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Wings Over Scotland


The other kind of soaring

Posted on March 21, 2016 by

Even by the low, low normal arithmetical standards of the Scottish media, yesterday’s Scottish Sunday Express humiliated itself with the most stupendously factually wrong articles we’ve seen in a newspaper for some time.

expresssoar

James Kelly on Scot Goes Pop! has already eviscerated its comically inept bumbling in detail, but we thought we’d just quickly give you a visual version.

The annual Scottish Social Attitudes Survey, on which the Express’ story is based, has for a variety of reasons historically always found an extremely low level of support for independence – in 2013, for example, it recorded a figure of just 23%, just 18 months before an actual referendum vote of almost exactly twice that.

The latest set of stats in fact show, by a dramatic margin, the HIGHEST support for independence ever found by the SSAS. Measuring like-for-like numbers, backing for independence rose by six points to 39%, easily beating the previous highs of 35% (in 2005) and 32% (2004 and 2011).

Support for the Union, meanwhile (measured as a combination of votes for devolution and Scotland being entirely run by Westminster, with the Scottish Parliament totally abolished), came in at 54% – the LOWEST ever tracked by SSAS, down four points on the previous all-time low of 58% (unsurprisingly, also 2005).

We’ve crudely added this year’s figures onto the end of this graph by What Scotland Thinks. (The top chart is with Don’t Knows included, the bottom chart without.)

ssasgraph

We already know that the SSAS figures are a terrible guide to how Scotland would actually vote in a binary-choice referendum. But whichever way you slice them, this year’s numbers are great news for the Yes movement.

Independence support is the highest ever, support for the Union the lowest ever. The closest gap previously recorded by the SSAS – more than a decade ago – was 23 points and as recently as 2012 it was 49 points. This year it’s just 15.

Here’s a close-up of the last five years:

expresscloseup

And here’s a graph of the size of the Union’s lead since records began:

unionlead

We’ll drop the Express a line and offer to explain how numbers work to them really, really slowly. And if we’ve got time, we’ll also leave their dictionary open at “soars”.

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  1. 21 03 16 12:43

    The other kind of soaring | Speymouth
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  2. 22 03 16 20:11

    Patience is a virtue (definitely) part 2 « Wee Ginger Dug
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  3. 25 03 16 16:40

    Patience is a virtue (definitely) part 2 | Speymouth
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164 to “The other kind of soaring”

  1. bobajock
    Ignored
    says:

    ROFL – its not sad, its funny. The 5 year olds that work at these ‘News’papers must have been drinking too much irn-bru.

  2. katherine hamilton
    Ignored
    says:

    I hope this continues to lull them into a sense of false confidence. If they continue to fantasise about the direction of travel in Scotland, so much the better. Come May it’ll bite them on the bum.
    Then they’ll be all what happened, what happened, where’s Ruthie, what happened?

  3. Vronsky
    Ignored
    says:

    Duh. They’re not trying to report support for independence, they’re trying to influence it. Most people only read the headline, so this is clever stuff. Unscrupulous, but clever.

  4. Stoker
    Ignored
    says:

    Careful, Rev, you’ll be accused of providing porn-o-graph-ic wet dreams for some folk and nightmares for others.

  5. Grouse Beater
    Ignored
    says:

    When paid to keep a nation humble why would you tell the population the truth?

  6. Macart
    Ignored
    says:

    ROFLMAO! 😀

    By any standard,that’s a howler on the part of the Express.

  7. Roboscot
    Ignored
    says:

    It’s not stupidity, it’s mendacity. Stupidity is more honourable and attractive. In that long-held British democratic tradition, the unionists count the ‘Don’t Knows’ as being against independence.

  8. Giving Goose
    Ignored
    says:

    This piece from the Express just helps to reinforce the view that the MSM is only there to peddle propaganda on behalf of the London Establishment.

    From a purely practicle commercial point of view it doesn’t make sense in this mass information, social networked world, to publish crap. Which view reinforces the conclusion that commercial growth and viability is not the desired outcome for the Express in Scotland.

    The Express is a propaganda sheet best used to wipe your arse.

  9. hamish
    Ignored
    says:

    Two kinds of beast soar – eagles and shit-hawks. Which is the “Express” ?

  10. Dr Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    It is true to say these papers attempt to influence the debate rather than inform and in the not too distant past it has worked quite successfully but since the Referendum the mood is changing because folk know they have been lied to by the newspapers and the state media and they don’t like it

    It’s not a rush, it’s a lava like inexorably forward moving force the media and the Yoons can’t cope with and because they have no other strategy they keep using the old one which is doomed to failure because more and more people have worked that one out

    In very short order all the school kids who didn’t get a vote in the Referendum will make their choice and the graphs are going to show something very different
    And then all the newspapers will say they were for it all the time, because that’s just the kind of lie that will work won’t it (that’s after they tell us we’re all going to die again)

    Project Shite has become project comical

  11. East Neuker
    Ignored
    says:

    Vronsky at 1157 says-
    “They’re not trying to report supports for independence, they’re trying to influence it.”

    I agree. Uncommitted waverers can be carried along by a positive upsurge of support and positivity, and discouraged to the extent of not voting through apathy when a cause seems to be on the slide.

    We need those votes, now and at the next Indyref, so we must keep up the challenge to this kind of nonsense however much we may despise it.

    Keep up the good work, Rev.

  12. Dr Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    Remember, these are the people at the time of devolution who counted dead folk as NO voters and people who didn’t vote we’re definitely NO as well

    If memory serves they were for the Australian compulsory voting system as well (big fan of Australia) but….

    Compulsory Democracy? Two words that don’t go together really

  13. proudscot
    Ignored
    says:

    I’m actually surprised said Sunday Express was able to print anything other than their usual several pages spread of breathless tittle-tattle about their revered Royal Family. Accompanied of course by oodles of wonderful pictures of Queenie cutting a ribbon somewhere, and the latest heir and spare doing what most toddlers and infants do, when not sticking their fingers in plug sockets or filling their nappies!

  14. G H Graham
    Ignored
    says:

    Stu, any estimate then for the correlation between these numbers & the actual independence vote as well as any other “RELIABLE” surveys going back in time?

    That way, we might also demonstrate how close we are to a possible independence “win” should a referendum be held say, today or tomorrow.

    Preferably in the afternoon though, as I’m getting my hair cut at 11.

  15. Dan Huil
    Ignored
    says:

    That’ll be the Express with its crusading knight [top of front-page] expressing the “sword of truth and trusty shield of fair play”.

  16. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    Bloody hell, can British propaganda get any more extreme? They did actually win 2014.

  17. Rev. Stuart Campbell
    Ignored
    says:

    “Stu, any estimate then for the correlation between these numbers & the actual independence vote as well as any other “RELIABLE” surveys going back in time?”

    You can see the numbers as well as I can. The SSAS figure for Yes in 2014 was 33%. The actual vote was a third higher than that. Add a third to 39% and you get 52%.

    (It’s actually 39.3% rounded down, so 53%.)

  18. chasanderson200
    Ignored
    says:

    I noticed that headline, knew it was utter
    s***e and went straight to the counter to pick up the copy of The National that,the nice staff in my local Co-op keep for me. Absolutely no reason to give it more thought, read it, or let it spoil my day – it’s the express ffs!!! renowned for political and numerical fiction.

  19. HandandShrimp
    Ignored
    says:

    The Express needs to limit its journalism to forecasting Snowmageddon every other month and “Sphinx found on Mars”.

    Anything as serious (or sane) as statistical analysis is well beyond them. Any fule knows that you compare trends in series. What the Express has done is either an exercise in rank incompetence or downright dishonesty (or both).

  20. Patrick Roden
    Ignored
    says:

    The brilliant thing about this is that when papers like the Express print this headline it gets the people who read it talking about the issue.

    One scenario I would use is imagine you are a soft yoon, and you walk into the factory/office/pub and you spot a Yes mate, bloody hell mate you guys aren’t doing so well eh? support for the union up to 58%!

    So the Yes worker & Wings reader looks into it.

    The end result is two-fold for the yoon:

    1. he/she is left looking stupid.
    2. they lose any confidence they may have had in the MSM.

    Little by little the people of Scotland are no longer believing anything they read or see/hear from our media.

  21. Inverclyder
    Ignored
    says:

    Oh the humanity! What would Diana think?

    Sottish Sunday Express Circulation figures March 2016….

    2014 28,573
    2015 25,222

    Down 11.8%

    http://dailybusinessgroup.co.uk/2015/04/national-newspaper-sales-still-falling/

    Going by that they should be down to around 22000 angry royalists!

