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There goes another one

Posted on July 13, 2015 by

Yesterday we listed some of the nastier items from George Osborne’s horrifying 2015 budget that Labour had said they wouldn’t be opposing, including the public-sector payrise freeze, the reduction in the benefit cap and the slashing of child tax credit for families with more than two children.

On a BBC hustings debate today, Yvette Cooper extended the list.

Alert readers may recall Labour strenuously railing against Corporation Tax cuts during the independence debate, because they were something the SNP proposed for Scotland as a way of drawing investment and employment to somewhere other than London. Labour opposed the plan even though Gordon Brown had reduced the tax by 5% nationwide during Labour’s last period in power and planned further cuts.

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Just a few months ago, a region-specific corporation tax aimed at clawing back some of the crippling wealth drain to the South-East was apparently “right wing economics” and “not fair”, and would mean “less money for the NHS and schools”. Now a UK-wide corporation tax which will (presumably) do all those same things but NOT redistribute a penny of investment outside London is a good thing again.

We look forward to the next policy revision, which will presumably arrive in time for the 2016 Holyrood election. We’re sure Labour won’t disappoint us.

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  1. 13 07 15 18:18

    There goes another one | Speymouth
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  2. 13 07 15 20:22

    A Land In Need Of Heroes | A Wilderness of Peace
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  3. 14 07 15 10:49

    There goes another one | Politics Scotland | S...
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113 to “There goes another one”

  1. Donald MacKenzie
    Ignored
    says:

    Is there anyone remaining within Labour who can do joined-up thinking, or is everyone just making it up on a daily basis as they go along?

  2. The Man in the Jar
    Ignored
    says:

    It’s getting tedious now. I am past the stage of shaking my head in disbelief at Labour’s antics. Now I wish that they would just go away and implode somewhere else. Their constant droning is just bloody annoying. They are like a large bluebottle battering against your window on a nice sunny day.

  3. Lanarkist
    Ignored
    says:

    They are indeed making it up on a daily basis, daily following or supporting Tory policies.

    Their triangulation cannot keep up with changing policy statements and this log jam, magnified by their lack of a leader leads to strangulation of any overview or consistency.

    Labour, the reactive party!

  4. Luigi
    Ignored
    says:

    They are like a large bluebottle battering against your window on a nice sunny day.

    We get another chance to swat a few more in 2016, and again in 2017. 🙂

  5. handclapping
    Ignored
    says:

    Not good enough Stu! When we are paying you, sorry you are taking, £300,000 a year salary 😀 😀 😀 you should be telling us what Labour are going to be touting next before they have even thought of it.

    Its quite simple really, just look at the previous thing they were agin as the Tories sock puppets in Better Together and they’ll be for it in no time. I had no idea that Labour had been so totally consumed by the canker of Toryism that there is only a husk left and even that seems to be cracking up now.

  6. Wulls
    Ignored
    says:

    Directionless & clueless.
    They have done so many U turns they should reinvent themselves as the revolving party.

  7. Rob James
    Ignored
    says:

    I’m beginning to think that they believe that if they adopt Tory policy, they will win over voters, not stopping to consider how many they will lose in the process.

  8. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    Vote NO or else SLabour inspired fear in Scotland and here we are.

  9. BrianW
    Ignored
    says:

    It’s just one big F***ing Omnishambles after another with Labour..

    Can you do block bookings for Dignitas?

    It would be the humane thing to do, we all know it.

  10. Bob Mack
    Ignored
    says:

    Exactly whose policies are they stealing?
    They seem to have amalgamated Tory, SNP and lib dem stuff into a kind of Frankenstein creation, all of which was bad of course prior to the election.

