Not quite getting it
Labour MSP Kezia Dugdale today marked the historic nomination of Scotland’s first female First Minister with a Daily Record column in characteristically sour style, which waited until the second paragraph before sticking in a Margaret Thatcher comparison.
It wasn’t until later that it got confusing.
(Actually, that’s not quite true – the very first paragraph opened with the line “I haven’t seen a coronation quite like it since, well, the coronation”. The Coronation happened in 1953, while Kezia Dugdale was born in 1981. But we’ll let that one slide.)
After a stream of disingenuous waffle that we won’t bother going into here, Dugdale challenged Nicola Sturgeon to act on three polices in her First Ministership:
“Take on the big six energy firms, forcing them to freeze bills and rein in eye-watering profits earned on the backs of working people.”
“Bring back the 50p tax rate for top earners, so those with the broadest shoulders carry their fair share.”
“Tax [bankers’] bonuses and use the cash to create jobs for young people.”
Alert readers will of course have noticed the small problem with all of those: NONE of them are within the current competence of the Scottish Parliament. Holyrood has no power whatsoever to force energy firms to freeze bills, tax bankers’ bonuses or change the top rate of tax. All are reserved to Westminster.
(It took Labour almost all of their 13 years in power to raise the top rate of income tax to 50p – the rate wasn’t introduced until just before the 2010 election and was in force for only a few weeks of Labour’s administration – so hectoring Sturgeon to get it done on her first day would seem a touch impatient anyway.)
Only one of the three powers even has a chance of being devolved to Holyrood in the forseeable future, so we’re a bit bemused as to what Kezia Dugdale expects Nicola Sturgeon to do about them. Indeed, she goes on to point out that:
“When Nicola Sturgeon says Labour is a barrier to progress, she’s right. Because the only progress she wants to make is towards independence.”
In other words, Dugdale is proudly trumpeting the fact that it’s Labour which prevented Nicola Sturgeon from having the power to do the very things Dugdale is now stridently demanding that she does. Which seems, y’know, odd.
Kezia Dugdale is widely (for reasons which we must confess still escape our ongoing enquiries) regarded as the brightest of Scottish Labour’s young minds. God help them.
Jackie Baillie is widely seen as an all rounder. Bit of a tautology there.
Jackie Baillie is widely seen. There, that’s better.
Maybe its because the “leaders” of Labour in Scotland have shown no ability to lead, act or inspire on anything that their elected representatives are now travelling the TV studios to ask anyone for help?
I think she wants Independence but has missed the boat.
Is that her, “I smell shite” face?
Kezia is another clueless upstart who is more interested in promoting her own career than anything else.
Of course the readers of the Daily Broken Record will be in complete agreement with Kzzzz, as they don’t know any better. They probably don’t even know she is spouting from the book of Ed and the Labour 2015 manifesto, which is all irrelevant in the context of a new FM coming into post. But hey, don’t let any opportunity pass to make you look paraochial and self serving.
Kzzz couldn’t provide a single challenge for Nicola as Kzzz hasn’t got any ideas of her own. London rule the Labour party, no ideas allowed.
Suitably attractive pic of a toxic little harpie.
She has no idea that using these cheap attacks on another woman who is doing well just makes her look vindictive and blotchy. Even Daily Rancid readers won’t miss that.
As for throwing down the gauntlet to the new FM, on matters which are reserved, well, that’s just living down to the low bar they have set for themselves.
What a simpleton she is!!
Awesome picture BTW 🙂
And why is she wearing Gordon Brown’s suit?
What is it with these absolute loonies, surely she knows the FM has no control over those things. They just lie and try and smear with pish like this they are beyond redemption. That photo of Dugtail is slightly worse than the Daily Heil save me from the cybernats one.
Aye.. if Kezia Dugdale is the answer, the question must be incredibly stupid….
Feel cow
It’s just more of the same with Labour. Blame, blame, blame the SNP – and don’t forget to blame the SNP! All three of the candidates for leader and Ms Dugdale have serious credibility problems they need to address before the even think about being elected to any position of responsibility!
On this performance Dugdale isn’t worth Minimum Wage never mind an MSP’s salary.
If all they can do is lie then clearly they deserve both Labour and Red Tories tags.
Seasick Dave says:
And why is she wearing Gordon Brown’s suit?
As the pockets are deep and large she will be hoping to fill them with taxpayers money, just like GB himself.
If it wasn’t funny i might have cried
Never mind Rev. She can always “Google it” as she was forever suggesting the electorate could do during the referendum.
Shame more didn’t as they’d have seen what a lying charlatan she is.
Is Kezdug tacitly conceding that Independence is progressive?
The line about stealing labours clothes on inequality and poverty is obviously an indication that the pressure of running for branch assistant is getting to kezdug. For the avoidance of doubt, the new First Minister is against inequality and for eliminating poverty – can those in the labour party state the same because their actions point to an entirely different stance…
If she knows the Scottish Government has no power over these things then she is an idiot for saying it.
If she doesn’t know it has no power over these things then she is an idiot for not knowing.
Either way, she is an idiot.
I take it that Labour now support independence,because that is what is needed in order to wield these powers. I can see comedy gold at First Ministers Questions coming.
Maybe the SNP should bring the measures Ms Dugdale asks for, and other policies on reserved matters, to the Scottish Parliament only to have them considered invalid to prove a point about the limited powers of the Scottish Parliament . Another mechanism could be to ask for a Sewell motion in reverse, I.e., the Scottish Parliament legislating for the rest of the UK-that would certainly stir things up!
After Margaret Curran the other day, there appears to be a queue of intellectually challenged Labour quines lining up with their revolvers at the One Metre Pedicular Range.
That type of writing used to be called ‘stream of consciousness’ when James Joyce did it. Not the Kezia Dugdale has joined the literary greats, it’s now known as ‘stream of incoherence’.
That type of writing used to be called ‘stream of consciousness’ when James Joyce did it. Now the Kezia Dugdale has joined the literary greats, it’s now known as ‘stream of incoherence’.
Silly Dug.
It appears Kezia Dugdale belongs more on Planet Hollywood rather than in Holyrood. I understand Babylon 7 is looking for some interesting new species of aliens.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
🙂
Ladies & gentlemen, boys & girls, i give you…Skeletors Skivvy.
What a freekin moronic clown.
Words fail me, there’s not a lot one can add to that article.
Skeletor, Skeletors Skivvy and Slabber – ((((( BINGO )))))
Warminster here we come.
We should realise that these messages and the contradictions the encapsulate, reveal more, SLabour’s intention to bypass any logic and focus on fooling the sheeples listening and reading to the MSM propaganda.
Why spoil a good rant for the sake of accuracy.
Is it not obvious, given the own goals scored on this occasion by Dugdale, and yesterday by Curran, that The Northern Labour Branch Office are incapable of a bit of constructive and intelligent research before blowing their feet off.
What a pair of chumps.
Greannach says:
19 November, 2014 at 6:03 pm
That type of writing used to be called ‘stream of consciousness’ when James Joyce did it. Not the Kezia Dugdale has joined the literary greats, it’s now known as ‘stream of incoherence’.
More like a stream of incontinence.
Kezia Dugdale famously said she got into politics by accident and doesn’t even want to live in Scotland, her ambition is to live abroad and write a book.
She has no interest in the future of Scotland, that much is clear. But the gold plated deputy leader pension will bring the day she can move to a villa in Marbella that little bit closer.
Glad to see that Labour is upping its game, er…
“… Dugdale is proudly trumpeting the fact that it’s Labour which prevented Nicola Sturgeon from having the power to do the very things Dugdale is now stridently demanding that she does. Which seems, y’know, odd.
It’s not odd at all. Dugdale knows exactly what she is doing. How many voters out there actually KNOW that these are reserved powers, that there is nothing Holyrood can do about them? I suspect rather a lot, especially aming Daily Wreckor readers. They’ll just take her word for it and anyone who says differently are just bad, bad SNP liars.
Job done. It’s cynical but highly effective and the best of it is the pro-union, pro-WM State Broadcaster and wider MSM will do nothing to challenge these lies from Dugdale and others like her.
Another healthy shot of debunking. Thanks for that.
Stu’, I nominate you dean of the political NHS for Scotland 🙂
Move to a villa in Marbella?
And become a furriner?
She has obviously not thought that one through.
Ms, Dugdale normally has this expression and uses so much of her brains capacity concentrating on keeping her expression within a normal range that when she has to think hard about political opinion her mask slips and she returns to her normal range of facial expressions!
When she introduces contradictory ideas and mixes these up with reserved matters and separate layers of beurocracy then…boom!
She really is good at one thing though, she can certainly channel through mime her inner spiritual turmoil!
Thanks Stu, fair cheered me up!
That sneer says it all.
Typical labour.
Idiots!!!
Funny how she doesn’t seem to realise when talking about Margaret Thatcher, her own party is more right wing than Thatcher’s government.
I’m not sure the penny will drop anytime soon no matter how intelligent she is deemed to be.
Is that her “I smell shite” face?
No, it’s her “I talk shite” face – she does seem to be morphing into the Chewin the Fat cornershop wummin right enough. I hope I don’t end up in her freezer.
a classic case of..if you shut your mooth nobody will know youre daft…i should be happy that shes becoming a laughing stock with these comments but im not im angry that she thinks were so easily conned..or should i say stu isnt so easily conned
I think she is quite absurd.
Christ – Plan 9 From Outer Space made more sense than Fifi.
What is WRONG with these people?
Less ‘thick as thieves,’ more thick as sh…
Well, readers know the rest of that gibe.
Is she related to 70s comedian Max Wall by any chance? There is an uncanny resemblance
http://www.constructionenquirer.com/wp-content/uploads/max-wall.gif
Jeez! It’s a shame they don’t put pictures on the ballot paper eh?? You might want to put an “X” over it just to hide it mind!!!
Where on earth does slab get these people? Are they wee robots the keep in a cupboard and wheel them oot noo and again tae spout shite?
If you don’t have anything remotely sensible to say hen, keep yer mooth shut. And this is what wants to be skelator’s moothpiece at Holyrood. Nicola will eat her for breakfast.
Move to a villa in Marbella?
And become a furriner?
Nah Seasick in the unionist mindset she would become an ex-pat but the Spanish would still be furriners 🙂
Maybe this bright mind knows something about the Smith Commison devo con, I mean plan. I just hope Scottish voters are not saying I’m voting Labour because Sturgeon won’t tax rich bankers bonuses. Referendum day BBC to had rolling ticker tape news that Banksters were leaving Scotand if…
What on earth happens to women in SLAB?
No taste, No decorum.
Do they get a transfusion of vindictiveness blended with hate and a sprinkle jealousy ?
SLab have been confusing the powers devolved and the powers reserved to WM, since Holyrood began. Why?
The obvious explanation is the are thick and confused. I don’t buy it. Yes, they are often thick, but not on the scale we observe.
I think it’s an inevitable result of their London centric standpoint. It’s a consequence of the magic trick to make gullible Scots believe there is such a thing as Scottish Labour. Truth is London Labour controls all decisions within Labour, including the North British sub branch. During the 2011 Holyrood elections most of what they talked when interviewed or speech making about was actually reserved!
They see their role is to ensure powers devolved are never used to allow Scotland to take a path different from London. (The SNP screwed up that plan.) in their hearts and minds there is only London rule and London policy.
Kezia’s last line strikes me as odd, particularly as one imagines the first and last sentences of a newspaper article are given substantially more thought:
“Labour in Scotland stood as a blockade to breaking up Britain and two million Scots stood with us.”
Does that even work? I can’t get my head around the metaphor. One would surely form a blockade, or carry out a blockade, no? Her assertion that 2 million Scots ‘stood’, perhaps shoulder to shoulder is a flat out falsehood also. At a guess that figure is likely to be nearer 1.5 million.
The fact that none of the three policies Dugdale refers to are actually devolved shows how out of touch Labour are, in general, as well as in the details. Frankly, it is embarrassing and the Scottish electorate really needs to be aware of this. Luckily, it seems thata growing number already are. I truly hope that the trend continues, otherwise we are……..
She is just a standard Labour clone schooled by Labour for Labour out of her depth in a puddle.
Just checked DR poll.
Do you think the BBC’s coverage of the independence referendum was fair?
YES 8%
NO 92%
If only there way a way that we could have guaranteed ourselves the power to do those things from Holyrood!!? . . . wait, shit
To be fair she did say these were labour policies which the SNP had failed to back, although I hardly think 6 votes in WM would make much difference one way or the other! Different kettle of fish after GE I hope!
Ahhh wee Fifi Frou Frou frae the Scotsman comments. Did it not come out that while working for the drunken lord Foulkes that she was personally responsible for 70% of FOI requests against the SG ?
Ability never got in the way of the Labour gravy train.
Seasick Dave says
“And why is she wearing Gordon Brown’s suit?”
Its not Gordon browns suit,
its her daddies,
she’s also got his size 12 brogues on,
it jist a wee experiment, ken?
This was only the Retard. At least we can rest easy, knowing that,a competent BBCinterviewer would have challenged her onreserved issues????
I read these posts with a heavy heart ..why O why do we pay these supposed to be educated persons to Government posts when they really are not fit for purpose playground talk comes to my mind….wee lassies the lot of them.
I’m ashamed.
Having your eyes opened to reality is one one thing but seeing the duplicity that has went on for decades is another.
I have voted in every election for these troughers, no more.
We need a new start, we need to cleanse our politics and choose who our “masters” should be. Leaders who will lead and work for us. UK politics has become a filthy corrupt business and the MSM are complicit. It is a dangerous road to travel.
I am full of hate for these bastards that pretend they are for the people. I will work hard to prevent their re-election.
Kezia, your days are numbered. We have our eye on you and your like.
Maybe she meant “I haven’t seen a coronation like this, since, well, Gordon Brown’s coronation.”
