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Our Friends In Europa

Posted on July 11, 2016 by

If your only source of news was the mainstream media, you could be forgiven for thinking that the consensus in the EU regarding an independent Scotland was bleak. Spain would, we’re told endlessly, veto Scotland’s place in the EU out of hand, and so, allegedly, would France.

And when Scotland’s First Minister went to Brussels after the referendum vote to meet with EU officials in regards to Scotland’s membership, we were told that this bold act of outreach fell on deaf ears.

eusnub1

The language of the press was hostile bordering on sadistic. The First Minister, acting to secure the democratic will of the people of Scotland, was apparently “running out of friends” and had to “beg” Ireland to help us out.

The reality, readers will be astonished to hear, is somewhat different.

Newspapers like the Express, the Daily Mail, the Telegraph, and the Sun revelled in what they claimed was the “humiliation”, the “rejection” and the “desperation” of Nicola Sturgeon as the EU’s “snub” delivered a “devastating blow” which “kills off” her “bid” for Scotland’s EU membership.

eusnub2

It’s no coincidence that those papers all backed a Leave vote in 2016, and a No vote in 2014. They all believe Scotland is British, and that the UK is their chosen polis. Therefore, there’s no inconsistency between them ridiculing Nicola Sturgeon and the 62% of Scots she speaks for in this regard, because from a UK context the majority of Scots is still a tiny and irrelevant minority of UK voters. Scots have to suck it up: “Leave won, we’re going out of Europe, get over it.”

But it does mean they have to ignore several facts that are inconvenient to their cackling delight in Scotland’s supposed failure.

Here, for example, is the First Minister on her trip, meeting the head honcho of the European Commission himself, Jean-Claude Juncker.

Margaritis Schinas is the chief spokesperson for the EU Commission.

MargaritisSchinas

And in Mr Juncker’s own words:

Here, the FM is meeting the President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz.

And an unnamed EU official told one of Belgium’s Francophone newspapers:

“Si les Ecossais se dépêchent, deviennent indépendants avant que le processus de séparation entre Londres et l’Union ne s’achève et déclarent être liés par l’acquis communautaire, ils pourraient rester dans l’UE sans difficultés en reprenant le statut du Royaume-Uni.”

(translation) If the Scots hurry, become independent before the separation process between London and the Union ends and declare their continued attachment to the community, they could stay in the EU without difficulty by taking the status of the UK.

It’s not just the European Parliament. A “senior Eurozone government official” was quoted by Buzzfeed News last week as saying “an independent Scotland would probably be granted a fast track to EU membership”. In fact, individual governments all around the EU have voiced their support for Scotland remaining in the community.

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BELGIUM

The First Minister met with Guy Verhofstadt, leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Group, which has 70 MEPs:

GuyVerhofstadtTwitter

GuyVerhofstadtSturgeon

Mr Verhofstadt explained his perspective on Scotland remaining part of the EU in the event of independence.

“The Dual Kingdom of England and Wales”. An interesting turn of phrase?

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GERMANY

Reuters reported on 24 June that:

“The parliamentary floor leader of Germany’s Social Democrats, Thomas Oppermann, said on Friday he would welcome Scotland as a member of the European Union if it were to become independent.

‘The Scots have made clear that their place is in Europe and if Scotland gains its independence in the end and again joins the European Union, then that would not balance out the loss for Great Britain but I would warmly welcome the Scots in Europe’, Oppermann told reporters in Berlin.”

Thomas Oppermann

Is anyone else in Germany so welcoming to Scotland?

Scotland, N Ireland can stay in EU says Merkel ally
Scotland and even Northern Ireland would be welcome to remain members of the EU according to Manfred Weber, a top MEP and key ally of German chancellor Angela Merkel.

Speaking to reporters on Friday morning, Mr Weber criticised the decision for Britain to leave but added: ‘On the Scottish level: to go the other way, it is up to them. Europe is open to new member states, that is totally clear. Those who want to stay are welcome in the European Union.'”

FILE - New Chairman of the EPP Group (European People's Party) in the European Parliament, Manfred Weber gives his first press conference after a meeting with European Council President van Rompuy, at the EU Parliament in Brussels, Belgium, 12 June 2014. EPA/OLIVIER HOSLET (zu dpa "EVP-Fraktionschef Weber: Deutschland sollte Pkw-Maut 2016 einführen") +++(c) dpa - Bildfunk+++

Mr Weber is the leader of the European People’s Party Group, the largest single group in the European Parliament, with 216 members. And he’s not alone among the German chancellor’s colleagues:

Scotland welcome to join EU, Merkel ally says
An independent Scotland would be welcome to join the European Union, a senior German lawmaker and ally of Chancellor Angela Merkel has said after Britain’s vote to leave the bloc.

Gunther Krichbaum, a member of Angela Merkel’s conservatives and chairman of the European affairs committee in parliament, said an independent Scotland would be welcome to join the European Union.

The EU will still consist of 28 member states, as I expect a new independence referendum in Scotland, which will then be successful,’ said ‘We should respond quickly to an application for admission from the EU-friendly country’, he told the Welt am Sonntag newspaper.”

German Chancellor Angela Merkel attends a session of the EU committee of the German lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, headed by Gunther Krichbaum (R) in Berlin, September 29, 2010. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

Sigmar Gabriel is the Minister for Economic Affairs & Energy, the Vice-Chancellor, and Chairman of the Social Democratic Party.

German Economy Minister Gabriel attends the weekly cabinet meeting at the chancellery in Berlin

“Gabriel said the EU would certainly accept Scotland as a member in its own right if the country leaves the United Kingdom and wants to join the EU.”

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IRELAND

John Bruton, former Prime Minister of Ireland, said the Scottish Government’s timetable for European integration after a 2014 Yes vote was entirely feasible:

Enda Kenny is the Taoiseach of Ireland, and spoke for the First Minister at the European Summit after the EU referendum.

Micheál Martin is the leader of Fianna Fáil, the second largest party in the Republic of Ireland (operating a confidence-and-supply arrangement with Fine Gael).

Micheal-Martin1

“The issue of Scotland’s position has already been placed to the fore by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.  The future of Scotland within the UK is a matter for the people of Scotland.  However the future of Scotland within the EU should it leave the UK is a matter which concerns all EU states.

I and my party believe that it would be unacceptable for Scotland to be treated as a normal candidate country should it seek to remain as a member of the EU.  It currently implements all EU laws.  It manifestly would not need to be reviewed for its standards of governance and ability to implement EU laws.  It has a strong administration, a distinct legal system and an absolute commitment to European ideals.

Scotland is strong enough to advocate for itself, but Ireland should be its friend and demand fair play should it seek to remain in the EU.”

Michael D. Higgins, the President of Ireland, spoke at the Scottish Parliament a few days after the European referendum.

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SPAIN

The Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Garcia-Margallo expressly denied in 2012 that Spain would veto the membership of an independent Scotland:

“‘If in the UK both parties agree that this is consistent with their constitutional order, written or unwritten, Spain would have nothing to say, just that this does not affect us. No one would object to a consented independence of Scotland.’

He said the independence of Kosovo was different because it was based on a “unilateral decision” and admitted the Spanish position would have been different if it had been agreed between Belgrade and Pristina.”

garcia-margallo-reuters-644x362

This stance makes perfect sense, as Spain has welcomed the independence of several new countries – including ones that joined the European Union.

James Ker-Lindsay of the London School of Economics thinks the same regarding the difference between Scotland Kosovo – and by extension, Catalonia:

“When Kosovo declared independence from Serbia over four years ago, it was quickly recognised by most of the members of the European Union. However, five members – Cyprus, Greece, Romania, Slovakia and Spain – refused to follow suit. This has led to suggestions that these countries may also refuse to accept Scottish independence and keep it out of the EU.

This is very unlikely, for a number of reasons. For a start, the problem in the case of Kosovo is not the issue of secession. It is the unilateral way in which it was done. If a territory becomes independent with the consent of all the parties concerned, there is little reason to believe that these countries will oppose the move.

The strongest evidence to support this view is their reaction to the independence of South Sudan, in July 2011. This occurred with the overt support of the Sudanese government, which was the first country in the world to recognise it.

Within hours, the European Union issued a joint statement congratulating the new state on its independence. There was not a murmur of dissent from any of the five countries to this act of collective recognition. Even at an individual level, there seems little to suggest that any of them would block Scotland’s membership of the European Union.”

The idea that Spain would veto a recently independent Scotland’s membership of the EU, yet not veto the recently independent Croatia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, or Slovenia – to say nothing of EU candidates Macedonia and Montenegro – seems ludicrous, especially considering that the people of Scotland have already been EU members for decades.

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FRANCE

Jean-Christophe Lagarde is the president of the Union of Democrats and Independents, the third largest party in France.

Jean Christophe Lagarde

“La sortie de la Grande-Bretagne doit être conduite et négociée sans délai afin de ne pas ouvrir une longue période d’incertitude dont nous ferions les frais. Dans le même temps, l’Union Européenne doit affirmer clairement qu’elle reste ouverte aux Ecossais et aux Irlandais du Nord s’ils venaient à s’en donner les moyens.

(translation) The departure of Great Britain should be conducted and negotiated without delay so as not to open a long period of uncertainty which would cost us. At the same time, the EU must make clear that it remains open to the Scots and Northern Irish if they were to provide the means.”

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POLAND

Jacek Saryusz-Wolski is the current Vice-President of the European People’s Party and former Vice-President of the European Parliament.

JacekSaryuszWolskiTwitterWelcome

JacekSaryuszWolskiTwitter4.

SLOVAKIA

Here’s Robert Fico, the next President of the European Union, ensuring – according to the Scottish Daily Mail – that there can’t even be any discussions about Scotland retaining its EU membership while it’s still in the UK.

Angry Fico says "NIE!"

“SNP’S EU BID IN TATTERS
Nicola Sturgeon’s bid to keep Scotland in the EU was in ruins last night after the Slovakian PM said Europe wants no more ‘political earthquakes’. 

The intervention by Robert Fico is hugely significant as Slovakia yesterday took over the presidency of the EU ahead of forthcoming Brexit negotiations.

