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Wings Over Scotland


The tumbleweed express

Posted on January 31, 2014 by

We were expecting the turnout for the No campaign’s Great Train Mobbery to be a lot better for the afternoon session, on account of the fact that nobody would have to get up at 6am to go and leaflet a dark, freezing-cold railway station.

barrhead1

The opposite turned out to be true.

The above image is of Barrhead station, which our spotter reported completely free of “Better Together” leaflet squads at the allotted 5pm-6pm “event” timeslot. It wasn’t the only one. Of 39 stations due to be pamphleted by eager No volunteers at various times in the afternoon and evening, we had confirmed no-shows at a whopping 16:

Alexandra Parade
Aviemore
Barrhead
Bishopbriggs

bishopbriggs

Cupar
Dalry
Dingwall

dingwall

Fort Matilda
Hamilton West
Insch
Inverkeithing
Kirkcaldy
Leuchars

leuchars

Linlithgow
Patterton
Prestonpans

prestonpans

That’s barely over a 50% hit rate, which is pretty grim. Of course, lots of them had probably been scared off by the awful intimidation tactics of our spotters, ie standing around in a public place and looking at a thing happening. From the requests for quotes we got earlier today we’re expecting to read more about those in at least two newspapers tomorrow, so that’ll be something to look forward to.

(This seems a good moment to thank all our wonderful readers who braved the cold and wind and rain to go out and do the Scottish media’s job for it. We haven’t had one report of anybody behaving inappropriately, and Blair McDougall, whining for all he was worth on Twitter and to newspapers, couldn’t even fabricate one, instead relying on vague innuendo and implication and hoping people would jump to conclusions.)

Over the course of the entire day, then, it looks like anywhere from one-third to 40% of BT’s supposed “events” simply didn’t happen at all. Our best estimate, based on “Better Together” team’s own claims and our spotters’ observations, is that they’ll have fallen short of their “half a million leaflets” target by something in the region of 95%. (Our most wildly generous estimate of the amount handed out is 25,000.)

While we didn’t quite cover every last location, from the ones we did we’re pretty certain that Wings Over Scotland put more people on the streets today than “Better Together” did – an astonishing feat considering that we don’t have millions of pounds of English Tory donors’ money behind us and we’re just a daft wee website operating on 24 hours’ notice rather than a highly-paid professional campaigning organisation.

If we were the other side, we’d be pretty worried about that.

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136 to “The tumbleweed express”

  1. Tattie-bogle
    Ignored
    says:

    that pic of bishopbriggs is the drop of from queen street the otherside is the Edinburgh side its a weird kinda one way system round it but it was tumbleweed town on the Edinburgh side too

  2. Rev. Stuart Campbell
    Ignored
    says:

    Yeah, have pics of both, but didn’t want to put two in.

  3. megsmaw06
    Ignored
    says:

    Did anyone from BT turn up at Bathgate? My partner did a drive through on his way to pick me up from work at about 4.20pm. He said all he saw was a guy with a big Yes brolly standing outside the station.

  4. Roddy Macdonald
    Ignored
    says:

    So who did this? Where did it happen? How does one “file” a young woman? Is it a crime? Was she hurt in the process? I may have to write a still letter to the Daily Heil.

    @dmacaulay75 how is turning up at a dark station and filing a young woman involved for the first time in campaigning 'debate'?— Blair McDougall (@blairmcdougall) January 31, 2014

  5. big_al
    Ignored
    says:

    Keep up the good work people.

    They don’t like it up ’em!

  6. orkers
    Ignored
    says:

    Maybe somebody offered to do her nails?

  7. Rev. Stuart Campbell
    Ignored
    says:

    “So who did this? Where did it happen? How does one “file” a young woman?”

    Yeah, I’ve been trying to work out what word that was meant to be too.

  8. kalmar
    Ignored
    says:

    film?
    Takes one back a bit.

  9. Desimond
    Ignored
    says:

    file = film!!

    And there must be a few movie gags in there too

    The Spy who came in from the Cold

    Desperately Seeking Susan

  10. Chris Darroch
    Ignored
    says:

    Was at Waverley earlier. Spoke to a number of BT volunteers. One cliched young Tory told me that he had seen the Facebook request for volunteers only the night before and had signed up.

    The Big Issue street vendor there was very forthcoming about their activities. He was particularly vexed about the number of Big Issues he had failed to sell, due to the BT canvassers shoving leaflets near and across him, thus scaring customers, he believed.

    He has been selling at that spot and at that time for many months and is aware of the exact number of Big Issues he would normally sell by a certain time.

    He told me that he needed to sell thirty by end of day in order to pay for his accommodation at the Backpackers hostel but that he might not make his quota now.

    He explained that he had been arguing with the canvassers about these issues and that eventually then were forced to stand further away.

    He did tell me, that on a previous occasion they had asked the police to intervene. The police from inside the station decided that the vendor, whom they had known for at least six months (and of course who was licensed to sell Big Issue only at that exit) was in the right.

    He told me that the manager of the BT group had taken it upon himself to pick up many of the leaflets that were simply dropped on the street.

    I had a number of A4 sheets printed with the Aye Right list of Yes websites. People seemed honestly enthusiastic and happy to take them from me. Some people were initially disappointed when they accepted a BT leaflet upon glancing at it, and when I offered mine immediately after they stated that this was what they were initially after.