I dont think its a particularly Scottish problem It is probably something to do with having parties of professional politicians.
For instance from the USA about use of words to obscure what they are talking about
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/republicans-amnesty-and-the-point-which-words-lose-meaning
Part of the problem is the fact that Republicans don’t seem know the meaning of the words they use, but the larger concern is that they just don’t seem to care.
Or from London’s paywalled FT on European politics
http://blogs.ft.com/off-message/2014/11/19/the-void-in-british-politics/
Parties have prioritised governing over representing. Rather than channel the views of shrinking social groups, they chase the “median” vote. They are “catch-all” parties. As a consequence, there is less between the policies of the main parties. A political class has emerged.
Kzzz is just a symptom of this evolution happening in Scotland. We need to invoke our own Red Queen hypothesis to evolve politically faster to outgun this parasite on the body politic. Just pointing out that they have become bigger liars may not be enough
O/T
But has anyone else just had a petition emailed to them from 38 degrees entitled :
NHS: Anas Sarwar
Its to support a Private Members Bill to keep the NHS out of TTIP, and it contains this line :
“Votes in Westminster on the NHS aren’t usually relevant outside England. This time, it’s different. TTIP could pave the way for sweeping privatisation in our healthcare system across the UK”
Didn’t I hear the very same Anas Sarwar ridiculing such an idea not that very long ago.
Wasn’t the Gordon Brown petition also a 38 degrees production ?
Are they another Branch Office of the London Labour Party ?
Apologies if this has been raised before and I missed it.
A wee bird told me that Kezia Dugdale’s father has joined the SNP.
There is absolutly no truth in the scurrilous rumour that Kezia Dugstail is the (love?) child of Jim (20 second ahem omelette) Murphy and Mags (stairheed) Curran or so a’m told by Duncan Hotdogstall!
No the real story is much juicer than that! 🙂
I think you’re giving her too much credit Stu by analyzing the assumptions underlying her wee rant.
Because that’s all it was: a reflex, negative anti-SNP wee rant, mixed in with some “Vote Labour” soundbites. As with Margaret Curran yesterday, Dugdale and company just spout off without ever facing up to the reality of their claims.
Dugdale and Marra really are two cheeks of the same bitter, twisted, hectoring arse.
scunnered says:
19 November, 2014 at 6:28 pm
“..im angry that she thinks we’re so easily conned..”
Why?
You’re not a Rectum reader, are you?
🙂
But i get where you’re coming from. Just before you posted i was thinking about that very point – just how thick are Rectum readers?
They must be seriously thick, and i mean seriously, if that’s what convinces them to vote for Slabber. And i’m being serious here, i’m not just mocking Rectum readers for the sake of it.
After “the Vow” fiasco you would have thought there would have been at least a slight tightening of standards at the Rectum, but no, apparently not.
Those responsible at the Rectum obviously don’t rate their readership that much to allow people such as Dugdale to come out with what can only be described as salivating drivel from a demented clown.
It really is a disgrace and i felt myself getting angry, for the life of me i don’t know why, but then quickly snapped myself out of it – her mad salivating was not aimed at me, i don’t buy it.
There’s another point,
Is London aware that the lunatics are taking over the asylum?
Can’t be doing those plummeting membership numbers any good.
Kezia … Kezia … Kezia! Why don’t you just shut up and eat your cereal?
Jamie Arierre says
“No, it’s her “I talk shite” face – she does seem to be morphing into the Chewin the Fat cornershop wummin right enough. I hope I don’t end up in her freezer.”
right next to the frozen yogurts Jamie
brrhaaarrrr
while she feeds her yappy wee dug Fifi bon bons! ififififfffff 🙂
Nah, they’re not blue tories, not even red tories, these Slab women, they’re green tories, green with envy of Nicola and sick with worry that their gravy train is about to run dry. They are so sick, they can think straight… wait a minute, they never have been able to!
Not sure if what she says is an example of ‘doublethink’. Maybe ‘nothink’ would be more accurate.
Um – I presume these three items will be part of the SLAB manifesto come the GE?
Vultus est index animi, as the old Latin proverb puts it – The face is the index of the mind (or soul).
No one can help not having a pretty face, but these repulsive Labour females – Baillie, Lamont, Curran and this one here – have bitterness and spite writ large all over their pans. Their expressions, their thoughts and their words are corrosive, and that has twisted them beyond redemption. Their ugliness comes from within.
mcsean says
” I can see comedy gold at First Ministers Questions coming.”
I imagine Nicola’s already fished out her mans bra and sussies barbecue apron already! 🙂
“just how thick are Rectum readers”
Can readers please familiarise themselves with the comment rules with regard to things like this? Don’t make me irritable.
She obviously wrote this on a day when her wifi wasn’t working & she couldn’t check her facts on Google. #shucks
@ Ivan McKee
That petition appears to have been customized so that each recipient gets one addressed specifically to their own MP, ahead of a vote on Friday.
I un-subscribed from 38 degrees after the Brown debacle, but saw the version for my constituency on someone’s Twitter.
I assume that all their contacts will get one, not just those who have Labour MPs, but it is nevertheless also possible that your suggestion is correct and they are just a Labour front. They would deny this, of course, and the blog which someone linked to fairly recently accusing them of this is a woeful effort from a self-confessed Tory whose arguments don’t, in my view, support his contention. That doesn’t necessarily mean he’s entirely wrong.
Cyincalhighlander says
“Just checked DR poll.
Do you think the BBC’s coverage of the independence referendum was fair?
YES 8%
NO 92%”
Murphy says
“See, didn’t we tell you that?”
Mosstrooper says:
19 November, 2014 at 5:44 pm
Jackie Baillie is widely seen as an all rounder. Bit of a tautology there.
Jackie Baillie is widely seen. There, that’s better.
==================================
Mosstrooper you are correct on two counts she is WIDE and definitely an all-rounder. She could surround a house or if she fell down would be useful as a roundabout.
Dugdale is just as lacking in grace and class, and more stupid than Baillie.
Right, remind me, why are we paying her?
I reckon the first thing Nicola should do is make it compulsory that any MSP who wastes time by making policy demands about matters which are reserved to WM, whether through ignorance or malice, is sacked on the spot for being unfit for the job.
That’ll clear a lot of seats to make room for some talent.
mad dogs (CUR ran & DUG dale)and englishmen go out in the midday sun
Maybe she’s seen the Smith commission recommendations and these are to be devolved to Holyrood?! Nah – she’s just a numptie displaying yet again a breathtaking level of ignorance of Scottish affairs – somewhat worrying in an elected representative!
From my point of view it does not matter anymore if little venomous creatures like this told me Nicola Sturgeon shoplifted at Aldis and then produced twenty witnesses who saw it happen. I could not now or ever again believe one word which came out their mouth. My day was made today when someone knocked my door and lo and behold stood a NO campaigner with whom I had a major argument at the door primarily about oil i.e. hidden discoveries and the part Saudi Arabia was playing to lower the oil price, and Sir Ian Wood deliberately lying to the Scottish people. At the time he called me a conspiracy theorist and was lucky to escape being clocked on the doorstep. Well damn me if he did not say sorry and informed me that in future he would seriously rethink his vote. BLISS!!! Forgiven
“Alert readers will of course have noticed the small problem with all of those: NONE of them are within the current competence of the Scottish Parliament.”
Which just goes to show how completely incompetent and ignorant Dugdale is of the powers and competence of the parliament she is a member of.
So Salmond giving way to his deputy is a coronation? Erm Gordon Brown was handed the Premiership after his only challenger failed to secure enough nominations to get on the ballot. An election with only one candidate? That’s democracy worthy of Saddam Hussein.
It may be that the point of her comments on matters outside of Holyrood’s remit is deliberate. She may have been told to put forward these arguments as part of a campaign that says there is no point in voting SNP because only Labour and the Tories can influence these matters. We need to have an answer to that.
Pity the Daily Record do not have any journalists competent in politics and constitutional matters to save them the embarrassment of publishing such big mistakes. Perhaps the editor should employ,even on part time,a political journalist.Just saying!
@ crazycat
Thanks for the clarification.
Is she squeezing wan aff?
A first class numpty. Role on FM questions, I will need to get in plenty of snacks, it’s going to be fun.
@ Bob Mack, nice story, and at least he had the guts to come round.
But has anyone else just had a petition emailed to them from 38 degrees entitled :
I did. Takes me back though, to a fine September evening in Aberdeen where I watched BBC in Scotland region vote NO pin up girl and all round nutcase Jacky Bird, tell evil AlicSamin with tired but patient head shaking exasperation, “ofcourse the NHS won’t be privatised you wretched little man” Good times. Thanks again proud Scots buts.
Alex,
It’s obvious it hurts you quite a bit.
You’ve mentioned it a few times.
Stop beating yourself up about it.
You can’t be held responsible for the
actions of these filthy red tory ("Tractor" - Ed)s.
You didn’t make them what they are.
It’s their career choice.
Besides, you’re doing the right thing now, eh!
😉
Is 82 comments enough?
O/T from Rev’s twitter feed
“Role: General Secretary – Scotland Salary: £54,016.30 + £2,249 Location: Scottish Labour Party HQ Glasgow”
As an East Coaster (hon), I see they have to pay £2000 extra to get people to live in the dear green place 😀
Oh dear Jesus ……..this gets funnier and funnier.
The really funny thing is the ease with which NicNic will embarrass her……..
Clueless does not even come close.
I don’t think that the comments attributed to this woman were her own thoughts. I reckon London Labour now has the SLABS under tight control. All comments will be vetted by London and most will have been written by their script writers. They have had time to at least start to clear up the shambles in their North British office and I don’t doubt that behind the scenes it is a much tighter ship.
Being an opposition party is always easier when you are under no obligation to implement or in fact even justify the nonsense that comes out of your mouth especially when you have either the compliant print media’s support or the State Broadcaster in your pocket, let alone the detritus that are the so called journalist’s in our country. Although we should in fact all be used to the levels they sink to, somehow their abuse of the people of Scotland seems to know no bounds…I should mention STV who have at times seemed to attempt correct neutrality, but all to often have fallen short by their omissions to challenge many of the outright lies allowed to pass. In this failing it makes them complicit as much as an unhelpfull bystander at a road accident…Too much?…I think not STV…Time to grow a pair and become part of Scotland’s solution and keep the respect of your viewers…I dont often get this serious on Wings, so i’ll stop before i become boring…
Looks like ‘Patronising BT woman’.
…I think she is the brightest. That is why supporters should be worried.
Just let’s say I knew her when she was a wee lassie. ‘Nuff said
Jimbo says
“Which just goes to show how completely incompetent and ignorant Dugdale is of the powers and competence of the parliament she is a member of.”
Really?
lets not forget who is reporting her rubbish!
can you imagine a stampede of Scottish journalists beating a path to her door to ask her to explain her idiocy?
@ Stu (7.22pm)
Noted!
Labour… Quite simply the party of stupid.
Dogdale – If it looks stupid, sounds stupid and acts stupid …Its probably stupid.
labour trained demented parrot over feed liebor nuts.
It’s intentional. They did it in the referendum campaign too.
Demand the ScotGov sorts out a WM mess which Holyrood doesn’t have power over (eg bedroom tax).
Then criticise ScorGov for not fixing it.
MSM plays along.
What does Joe (55%) Public think?
I thought Kezia Dugdale was going on about leaving Scotland, and how she did not want to be involved in politics in 10 years? As for her comments: standard SLAB drone talk, no ideas, on vision, no integrity, no principles whatsoever.
she is simply working to the prepared script. Even if you were to bring up the fact that had they been in charge, they could have done nothing about this themselves, unless they go their UK party to do it for them. She would hum and haw and waffle endlessly, much the same way Findlay did on Sunday, much the same way Lamont did.
Even as the polls increasingly show the ass kicking they will be on the receiving end of, she and her party have decided the best approach is to continue thumping the same old tubs, expecting something different to happen.
Its what lost them Holyrood in 2007 and again in 2010. Despite all they could throw at us, they could barely manage more than half during the indy ref. They didn’t settle it for a generation, they only kicked it down the road to 2016. Without real powers – there is literally nothing they can offer. Since their hatred of the SNP has led them to triangulate a party they have vilified for the past 50 years, they are just digging a deeper hole for themselves.
The Scottish branch of UK labour is increasingly irrelevant. By sending Murphy, I think Miliband realised this himself. Miliband needs Scottish resources, but he only needs England’s voters to secure it. The charade that Scotland meant more than a pocket to be dipped is beginning to slip. They needed something to keep Scotland on board, but Scottish labour ain’t up to it. The tragedy; for unionists, is that neither miliband nor any other UK party are in a position to find a remedy to it.
The next 7 years are going to be very interesting. I thought I would be pretty miserable being stuck in the union. But now I get a front seat as it destroys itself. Just hope we don’t take too many hits ourselves.
“Take on the big six energy firms, forcing them to freeze bills and rein in eye-watering profits earned on the backs of working people.”
“Bring back the 50p tax rate for top earners, so those with the broadest shoulders carry their fair share.”
“Tax [bankers’] bonuses and use the cash to create jobs for young people.”
Perhaps this is to show the contrast with London Labour …. They could do it if they get in power. Is it to make a very silly point? Why vote for NS since the SNP cannot change the important things?
In other words another angle on the old Labour trope… vote for us we are the party of the poor against the rich.
Interesting thing is Milliband and Balls have threatened to Tax the Bankers bonus 13 times and spend it on thirteen different things.
@ Seasick Dave 5:49pm..
hahahahahah exactly what i was thinking.. Dead ringer for that character.
Ever time I hear anyone from the UK Branch of Labour in Scotland, they just open their mooths and let their bellies rumble.
As you always say Stu it’s all just SNP BAD..
Sounding like some monosyllabic jungle creature
Dugdale applied for a job at the SNP but was rejected.