  22. Clootie
    Ignored
    says:

    If the devolution option is taken off the table how would their votes split?
    Unlike this rag I do not assume that these voters will go 100 percent towards “NO!”

    What it does highlight is the total panic in the unionist camp

  23. Del
    Ignored
    says:

    From the Daily Express, the paper that brings you stories about cataclysmic weather, meteors about to destroy the earth, aliens and martians ….
    Not even Daily Express readers believe the crap they print. See their online comments.
    Looks like they’ve borrowed Jackie Baillie’s abacus.

  24. liz
    Ignored
    says:

    Thanks Rev for reviewing this saw the headline yesterday and even though I though it would be crap, my heart did sink a little.

    What this might do is cool the jets of those indy folk demanding indyref2 now!

  25. G H Graham
    Ignored
    says:

    Stu, thanks. I’m on a cocktail of pharmaceuticals today so the brain isn’t as sharp as it should be.

    So in summary then, if a Scottish independence referendum was held tomorrow, based upon these numbers, YES would win by 53% vs. 47% for the NO vote.

    Perhaps the Sunday Express could print a full page story about that prediction next Sunday?

    Strictly for editorial balance reasons of course.

  26. scunner
    Ignored
    says:

    Spotted it in Asda yesterday, thought to myself “I smell shite” and took a look at the in-laws copy later (bought for the Suduko apparently).

    It’s targeted at the uninformed and those not on social media/internet. Straightforward disinformation piece and there’ll be no correction/retraction. It will have done its job for misinformed Yoons.

    Next story in they were back fawning over the Royal Family, having a go at further education in Scotland, some filler piece about a minor Windsor about to attend Edinburgh Uni “despite what the SNP have done to the sector” (Paraphrasing there). Total guff.

  27. Peter McCulloch
    Ignored
    says:

    I still run into some people who claim the yes vote was lower than it was and that the no vote in the indy referendum was 70plus percent, they include in that calculation are those who didn’t vote.

    So should any of us be surprised that a Tory/UK supporting rag should try and perpetuate this myth that support for the union is increasing

  28. bjsalba
    Ignored
    says:

    O/T If you think the Express is bad, take a look at the article in the National today by Kevin McKenna – and that is in a newspaper that supposedly supports Independence.

    Mr McKenna has dredged up every misreported misleading story from the MSM and added a cauldron full of his own bile.

    All that did was remind me that Danny Alexander was Secretary of the Treasury in the Tory/LibDem coalition when they decided to whack Scotland’s Police and Fire Services with VAT, when these organizations are Tax Exempt in the rest of the UK.

  29. call me dave
    Ignored
    says:

    Caught the headline and had a senior moment there…but I see it’s SNAFU as usual. 🙂

    PS:
    Are you going…eh?

    Tickets for the event cost £150 and 10,000 guests will sit down at tables on the famous London thoroughfare with their hampers.

    https://archive.is/qZ2kD

    PPS:

    Torrance, now without his beard, wrestles with the IDS affair.

    https://archive.is/7AUwl

  30. Peter McCulloch
    Ignored
    says:

    Sorry it should have said Tory/UKIP

    @bjsalba
    He’s also in the Guardian with his opinion piece
    Fear the Scottish Nationalists?
    Then join the resistance

    I don’t know why the National allows him a column in the newspaer

  31. Andrew Haddow
    Ignored
    says:

    “Remember, these are the people at the time of devolution who counted dead folk as NO voters and people who didn’t vote we’re definitely NO as well”

    Even some Yes voters were counted as No, if they happened to be students registered at two addresses. No voting students, on the other hand, were counted double.

  32. HandandShrimp
    Ignored
    says:

    Peter

    To be fair to Kevin the Guardian article is ripping the pish out of those who “fear” the SNP (like Alan Cochrane). The comments of annoyance below the line are coming from the Unionists not the indy supporters.

  33. Peter McCulloch
    Ignored
    says:

    @HandandShrimp

    I’ll take your word for it, I only read the headline I know that is a mistake, because the headline is usually different from the contents of the article.

  34. Stoker
    Ignored
    says:

    Dr Jim wrote:
    “Compulsory Democracy? Two words that don’t go together really”

    Anyone who lives under the reign of an unelected monarchy cannot claim to live in a true democracy, fact!
    __________

    Anyone else receive a letter today, through the post, campaigning for EU exit – “LEAVE.EU”? Apparently it’s from a Peter.K.Hargreaves and is being promoted by Elizabeth Bilney, on behalf of Leave.EU Group Limited trading as Leave.EU and Better for the Country Limited, Lysander House, Catbrain Lane, Cribbs Causeway, Bristol, BS10 7TQ.

    And there really is a “Catbrain Lane” in Bristol, i checked!
    I’ll post the content of the letter after my lunch.

  35. Chic McGregor
    Ignored
    says:

    Last time I checked, admittedly a couple of years aga, the SSAS questions on indy:

    If my memory serves me correctly it had multiple consitutional options.

    The indy options:

    One had both Europe and ‘separate’ in the wordage.
    Both known bogie words.
    The other had outside Europe.
    There was no option for those who thought “I am pro indy but undecided on Europe so I can’t answer either”

    The Devo option included ‘tax raising powers’ which kind of hinted at a form of DevoMax.

    Don’t know if they have changed it but it was like that for years.

  36. HandandShrimp
    Ignored
    says:

    Peter it was an exercise in mocking Project Fear as a letter written by a shadowy Unionist group prior to the vote. It started…..

    In the event of Armageddon occurring on 18 September, I thought it wise to outline a response that may, in time, come to provide a broad framework for a resistance strategy. I have included a candle inside the letter because, as we all know, there is a very good chance that Scotland’s electricity will have been cut off as you are reading this.

    Comment below the line from a Labour supporter

    You are part of the problem, Kevin.

    🙂

  37. Donald Anderson
    Ignored
    says:

    I know you are joking about writing to the Daily Suppress. They don’t even pay lip service to the press complaints kid on thingy.

    As for Brit Nat Labour MSP, Jim Kelly, I have seen the kid oan “Yes” person always on Facebook attacking the SNP, Saying they would vote for him rather than some unspecified reason they have for hating the local SNP candidate.

  38. Big Jock
    Ignored
    says:

    The principal is to misinform in order to generate fear of conformity with peers. So in other words if nonone else is voting for independence , then soft indi supporters will fall in line. Except the truth is indi support is around about 48% and it’s fairly solid unwavering support. They are only deluding themselves. Proper journalism left the MSM after the SNP won a majority in 2007. It’s the establishment versus the SNP. Slabour and Tory are the establishment.

  39. mike cassidy
    Ignored
    says:

    McKenna wrote a ‘serious’ article for The Nationalist – which is a poorly disguised SNPBAD piece

    http://www.thenational.scot/comment/kevin-mckenna-its-time-for-some-real-scrutiny-of-our-police.15297

    McKenna wrote a ‘satirical’ article for The Guardian mocking the sort of attitude he manifests in his Nationalist piece.

    Oh, and it is about as funny as a fire in an orphanage.

    http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/mar/19/scottish-independence-nationalists-unionists-nicola-sturgeon

  40. Jack Murphy
    Ignored
    says:

    Remind me again which democratically elected Party wields such power UK wide?

    Jings—-it’s only one man with ONE VOTE frae North London.

    “Richard Clive Desmond (born 8 December 1951) is an English publisher and businessman. He is the owner of Express Newspapers and founder of Northern & Shell, which publishes various celebrity magazines, such as OK! and New!, and British national newspapers Daily Star and Daily Express”. [Wikipedia]

  41. Almannysbunnet
    Ignored
    says:

    Michael Fallon, Secretary of State for defence, was just asked if they would run the EU in out referendum the same as the Scottish referendum. “No this one will be more facts based”. C*nt!

  42. Robert Graham
    Ignored
    says:

    Oh well thats the Sunday Post’s online poll f/kd then , never mind BBC Scotland are parked on the Concourse of Queen St Station to report any bad news or in their case manufacture it , oh look lurking in the background is Eleanor Bradford trying to think up the worst possible slant on the latest tragic story about contaminated blood victims on going fight against an uncaring bloody minded SNP government where would we be without the ever vigilant BBC . -A FREE COUNTRY- that’s where .bs/trds .

  43. galamcennalath
    Ignored
    says:

    Excellent analysis.

    My main gripe with this would be to ask the question – what is meant by devolution?

    I suspect many answering with the devolution option have in mind some sort of DevoMax / FFA / Home Rule scenario. After all, we were offered something in this ball park!

