Quotes of the day
This afternoon we reluctantly watched some of the House Of Commons debate entitled “Scotland’s Place In The UK”, because it’s our job. It was as dispiriting as its arrogant and presumptuous title suggests, and we could bear no more by about a third of the way through and went off to do something less annoying, like thread a muddy needle under a stroboscope while wearing boxing gloves and listening to One Direction.
Nevertheless, we managed to pick out a few choice lines at the time, and a few more from Hansard this evening, with our blood pressure soothed by merely having to read, not watch, Labour, Lib Dem and Tory MPs alike braying and hooting throughout, behaving with a lack of dignity and class that would have shamed a chimp’s tea party.
(Or as Labour’s Willie Bain put it, “the best of the House of Commons”.)
The winner is below.
Mr Jim Hood (Lanark and Hamilton East) (Lab):
“Even if the SNP was right and there was a grand, great thing at the end of the rainbow for the SNP and its debate for independence, I would still be against it.
If the Scottish people are going to be better off economically and so on, I would still be against breaking away from the Union.“
Wow. Scottish Labour in a nutshell, right from the horse’s mouth, readers.
Mr Hood wasn’t quite finished. He closed his speech with a line which was cut short by the Deputy Speaker because Mr Hood’s allotted time was up, which is a pity as we’d have liked to hear the end of it.
“I am fighting against a lying Government now in the Scottish Parliament. In 30 years’ time, when somebody asks what I was doing in 2014 and which side I was on, my grandchildren will be able to say, “He was on the side of Scotland, and he opposed devolution and -“
Wait a minute, he opposed what now? Sadly Mr Hood didn’t get the chance to clarify this potentially significant statement, so we have to disqualify it from runner-up status, which instead goes to one of Mr Hood’s lower-wattage colleagues.
Mr Brian H. Donohoe (Central Ayrshire) (Lab):
“Is it not also the case that the UK has not been invaded by a foreign body for more than 750 years? Surely that in itself demonstrates just how successful the Union has been.”
Um. The UK has existed for 307 years, which alert readers will note is less than half of the time Mr Donohoe cites. It seems fair to say, then, that the lack of a UK invasion by a foreign power may not necessarily be attributable to the Union, given that said UK didn’t exist for the 443 years prior to 1707, and therefore either (a) would have been difficult to invade at all, or (b) did not rely on a union between Scotland and England for its security. Tip-top work, Mr Donohoe, you fat-headed, trough-swilling buffoon.
Alistair Darling, if any of his constituents are wondering, was present in the chamber for once, but remained silent. Perhaps as the chairman of “Better Together”, he was uncomfortable with the notion that someone might be allowed to challenge him.
Vote Yes
Tip-top work, Mr Donohoe, you fat-headed, trough-swilling buffoon.
That’s your chance of a nice little media slot as a respected objective commentator gone then, Stu…. 🙂
Did I type that out loud? Shit!
Darling would of said “I will not allow the SNP destroy my right of privilege into that unelected upper house as it’s not fair, mummy(BBC).”
Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and to remove all doubt.
Hood is my mp McMahon is my Msp , I really must have been a bastard in a previous life
Poor picture of Hood, Rev! He actually looks animated there. Something he nowhere near resembled today!
You lasted far longer than I did. The Lib Dem guy after Hood resulted in me clicking off the BBC page and trying to find out how quickly I could have a gas oven fitted.
Sir Robert Smith: was asked by Mr Mike Weir (SNP):
The hon. Gentleman talks about being part of a larger economy. Norway is not part of a larger economy. Is he suggesting it is not successful with its oil and gas and its general economy
How do they show the tumbleweed that passed as the 50 seconds that passed as he thought of the answer.
What’s with Brian Donohoe’s tent and sad look? Is he a hitherto unknown victim of the bedroom tax or something?
Hood is the MP representing my parents and my birth place. It makes me cringe every time I hear him open his mouth.
However I am grateful for him to speak so plainly about what motivates him above else- preservation of the parties psotion and his nice comfy westminster seat over his constituents.
It will be with great pleasure to see the Scottish people give him and his ilk their P45s in September
Below contempt – have to get away from that place and those Labour idiots.
Completely in cahoots with Tories no doubt about it.
Scotland Come on FFS
No way can we stick around with this lot.
Could not watch such turncoats in action, had to read transcript.