Is it because she is thick, or knows she can write utter shite and it won’t be challenged by anyone in the MSM or BBC.
where do liebor train their parrots.
Dear Handclapping, can I suggest that Labour’s new Gen Sec for North Britain will need the extra because he/she will be surrounded by hostile Yes voters…..
jimnarlene says
“A first class numpty. Role on FM questions, I will need to get in plenty of snacks, it’s going to be fun.”
Watch Scotland’s obesity index go through the roof! 🙂
@Chris 6.01pm
What a brilliant idea! Use the Scottish Parliament to demand the powers from Westminster to force down energy bills; tax bankers; and implement a 50p income tax rate.
Watch Kezia and the rest of Labour squirm as they are suddenly caught between their empty rhetoric and their hard Unionism… and doubtless have to vote against Kezia’s own challenges.
Surely Kezia must have known these were reserved powers? Are all No voters this confused; or is this just a ploy to keep the Daily Record readers confused?
Will try again .Last post disappeared.
At deputy Labour debate each declared that they would stop focusing on attacking S.N.P. and instead further the intent of Labour policy. The rest of the show they attacked S.N.P. Jackie Bailie gave graceless and grudging “praise” to Nicola for being a woman. Dugdale lets rip at S.N.P. Anwar warns vote for S.N.P. is Tory vote.
These people do not realise that their hatred has become pathological, and as such will destroy them from within. I could not tell you what they stand for. In order to find out I suppose I would only have to look up S.N..P policy and reverse it.
Will try again .Last post disappeared.
At deputy Labour debate each declared that they would stop focusing on attacking S.N.P. and instead further the intent of Labour policy. The rest of the show they attacked S.N.P. Jackie Bailie gave graceless and grudging “praise” to Nicola for being a woman. Dugdale lets rip at S.N.P. Anwar warns vote for S.N.P. is Tory vote.
These people do not realise that their hatred has become pathological, and as such will destroy them from within. I could not tell you what they stand for. In order to find out I suppose I would only have to look up S.N..P policy and reverse it.
@David Stevenson 🙂
Arthur Thompson says
” I don’t doubt that behind the scenes it is a much tighter ship.”
What?
like this you mean
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZvugebaT6Q
In yesterday’s blog, Wee Ginger Dog commented that mud slinging has been Labour’s substitute for politics. It’s amazing they have the capacity left even for that, what with shot up feet, giant chips the size of the Grand Canyon on their shoulders, noses in troughs, fingers in a multitude of dodgy pies, heeds full o’ mince and eyes on the main chance. What a picture 🙂
I truly despair. Someone on a previous thread quoted a passage from a newspaper where the contributor likened Scotland under the SNP to North Korea. I suggest SLAB and a lot of their supporters would fit in rather well there. Automatons worshipping at the feet of Jim Jong-Un, or Jim Wrong-Un, maybe.
Dugtail has the intellectual capacity of a worm’s fart. Nikki will fillet her at FMQs.
Compare and contrast Kezia with our new First Minister, who gets Scotland completely:
http://www.snp.org/media-centre/news/2014/nov/scotlands-new-fm-showcases-scottish-talent
“Nicola Sturgeon is once again showcasing Scottish design talent as she becomes First Minster today.
“The newly elected First Minister wore a dress made by independent women’s wear fashion label and boutique Totty Rocks. Based in Bruntsfield in Edinburgh, Totty Rocks is owned by Lynsey Blackburn and Holly Mitchell – both graduates of Edinburgh College of Art.
“All of the Totty Rocks products are designed and produced in Scotland and the brand offers a unique, fashion-forward range of Scottish hand-made clothing.”
Don’t lets forget the old Labour mantra though, which is faithfully executed by their media chums, namely don#t let the truth get in the way of a good story!
A question:
Just read on one of the other Websites that Ruth Davidson had also stated her case to be First Minister.
I take it from that when a First Minister resigns or when a new Parliament sits after an election, that it may be possible to have First Minister and Deputy First Minister from the opposition?
I did not know that.
That wouild make a very intersting scenario.
After reading this my friend has pointed out that a lie repeated is a lie with legs: and this has that potential since many people may not realise that these things are not devolved
It is his suggestion that the SNP should issue a press release, couched in very strong language,pointing this out. Words like “drivel” and “ignorant” and such like.
We have no control over the media, but my friend suggests that language like that is likely to be widely reported simply because it is both true and sensationalist.
I am inclined to agree.
What do folk think? It works for this site in helping to attract an audience. Isn’t it time we stopped refraining from pointing out such nonsense for what it is, in the MSM? Is it not possible the SNP could get a platform if they were blunt at least on this occasion?
Kezia is the very definition of political lightweight.
I’m assuming the Haka face is to frighten the opposition as she realises the political philosophy will have little impact
How in the name of the wee man can we encourage women to work hard to attain higher positions like Nicola Sturgeon, when Kezia is given space to spout out such rubbish?
Promoted beyond capability…
Just a point to make as I was reading through these posts. We have certainly covered the expenses and their salaries, but remember also ,and I know this is true that many of these Westminster M.P.S are paid handsome retainers as advisors to various companies AND ARE ALSO GIVEN SHARE ENTITLEMENTS .They are not all Tory M.Ps either. They all sit on committees and have great influence as lobbyists . What we have seen so far is the tip of a very large iceberg hidden from view.
http://thosebigwords.forumcommunity.net/?t=57045781
Can’t post this time so response is linked above
Re 38 degrees, I have just received the latest in the Nick Robinson farce. I would say that the BBC are very much squirming on this one. The knife is going in.
Have a look: –
https://www.change.org/p/the-bbc-immediately-suspend-nick-robinson-pending-investigation-for-breach-of-bbc-trust-charter-article-44/u/8782871?tk=LZOXYf7JnFbtKYAMmrOE65yfmjKvUTlVTEVOYOT2e84&utm_source=petition_update&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=petition_update_email
Replace Kissy’s face with Ed Adenoids face (yeah I know, not much of an improvement on the gormless scale) and…
TA-DA…WM Labour manifesto-speak for GE2015.
This is all we get from Ed these days, the three policies of the apocalypse…energy bills freeze, income tax top-rate increased and banker’s bonuses reined in.
Now which party could potentially deliver all three for Scotland?
Ah the games…the games
@Fiona @ 8.24, SNP seem to have a deliberate policy of being polite, and making the case without recourse to beating up on their opponents – unless in direct contact, such as a debate.
I speak as a new SNP member, sitting at a branch meeting with other newbies, feeling like we want to put the boot in to Labour whilst they are down, and listening to something much more polite from the elder SNP.
O/T but still on the Labour Party leadership contest, from The Indepenedent:
https://archive.today/VaVwY
“Internal polling by the Findlay camp, which his opponents have described as “respectable enough”, put him six points behind the front-runner, Mr Murphy. His campaign claim he is polling at 42 per cent, with the former Scottish Secretary on 48 per cent.
“If he wins when the result is announced on 13 December, Scotland will have the most left-wing leader of any political group in the UK; Ed Miliband will have a big problem on his hands; and, according to people close to Nicola Sturgeon, the new leader of the SNP, “Christmas will have arrived early”.
“One adviser close to Mr Miliband said: “The party in Scotland will decide who it wants. That’s what the rules say. Unofficially? Findlay represents pain and isn’t the solution.”
Wow, methinks Democracy is not the London Labour Party’s idea of fun.
Come on Neil, they are bricking it.
Just read on one of the other Websites that Ruth Davidson had also stated her case to be First Minister
I couldnae believe it either ann had to see it to believe it….
http://www.scottishparliament.tv/category.aspx?id=12&sort=date&page=1&vid=0_qic3fuea
Free Glasgow newspaper the GENN has the first installment of a two part investigation into Labour corruption at Glasgow City Council. On the same page the paper reveals that the celebrated Glasgow “Member” Willie Bain MP owes the paper money and is posting phantom cheques to the wrong address. Willie, no slouch on the expenses front apparently is a stranger to online banking.
web@thegenn.co.uk
Part two of the corruption article is currently with the GENN’s legal team awaiting approval for publication.
O/T
SOLOMON HUGHES spotlights the Alpha Group which is making inroads into mental health services – and is failing dismally in its quality of care
________________________________________
A family of arms-dealers are taking over the NHS, thanks to health service privatisation.
They are being arrested over the arms deals.
Inspectors talk about bullying and maltreatment in their hospitals.
In any sane world they would be thrown out of the NHS and the system that put them there would be stopped.
But the Choudhrie family and their Alpha Group are major donors to the Lib Dems. By funding the Tories’ junior partner, they help hang on to respectability.
https://archive.today/SlFzf
@Bob Mack
Anwar warns vote for S.N.P. is Tory vote.
That is Anas Sarwar, and not Anwar. Aamer Anwar is a pro independence lawyer, who spoke at the Yes rallies. I know it was a mistake, but we do not want to be annoying our own side!
ann @ 8.23
Interesting that it appears you can have a First Minister or Deputy voted in from any party.
If this really is the case, would it not be an excellent chance to appoint Patrick Harvie?
My first choice would be John Swinney but Patrick would also be a fantastic Deputy.
When one falls out another will fall into the stupidity,
This a vote for the SNP is a vote for the Tories is mindless pish. A vote for the SNP is a vote for the SNP plain and simple.
Voting for a minor party within a constituency can allow a larger party to take the seat but in Scotland a vote for the SNP will likely result in the SNP taking the seat. The Tories are unlikely to sneak many Scottish seats in a 5 way split for votes.
What Labour are saying is
“Ed has no chance of winning in England and we need every seat we can get to take power. If the SNP take seats we will have to be nice to the SNP….for the love of all that is holy don’t make us do that!”.
At least some Labour politicians have the sense to keep their mouths shut and let us think they are idiots, no such luck with the branch office staff though.
I see Tom Clarke was out last week campaigning about local road safety issues, that’s devolved to the Scottish Parliament though, perhaps the leader of Labour in Scotland should have a word with him. Must be an election coming up.
@ Muttley 79,
Me begs forgiveness. You are of course right. Too much going on in my head just now. Thoughts and fury AND IDEAS intermingle too frequently
From MSN:
“England band spark FA fury by accompanying ‘No surrender’ chants during Scotland clash.”
Better Together? Really?
What was that about creating “division?”
What i want to know is what are The SFA doing about it?
Sweet FA, probably.
I am not usually prone to giving remarks that are not quite the done thing, but God does she not look like Miss Piggy
@ Valerie – 8:36, we will not persuade labour voters to vote SNP by ‘putting the boot in’ nor by denigrating their choice to vote No – we have to keep the heir and caa canny.
@Fiona, 8:24PM
That’s a great idea about the press release but perhaps worded like this:
“The SNP welcomes Miss Dugdale’s comments and the opportunity for the opposition parties in the Scottish Parliament to work with the Scottish Government on devolving all of these powers she has mentioned.
The SNP is fully committed to removing these powers, and more, from Westminster control where they are not utilised effectively to aid the people of Scotland. Now that Miss Dugdale agrees with us, we would welcome her and other Labour MSPs signing up to a cross-party non-partisan agreement to do just that.”
@Fred 8:38pm
You have made me re-assess my evening’s rum intake. I went to the first story on the website of The GENN because I could have sworn that the title referred to milking goats [hic].
http://thegenn.co.uk/kids-milk-eight-goal-win/
Can’t wait for the Scottish GE in 2016 when I can break out the ‘Mr T’ wig and give a resounding “Fools – so long, suckers!” to Dugdale and the rest of her party’s dead-wood that’ll be clearing it’s desk at Holyrood.
Have a conversation with Kezia, and you’ll find out she is intelligent, thoughtful and interesting. Reveal that you’re in favour of independence and she’ll start speaking to you in the same style as she writes in the Herald.
Her comments will work to an extent due to the fact that the average daily record reader is thick as mince.
Her party members have made great use of the well oiled revolving door between Westminster and the city of London. She should be persuading them about taxing bankers.
If people are really thick enough to be taken in by this pish then they deserve all they get.
@ScottieDog the problem is that we also get what THEY deserve.
Mouthy little madam without a single original thought in her airhead.Has lots of soundbites but no substance, only difference between her & Lomond & Curran is she is young & attractive woman,otherwise a typical Labour harpie. A Busted flush another one who hopefully bites the dust with her two role models
Baillie’s babe? God forbid.
@Fred 8:38pm (part 2)
Just read that article on Willie Bain. Jings! Is the author related to our own Rev Stu? Well documented and I now look forward to the second part.
Easy link for the delectation of others:
http://caltonjock.com/2014/10/20/glasgow-north-east-willie-bain-mp-and-the-worst-served-community-in-the-uk/
@Jim Thompson
I know , I know, and the also want a scottish labour leader who supports this…
http://972mag.com/watch-soldiers-protect-settlers-attacking-west-bank-village/99018/
Young and attractive? Excuse me!
A total lack of knowledge, if that is what it is, in any job would require the employee to be sent for retraining, because if they are allowed to carry on in the job without it they bring the whole of the company down, and er, give them a bad reputation.
Either Dugdale is incredibly ignorant of how politics works in the uk at present, or she is deliberately lying, either way, how she sleeps at night is anybodys guess.
That’s the kind of face I have when I’m sitting on the cludgie with constipation. Which is the opposite of most Labour politicians as they usually spout verbal skitter.
Stephen.
I must admit, I am baffled at how Kezia has gone all Young Enterprise and put together a whole website and team and had leaflets printed for what is surely a foregone conclusion? What does she need all this money she’s trying to raise for? And who has paid for her website?
Are we able to find out how much dough is getting punted her way, and what it is being spent on?
I naively expect this large campaign will not detract from her important job as newspaper columnist? It is not very fair on her readers that time is taken out of her important work being concerned in the Daily Record and the Heil. In fact the piece Stu has highlighted today seems so woefully ill-conceived, factually inaccurate and self-defeating that it is clear her job is being neglected.