    I also suspect few opting for devolution had in mind DevoSmithLite.

    People still hold out hope of DevoMax. I think we have more than enough evidence that WM will never give Scotland anything near.

    Without defining what devolution means, it is a meaning option in a survey.

  44. michael diamond
    Ignored
    says:

    Liz 12.50pm. Thats the idea behind headlines like this. Its to try and get our hearts to sink.

  45. Dave M
    Ignored
    says:

    The most important thing about the Social Attitudes Survey is that the data are a long time out of date before they are ever published. Interviews take place over a calendar year, so the data from the sample are aggregated. As a piece of research measuring attitudes, it’s almost next to useless as there’s no account taken of variation across the sampling period, so there’s no context given to the data.

  46. tartanfever
    Ignored
    says:

    Robert Graham at 1.58.

    Yeah, that story by Bradford is awful, talk about a reporter with an agenda. The interview with the lady from the solicitors firm is totally misrepresented.

    On looking for the people that have not been contacted re the blood transfusions from decades ago, the solicitor says ‘ we have a few people that have come forward’

    Bradford immediately afterwards makes the comment, ‘so you’ve managed to find people who are affected but the NHS haven’t.’

    No Eleanor, the solicitors have had people contact them, not the solicitors having sought them out. Big difference.

  47. One_Scot
    Ignored
    says:

    The scary thing is the Yoon media can pretty much print whatever pish they wish to con the Scottish public out of Independence.

    We need to get out of this corrupt and damaging union ASAP.

  48. HandandShrimp
    Ignored
    says:

    Looking at the Sunday Post poll I see at over 10,000 votes it is still 88% for independence. They have moved the poll of the front page though and into the politics section.

  49. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    Shock and awe vote tory stuff

    http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/654147/Isa-millionaire-16-years-savings-George-Osborne-budget

    but they buried IDS

    http://www.express.co.uk/comment/columnists/leo-mckinstry/654194/Stephen-Crabb-man-watch-for-prime-role-Ian-Duncan-Smith-resignation-LEO-McKINSTRY

    Does neo fascist UKOK like IDS?

    BBC Politics says bleeding heart IDS jumped before he was pushed, after their EU farce referendum. That’s got to be worth a neo fascists tine at the Express, shurely:D Jack it in but destroy everything in your wake, return in tory triumph, Prime Minister IDS of the independent state of yew kay.

    BBC Politics lunchtime thing also had Prof Poultice, the only psephologist in their region formerly known as “Scotland” but no longer, after SLab leader announced the erasing of the name “Scotland” of that region. Prof P, says Scottish Tories probably wont get the No.2 slot in May but the studio disappointment was heartfelt, “can anything be done stop SNP voters Professor Poultice?” Jo whined.

  50. Robert Graham
    Ignored
    says:

    Slightly o/t , The BBC in there haste to follow the Gov line on the EU Ref are more or less giving the game away regarding their involvement in the last referendum , they are showing how it was done ,they are doing this to try and discredit the OUT campaign by showing how it worked last time aren’t they clever , who would have thought it ,our BBC biased oh surely not !

  51. Morag
    Ignored
    says:

    I’ve had cause to interact with the journalist who wrote that. A dimmer bulb would be hard to imagine. Intellectually challenged is being kind.

  52. Stoker
    Ignored
    says:

    Part 1:
    Dear MR STOKER (name printed in bold caps)

    “The most important vote in your life!” (printed in bold dark blue)

    “You will soon have the opportunity to vote in a referendum, its importance cannot be over emphasised. Your vote will determine our future relationship with the EU.”

    “In 1975, we voted for a Free Trade Area known then as the Common Market. Since that time it has sought without our approval ever greater political union. This takes away our right to choose our own future and how we trade with the rest of the world. Expect much misinformation over the coming months that you will need to filter.”

    “The European Parliament regularly passes laws and rules inappropriate to us. It presides over enormous waste. We pay dearly for this intrusion to our freedom; 20 billion (Euros) every year (that would go a long way to reducing our national deficit). And the EU’s budget continually rises well above the rate of inflation. We get some back, but with limited choice over how it is spent and in most cases, that spending has to be matched by the host region or country – yes, we pay twice!”

    “A spurious argument suggests the loss of jobs; this is ludicrous. We buy more from the EU than they buy from us. It would be financial suicide for them to impose trade barriers. You will be subject to scaremongering by interests who benefit from remaining. Many so-called “independent organisations” accept payment from Brussels. I urge you to listen to real people and entrepreneurs who create wealth, not heads of big institutions whose cushy lives will be disrupted by change. Ask yourself, does the EU benefit you or make your life evermore complicated? It certainly adds a huge amount to your grocery bill”.

    “Our politicians should champion a balanced view, but their own political futures seem to be taking precedence. The future of United Kingdom is at stake, which is infinitely more important than political careers. This letter should give you a few pointers. However, to help with your decision it is vital that comment is not political. I belong to no political party. On a daily basis, i am undertaking to issue a reason to leave, this has been on Twitter since 1st March (@PkhPeter). That’s 115 reasons – and that’s the tip of the iceberg. I challenge anyone to come up with anything approaching so many reasons to stay”.

    He then gives 10 “compelling” reasons to leave which i’ll post after i make a brew.

  53. Stoker
    Ignored
    says:

    Part 2: The 10 reasons to leave the EU according to “LEAVE.EU”
    All of the following printed in black bold caps:

    (1):TO PROTECT OURSELVES FROM THE WASTE, OVER SPENDING AND MISAPPROPRIATION OF FUNDS IN BRUSSELS.

    (2):WE CAN REMOVE OUR POLITICIANS WHO ARE ANSWERABLE TO US. UNLIKE UNELECTED EUROPEAN COMMISSIONERS.

    (3):ENHANCE OUR COUNTRY’S SECURITY BY RE-ESTABLISHING THE VITAL CONTROL OF OUR BORDERS.

    (4):SHELTER US FROM THE FRUSTRATIONS OF NEGOTIATIONS WITH 28 DISPARATE ECONOMIES WHO WILL NEVER AGREE.

    (5):RECLAIM OUR TERRITORIAL WATERS, PREVENT OVER FISHING TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE AND CHOICE OF FISH.

    (6):SAFEGUARD US FROM LAWS AND REGULATIONS PASSED BY EUROCRATS WHO HAVE NEVER VISITED THE UK.

    (7):THE CITY OF LONDON IS INTEGERAL TO THE UK’S GDP AND A MAJOR UK TAXPAYER. THE EU SEEKS TO SHACKLE IT.

    (8):A NEW FREEDOM TO TRADE WITH THE DYNAMIC PARTS OF THE WORLD. THE EU’S WORLD POSITION IS IN DECLINE.

    (9):THE UK IS THE WORLD’S FIFTH BIGGEST ECONOMY: INDEPENDENT WE CAN SIT AT THE WORLD’S TOP TABLES.

    (10):CAMERON’S WOEFUL CONCESSIONS AREN’T PERMANENT. THEY CAN BE REVOKED. NO SECOND REFERENDUM!!

    “Above are just ten of the many compelling reasons to leave. i beseech you to make a considered decision and vote on 23rd June…”

    He completes the letter, which arrived in a sealed brown envelope and sent via secruedmail/royal snail, by offering the opportunity for folks to “BECOME PART OF THE FAMILY” and donate and/or to purchase one of their T-shirts at £13.50 (p&p inc).

  54. Cuilean
    Ignored
    says:

    In 1931, Baldwin described the press barons who owned British newspapers as having “Power without responsibility – the prerogative of the harlot throughout the ages.” They could make or break anyone. It appears to be still the same in rUK but not in Scotland although it explains why so many Scots ‘hate’ Alex salmond, as he was/is their main SNP hate target.

    The Express’s press baron owner, Lord Beaverbrook, championed Churchill’s ’45 General Election campaign but had a headline which backfired spectacularly. The headline was ‘The Gestapo in Britain’ – if Labour won. The people did not like being likened to nazi supporters by the Express! You’d think the press would learn from their mistakes…

    At a Parliamentary inquiry in 1947, Michael Foot, an ex-employee, alleged Beaverbrook, blacklisted public figures who were denied publicity in his papers, including Baldwin, Lloyd George, Sir Thomas Beecham, the American black singer Paul Robeson, Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia and Noël Coward.

    An Express editor confirmed Noel Coward had been “boycotted” by a furious Beaverbrook, when the opening clip of Coward’s WWII film ‘In Which We Serve’ included a shot of a Daily Express floating in dockside garbage with the headline “No War This Year”. This was a wee dig by Coward, laughing at Beaverbrook’s mistaken belief (along with Chamberlain) that Adolf Hitler was not preparing to go to war.