  11. stewart fae stoney
    Ignored
    says:

    well we all said they were in bed with the Tory’s a year ago and they have confirmed this many time since, and backing the budget is the duvet on the quilt

  12. Milady de Winter
    Ignored
    says:

    I’ve virtually stopped commenting on Labour’s shambolic outpourings of late because a) I have hair to wash, nails to file, tea bags to recycle etc. and b) because every day in every way they seem to be getting stupider! Calling them clueless would be flattering them. They are the walking dead already in Scotland but this latest drivel must be pushing them towards the abyss in rUK too. Surely to god someone in the party must be thinking ‘we have got this sooooo wrong’? Someone? Anyone……? *monotone beep as party flatlines*

  13. Dave Sharp
    Ignored
    says:

    After the budget, I was and still am very angry. But I felt it was a bit of undirected anger. At first I lashed out a little to No voters having put us in this position when there was an alternative path.

    However, I feel this was a little misdirected as I came to reflect on things a little.

    You see, this behaviour and policy is expected from the Tories. They are acting to type and truthfully reflecting Tory values, no matter how unpalatable they may be to the rest of us.

    No. It is the Labour Party that is my source of anger.

    Having sold out Scotland to the mercy of a Tory government we have no chance of distancing ourselves from within the UK system, they stand on the sidelines decrying all the SNP are trying to do to offset the implications of story government whilst meekly standing on the sidelines offering no alternative, no vision and encouraging a party that is the enemy to the rest of us.

    At this moment in time, labour are flailing around looking for an ideology for no ther reason than to win them votes and win power for power’s sake and because of this will find it difficult to sell to voters as a believable narrative.

    All those incredible working class heroes who fought tooth and nail against very similar situations through time have been betrayed by the Labour Party

    Labour have failed and betrayed us all. This, above all makes me incandescent with anger.

  14. handclapping
    Ignored
    says:

    I’ll say it again; this is the time for an English party affiliated to the SNP. Labour is in meltdown, UKIP has gone nowhere and the Tories are clawing down the whole idea of the Beveridge settlement, of social security.

    There is a mass of English voters with nowhere to turn and a party with a commitment to collective insurance against the vagaries of working life and an economic policy that isnt pitched at the kitchen table of sub-normal households could do very well now.

    56 is not enough but 156 or 256 would have our “British” parliament at Westminster laying down the red carpet and ushering us out.

  15. sideshowmanny
    Ignored
    says:

    I saw Harriet Harman on Channel 4 news last night urging Labour members not to vote for “the person they identified with most” as the new leader but to instead vote for someone who could “reach out to the public”.
    Basically she was trying to say “vote Corbyn, get Cameron”, just like the “vote SNP, get Tory” slogan that failed so miserably for them a couple of months back.

  16. Luigi
    Ignored
    says:

    If Labour continue this headlong rush to the right, have they considered that the huge political vacuum created in England may be eventually filled by a Podemos or Syriza type party? Politics as in natuire, does not like a vacuum and sooner or later the red tories will be replaced as the (ahem) “People’s Party”. This could take years, or it could happen very quickly, depending on how quickly Labour collapse, but one thing is for sure – they take their core support for granted at their peril. After all, look what happened in Scotland. Once the left in England get properly organised, they are in deep trouble.

  17. mushypea
    Ignored
    says:

    Not sure if this the epitome of hypocrisy or plain insanity o.O

  18. scunner
    Ignored
    says:

    I was having a good day until you came along and spoiled it Rev.

    I remember the “not fair” flyer coming through the door. Empty indignation then and the soft No’s duped again. How many more pillars of their anti-independence argument are left?

    They’ll have to dream up some more for next time.

  19. Luigi
    Ignored
    says:

    Just as the independence campaign in Scotland energised the left and enabled it to organise (wiping out Labour in the process), the coming Euro campaign will provide a real opportunity for the left in England to mobilise. With access to social media and a young, energised generation shouting for change, it can be done. The establishment’s MSM tool can be outflanked. It’s up to the left in England to grab the opportunity when it comes.

  20. Luigi
    Ignored
    says:

    scunner says:

    13 July, 2015 at 4:12 pm

    How many more pillars of their anti-independence argument are left?