If Jim Murphy leading labour’s Scottish branch will be ‘all the SNP’s Christmases at once’ then Kezia is that birthday that falls within a couple of days of Christmas. Great – but wouldn’t it be better if she had held off and taken the role of slab leader after Murphy crashes in May? Spread the happiness through 2015?
o/t I hear that my dad and brother couldn’t get a daily record in the dumbarton area. Interesting.
Catherine McRorie
young and attractive are just two words which are far from the truth here, crikey most of us must be miss world then! 🙂
QUOTES FROM THE DARK SIDE:
“I’ve had people say they can no longer listen to the News Quiz
on Radio 4, or this is how they get their classical music.”
Kezia Dugdale,
After becoming an MSP she launched that attack against a Scottish
Gaelic TV station, despite the radio stations mentioned continuing
to broadcast despite the Gaelic TV station.
source: WiKi-dale.
🙂
I agree with Dugface: Nicola and the Scottish Parliament should pass those laws and taunt Westminster to overturn or abolish them. SNP and Scottish Parliament should, as Robin McAlpine says, push the boundaries of devo powers. In the run up to the next general election SNP should be passing all sorts of laws for the benefit of the people of Scotland (banning fracking etc) and going beyond their ‘devolved’ powers solely in an effort to help Scots and Scotland.
Win-win as far as I can see; if the laws they pass are left to stand they make Scotland a better place; if the laws they pass are overturned or abolished by Westminster evil Unionists hate Scotland ergo vote SNP.
Nicola shouldn’t take the attitude that she can govern Scotland only in a way approved by Westminster, she should govern Scotland in the best interests of Scotland.
There might be a case for staying this side of the devo line but I would say if SNP government walks like an independent Scotland and talks like an independent Scotland …
Personally, I think you have to look at what they are not saying. SLAB clearly have no positive policies to offer particularly when WM Labour are busy trying to outdo Tories & UKIP on welfare reform & immigration.
They are also laying the foundations for devolution to Local Authorities by making the case which says -what’s the point of Holyrood? It can’t do any of the things that need to be done in Scotland.
I have to say that I was appalled at Ms Bailie today-she couldn’t even bring herself to lend some dignity to a historic day. I’m sure there was an element of envy there-you know the sort of thing-if I can’t have it then I’m going to make sure that NS remembers it.So sly was she.
Thankfully the other party leaders were better than that & brought some humanity & dignity to the occasion & to the Parliament. They didn’t come across as being bitter & twisted as JB did.
Perhaps JB thought she’d better get the digs in now because NS will tear shreds off her in FMQ’s (hopefully starting tomorrow).
Labour like the emperor has no clothes-no policies worth a light. Milliband trusted by only 2% of electorate in Scotland. They’re all just trying desperately to hang onto their seats as best they can but don’t have the tools to do it. That is the leadership’s failing. They know they can con some of the public to vote for them, that’s why they’re already out knocking on doors but they know they are going to struggle against SNP putting 80,000+ people onto the streets.
If the Labour candidates were talking about things they know can’t be done then there’s a reason for it. Nothing else to say maybe-so having no choice but to attack SNP.
Lets face it they can’t believe the astounding numbers flocking to SNP. It’s never happened before & probably never will again. The actions of a sizeable proportion of the electorate is rejecting Labour & all that it stands for and oh how that must hurt knowing that Nicola is the darling of Scotland right now but also has the ability & political nous to build on that & cement her position as leader of the 3rd biggest party in UK.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha LOL
My own background is born and brought up in a tenement in the Cowcaddens Glasgow. My mother had three jobs ,my father two, in order to make ends meet. They voted Labour like everyone I knew because none of the other parties reflected their lifestyle. Labour has moved way beyond people like this, and even if coming from that type of background they have forgotten what it is like .My career in the N.H.S. was spent in the East of Glasgow and what an eye opener that was. After nearly 60 years since I was a boy nothing has changed really ,and I mean in a social sense. New house have been built or refurnished but the Social problems remain, now fuelled by drugs and related crime. I can only recommend you walk through Shettleston or Tollcross on a Saturday night to see them for yourself. Margaret Curran knows nothing of this or is not interested I suppose I find it disappointing that in spite of Labour having major control over Glasgow for most of my lifetime nothing has changed.What a record.The S.N.P. has given me real hope that change may be possible in the way my parents always hoped it would.
She’s doing a Willie Rennie impersonation.
Forgot to mention.Daily Record circulation for month of October 2014 goes down to 196,000.First time under two hundred and thirty thousand. Happy days eh!
Sooooo basically Ms Dugdale is being completely and predictably disingenuous or the lady hasn’t a Goddam clue about the powers and competence her own parliament wields.
Both are quite scary concepts. 😮
Anagram
Daze like a dug
She should know that these are reserved matters. If she is Labour’s brightest, God help us.
Here he is. The Original and Best. Willie Rennie doing an impersonation of Kezia Dugdale doing an impersonation of him. Imagine we got them both together and they did it at the same time? That would be funny!
http://wingsoverscotland.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/willierennie1.jpg
Are this woman’s comments not like a continuation of the Better Together misinformation campaign.It is not so stupid to imply that the FM has the power to do these things,and to implant this misinformation in the minds of uninformed people so that when the FM doesn’t act on these policies the ignorant will think she is useless.
That sort of Goebbels propaganda worked well for them in the referendum, so why stop now.
(For info Goebbles said…“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.”)
Whatever WiKi-dake is, it’s wrong. I’m one of those particularly pissed off by this, because the radio stations I like to listen to go dead at 4 o’clock thanks to BBC Alba. It does happen, the stations do not broadcast in the evening and it is a pain in the backside.
Unlike Kezia, I save my ire for those who think so little of BBC Alba that they couldn’t even find it a frequency of its own.
I usually watch Andrew Marr on a Sunday but I think that will be the last. It would appear we have no voice in the media who will question the liars like Findlay and Dugdale.
Sites like this are so informative and fill the needs for us who are able to access ithe web but there are many who can’t . What we desperately need in Scotland is real media that have no agenda other than making sure the public know all the story, not just the one sided version from the MSM.
I’m in Argyll and the prospective labour candidate was telling everyone before the referendum if there is a yes vote all the building societies with head offices in England will refuse mortgages to scots !! Access to the internet is not available in many parts here so these lies go unchallenged
Mark P-I
Totally agree!
Looks like womans’ in Labour.
QUOTES FROM THE DARK SIDE:
“..my view on Trident is i want a world free of nuclear weapons,
i want no country in the planet to have nuclear weapons..”
Jim Murphy on the BBC programme ‘Scotland 2014’ – (18.11.2014)
Does this look like a man of principles and worthy of your trust?
https://archive.today/FJLFK
Hi
any volunteers to write to the Daily Record pointing out what this Óinseach has said and how it makes no sense?
I believe part of the purpose of WINGS should be to trigger reactions from US likely to counter the impact of this sort of nonsense on the unsuspecting and often ill-informed Scottish public and help the election campaign next May. Not just to foam at the mouth self-virtuously at each other.
I also got the following from 38 degrees today (did we agree they were now off limits given their liaison with Crash Gordon?)
“Votes in Westminster on the NHS aren’t usually relevant outside England. This time, it’s different. TTIP could pave the way for sweeping privatisation in our healthcare system across the UK. [2] The government needs to take our NHS off the negotiating table. And Friday is our chance to make sure that happens.
Can you sign a petition to your MP asking them to turn up and vote the right way on Friday? MPs aren’t used to being the target of petitions: the last thing they want is hundreds of their constituents banding together. So the bigger this petition is, the more likely your MP is to listen.”
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%C3%B3inseach
Bob Mack
here, here, real change is a coming.
Memo to the editor of ‘Scotland’s Champion’:-
In the interests of ‘balance’, will you immediately publish an article setting out the demonstrable flaws in Ms Dugdale’s calls to the new FM?
It used to be “they would vote for anything if it was Labour’
Now its “Theyll listen to anything from Labour”
Well we all know how the first train of thought worked out.
David Torrance and his multi coloured Tank Top once again on telly show about Alex Salmond just now. Another one like Kezia and pals who seems to exist purely to disparage the people they truly wish they were.
Agree with Cadogan
Rather than ignoring MSM, wingers should deluge these papers and phone ins pointing out columnist errors plus challenging the unionist and red Tory letter writers
” I’m one of those particularly pissed off by this, because the radio stations I like to listen to go dead at 4 o’clock thanks to BBC Alba.”
Prove it.
I know some stations close down around 4, i’ve experienced the
frustration of it many times but i believe you’re wrong to blame
the TV station, what proof exists to support your accusation?
I’m genuinely curious because i would put the blame at the door
of the BBC and not the Gaelic TV station.
Jim Thomson, thanks for that pal, I’m a bit of a dinosaur.
Logical argument could suggest that Kezia by creating a set of objectives that can only be achieved via reserved powers ergo vote labour at GE 2015 if you want to achieve these aims. Almost as if she does not consider the powers of the Scottish Parliament sufficient or of import.
The main fallacy I see in her argument is that Labour is voted in by the Scots (see http://wingsoverscotland.com/the-faithful-lie/).
But please don’t be outraged or try to change attitudes. It would be despicable of anyone to advocate that believers in independence should join the BLab (for only £5 https://join.labour.org.uk/scotland-join/2?utm_campaign=referendumrate) for the sole purpose of taking leaflets and recycling them; shirking canvassing duties; disrupting debates; or raising dissension within the ranks.
It might even be misleading or give them false hope. That would be immoral.
@Sinky 11:10 pm Agree with Cadogan
Thanks Stinky, if no one else will volunteer to write to the Daily Record, I will. But I am operating from County Down and wont be campaigning again in Scotland until March or April.
It would be more convincing with a Scottish home address
You can prove it to yourself. Turn on your TV (on Freeview), go to Radio 3 or Radio 4 or Radio Scotland, and see what happens at 4 o’clock on a Saturday or a Sunday. (I think it’s a bit later on weekdays but they’re off by the time I get home from work so possibly 5 pm.)
What happens is that the sound cuts out and the screen displays a red-background notice saying that this station is now off the air due to BBC Alba coming on-air. It’s been doing this since about 2011. They’re perfectly up-front about it.
If you want to go on listening you have to go to an actual FM radio or internet streaming.
The blame is at the door of the BBC. BBC Alba is a BBC channel, the clue is in the name. The BBC chose this way of getting the digital bandwidth it needed to broadcast BBC Alba. And it makes bloody sure we all know about it, by putting it right up there on the screen for us to see.
OK, I just turned on my TV, which is tuned to Radio 3 on channel 703. I am copytyping this from the screen as I look at it.
Well I don’t have cable or satellite, there’s no digital radio signal here, and the FM reception is terrible. My hi-fi tuner is sitting there like a useless brick. That’s why I would like the Freeview radio but I can’t have it in the evenings. (I’m not a huge fan of listening to radio on my PC, and I keep exceeding my broadband limit as it is.)
The whole thing is a BBC decision though. They don’t value BBC Alba enough to allocate it bandwidth of its own, so they rob the radio listeners. And make sure they know what to blame, every time that red screen comes on.
I’m very surprised you didn’t know this, and quite astonished by your demands that I “prove it”.
@Ivan McKee
I posted the link to 38 degrees debunked. It is a Tory site which is why the author is so incensed by the apparent links to Labour. See the article on the founder.
http://38degreesdebunked.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/is-38-degrees-founder-hypocrite.html
It also has an interesting article on the dominance of the BBC in the UK media on the home page. It hasn’t been updated since 2011.
I complained to 38 degrees after they allowed Gordon Brown to hijack their petition. They did not address the issue so I had my name removed from their list. They do seem to be very naive or deceptive.
I just checked, and the radio stations showing the Alba opt-out at the moment are Radios 2, 3, World Service and Radio nan Gaidheal. Radio 4 and Radio Scotland are actually broadcasting.
I know Radios 4 and Scotland have been affected in the past so maybe they’ve shuffled things a bit. Radio Scotland on Sunday afternoons is a bust anyway because they broadcast some sports thing rather than Robbie Shepherd, on the Freeview channel.
They just don’t get it. Long may it continue.
Frank Roy – North Lanarkshire MP entered parliament in 1997, as one of Tony Blair’s New Labour followers. He follows all the rules of the party and
is of the recorded view that his position is that of a British MP. So that the interests of Labour Party supporters in London carries the same weight as those that live anywhere else in the UK.
He discharged a major coordinating role in the Project Fear campaign and although decidedly pedestrian in his appearance and delivery is an effective performer. He attended a meeting in his home town during the campaign and experienced two of the more torrid hours of his political career at Motherwell’s GLO Centre. The MP was putting forward the argument for maintaining the Union in a debate organised by the Lanarkshire Forum for Independence. During his introduction at what was a lively evening, he admitted to the 300-strong capacity audience that his wife had warned him beforehand he’d “get a doing” at the event and the warm reception this prescient prediction received from the largely pro-independence crowd proved to be as good as it got for the long-serving MP. Indeed, his misery was compounded towards the end of the evening when one of the audience – an Englishman to boot – took the mic and criticised the elected member for his, “unconvincing arguments” declaring the debate had persuaded him to change his previously unshakeable No stance to Yes.
His record is worth a lookover.
http://caltonjock.com/2014/11/19/north-lanarkshire-labour-party-mafia-frankie-boy-roy-his-record/
Frank Roy. The guy I didn’t vote for in 1997, 2001 and 2005. Much good that did.
I had the privilege of not voting for David Mundell in 2010. Frying pans and fires spring to mind.
Isn’t just awe inspiring to view the ” talent ” within labour as a whole, and Slab in particular.
Just how have they managed to gather these numb skulls in one party?. They are clueless, add in brainless, add in the anti SNP line. Then in truth you have a bunch of deadbeats, no use to Scotland, no use to anyone.
