Some things you should know
Just a wee round-up.
“Plan for Ukip ‘vote swap’ with Tories to to keep Miliband out of No. 10
We’re going to assume they mean “marginal” and “constituencies” there. (Even the Telegraph can’t afford sub-editors now?) But hey, it’s a comforting thought, right?
Even Tory voters aren’t buying Michael Gove’s cobblers about WW1:
Sounds like a cue for a massive £50m celebration!
Tell us something we didn’t know.
Gordon Brown claims that were the SNP to win control of Fife Council, they’d close down the naval base at Rosyth:
“‘We know that the future of Rosyth depends not only on having a Labour administration in Fife, but having us as part of the UK,’ he said.”
He really said that. We haven’t made it up.
We tweeted that one a day or two back and it’s done the rounds, but it’s worth keeping on the record. What it essentially means is that thanks to Norway’s foresight in setting up an oil fund when they discovered the riches under the North Sea – unlike the UK government – every man, woman and child in the small Nordic nation effectively now has a £100,000 nest-egg invested for their future and growing fast.
By contrast, thanks to Westminster decisions every man woman in child in Scotland is effectively almost £20,000 in debt on top of any personal borrowing they have.
Making school meals free significantly increases the uptake among poor children who are entitled, but don’t claim that entitlement due to the stigma.
When Labour and the Tories say Scotland’s been given £300m of “extra” money by the UK government, so they can afford to pay for more childcare, what they actually mean is a slightly smaller reduction.
If we vote Yes in September, the entire world order will collapse.
Armageddon!
The MOST IMPORTANT thing in the minds of UK voters today is that we should stop immigrants claiming benefits for two years after they come to Britain. The MOST IMPORTANT thing.
Right, that’s our browser tabs pruned to a more acceptable number. UK OK!
Lord Bobo – What a patriot (Just not a Scottish one) > Scotland threatens US (outbreak of war awaits?)
Hey Rev – did you see the Times front page today ‘hammering’ Salmond for his flawed plans over school meals.
Reason = Salmonds school meal plans flawed & unworkable as they do not include provison for Private Fee paying schools.
Who knew the needy went to fee paying Schools ??
In fairness, a lot of poor kids get foundation places at Edinburgh’s fee-paying schools. Watson’s and Heriot’s both have quite a lot of free places on offer.
Wow, that Policy Knock-out final round is like a battle between good and evil, and evil triumphs. “Will we go for the nice policy, making sure the elderly don’t suffer? Nah, bugger it – GET THOSE BLOODY IMMIGRANTS!”
And this Balkanisation pish that Robertson keeps coming out with is reprehensible. Their problems were based on ethnic differences. There will be no wars here over independence any more than there was after the break-up of Czechoslovakia. I certainly can’t see Scotland trying to declare war on England, so what’s he saying, we should stay in the union because England will declare war on us if we don’t? What a chump.
I HAD hoped Stewart Hosie had put him in his box once and for all at the Dundee Uni debate and that would be the last we’d hear from him. Oh well.
Nice to see the Norway Quote, glad to see I did something right, this time, LOL!
Gordoz, some poor kids do attend private schools on a bursary. It’s part of their wider commitment to the local area to support less well off children with financial aid.
I know.
Labour have been praying for a UKIP split in the Tory vote. I have said all along that is never going to happen.
Labour will be trounced at the next UK GE and if we have voted ‘No’ before that, I can only imagine the fallout for Scotland.
Retraction – due to vast numbers of needy kids attending private Schools in Scotland – apologies.
Right lets hammer Salmond then Rev; got that wrong clearly it seems Times was right.
Nice to know that the savior of the World Brown still resides in La La land
“Even Tory voters aren’t buying Michael Gove’s cobblers about WW1″
Looks like the unionists’ plans are becoming a little unstuck. All it needs is for us to mention the true facts about other Independent countries roles in the first world war, not just England’s…sorry Britain…ach you know what I mean.
link to dailymail.co.uk
No doubt they’re playing down the Anzacs role in WW1 to play up the brotherly love of England & Scotland.
link to ca.news.yahoo.com
Between the lack of immigration to Scotland highlighted in your last piece, and the possibility of a no vote followed by Westminster weilding the sword to the Scottish budget, Scots might actually become an endangered species.
All I can say is remember the Passenger Pigeon.