Sadly, I think quite a lot of Labour people genuinely would vote against independence no matter what, no matter if their children and friends would be better off, just to protect their beloved Union, get one over on the SNP, and keep a hold of their Westminster jobs. The epitome of indifference and self-interest.
John grant @ 10:10
Me too. At my last house I had Captain Darling. Now I’ve got Fluffy Mundell.
Vote NO and end Devolution, Labour MPs will make sure of that.
Vote YES and gain a country, the sovereign people of Scotland will make sure of that.
Vote NO and have 4% representation in Westminster (both houses).
Vote YES and have 100% representation in Holyrood (one elected house).
Vote NO and watch Scotland being reduced to regional status.
Vote YES and watch Scotland take to the world stage as a sovereign nation.
Vote NO and never see a referendum again, ever.
Vote YES for choice, change and progress, forever!
The Fear Fatigue Factor is with us.
Just vote YES and it will al be over.
Simples.
“If the Scottish people are going to be better off economically and so on, I would still be against breaking away from the Union.“ Jimmy Hood, SLAB MP.
There you have the quote that says it all about these Jockneys. Are they fighting to remain at Westminster for great principles, convictions, equality, or are they there for the privileges, the perks, and the ultimate reward; an ermine coat in the House of Lords? Not a difficult question to answer. Arise Sir James, for you my son have fucking blown it!…
That’s what you pay 70 grand a year(less three or more months) for, voters of Lanark. Good on you.
All I have to say after that one sided undemocratic sideshow is be sure and vote yes,and be the first to do it on the Great Day.
What this ‘debate’ proved was how no matter how loud Scotland speaks,its voice will never properly be heard.
Mr Jim Hood (Lanark and Hamilton East) (Lab): entered the House of Commons in 1987! He must have thought he had a job as an MP for life, then off to the Lords if he’s kissed the right rings. Its no wonder they are going apeshit as it all comes to end.
To John Grant and Elizabeth – my condolences!
Anytime I hear the contempt shown towards Scotland by members of either Houses of Parliament, it just makes it more and more obvious why we need to get out of this Union.
I think in 30 years time if anyone asks what Jimmy Hood achieved in his time at Westminster the answer would have to be the square root of sweet FA.
“If the Scottish people are going to be better off economically and so on, I would still be against breaking away from the Union.“ Have to say, that’s the heart of Labour in Scotland darkness right there.
I assume we paid for the tent? Unfortunately Donohue (I don’t do hunting’s) is the MP for my little patch. Never seen him around. He does a monthly slot in a Town magazine fed data to repeat by the local Labour councillors. He did struggle for some time with the problem of pigeon shitting on a school roof.
Scotland is the glue that holds the UK together, when we leave the Union others will want to follow.
The best quote of the day? Derek Bateman who mentioned on his latest article that BBC Scotland’s latest listening figures are DOWN by 12%.
Never have so many been fooling so few
Aye watching the debates involving Scottish business is an acquired taste in the HoC or in the other place. Even when prepared for the worst there is always an outrageous outburst which makes you blanche.
Anyhoo QT starting Starkie & Galloway. Flooding! But there will be time to insult Scotland I’m sure.
🙂
I was thinking that that picture of Jimmy Hood was crying out for a caption competition, but quite frankly I can’t think of anything he could say that would be more ridiculous than what he actually said.
Fiona O’Donnell MP of the extravagant claim on the ‘Mindboggling’ thread also made a contribution to today’s debate. It would have brought a tear to a glass eye:
“….I have known since my early years that I was not a nationalist. I remember a conversation on the Fort William primary school minibus. A nationalist girl took out a sweetie paper, tore it in half, and explained to me that this was what happened to Scotland’s wealth. I acknowledge that the nationalist argument has moved on from sweetie papers since then, but what it cannot challenge today—no matter how many White Papers it publishes, however much it uses our civil service for its political ends and however much it seeks to silence those who even dare to ask questions of its case—is the fact that Scotland, as part of the UK, is better placed to do good here at home and around the world.
In a packed Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh this week, the hon. Member for Bradford West (George Galloway) spoke about the difference that Scottish MPs made in this place in stopping military intervention in Syria. In the recent report from the Select Committee on International Development, we can also see the good that we do. I urge the voters in Scotland: do not tear my country apart and do not tear my family apart.”
