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The weekenders

Posted on April 25, 2014 by

If you’re a politician in Scotland and you want to do something with the smallest possible amount of scrutiny, Friday is the day you choose. Neither of the major nightly current-affairs shows have Friday editions (we’re actually not entirely sure why that is), so unless you make a REAL mess of something you can be sure the news agenda will have moved on by the time Monday rolls around.

milibot11

We suspect that the CBI’s mind-boggling decision to abandon its position of being part of the official No campaign falls firmly into that category and will be pretty thoroughly chewed over in the next couple of days (despite them doing their very best to bury it by announcing it at six o’clock on a Friday evening), so we’re going to stick to our original plan and talk about Ed Miliband instead.

There hasn’t been much in the media about the gathering in Glasgow of Labour’s “shadow cabinet” this afternoon, possibly because it was a closed event in which nobody has any idea what happened. For all we knew they played Dungeons & Dragons for a couple of hours and called it a day.

(As the shadow cabinet has no ACTUAL responsibilities, they may as well have.)

Miliband, along with Johann Lamont and Margaret Curran, also supposedly took part in a “public meeting” in Motherwell – although the first report of it we found suggested that the audience comprised “local community activists” and showed “United With Labour” branding, and as we can’t find a single advance reference to the venue we think that may be a rather loose interpretation of the word “public”.

In fact, we can’t find any reference to the venue even AFTER the meeting took place. Curiously the Sunday Post website reports the event extensively, including some of the questions that were asked, but without actually mentioning where it happened.

However, from a YouTube video of Miliband being heckled on his way out, an alert reader managed to identify it as the Isa Money Community Centre in the Muirhouse area of the town. (Which, if you were wondering, is apparently named after a local councillor rather than the result of some weird financial-company sponsorship deal.)

labouruk

We’ve been putting off writing about Miliband’s visit because it’s hard to know which aspect to focus on, all of them being equally bewildering. But the press appears to be mainly highlighting his new policy on zero-hours contracts, so let’s go with that.

As noted by the New Statesman, the newly-announced pledges mark a serious watering-down of earlier proposals. Having previously pledged to give zero-hours workers the right to a proper fixed-hours deal after just 12 weeks of working for an employer, the qualifying time has now increased to a year.

Of course, in reality that’s a distinction without a difference. Any company wishing to avoid offering workers such a contract can simply terminate their employment just before the relevant date – whether that be 11 weeks or 51 – and then re-hire them, resetting the clock to 0 as often as they like.

Miliband claimed, without giving any sort of reasons by way of explanation, that an independent Scotland would find it more difficult to end such exploitation of workers:

The reason the SNP has nothing to say about ending the abuse of zero hours contracts is simple: they know that if Scotland left the UK it would harder to end the abuse of zero hours contracts either here or in what is left of the UK.”

Employment law is devolved to Westminster, so the SNP have no powers in the field whatsoever while Scotland is in the UK. But curiously, whenever Labour has been offered the chance to actually do something about zero-hours contracts rather than just make pledges, they’ve voted to keep them in place.

And it perhaps wasn’t the best choice to announce such a policy in Glasgow, where the Labour-run city council employs hundreds of people on zero-hours contracts via arm’s-length companies.

Of course, there were no interviews in which Miliband could be challenged on any of that. As is the standard modus operandi of the UK parties, he was whisked in and out of the events without facing any media, although he did give a few minutes to Good Morning Scotland earlier in the day, throughout which he carefully dodged every question put to him by the BBC’s James Naughtie.

He once again insisted that Scotland had to stay in the Union to avoid tax competition between parts of Britain, while also emphasising the claim that a No vote would bring “new powers” which would in fact enable tax competition.

(Or at least, we think that’s still the line today – Labour’s position on the matter has changed at least twice since announcing its devolution proposals last month.)

straight1

Miliband unequivocally and emphatically ruled out a 2015 UK Labour government agreeing to a currency union with an independent Scotland, at which point Naughtie – to give him some credit – did raise the suggestion of Scotland using the pound informally, but Miliband waffled around the question and Naughtie didn’t press it.

(Interestingly, last night’s Newsnight Scotland also saw Andrew Kerr attempt to quiz Labour MSP Jackie Baillie on another double standard this site’s been noting for some time – Labour’s constant attacks on the SNP over planned Corporation Tax cuts when Gordon Brown slashed it twice in power and promised further reductions – but Baillie was allowed to simply talk over him and evade the half-hearted challenge.)

So the upshot of UK Labour’s Friday outing to One Nation Britain (North Sector) seems to be that Ed Miliband has once again suggested that a Labour government at Westminster is the solution to all of Scotland’s ills, and demonstrated the claim by pledging to introduce a policy that Labour somehow forgot to implement during 13 years of power, has voted against in practice, and which would be useless anyway.

Readers might feel that they can see why Labour don’t want it examined too closely.

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170 to “The weekenders”

  1. Croompenstein
    Ignored
    says:

    Dear oh dear, Keir Hardie must be spinning in his grave at this bunch of wastrels coming up to Scotland posturing then running away under no scrutiny. Labour Party my arse..

  2. G H Graham
    Ignored
    says:

    So the Labour tryptich is already our of date then?

  3. Kenlike
    Ignored
    says:

    CBI – what a shemozzle! Imagine if they ran a business or something

    Oh – wait a minute…

  4. G H Graham
    Ignored
    says:

    I really wish to avoid appearing misogynistic but I find Jackie Baillie’s lies singularly nauseating.

  5. Anne Gorman
    Ignored
    says:

    http://www.aberdareonline.co.uk/content/labour-vetoes-plaid-bid-ban-zero-hour-contracts

    Given this article, I would suggest that Mr. Ed and his party are full of bulls***!

  6. Calgacus MacAndrews
    Ignored
    says:

    I think Ed is Vulcan Mind-Melding with himself in the photo …

  7. Rev. Stuart Campbell
    Ignored
    says:

    “I really wish to avoid appearing misogynistic but I find Jackie Baillie’s lies singularly nauseating.”

    I don’t think it’s misogynistic to say that. I sure as heck wouldn’t like to be trapped in a lift with her and Anas Sarwar and a gun with only one bullet in it.

  8. Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    Milliband’s picture really sums up their position.

  9. G H Graham
    Ignored
    says:

    Only one bullet? What a bummer !

  10. Croompenstein
    Ignored
    says:

    The wee Dickie Davies bit isn’t doing him any favours..

  11. Bruce Wallace
    Ignored
    says:

    Here’ Ed getting heckled in Motherwell.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktMt0b15GuM&feature=youtu.be

  12. Gray
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Stu

    Can I just point out as a D&D player of old that it requires imagination to play the game!

  13. Arbroath 1320
    Ignored
    says:

    I don’t think it’s misogynistic to say that. I sure as heck wouldn’t like to be trapped in a lift with her and Anas Sarwar and a gun with only one bullet in it.

    Oh I don’t think that would be too much of a problem Stu. Just make sure you have the right gun, say a Magnum 44, and with Baillie and Sarwar standing in the right position ‘m sure you’d find one bullet could do the job very nicely thank you very much. 😉

  14. G H Graham
    Ignored
    says:

    Back to the main point of this post … I also fail to appreciate what London day trippers from Westminster think they are trying to achieve.

    They can make these hollow pronouncements from London & save tax payers from coughing up for who knows, how many return business class air tickets & taxis.

    If they think that by actually being in Scotland is meaningful, they negate the effect by having a closed session in a location, almost nobody knows about in advance. And it’s invariably somewhere obscure.