Mr Fico ruled out talking to Scotland while the nation is part of the UK, joining six other European countries in taking a hardline stance with Miss Sturgeon.”

But on the other hand, here he is offering to preside over a successful bid for Scottish independence within the EU:

Happy Fico says "ÁNO!"

“Slovak leader promises help with velvet divorce
The European Union’s next president has offered to help broker the divorce between Scotland and the rest of the UK should voters elect to dissolve the Union over disagreement on Brexit.

Robert Fico, the prime minister of Slovakia, who is due to take over the EU’s rotating presidency on Monday, said his diplomats would help to negotiate an amicable separation modelled on the so-called velvet divorce that resulted in the break up of Czechoslovakia in 1993 if Scotland decides to leave the UK in order to stay in the EU.”

Lubomir Rehak is the Slovakian Ambassador to the UK, tweeting that in fact he was engaged in talks with Scottish Government ministers already:

SlovakAmbassador

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AUSTRIA

Hans Schelling is Finance Minister of the Austrian government. This week he said:

“I think probably there will be a ‘Brexit Lite’, so Scotland will not leave, and probably Great Britain becomes Little Britain.”

The Daily Record also recently reported the Austrian government’s honorary consul John Clifford saying:

“It’s an internal matter for the UK and we’d make no comment. However, it is clear that were Scotland to be independent, it would be welcome in the EU. There would be no question about that.”

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CZECH REPUBLIC

According to Channel 4 News reporter Alex Thomson, the Czech consul to the UK also gave his on-the-record backing to an independent Scotland in the EU a week ago:

atczech

The forces determined to keep Scotland in the UK at the expense of its membership of the EU are playing a classic abuser’s game. They’re trying to present the idea that the EU doesn’t care about Scotland, that they’ll either reject us despite being members for 40 years or implement horrendous austerity and punitive recriminations.

That’s a view not supported in Europe itself. As well as all the political examples in this article, a poll by YouGov Deutschland this week showed overwhelming public support across Europe for an independent Scotland’s EU membership, in every country polled.

yougovde

The Unionist media and polity is trying to pretend that the EU will treat Scotland as horribly as the UK has. It’s a claim that so far is entirely at odds with the evidence.

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A version of this article first appeared on A Wilderness Of Peace.

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171 to “Our Friends In Europa”

  1. jim thomson
    Ignored
    says:

    Great piece Al.

    Read it yesterday and was going to suggest to Stuart that he stick it up as a post. Glad someone beat me to it.

  2. Betty Boop
    Ignored
    says:

    Aaah, yes, those inconvenient truths… Never let them get in the way of Project Fear.

  3. Tam Jardine
    Ignored
    says:

    Excellent article. Deserves to be spread far and wide.

    Thank you

  4. Footsoldier
    Ignored
    says:

    Be in no doubt, Project Fear Mark III is well underway in the media. Foe example, The Herald whilst trying to pretend balance, has a constant drip of anti-indy headlines and the letters page similarly so. When it’s about indy it is always a half empty as opposed to a half full headline. The perjorative is always chosen over positive. They even have an anonymous pinstripe contributor.

    On BBC this morning Gary Robertson asks Angela Eagle about Scotland voting remain. Her response among others was that Liverpool had also voted Remain. So there we have it an English city equated with Scotland and went unchallenged by Robertson.

    AS I write, BBC website has Ruth Davidson as major lead headline on Scotland general section and political section “calls for indyref 2 irresponsible”. Hardly major news but well promoted. AS I say it’s a drip drip feed of anti-indy once again.

    SNP may be playing a good game but why do they not answer and rebut many of the questions posed.

  5. Jon Drummond
    Ignored
    says:

    An excellent article, Al, full of the forensic research and analysis that we have come to expect and enjoy from this blog.

    For sure, we are all aware of the continued subjugation that is poured upon us; to have this level of clarity is reassuring in the extreme and provides an excellent resource for the immediate future.

    Like the Rev, you are a credit to our journalism and our Country.

    Continued power to your pen, sir.

  6. call me dave
    Ignored
    says:

    Thank goodness for an article like this to remind us all that whatever the papers and shortbread radio say we do have ‘friends’ abroad.

    Excellent stuff. 🙂

  7. woosie
    Ignored
    says:

    Isn’t it possible that England just voted in a referendum to leave the UK?

  8. FatCandy
    Ignored
    says:

    The reason the MSM is laying out their “Scots rejected from the EU” stall is that No voters will not take the risk of voting to leave the UK when we’re denied membership of the EU.

    I was speaking to a No voter on Sunday that said this very thing. He said he was much more amenable to independence but until firm guarantees are provided by the EU he would still vote No.

  9. cearc
    Ignored
    says:

    Well done, Al. Good piece.

    It’s all happening in Europe, meetings, interviews, discussions. Just not reported here.

    The SG have to be seen to be ‘exploring all options’, so that IndyRef2 is seen to be the only possible option rather than leaping straight to it with the inevitable and immediate SNP baaad media reaction.

  10. carjamtic
    Ignored
    says:

    Yoon politicians (+ celebrity fucktards) are like automated fortune telling machines,penny in the slot and watch them deliver the same old….

    Working in tandem with the MSM/BBC,operating their perpetual (UKOK) motion machine,it can get difficult,tiring,in fact truth be told,they are all,getting right on my tits.

    The Olympics and Sport,seems to be creeping higher up the agenda,no doubt these hypocrites will be waving their,Daley Thompson,Mo Farah,Jessica Ennis,Linford Christie,Lewis Hamilton,Andy Murray,Ryan Giggs,Kelly Holmes,UKOK Brexit flags.

    Rant over,many thanks for this cheery,uplifting article,just what I needed.

    #indyexpresso

  11. defo
    Ignored
    says:

    Al Harron has done a fantastic job of work here.
    A warm glow of friendship is emanating from across the Channel.
    With May clearing up Brexit doubts, and Trident about to be foisted upon us, the stars really are aligning.
    If we can keep with the script the prize is remarkably close.
    What’s needed ?
    A message from us to NS.
    30th in Glasgow ?

  12. bjsalba
    Ignored
    says:

    I am pretty certain that the owner of at least one of those newspapers was a big donor to UKIP in the past.

  13. Holebender
    Ignored
    says:

    Ha! Even “GB” supports Scotland being an independent EU member.

  14. Clydebuilt
    Ignored
    says:

    Thoroughly Excellent Article Al. Going to share far and wide…..

    BBC’s in full propaganda mode ……. Dissenting voices never get on air now…….

  15. Taranaich
    Ignored
    says:

    Cheers all, I’m thrilled to bits for my article to be featured on Wings, joining such luminaries as the Reverend, Lindsay, Scott, Morag, Doug, Andrew, et al.

    Just to note, I’ll be updating it regularly as more and more folk come out in support of Scotland in Europe: just found a brilliant one from Italy!

  16. Bob Mack
    Ignored
    says:

    We are sharing an island with an abusive partner who controls our decision making by fair means or foul.We are manipulated by derision ,force.finance. and all the mechanisms an abuser utilises to keep the partner in their place.
    Scotland is a fabulous little country,capable of so much development when we cast off the shackles of this Union.

    Walk in any street abroad and if they find out you are a Scot you are welcomed. I have done it.

    The media in all its forms is no friend of Scotland,and remember this. Should Scotland leave the Union ,it will have a majorly significant impact on the English economy. Possibly fatal. That is why every organ of the Establishment will be turned on Scotlands quest for liberation.
    Without us ,they are finished. Expect no favours,and give none.

  17. Scott Borthwick
    Ignored
    says:

    Fantastic work, Al.

    As for the anti-Scottish media, it looks like they’re going to need a bigger squirrel.

  18. Macart
    Ignored
    says:

    Said it when I first read it and I’ll say it again.

    That’s a superb piece and a hell of an amount of effort.

    Kudos.

  19. Johnny
    Ignored
    says:

    Excellent article by Al, bringing all this evidence together in one place and some good analysis.

    As is clear from reading it all, European politicians are by no means saying they do not want Scotland to remain in the EU. Instead, they have to be diplomatic because they cannot be seen to be actively trying to break up the UK. But the hints could scarcely be heavier that that’s what many of them would like to see.

  20. Big Jock
    Ignored
    says:

    Anyone like to guess when indy ref 2 will happen now the Tories have a new leader already?

    I thought next Spring, but there has been some talk of an emergency referendum in November this year.

  21. Doug Daniel
    Ignored
    says:

    Great article, Al. I knew about some of these, but it looks like there’s even more support for our membership of the EU than I realised.

    It’s a shame that no matter how many times articles like this and the recent one on Wee Ginger Dug go over it, people still don’t understand the situation with Spain and Catalonia – Catalan independence would be explicitly against the Spanish constitution, and that can only change if the Spanish government change it. Therefore, they don’t NEED to veto Scottish EU membership if Scotland becomes independent in agreement with Westminster, because it would still be different from what Catalonia are trying to do.

  22. mike cassidy
    Ignored
    says:

    And add this German politician to the list.

    http://archive.is/kjJkU

  23. scottieDog
    Ignored
    says:

    If it is a case of continuing in the gap left by UK I will be happy. That means to me a separate sovereign currency just like the uk, not bound by the stability growth pact.
    Obviously we won’t get the privileges the uk enjoyed but I can live with that.

  24. scottieDog
    Ignored
    says:

    The fear of having a separate currency should diminish now we have seen that the sky didn’t fall in as the pound devalued. Indeed a scot£ devaluation would promote our stronger exports.

  25. Dan Huil
    Ignored
    says:

    We all know about the lying britnat media, including the bbc, which has for years now been in the business of doing down Scotland. Thankfully we have websites like this, but to take on the britnat media we could do with more famous high-profile pro-indy men and women coming out strongly in favour of independence, so strongly that the britnat media can’t ignore them. So strongly that they would be prepared to put their necks on the line. So strongly that they would contemplate breaking the laws of Westminster in order to help the independence movement. How about famous folk publicly declaring they will no longer pay the bbc tax? Or lying down in front of WMD transporters?

  26. Hugh Barclay
    Ignored
    says:

    I caught some call Kay this morning, I won’t be doing that again, Yoon central, incredible that the BBC can present these folks as credible.