    Plus ca change…Express…. plus ca change….

  55. Bob Mack
    Ignored
    says:

    That is definitely not the feeling on the doorstep,or on the street. I personally know of several people in my area ready to switch to yes. They have just about had enough of Labour and Westminster central.

    Never had so much coffee in my life from people I barely know.

  56. Nana
    Ignored
    says:

    Cameron statement 3.30
    Crabbs at 5.30

    http://parliamentlive.tv/Commons

    and rumour is Osborne is sending Gauke as he’s too feart to appear himself

    Video – Alex Salmond on tory civil war. I can not archive as doing so would disable the video [I think]
    Perhaps someone knows how to save the video.

    https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/politics/867332/video-alex-salmond-says-full-scale-civil-war-well-truly-underway/

  57. findlay farquaharson
    Ignored
    says:

    surely the quality of the journalism must reflect on the quality of the journalist who wrote that pish

  58. Legerwood
    Ignored
    says:

    Robert Graham @ 1.58 pm

    One of the reasons the BBC may be pigging out on the contaminated blood story is that last week the Scottish Government announced an additional £20 million for those affected making the overall compensation one of the most generous in UK I believe.

    Now we could not have that news out there. It must be buried pdq under an SNP bad twist.

  59. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    Looking at the Sunday Post poll I see at over 10,000 votes it is still 88% for independence.

    Gives a picture of just how affective full on BBC led Project Fear fury was 2014?

    Its fun watching exact same crew grappling with Brexit though. Its one thing to terrorise a few million in their Scotland region because, lets face it, they dont give a UKOK hoot what anyone thinks of them up here.

    But try Project Fearing 40+ million possible EU referendum English voters the way they did to us and that’s a whole different universe of voters, who will not appreciate being terrified in or out by aunty Beeb.

  60. Sinky
    Ignored
    says:

    The blood contamination scandal was of course under Unionist watch

  61. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    Just tuned into to web BBC Parliament Budget debate and no Chancellor present. UKOK Toryboy cowardice knows no limits and no wonder their professional liars of the media are lying like crazy.

  62. call me dave
    Ignored
    says:

    CMD:
    Making a statement in HoC.
    Maybe mentioning the little local difficulty on the Budget.

    http://parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/dd35a56b-0f88-4987-82ed-1b46a4b66145

  63. bugsbunny
    Ignored
    says:

    Roboscot,

    Don’t forget the recently deceased. Who can usually be counted to vote Labour, ala stuffed ballot boxes.

    Stephen.

  64. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    An interesting figure in this SSAS is the No Scottish Parliament figure of 6%. There’s been ups and downs of this over the years.

    I know a few people who are in this category, and their reason is that it’s too many politicians and all politicians are useless and it’s a waste of money. There’s a good few in my neck of the woods which was not surprisingly 75% NO.

    I should have done more for this group, there were a couple on the Herald. In fact a posting today saying scrap Holyrood got 6 upvotes.

    But it doesn’t neccessariy mean they’re against Independence, in fact perhaps they could be persuaded to Indy, as there’s no real chance of there ever being a succedssful vote to scrap Holyrood and go back to Westminster.

    That’s 6% who could perhaps be persuaded to Indy, with targetted material. But it would be interesting if in the next WOS opinion poll if people were asked if they want to scrap Holyrood, and secondly, which way would they vote on Indy? It’s been presumed they would vote NO, but I would question that.

  65. Inverclyder
    Ignored
    says:

    heedtracker says:
    21 March, 2016 at 3:35 pm

    But try Project Fearing 40+ million possible EU referendum English voters the way they did to us.

    Not at all. The English electorate will not be as switched on as the Scottish voters. Remember these are the very same people that took the Tory bait of Labour + SNP coalition.

    They’re the very same people who voted the Tories in.
    The very same people who have believed everything for years.

    Don’t underestimate the stupidity. They’ve been breeding it for years.

  66. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    They’re the very same people who voted the Tories in.
    The very same people who have believed everything for years.

    Its a fact though that toryboy world’s only in office with 24% of those that actually voted 2015.

    Fair enough there doesn’t seem to be much English appetite for changing FPTP, scrapping the Lords trough, ditching super rich monarchs etc but their Brexit farce is not party based and the BBC is stuffed to the brim with cash crazed troughing toryboys, all very sensitive to not pissing off the tory right, who really detest Brussels.

    No wonder:D

  67. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    Don’t underestimate the stupidity. They’ve been breeding it for years.

    What the BBC propaganda will do is let themselves go Project Fear Brexit apeshit but there will always be a BBC voice o balance n shit, instantly after. Clearly they dumped all that balance and neutrality for Scotland and our ref hurt them but so what if they pissed off half of Scots voting.

    Law still says pay their wages Scotland and above all, they were and still are Project Fearing for toryboy world rein over their Scotland region. So they would certainly have not faced any tory critics in London. Exact UKOK opposite in fact ofcourse.

  68. Craig P
    Ignored
    says:

    Stoker says:

    (2):WE CAN REMOVE OUR POLITICIANS WHO ARE ANSWERABLE TO US. UNLIKE UNELECTED EUROPEAN COMMISSIONERS.

    I always find this argument amusing, when you consider that only one of the three branches of executive power in the UK (monarchy, lords, commons) can be voted out.

  69. Jamie Arriere
    Ignored
    says:

    All the zoomers on the Yoon Express should be able to trace that green line down to the bottom of the graph, and work out how long they’ve got left…or, maybe they won’t 🙂

  70. maureen
    Ignored
    says:

    https://www.change.org/p/stephen-crabb-provide-free-0800-access-to-all-dwp-departments-agencies-and-public-bodies

    O/T The DWP is ripping off the unemployed, disabled & long-term sick by forcing them to use a premium rate telephone number in relation to their benefits. This can cost a small fortune to those who already struggle. Please sign to put a stop to this. Thank you

  71. gus1940
    Ignored
    says:

    Re the Bradford woman’s latest SNP Scottish NHSBad effort am I the only person who thinks that PQ seem to have a very cosy relationship with Scotland’s leading firm of ambulance chasers.

    Did said firm not get into a bit of bother with The Law Society a few years ago?

  72. scotspine
    Ignored
    says:

    Every time that Bradford woman comes on to UK State Radio, you just know its simply another report with the sole purpose to undermine the SNP Govt.

    UK State Broadcaster in obvious and unrelenting attacks against the Scots Govt

    Any other Country would see that as hostile activity.

  73. bjsalba
    Ignored
    says:

    EU commissioners may not be elected but they do go through a process which looks at their fitness for the position.

    What is more there are far fewer of them than the HoL.

    You can look it up on the EU website

    http://ec.europa.eu/about/index_en.htm

    or go for the simplified version on wiki

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Commissioner.

  74. msean
    Ignored
    says:

    Always thought that those unelected Commissioners were nominated to do a job for and by elected governments of the EU. Put in place by an elected government.

  75. galamcennalath
    Ignored
    says:

    Craig P says:

    “only one of the three branches of executive power in the UK (monarchy, lords, commons) can be voted out.”

    Yes, Brexit will not change that.

    Whereas, if enough people put a cross against YES for Indy, then two are removed quickly and the third dumped / reformed when we desire.

    SNPx2 EUStay IndyRef2YES

  76. Foonurt
    Ignored
    says:

    Wull ye don’t gee ah fuck aboot nuhin else, whin ye hear yoan bloke saiyin, hoo aa saved ah wean oot ah thoan sinkin caur.

    Bit yit agane ye hear Bradford, twisting it as the SNP Government’s faut. Unurr whit wans’ watch, did yoan puujinin ahcurr?

    Wull, wurr gittin nearurr wurr goal, if yoan leeurrs in yurr heidline above, urr showing an unurrleein move tae Scoattish Independence.

  77. Giving Goose
    Ignored
    says:

    Listening to Corbyn in the London Parliament today was a real eye opener.

    Here was a guilt edged opportunity to nail the Tory Government and he failed to do it.

    And you know what? I think he deliberately missed the goal.

    Osborne was a No Show.
    Cameron was on the rocks.
    IDS has handed the Labour Party a gift on a plate.
    The IDS resignation and hatchet job on Osborne was just to good an opportunity to miss. Can you imagine if Alex Salmond or Nicola had been given the task? He and she would have gutted the Tories.

    But Corbyn threw a candyfloss at them. Pathetic.