    One get’s the impression that they really are not willing to be scrutinized, not even by a slavish unionist media. Sure, Miliband got his morning pitch in but he was basically given a free, 9 minute, party political broadcast on Radio Scotland.

    I can only conclude that they genuinely know they have no robust, unarguable case for retaining the status quo & are hoping that the voters are really as thick as cold custard to notice or care.

  15. The Man in the Jar
    Ignored
    says:

    You know… I think that I actually despise Labour even more that the Tories now.

    Its been said before that at least with the Tories you know what to expect.

    Reading the comments below the line in the New Statesman. Utterly astonishing to read the party faithful defending this pish. What an utterly woeful bunch they have become.

  16. Holebender
    Ignored
    says:

    Employment law is devolved to Westminster…

    How does that work then? Is it devolved from Brussels or something?

  17. Ian Brotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    @Rev –

    ‘I sure as heck wouldn’t like to be trapped in a lift with her and Anas Sarwar and a gun with only one bullet in it.’

    Indeed.

    In such a scenario I’d use the bullet for myself before the sexual tension became too great and/or the oxygen ran out.

  18. RogueCoder
    Ignored
    says:

    @Rev
    I don’t think it’s misogynistic to say that. I sure as heck wouldn’t like to be trapped in a lift with her and Anas Sarwar and a gun with only one bullet in it.

    Be a gent – shoot the woman and bludgeon Anas to death.

    Or you could climb out the escape hatch and shoot the lift cables, but that generally only works in films.

  19. Holebender
    Ignored
    says:

    In the stuck in a lift with Baillie & Sarwar and only having one bullet scenario I think I’d have to shoot myself!

  20. velofello
    Ignored
    says:

    That Was The Week That Was:

    A CBI “junior” – a Mr MacMillan (?) oversteps their authority; the BBC wishes to suspend its CBI membership; Labour hold public meetings in undisclosed locations; Yvette Cooper was born in Scotland, and ? ; a St Andrews Uni Don reckons that Alex Salmon is the new Maggie Thatcher; wee Ruthy draws gasps at FM Question Time.

    As a consolation, THE FOOTBALL LEAGUE is, nearly the best in the whole wide world, with players and managers from just about every country but rUK – Murdoch’s revenge.

    Fortunately some dignity. The audience applauding kindly when Andy Murray was lost for words. And a meeting in praise of a remarkable Scots woman, Margo MacDonald.

  21. dennis mclaughlin
    Ignored
    says:

    Arbroath1320. …which piece of their anatomy would you aim at to do the most damage 😉

  22. Jim Mitchell
    Ignored
    says:

    A picture of Ed’s crowded venue can be seen here.

    pic.twitter.com/hCGJfSecZA

  23. MochaChoca
    Ignored
    says:

    With regard to the CBI, it did cross my mind that although they had made a serious error of judgement in supporting one side at least they were honest enough to come out and declare it.

    Now they don’t even have that.

  24. mogabee
    Ignored
    says:

    I am curious as to why the shadow cabinet were in that area.

    Has the Labour stronghold started to slip? Poor Mr Roy must be crapping himself in case he has to go back to working for a living. 😉 😉

    It’s the same reason that queenie sent her “bright young things” to Australia, calming the natives!

  25. RogueCoder
    Ignored
    says:

    I love the fact that despite the Rev’s usual artful and insightful dissection of the day’s events, it seems most Wingers are devoting a few minutes consideration to possible solutions for the hypothetical SLAB Lift Question.

    😀

  26. bunter
    Ignored
    says:

    O/T, The Guardians CBI article no longer has any comments, they have all disappeared which is a shame as was very funny.

  27. Alba4Eva
    Ignored
    says:

    Im with Ian… I’d shoot myself.

  28. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    If you act like you’re the boss people tend to just accept you are. Wonder if the American bloke Axelrod is coaching them to act like they are natural and rightful rulers of Scotland?
    It sure looks like Baillie’s had some coaching.

    http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/apr/20/david-axelrod-ed-miliband-labour-guru-obama
    Will David Axelrod give Ed Miliband that ‘Yes he can’ factor?
    The Labour leader’s image is woolly and the party’s campaign lacks drive. Cue the guru who did it for Obama

  29. Murray McCallum
    Ignored
    says:

    I’ve heard about these limited resources and order-of-events puzzles.

    I think the answer involves leaving J.Bailey to be eaten by a fox, Ed Miliband drowning in a lake leaving you to eat the fried chicken.

  30. kishorncommando
    Ignored
    says:

    Watched Jackie Baillie last night, and woke the wife when remote hit the windae!

  31. JLT
    Ignored
    says:

    Just laughed at ‘News at 10’ where I saw Miliband getting pelters off some boy in Glasgow. Boy …even though Ed tried to smile it off, he did not look comfortable.

    Not the sort of image, nor media coverage he wanted as he tries to win over the Scots (which he hasn’t a snowballs chance in hell anyway!)

  32. Paul Jay
    Ignored
    says:

    What’s with the gun play? Read enough comments here over recent months about Bitter Togethers’ use of provocative language and now see those who should know better indulging in pointless comedy that helps not at all. Leash it.

  33. Thomas William Dunlop
    Ignored
    says:

    CORRECTION. Motherwell is most definitely not Glasgow.

    It belongs to that other North British Trotskist Feudal Fiefdom of North Lanarkshire.

  34. Croompenstein
    Ignored
    says:

    I imagine the Tories were meeting at the Loadsa Money Community Centre 😀

  35. Kev
    Ignored
    says:

    Stv news showed a clip of Ed Balls in Kirkintilloch just outside the Regent centre (being ignored by almost all passers-by), no idea what time at, but I was along early afternoon and there was not a single trace of anything occuring at all, nothing…its almost as though Labour have morphed into some super-stealthy SAS unit!

  36. Maid_in_Scotland
    Ignored
    says:

    The poster behind Ed might as well say:

    NEW POTATOES

    FRESH EGGS

    because it means absolutely nothing.

    Who gets paid to think up these daft ‘snappy’ slogans? Don’t they just irritate you? They do me, but I’m an old nark these days anyway.

    Seriously, and the independence debate aside, I am increasingly embarrassed by the standard of politician in the UK these days, and more so by the standard within Labour, the party which matters so much in Scotland. Have to admit to never having voted Labour (or Tory) in almost 50 years, but I can’t help feeling they need a massive clear out and some fresh, intelligent, far-sighted and clear-headed thinkers in their team, for our sakes. Will it happen? I doubt it. At least we have Alicsammin and Co at present without whom where would Scotland be the noo?

  37. Krackerman
    Ignored
    says:

    Hard to believe but there are people who think this man will be elected as the next UK PM…..
    …..

    …..

    just can’t see it myself – imagine standing in the voting booth wanting to vote Labour and that face looms into your mind…

    Nah – I’d spoil the ballot paper and walk out..

  38. Greannach
    Ignored
    says:

    Wondering what those words on the poster behind Thazzaband, ‘New politics. Fresh ideas’, refer to. Wee things, maybe? Something for nothing? Genetic incompetence? Voting for Ian Duncan Smith’s benefits spending cap? So much to choose from. An embarrassment of riches for the Labour class warriors.

  39. caz-m
    Ignored
    says:

    I thought this week was going to be Better Together really starting to take this referendum thing serious.

    They were going to bring in the “Big Beasts” and reclaim the Labour Party supporters back from the YES Campaign.

    We had The Brown scare story on pensions, with no interviews. Then IDS, who was shouting his scare story about welfare from London, with no interviews.

    And again today, Ed Miliband’s total secrecy, no one knows what he said or even the location of where he was.

    So how the hell are they meant to win all these votes back, when not one of them wants to hang around for longer than five minutes after they finish.