None of what Dugdale or any of the other SLAB leader contestants has anything to do with reality.
This is a competition to sound as socialist as possible to convince voters that Labour has learned it’s lesson and gone back to it’s roots.
It doesn’t matter if it’s within the power of the devolved parliament.
They’ll still come up with policies that Scots believe in and say the SNP have failed to deliver them to try and con voters.
This message is not aimed at politically educated voters who can see through it in a heartbeat.
It is aimed at people the Labour party regard as thick and gullible – it’s aimed at the 55% they conned in the referendum.
We shouldn’t take from this that Dugdale etc are thick, we should take from this that they think the electorate are thick.
If they think insulting the intelligence of the Scottish electorate is a good idea, then let them make that mistake.
BBC – Alex Salmond – A Rebel’s Journey. It was on last night at 10.30ish, worth getting from iplayer. Done by Brian Taylor and very good. I didn’t realise Taylor had gone to St Andrews at the same time, explains a bit. Unlike many Indy supporters I thought he was OK, particularly later on. Probably a YES voter! David Torrance was on that’s the only thing, but there again perhaps viewers can see the bile and petulance from him because he knows he’s not fit to stand in Salmond’s shadow, let alone write a comic book.
Just about to watch the end, I had it recorded. I must be coming down with a cold as I seem to be blowing my nose a little.
Maybe La Dugdale made that stupid statement “advising” Nicola to carry out policies which are reserved to WM, in a spirit of solidarity with James Kelly MSP, so as to appear even more stupid than him. Re the photo, it reminds me of a saying of my granny’s about someone “having a face that would turn milk!”
Does anyone else find Ruth Davidsons arrogance at putting herself forward just a bit grasping. Apparantly she left the BBC in 2009 , got in 2011 and seriously thinks after 3 years she should represent Scotland?
Not sure what is worse- her ruthless ambition or the 15 ( what were they thinking) who supported her?
“The whole thing is a BBC decision though. They don’t value BBC Alba enough to allocate it bandwidth of its own, so they rob the radio listeners. And make sure they know what to blame, every time that red screen comes on.”
Yes, as i said, the blame sits at the door of the BBC and not
its Gaelic TV station. You specifically blamed the TV station.
You said you blame BBC Alba, that’s not The BBC, it’s one of
their channels. And by doing so you fell into the very trap you
mentioned your self – that they make sure the blame is deflected
“I’m very surprised you didn’t know this, and quite astonished by your demands that I “prove it”.
Oh spare me the amateur dramatics please, Morag.
Of course i knew that just as i knew you were wrong
to fall for the trap and blame the TV station rather
than those responsible for it. Attention to detail, Morag.
😉
And there’s no need to feel “astonished” because i didn’t
“demand” anything of you, i simply asked you to “prove it.”
Which, when one believes someone is wrong, is a perfectly
reasonable request to make, is it not!
🙂
Good night Morag
The last breath from labour is on-coming.
I am told from abroad that the rejection of Scotland’s independence is being treated with un-believed wonder and some empathy, bringing at first, incredulity and then shameful disdain.
But, outsiders see what’s going on and are wondering, just what could have happened? BBC, anyone? Very circumspect.
The UK is not coming out of this with any medals.
“Kezia Dugdale is widely (for reasons which we must confess still escape our ongoing enquiries) regarded as the brightest of Scottish Labour’s young minds.”
The brightest lawyers are the ones who are best at lying.
The same applies to Scottish Labour politicians.
I don’t think that SLab’s tactic of making the SNP look less good by showing themselves as being inept is working. God help us if they manage to find somebody, in their ranks who knows what they are talking about. They will be declared a genious.
Is that Kezia’s I am in labour face. Or is she just practicing her John Prescott grin.
Snort snort where’s the trough
What is it with female unionist pseudo-politicians and ill-fitting jackets? Wee Ruth probably has to use tyre levers to get her jackets on and off, while Kezia sits there wearing a jacket that makes her look as if she’s just stuck her head out of a tent door.
That picture makes me think of a Karen Dunbar sketch where she is midway through a pi$$-take of some deserving stereotype.
Free Scotland,
If I ever need a compère for a fashion show I’ll know where to come.
O/T
https://www.journalism.co.uk/news-commentary/is-traditional-journalism-broken-in-scotland-/s6/a555869/
https://www.journalism.co.uk/news-commentary/part-2–the-backlash-against-the-mainstream-in-scotland-/s6/a555870/
Individual Trifle anybody ?
Please disregard my last post above, I was asked to email to a colleague. Too early in the morning for me!
Haha great photo – KDug’s constipation face – I believe Senokot helps? (Other laxatives are available).
When do we get the counter argument in the Record, I.e. she’s talking p*sh?
When the rocks melt under the sun?
What a face to tune into first thing! As Ineos get set to frack the whole of the cerntral belt of their Scotland region. Another day in teamGB but also shows why Ian Wood billionaire jumped into vote NO or else there’s no oil left action. Don’t let them get them get their hand grubby paws on our oil chaps. Thanks again proud Scot buts, hope the fracking is directly under your homes.
Balaarg says
“@Fiona, 8:24PM
That’s a great idea about the press release but perhaps worded like this:”
Badaboomtish,
brilliant
hoist by her own petard!
John D nkosi
“I am not usually prone to giving remarks that are not quite the done thing,”
Know what you mean John but just remember how Stu was demonized when he gave Alex Johnstone back a taste of his own abuse towards the Weirs,
until we have a balanced press we’ll have those hyenas ready to pounce on ( all no matter how minor) abuse from us, hence I believe why the SNP appear so obsequious to barbed and palpably untrue attacks from the likes of Dugsdale, because every time a single person has the truth pointed out to them by the likes of us, we convert one more person (forever) to our cause!
Paula Rose says
“Young and attractive? Excuse me!”
Listen to Paula Catherine
A model of poise and deportment,
and on the right side of thirty,
Besides didn’t the mono brow go out with Tom Sellick?
http://tinyurl.com/kkgynfr
Remember that tenner you owed me Paula?
It looks to me like Labour has done it again. In the week that is the most momentous for Scotland and the SNP, with Nicola Sturgeon becoming FM, all the attention is once again on Labour. Can we stop obsessing about Labour? We have better things to do. Let them wither and die if they want. They don’t need us to publicise them.
Well done, Scotland, Nicola, the SNP and all Yes people.
Readers of said newspaper are unlikely to even get to the end of the column. Had it been the headline, I’d be worried.
In a past life I’ve met many Red Tories, they are by and large Keiza Dugdales. There is a conveyor belt of disingenuous party workers only too keen to earn the huge salaries. They hate the SNP with a passion for taking “their” votes.
The working class can kiss my arse, is the real Labour theme tune. We know it, they know it, the sooner the public knows it, the better.
NANA SMITH, (see above) thank you so much for uncovering
http://www.journalism.co.uk/news-commentary/is-traditional-journalism-broken-in-scotland-/s6/a555869/ and
http://www.journalism.co.uk/news-commentary/part-2–the-backlash-against-the-mainstream-in-scotland-/s6/a555870/.
Most of us on WoS are only too well aware of the nature and scope of media bias in Scotland, but to have it laid out as by Colin Meek in Journalism.co.uk, is beneficial in so many ways. It is so refreshing and encouraging, and rare, to read material like this.
So I just want to thank you, Nana, for you have found a real gem and I’m sure that anyone for Indy will be much the better for reading it.
@ Cadogan Enright says at 11:45 pm
As many are reluctant to put their name and address to letters, its easy to create a nom de plume via Gmail or other sites and use a tenement address (without flat number).
More Wingers should do this and use the letters columns promoting positive case for Indy / SNP / Green/ SSP as the case maybe.
@manandboy
I think I posted the articles by Colin here on Wings when they first appeared but my memory may be playing tricks on me. Would not be the first time!
@Nana
I’m sorry I missed them the first time. There will be many who were not active on Wings in February 2014 and I’m sure they, like me, will appreciate a second chance.
Thanks again.
The most frightening thing about that image, is that Fifi actually looks quite like George Foulkes in it.
Kezia break ffs !
O/T
“Prosecutors in Spain to charge Catalonia leader Artur Mas.”
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-30111044
The Spanish Government are going to charge the leaders of the Independence movement in Catalonia for holding “an illegal referendum”.
You can just hear the Westminster Establishment saying, “You don’t think we could get away with that in Scotland do you?”
We must continue to support our friends in Catalonia.
When I read this and the previous news regarding Ms Curran I was initially astonished by how bad Scotland’s Labour politicians are. They do, however, have some serious rivals here in my own fair land.
As my mother would have said, you’d start a row in an empty house.
Mind linking to where I “blamed” the TV station? I specifically said I blamed the BBC, but since BBC Alba is a BBC channel, it’s a bit difficult to separate them. Obviously the decision to can the radio broadcasts was taken by BBC management, not by BBC Alba journalists though.
You claimed that no radio stations went off-air due to BBC ALba being broadcast. Clearly you were wrong about that, which is what I was trying to explain. I’m not quite sure where you’ve put the goal posts now. The loss of the radio signal is directly as a result of BBC Alba taking the bandwidth for its TV broadcast. This is a BBC management decision. I’m not sure why that’s so complicated.
Kezia seemed to be calling for BBC Alba to be taken off-air in order for the radio signals to be reinstated. The point I was making is that while I’m pretty pissed-off by the loss of the radio signal, I’m not calling for BBC Alba to be taken off-air, but rather for it to be given a higher priority and dedicated bandwidth found for it without affecting the radio.
Clear now?
An SNP politician has offered to stand for the Berwick seat at next year’s general election in a bid to help her party earn ?a spot in the nationwide TV leaders’ debates.
Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, says broadcasters have no plans to include the SNP leadership in any UK-wide debates to be screened in the run-up to May.
https://archive.today/H1HDd
Have you ever saw Kezia Dugdale and Ozzy Osbourne in the room at the same time?
Just sayin.
Should anyone be interested in Westminster machinations…
The Prime Minister answers questions on the governance of the UK in light of the Scottish referendum on Thursday 20 November 2014.
http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/liaison-committee/news/evidence-with-pm-20-11-14-subject/
With England failing economically, a well as politically, along with Europe the US and elsewhere, the neo-Liberal age may just be about to expire as an economic model.
The rich can’t go on getting richer forever, particularly when it is at the expense of the working classes and the needy.
Sooner or later the cry of the poor will reach the ears of the economic deity and elicit a response.
But it had better arrive soon before the masses adopt their own solutions driven by their own, often desperate, needs.
This is I believe, the state of play.
The point for Scotland is that Independence may well arrive on our doorstep not just through our own indigenous energies, but via the calamities in the rest of the world.
The downside may be that as well as being able to take advantage of the woes of the world, we will simultaneously be caught up in them ourselves. But since this is not an exact science, I am confident that Scotland will emerge upright and standing on its own two feet – and well able to handle any headwinds.
As for Labour in Scotland, well, we all know what wind does to chaff.
O/T
First time since september that google wings doesn’t bring this site up first. Some band tops the list. Perhaps wingers should google the site every time rather than click the bookmark.
Nana, your middle name isn’t Holmes by any chance, is it?
David Cameron on the Vows at 10.30am – in only 50 mins!
I’d better get on with my chores. I do not want to miss the PM’s hissing.
The thing about the SNP never standing in England had something to do with PPBs. Apparently the party’s PPB allocation is based on standing in Scotland only, and it gets a good allocation of air-time in Scotland as a result. If the allocation was based on UK-wide share of votes, which it would be if candidates were standing in England, it would get far less air time.
So even if standing in Berwick worked as regards the leaders’ debates, there might be a down-side. I suppose the party would just have to weigh up the cost and the benefits.
Caz-m,
How much stomach do the Spanish public have for an assault on democracy in Catalunya?
Couldn’t agree more. The way this is going, we’re heading for tumbrils in the streets. The super-rich can’t go on scooping up all the wealth of the country while the minimum-wage employees they depend on to keep their businesses afloat get poorer and rely on taxpayer subsidy to stay alive.
We need a properly redistributive government and we need it now. And if a few mega-rich decide to emigrate, don’t let the door hit your arse on the way out. Norway does this, and doesn’t care if the super-rich go. The country seems to be the better for it.
Ian Wood in yet another outburst…this time moaning about the uncertainty of the Westminster tax regime on the oil companies…..yes you read that correctly.
He is also ‘very worried’ about the state of the north sea…..well perhaps if he hadn’t ran it down for 2 years it might be in better shape.
Scared old man.
@Morag,
Back bench debate in parliament today about money creation.
Big part of problem is that banks are allowed to create money from nothing when they lend and charge interest on it. 97% of our money supply is created by the private sector and is therefore debt.
Debate live on BBC parliament at 11:30
@ Morag, & if anybody needs clarification on what your saying they need to look at the news from( New York).TTIP before it leaves American shore’s,Parants camping out in 6ft snow drifts to enrol they’re child in a school,with no guarantee of being enrolled,the greed of Corperate America knows no bounderies.
@Hetty 9:45pm.
Kezia sleeps at night as she can soundly zzzzz safe in the knowledge that the Daily Record gives her a voice to print the lies she wants to propagate.
I’m generalising, but I’m guessing the majority of Record readers won’t then get on their laptops, phones, tablets etc to check what is in the paper. They will just accept the printed ramblings as the given truth.
Is it laziness or just an inability to question what people are telling you, or the information you read?
Either way a conmans dream customer.
@manandboy
When I tell folks about this website I always tell them to check out old posts and not just the recent ones. So you are right that a lot of newbies will not have seen Colin’s articles before. Anyway it’s good to read again.
Is my middle name Holmes…No
Catalunya. My understanding was that Artur Mas intended to now call for negotiation with the threat that is this failed, he would call an election and individual Indy parties would put UDI in their manifestos. Perhaps the criminal charges are Madrid’s response. Independence via an election, perhaps?