    I did find an actual very positive vibe from people I encountered about Yes and there were noticeable scowls and open expletive peppered statements spoken in passing about BT.

    It was certainly uplifting for me.

    I might add one more little story. Towards 6.00 p.m. Two Station workers were smoking roll ups and being talked to by a BT representative. I sidled over, thinking that I might want to counter any major fibs. As I did so, one of the two broke off and while shaking his head, he announced his whole hearted intention to vote yes for a prosperous Scotland. He stated that on voting day, he would be draping a massive Saltire outside his house.

  11. Desimond
    Ignored
    says:

    Ice Cold in Alex(andra Parade)

  12. Conan_the_Librarian
    Ignored
    says:

    Was there a metal cabinet nearby?

  13. Lesley Backyus
    Ignored
    says:

    Hubby who isn’t engaged in the debate says there was one lonely woman at Burntisland this morning. Sorry I couldn’t be there I was a bit late in reading your post. He did refuse the leaflet as he says it only encourages them if you take it.

  14. Chris Darroch
    Ignored
    says:

    Forgot to mention, that I was approached by a stranger who asked if I were a “Wings man”. I guess that my Yes badge gave me away.

    I have just contacted him through twitter and so our YesNet grows a fraction more.

  15. HandandShrimp
    Ignored
    says:

    Hi Stu

    Do you still want pictures?

  16. Thepnr
    Ignored
    says:

    Rob Shorthouse might be sending you his CV Rev. I believe he’s a communications genius. He’s only looking for £100,000/year.

    Let me know if he’s any good after the interview and if you want another crowd fund to get him on board.

  17. Roddy Macdonald
    Ignored
    says:

    I’ve added an “And finally” postscript to the Daily Heil witch-hunt piece courtesy of Blair MacDougall from today. He’s been soaring the heady heights of hypocrisy yet again.

    http://logicsrock.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/cybernats-continue-to-perform-valuable.html

  18. kalmar
    Ignored
    says:

    Man, I love how our “spies” have been identifying each other by their umbrellas!
    Couldn’t make it up. Good work.

  19. mogabee
    Ignored
    says:

    Mucho thanks everyone for today, many of the comments made me laugh!

    Not having a station within 100mls is a bummer!

  20. Fay-yes
    Ignored
    says:

    Best guess: filing = filming

    Blair McD wasn’t so quick to condemn a pregnant young (well, under 30 so I’m still claiming that) Yes campaigner being shouted at in the street. I’ve still not had an apology from the Bruce Festival organisers for that btw or any assurances the perpetrator, who also claimed “Bruce only fought for money”, won’t be back.

  21. tartanpigsy
    Ignored
    says:

    Can I just commend everyone who got out to monitor events today. A brilliant effort. Whilst I didn’t make it out myself today I did send ‘junior spy’ out with a mission on his way too and from Glasgow to Uni today, he spotted one old guy at Hamilton Central this morning (who he said ‘looked like a Tory’ whatever that means 😉 ) Photo to be produced later.

    He cleverly, to fool the opposition, switched tactics and came home via East Kilbride where there was again a solitary individual, this time of the fairer sex leafleting, on the station! I quickly texted him back to inform the station staff but he was already out of the station.

    Anyway, on a more serious note what today got me wondering was, was this the first time for any of the Wingers out doing Streetnat work? because obviously this is what we are all going to have to do a hell of a lot more of in the coming months, and if it was then well done to those involved.

    We might have had a fairly good week at the office all things considered but we are still behind in the polls and will no doubt come up against even more lies and dirty tricks in the coming months.

    Anyway I’ll be out with Yes Clydesdale getting Lanark covered with the second great Yes paper tomorrow, before a wee break to prepare for the biggest few months of all our lives.

    I’ve been working on a wee idea that I’ll hopefully be able to share with folk by the end of February, which should help in increasing the visual presence of Yes for the run in.

    Well done again to everyone today.

  22. Linda's back
    Ignored
    says:

    Don’t expect MSM /BBC to highlight the failure of the No Scotland’s rail campaign to-day.

    To be fair Scotsman and Herald mentioned Johann Lamont’s car crash at FMQs yesterday but ignored by the BBC who preferred a balanced debate at £27,000 a year Strathallan School.

  23. Grahame
    Ignored
    says:

    I had hoped to get to Haymarket and see who was leafleting there this evening as it’s within my own patch of west Edinburgh but work had other plans.
    I’m quite pleased the YES car got to go on a wee trip this morning an do a few laps around Haymarket on the way to work.
    Next time with a bit of planning and crowd funding we could perhaps get the leaflets printed up in advance.

  24. Paul Kelly
    Ignored
    says:

    Way to demoralize the No campaign, i believe they intend to hijack a sponsored walk along the lines of help for heroes in the Border area. Would be interesting to have photographs and an accurate headcount

  25. Arbroath 1320
    Ignored
    says:

    Just a wee thought here.

    Do all these pamphlets http://wingsoverscotland.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/rutherglenbin.jpg and theser pamphlets http://wingsoverscotland.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/haymarketbin.jpg count towards Better together’s claim of handing out 500,000 leaflets?

    Just asking. 🙂

  26. Thepnr
    Ignored
    says:

    Somebody mentioned today about booking a weeks holiday from work for the final week of the election and going at it full time. Great idea, think I will do the same.