    All they are doing is driving more Labour voters over to YES.

  40. Hammett96
    Ignored
    says:

    Saw from the stv news a small clip earlier of Ed strutting in motherwell looked like muirhouse with the flats in the background. I tried to find out where so I could have a look when I finished work as I work in the area, but to no avail. Good spot from whoever identified the location of the ‘public’ meeting. As an aside, I don’t use social media, but was checking jola and Millie’s twitter accounts for clues and noticed that the first response to all the miliband tweets seemed to be ‘f##k off beaker’. I don’t get it…

  41. Patrician
    Ignored
    says:

    @Anne Gorman, 9:38

    Thanks for the link, that report is shocking, it shows up the duplicity of the Labour party. Seriously, don’t these people know that the internet exists and a betrayal like this will be reported far and wide.

  42. Greannach
    Ignored
    says:

    Just noticed Maid in Scotland at 1025pm picked up on the fatuous slogan before me. I’m not copying you. Honest!

  43. CameronB
    Ignored
    says:

    I have finally admitted to myself that buttons are just too complicated for my challenged genetics. I’ll have a zip installed tomorrow.

    Katorga

  44. Alba4Eva
    Ignored
    says:

    The trick with the ‘Lift’ puzzle would surely be how to dispatch both and get away Scot Free 😉 with it…

    I think I have the solution… just shoot either one of them and claim that it was SNP policy to do it. When the lift opens, the one that’s left will automatically and uncontrollably deny that you did it… and as the only other possible suspect, will be sent to Bar-L. Do I win a prize?

  45. Marcia
    Ignored
    says:

    Labour these days have to have closed meetings at secret locations that are not open to the general public so are just media stunts for the press.

    So we now have confirmation that BT don’t have any real grassroots groups, just sectored groups within BT. Seems such a while when BT said they would be using the help of the American outfit that helped the Obama campaign in 2012 and the Yes side couldn’t match it. I think the Computer geeks will be not to impressed with BT. The Obama campaign relied on the grassroots movement the Obama campaign nurtured and developed in the previous 6 years. If you don’t have the boots on the ground then you are going to struggle.

    The CBI? Now that is an embarrassment.

  46. Ian Brotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    Uncountable parallel universes…endless Time…every permutation of things known and unknown happening millions of times…we will all share that lift with Sarwar and Baillie…we will all be Sean Connery at his dinner-suited best…we will all reach the peak of Everest, be blue whales dreaming in the deepest trenches of oceans yet to form…we will all be Johann Lamont multiple times…we will all win Wimbledon and have Number One singles…etc.

    But never, ever, ever will Ed Miliband be Prime Minister.

  47. Maid_in_Scotland
    Ignored
    says:

    Greannach – no problem. I often don’t look in here till the evening by which time I think I might like to comment only to find plenty others got there long before me! I just hate these stupid daft slogans, though.

  48. caz-m
    Ignored
    says:

    Anyone heard of any polls that are due out tomorrow?

  49. bookie from hell
    Ignored
    says:

    Was at westerhailes YES Pentlands tonight

    G.Macdonald, Jim Sillars & Elaine C Smith

    opening speeches were the best bit

    Then it went to the audience open mic,

    you could tell a party activist from a member of the audience a mile off–that’s what spoilt it for me.

    my guess(4 labour-1 snp,1 football supporter asking about the song ban)

    learnt a couple things

    Elaine C Smith is too nice to be a politician—wanted to give her a hug,after a guy went for her(shouted her down) when talking about immigration.

    Jim Sillars is precise and totally knows his brief,impressive

    G Macdonald–snp–calm and collected

  50. mogabee
    Ignored
    says:

    Alba4Eva

    Got my vote! The Bain principal is useful after all…lol

  51. Mary Bruce
    Ignored
    says:

    One of the advantages of news events happening at the weekend is that the yes comments usually get loads more thumbs up at the Scotsman btl than the no comments.

    This is no doubt due to the suspicious absence of many of the repulsive britnat trolls. No doubt they are all Monday to Friday employees based at Whitehall, probably the same ones who tampered with the Hillsborough Wikipedia entry.

  52. Macandroid
    Ignored
    says:

    Simples!!!

    A 9mm bullet would go through Anas first then Ms Bailie BUT not vice versa 🙂

    Keep them away from the doors though – don’t want to have to shift an unmovable object !

  53. Croompenstein
    Ignored
    says:

    ok lift nightmare – Blair McDougall, Duncan Hothersall and David Torrance…..ccrreeeepppyyyyy!!!!

  54. theycan'tbeserious
    Ignored
    says:

    Bailie eats Miliband…shoot Bailie…simples!

  55. Greannach
    Ignored
    says:

    Maid in Scotland – oh God, how I agree. I wonder if there are any humans not driven nuts by these brainless slogans. Is there a person in the country who thinks Labour’s new politics and fresh ideas are anything other than Thatcherite neo-liberal tripe?

  56. Thepnr
    Ignored
    says:

    I’m lost for words and just want to weep for an ideal taht was born in the Labour party under Keir Hardie but has now died.

    There was some success after 1945 when the HNS was formed and the slums began to be demolished.

    Want to know the truth though? I also believed all that shite and looking through my own eyes 50 years later nothing has really changed.

    We can do better than this, it doesn’t have to be this way.
    I have a story but I will keep it close for now. Any Labour voters like me that may read this, open your eyes and please join me in voting Yes.

  57. Les Wilson
    Ignored
    says:

    You just have to wonder what is really going on with labour, public announcements that they are coming, then they have a secret meeting, no questions , no answers, no F all.

    I really think they are shitting themselves, as they could be relegated by Ukip, and voted out of Scotland. A shambles does not cover it. Great!

    The answer, a new Scottish Labour, in an Independent Scotland, solved, dead-weights gone.

  58. theycan'tbeserious
    Ignored
    says:

    oops! Take 2…Bailie eats Sarwar…shoot Bailie…simples!

  59. Ian Brotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    @theycan’tbeserious –

    Now, that’s lateral thinking!

    Soo-perb.

  60. Thepnr
    Ignored
    says:

    The HNS is little known. It preceded the NHS by 6 months and was a great success before being absorbed into the NHS.

    It wasn’t a spelling/typing mistake 🙂

  61. west_lothian_questioner
    Ignored
    says:

    if you turn a gun around it becomes a reasonable facsimile of the archetypical “blunt instrument…” just sayin 😉

  62. Grouse Beater
    Ignored
    says:

    My sheer chance I caught the interview with Baillie.

    She did what all opponents of democracy do, stick rigidly to pre-agreed slogans that actually reduce democratic rights whilst selling them as innovation.

    What is clearly evident is the emptiness behind her words.

    She might as well stay silent and hold up a series of cards stating her one-line catchphrases and mottos.

    Labour are still unable to express what genuine, improvements in Scotland’s governance they will deliver as a manifesto guarantee.

    Then again, only independence quarantees constitutional change is immune from Westminster retrogressive attack.

    So, like Baillie, Miliband might as well carry a placard on which is written:

    Empty Platitudes ‘R Us.

  63. Bigdrone
    Ignored
    says:

    I’ve only one word to sum up toaday’s shambollic visit by Ed and Co and that is ‘Totally ****in’ poinless!’

  64. jacksloan2013
    Ignored
    says:

    I notice Miliband’s meeting in Muirhouse is in a hall with all the curtains shut though its middle of the day.
    Case of keep them in the dark and throw in a bucket of thingy every so often.

  65. Marcia
    Ignored
    says:

    From Jonathan Mackie of Yes Scotland:

    ‘Hearing CBI are bringing out a smartphone. Loses all your contacts, sends documents without your permission, and crashes after a week.’