    There was one guy on comparing Nicola Sturgeon to Theresa May, he obviously forgot we had an election and Nicola won a massive mandate from the people.

    Yoon hypocrisy knows no bounds at the moment with Arseholes like Ruth Davidson saying indyref2 would cause instability :-0 tin of Brasso for her.

    One last thing, if Westminster try and block Scotland’s right to EU membership it will get nasty, real nasty, lets hope democracy wins and not Westminster.

  27. Nana
    Ignored
    says:

    Super article, thank you Taranaich!

  28. Peter Clive
    Ignored
    says:

    “The forces determined to keep Scotland in the UK at the expense of its membership of the EU are playing a classic abuser’s game.”

    Indeed.

    This from 2014:

    http://moflomojo.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/please-dont-go.html

  29. Stoker
    Ignored
    says:

    From the article above: “Hans Schelling is Finance Minister of the Austrian government. This week he said: “I think probably there will be a ‘Brexit Lite’, so Scotland will not leave, and probably Great Britain becomes Little Britain.””

    Brilliant, ‘Little Britain’, couldn’t script it better, LMAO!
    Thanks for this excellent article Al, full of factual evidence and right up there with the high standards we expect here on WOS!
    Cheers, mucker, more power to you!

  30. DerekM
    Ignored
    says:

    Fantastic work Mr Harron 🙂

    I really like Guy Verhofstadt the man talks a lot of sense thats probably why you never see or hear about him or his colleages in this country,all you get from our shills is right wing taking over EU countries,thats because the UK has been backing the far right parties in the EU giving them a platform and using it as an excuse to try and split the EU.

    EU officials will be rubbing their hands in glee the saboter has fallen on his own propaganda.

    And of course they will rush Scotland through if we become indepenent since well everybody knows the real wealth of this island is Scotland,the EU will back us to the hilt on renewables especially if we can start selling energy at a good price to our EU pals the investment potential is incredible,and with a government not shackled by big corporations there wont be any shady reps hanging about trying to influence policy against the will of parliament and its owners the people.

    And for all you frackers that means get lost.

  31. pitchfork
    Ignored
    says:

    Well done Al, this is really quite impressive when it is all gathered together.

    The most striking thing is that support is expressed from such a wide range of the EU political spectrum: social bemocrats, liberals and conservatives.

  32. gordoz
    Ignored
    says:

    More from Mr Hurron in future Rev !; the trolls hate it so it must be on the money.

  33. Hugh Barclay
    Ignored
    says:

    Great article Taranaich 🙂

  34. Robert Graham
    Ignored
    says:

    ruth the mooth quoted on BBC five live news she’s against another referendum so whats new does this constitute news or just a freebie for the tories i think well all know the answer .
    Still on the mooths party why the deafening silence over the Tory election expenses fraud why has no news organisation followed up channel fours investigation that calls into question the whole legitimacy of this government and every act and law they have brought before parliament even their right to hold a EU referendum

  35. Joseph Robinson
    Ignored
    says:

    We gotta get going with the next blue book, we gotta tell the nay sayers in Scotland the truth. We can do this and we become the greatest winners.

  36. drew sword
    Ignored
    says:

    Thank you WoS and Al for this uplifting and morale boosting (for expat Scots) article.
    In this rightwing offshoot of the USA the mainstream news from the UK and Europe is filtered by the BBC and News Corp Ltd.
    We have repeatedly been told by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that Nicola Surgeon was given the bums rush by all EU countries.
    I am at the end of life and was considering a quick exit despairing of ever seeing my beloved wee country free at last.
    I’ll hang on for a wee bit longer.

  37. Papadox
    Ignored
    says:

    Excellent article, if only the EBC/MSM were honest and could be trusted, but they are a propaganda arm of the rancid state and its masters. Why do they keep on telling us we are parasites and yet are determined to lie deceive and use any means to hold onto this parasite? They are truly nasty evil people. They are the scum of the earth, with a posh accent.

  38. Sassenach
    Ignored
    says:

    Robert Graham @11-51am

    Do you seriously think the Government’s very own media outlet (aka BBC) would ever bring up matters like election fraud perpetrated by their masters??

    Only if we could ever make the BBC truly impartial would we get any true democracy – as it is we are just fed whatever suits the government.

    Rooth the Mooth really is an obnoxious character.

  39. Andrew McLean
    Ignored
    says:

    To any doubtful voters, the above is a classic example of why Scotland is an example of an abusive relationship, like the spouse who constantly belittles their partner, ” go on leave no one will look after you, your ugly, you can’t survive on your own, without me you are nothing”, and the rest of the mind games used by sad little fucks, continually Westminster tries to keep us down, stop us from becoming the beautifully free independent nation that is our right.

    Funny the new Labour leader on the state propaganda radio this morning, actually compared the sovereign state of Scotland to an English town! A labour party member with a brain is as rare as a independence supporting voice on Radio Scotland.

    As for Ruth Davidson, right back at you, I demand that no one ever votes Tory again as its divisive, and we need to come together as a nation and support the national party of Scotland and not one who is in league with, and conspiring with a foreign power to subjugate my Nation.

  40. DerekM
    Ignored
    says:

    The EU just cant wait to get a wee bit of the Scottish enlightenment social democracy is its founding principle.

    And once we get shot of those pests who keep ringing my door and warning me they will be back with a wee letter,i would like to see more of the EU parliament through our own media not another countries.

    TV dude my braindrainer is old needs one of those wee box things to see anything which i dont have and you know i dont cause yer guy with the van looked well bored sitting outside twiddling his thumbs on facebook.

    I have a computer and i can get any show i want and i pay i subscription for that privilage,so stop bugging me and sue the internet plums.

  41. Grouse Beater
    Ignored
    says:

    “Brexit means Brexit” says May and the right-wing media.

    How soon Jo Cox’s fight for the opposite is forgotten.

  42. Tinto Chiel
    Ignored
    says:

    Excellent article, Mr T.

    I would like to use it on the doorstep in Indy2 so it would be great if it could be updated. Of course, by the time the campaign starts the EU may already have given a guarantee to Scotland of membership if we win the referendum. The Establishment will be desperate to prevent such a clear assurance being given, of course.

    Going to Italy tomorrow for a wee while so it should be interesting to gauge opinion there.

    Thanks again.

  43. Macart
    Ignored
    says:

    For those who’d like to see more of Al’s work.

    https://wildernessofpeace.wordpress.com/

  44. Bob Mack
    Ignored
    says:

    Theresa May must try to hold the UK together because she knows as does Ruth Davidson, it is England’s only hope of averting financial ruin. Borrowing money and trade is seen as easier when you have an affilible nation attached.

    They will fight to the bitter end to save their England, therefore so must we fight with equal tenacity to achieve our freedom. The final battle draws nigh and we must prepare ourselves for this deciding encounter.

    Make no mistake,it is now or never. I have decided that if we fail,I shall leave Scotland forever,only to return as ashes to be scattered around my beloved country.

    We enter a period of hope, but great battles have been won on less.
    It is no longer the remit only of the SNP to achieve our freedom, it is ours. The ordinary people on every street,in every town. We are the warriors of this battle ,and it is our job to rally every feint heart,and instill belief and courage. I start today. Everything else has been a mere skirmish. This one is for real.

  45. Free Scotland
    Ignored
    says:

    “Mr Verhofstadt explained his perspective on Scotland remaining part of the UK in the event of independence.”

    Al, I’m assuming that was a typo for “remaining part of the EU.”

  46. Dr Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    A fine article from Taranaich there in pointing to the truths many of us know but many do not, making it essential reading for the uninformed

    Our difficulty is, and will be, the Media will still print and say the opposite and the diehard Unionist will cling to that like a limpet on a three hundred year old boat even if they know it to be untrue

    Our Government has the monumental task of calling the media liars but not actually saying the words
    Our Government has to overcome the depth of fear and hatred directed at the very notion of self determination
    Our Government must try to find a way of defeating the Tories main weapon in Scotland, the weapon that Ruth Davidson employed so recklessly at the Holyrood elections in order to attract the right wing Labour vote to her cause
    Even Kezia Dugdale attacked for it

    That last right wing weapon? “Sectarianism” and all who’s life revolves and is driven by it, for they will not only cling to that three hundred year old boat they’ll try to drown us along with it

    I don’t have the answer so the question still is, How?

  47. Xaracen
    Ignored
    says:

    Brilliant article, Taranaich, had already read your original one on your own site, which I visit often, as a lurker.

    More power to your keyboard, and I hope more of your articles appear here, too.

  48. DerekM
    Ignored
    says:

    I always visit Macart and read Al`s work usually via Munguins republic 😉

    http://munguinsrepublic.blogspot.co.uk/2016/07/random-thoughts_12.html

    Hi Rev can you put http://indyref2.scot/ on your Scottish politics links please not for us but for any new people having a look in 😉

    Needs a wee update Al`s could go there along with Grouse while you are at it lol 😉

  49. Clootie
    Ignored
    says:

    We discussed this many, many times during the YES campaign. It is for the people who live in Scotland to decide it’s political direction of travel. I am fed up with unionst groups/media/ politicians etc determining our future (…and the generations to come)

    Will someone please fire the starting gun for YES2!

  50. Ian
    Ignored
    says:

    The two main reasons given for people voting No was concern about leaving the EU and the economy. Good to see such positive news about Scotland and the EU.

    As for the economy, the balance of trade has been negative for decades and is currently at an all time high. This needs to be highlighted to show the real reason to be concerned, that the UK economy is in relentless and terminal decline and has been for decades.

    http://www.bbc.com/news/business-35931968

    http://www.economicshelp.org/blog/5776/trade/uk-balance-of-payments/

  51. IheartScotland
    Ignored
    says:

    Great ammunition Al,
    Champ!

  52. Stoker
    Ignored
    says:

    Running alongside Al’s excellent article link on the WOS twitter is another link to a very important item for ones armoury. For those already not in possession of the warmongering details:

    List of UK MPs who voted for Iraq War
    https://archive.is/oikT2

  53. Peter McCulloch
    Ignored
    says:

    We keep hearing from the unionists the reason why they want out of the EU which is to take back their democracy and country back.

    Of course when the unionists talk about taking back their democracy, sovereignty and control of their country they don’t actually mean Scotland, but England.