  27. Rev. Stuart Campbell
    Ignored
    says:

    “Do you still want pictures?”

    Yeah, if you’ve got any good ones we’ll edit them in sharpish 🙂

  28. James123
    Ignored
    says:

    Further proof that there is simply no enthusiasm for Better Together amongst the Scottish people. Many of the folk who are thinking about voting no in the referendum are not doing so out of love for the union but rather uncertainty as to what independence will bring. If we can convince them there is nothing to fear the referendum is ours.

  29. Roddy Macdonald
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Paul Kelly

    Ah the EDL / British Unity / VoteNo2014 Facebook presence hijacking the Help for Heroes name yet again, and a nice big Union Jack Bovver Boot as an advert to boot!

    https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=637240199668307&set=pb.174186732640325.-2207520000.1391206099.&type=3&theater

    So who are British Unity? http://logicsrock.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/so-who-are-british-unity.html

  30. Grahame
    Ignored
    says:

    @thepnr

    My annual leave is already allocated for the last big push. It’s a once I’m a lifetime chance. We’d best not squander it !

  31. Macart
    Ignored
    says:

    Haven’t stopped chuckling all day.

    Brilliant work. 😀

  32. kininvie
    Ignored
    says:

    Reading all the posts and looking at the desolate pictures, the words of an old song run through my head…

    ‘All the lonely people…where do they all belong?’

  33. Arbroath 1320
    Ignored
    says:

    kininvie says

    ‘All the lonely people…where do they all belong?’

    I think the answer is quite obviously NOT a Scotrail stations going by their non appearance. 🙂

  34. Ken500
    Ignored
    says:

    Is Ian Gray moonlighting at Prestonpans? Or is it a cutoot copy. Vacant coupon. : – )

  35. HandandShrimp
    Ignored
    says:

    See what you think Stu

    It was dark. I initially thought she was wearing a bat cape but it is just a strangely arranged scarf.

    The chap being handed a leaflet is trying to execute a dropped shoulder swerve.

    http://imageshack.com/a/img196/1221/89d6.jpg

  36. Thepnr
    Ignored
    says:

    @Grahame

    Matye better make it two weeks for the party of a lifetime after we win. 🙂

  37. HandandShrimp
    Ignored
    says:

    Happy for you to depersonalise the picture by obscuring the face and deleting my direct link.

  38. kalmar
    Ignored
    says:

    shrimp: I’d take that off imageshack sharpish.

  39. Famous15
    Ignored
    says:

    Could I ask the undoubted experts lurking on wings when is the most effective time before the referendum to take “holidays” to work for the campaign. Too close to the date may be too late. When would be the psychological moment to have a final big drive?

  40. Andrew Morton
    Ignored
    says:

    Completely off topic, but I need some help. I wrote to the Herald today to point out that Alison Rowat’s claim in her column today that the bayonet tweet to Kezia Dugdale took place long before her Question Time appearance and not after. One of the editors has replied asking for evidence. Does anyone have a screenshot of the tweet or can they point me to it?

    Cheers

  41. Roland Smith
    Ignored
    says:

    I was at Waverley going back to Aberdeen at 18:00 and did not spot any leaflet people at the top of the escalators. So that was Aberdeen early this morning and Edinburgh this evening and sadly no positive information for remaining in the Union.

  42. HandandShrimp
    Ignored
    says:

    Kalmar

    Yup I wouldn’t have used Imageshack if I had superior interwebs skills. I have no desire to keep it so it is going pronto.

  43. Pedro
    Ignored
    says:

    Megsmaw06 @ 9.40pm “Did anyone from BT turn up at Bathgate? My partner did a drive through on his way to pick me up from work at about 4.20pm. He said all he saw was a guy with a big Yes brolly standing outside the station.”

    I was the 6’3″ guy standing chatting to the guy with the Yes brolly (Gray) from 3.50pm until about 4.40pm.

    After I left he said that 3 BT’s/Union Jocks/Brit Nats turned up at about half 5 and dished out about a hundred leaflets. I hope they binned them.

    I noticed that there was a Police presence from time to time at the station this afternoon – patrol cars routinely driving in for a check and then out again. Also there was a uniformed officer within the actual station building itself. Not biding in Bathgate I can’t say whether or not that is the usual security precautions required for a freezing cold Friday afternoon in that part of West Lothian?

  44. TheGreatBaldo
    Ignored
    says:

    From the requests for quotes we got earlier today we’re expecting to read more about those in at least two newspapers tomorrow, so that’ll be something to look forward to.

    Oooh a sweeper !

    My money is on ‘The Scotsman’ and the ever reliable Mail…

    Failing that ‘The National Enquirer’ and ‘The Deeside Piper’.

    Do I win a prize ?

    Do I win

  45. kalmar
    Ignored
    says:

    shrimp: Can you please just take the pic down?

  46. Ian Brotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    Right now, in a sleazy Clydeside shebeen where smoking is still mandatory, where the men are rough and the women are rougher, it’s Blair MacDougall’s turn for a shot at the karaoke. He’s only one thing on his mind, and there’s only one song will do ’cause it has that line – ‘When we said goodbye love, what had we to gain?’.