  66. Dorothy Bruce
    Ignored
    says:

    The day trip was a non-event. If the reason was to persuade wavering Don’t Knows then it fell flat on its face. If it was to bolster local Lab/BT campaigners then the awayday can hardly have been more successful.

    Are the BT lot caught in washing machine that keeps spinning them around, loosening the dirt?

    I did enjoy Derek Bateman’s description of the Union as a wrinkled stripper. That brought some hilarious images to mind.

  67. fairiefromtheearth
    Ignored
    says:

    Ian Brotherhood please can i have one of these other lifes next time,i have been prodding the beings from the second dimention, who are trying to prove their is more than one dimention with a broom stick since the big bang,every time i die i go to the fourth dimention where i meet my counter part from the first dimention who is doing the same job as me but much more difficult,or so she says then Uma tells us we have to go back and do the same shit or reality will emplode,could you set me up as Jackie Stewart next time plz?

  68. caz-m
    Ignored
    says:

    Marcia

    I think that the NO campaigners are either coming over to YES or they are starting to look for rocks to crawl under.

    They just don’t have the stomach or the will to go out and campaign for a NO vote.

    They are starting to realise that the party’s over, and that YES are the only game in town.

    No more better together badges on jackets, no more waving their Union Jacks.

    The parrot is dead, it is no more.

  69. Bouncy
    Ignored
    says:

    Now that the CBI have declared, and subsequently undeclared themselves as supporting undemocracy, can the BBC seriously put any of their representatives on air as the CBI is now tarnished and cannot be believed as to their point of view an an unbiased entity?

  70. Dinnatouch
    Ignored
    says:

    I grew up in Muirhouse, a stone’s throw from that community centre. I stood for the SNP in the council elections there in 1999, but I’m sorry to say that it’s a rock solid Labour area.

    I remember meeting Isa Money while she was out campaigning in the late 70s. She refused to give me or my mates any stickers because we were too young to vote, but she gave us some leaflets to take home to our parents. Needless to say, the leaflets didn’t make it any further than the nearest bin.

  71. ronnie anderson
    Ignored
    says:

    MR ED TALKING HORSE SHIT.

    does CBS know he,s performing in Scotland.

  72. Catrìona
    Ignored
    says:

    Maid in Scotland & Greannach: only noticed the poster after you mentioned it. They should have gone for the Gordon Brown method of shouting out unrelated, random words and phrases. They should have used capital letters and written OBJECTIVE BLACKCURRANTS and STONY DUVETS. They mean exactly the same as the drivel they used.

  73. Clootie
    Ignored
    says:

    @can’tbeserious 10:48

    When did Milliband get in the bloody lift?

  74. mia C
    Ignored
    says:

    Labor party,yes they do live up 2 their name> quite simply means,> U do the LABOR while we PARTY

  75. schrodingers cat
    Ignored
    says:

    cbi scotland, those which have not resigned

    Glen Abbot Ltd
    Indigo
    James Barr
    Kynesis
    Laura Gordon Associates
    Liddell Thomson
    Millstream Associates
    Munro Consulting
    SI Associates
    Gupta Partnership

    Energy, Oil and Marine

    Cairn Energy
    Flexitricity
    Lithgows
    Scottish Power
    Wood Group Management Services

    Lawyers

    Ledingham Chalmers
    Maclay, Murray & Spens
    MacRoberts
    McGrigors
    Morton Fraser
    Shepherd and Wedderburn

    Property

    Elphinstone Holdings
    Lochay Investments
    Townhead Properties
    Construction & Supplies
    WF Watt (Contracts)
    Miller Group
    Stewart Milne Group
    McAlpine & Co
    Mactaggart & Mickel

    The rest

    Devro (food wrappers)
    FirstGroup
    Havelock Europa (furniture)
    Henry Winning & Co (string & twine)
    ICS (education)
    John G Russell (transport)
    Kube Networds (telecom)
    M Computer Technologies
    Memex Technologies (electronic shop equipment)
    Morris Leslie Group (various)
    Scottish Leather Group
    Coverdale Organisation (training)
    Edrington Group (distillers)
    Skene Group (hotels)
    Tomatin Distillery
    Tullis Russell Group (paper)

  76. CameronB
    Ignored
    says:

    Dirty Pretty Things – The Weekenders
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIjP7ZpUTxg

  77. Krackerman
    Ignored
    says:

    That’s not a very big list is it….

  78. schrodingers cat
    Ignored
    says:

    anyone got an email address?

  79. Clootie
    Ignored
    says:

    Com’n – 9:44 pm we had Jackie and Anas. Somewhere Ana’s got off and Milliband got on. Am I still in the lift? Who has the gun? Has anyone been shot yet. Will Anas be coming back?

    Is this all part of Ian Brotherhoods scene (…and what is Ian drinking?)

    Back to the lift…!

  80. Ian Brotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    @fairiefromtheearth –

    No danger friend.

    I can guarantee another existence where you will be Steve McQueen, just about to set off at Le Mans (is that right? I don’t know these places) and I will be the guy who helps you wrap a big dampened cloth around your head before you set off.

    (We’ll get the chance to swap, eventually, but you can go first!)

  81. schrodingers cat
    Ignored
    says:

    indigo isnt the crowd funding group is it??????

    naw its a PR group which specialise’s in crisis management

    ha ha ha ha ha

  82. Doug Mcg
    Ignored
    says:

    Jackie Baillie and Jola on a motorbike and sidecar doing a bit of cooking , what an opportunity for them , posh voices need a bit of work though.

  83. lumatrix
    Ignored
    says:

    @Alba4Eva LOL LOL LOL Please Rev make plans for the site after we win. I have nowhere better to go to get a laugh. The other info exposing the lies is just a bonus.

  84. schrodingers cat
    Ignored
    says:

    Indigo 27 Maritime St Edinburgh, Midlothian EH6 6SE United Kingdom

  85. Clootie
    Ignored
    says:

    @grouse beater 11:13

    Listen – I’m having enough trouble with this bloody lift without another Jackie. Is this other one trying to get out of the first Jackie or the lift?

  86. Vambomarbeleye
    Ignored
    says:

    Used to be a chubby chaser. Bailie has cured me if that fetish.

  87. schrodingers cat
    Ignored
    says:

    Indigo

    Tel 0131 554 1230

    info@indigopr.com

    Fax 0131 554 1549
    27 Maritime Street

    Edinburgh EH6 6SE

  88. call me dave
    Ignored
    says:

    Seriously, it’s a bit rich when the ‘labour’ Leader of the official opposition in a UK parliament feels so vulnerable that they cannot speak in front of the public in Scotland where tory MP’s are more rare than pandas.

    I did not have much time for Mr Milliband but he really has gone down in my estimation, and will never recover from this miscalculation to sneak furtively into Scotland, say nowt to an invited audience and hightail it into a secure bolt hole.

    Cowardly in the extreme and seemingly unable to look ordinary folk in the eyes. I look forward to a new Scottish labour party in the 2016 election in an independent Scotland.

    Even when invited to stop and say a few words by a member of the public, he ran for cover. Bye Bye Ed when we will we see your like again. Not before the referendum I think, you blew it.

  89. Thepnr
    Ignored
    says:

    Let’s chill just a bit and be Sensible.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=291ET6Py6H8

  90. schrodingers cat
    Ignored
    says:

    its blog site looks quite interesting
    http://www.indigopr.com/blog/labour-losing-its-grip-scottish-centre-left
    maybe not a hopeless case
    it might be worth sending a polite request to them to resign from cbi scotland

  91. Ian Brotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    @Clootie –

    Tonight I have mostly been drinking Woodgate Dry Cider (‘A Crisp and Refreshing Amber Dry Cider with a Distinctive Fruity Flavour’) – it is, indeed, what it says on the tin, and I’ve got two left.