Private schools have no problem raising funds, being registered charities and all. A few years ago I was shocked (and I’m still shocked) to see one of the Heriots rugby teams packing shopping bags at Cameron Toll shopping centre for donations – so that they could send themselves on a rugby tour to Malaysia – and auld folk on meagre state pensions were being morally obliged to give them money. They have no shame, these ‘charities’.
on private schools – wider commitment to the local area my arse – it’s part of their pretence to the charity regulators of doing public good so that the taxpayers contribute to their profits
I have a feeling that the WW1 jamboree will backfire spectacularly on the Britnat warmongers.
After three weeks in Cuba (not holiday resorts), catching up on home politics, I can safely say – in an as in-depth way as jet lag will allow;
Our politics are shite.
Our way of life is shite.
We need to escape the UK and rabid capitalism asap.
Just for info, the only reason the Private schools offer places to the rest of us is to maintain their charitable status. I for one would hope that we can get rid of that particular abomination in an Independent Scotland.
Private schools are businesses. They should be treated as such, not as charities.
Just been told pensioners in England get £300 heating allowance whilst Scots only get £200.
Anyone else heard about this?
As charities, these schools are entitled to a mandatory 80% relief from business rates with the other 20% being discretionary on the part of the local authority.
Its a reduction in tax take that obviously is made up for by other business ratepayers.
@Atypical_Scot
A Trainspotting moment?
On the Tory/UKIP front. Yesterdays council by-election at Haversham East.
council election :Haverhill East
UKIP 54.0% (+54.0)
LAB 24.5% (-12.7)
CON 16.0% (-31.9)
LD 5.5% (-9.4)
link to englishelections.org.uk
By by Nick.
@Deewal
Aye – Better Together right enough
The Man in the Jar
Aye.
O/T but yet another thing to consider re Labour vote against school meals at it benefits the rich. I noticed Glasgow City Council are delighted to announce free evening parking in the town centre until Feb. As far as I’m aware, this is not simply GCC making their parking free by waving fees but paying thousand of pounds to private parking companies (their cronies). Can the cost to the taxpayer be obtained somewhere?
In truth after you read the exerts of “Scotlnd’s Claim”, it is not hard to see just why our population has not grown anywhere near it should. Life here was made so difficult for Scots to stay here, part of a Grand plan of de populating our Country.
Laws imposed and taxes imposed at every level, our revenue going to London and grudgingly getting scant back. One might call it partial genocide by way of sneakier impositions and the “could not care less “attitude of Westminster over centuries. Then there was the Highland Clearances, which may be viewed as full genocide.
Westminster has broken very many of the agreements of the Union, you have to ask, just why we are still in it. Legally we must have had a way out.Thank god we now have at least a chance to escape the institutions in London that care not a tosser about us. They do of course still want us so they can keep robbing us blind, and they will go all out not to lose us for that reason, not for any love of Scots. We need to wake up and smell the coffee.
Heres’s one… what if?… just what if UKIP win the next GE outright?
…that’s not such a crazy thought, as the English are really fed up with both the usual culprits and they are looking at Scotland and seeing the SNP and thinking that they can have that too… only UKIP is no SNP, but didn’t need to say that.
Just a thought.
#SquareHaggis..Winter fuel Allowance is £200 for pensioners under 80 and £300 for those over 80..other conditions apply but these are UK wide.
@Famous 15
Apreciated, just checked that out.
Note to self; research b4 posting ;-(
That Havehill East by-election result is an eye-opener for the Tories, Labtories and LibDemtories in England. Ok it is only a by-election, but it seems to be following the UKIP trend south of the border, and will be causing consternation among the three main Unionist parties. On that subject, it reminded me of an amusing comment I once read about the lobby fodder MPs in Westminster, “A shiver ran along the benches, looking for a spine to run up!”
@Nation Libre.
Something stinks there.
Glasgow Labour is well known for its links to the ‘security’ business. Is this something similar?
Rev am I on moderation?
“Rev am I on moderation?”
CITE tags.
CITE TAGS CITE TAGS CITE TAGS.
The “Crown”, nice name for a currency.
The “Scottish Crown”, nice name for a Scottish currency.
Regarding the YouGov ‘It’s a Neoliberal Knockout’ competition result, the Westminster-Whitehall bubble dwellers are still going after oldies anyway, in England at least. Bigots are masters, after all, of multi-tasking prejudices.
Now that we’re all used to stories about the unaffordability of pensions (with even the DWP renaming itself to bring special attention to the word ‘pensions’), look out for forthcoming news media stories about the unaffordability of healthcare for our increasing elderly population.
New NHS drugs policy could see elderly denied treatment
link to independent.co.uk
ps
The Westminster Government is now referring to social security benefits in its own literature as “welfare handouts” –
link to gov.uk
Andy Wightman in his book ‘The Poor Had No Lawyers: Who Owns Scotland (And How They Got It)’ (2011) has a wee bit to say about the private schools of Edinburgh (p82-3). He refers to school provision in the area as “educational apartheid”.