    For they are determined that Scotland be kept in its
    subservient place, does what its told by Westminster and accepts Governments and policies being imposed on it that it didn’t vote for.

  54. Valerie
    Ignored
    says:

    Great piece, and a lot of work to pull together.

    We are getting so much support, it will be unbearable if we can’t deliver a Yes vote.

    I very much hope that No voters look down at WM, and give the case for independence, a proper look, because it’s where our future must lie.

    There is so much ugliness in how the UK is moving, it’s very scary.

  55. Capella
    Ignored
    says:

    Timely and encouraging article. Thanks Tranaich. We are cut off from own culture and roots by the appallingly hostile media. There is no democracy without free access ro information. By misrepresenting the views of our European colleagues, the UK press and TV join the ranks of anti-democrats everywhere, or “fascists” as they used to be called. It is a major task to oppose them. But this article does it very well.

  56. Cal
    Ignored
    says:

    Great article. Everything together in one place. Most of us already knew how our continental friends feel about Scotland because we have the requisite sense of self-worth which allows us to recognize it.

    What a contrast to the hatred we receive from so many south of the border! We ask only to be respected. For a chance to be responsible for ourselves. Yet we are bullied and ridiculed for even thinking such a thing possible. No matter. There are
    billions of people on this earth and only a tiny minority hate us. The problem is most of them are to be found very near to home.

    This is perfect for showing to the no voting self-doubters and it’s great that Taranaich is going to keep it regularly updated with new examples of support from overseas as they emerge.

  57. Hamish100
    Ignored
    says:

    Since the First Minister of Scotland has the overwhelming support of Parliament and the snp the overwhelming support of MP’s from Scotland why is the tory Davidson trying to undermine the democratic will of parliament and the First Minister of Scotland by running down to Westminster a=to speak to the new provisional PM (with no electoral mandate in Scotland or rUK for that matter).

    She is reported by the BBC by stating”… Later Ms Davidson will address journalists at Westminster in which she will say that a second independence referendum is “not in the best interests of Scotland. Ms Sturgeon has already said the European referendum result and Scotland’s vote to stay in make another ballot on Scotland leaving the UK “highly likely”.
    Ms Davidson will say: “The SNP is, as usual, trying to seize on a moment of doubt and uncertainty to declare that the shining star of independence is the answer.2

    Is Davidson and the tories undermining Scotland ? of course, undermining parliament? of course. They are the enemy of Scotland and the Scottish people from all nations.

  58. Calum McKay
    Ignored
    says:

    Compare Scotland’s first minister’s first reaction on the EU result was to assure people from EU that they will remain safe and welcome in Scotland – versus – threresa may, who instinctively stated that the status of EU people living in the uk would be considered against uk people living in EU, i,e, a bargaining chip.

    Tells you all you need to know about a woman with decency and integrity versus a Westminster politician.

  59. Robert Graham
    Ignored
    says:

    Ruth the mooth being treated like royalty by the Media and indeed discussing your future with the new Mrs PM and the previous PM for a leader of a party that commands 22% or 23% of Scottish support she sure has a direct link to the totally impartial media

  60. cearc
    Ignored
    says:

    Guy Verhofstadt (former Belgian PM) has a great sense of humour as well, I loved this tweet –

    ‘Guy Verhofstadt ?@GuyVerhofstadt Jun 24

    In last 8 hours, UK lost $350bn, which is a greater amount than they contributed to EU budget over last 15 years – including rebate’

  61. TheItalianJob
    Ignored
    says:

    Just a thought. Should we restrict voters in the next indyref to those who have been born in Scotland and those who haveat resident and having lived in Scotland at least 5 years.

  62. Valerie
    Ignored
    says:

    The Great Bitish Whitewash is in full swing now.

    Cameron or St David, is one of the greatest PMs, this country has ever seen. Lots of emotion and banging the table in his last Cabinet meeting.

    Why would anyone in this country be surprised by the Brexit vote down south?

    It’s Tom Brown’s school days everyday for the Tory elite.

    It’s so repugnant watching these big wet men children getting all misty eyed talking about Cameron.

    This is what I call foreign.

  63. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    Reading this is like being slapped across the face. Tory BBC led UK media propaganda has destroyed the UK perception of our EU membership in all kinds of ways for the last 40 years. Now they’re going to black out the EU from Scotland completely.

    There’s been nothing EU from these frauds since June 23.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland

  64. Smallaxe
    Ignored
    says:

    Great article Al, it has left a lovely warm glow in my heart
    and fairly cheered me up today.Required reading for all.Peace.

  65. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    Gov of Bank of England getting monstered by Brexiteers on BBC r4 lunchtime news.

    https://archive.is/hlitQ

    UK scientists dropped from EU projects because of post-Brexit funding fears

    Britain’s vote to leave the EU has unleashed a wave of discrimination against UK researchers, with elite universities in the country coming under pressure to abandon collaborations with European partners.”

    Rancid The Graun means England ofcourse but cant bring themselves to say it out loud.

  66. call me dave
    Ignored
    says:

    Just in but caught shortbread radio from Aberdeen…but amazingly in 2016 Kaye’s connection broken and Beattie from Glasgow steps in to cover for an hour. Amateurish auntie technical glitch as usual.

    They couldn’t run a whelk stall never mind a Scottish 6.

    Anyhoo! Still getting the likes of ‘voter John’ on moaning about Sturgeon & SNP bad when asked about May… followed by ‘Johnathon’ who hadn’t a clue what day it was even Beattie rolling his eyes I think…too many Johns.

    Also:
    Earlier heard the Eagle squawk as simple questions from Gary like “will you support Trident” just too hard for her to answer!

    But basically multilateral disarmament for you’s Jocks and labour support Trident and lets get behind the ‘country’ and OH! it’s not up to me to say if Jeremy needs 51 votes to get on the ballot paper.

    I hear on the QT that her fingers were crossed when she said that

    Just a wee while ago:
    Joanna Cherry SNP MP on sky tv giving a good account of the Scottish view, polite on May being elected but mentions her poor record in government.

    Dermot Murnaghan interrupts only once but also politely… 🙂

  67. desimond
    Ignored
    says:

    Excellent work and will really help with those “yeah but” discussions with the doubters. Many thanks.

    On a lighter note.. I had no idea John Hughes left Inverness Caley to go be PM of Slovakia

  68. Sunniva
    Ignored
    says:

    It’s a great article, but I don’t personally take a lot of comfort from it. It’s clear that though there is broad sympathy for us, no major force in the EU is going to intervene to fight our corner, so we are going to have to fight it ourselves, facing the wrath of all the unionist media lies in the process. A David and Goliath struggle.

    My gut feeling is that there will be a Brexit lite, May will steady the ship, and the nawbags will just settle back down and suck it up. The modest rise in support for Yes will vanish like snow off a dyke. Sturgeon is in a difficult position.

    Feeling pretty depressed about it all.

    I think the best thing Sturgeon can do right now is to renew the National Conversation initiative that Salmond began and continue to argue for indy in a bid to persuade the Naws.

  69. Robert Graham
    Ignored
    says:

    all this piss about Cameron’s legacy and how well he governed .
    David Cameron has the distinction of being the only prime minister in british history to have whilst in office been subject to a full investigation by the United Nations over his government’s department of work and pensions treatment of disabled people in this the fifth richest nation on earth .
    these psychopathic b/tds are under criminal investigation for suspected election fraud across england and the tory mps are praising him enough to make you vomit .

  70. Smallaxe
    Ignored
    says:

    @Sunniva.

    A David & Goliath struggle,dont forget,David won!

  71. Sunniva
    Ignored
    says:

    I see that clipey wee besom Ruth Davidson has already been down in England sooking up to May and calling Sturgeon ‘irresponsible’ for talking about a second indyref. Of all the blooming cheek, after what HER party has just caused us! What an obnoxious jumped up wee madam.

  72. Taranaich
    Ignored
    says:

    Thanks again all. I’m truly bowled over by the response.

    I’ve updated the original post with some of the Rev’s editing changes, they really tighten the piece up.

    @Free Scotland: Al, I’m assuming that was a typo for “remaining part of the EU.”

    It says EU on the original version on my blog, WHICH I DID NOT EDIT AFTER YOU POINTED IT OUT, NO SIR. 😉

  73. Rev. Stuart Campbell
    Ignored
    says:

    No, we shouldn’t.

  74. Socrates MacSporran
    Ignored
    says:

    I think Cameron has played a blinder, getting out when he has.

    The Tory right, UKIP etc will now be screaming from the roof-tops that: “Brexit means Brexit” and the UK has to go. May will then be left to try to square the circle between the right wing and the Little Englanders, who will be insisting that she does what she has singularly failed to do when it was her responsibility and close the doors to immigration – and the City of London, which wishes the UK to remain within the EU.

    The Eu will insist on the free movement of labour as being integral to any post-exit agreement between the UK and Europe and May cannot deliver this AND slam the door on immigration.

    An that’s before the “Sweaties” start to agitate for independence, so they can stay in Europe.

    That is a nice wee mess the future Earl of Witney has left for his successor, who, given her high level of incompetence at th Home Office, is maybe out of her depth at Number Ten.

    Having said that, however, I should mention what an old school class-mate of mine, who retired from a high-level civil service job told me: “Being Home Secretary is the job nobody wants, the Home Office civil servants are known to be the most-incompetent in the entire Civil Service”.

  75. Artyhetty
    Ignored
    says:

    Excellent, thanks for this. I was chatting to a yes aquaintance recently who said that they would not letvus in the EU. I asked where they got that info from, yes, you guessed it, the bbc! The person reads WoS, which is great and hopefully they will share this far and wide.

    I did see an EU site recently, actually debunking all the lies in the UKok media, but can’t find it now, anyone else see it?

  76. Grouse Beater
    Ignored
    says:

    Italian Job: “those who have lived in Scotland at least 5 years.”

    We must be supremely carefully second time around not to scatter voting rights in all directions just to prove an inverted conceit, that we’re a wonderfully generous nation. It needs careful thought. I lost count of short-term foreign students who voted ‘No’ to “protect their place and time of study”.