    Slainte!

    PS At some point we will all end up in that same lift – one at a time – with Baillie: nae Sarwar; nae guns; nae clothes; nae escape.

    Sweet dreams!

  92. willie fae Kilwinning
    Ignored
    says:

    I take it the lift didnae have a weight restriction.

  93. schrodingers cat
    Ignored
    says:

    In a thought-provoking piece yesterday on Newsnetscotland, political commentator David Torrance argues that the SNP’s bold pitch for Scotland’s Labour voters to vote Yes in September’s independence referendum is bearing fruit and may just push the pro-indy side to victory. The piece serves as a reminder of the momentum the Yes campaign has steadily built since the White Paper’s publication last November and that, even amongst all the current jostling for women voters, it may yet be Scotland’s traditional Labour core that could in the end prove decisive to the outcome of the referendum.

  94. Nobby Power
    Ignored
    says:

    Milliband hasn’t a clue: the Agency Worker’s Regs 2011 were dreamed up by his pal Gordy Broon, then enacted by Cameron. They’ve allowed their corporate chums (Tesco for one, from personal experience) to ride roughshod over that.

    The legislation exists to tackle zero hours contracts already Ed…maybe you’d like to make it count in a court of law? I ain’t holding my breath.

  95. schrodingers cat
    Ignored
    says:

    indigo pr company actually seem quite enlightened

    i wonder why they didnt resign?

    it would have made wonderful pr?

  96. Ian Brotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    @vambomarbleeye –

    ‘Used to be a chubby chaser.’

    Chubby Chaser was a Blues singer, right?

  97. Ian Brotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    Who wants to be the 500th signatory?

    Only three to go…

    https://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/lord-patten-chairman-bbc-trust-cancel-bbc-membership-of-the-cbi

  98. Dinnatouch
    Ignored
    says:

    Can we please give the lift scenario a break folks, these type of comments don’t help us win over any undecided voters who may be visiting the site.

  99. caz-m
    Ignored
    says:

    And why does Ed keep going on about freezing energy bills until 2017.

    I phoned up my energy company months ago and got that deal.

    Anybody can phone their energy company up and arrange to have your bills frozen for the next couple of years.

    He will also scrap the “Bedroom Tax”.

    Well that is one of the first things that the Scottish Government will implement when we become an Independent country.

    And he also mentioned something about zero-hours contracts.

    So there you have it, that is what you will get from Labour if we vote NO.

  100. Barney Thomson
    Ignored
    says:

    UK Labour –

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktMt0b15GuM

    Labour for Independence –

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8EwNz7r1pU

    I know which side I’d rather be on.

  101. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    I think Seth whathisname met Jackie Baillie and went AHA, there’s my Peter Griffin.

  102. caz-m
    Ignored
    says:

    Ian Brotherhood
    Re, CBI

    What happens once we have the correct amount of signatures.

  103. handclapping
    Ignored
    says:

    Re CBI members

    Devro is high speed sausage skins from Moodiesburn

    Not a lot of people know that, but they do now. ( 1966 🙁 )

  104. Tam Jardine
    Ignored
    says:

    Rev Stu

    Great article – you make dissecting the no-pish look easy… your concluding paragraph is perfect. Only in this crazy screwed up referendum can your talent be so under-reported. Christ, you’re getting BETTER at this!

    Caz-m

    Doing the leaflet round the night, dropped by a relative. 4 ‘touches’ from Yes including myself, another paper drop and 2 canvas visits in the last couple of months. Just that one thin shitey paper from BT. Yes Scotland is fast becoming one of the most effective, large scale grassroots campaign’s in modern politics. Was their ever such an imbalance in a campaign?

    As for the lift, I wouldn’t want to shoot anyone but if the leccy cut and the lights went off, if either Sarwar or Ms Baillie tried to initiate sex I would defend my honour, first with a bullet and then with all my strength.

  105. schrodingers cat
    Ignored
    says:

    caz-m says:
    25 April, 2014 at 11:47 pmIan Brotherhood
    Re, CBI

    What happens once we have the correct amount of signatures.

    can i sign it twice?

  106. Grouse Beater
    Ignored
    says:

    I keep thinking Jackie Baillie is so full of gas that she will float away one day, and like the Hindenburg disaster crash in flames, and some BBC Scotlandshire reporter cries out, “Oh, the humanity!”

  107. Dinnatouch
    Ignored
    says:

    Looking at the picture in that Evening Standard link (“local community activists”), there appears to be a schoolgirl sitting next to Curran, and possible a schoolboy behind her. Shouldn’t they have been at school?

  108. caz-m
    Ignored
    says:

    Don’t you think Jackie Bailey has a really annoying way of saying the word “so”.

    It comes out as Sewoooooooooo or something like that.

  109. Ian Brotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    @caz-m –

    God only knows. I would imagine that they send periodic updates to Lord Patten/BBC Trust (whose details I supplied) which are then ignored.

    But it’s all ‘on the record’. It’s all documented/archived. It’s ‘real’ enough – won’t disappear.

    But we’ll never know what effect these petitions have on institutions like the BBC, because they have such a ‘regal’ approach i.e. ‘Never Apologise, Never Explain.’

    Doesn’t really matter if these petitions are acknowledged or not – there are people well-paid to monitor what we’re doing, and they’ll take note as and when they have to. But we do know for sure that petitions work – if they didn’t, we’d soon be seeing the Red Road flats demolished to ‘celebrate’ the opening of Glasgow’s Commonwealth Games.

  110. Peter
    Ignored
    says:

    On the subject of, “dog whistle”, reports. Why do you think the entire media reports the RBS bonus story as the ,”Royal bank of Scotland”, bonus story.

    RBS is an english banking conglomerate. Founded in, headquartered in, owned by and legislated for by London. An English disaster area company falsely described as Scottish.

    Outright racism that passes without comment anywhere.

  111. Les Wilson
    Ignored
    says:

    Ok, can’t ignore the “lift” anymore. So my very, very, worse case scenario.

    Being stuck in the lift with Jackie Bailey, right after she has gorged herself on a huge meal.

    Bugger it, nightmares the night!

  112. Clootie
    Ignored
    says:

    @Dinnatouch11:56

    The school kid props are to imply that they have the 16/17 year olds on the NO side.

  113. Twenty14
    Ignored
    says:

    CBI update – some are saying that it may not be possible for CBI to resign from the Electoral commission register – basically ……you couldn’t make it up but…. they could be a bigger laughing stock than they already are.

    Don’t you just love Fridays 🙂

  114. caz-m
    Ignored
    says:

    Tam Jardine

    I am also leafleting tomorrow morning.

    A lot of countries around the world watching this referendum very closely.

    When we win this referendum, the template will be used by like minded countries from around the world.

  115. call me dave
    Ignored
    says:

    Douglas Fraser (working late) for the BBC on CBI’s little misunderstanding

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-27167134

  116. Grouse Beater
    Ignored
    says:

    The new thriller from BBC Scotlandshire

    “No Place For a Microphone”

    Stuck in a lift with Jackie Baillie and Brian Taylor.

  117. caz-m
    Ignored
    says:

    Twenty 14

    I mentioned that about the CBI on the last page.

    Business for Scotland stated that the CBI reversal will not be as straight forward as they think.

  118. Twenty14
    Ignored
    says:

    @caz-m

    Making my Merlot slip down more smoothly

  119. RogueCoder
    Ignored
    says:

    Extraordinary fight on Twitter between SNP MSP Mark MacDonald and members of Aberdeen Council.