    Quite a few, but they are all crumbling rapidly. One big push (when it comes) and they will all come crashing down. 🙂

  21. handclapping
    Ignored
    says:

    @Luigi
    If Labour continue this headlong rush to the right, have they considered that the huge political vacuum created in England may be eventually filled
    by a party affiliated to the SNP? It wouldn’t take much to set up; the SNP has a constitution, branch constitutions, standing orders etc to copy, well researched policies to adopt and masses of members to encourage to canvass for an affiliated party in England.

    Do what Prince Charlie did and take on England North of Derby but this time without turning back and we could give power back to people in England.

  22. Luigi
    Ignored
    says:

    WGD back in brilliant form on his blog. Boy is he raging!

    He wrote a fantastic statement, worth repeating:

    “Labour in Scotland demand that the SNP set out they’re going to protect Scotland’s poor from the Tory cuts, while UK Labour refuse to oppose them. ”

    Kieza Dugdale would be wise to think very carefully on this one, before she starts yet another attack on the SNP.

  23. Helena Brown
    Ignored
    says:

    Radio 4 on this morning, and I will admit I only sort of listen to it while making breakfast so I sometimes only get a feeling about the tone of what they are saying. This morning it seemed to be the newspapers and it all seemed to be of a right wing tone. Now if that is all people are hearing then it is a form of brainwashing. So I can see where Labour think that they must be right wing also, that and they are a whole lot who should have been in the Tory Party but as they buy their own furniture they would not have been welcome, so the net best thing turn Labour into the Tories and really become the Democrats to the Tories Republican, well maybe without the Republic and the Democracy.

  24. Luigi
    Ignored
    says:

    handclapping says:

    13 July, 2015 at 4:21 pm

    We could certainly help them in any way we can when the time comes, but it really needs the people in England to start it off, spontaneously, from the grassroots. Just like the YES campaign, and as I said, the Euro referendum should create enough interest to kick it off. They should already be thinking how to use this as a platform.

  25. Scunterbunnet
    Ignored
    says:

    O/T

    Alert readers of the WoS comment threads will recall the recent discussion about crowdfunded billboards and/or bus shelter ads. We talked about posters to highlight the utter inadequacy of mainstream media when it comes to balanced, impartial reporting of the facts (understatement of the year!). We also discussed ways of alerting people who rely on MSM for info to the various excellent alternative media.

    As a result of that, a campaign group called Inform Scotland has been set up. We’ll be suggesting poster ideas, and passing the hat round to pay for them, very soon. We can’t do that quite yet – we’re waiting for our bank account application to be processed, and getting our website up to scratch… which may take up to a few weeks.

    In the meantime – anyone who’d like to join the campaign as a member can do so, by going to http://www.inform-scotland.org and paying a tenner via paypal. Members will be able to vote for the best poster ideas, and contribute their own suggestions too.

    If you want to know more, the original discussion forum about this project is still open at http://counterpropforum.com

  26. Dave the Squirrel
    Ignored
    says:

    It’s high time we told the emperor he is butt-naked.

    Labour is not a political party, and hasn’t been since the Tories rolled out the red carpet for Blair.

    What it is, is a government-funded hoax, designed to give the illusion of choice.
    How the fuck else could so much mutual back-patting be allowed? Why else would the state broadcaster go to so much expense and effort to stage their non-existent rallies, when their opposition is running rings around them?

    Labour targets the more mentally-weak by pretending to keep everything simple and digestible, when really it’s always just a bunch of fabricated trash.
    Their fake working-class alignment is cruelly used to sell blatant lies to the most vulnerable people in society.

    They are worse than the Tories. They are the Tories’ goons, and the Tories’ bitches.

    To acknowledge it is to enable it.
    The Labour Party Does Not Exist.

    Unionist diehards will laugh at the above. Labour and Tory party members will laugh too, but they will be laughing at everyone else…. especially at the diehards who support them. Clink clink, cheers boys!