  77. Stoker
    Ignored
    says:

    Some say Spain say nay? Apart from Al’s indisputable debunking of that tripe lets just see how that progresses as the Gibraltar issue intensifies. UKOKers know how to win friends and influence people!
    😉

    Meanwhile, May-day, May-day, May-day
    https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/147345

  78. White Van Wummin
    Ignored
    says:

    No such thing as a Brexit-lite, Brexit-lite is a spin to make Brexit-fuck-up sound less of a disaster than it actually is.

    The rise in support for indyref 2 was on the rise before the brexit vote.

    Have been following the positive EU support, great to see some of it in one place.

  79. Effijy
    Ignored
    says:

    Hamish100 says at 1.14pm

    Hi Hamish, Yes Wee Ruth Krankie (Alias Fat Boab) just wants Scotland to do as her English Masters demand.

    There is a high profile job in it for her and a pretty good living until she then parks her backside in the House of Lords, exchanging Botox tips with Shady Mone.

    She, and people like Mundel are happy to sell their country of birth to the highest bidder all day long.

    Not only is she too busy sitting on gun turrets and Buffalo Hides, she sits on the fact that Scotland has NEVER given her Tory party in any type of Scottish election for the last 3 Generations.

    There are 59 MPs who represent Scotland, and only 1 Tory has a seat among them.

    In the Holyrood elections, her party got their best ever performance gathering a lot less than half of the votes given to Nicola Sturgeon’s SNP.

    So there is the clear and concise message from the Scottish electorate.
    They Do Not Want any form of Tory policies or government in their life!

    Fat Boab never sat on Oor Wullie’s Bucket.
    Get Off of it now!

  80. Sunniva
    Ignored
    says:

    It’s so obvious that the union damages our national interest but the problem is that it doesn’t damage the private interests of most nawbags. They are overwhelmingly the well-heeled and comfortably off British establishment types. The 500,000 English born, the 1 million Scots pensioners, the comfortable middle classes. What do they care for Scotland? If May steadies the ship, why would they jump it?

  81. alexicon
    Ignored
    says:

    Anyone heard about the new opinion poll out today showing Independence at nearly, which means, 60%? I think the Torygraph is touting it.

  82. Hamish100
    Ignored
    says:

    re voting rights.

    A good number of English and Northern Irish UNI students in Edinburgh got together and voted NO in 2014. Where are they now? 80% back in rUK.
    Most Private schools encouraged students to vote NO. After all they wanted to remain in the EU!!

  83. Lollysmum
    Ignored
    says:

    Here’s the EU debunking myths site you were writing about at 2.25pm Hetty

    https://blogs.ec.europa.eu/ECintheUK/

  84. Brian Doonthetoon
    Ignored
    says:

    Hi Artyhetty.

    https://blogs.ec.europa.eu/ECintheUK/

  85. Ian Brotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    Yes, beards are en vogue right now, but will someone please tell Mundell that ‘fucked-up bushbaby’ is not a good look.

    It’s bad enough that he represents Scotland, but there’s just no need to cut around the place in such a state.

  86. Brian Doonthetoon
    Ignored
    says:

    Another SNAP!

  87. TheItalianJob
    Ignored
    says:

    @Grousebeater

    That was my main concern too along with people over here working temporary and those with houses in Scotland but not resident.

    Good to show Scotland is an all inclusive country but we need to have some limitations on voting as something as important as our country’s Independence.

    I was really embarrassed trying to explain to a Croat waiter a few days after the 19th September why we didn’t vote for our Independence like they had. He was as baffled as I was.

  88. stuart muir
    Ignored
    says:

    I have to laugh at all the posters above lapping up the Eurocrats, just 2 years ago these same people were prepared to lie to destroy our hopes of independence and democracy at the behest of the UK government. SHAME ON ALL OF YOU!

  89. carjamtic
    Ignored
    says:

    Stuart Muir @ 2:56

    Evidence ?

  90. alexicon
    Ignored
    says:

    Sorry folks a false alarm, its actually the one from 26th of June.

  91. schrodingers cat
    Ignored
    says:

    alexicon

    cant find poll

    these next few polls in the next few days will be crucial to the forward momentum of the indy movement

    they will decide our future direction, and the unionists in westminster

  92. schrodingers cat
    Ignored
    says:

    alexicon

    rats

    still, i think stu is working on one as we speak

  93. Training Day
    Ignored
    says:

    Very good article, Al. Like other posters on here such as Breeks and Lochside I do believe the Scottish Government has to bite the bullet with the MSM – and in particular the BBC – right soon. The latter is blasting out industrial levels of propaganda, moving seamlessly from pushing a second EU referendum to overturn the result to assuring us all is now well in the safe hands of ‘Brexit is Brexit (aye right)’ May.

    The amplification of some voices (the obnoxious and sinister R Davidson) and the suppression of others (a disturbing example today when an authentic voice gatecrashed the Oxbridge focus group of ‘real voters’ on Victoria Derbyshire and was then hurriedly disappeared) is now so obvious that it can’t be glossed over by our elected representatives.

    In short it doesn’t matter if individuals don’t pay the TV tax (I don’t). The BBC will continue to be subsidised by the British state regardless. No, we need the SG to make an unequivocal and formal stand and condemn the BBC for what it is. A direct confrontation with this monster is, despite all the misgivings about that stance which we have rehearsed on here time and again, inevitable if we are to succeed.

  94. Dr Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    Unionist politicians are like Elvis impersonators
    As soon as you hear them you just want to take your own life

    Or Theirs

  95. Archie [not Erchie]
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Bob Mack 12:25pm – I totally agree with your thoughts and sentiments. I truly hope for a very big axe to cut the chain from the unicorn, and a timely Icelandic HOOF, HOOF and HOOF.

    Bali Hai is calling me but by the wonders of WWW its easy to scream and shout at Ronnie’s ex-shed no matter where I am.

    Belated big hug to you Nana. Always in my thoughts.

  96. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    Yeah, good article, just the job, the right time too.

    I see a lot of posters getting restless, and no wonder. It’s hellish to have to wait around. Thing is it was going to have to wait until at least the 9th September while the Tories did the leadership rag, but now we’ve all been granted a 2 month advance in time – that’s nearly 9 weeks saved. Now Article 50 can be invoked at any time, and that’s what starts off the process, the SNP and the Scottish Gvoernment – as this article shows – have done all they can and now have to wait – as does the EU itself.

    For the SNP to do anything more prematurely now could ruin all the good work that’s been done, and the empathy for us that seems to be all over the EU, including its leadership. And of course in Scotland itself, it’s a knife-edge, the balance between NO and Remain.

    It will happen. 9 weeks earlier than if Leadsom had battled it out.

  97. TheItalianJob
    Ignored
    says:

    We are again at a crossroads. So soon after 2014 and unexpected.

    The MSM is the real battle we somehow have to overcome and that is going to be the main challenge similar to last time. What astounded me last ref was how few high profile Scots and politicians (SNP excluded of course) came out for Indy.

    It was like they were terminally aligned to the UK no matter what and that was the most important thing to them. I expected some MSPs of other parties to walk across the floor of Holyrood and join the Independence movement. Baffled this didn’t happen. I’m not so sure this will be the case this time but will have to wait and see.

    Interesting in the EU ref how much more devided both the politicians along with the general populace were.

    But then again then MSM were more evenly split than when they were all one to a man against Scottish Independence and would do everything in their power (including lying) to oppose it.

  98. defo
    Ignored
    says:

    Grouse Beater. Logic says that those no voting EU students will now be enthusiastic Yessers.

    Ian B. Desperate middle aged men, back on the pull do make the silliest of sartorial choices. Not that I would know from personal experience of course. 😉

    Those desperate for Indyref 2 to commence. It has. Even the most cursory reading between the lines says so. “highly likely”
    What NS now needs is what she told us. “when the people of Scotland…”
    Three ways of doing that. Consistent Yes polls, petition and public demos

  99. Grouse Beater
    Ignored
    says:

    The Italian Job: “Voting on something as important as our country’s Independence.”

    You bet! 🙂

  100. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    Mmm.

    Bring the action

    When you hear this in the EU
    You’re gonna turn the shit up
    You’re gonna turn the shit up
    You’re gonna turn the shit up
    When we up in the EU
    All eyes on us
    All eyes on us
    All eyes on us

    See the boys in the EU
    They watching us
    They watching us
    They watching us
    Everybody in the EU
    All eyes on us
    All eyes on us
    All eyes on us

    I wanna scream and shout, and let it all out
    And scream, and shout, and let it out
    We saying, oh wee oh wee oh wee oh
    We saying, oh wee oh wee oh wee oh

    I wanna scream and shout, and let it all out
    And scream, and shout, and let it out
    We saying, oh wee oh wee oh wee oh

    You are now, now rocking with Rev Stu C and Sturgeon bitch.

    Oh, yeah [3x]

    Rock and roll, everybody let’s lose control
    On the bottom we let it go
    Going fast

  101. Karmanaut
    Ignored
    says:

    I see Daisley has penned a “what our new Prime Minister should do to keep the Scottish upstarts in line” article, which is basically, “Tell them they can’t have what they want.”

    Thank God for journalists holding the powerful to account.

  102. ronnie anderson
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Taranaich We Wingers knew you had it in you to be a good writer ( wilderness of piece), mair power tae yer pen.

    ps Love to Geraldine xx.

  103. sandycraig
    Ignored
    says:

    Great article. I love the big Belgian guy with the dodgy haircut. My kind of politician.

  104. Big Jock
    Ignored
    says:

    Someone in my work a Yesser said. ” Now that we are out of the EU and the Tories have their new PM, Scotland is just waiting to be led”.

    In other words we need the Scottish government to make a move and lead us to the next stage. I have said before that this requires to be done swiftly. It’s painfull watching the Yoons destroy everything we hold dear. We are crying out for change and for the next referendum.

    So lets hope the SNP are hatching a plan and soon.

  105. K. A. Mylchreest
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Dr. Jim

    True, sadly we must be ready for them playing the sectarian card when push comes to shove, just as they were not reluctant to bring out the racist card to win the Brexit vote. There is no place too low for these self-seeking vermin to stoop to.