  120. MJS Dundee
    Ignored
    says:

    Come on folks give Not-So-Red a break, he’s doing us a favour dropping in to remind us all about ‘sharing and pooling’.

    In case you weren’t sure, ‘sharing and pooling’ is where we share our resources with them and they spend their time hanging around the pool (moat, duck-pond etc) enjoying them.

    ****

    O/T – This ‘ermine’ business down-by. Ermine’s a gie old word, long since replaced up this way by a name for the beastie that you’ll be rather more familiar with – the stoat. A sleekit vicious wee critter. Stoats are members of the weasel family.

    The stoat ‘was named one of the world’s top 100 “worst invasive species” by the IUCN Species Survival Commission’s Invasive Species Specialist Group’.[Wiki]

    Stoats, weasels, worst invasive species, House of Lords … . Sounds about right.

    Thinking along the lines ‘Birds of a feather are Better Together’ but it’s late and I can’t quite crack that into the HoL/stoat punchline. No odds, I’m sure the collective linguistic genius herein can come up with something apt. : )

  121. Jim Bo
    Ignored
    says:

    Milliband started a sentence (or meandered half way through) with the word “look” a whopping 16 times by my count. Not bad at all for a 9 minute interview! They increase the more rattled he gets and is a sure sign that he is clutching at straws. Straight out of Darling’s book of subconscious interview behavioural giveaways.

  122. CameronB
    Ignored
    says:

    Just out of interest, did not-so-red Ed actually use the phrases ‘One Nation’ or ‘pooling and sharing’? If so, did you spot when? 🙂

  123. HandandShrimp
    Ignored
    says:

    Although I don’t suppose that Milliband could have known that the CBI would engage reverse gear during his visit, the fact that Margo’s send off was already planned for today would have suggested that this was not the best day to get the headlines. The CBI simply put the tin lid on it.

    Can Better Together get more inept?

  124. Tam Jardine
    Ignored
    says:

    Caz-m

    Amen.

    For many abroad this whole affair is inexplicable, such is the airbrushing of our country from the earth. Many intelligent people have no understanding we are a country at all. These folk will wake up, as will those who yearn for freedom but see no path, and thosr who would rid the world of nuclear weapons but see it as impossible.

    My bros both left this country for work and are living in that strange distant world of the expat. Me I intend to die in an independent Scotland and be remembered by future generations as part of the Glorious ’14.

    My wife is worried that if we fail I will no be able to handle it. I have no such worries as I am convinced we cannot fail with the breadth of the campaign, but she may have a point.

  125. Arbroath 1320
    Ignored
    says:

    dennis mclaughlin says:

    Arbroath1320. …which piece of their anatomy would you aim at to do the most damage 😉

    I sincerely want to say their brains dennis but I have it on good authority that I’d need a magnifying glass to find it, whoever had the *ahem* brain on the day in question. 😛

  126. Mary Bruce
    Ignored
    says:

    @MJS Dundee: I like it. From now on I will refer to Darling’s ambitions for Stoat.

  127. Chic McGregor
    Ignored
    says:

    At least you have to give it to Ed, he’s careful. See how in that photie he is having to lean forward to talk to the shorter person. But he makes sure there is no danger of that human mask slipping off to reveal the lizard underneath. Clever.

  128. caz-m
    Ignored
    says:

    Tam Jardine

    We are almost officially on an equal percentage of the vote, and we huvnae kicked a baw yet.

    Just wait till we really start campaigning and all the flag waving events that have still to come up over the summer.

  129. Clarinda
    Ignored
    says:

    For goodness sake – what would possess anyone to get into a lift with those two in the first place as we know neither of them have ‘lifts’ that reach the top floor.

    Compare the well-received lectures and visits by Mr Salmond when in various towns and cities in England – staying on to answer questions and talk with the audiences and journalists – with the rapid day return ticket holders from Westminster regretting having drawn the Scotland short straw forfeit.

  130. Greannach
    Ignored
    says:

    As a Labour Party supporter, I am in total support of objective blackcurrants. It’s what Keir Hardie and George W Bush wooda wanted.

  131. Thepnr
    Ignored
    says:

    @HandandShrimp

    “Can Better Together get more inept?”

    Yep, you better believe it and let’s hope they do 🙂

  132. Thepnr
    Ignored
    says:

    @Greannach

    Is that a Yes voting Labour party supporter?

  133. Ian Brotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    That’s us over the 500 now, and that’s since 9.41 last night.

    No idea how that rates with other petitions, but it’s more than good enough to be going on with.

    Cheers a’body.

    https://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/lord-patten-chairman-bbc-trust-cancel-bbc-membership-of-the-cbi

  134. HorseBoy
    Ignored
    says:

    Today 25/4/14 Fri noon BBC Scotland Brian Taylor’s Big Debate from PortGlasgow.

    Strange lineup of the 5 guests, no official YES or BT, no MSP’s, MP’s or MEP’s!

    Was surprised they had guest James Morton, BBC’s Great British BakeOff star and son of BBC Radio Scotland DJ Tom Morton.

    On today’s show James Morton strangely introduced himself loudly as “Very Strong NO indeed”!

    Is this a case of “Like Father Like Son”, and the said father Tom Morton works for BBC Scotland!

    The son James Morton is studying medicine, I hope Scotland is not paying his fees!

    ps. its still on Iplayer for 7days.

  135. Thepnr
    Ignored
    says:

    @HorseBoy

    Sounds like the son is a chip off the old block. Regarding every Scottish student in Scotland though. I’m quietly sure that they know the score with regards to their fees.

    Zero with Scotland and possibly £9000/year with Westminster. Where would you put your X in these circumstances?

    Not a difficult question really.

  136. Dcanmore
    Ignored
    says:

    This visit is a good indicator of what Labour has become today. The Labour leader, and the Shadow Cabinet no-less, go to a Scottish provincial town in a traditional Labour heartland. This in bygone days would have seen a big turnout with tubthumping locals fully backing their socialist leaders, hanging off every word from several speakers and sending their leader back home with chants and cheers ringing in his ears.

    What do we have from this bunch who aspire reaching office after GE2015? Almost a secret operation where a ‘public’ meeting was held without, as far as I know, advertisement or invitation for the said public to turn up. The meeting’s audience contained invitation-only Labour activists, trade union members and party officials (all mostly old). The speech delivered was just a weak diatribe voiced by an invisible man in typical Labour top-down fashion. There was no debate, no discussion, no energy, no positive vision. There didn’t need to be with that audience, they did what they were supposed to do, no risks there.

    Ed turned up for the cameras so it would reach the news outlets primed with soundbites and the inevitable attack on Alex Salmond and the SNP to a ‘packed’ room. Staged managed, fake, soulless rubbish by a dying confused party that has no direction nor leadership. Ed’s a loser, it’s written all over him, uncomfortable at leaving london for North Britain and returned being heckled by a young chap to remind Ed that his style of political fakery has no place in Scotland today. Like all losers, he was sent home to think again.

  137. a2
    Ignored
    says:

    Can we drop the personal insults – weight and shooting “jokes”?

    It doesn’t help!

  138. bjsalba
    Ignored
    says:

    I hate to be so picky but cutting the cables/power to a lift does not cause it to fall. Power holds the brakes OFF, lack of power causes the brakes to lock ON (which is why they get stuck between floors in a power cut). The only way to get them to fall is to knock it off the rails somehow.

    Info from she who worked for a lift company some 40 years ago.