  27. Dr Ew
    Ignored
    says:

    Last year I – like many others on this site and beyond – engaged in innumerable discussions, debates and duels with Labour supporters on social media, people from Scotland and indeed right across the UK. Not being a member of the SNP I never had to stick to the party line and though I wasn’t keen on several aspects of the ‘Scotland’s Future’ paper – including the proposed corporation tax cut – I seldom had a problem defending the SNP, who stood in stark comparison to the hypocrisy and lack of transparency from Labour. I lost count of the amount of times I heard that Ed Miliband was way more left-wing Alex Salmond, and that Labour were the true defenders of (whisper it) “socialism” and (ahem) working-class solidarity.

    I’m sure we all recall “I care as much about a bus driver whether he’s in Aldershot or Aberdeen” being thrown at us in all its variants, and how we were all just small-minded nationalists being brainwashed by conniving crypto-fascists Salmond & Sturgeon. Again, although not a member, I could respond with conviction that whatever my policy disagreements the SNP was decidedly not like the authoritarian, warmongering neoliberals who run the Labour Party, the Mandelsons and Reids who give not a toss about said bus driver or his daughter who can’t afford university fees, his wife in a wheelchair, or his mother in a care home, regardless of whether they were in Aldershot, Aberdeen or Aberystwyth.

    Scan those same social media outlets today and save for a few swivel-eyed apologists spinning the same old Tuckereque twaddle, there are hordes of Labourites shuffling through and asking the same question: “Just what is the fucking point of the Labour Party now?”

    Jeremy Corbyn, it would appear, is the last thread of hope for a lot of these folk. I’ve no doubt he’s a very sincere campaigner for a better world and I wish him all the best, but if he’s the only one who can save them from the screeching hell Liz Kendall will march them to, then I can only say thank god we have a credible alternative.

  28. Craig Macinnes
    Ignored
    says:

    I’m with the Man in a Jar @3.19…it IS just getting tedious now. I’ve given up being astonished by the rank rancid stench emanating from Labour these days as they morph into an uber unionist/loyalist version of the tories.
    I genuinely feel sorry for the few remaining decent labour supporters, who must be in complete dismay at the direction their party has gleefully taken. If anyone was in any doubt about labour before, they surely can have no excuse now for supporting them. Thank God I don’t live in England. I really wouldn’t know who to back. Every one of the England Über Alles parties seem to go out of their way to outdo each other in right-wing policies all without a shred of humanity about them.

  29. R-type Grunt
    Ignored
    says:

    The Tories are the bullies. Labour are like the wankers that stand about, watching, shouting at the bullied. The ones who don’t quite have the balls to enter the fight on their own terms.

    Labour members & Labour voters are sick, twisted people.

  30. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    Full to the Bettertogether brim with vomit inducing UKOK propaganda skitters,

    Waterstones boss James Daunt

    “Its a dash to the bottom and insanity because personally I think schools and hospitals are rather good things. Somebody has to pay for them. Sunday Times 21 April 2013”

    Effete ponse springs to mind, but it worked.

  31. AdamH
    Ignored
    says:

    Harriet Harman says “we won’t oppose child tax credit cuts”

    Harriet Harman says “I’m happy to be overruled on this”

    One is irresistibly reminded of Groucho Marx
    “These are my principles. If you don’t like them I have others”

  32. Kevin Evans
    Ignored
    says:

    So I think labour has went beyond “Tory light” and like someone mentioned yesterday this is now “the grand coalition”.

    The thing that grates me the most though about all this is our fellow voters in the G.E south of the boarder voted for this rather than maybe have its neighbour in the union have a say at the top table of U.K politics.

  33. Brian Powell
    Ignored
    says:

    If anyone knows the folk who run Common Space, their site has developed a glitch; can’t access comments window, and can’t contact them.

  34. Les Wilson
    Ignored
    says:

    Just think of Labour as a sink full of water where the plug has just been pulled!.

  35. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    James Daunt was educated at Sherborne School before reading history at Cambridge University.