Fat useless, self serving gobshite! Vote Yes
Rev, I watched most of it, but gave up when I could no longer dismiss a recurring image from my mind – that of Banksy’s Parliament Question Time painting.
BBC Newsnight at 10.30 on about Cameron’s visit and Better Together negative campaigning has moved polls to a 7% Yes / No gap.
Plus informed viewers that polls show SNP on 42% for Euros and UKIP on 7% now that would be a game changer and with the momentum now with the YES campaign we just need to keep our nerve as you ain’t seen nothing yet when it comes to dirty tricks and Tory funded anti Scottish tactics.
Do you know what, if we vote no then I think I’ll stand for election at the next Westminster election in 2015. The basic premise will be this; I’ll say to folk, “Stuff Westminster, I won’t go because it’s a total waste of time, rather, I’ll spend all of my time in the community helping out folk where they need it”
Would dae mair guid.
O/t
Newsnight was on , not sure who was being interviewed by the fab Kirsty Wark , but he thinks the No side are being TOO NEGATIVE ! AND Alistair Darling is maybe not the right person for the job !!! D Cameron is going to speak about it tomorrow !
Has some NO person been reading Wings ?
Yes well, they are fighting for their jobs and privileges I suppose, I’m sure that when these MPs enter the chamber that is the first thing on their minds before they start with the tripe.
One thing though, why is it they always forget the invasion of England of 1688 by William of Orange, who landed ashore with some 15,000 dutch troops? Sure, he was ‘invited’ to invade to take the throne vacated by the ousted James, but he wasn’t taking any chances.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_III_of_England#Invasion_of_England
QT on now but OT BBC advertising their upcoming debates > “People are looking for the truth”.
If carlsberg did irony…
HandandShrimp
Ha Ha!
My calculator can’t handle that, no FA button on it.:-)
Mine is Lyndsay Roy, he’s packing it in. Think he’s found out a bit more about labour than he thought, and the writings on the wall.
I thought they ( the MPs) were there to look out for their constituents and try and provide a better life for them (the constituents).
O no their not they are self serving, vindictive mercenaries with no decent principals.
I think that George and David will spend the night at each other’s throats. I’m not sure we will hear much over how awesome they both are.
“How do they show the tumbleweed that passed as the 50 seconds that passed as he thought of the answer.”
When the video’s up on Democracy Live I’m going to record that bit.
Quislings….sorry, I know I shouldn’t use such terms…but really…
Sky News discussing Cameron’s visit and Torygraph saying Phone a friend to save the Union.
The Donohue quote is the sort of thing you expect from a Rangers fan on a football phone in.I say that because the last time I heard someone with the same ignorance of Scottish history.It was indeed a Rangers fan saying he didn’t support Scotland and we had been the same nation for 800 Years.If Donohue is correct then the battle of Flodden a Scottish invasion of England never took place.But this is what we are up against here.How can we have a debate or serious conversation with someone who hasnt even bothered to do some basic research of their nation of birth.How dare people like this lecture others like us who have the knowledge and understanding of our nation they clearly don’t.Its insulting and embarrassing. Thick is not an overstatement for people like this.
Any one of us one here could do a better job than these overpaid numpties. Seriously.
FFS! It is the David and George show.
“on here”
I have honestly never heard of Jimmy Hood unfortunately do know Donohoe with his fuckin lego heid
unionist clowns true colours are shining through, lets give these trough swillers the boot for good come sept 2014.
#Linda’s back.
Yes I watched Alan? and I have to say he was very balanced. Behind it though was a warning to rUK that there is a real prospect of Independence.I didn’t hear it all but I understand David Cameron is to appeal to Scotland and England tomorrow to save Scotland from from the ‘nationalists’.
As for Jimmy Hood, I put him the same boorish category as John Robertson, Jim Sheridan and Frank Roy – absolute no marks who have no ability. At least Davidson is quick witted even though he thinks along the same lines.
“BBC Scotland’s latest listening figures are DOWN by 12%” and I sometimes check the newsstand headlines at same co-op on way to work and back at teatime, so today the creepy old Mail and Express had “RBS will abandon/quit Scotland if YES wins” full page headline but by teatime hardly any sold. (unless they sell so many they restock, for the balance.)
Compare all that to a wonderful speech made at Westminster by Pete Wishart ! Emotional and stirring and so positive ,
You can see it over on Bella
Wunner whit they are gonnae dae with the empty seats in the chamber when the Slab MP’s are lining up at the job centre
How far would Jimmy take it? ‘I don’t care if the lives our children and grandchildren would be better in an independent Scotland, I would still vote to throw them to a Tory Government in Westminster?’