She will make a great deputy leader of SlabberServative North Britland
Did you see Craig Murray’s speech at the SNP conference fringe meeting on the constitution.
Well worth a listen and very encouraging. 8 min
http://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2014/11/scotlands-constitution/
Stand by for round 2 Ineos v Scottish Public.Jim RATcliffe threatening to close Grangemouth plant again when he cant get his way over Fracking of shale gas. What happened to his deal with the American shale gas ?,or was the deal done with Westminster on fracking rights in Scotland before hand ?. Yes I am paranoid.
In Committee, Dave Cameron says he wants “things to settle down” i.e. no more trouble for the neo-Liberal advance and no more worries about Scottish Oil revenues.
@Morag:
Couldn’t disagree more. That’s one of the major victories of capitalism. There is no real cohesion between workers anymore. The trade unions have been defiled or gutted. Workers feel powerless and derelict, and they would fight to eke out their living as hyenas brawl over a dead antilope. They don’t even identify anymore than their torturer is their boss and his/her shareholders.
In our western societies, two neighbors that work at the same plant under the threat of being laid off won’t unite and resist, as they would have done fifty years ago. They will glance sidelong at each other, and secretly hope that the blade with fall on the other so that they can save their job. The upper class has set up a good propaganda, and shifted the hatred of the working class from themselves to the working class itself. Now ennemies of workers are not bosses, they are other, possibly still more abused, underdogs, such as immigrants. And that’s the loam on which the UKIP blossoms, while the bosses and shareholders snigger and move billions of quids to tax heavens.
Ignorance and fear keep the laymen in line. No revolution, neither the French one, nor any other, has ever eradicated misery and exploitation.
@ronnie anderson
Worth a look at the following. The data is taken from the Hughes report (600 page report on fracking by former energy advisor to Canadian Govenrment)
http://www.resilience.org/stories/2014-11-18/shale-oil-expensive-over-hyped-and-short-lived
Cameron there,on telly saying that he thinks letting parliaments in Wales and Scotland having tax raising powers will “settle down” the UK. Aye right,what he means is ,”here,have some crumbs from our big,big westminster tables. You are still liable for tax and debt also,muppets. Now settle down and be british you oiks.”
We won’t settle down on this.
“Mind linking to where I “blamed” the TV station? I specifically said I blamed the BBC,”
Aye, sure, this is from your first post on the subject.
You blame the TV station, you do not make it clear you’re
blaming The BBC, you don’t do that until a later post.
“I’m one of those particularly pissed off by this, because the radio stations I like to listen to go dead at 4 o’clock thanks to BBC Alba.”
You clearly blame the TV station, you do not make it clear
that you blame the BBC, you don’t do that until a later post.
There is a considerable difference between the words BBC Alba
and The BBC and the context within which they are used.
“You claimed that no radio stations went off-air due to BBC ALba being broadcast.”
Untrue and utterly misleading.
You cannot quote me stating that no radio stations went
off-air due to BBC Alba being broadcast.
Repeat: You blamed BBC Alba, as proven above, in your
original post and then changed that, when questioned,
to blaming the BBC. There is a big difference.
The scheduling of Radio stations is entirely down to
decisions made by The BBC and not BBC Alba.
Now, you very well may have meant to blame The BBC but
that is not how it came across in your original post, Morag.
If that’s what you meant, and i now have no doubt that’s
what you did mean, then perhaps you should have made that
a bit clearer in your original post.
“Kezia seemed to be calling for BBC Alba to be taken off-air in order for the radio signals to be reinstated.”
That’s exactly what she was doing and she’s been quoted
as referring to Radio 4 being shut down because of Alba
which, at the time when she made those comments, was an
outright lie. I know that to be a fact because i was a
regular listener of 4 at that particular time.
The disruption to 4 started well after she made her lies.
Another point – there has ALWAYS been scheduling changes
and disruption to BBC Radio stations, its been going on
long long before the appearance of Alba.
Alba are just a convenient excuse.
“I’m not quite sure where you’ve put the goal posts now.”
Sorry, can’t help you there Morag,
i’ve not been anywhere near any goalposts.
“As my mother would have said, you’d start a row in an empty house.”
Jeeezo, small world, eh, my mother used to say that too.
🙂
Pot – Kettle, Morag, Pot – Kettle.
😉
Further to the ignorance of Kezia Dugdale illustrated in this article, we have just had BBC Scotland’s James Cook report from Nicola Sturgeons’s swearing in as First Minister that she had done so in front of ‘High Court judges’. Nicola was sworn in at the Court of Session, whose judges are ‘Senators of the College of Justice’.
Listening to David Cameron in the Commons committee but it’s difficult not to switch off altogether because it is truly dire and insulting.
Patronising to the extreme!
http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.aspx?meetingId=16522
@Nana
Thanks for the Liaison Committee link. Will generate a lot of content for Rev. Jaw already bruised by multiple dropping onto desk incidents. Barnett, borrowing, LOLR, Corp Tax for Northern Ireland and only 20 minutes in. Dave “big picture guy” Cameron adopting Brown’s clunking fist mannersims.
Morag says:
20 November, 2014 at 9:52 am
The rich can’t go on getting richer forever, particularly when it is at the expense of the working classes and the needy.
Sooner or later the cry of the poor will reach the ears of the economic deity and elicit a response.
But it had better arrive soon before the masses adopt their own solutions driven by their own, often desperate, needs.
Couldn’t agree more. The way this is going, we’re heading for tumbrils in the streets. The super-rich can’t go on scooping up all the wealth of the country while the minimum-wage employees they depend on to keep their businesses afloat get poorer and rely on taxpayer subsidy to stay alive.
We need a properly redistributive government and we need it now. And if a few mega-rich decide to emigrate, don’t let the door hit your arse on the way out. Norway does this, and doesn’t care if the super-rich go. The country seems to be the better for it.
==============================================
I agree with with everything Morag says. In fact I have been reading Morag now for awhile. Apart from one issue, I agree with vast majority of what she says.
Respect.
That photo of Skeletors Skivvy
at the top of this threads article,
i think you may have unwittingly uncovered
Frank Gallagher’ love child (Shameless).
https://archive.today/ahAaL
Watched Brian Taylor’s programme on Alex Salmond – ‘A rebel’s journey’ and was struck by the thought that they seemed to be very close friends, a thought which carries many interesting implications, not least that Brian Taylor may have been some kind of ‘deep throat’ and benefited our cause in many un-sung ways. Interesting indeed.
@ronnie
Ever since INEOS round one, it has been clear that the ownership of Grangemouth by a private company with no commitment to Scotland beyond the profit and loss account is a huge strategic vulnerability.
The blackmail – allow fracking or Grangemouth goes – was always on the cards…the import of US shale gas always a fig leaf. It’s going to set people against one another, and is going to put the Scottish Government in a bad place, since fracking is unpopular to say the least, but the preservation of Grangemouth jobs is also important.
If we’d voted Yes, it would have been even worse, because INEOS would be round at Bute House every week threatening to close the plant unless…leaving an independent Scotland with no option but to buy from a ‘foreign’ country (and wouldn’t Westminster have gloated over that?)
Short of building a second state-owned refinery, I don’t see an easy solution.
@Kininvie
I don’t think there is a good answer to that. One thing you can be sure of is that whatever action/decision is taken by the Scottish Government, Labour’s position will almost spookily prove to be the opposite.
Davidb says
“Perhaps wingers should google the site every time rather than click the bookmark”
I always do,
for that very reason! 😉
@kininvie
There is little the scottish government can do about fracking, short of say it’s against it, as well know energy is reserved to westminster
kininvie,
Not quite so because inan Indy Scotland we could just say no.
If they want to close, fine. We’ll buy.
Boris, many thanks for the Calton Jock piece on Frank Roy, everybody in Scotland should read that!!!
Watched Brian Taylor’s prog’, apart from the usual fly in the ointment David Torearse, a mountebank who has clawed his way to prominence during the referendum, I found it excellent.
John Swinney in particular came over rather well, John gives the impression in Holyrood of being a bit of a dry stick, nothing like the guy he is. Alex’s minder young Aberdein was excellent. Will re-watch tonight.
John and Davidb,
On duckduckgo.com it comes up second only to some popbands wiki entry.
john king says:
20 November, 2014 at 11:31 am
Davidb says
“Perhaps wingers should google the site every time rather than click the bookmark”
I always do, for that very reason! 😉
______________________________________
Ditto, i don’t have the site bookmarked because my ‘bookmarked’
facility is becoming crammed with links, with Nana Smith’s 2
this morning being the most recent additions.
So when i need to go to WOS or any of the others i just google.
OT and oft covered subject matter but…
Cancelled TV licence a few months ago but have now received letter saying that I am under investigation with possibility of visit.
What is best course of action?
natile macarrie WfIndy 20mins in, r5live this am’s, “up all night” on nicola sturgeon.
🙂
@Fred
That’ll be Geoff Aberdein, ex special adviser….rather than minder lol
Seasick dave @ 11.54
I had a wee visit from the TV licence folk 2 weeks ago and I refused to verify my name . I asked who she was and was told she couldn’t answer as it would be ” an invasion of privacy ” . Same answer when I asked why she was here .
I told her that ,if she didn’t reply satisfactorily to my questions , I certainly wasn’t going to reply to hers . Thanked her for wasting my time and her own and shut the door .
Seasick Dave, you may have cancelled you licence, but did you notify them that you no longer need a licence because you only use your TV for watching DVDs, videos and playing kids computer games and that you do not watch live TV.
I suspect this will be the case.
You have to inform them that you no longer need a licence.
Go to the web site, follow the steps for I no longer need a licence and select the reason I have given you. If you do not do this they will assume you are watching TV and deal with you accordingly.
@Seasick Dave
They have a series of standard letters. Ignore. They will eventually visit. Don’t let them in and don’t answer any questions. They have no right of access. It is purely intimidation but they have no power
http://thosebigwords.forumcommunity.net/?t=53978586
I have linked that before.
Do not worry.
Thanks all for the advice.
Labour tries to avoid Commons humiliation over the West Lothian question
https://archive.today/sV4W0
I have a feeling that if the full extent of non-payment of the licence fee was known, no one would ever pay for a TV licence again. I bet the BBC are keeping a tight lid on that little nugget of information.
@ One-Scot
They will assume you watch TV no matter what you do. Best not to engage with them at all. Remember, this is not government:it is Capita
@One- Scot
I had already informed them I didn’t watch TV,live or otherwise ,and they sent me a letter saying I wouldn’t hear from them for two years .
Five letters later from them– I got my wee visit . Felt a deep satisfaction in closing the door and I’m waiting to see what happens next . What a waste of time and money chasing the likes of me when I’ll be 75 soon and won’t need to pay the fee anyway !
Just can’t wait to hear the intellect of Kezia at first minister’s question should she become Labour’s Deputy, if this article is anything to go by. I don’t think that Nicola will have to try that hard to embarrass her.
Inform the TV liecence folk you are removing there right of access to your property.
Oh Jeez Nana, they simply can’t help themselves. 😀
“That this House recognises the outcome of the referendum on Scottish independence; welcomes the freely expressed will of the people of Scotland to remain British;“
How to win friends and influence people. That’ll be another few votes come May in the bag.
Seasick Dave @ 11.54am
Rather than ask you personal questions to advise you, because i have no idea of your situation and wouldn’t encourage you to divulge certain information, i will say this:
You only need a TV Licence to watch tv programmes as they are
being shown. You do NOT need a TV Licence to simply own a TV.
The ONLY way they can prove you are breaking the law is if
they can prove you are watching tv programmes as they’re being
shown without a TV Licence. And the only 2 ways i know they
can do that is if you tell them or they see it for themselves.
For them to be able to see it for themselves or get close to
you to start asking questions they first have to approach your
house. You can, however, put a stop to that by contacting them
and stating that you want it put on your file that you are
removing the implied rights of access. They should note that
on their system and inform you that they will confirm this to
you within the next 10 working days.
That legally stops them approaching your property.
The BBC and their agents (Capita) work on fear and deception.
Don’t be fooled by them and don’t allow them to frighten you.
You have more support and power than you realise.
Before you do anything find out much much more on here:
https://www.facebook.com/activeresistancetothetvlicence
Aye Macart labour cowardice for all to see. Empty vessels the lot of them.
Seasick Dave
Do not engage. Ignore letters, or return. If you have a visit just tell them you no longer require a licence, smile then close the door.
You do not need to give your name nor allow access. Be polite at all times…It’s fun!
MPs question Cameron about Scotland devolution and EVEL…
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/blog/live/2014/nov/20/cameron-questioned-by-mps-about-scotland-devolution-and-evel-politics-live-blog
@Nana
Eds going to inadvertently force the hand of those chaps to appear for the vote. Cue egg on face and Labour voting intent collapse in England. We may not have to lift a finger y’know. The Westminster parties seem hell bent on dismantling the union all by themselves. 😉
Macart is’nt it fun watching these clowns failing at every level.
My friend tells me her relations down south are determined to vote Green from now on. Never trust labour again. Hopefully more folk down there will do the same.
But she does say that ukip are getting a lot of support mainly though ignorance and just like up here too many people do not check facts, believing everything the media tell them. How sad.
“That this House recognises the outcome of the referendum on Scottish independence; welcomes the freely expressed will of the people of Scotland to remain British;“
What a meaningless motion, we would have remained British regardless of the outcome.
@Nana
Popcorn time. 🙂
LOCAL MP Katy Clark has branded New Labour a failure, in her bid to become deputy leader of the Scottish Labour Party.
https://archive.today/OG8P5
Roddy Macdonald says: 19 November, 2014 at 6:02 pm:
“After Margaret Curran the other day, there appears to be a queue of intellectually challenged Labour quines lining up with their revolvers at the One Metre Pedicular Range.”