    Sherborne School is a British independent boys’ school, located in the town of Sherborne in north-west Dorset, England. It is one of the original member schools of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference. It has close partnerships with the nearby girls’ school Sherborne Girls and shares some activities and Sixth Form courses.

    His first job was as a Purser with Carnival Cruise Lines.[1] After working in the United States as a banker for JP Morgan, he founded Daunt Books,[2] a chain of six bookshops in London. In May 2011 he was appointed managing director of Waterstone’s by the company’s new owner, Alexander Mamut.[3] The pair were listed at fourth place in a 2011 Guardian list of the top 100 people in the British books industry.[4]

    All from UKOK wiki. How do you go from history degree, job on a cruise ship, JP Morgan banker, head of Waterstones and wildly stupid UKOK soothsayer attacking Scotland running Scotland, 700 miles from Dorset?

    Ah, the grand old teamGB way, private school, any Oxbridge degree, bish bosh job done, pip pip sweaties.

  36. auldacquaintance
    Ignored
    says:

    O/T Stu…..but I hope you wont mind too much.

    The Haggis Emigration

    The Haggis have all gone to Australia
    They are packing their bags as we speak
    And Nessie’s away to Lake Windermere
    She’s said to be leaving next week

    The Wind is all leaving Scotland
    and its going away for 40 odd years
    The Oil which was out in the North Sea
    In 2007 disappeared

    The Kegs of all the Scotch Whisky we stored up
    Have all been hit by a terrible blight
    So no drams will be found in any Scots town
    and no longer will our Summer nights be light

    It’s the End of the World as we knew it
    Even the Wee Frees are going to Mass
    Predictions abound and Construe it
    and were all bound for Starvation alas!

    Scots will Weep on the Streets and Beg at English feet
    Please can you let us back in?
    They had warned us we’d suffer If we found another
    Independence is such a terrible sin!

    The Tides stopped we cried,as we rubbed our eyes
    Our fish have all fled to the South
    All our Mountains and Glens will never see folk again
    Never more will the Tourists come about!

    Our Banks have all broke, our economy’s choked
    All our shops have been shut in our streets
    Our people all died, and no fried mars bars have I
    and my Giros not due till next week!

    Such Disasters been found since we lost the pound
    and there’s no-one to show us the way
    We’ve no pride nor ambition since we got prohibition
    and we can only get drunk twice a day

    Rod Macfarlane

    To find out what became of the Haggis, and to relive the Independence campaign to date , read this new book, you may find that these pesky haggis are a somewhat resilient bunch 🙂

    http://www.blurb.co.uk/b/6333495-cewejimmy-the-haggis-emigration

  37. Murray McCallum
    Ignored
    says:

    I personally find it great that Scottish Labour seem unwilling, unable, and/or indifferent to establishing their own party separate from British Labour.

    They don’t back themselves to make a difference.

    These core policy u-turns are effectively handing the remaining patrons of HMS SLAB a few tonnes of hardcore to expedite it sinking without trace.

  38. Karmanaut
    Ignored
    says:

    “What are the SNP going to do to protect vulnerable people from these policies that we fully support?”

    I’m just astonished by the utter stupidity of the Labour party.

    Astonished.

    It’s like we’re now living in some sort of parody of real life.

  39. sensibledave
    Ignored
    says:

    I haven’t commented for some time as the various threads seemed to have become almost entirely insular with the main theme being that Tory, Labour, England, Westminster = BAD. – whilst, seemingly without any self awareness, constantly complaining that everything written about the SNP = BAD.

    Just after the GE, I wrote something here along the lines of, “if the SNP expect to affect Government policy very much – then they should expect 5 years of frustration”. This is not because the SNP might be ignored or marginalised specifically – more because all of Her Majesty’s opposition will be ignored and the SNP are just part of that. The SNP members (who strike me as an impressive bunch on the whole) can, of course, join in the debates and be part of the process of holding the government to account. However, in the end, a majority government will have its way – just like in Holyrood.