    They all said they’d be there. They’d be there. And they weren’t. They said they’d be at that station. And they weren’t.

    He’ll sing it now, and later, when he’s drunk more than a man can drink and cried more than a man can cry, he’ll sing it again:

  47. beachthistle
    Ignored
    says:

    @Andrew Morton

    Maybe this is a clue. Posted on the “Youd need a heart of stone WoS thread the other day”:

    ThereWasACoo says:
    27 January, 2014 at 3:54 pm

    Yes, the ‘bayonet’ tweet was mine.

    It was a moment of extreme weakness, and very ill-judged. At the time, full of ire, it seemed like the best (if somewhat knee jerk) response I could give to her “dancing on the head of a pin” tweet… which, curiously, she seems to have deleted leaving only what’s available via the link provided by WoS.

    If I remember correctly, Kezia was being particularly vitriolic about both the Scottish Government and the YES campaign, while at the same time trying to take credit for an SNP flagship policy (sound familiar?). I remember it was SO blatant that I actually thought her neck was truly made of solid brass!

    From around 28,000 tweets, there’s 2 or 3 times I’ve posted something rather hastily; I am human and make mistakes, sue me. However (and this is not making any excuses for myself), I think I have a better batting average than your everyday BritNat… Euan McColm and Kenny Farqhurson immediately spring to mind.

    Still, it was not my proudest moment.

  48. Clydebuilt
    Ignored
    says:

    O/T. RE BBC Radio Scotland Morning Call:- This week During debate on The Pound Whilst talking to Brian Taylor, heard Louise White refer to YES supporters as “DIEHARDS”

  49. G H Graham
    Ignored
    says:

    It’s been claimed in various media that BT was going to leaflet up to 160 stations with 1/2 million leaflets.

    The real number is probably around 25 or so stations if our observations reflect what actually happened.

    And it’s hard to imagine each one of those events handing out more than a couple of hundred leaflets based again on peoples observations.

    No, it’s not a scientific study but it does seem reasonable to conclude that something around 5,000 leaflets at least left the hands of volunteers, even if some of them were passed by recipients straight into the bin.

    It also seems reasonable to conclude that a campaign which achieved just 5% of its target was a miserable failure.

    I just wanted to clarify that for Alistair Darling & Blair McDougal in case either had difficulty adding up the numbers in preparation for tomorrow morning’s breaking news splash.

    After all, they both have form when it comes to not telling the whole truth.

  50. Douglas Guy
    Ignored
    says:

    The key for any leaflet is the url or qrcodes on them which bring people past the mainstream media firewall.

    I’ve just booked a couple of week off in September too.

  51. Roddy Macdonald
    Ignored
    says:

    So no stories of ‘Brief Encounter’ Cybernat / U-KOK romances blossoming?

  52. Grahame
    Ignored
    says:

    Slightly o/t but is there anyone here who has a car but doesn’t have a YES window sticker in it?

    It’s important that we use as many opportunities as possible for people to see YES and normalise it. I spotted 5 yes car stickers today driving through various parts of Edinburgh. This was of course a record number.

  53. Donna
    Ignored
    says:

    My YES you all deserve……too all who did!

  54. Keir Robinson
    Ignored
    says:

    Well it was a worthwhile exercise for me, heading for Helensburgh Central this morning. It opened my eyes to just how evasive and negative the Better Together activists really are, and if I needed to confirm my opinion to myself then they kinda did that for me 😀

  55. CUtommy
    Ignored
    says:

    Gave out some business cards with the ‘wings’ web address on, outside Johnstone station. They were gratefully received, so expect another few ‘hits’. Wanted to give them to BT canvassers, but no one turned up.

  56. Grant_M
    Ignored
    says:

    @Andrew Morton
    Stu linked to it…

    https://twitter.com/kdugdalemsp/status/263774086382108673

    (DOESN’T ANYONE CLICK THE ETC ETC ETC?) 😀

  57. Alan Mackintosh
    Ignored
    says:

    Went for a look at Inverness this afternoon and checked all three entrances. No-one at the two minor ones and at the front there were 3 or 4 from BT and 2 from Yes. Went and said hello and picked up a Yes newspaper. Also picked up a BT News paper as well and asked for one of their Goodbye leaflets. One of the BT’ers was Ok, said hello and shook hands. Talked to him and he was ok, quite pleasant and agreed that idiots on both sides spoiling discussion by being insulting. One of the others just muttered about Indy leading to Alex Salmond la la land… and wouldnt engage. The yes guys really cheery, fellow WOSsers. Just watching peoples expressions they seemed to smile a bit when given Yes newspaper, but the BT one was just accepted without any response. (They only arrived about half 4.)

  58. moroc
    Ignored
    says:

    @Andrew Morton

    If you search for ‘kezia dugdale bayonet’ in the search bar in Twitter* you should be able to find it.

    *Whether logged into Twitter or not. If you’re not a Twitter user, you can use this link to search any posts:

    https://twitter.com/search-home

  59. Sandy
    Ignored
    says:

    I caught my train home from Haymarket just after 4pm. One BT campaigner outside the entrance, no leaflets accepted that I saw. One of Scotland’s busiest stations and that was all they could muster?

  60. megsmaw06
    Ignored
    says:

    @Pedro

    It’s a Friday and the end of the month (pay day), so seeing the Police about the station is nothing unusual.