The hilarious bit is that these, “Labour Quines”, all claim to espouse the doctrines of gender equality. Yet then expose their own unequal mindsets by such daft comparisons. How would it sound if someone compared, say, David Cameron to Harold Wilson on the sole grounds that both of the same sex? Yet that is exactly what Dugdale did by comparing Nicola Sturgeon to Margaret Thatcher. Indeed both subjects are of the same sex but that is exactly where the daft comparison ends.
““From a Living Wage backed by the full force of the law, to decommissioning Trident to help fund the permanent abolition of tuition fees,, or the common sense approach of bringing our railways into public ownership,, and my radical pledge for free childcare from the age of 12 months – it’s there in black and white, it’s what the people of Scotland are demanding.” Katy Clark
Wait whut?
But, but, but…
Bangs head off table.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b04q10bx/daily-politics-20112014
From 14.40
The mention of Margaret Thatcher reminded me of this. And the current narrative is no different
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMV5K53-q28
@Nana Smith 12.27 – Cameron is playing Milliband and it’s so easy for him.
‘Barnett is not on my horizon’ – we will need to hold him to that.
That’s scary – 37% of folk would return to Lab if they become more left wing.
All they need to do is pretend to do that but they have NO power to deliver.
For example they are saying vote Lab to get rid of trident!
https://archive.today/iG712
I really hope people don’t fall for it
Careful there Macart, I’ve heard this banging one’s head off a table has a tendency to … how can I say this … hurt! 😛
Fracking in Scotland one of the top stories on EBC nae mention by magnusson.Is this North Korea or what?
Trying this post again, didn’t work earlier.
Fiona,
That “Sarah Armstrong” (Glasgow Enforcement Division) which
shows up on that letter in your link gets about a bit, eh!
http://thosebigwords.forumcommunity.net/?t=53978586
She appears on one of my letters also but not as being at the
“Glasgow Enforcement Division.” A lot of people even doubt her
very existence but she still manages a wee mention in this film.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVPjixSgqdk
Very interesting debate on BBC Parliament now from Westminster about the future of the UK including devolved Parliaments and their powers.
During the next election campaign the time is perfect for wee nic to keep pointing out what the opponents offer or try to, cannot be delivered until that particular power is devolved to the Scottish Parliament. Let them hang themselves out to dry and some I would say already rot.
@Lesley-Anne
I can see three screens, so I’m typing on the one in the middle. 🙂
Yeah, the bullshit is ten feet thick and you can smell it from better than a mile away. Labour pretending to still have socialist tendencies whilst parroting/paying lip service to the actions, ideas and policies of others.
So to be clear, during the referendum trashing trident was a bad thing, the Scottish governments plans for free childcare roundly mocked, the social contract derided, universalism trashed, free higher education unaffordable and re nationalising anything considered pipe dreams. Now that the buggers are in search of a vote however…
… well now they play at being socialists again.
Excuse me, there’s a desk with my name on it. 😉
Kezia’s not the only one not getting it;
http://tinyurl.com/oak8m6w
@Stoker
Interesting!
Angus Robertson on fire. Good man draws attention to Nicola becoming FM and a nice tribute to Alex.
@Derick Tulloch says: 19 November, 2014 at 6:34 pm:
“Christ – Plan 9 From Outer Space made more sense than Fifi. What is WRONG with these people?”
Eh!
Whit!
You mean you don’t actually already KNOW What’s wrong with them?
Macart
they talk rubbish don’t they.
as if a dick turpin tax will create sustainable long term employment.
iceland has the right idea.
what we need is land rights, now most of the uk population are crammed, on albeit badly utilized acres, 3m acres of the total 60m acres of land in the uk.
i favour perma-culture eco-homes and villages with central service’s hubs.
food coops food growing coops work share etc.
a well funded investment bank for the people.
we need many more homes.
common weal, with sensible tax structures.
there is simply no need to trade/do deals on trident, getting rid of it will free up much needed investment funds, as well as the 10% saved on uk infrastructure funding scotland does not use.
as does bringing energy/railways etc back into public ownership.
Seasick Dave
TV licence – The important thing is not to let them in the door, they have no normal right of access whatsoever, but if you let them in, it’s difficult to stop them snooping around apparently, short of asking them to leave and phycially “escorting them from your premises using reasonable force only if neccessary”.
The exception is if they get a court order, and they’d need some sort of court official, probably escorted by the police.
A lot of theses charlatans rely on ignorance and intimidation. Small businesses have been targetted by “the legal department” of some sort of music copyright organisation for use of radio in the workplace. I had a phone call at home and just told them I wasn’t interested in buying their goods, I was registered with TPS, and they were personally liable for a fine up to £1,000 for making a cold call. I never heard back from the B**t88ds.
Been on TV licensing website and updated details; its quite simple really and we should all do it.
O/t
Parliament TV. That’s it, Sir Gerald Howarth, Conservative MP for Aldershot just said more devolution for Scotland would affect England and he is not wanting anything to affect England! He wants LESS MPs in Scotland as an answer. He also said that Pete Wishart,s question about the vow was nonsense. The vow was nonsense because it was not offered by Parliament. Seems the English MPs don’t like the Barnett formula! Can’t watch anymore, they make me feel sick!!
@Linda McFarlane says: 19 November, 2014 at 6:48 pm:
“What on earth happens to women in SLAB? No taste, No decorum.”
No, Linda, they are like that <b<BEFORE they join the Labour Party. In fact is is a prerequisite of membership.
I’ve often thought that if I won a deal on the lottery, I’d love to have a hobby of testing these people. So, for instance, I would sned a letter to the TV Licence people requesting them to remove their unsolicited services – broadcast waves – from my premises. Failing that in 6 months, I would exercise my right uner the Unsolicitied Goods and Services Act to use those unsolicitied services and watch TV, free of licence, until such time as they removed those broadcast waves from my premises. And that I’d be prearpred to fight for that right in court if neccessary.
It’d be fun. Sadly I’d have to win the lottery first.
@fred
Steady fred, apparently its a case of from your keyboard to their latest policy release. Don’t be surprised to find that in tomorrow’s daily whatever, Ms Dugdale has always supported…
basically your entire comment and thinks this is the way she’ll be urging Scottish Labour to travel. 🙂
Hope ukip wins today; it will be further confirmation that this disgusting “united” kingdom is coming to an end.
@Stinky – I’m just back from work and made it my business to send off this letter to the Daily Record. (I note it is part of the Mail group which seems to have 18 other papers in Scotland – suggest that Scotland needs a ‘Concentration of Media Control Act’ to enhance democracy)
Dear Sir or Madam,
If the Labour Party and Daily Record are to effectively campaign against the SNP, they would need to deploy someone with a smidgin more grey matter than Kezia Dugdale.
In Ms Dugdales rant against the appointment of the new Scottish First Minister on Monday, she challenged Nicola Sturgeon to deliver on 3 key issues, none of which had been developed to the Scottish Parliament, namely;
1. “Take on the big six energy firms, forcing them to freeze bills and rein in eye-watering profits earned on the backs of working people.”
2. “Bring back the 50p tax rate for top earners, so those with the broadest shoulders carry their fair share.”
3. “Tax [bankers’] bonuses and use the cash to create jobs for young people.”
While I am sure that Nicola will attempt to deliver on these challenges without prompting from Ms Dugdale, it may not be in the manner which Kezia expects.
I note that in Kezia’s Lothian constituency the SNP won 8 of the 9 ‘first past the post’ seats in the Scottish Parliament in 2011, with Kezia limping in only as an ‘additional member’.
Given the 20% swing to the SNP from Labour ahead of the next Westminster election in May, Nicola Sturgeon will over 40 MP’s and be likely holding the balance of power in Westminster.
This is the only likely scenario that Kezias 3 challenges can be met, as Labour is uniting with the Tories to break its ‘Vow’ to the Scottish Electorate on ‘Devo-Max’ and refusing to devolve these powers to Scotland.
Finally, speaking as a humble County Councillor, I would be too embarrassed to try and palm off this sort of rubbish on my local paper. If the Daily Record wants a hatchet job done on the SNP, surely they could find someone more competent than Ms Dugdale?
Yours etc
Cllr Cadogan Enright, Co. Down
(full telephone and address details here)
@James Caithness says:11:02am
Manandboy says:
“The rich can’t go on getting richer forever, particularly when it is at the expense of the working classes and the needy.
Sooner or later the cry of the poor will reach the ears of the economic deity and elicit a response.
But it had better arrive soon before the masses adopt their own solutions driven by their own, often desperate, needs.”
Morag says: 9:52 am
“Couldn’t agree more. The way this is going, we’re heading for tumbrils in the streets. The super-rich can’t go on scooping up all the wealth of the country while the minimum-wage employees they depend on to keep their businesses afloat get poorer and rely on taxpayer subsidy to stay alive.
We need a properly redistributive government and we need it now. And if a few mega-rich decide to emigrate, don’t let the door hit your arse on the way out. Norway does this, and doesn’t care if the super-rich go. The country seems to be the better for it.”
==============================================
I agree with with everything Morag says. In fact I have been reading Morag now for awhile. Apart from one issue, I agree with vast majority of what she says.
Respect.
________________________________________________________
– and sometimes even what she didn’t say.
Sorted, with a smile.
Yes, the same Sarah Armstrong is playing a TV / Capita belter as head bummer of the Kilmarnock Enforcement lot too – hope she’s getting plenty lolly for the michty amount of work she’s responsible for.
On the other hand – do we dare suggest she’s as much a phantom as the famed detector vans.
Speaking of our blessed BBC are you aware that the new head of the BBC Trust was interviewed by Cameron’s right hand fixer Sir Jeremy Hayward no less and appointed by Call me Dave himself – and to think we were adjudged to be bordering paranoid to even think the BBC was a biased establishment tool.
Still, it’s great to be able to chip-in and keep it going – or, else!
Macart
it’s like “what’s the recipe today jim.”
substitute policy for recipe.
surely that’s the trait of another UK political party who shall not be named.
🙂
Macart
it’s like “what’s the recipe today jim.”
substitute policy for recipe.
surely that’s the trait of another UK political party who shall not be named.
🙂
O/T
John King – were you looking for a ticket for the Hydro on Saturday, cos Desimond has one going spare. See over in OT.
@Stinky – and while I was at it I sent a letter to Gordon Smart editor of the Scottish Sun just now as follows; (I CHALLENGE YOU ALL TO A MSM LETTER WRITING CONTEST)
Dear Sir
I was greatly surprised by Labour MP Margaret Curran’s attack on the hotel expenses of the 21 SNP Scottish Government Ministers via buzzfeed this week as her parting shot at Alex Salmond.
She claims that;
“In total, £80,000 has been spent on hotel rooms and subsistence alone for Alex Salmond and his ministers since he became First Minister in 2007.”
This means that Scottish Ministers have individually cost the taxpayer £49.50 per month, or all 21 Ministers ran the Scottish Government for £879 per month.
This contrasts with Margaret Currans own published expenses of over £180,000 annually, including £2932 per month being spent on accommodation and subsistence – almost 4 times more than the entire Scottish Government.
As I recall Ms Curran won her seat by only 365 votes over John Mason of the Scottish National Party in 2008,
If she has any hope of retaining her seat in the face of a 20% swing from Labour to the SNP, she would do well to remember the old adage that “people in glass houses should not throw stones”.
Yours
Cllr Cadogan Enright
I remember the real Coronation and it had nothing to do with Scotland. The lady that was crowned wasn’t here that day.
All that stuff about ‘eye-watering profits’ and ‘broadest shoulders’ and, gosh, the suggestion that bankers should be taxed. It made me feel, well, almost, that Kezia could be trying to present herself as a, should I say it, Socialist. There, that wasn’t so difficult. I was almost breathless with emotion and inspired at the thought of all that commitment and courage from the lassie. Then I realised you are right. It’s another sham: sound and fury, signifying nothing. (I think that’s from MacBeth.)
Is she anything to wee Shuie Dugdale?
Kevin Evans says:
20 November, 2014 at 12:34 pm
Inform the TV liecence folk you are removing there right of access to your property.
I’m not sure where and when this urban myth sprung up, but the TV Licence people (Capita—it’s privatised) ahave no power of access, unless you voluntarly let them in.
In order to gain access, they need a court order and the presence of a policeman—for which they have to pay—so there are few if any cases of them doing so.
If they try, keep one foot behind the door to bar access and dial 999 saying someone is trying to force access to your house.
Generally speaking, they rely on cheap threatening letters. If you ignore them long enough, you will cycle through the complete set, and then they start again at the beginning.
JUST NOTICED THAT THEY HAVE MOVED ONTO A NEW THREAD FROM ABOUT 3 O’CLOCK TODAY
Also in the Daily Record today, Torcuil Crichton reveals that the SNP were flat out lying when they said that they’d remove Trident from Scotland if they gained independence.
The vitriol projected towards the SNP by Crichton and his Trinity Mirror Group masters, hasn’t abated one little bit.
As for Dugdale, I can only hope she becomes Labour leader sooner than later.
Stoker, I’m not quite sure why you’re so wound up about this. These radio stations were all available on Freeview until June or July 2011. I remember this well because my area didn’t get Freeview until early June 2011. We only had the radio on Freeview in the evenings for a few weeks before it went. Specifically and explicitly to make room for BBC Alba.
This was well publicised at the time, and I remember the hifi shop where I bought my digital TV being quite narked about it too. There is no question that BBC Alba is the reason, the radio stations stop broadcasting when Alba starts, and come back on again when Alba goes off air. This is explained on the actual TV screen during the non-broadcasting hours.
So in that sense, the lack of radio coverage is the “fault” of BBC Alba. It’s also the fault of the BBC because, wait for it, BBC Alba is a BBC channel! The decision was obviously taken by BBC management. I don’t imagine the people who actually run the Gaelic channel had any say or choice in the matter.