    But was it a deliberate toning down by Corbyn?
    There’s more that Party Political opportunity at stake in the UK at the moment. If Labour take to much of an advantage with the Brexit vote looming it could seriously undermine the integrity of the UK.

    Corbyn said just enough to register Labour displeasure but ultimately it was a very well crafted pantomime performance for the voters. He played the Westminster game and did just enough but chose not to deliver a knockout punch when Cameron’s chin was presented to him.

    If you get he chance to listen to or watch it then do so.
    UKOK parliamentary democracy is a sham. Tories together for sure.

  78. J Galt
    Ignored
    says:

    Scottish Sunday Express Circulation SOARS from 28,573 to 25,222!

  79. Stoker
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Craig P (5.31pm):
    Yes, how very correct you are but the one which grabs my funny-bone is the first part of No5:

    “(5):RECLAIM OUR TERRITORIAL WATERS,”

    Oh the irony, eh, bunch of thieving b@$t@+d$!
    😉

  80. Nana
    Ignored
    says:

    O/T

    Curtiss predicts worst result for slab since 1918.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gV0fSWwjN2g

  81. Stoker
    Ignored
    says:

    Sorry, that last post of mine should have stated 5.41pm, not 5.31pm

  82. Bob Mack
    Ignored
    says:

    Totally agree about Corbyn deliberately missing the chance to nail Cameron. Then again,Labour had voted last year for austerity cuts so he might have been reminded of that fact by Cameron.

    They are really all the same.

  83. Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    O/T but the BBC news website has this as the main headline:

    ‘Agreement on plans to speed up trains’

    Meanwhile, the FM has announced that Children in care are to be guaranteed a university place and bursary.

    Diddly squat from the BBC but they did run with the ‘Dugdale: ‘Sturgeon absolutely arrogant’ headliner for three fucking days.

    Fucking arseholes!

  84. Iain More
    Ignored
    says:

    OT

    Well today the Tories presented Corbyn with an open goal and he just needed to tap it in but he trips over the ball. JEEZO he is effin useless!

  85. Valerie
    Ignored
    says:

    Totally agree with the comments about comatose Corbyn, bloody useless.

    You would have expected him to have screeds of comments to use in kicking Cameron’s head in. Cameron displaying all the bravado and arrogance, we have come to expect.

    Every time a SNP MP asks a question, all they get is OIL screamed in their direction. I have the utmost respect for our MPs, but the sooner they are out of there, the better, it’s a bit of a waste of time.

    So insulting when they were discussing the tampon tax, and zero credit given to Alison Thewliss, until Robertson drew attention to it.

    Fking boors.

  86. galamcennalath
    Ignored
    says:

    Could Corbyn’s behaviour be because he feels his greatest threats come from within Labour rather than the Tories? He is standing facing his would be assassins with his back to the Tories.

  87. call me dave
    Ignored
    says:

    @Nana

    Thanks for that heartening post. Jings! Prof Curtis scrubbed up well for that interview, less unkempt than usual. 🙂

    Peeling grapes and taking lemsip… ‘man flu’ sob!

    (Other cures are available) 🙁

  88. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    I saw the Corbyn thing. It’s possible he’s decided to play serious politics, doing issues rather than the opposite party.

    Or has decided that if he attacks the Tories they might unify against him, whereas if he leaves them to it, they’ll eat each other’s tail.

  89. Iain More
    Ignored
    says:

    The Express is UKIP supporting is it not, it is a Brexit Rag but at least they know Ingerland is too wee and too poor and too stupid to go it on its own. They couldn’t do it without us allegedly sponging sweaties to prop they up at the Worlds Top Table. Without the Clyde to hide their Nukes on they would also lose their place at the global parasites table as well. They are desperate to keep us down.

    The whole Brexit strategy only works in UKIP eyes and minds if they have Scotland down and knowing its place in the grand scheme of things. Mendacious anti Scottish bigots!

  90. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    Diddly squat from the BBC but they did run with the ‘Dugdale: ‘Sturgeon absolutely arrogant’ headliner for three fucking days.

    Fucking arseholes!

    But are any good at it though?

    Last weeks social attitudes in Scotland has a lot to say about how little impact BBC Scotland is actually having on us all

    https://twitter.com/scotgov

    BBC Scotland says Scottish NHS is shite, but highest ever satisfaction levels on how this shite NHS is actually run.

    76% of people belief @scotgov should have more influence over way Scotland is run.

    Scottish Government ?@scotgov Mar 17 Scotland, United Kingdom
    Scottish Social Attitudes Survey shows highest level of trust in @scotgov since 1999 or 73% Scots trust Scots.gov to act in best interests of Scotland.

    Imagine what its like for all the over liggers in Pacific Quay and they’re only heading for the exit.

  91. Tam Jardine
    Ignored
    says:

    Within the express piece the first reaction quote is from Scotland in Traction guy Alastair Cameron. That fella wants us back in the box so hard he might as well be armed with one of those sellotape dispensers.

    Anyway- “most people will recognize the fall in oil revenue and the £15billion deficit that was exposed last week means that Scotland is better off as part of the UK and it’s no surprise that support for independence is tumbling.

    Nicola Sturgeon should get on with the day job and use the powers she has to make Scotland a better place rather than threatening another referendum like she did last week.”

    Where do you even start? So our economy is a basketcase and that means we’re better together so if we became independent we would be as badly off so that proves that we are better off staying in the UK so its no wonder support for independence is falling?

    Nicola Sturgeon’s approval ratings are sky high and the SNP are miles ahead in the polls but all the people that are going to vote for her/them must be idiots because she is doing a crap job as first minister and neglecting her duties?

    Except: wait a goddamn minute Mr Cameron. The Rev shows that in the Scottish Social Attitudes Survey that support for Independence is rising, at its highest recorded level and support for the union is falling and at its lowest recorded level.

    So that means by Mr Cameron’s own logic that fewer and fewer folk think our economy is a basketcase or that we’re better together and fewer and fewer think that if we became independent we would be as badly off so that proves that we are worse off staying in the UK so its no wonder support for independence is rising?

    If this is the guy who the MSM are pinning their hopes on to oppose independence then they are well and truly screwed.

  92. Lollysmum
    Ignored
    says:

    O/T
    If you have an hour to spare, check out the interview with Paul Mason recorded yesterday in Glasgow & streamed live by Independence Live.

    http://independencelive.net/event/728

    Paul talks about his book, Postcapitalism & then goes on to talk about Europe & finally UK & Scottish Independence. Fabulous interview so well done Michael Gray (Commonspace) & Independence Live. That was an hour well spent so thank you.

  93. Lollysmum
    Ignored
    says:

    Anyone else having trouble refreshing pages? WOS site is desperately trying to load the page & not getting very far despite repeated attempts. Don’t think it’s WOS though.

    Just followed Nana’s link to Prof Curtiss vid expressing that Scottish Labour has zero chance in May 🙂 That page couldn’t even load the Share section so I couldn’t even tweet the link to it.

  94. TJenny
    Ignored
    says:

    Lollysmum – same things happening to me – refresh page going black and taking ages to update, got into the indy live site OK, but refreshing the WOS twitter feed has made it go crazy. 🙁

    Wonder if this will post?

  95. Paula Rose
    Ignored
    says:

    Great interview with Paul Mason as Lollysmum says, Independence Live are raising funds at the moment so if you can please donate here…

    http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/scottish-election-uk-referendum#/

  96. Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    heedtracker says:
    21 March, 2016 at 9:06 pm

    Diddly squat from the BBC but they did run with the ‘Dugdale: ‘Sturgeon absolutely arrogant’ headliner for three fucking days.

    Fucking arseholes!

    But are any good at it though?

    Last weeks social attitudes in Scotland has a lot to say about how little impact BBC Scotland is actually having on us all

    https://twitter.com/scotgov

    BBC Scotland says Scottish NHS is shite, but highest ever satisfaction levels on how this shite NHS is actually run.
    _____________
    I know you are right, I shouldn’t let it get to me but they really boil my pish on a regular basis.

  97. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    I know you are right, I shouldn’t let it get to me but they really boil my pish on a regular basis

    If you were a BBC Scotland manager on £250k a year plus expenses, what would you be telling your London bosses right now. “It looks bad boss but at the very least we’re holding it all down and in check. Change now and it could go UKOK tits up completely. Give us another 5 years and SNP will be toast. We won the ref, we can fcuk them again. Five years is a long time in public broadcasting. Even Rangers are back in Sept, that’s hours and hours of Rangers pundit waffle, street violence and riots, union jacks draped all over the news once again.”