  139. joe kane
    Ignored
    says:

    North Lanarshire Council have a habit of changing the names of local community centres from the name of the area to the names of their Labour Party members and former Councillors. Besides Muirhouse Community Centre being changed to the Isa Money Centre, other NLC examples include the Jim Foley Centre (ie Craigneuk, Wishaw) just across the nearby main west coast railway where all the steelworks and metal manufacturers used to be located before Miliband’s inspiration, Thatcher, decimated them all.

    Coincidently, this is Better Together territory where many of those appearing in the original Better Together launch video “Best of Both Worlds” hail from.

  140. caz-m
    Ignored
    says:

    Dcanmore 2.59am

    Excellent summary of what was a disastrous day trip for the incompetent Labour leader and his team.

    When you add in the Gordon Brown scare story, the IDS scare story and to top it off, the CBI reversal, well you really have to ask who is organising all these events.

    Is it Blair McD. is it Alistair D. Who is at the back of this chaos.

    And this was the week that they were going to re-capture the “Labour Vote”.

    To add insult to injury, the YES juggernaut just keeps on rolling along.

    I’ll be off out leafleting at 10 o’clock.

    We must keep up this relentless pressure all the way to 18th Sept.

    Only then can you give yourself a big pat on the back for a job well done.

  141. caz-m
    Ignored
    says:

    What a disastrous week for Better Together.

    This was THE week that they were going to re-capture the “Labour Vote”.

    You had the Brown pensions scare.

    IDS welfare scare.

    Ed Miliband playing hide n seek “public meeting”.

    And to top it all off, the CBI reversal.

    No doubt Better Together will tell us that it all went well and they are on bang on target for a NO victory bla bla bla…

  142. john king
    Ignored
    says:

    Krackerman says
    “just can’t see it myself – imagine standing in the voting booth wanting to vote Labour and that face looms into your mind…

    Nah – I’d spoil the ballot paper and walk out..”

    You’ll not get the chance to find out Krackerman. 🙂

    Anne Gorman says
    “Given this article, I would suggest that Mr. Ed and his party are full of bulls***!”

    If there was any sense of decency in the press would be headline news for weeks

    Grouse Beater says
    “She might as well stay silent and hold up a series of cards stating her one-line catchphrases and mottos.”

    What? like this you mean?
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxELSzay2lc

    Marcia (quoting John MacKie)
    “‘Hearing CBI are bringing out a smartphone. Loses all your contacts, sends documents without your permission, and crashes after a week.’”

    Just thought I’d repeat it sa’ll, ha ha ha ha ha ha

    Dorothy Bruce says
    “I did enjoy Derek Bateman’s description of the Union as a wrinkled stripper. That brought some hilarious images to mind.”

    Rem inds me of the old joke when the elderly wife appears in the bedroom door wearing nothing at all, and asks her equally aged husband “do you like my new nighty”
    he says
    “yes dear but it could do with an iron”.

    Schrodingers cat says
    “it might be worth sending a polite request to them to resign from cbi Scotland”

    You read my mind,
    already done. 🙂

    Ian Brotherhood says
    “Tonight I have mostly been drinking Woodgate Dry Cider (‘A Crisp and Refreshing Amber Dry Cider with a Distinctive Fruity Flavour’) – it is, indeed, what it says on the tin, and I’ve got two left.”

    I hope you no gonnie spend aw nicht in the cludgie,

    an leave some paper oan the nail!

    Les Wilson says
    “Being stuck in the lift with Jackie Bailey, right after she has gorged herself on a huge meal.”

    What? like this you mean?
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-s3RTKE2QV8

    Dinnatouch says
    “Can we please give the lift scenario a break folks, these type of comments don’t help us win over any undecided voters who may be visiting the site.”

    Sorry Dinnatouch it , kinda slipped out , you know?
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=329OOui72RE

    Dammit I really need to stop eating mushy peas.

    Ian Brotherhood says
    “@vambomarbleeye –

    ‘Used to be a chubby chaser.’

    Chubby Chaser was a Blues singer, right?”

    Ayup thats him alright,
    used to come right after the one legged Elvis impersonator,
    If my memory serves me, his best Elvis impersonation was Blue Suede shoe!

  143. Davy
    Ignored
    says:

    Dear Ed,

    You came, you err mm ahh, you left.

    Another labour masterclass.

  144. bunter
    Ignored
    says:

    Does anyone else think that the CBI fiasco has Alistair Darlings fingerprints all over it. We know he has many friends in big business and is not averse to drumming up negative views on indy from them. He has certainly been very quiet recently, but you can imagine him coming up with such a backfiring wheeze.

  145. caz-m
    Ignored
    says:

    Are the BBC the only organisation to “suspend” it’s membership of the CBI.

    And remember that BBC are using YOUR money to fund the CBI who, in turn, are against Scotland becoming an Independent Nation.

    BBC RESIGN NOW FROM THE CBI!

  146. G. P. Walrus
    Ignored
    says:

    “I sure as heck wouldn’t like to be trapped in a lift with her and Anas Sarwar and a gun with only one bullet in it.”

    Sounds like a a good opening scenario for the Labour Shadow Cabinet Dungeons & Dragons game. Jackie Baillie obviously has more Hit Points than Sarwar, but anyway you’ve still only got one bullet. As you are a Rev and they are all shadows you could just turn them with your Holy Symbol, but that’s always chancy.

    The best way out is to cast Flare and use your Home Stone .

  147. Footsoldier
    Ignored
    says:

    Like others here, I agree that personal innuendo,insults, comments on accents or appearance have absolutely no place in this debate and especially on WoS which is making big strides but needs to control some comments.

    I am confirmed YES but find such comments put me off WoS. Although I can live with it,it is for that reason that I have not done more to promote WoS locally as I know many do not like personal abuse and down market language in a serious debate.

  148. alexicon
    Ignored
    says:

    @schrodingerscat.

    There’s no Clydesdale bank and RBS on your list?

  149. Scott
    Ignored
    says:

    Here’ Ed getting heckled in Motherwell.

    Just watched this I note its the same Margaret Curran who sheltered Ian Gray when he was taking shelter in the subway,some minder she is.

  150. Calgacus MacAndrews
    Ignored
    says:

    @Bouncy says:
    Now that the CBI have declared, and subsequently undeclared themselves as supporting undemocracy, can the BBC seriously put any of their representatives on air as the CBI is now tarnished and cannot be believed as to their point of view an an unbiased entity?

    or alternatively …

    Now that the BBC have declared, and subsequently undeclared themselves as supporting undemocractic CBI, can the CBI seriously put any of their representatives on air as the BBC is now tarnished and cannot be believed as to their point of view an an unbiased entity?

    🙂

  151. Ken500
    Ignored
    says:

    What a mess

    Jackie’s had a nice holiday.

  152. MochaChoca
    Ignored
    says:

    Love how they tell us these things will happen by us simply voting in a Labour government next year. Without mentioning that Scotland has done precisely that for decades. Shouldn’t he be concentrating on middle England, them being the ones who’ll actually decide whether it’s Red Tories or Blue Tories next toss of the coin?

  153. Thepnr
    Ignored
    says:

    @john king
    “I hope you no gonnie spend aw nicht in the cludgie,
    an leave some paper oan the nail!”

    haha I remember the paper on the nail when you could have 6 families on the same “pletty” sharing one toilet. Urggh.

  154. Dubai_Scot
    Ignored
    says:

    Clootie says:
    @can’tbeserious 10:48

    When did Milliband get in the bloody lift?

    this is great! Cludo, Scottish Style! LOl!

