bombing the Middle East to bits for over 100 years, for Oil. They have just done it again.
Sinky at 10.48
Exactly. National is very good today except for the uninformed contribution from Marianne Taylor on the bridge. It is not however an SNP pamphlet and cannot be seen as such.
The enigmatic Kevin McKenna is first class today. I think I’m beginning to work out that McKenna is a Labour supporting independence supporter.
Looking forward to the bigger National which will be covering more readers comments and have articles on Scottish history etc
@Macart
Yes, the Herald is dire for its moderation, but it’s not just Indy supporters suffer, others get their posts deleted as well. A couple of times I’ve replied to a perfectly reasonable posting, perhaps criticising the SNP or Indy, but on-topic and not “rude”, only to see it pulled – and maybe even my reply left to make no context of it.
Or, as yesterday, my comments which described the 44 tonne limit on “heavy lorries”, a 150 tonne limit on Catefory C abnormal loads, beyond which they need to give 5 days notice and get a special permit, also deleted. A factoid the National should have carried with its poor article.
A lot of the deletions happen hours maybe even a day or two later, so it really looks like they’re just being selective with the comments they leave behind. Very dishonest. Or they’ve got an anti-SNP moderator or more, and perhaps one pro-indy one who retaliates. Some of Calum’s (ex-moderator) decisions were strange in the past, but they were reasonable.
And yes, the danger is there’ll be something genuine to criticise the Scottish Government or even the SNP about, and nobody will believe it. Such a parcel of wolf-cryers in a nation.
@Dave McEwan Hill
You do need to keep defending the National. I’ve had my dounts, but I think this is the first time I’ve “voiced” them. I think perhaps it’s left-wing while being pro-indy, but that’s a problem for those who aren’t left-wing, and specifically not RISE.
As for McKenna, he himself is unchanged I think, he’s of the old Labour, still hopes Labour will reform back the ways, but came to Indy because it seemed to be the only way Scotland could ever see such policies enacted. He also likes stirring the pot!
I would like to see the National come out with a regular series with the theme “What’s Scotland got? It’s got the lot.”. Running through all the industry sectors, even including banking and the finance sector. Perhaps weekly, with a bit of an effort to do some research and interviews. GMK does well, but he’s almost a lone voice there.
Ken500 @10.33 The National is in deed better than nothing BUT it could be a lot more usefull for the YES movement.
Dave McEwan Hill, yes Mckenna is a Labour supporter , maybe moving towards Independence, Google his articles in the Observer and Guardian, strong anti SNP, how can anybody expect Scotland to become Independent whilst attacking the SNP as he does.
Personally I wouldn’t have him writing in The National, there’s enough anti SNP guff everywhere else.
Just when we are mourning the loss of a superb journalist, Ian Bell we get this journalistic crap.
This makes the loss of a voice of reason and integrity felt all the more.
People like this are not the true voice of. Scotland!
Silky
the National is supposed to support independence,the SNP is the vehicle for it and therefor is subjected to abuse from the MSM.The National should be supporting the SNP when it is attacked with lies,but it doesn’t.
It merely prints just enough stories for the Yes camp to buy it but its content is soft with no impact. The Herald has stepped up its anti SNP stance while the National does exactly what.
@No no no…yes says: 13 December, 2015 at 5:19 pm:
“Wow, what a shower. Unfortunately this bile will be taken as fact by their readers.”
Let us not beat about the bush, anyone who would read such a publication is very much predisposed to believe anything whatsoever in their desperation to make the SNP seem bad.
I’d guess a fairly large proportion of them are well aware it is mainly lies and make-believe. If the vile rag didn’t publish it the readership would spread it around as rumour.
“The bridge ‘story’ is also being reported on Radio Scotland news at 5pm. I can only guess they are trying to shore up the Unionist vote”.
The BBC is part of the Establishment they always have been. Such apparently innoxious shows as, “Dad’s Army”, were loaded with Unionist propaganda from the outset.
Even the title song lyrics that go, “Who do you think you are kidding Mr Hitler if you thing old England’s “ done”, was designed to highlight the very Unionist idea that, “England stood alone”.
Alone that is except for the Scots, Welsh, Irish, and the entire British Empire plus the free French, Free Poles, et al, and much of the resistance fighters throughout conquered Europe.
Not to mention the Johnny come lately Yanks who basically dragged themselves out of the Great Depression by first a Cash & Carry Act, followed by a Lease Lend Act, after the Allies cash in hand ran out.
They too are masters of the propaganda with the spread of the idea, “We came to save your Bacon”, but in fact only after the Japanese, (who the Yanks had continued selling iron to), used some of it in the steel used to effectively declare war upon the USA by attacking Pearl Harbour and after Hitler also declaring war on the USA after a spell of attacking USA shipping just outside USA territorial waters.
In truth they came, at last, to fight their own corner. While ever grateful for their aid the fact remains they were selling us, not gifting us, weapons and supplies. We also traded them many UK overseas bases they still hold today, supposedly on 99 year lease, but my bet is the UK will never own them again.
If memory serves the now USA Cuban base was one of them.
Correct Robert. So technically WE came to the aid of USA by helping them with Japan.
@Iain says: 13 December, 2015 at 5:59 pm:
“Can nothing be done about this lying rag of a paper?”
Why bother, Iain? They are doing a far better job with their abysmal, (far want of a better word), “jouralism”, that is shrinking their readership so dramatically, than we could ever possibly manage to do.
McDuff,
“Don`t buy this con of a newspaper and give your money to “WINGS“ as it is the only source of information that counters the MSM lies and speaks up for the Scottish government when being unfairly attacked by a barrage of lies and distortions.”
Exactly.
Instead of buying these cons, use the money to print WOS articles and distribute them to the public.
Ian Brotherhood,
“The National is a NEWSPAPER.”
What stops it from printing the truth about the Forth Bridge on its front page as has been done by WOS?
@ Robert Peffers 4.10 pm
You’ve missed out the Soviet Union. It was actually the USSR which defeated the Nazis. After Stalingrad they slogged their way through Western Russia, Eastern Europe, Poland, Hungary etc, all occupied by Nazi Germany, before finally capturing Berlin.
It was a Russian female tank commander who captured the Reichstag – so says the excellent Jeremy Isaacs documentary “World at War”.
Alan Clark, maverick son of historian Kenneth Clark and Conservative MP, wrote an interesting account called “Barberossa”, the code name for Hitler’s drive to the east, encouraged by the Western powers. Hitler was heading for the oil fields of Baku but couldn’t resist taking a detour to Stalingrad where his army was destroyed.
It’s always about oil and other resources.
Clark’s wiki page
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Clark
Good post Capella – it was indeed the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics that played the major part in defeating the Nazis. Of course, Britain played a hugely important part too.
And what was the SNP leadership doing to help defeat Nazism? In January 1939, Douglas Young, who led the SNP from 1942 to 1945, wrote, “If Hitler could neatly remove our imperial breeks somehow and thus dissipate the mirage of Imperial partnership with England etc he would do a great service to Scottish Nationalism.” In August 1940, Young wrote, “The Germans will look around for aborigines to run Scotland and it is to be wished that the eventual administration consist of people who have in the past shown themselves to care for the interests of Scotland.”