  98. Rock
    Ignored
    says:

    scunner,

    “It’s targeted at the uninformed and those not on social media/internet.”

    The Mail and The Express are targeted at the bigoted.

    The Record is targeted at the uninformed.

  99. Rock
    Ignored
    says:

    bjsalba,

    “O/T If you think the Express is bad, take a look at the article in the National today by Kevin McKenna – and that is in a newspaper that supposedly supports Independence.

    Mr McKenna has dredged up every misreported misleading story from the MSM and added a cauldron full of his own bile.”

    Where is Dave McEwan Hill, The National’s Cheerleader-in-chief and Newsquest shareholder when he is needed for comment?

  100. Fireproofjim
    Ignored
    says:

    Thanks Valerie for the Jabba interview.
    I guess Gordon Brewer has certainly shown that he takes no prisoners from Slab, judging by this and recent Dugdale interviews. Maybe we misjudged him. Or perhaps he just does not like politicians in general (or people)

    ” I wish I loved the human race,
    I wish I liked it’s silly face,
    And when I’m introduced to one,
    I wish I thought “What jolly fun”

    Just about sums up our Gordon!

  101. Thepnr
    Ignored
    says:

    Rock me old mucker how are you today?

    Yesterday it was Ian Brotherhood for a good Rocking and tonight it’s Dave McEwan Hill. Keep it up Rock your country needs you.

  102. Rock
    Ignored
    says:

    The likes of Corbyn and Tony Benn have/had no credibility.

    If they had any, they would have quit Labour when it was taken over by the Tories.

    They are/were utter frauds.

  103. Dave McEwan Hill
    Ignored
    says:

    I do love the incisive political comment we get from Rock about the National especially as he obviously hasn’t read it.
    Can he point out for me some reference or argument in McKenna’s article today that is against Scottish independence?
    Lets all read it, Rock.

    Too late to run out and get a copy?

    For his information today’s article by McKenna is very strong criticism of the Police and some of its activity in Scotland.
    Some may feel it over the top – but he is a journalist ffs
    We need a very strong eye on the police however at all times

  104. X_Sticks
    Ignored
    says:

    @ heedtracker

    “But are any good at it though? ”

    I don’t think it’s so much about how good they are – they have always been very good while they had a monopoly on information. Their problem is that too many of us are out of the little box they used to keep us in and we’re armed with social media. Ultimately they don’t stand a chance.

    When indy2 comes, and we win it, it is going to come as a severe shock to the britnat press readers who have been led to believe that everything in their precious yoonitedkingdum is just hunky dory. How good will that feel when it comes.

  105. Hamish100
    Ignored
    says:

    Was it not supposed to be ironic? If it was, it was of poor quality and the National should stop feeding McKenna hot milk at night. It’s impacting on the rest of us.

    McKenna gives me the impression he would like to slide towards labour but recognises they are unelectable so tries now and again to be nice to the independence movement.

  106. ArtyHetty
    Ignored
    says:

    O/T

    Having been sent info on an exhibition/film about Ben Cruachan, the ‘hollow mountain’, I led myself down the garden path, and came across some very interesting historical films about Scotland. I wanted to know more, shamefully not having heard of Cruachan power station.

    Anyway, one thing led to another and I have been watching some fab films, on the NLS website.

    see, movingimage@nls.uk, copyrighted so can’t link.
    In particular, see, ‘Prospect of Scotland’ in the long list of films. Made in 1975.

    Scotland being the cash/land/everything cow, but being led down the garden path. It all seems so hopeful, and positive, but it’s just not clear for who. Scotland, with a lot of postcards, monsters and mountains, and whisky, but most of all, industry, exports and oil, oh yes, the oil.

    I am not quite sure what or where Scotland was then, but seeing that film, Scotland should have been very very rich. Scotland has been had, and the people know it, ‘Britain’ no longer owns Scotland. England has already siphoned off Scotland’s riches, like no other country in the world.

    Scotland needs to call in the debt owed to her, it’s huge.

  107. joe macfarlane
    Ignored
    says:

    With all those graphs you’ll have made Kev a very happy man , well maybe not hahahaha

  108. arthur thomson
    Ignored
    says:

    I didn’t see Corbyn’s performance but I don’t need to in order to know that he is a dyed in the wool Britnat. I have no time for anyone whose ultimate goal is to extinguish Scotland as a country, to assimilate it into another state as a region to be neglected and used, whether in the name of neoliberalism or socialism. That is Corbyn’s goal along with all other Britnats and I wish him only abject failure.

    It is the responsibility of the citizens of rUK to put their house in order, to boot the tories out and find a new way to govern themselves. Their unravelling experiment in extreme right wing politics and their acceptance of lack of democracy is of their own choice. Of course, Corbyn is aware of the risks if the Bullingdon Boys Banana Republic goes into freefall. Shambles time and no functioning opposition to replace them.

    We live in interesting and potentially very dangerous times.

    Against that backdrop it is good to see increasing numbers of Scots viewing independence as the way forward.

  109. Inverclyder
    Ignored
    says:

    I wouldn’t be led up the PQ path with the Jabba and her nightmare performance.

    This is nothing more than EBC changing tack and demoting SLAB to 3rd place so that Tank Commander looks a better option for the Yoons.

    Nothing more, nothing less.

  110. dakk
    Ignored
    says:

    Valerie says:
    21 March, 2016 at 9:52 pm
    The Spectator has picked up on Jaba’s disastrous interview with Brewster.

    I’m not one for name calling 🙂 but watching that cat fow squirming as she realised ‘Gordon’ wasn’t going to allow the usual free Slab political broadcast was a tonic.

    Brewer certainly isn’t the worst,and his argument was as sound as his decision to give the Brylcream a miss.

  111. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    @Rock

  112. Sandy
    Ignored
    says:

    OT
    Notice that the MET police have dropped their investigation into the “London Inner Circle Children’s Club”.
    Powers that be in control?

  113. call me dave
    Ignored
    says:

    Thousands of women to share equal pay deals worth an estimated £100m

    https://archive.is/wggr3

    Not before time…I remember Barbara Castle arguing this in the 1960s and the Equal Pay Act 1970.

    i memory serves I think Fife Council owes between £30m and £40m
    which for this.

  114. call me dave
    Ignored
    says:

    SNP and ‘Scottish’ labour to set out their budgets on the same day.

    Kezia gets to bat first and Sturgeon goes next, on a sticky economic wicket I’ll put my money on the SG.

    https://archive.is/JVzVB

  115. Rock
    Ignored
    says:

    Dave McEwan Hill,

    “For his information today’s article by McKenna is very strong criticism of the Police and some of its activity in Scotland.”

    And by implication a very strong criticism of the “independence supporting” SNP, coming up to an election?

    Could you reply to the points made by two other posters, who are not associated with me in any way:

    bjsalba,

    “O/T If you think the Express is bad, take a look at the article in the National today by Kevin McKenna – and that is in a newspaper that supposedly supports Independence.

    Mr McKenna has dredged up every misreported misleading story from the MSM and added a cauldron full of his own bile.”

    Hamish100,

    “Was it not supposed to be ironic? If it was, it was of poor quality and the National should stop feeding McKenna hot milk at night. It’s impacting on the rest of us.”

    12,000 buy The National. The vast majority of independence supporters don’t. You are part of a tiny minority in your cheerleading for it. I am with the vast majority.

  116. Robert Peffers
    Ignored
    says:

    @bjsalba says: 21 March, 2016 at 6:51 pm:

    “EU commissioners may not be elected but they do go through a process which looks at their fitness for the position.”

    Sheesh!

    For goodness sake use your head, bjsalba.

    Of course the EU, “COMMISSIONERS” are not elected because they are, “commissioned”.

    They are paid employees – actually the EU’s Top Civil Servants. They have no decision making powers, (Decision making is the EU Parliamen’s job).

    The Commision is, “The EC”, it is NOT, “The EU”, Parliament.

  117. call me dave
    Ignored
    says:

    @Robert Peffers

    Nice to see you posting again.

    This GLK London signing off (for older listeners). Got ‘Man flu’

  118. defo
    Ignored
    says:

    The cross of St. George on the Sunday Express masthead kinda gives their game away.
    Soaring. Like a lead balloon.
    Roll on the day when the papers are history. The A boards outside newsagents, and the headlines themselves are mostly nothing but cheap & simple, but very effective propaganda tools.

  119. Foonurt
    Ignored
    says:

    Rock, loast ah shullin, fun ah fuckin tanner.