I haven’t checked but someone claimed the Edinburgh area has the highest concentration of private schools in the UK.
@Teechur:
The private schools also give scholarships to clever kids to keep the exam success rates up. Poor kids have to be REALLY clever to get in.
@ gordoz
I don’t think I’m part of a biblical plague, but there are one or two of us urchins who were given a philanthropic leg up.
The Times correct? Debatable!
You may have come across this already, but for those who missed it, a lady called Morag, frae Dundee, launched a spectacularly scathing attack on the WW1 “celebrations” on Kay with an ‘e’ this morning.
link to bbc.co.uk
If you have a few minutes spare, start around 50 minutes to get the background, though you’ll be losing the will to live very quickly, but it’s well worth it as Morag comes in at 56 minutes, very powerful, and I enjoyed it immensely. Go Morag!
@ Stuart Black
You’re so last thread.
I would loved to have seen their faces in the recording studio.
Rev –
Serious suggestion, before this cite-tags/double-spacing stuff drives you insane – there will always be newbies who aren’t aware (it took us regulars long enough to work it out) so it’s going to keep happening and your ticker may not take the strain indefinitely.
Would it help to customise the comment box itself so that it contains a permanent reminder?
“Would it help to customise the comment box itself so that it contains a permanent reminder?”
It would, but I haven’t found a way to.
Ah CameronB, story of my life!
While we are discussing comments. I posted the above Youtube (Trainspotting) link, refreshed the page and there was a link. I came back half an hour later and it is embedded? I know that the Rev prefers links but “Not guilty m`lord”
“I posted the above Youtube (Trainspotting) link, refreshed the page and there was a link. I came back half an hour later and it is embedded?”
Not a clue. Haven’t changed anything on that comment.
Re Cite tags.
I don’t know what they are, and I’m scared in case I ever see one. They sound like right scary bastards.
I think i’ll just stick to the odd simple post.
Fair enough, but I don’t think I’ve made a post with Cite Tags since the first few days when I was a newbie. Seriously all I normally do now is cut and past the posters name who I want to address, so not quite sure how this one slipped in.
“Seriously all I normally do now is cut and past the posters name who I want to address”
THAT’S HOW YOU TRIGGER A BLOODY CITE TAG!
@Rev –
There must be someone here who knows how to do it.
“There must be someone here who knows how to do it.”
I figured it out! Took some scary messing around with permissions at the FTP end, but it’s done now. So NO EXCUSES.
Juteman well is was your post I was replying to, weird?
I’d assumed it was putting in paragraph breaks automatically whenever I pressed the Enter key, since the comment box seems to jump down two lines rather than one when I do that.
I’ve got no idea what a Cite tag is. I certainly haven’t been putting them in on purpose if I have been putting them in at all.
Just thought I’d mention that, by way of apology, since my last post seems to have disappeared. Not trying to be annoying or anything…
@Rev –
Well done that man. (And besides, ‘Rules’ is a good read anyway.)
Today in the Torygraph you might be unsurprised to learn there’s an article based on Lamont’s assertion at First Ministers Question’s that the white paper does not account for the crash of 2007 and if it did it would show that Scots would be £2,500 worse off if we had been independent. Well this is gold for gullible folk who would rather believe we are too poor. Does anyone have the the inside track on this? Where did Lamont’s figures come from?
link to express.co.uk
I’ve also posted a link Rev.,that changed to an embedded video. Such is life. I wouldn’t worry about it too much.
“I’ve also posted a link Rev.,that changed to an embedded video”
The trick is generally NOT to include the “http://” part. Then it should stay as a link. I’m just weirded out by it changing by itself.
I didn’t, but neither did it (stay as a link). I didn’t think it was worth bothering you about at the time. Not that you are a bother MitJ.
We’re going to assume they mean “marginal” and “constituencies” there. (Even the Telegraph can’t afford sub-editors now?) But hey, it’s a comforting thought, right?
So how come it can pay the inflated salaries of dim reporters like Cramb, Cochrane, Johnston.
O/T. Our team in North Lanarkshire now has a delivery of 40,000 Yes Scotland newspapers 2nd edition. The team starts letterboxing these tomorrow.
I will fight with every fibre of my body for Scottish independence. The footwork, the shoeleather, and whatever else it takes, goddammnit!