There is nothing coherent much less moral in this bizarre atavistic internationalism, especially when Labour did absolutely fuck all to roll back Thatcherism when they had three terms to do so.
In a previous life I stayed opposite Dunderheid’s parents, he certainly loved them because he was never away from them, I don’t think he ever worked before or after entering Parliament.
Oh let’s not forget the over claiming of expenses and “seeking time to pay” and I hesitate to mention him wanting the HMRC to let off Rangers on tax
Truly a pretty bland and useless individual
Job centre interview for slab mp’s – qualifications eh lying, duplicitous, ("Quizmaster" - Ed) bastards ! ok boys got some joabs with atos or the tories
That’ll be Labour standing up for Scotland.
What a pair of robbers.
Damn the lack of edit function; that should have been dobbers. 🙁
Robbers fits too, though.
Hood’s contribution (one of a vanishing few in 25 years in the House of Shame) should be thrown in the face of every Proud Scot But from now until the day we get shot of this political ptomaine by voting Yes.
Derek Bateman has done a piece on tonight’s Newsnight (from London at 10.30)
http://derekbateman1.wordpress.com/2014/02/06/i-heard-it-on-the-bbc/
@John Grant
Like yourself Hood is my MP and McMahon is my MSP. I am a bastard in this life so I will thoroughly enjoy working this up Hoods arsehole (sideways) on the doorsteps and in the streets.
Is Jim Hood actually Jackie Baillie in drag?
@Elizabeth 10.40,An that wee nationalist lassy we on to serve at the pick n mix counter of RS McColl,and they say the children are no educated, is that a private school O Donnell went tae,for the political eleat.
I’m not surprised at the Donohoe quote. I worked for UNISON as did Donohoe – although years before I started, but the place still had tales about his incompetence and how they were so glad he got ‘promoted’ to Parliament
What a clown! A great pity he wasn’t allowed to finish. Maybe he would of said, Independence would mean ‘am oot a job and nae cunt would employee me!
Video of the Newsnight critique by Alan Little has been put on Youtube by Peter Curran;
http://moridura.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/david-cameron-panics-wraps-union-jack.html
– scroll down the article
There’s a description of the first Scottish MPs in 1707 and how they were thought of by the English:
To find themselves obscure and unhonoured in the crowd of English society, where they were despised for their poverty, ridiculed for their speech, sneered at for their manners, and ignored in spite of their votes by the ministers and government.
I look at these people ranting about the union and wonder how they’re thought of by English MPs today.
Yeah, listened in and followed the blog on the Guardian.
So after I’d had my stomach pumped I pondered the question which no one answered with any honesty in the commons.
Just what is Scotland’s place in the union?
Servant and piggy bank was the only logical answer I could come up with after that debacle. A partner kept in its place by a shower of braying self serving mendacious donkeys.
They showed their idea of the respect agenda in full flow today and they are going to continue to show the same level of respect and humility all the way to the closing of the ballot.
Mags Curran’s contribution to the debate started as well as could be expected:
Margaret Curran (Glasgow East) (Lab):
Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer and welcome to your position—I mean Madam Deputy Speaker. I was in the Scottish Parliament for 12 years. I apologise to you, Madam Deputy Speaker. Let me start again.
For some reason she didn’t correct all the factual errors and misrepresentations that she made in the rest of her speech.
OMG Sky – Mark Carney needs to make scary speechs to scare the Scots, I cannot believe I actually heard that.
Of course Darling was quiet today, well would you speak up for the barstewards who are just about to sack you?
My prediction for this week, Lamont, Darling and McDougall to be out of job by Easter. I wonder what odds I could get on that?
@Marcia
Ooooo that’ll leave a mark and in front of Kirsty as well. 😀
Newsnight tonight. Maybe Mr Bateman was right.
WOW good old Auntie.
Indy_Scot
You heard right, on Sky News Press Review
they looked at a number of papers featuring the Referendum
and the inane remarks came out
Highlight being the journalist Christina Patterson came out with the idiotic remark about Mark Carney scaring the Scots
Words fail me to understand the ignorance
Newsnight.
Rev just posted it on new thread.