  155. David Agnew
    Ignored
    says:

    All I see are a gang of barely coherent miserablists doing a hatchet job on the Union and Scotland’s place within it. Its obvious that when you look at it, you realise that they have not thought about the aftermath. How are they going to move on post no? Are they going to be able to reach out to yes voters and rebuild bridges?

    When Darling was asked this question recently, his eye blinking went into overdrive, his eyebrows twitched like angry caterpillars trying to devour his face as he answered “I hope so”

    Nothing is going to be the same after this vote. Even if it is no. Nothing will be the same. There is no way forward for these idiots. There is now no way they can reach out to yes voters. Post no is going to see a rise of anti-Scottish sentiment south of the border, met by increasing anti-British sentiment in Scotland. They have not thought about this, because they think their shit don’t stink. The media has done us a huge disservice by not questioning their logic. they’ve decided to take part and help it fail. Together, they have done too much damage to Scotland’s reputation in the UK for it ever to feel comfortable within it.

    The union is finished. It’s simply a matter of when.

  156. punklin
    Ignored
    says:

    I am an active member of the Yes campaign like, I’m sure, many WoverS followers. Together we need everybody doing everything possible to secure a convincing victory for the good of Scotland and its people.

    What we definitely do NOT need, IMHO, is comments about guns and shooting opponents. All in jest, I know (is it even that funny, BTW?) but to anyone using that kind of language: we still need you (even if only to vote Yes) but not that kind of attitude which seems irresponsible and may even limit our chances. It will take self-restraint as well as enthusiasm to build a new country/society/system – please show some or get out of the way.

  157. Paul Jay
    Ignored
    says:

    Footsoldier and Punklin, Well said and I think the host of WoS has made a big mistake initiating this rubbish. Like others I never recommend WoS because the pointless humour defeats the intelligence of the original posts. The Rev will be lucky to escape this time without a deal of bad publicity. The guide to posting seems to have made no impression on many here including the Rev.

  158. Neil MacGillivray
    Ignored
    says:

    The CBI press office tell me that they are non political ie not affiliated to any political party, which is why they are able to post anti-independence materia,l supposedly based on economic facts, on their website. This argument did not seem to apply when Wings’ posters were rejected by Strathclyde Transport;I tried to find out if SPT are members of CBI but was told that the information could not be divulged. Does anybody know if they are members or not and if yes perhaps a further poster attempt might succeed or exposure to the glare of publicity.

  159. Fiona
    Ignored
    says:

    @ punklin

    I do not think I agree with that.

    In whose interest is it to make politics a humour free zone?

    In whose interest is it to suggest that obvious running gags are the same as rape threats from people on twitter (which do poison debate, arguably?)

    I am not one for ad homs, on the whole. But it seems to me that this whole focus serves to distract from the truth that there are politicians who are actively damaging to the interests of some groups of people. The drift to the right and the “we are all in it together” are part of the problem and there is nothing wrong with making it plain that some political stances are not what they seem. Do you not get angry with people who are lying to you and are also in a position to damage you? Is it not legitimate to express that anger in humour? Seems better than the inchoate rage with no voice and no analysis which saw the riots in england which had no coherent aim and no justification (unlike the protests from the indignados of Spain, for example)

    I don’t see much value in pretending that the right is now the centre: or in demanding polite deference to the landlord who is evicting you in favour of grouse moors. When the anger is expressed in harmless ways it helps many to understand that we need no be deferential and that those of us who are angry are not alone. Don’t see that as turning people off: not people who have been disenfranchise because of the theft of our representative parties by the plutocrats.

    Just my view

  160. Thepnr
    Ignored
    says:

    This is a site where ALL views are welcome.

    Everything said adds to the debate not detracts. Come on in and say your piece. Freedom of speech will be the first line of a new constitution.

  161. Rev. Stuart Campbell
    Ignored
    says:

    “Like others I never recommend WoS because the pointless humour defeats the intelligence of the original posts. The Rev will be lucky to escape this time without a deal of bad publicity.”

    Don’t be an idiot. “Trapped in a lift with a gun and only X bullets” is a comic meme that goes back decades. You might as well say that Mitchell and Webb’s “KILL THEM!” sketches are mocking the murder victims of totalitarian governments.

    My tolerance for this sort of ridiculous whining is paper-thin. Mind how you go.

    (That said, jibes about people’s personal appearance ARE unacceptable and get deleted when I see them. I despise Jackie Baillie for her politics and her lies, not because she’s fat.)

  162. Paul Jay
    Ignored
    says:

    @Rev
    Review your own guidelines to posting here. A quick taster

    ” 1. Write as if an undecided voter is reading.

    Fewer than 1% of the site’s readers post comments. That means the comments give you an inaccurate picture of the overall readership, and things that might go down well within a small group of dedicated activists don’t sound so good to people who’ve come to the site looking for information to help make up their minds.

    People without whom we won’t win.

    So try to avoid puerile name-calling like “Bitter Together”, “Johann Lamentable” or hilarious mis-spellings of/puns on Anas Sarwar’s name. Do you think they’re more likely to win someone over, or to put them off? Would they work on you?

    (We’d also happily live for another 300 years without ever again seeing anyone using the phrase “parcel of rogues” as if they were the first person who ever thought of it, or posting entire poems or song lyrics. That’s what YouTube’s for.)”

    I’m sure you know the rest as you wrote it yourself, but I appreciate the defensiveness of your post and the not so subtle reminder as to who controls the posting writes.

  163. Calgacus
    Ignored
    says:

    @ paul jay ffs get a life

  164. Thepnr
    Ignored
    says:

    @Paul Jay

    I take it your undecided then? Maybe until now you were also one of the 99% that haven’t posted. I’d appreciate if you stop being so defensive.

  165. HorseBoy
    Ignored
    says:

    KEEP CALM CARRY ON.

    YES and WINGS are a broad church.
    This is our strength of WINGS and YES.
    Left, Right and Centre.
    We must all pull together at this time.
    We must all stay strongly together at this time.
    All welcome. All New Scots welcome.
    All comments welcome.
    Minimium censorship.
    Free speech!
    Go canny.

    ps. After referendum is won, we may all vote for our prospect parties. SNP may not become next Scottish Government. A new Scottish Labour party may win the vote. I’m ok with that, its democracy. This is all good cos won’t be UK Labour running Scotland, from Westminister.

    pps. For me I like constructive critisism of YES posts, but love and would encourage destructive critisism of Better Together and British Union! UK Labour are not a democratic organisation. Stir up a noise. More grist to the mill. Its good to laugh.

  166. Brus MacGallah
    Ignored
    says:

    Quote from Financial Times article
    http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/570f65f4-cc9c-11e3-ab99-00144feabdc0.html?siteedition=uk#axzz301G3frt2

    Residents of a row of neat housing association homes overlooking the community hall that hosted Mr Miliband in this town southeast of Glasgow were angry only to have learnt about the event when a satellite broadcast van turned up.

    “Why did we no get telt about this? It’s because they don’t want people like us,” said one resident, a life-long Labour voter who said that she had recently begun questioning her loyalty and was now thinking of voting for independence in September’s referendum.

  167. Bruce Wallace
    Ignored
    says:

    @Stu.
    Just noticed the other video on your You Tube page with the guy heckling Milliband in Motherwell, nice find buddy, I didn’t know Lamont was there as well, Cheers.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhUyIY0jrPU&app=desktop

  168. Bruce B
    Ignored
    says:

    QUOTE
    G H Graham says:
    25 April, 2014 at 9:38 pm

    I really wish to avoid appearing misogynistic but I find Jackie Baillie’s lies singularly nauseating.
    UNQUOTE

    Nothing misogynistic. An annoying nauseating liar is an annoying nauseating liar and she is that very duck.



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