Now I don’t know when or where you were listening to Radio 4 in late 2011, but it wasn’t on Freeview during the hours BBC Alba was being transmitted. That’s a stone cold fact. You could have been listening to it on satellite or digital radio of course, but that’s not what we’re talking about, we’re talking about Freeview.
Kezia had her facts correct, and anyone who was alive and awake and paying attention in 2011 will confirm. Where I disagree with her is her implication that BBC Alba should be taken off Freeview to get the radio stations back. I believe we radio listeners should get our radio back without interfering with BBC Alba. Find the bandwidth some other way.
It appears now that the affected radio stations are Radio 2, Radio 3, BBC World Service and Radio nan Gaidheal. I think there has been a reshuffle to restore Radio 4, so some people are no doubt happier. I don’t know when this happened. As Radio 3 listener, I’m still hellish pissed off.
Well, that’s nice of you James.
It appears that the issue we disagree about is whether Craig Murray is a suitable person to be an SNP Westminster candidate. I don’t think he is, and I’m hardly alone in that opinion. In fact I heard one of our local councillors expressing much the same opinion the day after conference.
You think he is, despite his colourful past. So we disagree. Since neither of us is on the vetting committee, this is hardly a crucial matter. I’m entirely at a loss to know why you and some others have got so wound up about it.
Let’s just agree to disagree. We’re both entitled to express our opinions, I hope.
That is a really depressing post and I’m very much afraid you may be right.
Some very interesting behaviours from debate on devolution today. Some of my observations.
1.Tory M.P.s not happy about new powers at all.
2.Some Labour M.P.s accepting the fact that the Union is more than likely doomed.
3.They all hate Nationalists.
THESE ARE THE OBVIOUS ONES.
What was less obvious was the agreement Mgt Curran was displaying when Angela Eagles was talking about devolved power to local areas. She seemed too buoyant for someone in the position she finds herself. Labour if they win the election will Legislate for this post election. Could they by any chance also be thinking of also doing so in Scotland in an attempt to minimise or dilute the power of the Scottish Parliament, whereby major decisions re finance education tax etc were taken at local level rather than at Holyrood. Remember Curran was very against devolved powers before ,so why support it now.? It would also cut their reliance on Scotland to provide M.P.s to support decisions at Westminster. What do you think?
@Gordon E says: 19 November, 2014 at 8:54 pm:
”Interesting that it appears you can have a First Minister or Deputy voted in from any party. If this really is the case, would it not be an excellent chance to appoint Patrick Harvie?
My first choice would be John Swinney but Patrick would also be a fantastic Deputy.”
This is a throwback to when Labour thought they still owned Scotland and would always be the party in total power. Dewar said that the Scottish Parliament was to be one of consensual politics only because he thought Labour would always have a total overall majority. It was never envisaged there would ever be other than a Labour FM & Deputy FM.
Were they in for a big surprise? The fact is Labour still resent that the SNP usurping them and have not yet come to terms with the reality that they are now not only in opposition but heading into almost total obscurity as a political force in Scotland. A great pity really for Scotland really needs a proper effective opposition. Mind you I can see Labour for Indy becoming the dominant left wing opposition as they seem to tend towards the old Labour Party aims.
I perceive nothing ‘new’ about new labour other than it’s decision to throw overboard years of history and tradition.
There is nothing ‘old’ about the Labour movement’s aspirations – we learn from the past and use that knowledge to inform our route for the future, that should be the aim of any democratic party.
To jettison the “baggage” as both the UK Labour party and UK Conservative party did is irresponsible – both are guilty of Maoism.
“Take on the big six energy firms, forcing them to freeze bills and rein in eye-watering profits earned on the backs of working people.”
Not very bright even for a prospective deputy of the London branch office. Apart from the amusing stupidity of not realising those are westminster powers she also doesn’t seem to grasp that it was her boss, Ed Miliband, who was in charge of putting in place the ludicrously lax regime for the energy companies when he was Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change. He had the chance to crack down on the greedy energy firms and instead rolled over for them. Something we WILL actually be reminding scottish voters of when the London Labour spin about energy prices gets parroted by the London office branch.
The Labour record on sucking up to the bankers and on tax is also completely at odds with their current spin. Again, something that we will make sure is pointed out to scottish voters on the doorsteps in 2015.
@ Morag (7.29pm)
I refer you to the replies i gave previously.
🙂
My expressed free will is i am Scottish not British, dont want to be British, will never want to be British no matter who else expresses whatever they like, and that’s not just pride in my country saying that,it’s only to mean no other human being can tell me what i am or what i am not…
and that my friends, is called being a bloody minded Scotsman…. So there..ta dah.
There has been no victory of capitalism – the present neo-con con is a variant on Soviet style communism, the psychopaths are subverting the system as per usual.
Living abroad, I can’t see politicians in the flesh. Maybe Scottish residents can enlighten me. Is this a particularly unflattering image that the Rev has chosen to head the piece or is it genuinely representative? If the latter, I fear that the Ms appellation could be long-standing. Certainly no threat of change should I ever return to Scotland.
Stoker, your replies still don’t make any sense on a second or third reading. The radio stations go off-air specifically so that BBC Alba can broadcast using their bandwidth. This is universally understood by everyone except you it seems.
It’s even explained on the bloody screen that this is why there is no radio signal in the evenings.
I have no idea why you seem to want to deny this self-evident fact.
I don’t know if you’re paranoid or not, Ronnie, but you don’t need to be paranoid to think that. It appears self-evident to me. Two plus two often equals four, you know.
( Morag – you will be at the Yes Bar or The Horseshoe Sat. night won’t you? Be lovely to see you )
@Morag:
It may be a little overstated, and I wish it would be entirely wrong. But I’m sure there’s more and more truth in it.
@Paula Rose:
Can you elaborate? I must admit I don’t really understand what you mean. I am slightly tuckered, after a whole day of lecturing in front of halfwit students.
@Morag:
On a lighter tone, this reminds me of this (kid) joke:
“How much is two plus two?” asks a kid to his classroom neighbor.
“Errr… Three?”
“Nope! That’s four, you blockhead”
“Well, I was close.”
@ john macdonald at 8.28
I’m going to object to your statement that Kezia Dugdale’s appearance will lead to her “Ms appellation [being] long-standing”.
Not only are you being extremely shallow and potentially sexist in judging her marriageability purely on the basis of her looks (surely it’s her personality that’s off-putting?), you are also fundamentally misunderstanding the concept of “Ms”.
It’s not a contraction of Miss. It is explicitly intended for use by both married and unmarried women, so that, like men, they are not separated into two groups by their marital status. I don’t know how Kezia Dugdale refers to herself, but if she chooses Ms, then she will remain Ms until she decides otherwise. Nothing to do with her relationships with other people.
@ liz at 1.43
It’s been a while since your post (I’m catching up after being out all day), but I think the poll you referred to has been misreported. Journalists frequently misunderstand polls, as do politicians; in addition they sometimes misrepresent them deliberately.
I think the reference is to a recent poll, which I participated in, which surveyed a panel of people who had previously told pollsters that they intended to vote SNP at either Westminster or Holyrood or both. The questions then presented a number of potential Labour policies and asked if the adoption of each of these would make the respondent much more likely to vote Labour instead, slightly more likely, no difference, slightly less likely, or much less likely.
The poll was commissioned by a body associated with Labour, and the emphasis in the report was understandably on those policies with the best much more likely / slightly more likely scores. That’s not at all the same as “would return to voting Labour”.
If I’m wrong, and this refers to a different poll, it is still probable that the reporting is skewed.
@ AuldA – a small percentage of society engineer it so that all wealth and power is in their hands – same old story.
@crazycat – I would hope so but as James Kelly of Scot over Pop says, polls are frequently misrepresented by tabloids etc to show the value that is required.
I can’t remember where I saw that but it could be being deliberately getting put about to persuade the switherers that it would be a good idea to vote Lab
@ Morag, re your post at 8.29pm.
See my post at 8.19pm.
Very funny. If you’re still maintaining that the Freeview radio transmissions aren’t taken off air to let BBC Alba on, when the timings of the cuts in transmission exactly coincide with BBC Alba coming on-air, and the TV channels for the radio stations actually state this explicitly on-screen during these times, then I can’t do much for your state of denial.
AuldA, that’s like the one where 2 + 2 = 5, for sufficiently large values of 2.
It’s true. 2.4 + 2.4 = 4.8, rounded to whole numbers.
Paula, I’ll try to find you all at the Horseshoe, which I understand is in the Hydro. Never actually been in the Hydro before.
If I don’t succeed I’ll go home, because I have no idea where the YesBar is.
The, “I will say anything to get power party” keeps calling itself the Labour party, i’m confused?
Horseshoe is not in the Hydro
It is in Drury Street, as is the Yes bar. City Centre
night night morag
🙂
_________________
Just been catching up with events on the iplayer.
Firstly Nicola Sturgeon’s interview on Scotland 2014,(19.11.14).
Then Alex Salmond – A Rebel’s Journey,(19.11.14).
Would love to get both these programmes on the same DVD.
Goodnight folks.
night night morag
🙂
_________________
Just been catching up with events on the iplayer.
Firstly Nicola Sturgeon’s interview on Scotland 2014,(19.11.14).
Then Alex Salmond – A Rebel’s Journey,(19.11.14).
Would love to get both these programmes on the same DVD.
Goodnight folks.
Drury Street? OK, maybe. Looks complicated.
Stoker, good morning.
Have you checked your Freeview channels 602 or 603 at the times when BBC Alba is transmitted, and read what’s on the screen yet?
Or are you just going to avoid admitting that you were plumb wrong by posting silly remarks?
Jings, the Google Streetview image of Drury Street is so recent it actually shows the YesBar. So now I know where it is.
Remind me again, why are we meeting in a bar that has two thumping great Union flags in its front window?
Morag, The stained glass butchers aprons have been there forever, most punters don’t even notice them, we’re quite relaxed aboot our history and they are history, Glesga voted YES.
The Horse Shoe has apparently the longest bar in Britain.
Slainte’.
@Paula Rose:
Granted. But it hasn’t always been like that. Most of the workers’ rights we enjoy today have been scraped, often at high costs, by the trade unions and the individual workers that lived a century ago. There was resistance, then, and there was hope, hope for a better and fairer future. Maybe that hope was based on wrong facts, like the paradise the old USSR was thought to be; but, however wrong these facts were, they still were giving people something to fight for.
Nowadays this has become inconceivable. The communism has collapsed, and its appealing achievements have been laid bare, living people without any alternative than to abide by capitalism rules. Unfortunately, the mockery of communism the USSR has pursued during all these years has somehow backfired, setting a posteriori the low ethical standards of capitalism as the norm (‘the communists have done far worse’). As a result, trade unions are almost in a terminal state, and most of the people have become resigned, because there is no alternative. Most of them consider themselves, and rightly, to be in a cul-de-sac, and so they just accept to be flogged and flogged again. Modern psychological slavery. And, of course, in these cases, one need to find a scapegoat to vent all the frustration and hatred.
@Morag:
Be technical: that’s integers. As integer as you are, I imagine! 🙂
Have a great time tomorrow.
I’ve just been discussing how to get the the Hydro with one of the secretaries at work who is also going. She’s going with her son, both of them joined the SNP in September. (It only seems like yesterday she was in my office saying she wasn’t sure about independence, but it was probably early 2013!)
Nobody’s very sure about parking, since as far as I can see the Hydro is built on what was the car park for the SECC. I’m just going to drive there in good time and hope there are directions for car parking. My friend and her family are going for lunch at the Rotunda at 12.30. I hope they’ve left enough time to eat before the event!
It’s getting into the city centre afterwards with the car that’s worrying me now. My decades of experience tell me that Glasgow city centre, cars and Saturday afternoons don’t mix.
A station near the Hydro, train to the Central? if you do take a car into the town, which I never do, keep clear of bus lanes ££££ 🙂
RE: Morag @ 10.02am.
I’ve given you ample opportunity to drop the subject and have remained polite throughout, despite your obvious questionable tone and twisting of things, but you continue to pursue this in a troll-like bullying manner – it’s tedious!
And just as i don’t entertain people who lie to me, i don’t waste my time on people who make up lies about me either.
In the event of any doubt here are a couple of examples.
Morag says:
“I specifically said I blamed the BBC,”
No you didn’t and i quoted you to prove the point, as you asked.
So that would make that a lie.
_______
Morag says:
“You claimed that no radio stations went off-air due to BBC ALba being broadcast.”
No i didn’t and i asked you to quote me saying that and you didn’t.
So that would make that a lie.
_______
There, how’s that for a serious remark?
That’s my last comment on this matter to you – game over!
i refuse to waste my precious words on this excuse for a politician
Oh for goodness sake, stop being so childish. The radio stations stop transmitting in the evenings so that BBC Alba can use their bandwidth.
Are you still arguing about this? If you’re not, then what’s your beef?
If you are, then it’s not just a river in Egypt, as they say.
Hmmm, doors open at 1 pm. Be there before 1.45 or lose your place. I don’t think I’d be wanting to start a meal at the Rotunda at 12.30. I hope Anne knows what she’s doing.
Kezia seems to be having her Sarah Palin moment and is blissfully unaware of how stupid she sounds.
I think she’d have to be pleased with that photo. It perfectly captures her nature.
It’s clear what Scottish Labour are trying to do here.
They’re trying to fool the ill informed into believing that the SNP aren’t doing enough for Scotland, while at the same time, working behind the scenes to ensure that the Scottish Parliament remains as weak as possible why the SNP are in control there.
They’re taking the Scottish people for fools. It’s vital that we get the information out there to people in the run up to the general election.
She knows exactly what she is doing. She may not be clever but like her colleagues, she is cunning. She is disgracefully conning the readers and being supported to so do by the editor of the rag she writes for. I hate the way these “pillars of society” behave and get away with it. Damn them all.
It’s so obvious Kezia is telling lies…..her lips are moving!