  61. moroc
    Ignored
    says:

    Sorry – @Grant M has the scoop. My post above may still help non-tweeters search for other content. (I personally didn’t know how to before using Twitter.)

  62. Andrew Morton
    Ignored
    says:

    I have now found the screenshot of the Bayonet tweet and forwarded it to the Herald. Will report back when I get a reply.

    @Grant_M
    Rather than go searching for it I figured one of you could direct me to it more quickly. A thousand heads are better than one. Thanks to the others who helped.

    By the way, I was turned into a toad by Johann Lamont. Does that make me a Natterjack?

  63. Craiging_619
    Ignored
    says:

    Is it wrong that I read through that station list like the Scotrail on-board voiceover person?

  64. Ian Brotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    @Andrew Morton –

    ‘I was turned into a toad by Johann Lamont. Does that make me a Natterjack?’

    No. But it does mean you were horribly reckless in allowing her to get that close, even in jest.

  65. Ian Brotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    @Craiging_619 –

    I’m sorry, would you mind repeating that?

  66. ronnie anderson
    Ignored
    says:

    Rite Lad,s Lasses, Am starting a small outfitter,s buisness
    for Winger,s on dangerious as sing ments,Armoured suit,s
    Full Mental Jaikit,s, mines a Anderson Tartan Wan,fuck aff
    Barrowman you,ve nae chance

  67. Atypical_Scot
    Ignored
    says:

    Have a droll photo from afar across the street of these poor chaps at Arbroath in the rain.

    I had a wee chat about the flyer, I was told it explained how Carney had said there could be no way Scotland could use the pound. When I said I thought that Carney had said he would implement whatever was decided between Holyrood and Westminster, the answer was – but that will be Westminster’s decision, what can the Scots do about it? I replied – what about the balance of payments? – which concluded the exchange as the chap then told me we will have to beg to differ, very politely I must add.

  68. Pahdraig
    Ignored
    says:

    Why is there no reporting on graham Avery meeting with the committee in Edinburgh. People should watch it before the BBC delete it.

    anyone with any questions on Europe will be more than happy with what this man is saying. and check out a certain sneering labour politician when she doesn’t get the answers she wants. Great to hear someone speaking the truth for once.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-25965703

  69. Clootie
    Ignored
    says:

    Well done to all who gave up time today. Once again ordinary people have to undertake the balanced and accurate reporting that the MSM refuse to do.

    BT virtual campaign generated by our media.

  70. kendomacaroonbar
    Ignored
    says:

    @ronnie

    Put me down for an Anderson shelter 🙂

  71. Morag
    Ignored
    says:

    Could I ask the undoubted experts lurking on wings when is the most effective time before the referendum to take “holidays” to work for the campaign. Too close to the date may be too late. When would be the psychological moment to have a final big drive?

    I was going to aske our local organiser that, bit all input welcome. I have already swiped 8th to 19th September for my main summer fortnight and if anyone asks me where I’m going the answer is likely to be “probably the Borders”.

    I have at least another week to find somewhere but like you I’m not sure whether to go for the first week in September or earlier. The problem is of course that getting a week in the school holidays might be problematic.

  72. ronnie anderson
    Ignored
    says:

    @Kininvie10.16, Only the Lonely

  73. stephen McKenzie
    Ignored
    says:

    Kendomacaroonbar – Jings you must by as young as me, if we could find one still available our Scottish Lib Dem friends could have their next AGM and Dinner dance all in one location.

    On another topical subject.. Is there an “I Spy – a Unionist” book out yet as I spotted 4 at Helensburgh Station and a “UK OK” sticker? It does help pass the time while driving.

  74. kendomacaroonbar
    Ignored
    says:

    @Stephen

    I think I’m a baby boomer 🙂

  75. Fergie35
    Ignored
    says:

    http://i58.tinypic.com/1zxvds2.jpg
    Nothing to report fae sunny Montrose.

  76. Chic McGregor
    Ignored
    says:

    Thats brill Kendo. Take it, it is OK to use as a promo?

  77. stephen McKenzie
    Ignored
    says:

    Kendomacoorar – the shock waves of a large bomb often brought on a lot of early deliveries plus a considerable amount of detached plaster – you are a credit to us all.

    I still have my stirrup pump and bucket of sand available should Scotland call upon me.

  78. kendomacaroonbar
    Ignored
    says:

    @Chic

    Absolutely ! I have a couple on youtube that you might like to use.

  79. ronnie anderson
    Ignored
    says:

    Channel 604 referendem Winnie Ewing Virgin media

  80. Patrician
    Ignored
    says:

    I didn’t see anyone today at my local station, Drumgelloch wasn’t included in the list. I think this was down to the fact that it was “leafletted” late last year.

    In fact I was actually in the station when it happened. if you have a short attention span, look away now as this might go on for a bit.

    I arrived early that morning and having some time to kill I decided to get one of the Metro papers that are usually in the rack inside the shelter on the Glasgow platform. I wasn’t in luck that day as they had all gone. So I was left to do nothing but stand on the platform looking over at the carpark. My attention was piqued by an elderly chap who parked in the dropoff area and then went to the back seat of his car and pulled out a pile of what looked like newspapers. He went into the shelter on the Edinburgh bound side of the station and dropped what looked like some of his bundle into the Metro rack. I thought, bloody hell these Metro people are keen, they don’t hang about filling up the racks as soon as they empty. After delivering his newspaper in the shelter he then climbed the stairs crossed the bridge to my side of the track, where he went into the shelter and dropped his papers into the metro rack.