  120. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    @Roc l: “12,000 buy The National. The vast majority of independence supporters don’t. You are part of a tiny minority in your cheerleading for it. I am with the vast majority.

    With that arrant abuse of statistics, do you write for the Sunday Express?

  121. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    http://www.rbs6nations.com/RBSPlayerOfTheChampionship

    Stuart Hogg and Duncan Taylor are in the list of 12, voting ends tonight at midnight. Maybe Scotland can win the after championship championship.

  122. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    Another interesting snip from the SSAS:

    Around three-quarters (76%) thought that the Scottish Government ought to have the most influence, compared with 14% who chose the UK Government.

    http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0049/00497047.pdf

  123. Ken500
    Ignored
    says:

    McKenna writes and gets paid by the article. The SNP have only been in limited power for 4 years. It seems longer for all the good things they have done in such a short space of time. McKenna has a beef about the Police. Many do it’s historical – still related to unionist control. The SNP gov are sorting it out as they always have to sort out the Unionist mess. House has gone so have others. It will take a while to stop endemic mismanagement.

    Rock makes valid points.

    Folk can buy any title they want. Desmond is trying to flog the Express – a dead horse. There are attempts to combine some of the others. Mirror Group and JP? Independence SNP supporters do buy MSM – but don’t believe a word of it? They would be better saving paper and buying a novel.

    The House of Cards – Westminster where Unionists scramble over each other to get their hands on public money and deny folk their rights.What a shower. They all came tumbling down. They really are a shower of low lives. Major called them ‘bastards’.

    It would be laughable is it wasn’t so tragic. What a bunch of worthless folk. Roll on May to get rid of more of them. At least Scotland has more competent government. Westminster is still ruining the Scottish (UK) economy. How much long will more people in Scotland take this mismanagement?Not much longer.

    Some more Wee blue books would be handy for Holyrood, EU elections. Some folk can’t tell the difference. Roll on the next IhdyReferendum coming soon.

  124. Ken500
    Ignored
    says:

    Bullies on steroids intimidating the Ref to win. No wonder the Terraces are empty. People walk away.

    Westminster drunken hooligans cheat and lie to win. The benches are empty. Another one hits the dust. Another one gone and another one hits the dust. May 2016/17 can’t come soon enough.

  125. Ken500
    Ignored
    says:

    Football and shopping the opium of the people. ‘Let them eat chutney’.

  126. Dorothy Devine
    Ignored
    says:

    Didn’t the Express at one point have a saltire and knight as its Scottish logo pre referendum – until it decided we were too wee ,too poor etc etc to run our own affairs or even to buy the newspaper?

  127. Almannysbunnet
    Ignored
    says:

    @Sandy says:
    12:32 am
    MET police have dropped their investigation into the “London Inner Circle Children’s Club”.

    Not only that but they now want the officers punished for carrying out the investigation. Harvey Proctor gave an impassioned speech about his innocence. I remember when Lord Janner did the same, in the house of Lords. We know how he turned out.
    The MP’s are the ones that should be screaming for justice for the children. The fact that so few do tells you all you need to know. Last night one of the accused, ex military, said they should have spent more time grilling the accuser.
    So the tactic is obvious, punish the police that’ll make them think twice about investigating paedophiles and punish the kids that come forward. Scum the lot of them.

  128. mealer
    Ignored
    says:

    As sales continue to slide/plummet,some consolidation in the newspaper racket is inevitable.

    It is likely that many,perhaps even most,of the papers will come out on the side of Leave in the EU referendum.So the other night TV was interviewing folk in the street to get over the point that not many people will be influenced by what the papers say.Funny that.I seem to remember TV and radio going to great lengths to highlight what the papers were saying during the Indyref campaign,when of course every daily newspaper was hostile to a Yes vote.

    Keep chipping away there Stu.

  129. Marydoll
    Ignored
    says:

    O/T

    Is it just because its election time that GMS had IFS stating how bad the Fiscal Framework agreement is? Didn’t hear much while it was being discussed!

  130. Almannysbunnet
    Ignored
    says:

    The Daily (St George logo) Express. Phhhtt!

    Soaring? They are shafted as their sales plummet. Sore ring would be more apt.

  131. Ken500
    Ignored
    says:

    Aberdeen Asset Management – Maths?

    Aberdeen Asset Management fined £7.2Million.

    ISA (stocks & shares) risk is so fraudulent. They should be abolished.

    It isn’t the Town Hiuse development. It is the corrupt Willy Young Muses carbuncle that is £Millions over budget. 30 year lease which will put the ACC in debt. Willy Young’s road is also late and £2Million over budget. The Labour/Unionists disgraceful behaviour. Only another year to go. To get rid of the total incompetence. They have ruined the City centre. An absolute disgrace.

  132. Nana
    Ignored
    says:

    @Ken500

    Check out what W Young has to say in reply to Callum McCaig. Labour don’t like to be telt

    https://twitter.com/callum_mccaig/status/711976603505582080

  133. Almannysbunnet
    Ignored
    says:

    Aberdeen town house over budget. The people of Aberdeen will be the least surprised. Everything Willie Young and the Labour council touches is over budget or just plain shite.
    “the full extent of the work required only became clear after the restoration began. Disputes with contractors hired to carry out the renovation have also reportedly delayed the project.
    That’s called bad planning Willie, something you know all about. You build in contingencies. If you’re going to change the plan after you sign the contract of course you’re going to have problems with the contractors.

    I suppose we should be grateful. It’s a beautiful building worth preserving I’m surprised they didn’t demolish it and build a block of flats out of breeze block.

    Of course Willie and his cooncil sit in this grand building. https://archive.is/z59CZ/image
    The old Marishal college, all spruced up and refurbished and fit for the aristocracy that they believe they are.

  134. Ken500
    Ignored
    says:

    Hague, Ken Clarke, the lot of them covered up child abuse by Westminster MP’s and members of their Parties. They covered up abuse by Janner, Cyril Smith, Morrison, Heath and Saville etc. all linked to Children’s Homes and the Churches. Craig Murray’s blog had an article about US connections. Royalty, politicans and the Churches.

    Thatcher said when told of the abuse by the Police, ‘Boys will be boys’. Westminster is corrupt beyond belief. They get away with murder. IDS is reported to have resigned because a judicial judgement alludes to his criminal behaviour. He is trying to cover up the Judgement.

  135. Ken500
    Ignored
    says:

    EuroNews (claims access to 400million viewers) broadcast a Report that’ ‘RAF planes from Lossiemouth, Scotland had broken the ceasefire’, and bombed sites in Syria. Showing the collateral damage. Scotland reps voted against the action.

  136. Aranciaca
    Ignored
    says:

    https://archive.is/Mmx5i
    Confirmed: Deputy First Minister better at negotiation than HM Treasury.

  137. Sinky
    Ignored
    says:

    O/T Don’t know which is worse Jill Stephenson complaining about SNP producing a schools election pack for school debates, which has been going on for years now, or the Scotsman for publishing such a puerile nonsensical letter.

    Mind you Messrs Howells and Redfern still sending their daily letters telling Scots how stupid they are for voting SNP.

    Keep up the good work folks its making no difference.

  138. Ruby
    Ignored
    says:

    ‘Gordon Brewer: Let me quote you something that Kezia Dugdale said, she said the pledge to end austerity won’t be prescriptive, about what the next government spends — it will simply set out the path that must be followed in order to dispense with austerity. What does that mean?

    It looks as if a lot of people are having difficulty with ‘Keziaspeak’. Perhaps the Labour Party should consider writing ‘Brodies Notes’ or something similar to help people understand ‘Keziaspeak’

    I wonder if this word ‘Keziaspeak’ will catch on and if it does how will it be defined in the Oxford Dictionary. Any suggestions?

  139. Ken500
    Ignored
    says:

    ACC spent £65Million renovating Mariscal College for council Offices. Increased their remunerations. The grotesque carbuncle being constructed in the City centre, against taxpayers wishes, is an absolute disgrace. Ubsffordable and just beyond belief. People wanted the City Centre predestrianised, instead Unionists/Green build an unaffordable grotesque carbuncle and create traffic chaos. Against the majority wishes and the public interest. People were protesting in the streets to no avail. Sewell the cocaine snorter, did the same with the Berdero scheme.

    ACC are spending £30Million renovation an Art Gallery, £26Million paying AECC debts (they plan to build another one) wasting £300Million+ of taxpayers money. 35 years of leasing back. Yet claim they have no money to fund essential services.