Labour in Lanark and Hamilton still do not get it. They blame the people, consider the SNP vote for Scottish Parliament as a betrayal and cannot consider or attempt to recognise that they have failed the very people that they were supposed to represent.
They are blameless and will not change.
Resignation from Mr. Hood should by rights be demanded and should already be in the post if he had any honour or respect.
William Wallace married in Lanark, lived in Lanark, killed the English Sherrif in Lanark Castle starting the wars of Independence will be birling in his grave.
The man has no sense of self awareness nor honour. The people will be very angry, if any of them ever get to find out about it.
I will try to distribute this as widely as possible.
The Man in the Jar at 11.24
And make sure the Hamilton Advertiser gets a copy
Donohoe really is an idiot. How people like him become politicians I’ll never know. Well, actually I know exactly how – he climbed up the Labour greasy pole and got himself into a nice, safe Labour seat.
He reminds me of Captain Hogwash from the dim and distant past of B&W children’s TV.
The English red rose in the middle of his rosette says all you need to know basically.
That 750 year quote is hilariously nonsensical on multiple counts. The last time the British mainland was invaded was quite recently, really – 1797, by France. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Fishguard
Slightly pedantic point: it wasn’t the UK of course in 1797, it was simply (the Kingdom of) Great Britain. The UK didn’t form for another few years.
@deerokus
Surely we had been the UK for 90 years by then?
Not surprisingly the UK has spent nearly 240 of the past 307 years at war.
“Is it not also the case that the UK has not been invaded by a foreign body for more than 750 years? Surely that in itself demonstrates just how successful the Union has been.” – Mr Brian H. Donohoe (Central Ayrshire) (Lab)
UUUUH UUUUUUUHHHH! (and a big fat ‘X’ Family Fortunes style)
Mr Donohoe …sorry to say, but Britain was invaded during the last 750 years. She was invaded by a Dutch army led by William of Orange.
Now …a quick glance at Wikipedia tells us this…
William brought over 11,212 horse and foot. William’s cavalry and dragoons amounted to 3,660. His artillery train contained 21 24-pounder cannon. Including supply train his force consisted of about 15,000 men. He also brought 20,000 stand of arms to equip his English supporters. The Dutch army was composed mostly of foreign mercenaries; there were Dutch, Scots, English, German, Swiss, and Swedish regiments, even Laplanders as well as “200 Blacks brought from the Plantations of the Netherlands in America”, thus from the colony of Surinam. Many of the mercenaries were Catholic. William had his personal guard regiment with him, the Dutch Blue Guards.
Now, Brian …I don’t know about you …but 30’000 men, armed to the teeth with horse and cannon, plus extra weaponry for all the English sympathisers …marching on London, and TAKING it, seems to me, not just an invasion, but an actual conquest.
Sorry to say, Brian, but you’re hugely wrong on this one, and like most of your Labour colleagues, you are clearly talking out of your backside on this one…
I risked listening to Drive Time yesterday, expecting some spin, and I was not disappointed. This debate was said in the report to have been as passionate as the earlier one in the Lords, when there were impassioned please from both sides.
Hold on, thought I, who debated the pro-independence side in the Lords?
Anyone?
Slightly O/T (ahem!) BAe invest £hundreds of millions in Scotstoun, thus saying that they’re confident of building the UK warship orders there (because the UK Govt is their only customer).
These criminals cost Scotland £10Billion a year.
I watch the Lords debate led by slack-mouthed Lang of Monkton, the same one who avers self-governance is an insult to the dead of the Great War. It was compelling in its awfulness, like a dream in which you witness a train approach friends trapped in a stationary car at a level crossing, seconds to disaster.
The noble lords kept referring to the Scottish National Party and the Scottish National-ist Party.
It was a pitiful mixture of sentimental twaddle and the arrogance of the colonial:
This exemplifies:
“I have land and a house in the Highlands of Scotland which I visit each year. I love Scotland. I really do. Scotland, please stay in the Union, but if you don’t, (pauses to wag finger – tone of voice portentious) be assured you won’t ever be allowed back again!”
Cries of hear, hear, and a gaggle of braying.
In addition to the obvious fallacies already pointed out regarding Donohue’s astounding reinterpretation of the UK’s history, I note that 750 years ago would mean the last invasion in Donohue’s wild fantasy world took place in 1260.
The closest invasion I can think of which takes place in that time period was… the Norse invasion which culminated in the Battle of Largs. Which they lost. To the Scots. With no assistance from the Northern Irish, Welsh, or English.