    The next bit struck me as odd, when I started to walk to the shelter as he was walking away he gave me a strange look. At first I didn’t think much about it as anyone who knows me, knows that I have a terrible memory for faces. I sort of assumed he was someone I had met and couldn’t name and he was a bit pissed at me for not saying hello.

    When I walked into the shelter, I heard a FFS and a few achs of disapproval and the floor of the shelter was covered in “newspapers”. It was in fact the leaflet with the, IIRC, crossword and recipe. I am not sure about the contents as I never got a chance to read any of them as within literally 30 seconds they were all over the floor. It was then I realised the reason for the strange look, I had on my “Yes” badge at the time.

    To make matters worse, in the local paper the next week there was a piece about the successful campaign day at the train station. Now I am not saying that they weren’t campaigning that morning before I arrived or after I left but if that was a successful campaign then today was a soaring triumph for them.

  81. ronnie anderson
    Ignored
    says:

    @, ,kendoamacaroonbar ,Whit the fek dey you want a Anderson shelter fur, they dont have Wings, onny wie the only
    lovebombing amunition they hiv, will probibly be a packet of Loveheart,s, an Bt are no the carein sharein type

  82. Patrician
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Ronnie

    Is that your shed on Gartleahill?

  83. Jill Parton
    Ignored
    says:

    Yes there were BT people at Bathgate. They tried giving out leaflets but not many people were taking them. Mind you, there were 2 YESsers standing beside the gate talking about the leaflets being full of lies…

  84. PRJ
    Ignored
    says:

    The reason they never turn up is because they have’nt got an argument against Yes.

  85. ronnie anderson
    Ignored
    says:

    @Patrician 12.46 Aye thats me

  86. ronnie anderson
    Ignored
    says:

    @Patrician the last time they done Drumgelloch that would have been Jim Lougue that droped they papers there ,I was at Airdrie station that morning,doing Yes paper,s

  87. Patrician
    Ignored
    says:

    @Ronnie

    I haven’t had a good look at the shed, too busy driving fast through bandit country to slow down 😉 What I did see was good.

    If it had been Mr Logue, I wouldn’t have recognised him anyway. As I said I am terrible with faces.

  88. ronnie anderson
    Ignored
    says:

    @patrician ah dont think Gartlea ,s that bad Bandit country lol

  89. Les Wilson
    Ignored
    says:

    Kendo the wings intro is brilliant, how can I embed it in emails? if not as is, then a permanent link?

  90. Patrician
    Ignored
    says:

    @Ronnie

    I grew up there, i know what I’m talking about 😀

  91. ronnie anderson
    Ignored
    says:

    aye an ave stayed here since ah wiz 10yrs old

  92. Croompenstein
    Ignored
    says:

    Just in from party and I met a young girl who is the daughter of a friend of mine who emigrated to Australia a good few years ago. She had no idea of the constitutional situation we are in and hadn’t heard of the referendum. I filled her in on the basics and even sang her Flower of Scotland. I went and sat down and a wee sad fuck came over with his mobile phone and lo and behold it was a photo of Thatcher with the words “Vote No it’s what she would have wanted”. I am sick to my fuckin stomach that these people live among us and could yet scupper the last chance we have to a free democratic nation. Honestly I think I have had enough.

  93. callum mcswan
    Ignored
    says:

    i WAS IN Aberdeen train station today There for 6am with 5 others handing out YES news papers. After talk after a massive turn out from BT in Aberdeen they managed just 2 people.
    Later in the day in pouring rain Union Street both YES and Nos turned up again from 4.30pm Yet again the NO side outnumbered.
    the YES has the foresight to add plastic covers to our leaflets unlike the NO who handed out soggy leaflets which most ended up thrown in a bin or on the wet Union street pavement.
    I spoke to one of the NO canvases now he wss a nice guy however quite happy to lie to people.
    He told me that a YES vote will mean Scotland is entitled to no Oil what so ever. Its British water not Scottish he declared!
    I can only talk for Aberdeen but what I saw it was a success for the YES today Despite a decision made late last night to counter the NO propaganda Better Together Aberdeen must be wondering why they failed so miserably today. As miserable as the weather!
    Outnumbered Out thought and out stayed!
    The battle for votes will come down to social media and on the streets.
    Which im convince our positive message will out way the negative message from the Tory run Better Together

  94. ronnie anderson
    Ignored
    says:

    @Croompenstein, chin up pal fur every dunt doon, we get 5 punts up, every day

  95. Andrew Morton
    Ignored
    says:

    @Croompenstein

    Hands in the air, it’s a fair cop guv!

    I’m responsible for the Thatcher pic. I thought to myself, ‘What would make the average, decent Scot turn away from voting No? The thought that if we did so, it’s what she would have wanted.’

    I found the most ghastly photo of Thatcher available, added the words and then released the pic on Facebook. Looks like it’s broken free.

  96. Patrician
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Croompenstein.

    Have a sit down and a cup of something, put on some soothing music and calm down. Getting people angry and dispirited is what they want, so don’t give into them. WE are winning and they know it, just think how it feels to be on their side of this.