    They cancelled the funded (£80Million Gift) UTG Project which would have predestrianised the City Centre and had majority support, Blocked the new community (funded) Football Stadium in the South which would have relieved traffic chaos in the City. ACC unionists/Green are a waste of time and money.

  140. Stoker
    Ignored
    says:

    ((( EXPOSED )))

    Dippy Dug Caught Feasting As Thousands Go Without
    http://archive.is/OzEOB

  141. Robert Peffers
    Ignored
    says:

    @call me dave says: 22 March, 2016 at 1:05 am:

    “Nice to see you posting again.”

    I’m all right. I did have a nasty wee incident. It left me lying in a puddle in a Cowdenbeath car park getting paper stitches applied to my head by a couple of paramedics.

    However that was just a minor scratch caused by a fall and the real problem was my most modern laptop blew it’s mains power unit/charger and I’m still awaiting a replacement arriving.

    This was followed by several other household appliances going down, including the central heating/hot water boiler. I can only assume there was an electricity mains surge. It seems more than co-incidental for several things to go down around the same time.

    It happened once before when a sub-station transformer exploded after being overloaded by the addition of the new housing developments in fields behind our cottages.

  142. Marcia
    Ignored
    says:

    A piece of information to all you youngsters. The circulation of the Scottish Daily Express in the late 1960’s was around 650,000. How the mighty have fallen.

  143. call me dave
    Ignored
    says:

    @Robert Peffers

    You take care, now I feel a bit of a fraud with my ‘man flu’

    We need you posts and enjoy them all. 🙂

  144. Les Wilson
    Ignored
    says:

    O/t
    I am in Lanzarote for a few weeks at the moment. we are in a hired villa, as such we are mostly eating in. So our shopping is done in a local supermarket, generally when in these, no matter where I look to see if any Scottish produce is available.

    No real surprise tha there is nothing Scottish on the shelves bar whisky.
    Yet, there is foodstuffs from all over available. France, Ireland, England, for example.
    Just why is this? Scotland has a good brand name, we produce good products, so just why are the not on the shelves like these others are?

    I see a vast opportunity to expand the Scottish food exports, why are we not gearing up for this?
    Why is it not already in place? whatever we are doing it is not enough, we could be expanding, producing and exporting much more. what and who is holding Scotland back in this regard?
    It is as if Our produce industries are being held back. Can anyone give valid reasons for this?

  145. Ken500
    Ignored
    says:

    More IFS lies. The IFS should be sacked. Totally corrupt.

    Scotland loses £13Billion to Westminster mismanagement and corruption.

    £4Billion on debt repayments Scotland doesn’t borrow or spend. £1Billion no tax on ‘loss leading’ cheap alcohol. £1Billion on Trident/illegalward. Scotlsnd has lost £4Billion++ a year since 2011 because of Osborne’s 60/80% tax on the Oil sector, when prices have fallen 75%. Losing £4Billion++ over 5 years = £20Billion++ = the ‘so called’ Deficit. Scotland loses £3Billion ? a year on tax evasion because UK Gov tax Laws are not enforced by Westminster. Whisky companies tax evade. HMRC not fit for purpose.

    £Billions in Oil tax Revenue (£300 Billion) have been illegally and secretly taken from Scotland. Thatcher and the McCrone Report. Kept secret under the Official Secrets Act by Westminster
    corruption and lies. Wasted and spent by London.

    Northern Ireland (2 million) raises £28Billion in tax revenues and gets (50%) £14Billion more = £42Billion from Westminster.For Unionist votes in Westminster, supporting illegal sectarian bigotry.
    NI funding on par with Norway (5million) raises £80Billion + Oil Fund. Scotland’s Oil revenues went to NI sectarian bigotry.

    Norway workers work one week on, three weeks off. Work in other businesses.
    Oil workers in Scotland work three weeks on, three weeks off. Developing more stress, mental health problems and family separation.

    5 Helicopters falling from the sky in four years. 2009 crash 16 people died. Robert Goodwill refused an Inquiry because of UK Health & Safety Laws not being followed. Despite recommendation by the Westminster Transport Committee. The Helicopter company owners sold up two years later for £250Million. They should have been out in jail.

  146. Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    Here’s a nice card to give when you are in the doghouse:

    http://www.textfromafriend.co.uk/products/sorry-for-being-a-fud-rose-gold

  147. call me dave
    Ignored
    says:

    @Robert Peffers

    None of my business but for my computer and large TV I connect them up via an extension socket which incorporates a ‘surge protection’ circuit.

    But from your background and posts I may be trying to teach my elders to suck eggs,sorry if I’m coming across as a ‘hudgie-gudgie’

    The national yesterday X-word answer meaning blabbermouth…who knew? 🙂

  148. Almannysbunnet
    Ignored
    says:

    Ruby, Kezia learned Keziaspeak at the knee of Johann Lammont “we is no genetically programmed tae govern oorsells” and Jim Murphy, “we will not lose a single seat to the SNP”.

    Fundillmundilly if she had used her parents as her role models instead of Slabbers she might have got somewhere.

  149. schrodingerscat
    Ignored
    says:

    12,000 buy The National. The vast majority of independence supporters don’t. You are part of a tiny minority in your cheerleading for it. I am with the vast majority……

    the vast majority of independence supporters dont buy newspapers or comment on WOS or, well, give shit either way about the national.

    you on the other hand rock, are in a tiny minority of independence supporting commentators on social media who wish to see the national fail. it makes me suspicious

  150. Bill McLean
    Ignored
    says:

    Rock – no problem with your opinions but I read the National every day and the Sunday Herald on Sunday. In my lifetime I’ve read lots of different newspapers. In years gone by some of them were a pretty good but you always had to be prepared to read between the lines. The National is a fairly decent paper and has improved since it’s beginnings. It is never going to be as pro- independence as you wish it to be – no newspaper ever has been everything it’s readers want it to be. Considering the state of Scottish newspapers in general and the stable the National comes from – it’s the best horse around closely followed by the Sunday Herald. In my opinion. Regarding the knight on the Express – as far back as I can remember it used to be a knight bearing a shield with a Saltire on it – however the knight was in chains – says it all really.
    Those days are gone, the chains are falling away and Scotland will be free – just hoping I live to see it. Sorry about your mishap Bob and hope you are OK now!

  151. schrodingerscat
    Ignored
    says:

    the unionists did the same thing during the indy ref, ie combining dont knows,devo supporters and outright no supporters then presenting support for indy in a bad light. these figures do however continue to show an underlying trend towards indy support, i believe it is at least at 50% and holding strong.

    the next big test for YES2 is Holyrood, no more jim murphy and bbc pravda even trying to convince people that slab had a real chance of winning in scotland, slab is no longer a real option to defeat the tories at WM but neither is it considered a real option to beat the snp in scotland.
    It was these slab supporters (30%) who voted No in 2014.
    It was these slab supporters (25%) who voted Labour in 2015.
    polls show support for slab dropping to the low 20’s%, it is from this demographic that the snp and yes have been gaining support.

    if slab support continues to drop, it is falling perilously close to the tory support. if ruth can convince only 2% of them to back the tories, from 15% upto 17%, and slab on 19-20%, once the numbers are crushed through the list msp electoral system, the tories could become the opposition in holyrood.

    this would be the point that any remaining support for slab would fall of a cliff.

    many would switch to the tories, no doubt about it, good riddens, we were never going to vote yes anyway, and while i dont know what % of the remaining 20% slab voters are outright unionists, it isnt all of them. It is these voters who are the key to scottish independence. It is these voters who are our target demographic, it is these voters who are being let down by dugdale and co, it is these voters who are being targeted by the tories, it is these remaining 20% slab voters who are about to be sorted into the wheat from the chaff.
    bring it on

  152. Fred
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Bill Maclean, I think the Express logo is supposedly a crusader for a crusading paper. Scottish edition might gave been a lion rampant shackled? no change there!

  153. Bill McLean
    Ignored
    says:

    Fred – you are right, jogged my memory a bit. Message to us of course was the same Scottish knight or lion rampant.
    Thanks for the memory!

  154. Bill McLean
    Ignored
    says:

    Fred – you had me doubting there. I found an Express for Jan 3rd 1963 and it has the knight in chains (no Saltire on shield as it is today) on it’s headline page!

  155. Fred
    Ignored
    says:

    Go back a bit Bill, there was a shackled lion aboot somewhere. Not that the Express ever crossed oor thresh-hold.

  156. Fred
    Ignored
    says:

    Guys, the Scottish Daily Express masthead at the end of the war.

    http://www.rampantscotland.com/memory_lane_memories_wartime.htm

    A bit before my time, scroll to the end.



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