  106. call me dave
    Ignored
    says:

    These 33 people on Labour’s NEC are deciding the future of the party – and Jeremy Corbyn.

    Well they list them eventually.

    https://archive.is/fLsPZ

  107. Woody
    Ignored
    says:

    The scottish people voted to remain in the EU based on the conditions currently enjoyed by the UK, if an independant Scotland wanted to join the EU, then that is a seperate decision for the electorate. This conflation of EU and independance is ridiculous.

    Why is a nationalist political party so keen to join a union ? Why is a party which claims to reject pooled sovereignty so desperate to pool sovereignty ? Why did we have to watch the frankly ludicrous spectacle of Alyn Smyth (who ?) begging to be allowed to keep his seat on the 200k per annum gravy train ? Why is an anti austerity party so desperate to join this political union (which has forced austerity on the people of greece in a manner that is quite possibly “democratically unacceptable”) that this non entity stands up and disgraces his country by begging to be allowed to remain part of it ?

  108. galamcennalath
    Ignored
    says:

    Great article.

    A recurring message from those quotes is that an INDEPENDENT Scotland will be welcome to stay in the EU.

    There is no suggestion that some federal components of the UK will be welcome. No one who is serious believes there is any route but the Indy one, should EngWexit proceed.

    Said so often here by many of us over the last week – this federal posh needs to be kicked out of sight.

  109. Big Jock
    Ignored
    says:

    Here’s what I expect in indy ref 2.

    The UK will manage to get access to the free trade and end up allowing free movement of people. Kezia and co will back a no vote becsue all tehy care about is the UK and free trade. Democracy for Scotland and EU citizenship is not on their remit from London.

    Ruth wil say to the SNP we got a good deal from Brussels so stop being divisive and get on with making the UK a better nation.

    Kezia will not endorse Ruth’s no campaign and will try and run a separate Labour no campaign. No-one wll swallow it though. Some Labour rebels will back independence. Some newspapers will back independence. The Daily Record will revert to type and back Kezia as we got free trade so who cares what Scotland voted for.

    But we will win because the SNP and Yes campaign will be run by clever people. We wil attract some of the most influential backers in Scotland. Something we never had before. The no campaign will be shambolic and embarassing. They will not frighten Scots but they will try and re-run project fear 2.

    The crucial difference this time is the legitimacy of the UK as an institution!It only allows one nations democracy to be legitimised and endorsed. While ignoring the will of the other nation that comprises the UK. In other words the point of the UK’s existence is now well an truly extinguished.

  110. Iain More
    Ignored
    says:

    Great article. The Brit Nats are really cranking up the hate and we aren’t even close to setting a date for the next Indy Ref. I think I will go get myself some metaphorical Kevlar as this is only the beginning.

  111. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    Taranaich
    I love a good list. Thanks for the effort, though it is sad the it is left to yourself to bring this information to public attention.

    Ian

    As for the economy, the balance of trade has been negative for decades and is currently at an all time high. This needs to be highlighted to show the real reason to be concerned, that the UK economy is in relentless and terminal decline and has been for decades.

    The productivity of Britain’s industry has lagged behind comparable economies on the continent, since at least the mid-19th century. The main reason for this has been a lack of willingness to invest on both public and private capital (plant and equipment/infrastructure).

    As I said yesterday, there is a ‘plantation mentality’ prevalent among Britain’s Establishment which is happy to generate profit through the exploitation of labour, rather than the improvement of practice and process.

    It is also absolutely against the sharing of power (economic and political).

  112. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    @call me dave
    Of course, in theory, the Labour NEC should be voting on the democracy involved in having or not having Corbyn on the ballot sheet, so their like or dislike will have nothing to do with the way they vote.

    Will it!

  113. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    Oh right now I get it, I googled Al Harron and who did I find! Right, nice one 🙂

  114. galamcennalath
    Ignored
    says:

    @Big Jock @4:08

    That sounds about right.

    Adding to what you foresee … the EU will actively encourage Scotland to stay in, through Indy, because that is what we say we want. rUK are the trouble makers trying to upset the established order. There will be three parallel sets of negotiations, progress in each will not proceed in isolation.

  115. Camz
    Ignored
    says:

    Simple logic:

    There are some in Scotland that wanted out of the EU [AND] believe that some part of the EU will veto Scotland’s entry into it.

    If this is the case, why don’t they campaign for Indy and assure Scotland’s exit from the EU?

    Answer: They don’t believe their own shite.

  116. Papadox
    Ignored
    says:

    The mother of parliaments will use any means fair or foul (no holds bard) to keep cotrol over Scotland. The MSM/EBC are already pushing Ruth the mooth, Kezia and any other yoon they can find to elbow the SNP out of the news and off the TVs screens. Out of sight out of mind.
    We will never be allowed a separate settlment with EU, unless it’s over Westminster’s dead body. Ruth the mooth is now the voice of Scotland with Kez & wee Wullie as bag carriers.
    The establishment will slowly but very surly try and bury Scotland and smother us so this will never raise its head again. SCOTLAND WILL BE EXTINGUISHED, IF WE LET THEM. They are daft enough to try it, if we’re daft enough to let them.

  117. gordoz
    Ignored
    says:

    Just read Frankie Boyle article about May in Gaurdian
    Access via Revs twitter feed. Cutting as expected but gut laugh funny.
    Def worth a read !!

    Best for a while

  118. Wullie
    Ignored
    says:

    Brexit the full movie. It’s on YouTube , tried posting the url but bigger all happened.
    Basically how England won its independence from the EU. Lots of stuff we can use and throw back at them for our Indy movement.

  119. Les Wilson
    Ignored
    says:

    Good article, shows how things can be, a shot in the arm.

    Indy2, we need observers brought in.
    We need postal votes sorted, and also not going to London when compiled.

    Westminster is crooked, as we all know and they will do crooked things as crooks do. We need to tighten all the democratic procedures, if we want to avoid being cheated, again?.
    Hence real unbiased observers a must. We cannot leave it to Westminster to be honest, we need it assured.

  120. Iain More
    Ignored
    says:

    OT

    On today’s lunchtime news on EBC Scotland a reporter was heard to say that “Scotland and specifically the Scottish Government” wish to remain in Europe.

  121. G H Graham
    Ignored
    says:

    Only thing stronger than British propaganda is the smell of stale alcohol on Lord George Foulke’s breath.

  122. call me dave
    Ignored
    says:

    Michael Mansfield QC gives his legal opinion and if right put a £1 on Jeremy being on the ballot.

    “Aren’t these ‘new’ rules, less than a year old” says the interviewer.

    QC shrugs “It doesn’t matter if they were brought in yesterday they are the rules”

    Roll back the red line about -17mins or so. sky news.

    http://news.sky.com/watch-live

  123. Glamaig
    Ignored
    says:

    Der Spiegel not very impressed with Dave ‘warbled a short ditty’ 🙂

    http://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/david-cameron-ich-bin-jetzt-weg-ihr-koennt-mich-mal-kommentar-a-1102656.html

  124. Fireproofjim
    Ignored
    says:

    No need for a mad rush to declare an Inde-ref 2. It is not yet three weeks since the EU referendum.
    Even after the invoking of Article 50 to leave the EU there are two years to finality, and we need to have close to 60% in the opinion polls.
    Meanwhile I am sure that Nicola and her team are getting all the ducks in a row, and will, in due course, present a well researched and well supported prospectus for the next Inde-ref.
    I expect to see the support by other EU members highlighted and the currency issue set out clearly and indisputably. These were the main issues which were weak points in September 2014.
    However, I will be very disappointed if a new manifesto for independence is not produced by the end of this year, and a date for the vote declared well before the actual Brexit.
    This will ensure that we are voting to REMAIN in the EU as an existing member, rather than trying to rejoin after the UK leaves.

  125. Ian
    Ignored
    says:

    Taranaich said –

    “The productivity of Britain’s industry has lagged behind comparable economies on the continent, since at least the mid-19th century. The main reason for this has been a lack of willingness to invest on both public and private capital (plant and equipment/infrastructure).”

    Yes and yet another nail in the UK is better, stronger etc. Look at how much money has been created and especially where it has gone over the past years/decades in the UK. Not into sustainable productive assets but financial speculation and crazy house prices. Look at the second chart and see where business investment stands. Then look at the UK trade balance of payments.

    http://positivemoney.org/issues/recessions-crisis/

  126. schrodingers cat
    Ignored
    says:

    if the nec boot out corbyn

    the remaining slab supporters will be split…

    we only need a few more % to swing to yes and indyref2 will be announced

  127. Kevin Evans
    Ignored
    says:

    Hey folks,

    How all is well.

    Yea the EU and the shit storm of crap were about to endure.

    I’ve started just tell folk “whatever rubbish the papers or media are telling you go first a check who owns the media and ask yourself if there protecting there own greed and self interest or are they really telling you the real news for your benefit” it more often than not causes a penny to drop for them and you only hope it plants the seed of doubt in the media.

    The games gonna change once/if Westminster triggers article 50. The EU leaders and institutions have said they can’t do anything until then. My only hope is once the cats out the bag real talks and a spotlight in shown on Scotland “remaining” in the EU but with a document or declaration from the EU parliament Nicola can wave in the media face with the terms and acceptance of Scotland’s continued membership in black and white for all to see.

    I hope in the terms it will state the euro is optional but if my prediction is correct by the time the pound has sunk to a 1 on 1 with the euro and the potential to drop further the currency debate will be null and void.

  128. Robert Graham
    Ignored
    says:

    the BBC are the prime target frequent and sustained protests that surly will be covered this time by European media outlets and this time possibly RT as they were warned off during the last referendum so never covered anything of interest this time might be a bit different

  129. call me dave
    Ignored
    says:

    Bloodstained knives all sterilised and stowed away. Crime scene spotless and nothing to see here. All friends for the cameras and the machine rolls on.

    But too many problems to solve and no idea how to do it, but Hey Ho!

    Meanwhile ‘real’ labour….FGS!

    Sturgeon & Scotland watching on… with a plan. 🙂

  130. call me dave
    Ignored
    says:

    Who’s been taken to court???

    Yes campaigner denies lying about MP who allegedly assaulted her

    https://archive.is/Lgoh0

  131. Grouse Beater
    Ignored
    says:

    I think it inevitable the EU would cock a snook at Westminster after Brexit.