  97. Croompenstein
    Ignored
    says:

    @Ronnie – honest tae fuck pal we have irked the British Establishment to it’s unholy core, it’s not Thatcher it’s not Cameron it’s the unseen tendrils of privilege and power that seep through to a young Scottish laddie wae a picture of fuckin Thatcher on his phone, honestly rev stu please watch yer back these fuckers are getting pissed off..

  98. Votadini Jeannie
    Ignored
    says:

    @Grahame

    “Slightly o/t but is there anyone here who has a car but doesn’t have a YES window sticker in it?”

    My children gleefully reported today that someone had stuck a Yes sticker on Iain Gray’s car. Apparently I’m a suspect.

  99. Croompenstein
    Ignored
    says:

    I am off to bed I will not sleep at the thought of young Scot’s who have no experience of that bastard Thatcher and the havoc she wreaked on all of us, not just Scotland but the industrial heart of England, showing off her picture as some sort of medal of honour! I feel heartbroken that the pish the MSM is peddling is finding a young audience. Hope I wake up tomorrow and forget I saw it..

  100. Marker Post
    Ignored
    says:

    Don’t know if anyone’s posted this before, but a cracking reference to Rev Stu in Holy Murphy’s Prayer on BBC Scotlandshire:

    Dacre, my God! that Rev Stu Campbell,
    My vera heart an’ flesh do tremble,
    To think how we stood sweatin, scar’t and,
    Full pish’d wi’ dreid,
    While he, wi’ fleein Wings ower Scoatland,
    Scorned U-KOK’s heid.

    O!, in Thy day o’ vengeance try him,
    And visit them wha did crowdfund him,
    And pass not in Thy mercy by them,
    Nor hear their pray’r,
    But for the MP’s sake destroy them,
    An’ dinna spare.

  101. Paul
    Ignored
    says:

    O/T wossers will like this J K Rowling is suing the Daily Mail for libel after it printed a story about the author being a single mother in Edinburgh great eh made getting up this dark cold morning a bit brighter.

  102. Ken500
    Ignored
    says:

    JK Rowling gave £millions to the Labour Party.

  103. joe kane
    Ignored
    says:

    Our best estimate, based on “Better Together” team’s own claims and our spotters’ observations, is that they’ll have fallen short of their “half a million leaflets” target by something in the region of 95%. (Our most wildly generous estimate of the amount handed out is 25,000.)
    – In scientific terms, doesn’t a 5% positive outcome (ie 95% negative outcome) in the phenomena you are trying to detect in an experiment count statistically as interference and can, therefore, be discounted as insignificant background noise?

    Another way of reformulating that that would be to say that such Better Together grassroots activism would have the exact same effect on the rest of Scottish society if it didn’t exist at all. It has been a failure which means, in typical BT fashion, it will have to look for scapegoats and other non-existent villains to blame rather than admit the truth.

  104. Ken500
    Ignored
    says:

    It’s weird. Kezia’s new best friend Paul, the absentee landlord, UKIP lover, EU subsidy graber. Right wing tax evader Paul attacks the Labour/members/Party and everyone else, at every opportunity.

    Who’s Lamentables’s replacement, Kezia or Cara.

    Is Gray moonlighting at Prestonpans or it it Young? No offence to the Dumbie. : – )

  105. Boorach
    Ignored
    says:

    I see agent cup-cake was out promoting the Yes paper at Dingwall. Kudos to all who braved the elements today.

  106. Paul
    Ignored
    says:

    Ken500 my enemies enemy is my friend I think that in the new independent Scotland it will be just as hard for people to vote Labour as much as the Tories unless there is real change in it’s leadership and direction. Who can have faith in any of the unionist leaders or parties as I have mentioned before maybe that is the unionists master plan make themselves that unelectable that the thought of them leading the independent Scotland is too terrifying to contemplate, But then again are they that clever?

  107. TYRAN
    Ignored
    says:

    In my experience young women love the attention and to be approached. Must be a McDougall thing.

  108. seoc
    Ignored
    says:

    O/T Carmunnock, yesterday afternoon.
    Was talking tae Big Sandy, our local piper when a young fella delivering the YES Newspaper called. He was delighted to see my YES sticker on the front door and after brief banter went on his way. I’d already received mine via the post.
    The point is that he just oozed palpable enthusiasm for his chosen task – cheered this auld yin up nae end.

  109. Helpmaboab
    Ignored
    says:

    They seek him here,
    They seek him there,
    Those Wings folk seek him everywhere.
    Is he a myth or is he a lie?
    That damned elusive UKOK guy.

  110. HandandShrimp
    Ignored
    says:

    Well if they are leafleting today they have my sympathies. I wouldn’t send Ian Davidson out in that weather.

  111. Craiging_619
    Ignored
    says:

    “This train is for ‘The Better Together Campaign’.
    This train will NOT call at:

    Alexandra Parade
    Aviemore
    Barrhead
    Bishopbriggs
    Cupar
    Dalry
    Dingwall…” etc.

    You had to be there, emmmmm…

    *retreats*

  112. Mathie Wallace
    Ignored
    says:

    Apologies if somebody has asked this before.
    There seem to be a lot of ‘cybernats’ so where can I get a lapel badge to wear with honour?