@Ghengis D’Midgies Seems the Office of National Statistics is the guilty part here
newsnetscotland.com/index.php/scottish-economy/8558-ons-gaffe-could-have-had-severe-implications-for-the-independence-referendum
Just have the headache relievers ready
No doubt they’re playing down the Anzacs role in WW1 to play up the brotherly love of England & Scotland.
No. They are playing down white Commonwealth participation because there was too much death involved there. But they are exaggerating the brown and black contribution for the usual politically correct reasons. Also they think it might be a vote winner in Leicester and Luton. Some hopes.
Just used the above link to listen to Morag on iplayer. Said with feeling and i’m sure a lot of folk will agree. Always the image of young men volunteering comes up,but Morag reminds us that there were conscripts who didn’t volunteer. Well said.
@Nation Libre,
GCC did that free parking a couple of Christmases ago but didn’t bother advertising. A cynic might suggest that it was a simple way to shovel cash to the arms length organisation which now runs the car parks.
At Wee Folding Bike. I know, I thought initially it was a good idea and maybe it was ‘cooncil parking’ where they waved the fees. As it turned out, they paid the parking fees to private firms (mates) not on a usage basis but on a flat fee. It was thousands for just a couple of nights free parking. This time it’s running for weeks. Anyone any info?
(Just went back and removed my double spaces, phew)
Good for Morag from Dundee on Kay Adams’ show getting to the heart of the matter regarding the celebrations of the start of WW1. It’s incredible – they are celebrating the start of an effing war!
I listened to Morag and was quite moved. My wife and I visited Ypres and Arras last year. Her great uncle was a Runner who died at Mettren. I was gobsmacked by the slope at Paschendaele that allied forces walked up. the Menin Gate and the memorial at Paschendaele were shocking for different reasons, the former because of the number of dead, the latter because of the Pals groupings. The idea of celebrating the start of that war is just sickening. as Morag suggested it is probably more about Britishness than anything else (And selectively about empire)
Re the ‘free parking’ in 2011 it was to ALEOs (jobs for mates & cronies) but hardly a good way to spend public funds. link to newsnetscotland.com
Depressing to have Gordon Brown and Alex Rowley both polluting my bit of Fife. Both flexing their muscles, one to climb up the political greasy pole and the other to remind us he is an ex-politician but still able to do Scotland down.
Apparently he repeats his great idea from some months ago at his ill fated labour against independence launch, no one should believe him.
link to archive.is
It does not matter what any Unionist says I do not believe a word of it. It is their mantra to pay homage to Westminster, for whatever reasons they have. They all speak the same rubbish and do what their Lords tell them to do. Just like lemmings going over a cliff, in this case I say let it happen. ( not if it were the furry lemmings though, only the Yellow ones !)
I listened to Morag fae Dundee. My God that is one formidable woman. Respect.
Unlike her, none of my large extended family was lost in WW1. (I lost a cousin in WW2 in the RAF.) Seems likely it was an advantage of them being a Motherwell steelworking family. Reserved occupation.
@gerry parker, I would prefer the Unicorn to the Crown as the name for a Scottish currency. How cool would it be to be paid in Unicorns?
The original Unicorn was a Scottish gold coin worth in the region of 20 shillings, so it would actually make a pretty good replacement for the pound. I think it would attract a lot of interest in the currency. I can imagine the jokes against it too of course, but it seems to me in my ignorance that the positives would be greater.
Can’t speak for now, but when I was at Heriot’s, the only ‘scholarships’ were Foundationers – those who had lost a parent, so the family had compromised income. They made up a significant group – but of course that might have changed a long time ago. The fees at the time were pretty extortionate, so (regardless of what may be left of the original bequest) I’m pretty sure that they have zero problem paying the bills these days…
Scotland meets the conditions, and if negotiations were favourable. (it depends on the contribution) Scotlabd would be better joining the Euro. It would cut costs and red tape for business. Nearest, biggest (440 million pop ) markets etc. The $ and the £ are in world decline. The £/$ have lost value against the Euro because of quantitive easing (printing) money. Destabilising the world currency/economy.
Asia/China etc are now buying Gold for reserves not investing in Western economy. The devaluing currencies will mean China/SA etc will not get back promised interest on investments in Western gov bonds. UK/US will default on debt/loans. UK Treasury is borrowing money at 2.5% and lending it at 1%. How long can that go on?
Just an update for anyone interested in my previous comment.
After it went viral yesterday on Twitter, the government has since quietly edited out the phrase “welfare handouts” from its offending online webpage. I wish I had captured the original version for posterity using archive.is –
Benefits capped for 33,000 households
link to gov.uk