    Instead of doing as Labour and Tory unionists said they would or wanted them to – that is, stay silent – the community of nations make plain they welcome Scotland remaining a member.

    That’s called giving Westminster the finger.

    Once again, Salmond is allowed a sly smirk.

  132. call me dave
    Ignored
    says:

    Ha! a snap with the Rev! See next thread.

  133. galamcennalath
    Ignored
    says:

    Fireproofjim says:

    “No need for a mad rush to declare an Inde-ref 2. It is not yet three weeks since the EU referendum”

    Indeed. We want several things to become totally clear and groundwork done.

    We need Article 50, the starting pistol fired.

    We need to let the style of the UK/EU negotiations come out, and how Scotland might feature or otherwise. Personally I think it will not feature – the Tories will pursue one UK wide solution. ( They may offer a Vow2 constitutional commission once Brexit is complete. Been there. Done that. Came away with no teeshirt.)

    We meanwhile need to paint WM and the Unionist elites as a bunch of lying, cheating, scheming scumbags with much proven form on screwing over Scotland.

    In parallel we need to get the case for Indy as waterproof as possible. Broad brush IMO is best, leaving detail to the duly elected first Indy government.

    Finally when the choice is Indy versus BrexiTogether, IndyRef2 is called.

    When? iMO Indy needs to be achieved to coincide with Brexit. IndyRef2, six months after Article 50 and eighteen months before Brexit should do it!

  134. dramfineday
    Ignored
    says:

    Great article Al, one thing bugs me, if we assume that in a few years time we gain independence, whats to stop the same poisonous drivel being pumped out by the same awful shower with the aim of damaging the emergent nation? I can only hope that the first new government goes after them with a large club.

  135. Jack Collatin
    Ignored
    says:

    Meanwhile in other news, Herald ‘Scotland’ that US owned Unionist propaganda machine has no less than three online stories featuring Ruth Stellar, and something about Warburton’s supplying good quality bread to RFC until 1919.
    Kezia’s away on her wee indoctrination jolly to the US of A, and will return transformed, or something.
    She and Rowley refuse to comment on the Labour car crash, so Ruth is manning the Unionist pumps on her own. Aw, diddums.
    Where’s Oor Wullie?
    And Patrick Harvie for that matter?
    Off on their hols while the Yoo Kay unravels before us.
    We are in the darkest period in modern history, yet, our MSM continue to behave as though we did not elect 56 MPs who stand on an independence ticket, and NS was NOT returned for a historic third term as FM, despite the hooky electoral system which was designed to make sure no party would ever have a majority at Holyrood.
    Yet our newspapers and broadcasters behave as though Labour and Tory parties rule Up Here.
    How do they sleep o’ night?
    I personally no longer recognise the authority of Westminster. I rebel against rule from London, and will brook no argument that Theresa May is my Prime Minister, because 85% of English voters make it so in their crooked little FPTP voting fix.
    She worked for the BoE, and her Man works for the Masters of the Universe.
    Cameron hummed his way back into number 10, doubtless elated with the knowledge that he will soon join Blair, Brown and Darling supping at the God Mammon’s table. A non exec directorship for one of the Big Global Boys awaits.Lovely jubbly!
    None of the well documented Pro Scottish EU membership data compiled here is available in the mainstream.
    We are a country under siege, by our own more than willing scribes and broadcasters.
    Unbelievable.

  136. Taranaich
    Ignored
    says:

    @TheItalianJob: Just a thought. Should we restrict voters in the next indyref to those who have been born in Scotland and those who haveat resident and having lived in Scotland at least 5 years.

    No way: plenty of people not born in Scotland & lived her less than that who voted Yes, and a whole lot of people who were born & lived here all their lives who voted No.

    @smallaxe: Great article Al, it has left a lovely warm glow in my heart
    and fairly cheered me up today.Required reading for all.Peace.

    If the article did nothing else, I’m glad it did that.

    @Sunniva: It’s a great article, but I don’t personally take a lot of comfort from it. It’s clear that though there is broad sympathy for us, no major force in the EU is going to intervene to fight our corner, so we are going to have to fight it ourselves, facing the wrath of all the unionist media lies in the process. A David and Goliath struggle.

    I actually feel the opposite. There’s a very definite message: “we’ll only talk to the UK about the UK’s exit, & only consider talking with Scotland as a sovereign state.” Once Article 50’s invoked, then the negotiations begin, both on the level of the EU talking with the UK AND talking with what many are clearly considering the successor state.

    The EU didn’t intervene in either indyref or EUref because they respected the democracy of a member state: unlike Westminster, they didn’t pollute the airwaves with propaganda. But in the case of Brexit, they’re already in direct negotiation with a member state trying to leave while a country within that state wants to remain.

    The dialogue we’re looking for can only take place once Article 50’s invoked, and I think we’ll see something very interesting.

    @Sunniva: What do they care for Scotland? If May steadies the ship, why would they jump it?

    Given the unmitigated mess the UK’s made of Brexit so far, that’s a much bigger “if” than you might think.

    @ronnie anderson: We Wingers knew you had it in you to be a good writer ( wilderness of piece), mair power tae yer pen.

    Cheers Ronnie! & Geraldine sends her love, too.

    @CameronB Brodie: I love a good list. Thanks for the effort, though it is sad the it is left to yourself to bring this information to public attention.

    Well, we know what we’re up against. If you love lists, you might enjoy a post I have planned in a few days…

  137. Glamaig
    Ignored
    says:

    video from Der Spiegel, a sympathetic interview with the Indy campers…

    http://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/widerstandscamper-in-edinburgh-campen-fuer-unabhaengigkeit-a-1101058.html

  138. cearc
    Ignored
    says:

    For me, the standout line from Frankie Boyle’s Graun piece is,

    ‘… a country so heavily dependent on money laundering that we just brought out a waterproof fiver.’

    https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jul/12/theresa-may-has-vowed-to-unite-britain-my-guess-is-against-the-poor

  139. Grouse Beater
    Ignored
    says:

    Taranaich: “ No way.

    The Irish process made a mockery of our ‘everybody and their dog’ is welcome.

    I repeat, it’s wasted conceit showing the world we’re really nice people. The goal is regaining independence. That automatically means being ruthless in how we go about it. We must be methodical, thorough as well as fair ascertaining who votes and who is not eligible.

  140. mike cassidy
    Ignored
    says:

    Frankie Boyle archived.

    http://archive.is/abcGg

  141. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    Here Rev., would you consider commissioning a semiotic analysis of all BBC and STV output related to Scotland. 🙂

    I’m sure you’ll find the significance of Scotland’s political and cultural sphere, has been systematically undermined by our public broadcasters. I just wonder how tight a correlation there might be with the growth in support for independence.

  142. call me dave
    Ignored
    says:

    Salmond mocks Hammond over Scotland’s ‘popularity’ in Europe

    https://archive.is/zTReJ

    Footie: 0 – 0

    2nd half:

    http://neofeed.tv/56866/1/Watch-Lincoln-Red-Imps-vs-Celtic/

  143. Apollo
    Ignored
    says:

    Let the MSM keep coming up with this nonsense. All they are doing is going themselves even more rope to hang themselves 🙂

  144. Rock
    Ignored
    says:

    The key word is “independent”.

    There is absolutely no other way for Scotland to be a member of the EU.

    The “experts commission” is basically a waste of time and money.

  145. Rock
    Ignored
    says:

    Scotland wants to be a member of the EU and will want to be friends with the rest.

    But where “Our Friends In Europa” during the independence referendum campaign?

    They were all Cameron’s friends then, scaremongering for him.

    Not a single EU member had the guts then to say that an independent Scotland would be welcome in the EU.

    Barosso, Cameron’s best friend in Europe during the referendum campaign, has been appointed as a “consultant” to Goldman Sachs in London.

  146. defo
    Ignored
    says:

    Not one for chess eh rock !
    Remember the last time ? We fell short (no one was expecting 2011 after all) in certain policy areas such as Currency, pensions, EU membership.
    All the t’s need crossed etc etc.
    Yes, we need passion, and that you obviously have in bucket loads.
    Strategic thinking on the other hand…

  147. Grouse Beater
    Ignored
    says:

    “The “experts commission” is basically a waste of time and money.”

    Says the man who knows exactly what the commission is discussing, and what they are agreeing in principle in advance of Scotland’s formal declaration. Just as well it isn’t you conduction preliminary talks. We’d never get anywhere.

    Not a single EU member had the guts then to say that an independent Scotland would be welcome in the EU.

    More belch from the belly rather than intelligent thought.

  148. Grouse Beater
    Ignored
    says:

    The key word is “independent”.”

    Jeezo, I’d never have guessed that.

  149. ronnie anderson
    Ignored
    says:

    8.49 poster Please please dont take the bait.

  150. thomaspotter2014
    Ignored
    says:

    Superbly concise and uplifting article which has sent my heart soaring like a hawk.

    Independence Day is gathering momentum like a runaway train so let’s all get on the Indy Express.

    Brilliant piece and so cheerful.

    Not long now????????????????

  151. Vambomarbeleye
    Ignored
    says:

    I am surprised that Cameron didn’t leap into the air and click his heals as he went back into No 10 singing. He know that he has just given a big pile of shite a body swerve and the finger of blame will point at the tree monkeys. The not so wise ones.

  152. Iain McDermott
    Ignored
    says:

    Fully agree with you comments Rev. I live in Flanders and Nicola has been getting very positive comments in the media; even from the mainsteam media that is normally opposed to any talk of Independence because they usually ignore the subject so as not to encourage the Flemish Indepedence Movement.

  153. Robert J. Sutherland
    Ignored
    says:

    Rock @ 20:49,

    Being your usual sunny self, I see. It wasn’t a question of “not having the guts”, it was a case of normal diplomatic protocol. It just doesn’t do to interfere in another country’s internal affairs.

    The only transgression in that context was the one by J.M. Barroso, as you mentioned. He had no authority whatever to say what he did, it was merely his own personal opinion, done (I suspect, as you suggest) as a personal favour to Cameron. Vilely aided and abetted by that obsequious BritNat toady Marr and subsequently trumpeted to high heaven by Better Together and their servile media.