  113. kendomacaroonbar
    Ignored
    says:

    @les

    You can download it from Youtube.

  114. kendomacaroonbar
    Ignored
    says:

    @Ronnie

    Anderson Shelters were good things

    On the other hand Pamela Anderson shelters….well, we’ll no go there 🙂

  115. handclapping
    Ignored
    says:

    Rev, anent Kirkcaldy, see my report 5.02pm yesterday on “the lonely hours”

  116. ronnie anderson
    Ignored
    says:

    @Kendomacaroonbar 10.44, Ur you back tae Michelle Moan
    story of last week, an ah thought ah wiz slow in playin
    catch up, P A no thats titamajestic,courtesy of Grangemooth
    plastic,s industry.lol

  117. The Tree of Liberty
    Ignored
    says:

    Could somebody please tell me where I can buy the “Aye Right” business cards? The wans wie the web addresses on the back.

  118. Beef Curtice
    Ignored
    says:

    I was at Glasgow Central at 5pm last night and at the main entrance a v proactive Yes activist was handing out leaflets while a boy who looked about 12 and petrified was standing reluctantly handing out lies. I actually felt sorry for the wee lad so decided not to bother asking for a positive reason for voting for the Union.

  119. Helpmaboab
    Ignored
    says:

    Handclapping,

    It seems we were hovering around Kirkcaldy station at roughly the same time. I was there between about 16.30 and 17.15 and didn’t see a solitary UKOKer.

    This means that the one that you noticed at about 16.00 didn’t have much staying power.

    In the interests of accuracy, the Rev. should strike the Lang Toun off the list of no-shows but if this is the best Project Fear can manage in Kirkcaldy I count it as a points victory for us.

  120. CUtommy
    Ignored
    says:

    .

  121. callum
    Ignored
    says:

    this has to be one of the best “political pranks” of the decade.

  122. TYRAN
    Ignored
    says:

    BT reminds me of what this guy was saying…

  123. TYRAN
    Ignored
    says:

    We have 500,00 leaflets, we have distributed all leaflets, we have this events all over Scotland, this separatists, what they are alleging is completely baseless, this cybernats, they are taking photos of young girls in dark tunnels, this is the level of this gang, this villains…

  124. Dick Gaughan
    Ignored
    says:

    @ TYRAN

    Thank you for that stunningly persuasive piece of superbly argued analysis. The logic of your case has persuaded me, and no doubt thousands of others, of the error of our ways.

  125. Croompenstein
    Ignored
    says:

    What is 500,00?

  126. dmw42
    Ignored
    says:

    Some friends and I were discussing yesterday’s BT campaign and we came to the conclusion there were two distinct types of BT ‘volunteers’.

    One type were the ordinary, albeit perhaps misguided, who were generally willing to enter into discussion and conversation. Quite pleasant people in fact.

    The other types were so obviously coonsilors and party apartchiks, completely unwilling to converse, and quite frankly arrogant and dismissive if you didn’t accept their views as ‘fact’.

    Quite an eye opener.

  127. Dick Gaughan
    Ignored
    says:

    Croompenstein says:
    What is 500,00?

    Well, in most of Europe, where they use a comma where we use a decimal point, it would mean “five hundred”.

    Maybe it’s a devious deep coded reference to the Proclaimers?

  128. Croompenstein
    Ignored
    says:

    @Dick Gaughan – Oor Tyran is a wee click baiter mibbee lookin for a cabernat tae abuse him and go greetin tae the Daily Heil. The Proclaimers cud sing aboot handing oot 500,00 leaflets and handing oot 500,00 more 🙂

  129. AYEMAN
    Ignored
    says:

    Rev Stuart.
    I am not too IT savvy, can’t get my contribution to you via this method and have an offering for the site stuck in my outbox as the email won’t send. Used the web address at top of your page but it just won’t go. Can you provide correct email address?
    Thanks,
    AYEMAN

  130. Dick Gaughan
    Ignored
    says:

    Croompenstein says:
    @Dick Gaughan – Oor Tyran is a wee click baiter mibbee lookin for a cabernat tae abuse him and go greetin tae the Daily Heil.

    It’s not very good at it, is it? Needs to learn how to do it without making itself look like a total arse.

    I reckon we’ll get a bit more of this kind of provocation for a wee while. But the story’s almost run its course. The DM will be hunting down its next headline grabber once it realises the “evil Cybernat” bollocks is being used to laugh at it. Papers don’t make money running old smears, they constantly need new blood.

  131. Rev. Stuart Campbell
    Ignored
    says:

    “Used the web address at top of your page but it just won’t go”

    Just drop us a short line with the Contact form and you’ll get the address.

  132. tartanarse
    Ignored
    says:

    Well done folks although I, m half tempted to report you all for cruelty to imbeciles.

    But I won, t.

    If there is a god, he, s kilted.

  133. AYEMAN
    Ignored
    says:

    Hope this is the Contact form as this is my short line hoping for the address.

  134. wee jamie
    Ignored
    says:

    I have a wee suggestion for better together, why don’t they offer to PAY people to distribute their inaccurate and out dated propaganda leaflets, that way they might encourage some enthusiasm for their campaign, after all , they have enough Tory money to make this a viable option, and it would probably appeal to the greedy and self-serving nature of the average unionist.



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