Absolutely hilarious that he cites this one in particular.
Mr Jim Hood MP is the archetypal career politician. Got his stripes as a councillor before getting elected as a Westminster MP 27 years ago.
He’s symptomatic of a system that takes simultaneous advantage of electoral apathy, tribal clichés & single seat constituencies (first past the post).
That he is inclined to put his personal interests before his constituents is hardly a revelation but it is highly unusual for an MP to broadcast thus.
But at least we know that this Labour politician is determined to retain the union & protect his tax funded lifestyle even if it means his constituents are worse off.
Looks like members from Labour’s 2014 Truth Team are finally coming out of the closet.
Derek Bateman summed it up best: “What an ignorant, backward, smug bunch of Establishment fuckwits”
Never a truer word said – you’d have thought they had gotten scripts, from some slavering foam flecked looney from the daily mail.
During Pete Wishart’s speech (at 13:28:46), unless my ears deceive me, there is a **** off in the background. Disrespectful or what?
Oops! That should say f***
The complete disinterest of most MP’s in ANYTHING to do with Scotland, could not be more obvious. That shot of the chamber, practically empty, with not a single Cabinet member on show, certainly does not gel with Dreary Dave’s Appeal from Mount Olympus.
@call me dave says:6 February, 2014 at 10:38 pm:
“Aye watching the debates involving Scottish business is an acquired taste in the HoC or in the other place. Even when prepared for the worst there is always an outrageous outburst which makes you blanche.”
I had intended to do an edited video for YouTube condensing the insults so it took less time to watch. It helps as the Blood pressure is not high for so long. However, things piled up and life got in the way.
Hopefully I’ll get a little more time shortly. If more people watched the Establishment’s utter contempt for Scotland, heard the insults and jeering then I’m sure there would be a lot more independence supporters in Scotland.
@Dcanmore says:6 February, 2014 at 10:45 pm:
” … One thing though, why is it they always forget the invasion of England of 1688 by William of Orange … “.
Well it could be that as it 1688 the truth was Scotland & England were still independent Kingdoms so the English, ” Glorious Revolution”, couldn’t legally affect Scotland. The effects of that were to make ONLY the three Kingdom of England countries a, “Constitutional Monarchy”. This because the Parliament of England removed the Royal veto over parliament. Remember that they also lie about there being a, “Union of the Crowns”, in 1603 but there was no legal union of crowns then.
Just the same head wearing two independent crowns. So to this day Scotland is NOT part of a Constitutional Monarchy. You cannot be in a constitutional monarchy when the people are legally sovereign. Note that James I & VI was so titled because of that. With a true Union he would have been James I of The United Kingdom.
It also kicked of what Englanders still call the Jacobite Rebellion but Scots could not rebel against a monarch not their own. It was a Jacobite uprising. It was also the reason for the Treaty of Union for if the Union of the Crowns had united the Kingdoms there would have been no need for a Treaty of Union.
Then again they do not want to remind us of the manner of the Kingdom of England’s underhanded actions and threats of military invasion, bribery and threats used to force the Scots into the Union.
Thing is, Dcanmore, their strategy has worked for just how many Scots know their history? How many know that William Patterson, A London Scot started the Bank of England, started the doomed expedition to Darien that bankrupted the Scottish wealthy landowners and was a close friend of Daniel Defoe, the author, and English undercover agent who was doing the spadework to bribe the Scottish Landowners and parliamentarians.
The keep quiet about all that as it would cause much more resentment in Scotland if the true history was told.
@faolie says:6 February, 2014 at 11:39 pm:
“I look at these people ranting about the union and wonder how they’re thought of by English MPs today.”
Spending all my working life as an industrial Civil Servant with the Admiralty I always found it highly amusing when Englanders from diverse areas of England disparaged us for our accents. Cockneys, Scousers, Westos, Geordies, and old Uncle Tom CobLeigh and all, with English accents, (and intellects), as thick as the proverbial shit in the narrow neck of a bottle. Laughing at perfectly good English with nothing more than a Scottish Accent.
Believe me if I had spoken, “wir ain guid Lallans Leid wi a puckle o Lothian’s tune”, they would not have recognized it as any kind of English. Laughable, though, that these numpties were so stupid as to deride the Scots speaking good English, while they were speaking their own local slang really was comical.