    In fact it said absolutely zilch, nada, niets about the attitude of any EU nation to Scottish independence, so please, don’t self-indulge in a counter-productive grumpathon about nothing.

    We will need all the friends we can possibly muster in the weeks to come, so do try to help, not hinder. Follow the “glass three-quarters full” plan – before long you’ll feel so much better for it.

  154. Onwards
    Ignored
    says:

    Big Jock says:
    12 July, 2016 at 4:08 pm
    Here’s what I expect in indy ref 2.

    The UK will manage to get access to the free trade and end up allowing free movement of people. Kezia and co will back a no vote becsue all tehy care about is the UK and free trade. Democracy for Scotland and EU citizenship is not on their remit from London.
    ——-

    I wouldn’t be too sure on the UK getting a beneficial deal where we can pick and choose. EU will play hardball when there is a principle at stake.

    Angela Merkel:
    “whoever would like to have free access to the European internal market will also have to accept all basic freedoms in return, including the free movement of people”

    Martin Shultz:
    “there can be no better deal with the EU than EU membership.”

    Donald Tusk:
    “We will not sell off our freedoms and there will be no single market à la carte.”

    The whole integrity of the EU is at stake. If the UK gets to cherry pick from outside, then everyone else will want special treatment and the whole thing will fall apart. One country can’t be handed a competitive advantage where it could choose to trample all over workers rights for example.

    There is another good reason not to compromise. Other European countries have their eye on a good chunk of financial business that would leave London without passporting rights.

    Faced with a “Take it or Leave it” choice on the single market, the Tory government might have no choice but to leave, when you consider immigration was the #1 reason for a Brexit.

    So if Scottish Labour choose to campaign for a No vote next time, it could be with the knowledge that Scotland is dragged out of not just the EU, but the single market as well.
    I can’t see it being anything other than a pretty half-hearted campaign, where they have to sell the idea of a union where Scotland’s voice doesn’t count.

  155. Connor McEwen
    Ignored
    says:

    Article 50 will not be invoked. No referendum

  156. Robert J. Sutherland
    Ignored
    says:

    Connor McEwen,

    Nonsense on both counts. May has made it perfectly clear that “Brexit means Brexit”. Her reputation is clearly nailed onto that mast. It does however beg the related questions of exactly when and how: she may try to stall on invoking Art.50 for a while to “soften up” the hardline Leavers to the dire economic consequences of their position, so she can proceed to “sell them down the river” with the only kind of trade treaty that will be on offer – one that concedes loss of border control. English Kippers already feel betrayed, so may be demoralised enough to swallow it “for the sake of the unity of the country”, as the BBC keep saying.

    OK, that kind of cynical WM establishment manoevre may satisfy some pathetic Scot-buts, but the plain fact stands out for all to see: Scotland can be trampled over every time that England cares to exercise its muscle, and without indy there’s not a blind thing we can do about it. It doesn’t even matter what the EUref was actually about; more and more people here are waking up to our miserable subservient neo-colonial forelock-tugging condition, and are prepared to do something to end it.

  157. defo
    Ignored
    says:

    “Brexit means Brexit” C de Ville.

    Just qualified from the John McTernan school of political prediction Connor ?

    It’s you John really, isn’t it ?

  158. ScotsCanuck
    Ignored
    says:

    .. yes !!, my advice to Nicola … wait till May (that’s Thatcher #2, no the month !!) invokes Article 50 o’ the Lisbon Treaty, then ask the People of Scotland through a Referendum for a Mandate to remain “within the EU as a Sovereign Nation”. Tae those opposed to Europe but pro Indy … when we are Sovereign …we can decide.

  159. Christian Wright
    Ignored
    says:

    Well, this is a truly splendid article, a tour de force, worthy of wide decimation. Well done, Al Harron, and well done WOS from providing this writer the platform.

  160. Artyhetty
    Ignored
    says:

    Re; @2.43pm or thereabouts
    Commenters with answers to my asking about the EUmyths, thanks loads for the links.

    Had a quick look at the ‘index’ which goes back to the 90s. Just wow, is it the same in other EU countries? Does their media distort the truth on such levels, so much of the time? Amazing we are not living in a totalitarian state eh.

  161. Robert J. Sutherland
    Ignored
    says:

    Artyhetty,

    [satire=on]
    It’s only in Scotland that we live in a one-party state, doncha know?

    One where people’s minds are deviously controlled by that baaaadSNP, despite the valiant efforts of our glorious free press and their chums at the BBC.
    [satire=off]

  162. DerekM
    Ignored
    says:

    I have to agree that we must be careful with who is eligable to vote in this indyref and not because of trying to exlude folks from down south but because the question of independence could and should contain the EU continued membership,maybe a constitutional lawyer can answer that but i dont think non EU members the English and the Welsh will be allowed a vote under EU referendum guidlines.

    And on this the UK has no leg to stand on indyref2 can be an EU run referendum not a UK run one something we should try to aim for and i would feel safer having the EU all over the place watching the yoons like a hawk call me cynical but i just dont trust them and a wee bird keeps whispering postal votes tory election fraud.

  163. Breeks
    Ignored
    says:

    You can’t pick and choose democracy.

    If we have too many incomers skewing the vote for Unionism, the problem is the number of incomers, not their elligibility to vote. If you are a citizen of Scotland, it comes with a vote.

    Postal ballots seem notorious for irregularities. If their use and abuse cannot be tightened up, then they must be rigourously scrutinised.

    Personally, I have no confidence in the electoral commission. We need only look back at 2014 to compare what went on and what the Electoral Commission was prepared to do about it.

    But by a country mile, the biggest risk to Scotland’s Independence is the media and its propaganda. The media is a double strike; we see and can broadly quantify the pro-union bullshit we all recognise, but it is impossible to quantify the constructive “nation building” dialogue which is not being permitted to happen.

    How can we possibly have a fair and balanced referendum when our “media” can scarcely bring itself to say anything constructive or positive about our own country or its democratically elected government?

    So ubiquetous is this malicious propaganda, it makes a mockery of our status as a democratic country, so much so that I personally believe a UDI with follow up ratification plebiscite might well be the more democratic process than a re-run of 2014 with Unionism dominating the media and frantic anti-independence narrative.

    The Scottish media, correction, lets make that the media in Scotland, badly needs to be a much more professional and competent service which does not subvert our democracy. Until that change occurs, then any concept we have about democracy in Scotland is badly compromised. It is not the will of the people, it is the manipulation of the people.

    If we cannot reign in this “foreign” interference in our domestic affairs, then the only option is a UDI, or perhaps the lesser “limited UDI” to assume control over broadcasting. We all know that’s not going to happen.

    If we value democracy, then we should not be inclined to suffer this affront to our democracy which the BBC and its ilk represents. We are much too tolerant of these powerful forces which manipulate our domestic affairs and democratic consultations. How can this not be a crime???

    If we cannot secure a referendum consultation or result which has not been compromised by the media, then we have a big obstacle obstructing democracy which renders the result of any subsequent referendum void by equal and reciprocal measure.

    If we can’t stop the BBC’s propaganda, (nor it would seem even try to), then that puts us into UDI territory. Better for Scotland to have an openly non-democratic event brought about by a popular democratic Government then ratified by democratic constitutional plebiscite, than the “false flag” democratic referendum fatally compromised by monopolised propaganda and misrepresentation of the truth.

    For me, the best option is for the ScotGov to beef up the case for a UDI, make it a very credible option, then use that option as uncompromising leverage to bring the BBC into line; compromise the debate, you compromise the whole referendum and compell us to use the UDI option. Its up to you BBC, but we are not bluffing. Play it straight or we are gone. But ScotGov – back it up. Do it.

  164. Lochside
    Ignored
    says:

    May has confirmed Brexit will happen. But not when.If this is a delaying tactic to get an equivalent deal as the UK presently enjoys it must be unlikely. No-one leaves a club insulting everyone in it and gets to keep all the membership privileges.

    If it is to not trigger Article 50 and crawl back and beg EU to forgive and forget. Then this seems even less likely. Ukip and the right wing of the Tories will contest it judicially and possibly constitutionally.In addition,there will be civil disorder on a scale hitherto unsurpassed in England since the last century.

    Meanwhile Scotland’s government should in meantime being seeking a judgement from the EU officially as to where we stand currently and if England and Wales secede from the Union.

    In the first case, I know the answer. .Scotland goes with the UK , majority or not to stay.Because we are presently a region.The second question is the clincher: my guess is if they confirm what we all want:that Scotland independent stays…then it’s all systems go. But we need that judgement. So are the SNP in the process of doing this?and if not, why not?

  165. Grouse Beater
    Ignored
    says:

    Lochside: “Are the SNP in the process of doing this?”

    My understanding of the process is, Sturgeon and colleagues consult with various European heads, and EU officials to test the water – have they objections to Scotland remaining in EU but with modified conditions based on our needs?

    If a majority affirm, she approaches EU officials to ask we stay when England exists.

    If they say yes, but only as an independent nation again – pretty well certain – Sturgeon has the unarguable raison d’etre to put to the electorate in the next referendum.

    The question remains: how fast can she accomplish consultation?

  166. deewal
    Ignored
    says:

    Breeks at 8.20 am

    That would be my choice too.

  167. Stoker
    Ignored
    says:

    Al, with BOJO’s new appointment, i’ve a feeling you’re about to get extremely busy updating this article. My thoughts are with you! Hope you have a good supply of energy drinks at the ready. Have you contemplated taking on some hired help for the duration?
    🙂

  168. Stephen Paterson
    Ignored
    says:

    Fantastic article. Independence now!

  169. Chris Darroch
    Ignored
    says:

    It’s interesting now…..to watch a superior journalist tread water on this forlorn goal of Scottish independence and fundamentally rehashing stories on old subjects….

    It must be very difficult to simply accept this is practically a lost cause.

    In addition…..we have observed what we all knew would or could likely happen with independence…that Scotland would be subject to a Scottish set of corrupt politicians to replace those in Westminster.

    Yes…we increase the likelihood that we might get a better service from independence…but not at all guaranteed.

    So what is Stuart expecting to achieve here?



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