    I am just starting to wonder now if the SNP standing for Westminster seats isn’t a huge political mistake. The SNP are now as much a part of the Westminster and Establishment system as the Tories, Labour and the Libdems. The SNP MPs I see on TV come across, at human level, as sensible, as passionate, as partisan, as prone to one-eyed pronouncements as every other MP.

    On the recent Question Time programme, Tommy Sheppard personified intelligence and passion. He was, without doubt, one of the more impressive panellists in terms of his eloquence. However, on a UK level, the majority of voters simply disagree with his politics, his views on the way the economy should be run – and how the country should go about continuing with the recovery. I always admired Tony Benn as a formidable political opponent on such programmes. He is someone whose politics I disagreed with but one could have nothing but admiration for his commitment, intelligence and passion – and Tommy Sheppard is someone I will follow now that may, over time, achieve similar status.

    I wonder though, how Scottish voters are really reacting to all this? Are they frustrated and ashamed that they voted No – or do they now think they have got the best of both worlds? Are they proud to see Scotland achieving greater representation on the UK stages (in Westminster and in the media) and therefore happy that their No vote in the referendum, coupled with their support of the SNP in the GE, achieves the best possible outcome for their views?

  40. Fred
    Ignored
    says:

    Did Harman not approve of de-criminalising child-porn?

  41. Douglas gourlay
    Ignored
    says:

    When is it time we just started ignoring them? They are an irrelevance now. An easy target (and so, so much fun :)), but a sidetrack from the real issue.

    Can we not start looking for alternative routes to independence. The referendum got to 45%. We know it’s marginally higher now, which is a stunning outcome in real politic, but it’s clear the Westminster system is in full swing against us. Another referendum will be made near impossible. UDI is challengable on democratic lines. So what other alternatives are there? A genuine question.

  42. James Barr Gardner
    Ignored
    says:

    At present we can show up the tories for what they are, however what we can do is kick out the rest of the red tories in 2016 & 17, as they are the biggest enemy of the scottish people after that we can concentrate on fighting the Indyref2.

  43. Les Wilson
    Ignored
    says:

    Sorry, Looking through the News channels, I saw this on Al Jazeera. ” Greece to transfer 50Billion of state assets to help pay their debt, EU negotiators are now in Greece to “help” facilitate the transfer.

    So there you have it, the Neo Politic financiers in Europe will be handed Greek assets.

    Welcome tourists to the Eu, here is the Parthanon!

    The bully boys have won!. But a glimmer of hope that this can be stopped, if the Greek parliament votes it down on Wednesday, and there is a chance of that, many are very angry.

  44. call me dave
    Ignored
    says:

    Andrew Learmonth has a good article on page 5 of the National asking on the front page “What’s the point of Labour”

    Many Scots have been asking the same question for a few years now and increasingly have come up with…None!

    PS:
    Police Scotland Chief not to resign shock, as called for by labour and the BBC. Terrible thing to have happened but these knee jerk interventions by the head hunters and I include Rennie is not the answer.

    On a lighter note Hamilton when invited to enjoy strawberries and cream turned sour and went off singing “Don’t tie me down sport”!

  45. KeithFarrell
    Ignored
    says:

    I’ve been abused by those anti SNP people on Twitter.

    It’s time they stopped. The SNP are not the problem. Scotland is a wealthy country. Sadly the no voters choose to give Scotland to Westminster for a few table scraps. Labour betrayed Scotland and the Lib-Dems tried Frenchgate. They should all be ashamed of themselves.

    What we need to do is vote strongly for the SNP next year or decide you want to live in poverty. Don’t for one moment think things are going to get better under the Tories or the Red Tories.

  46. Dcanmore
    Ignored
    says:

    Looks to me Labour have abandoned the rest of the UK and will be a party of the SE/London just like the Tories. That is where power is won or lost on these islands and it’s those constituents that Labour will speak to every time their leader will open their mouth with policy (it won’t be Corbyn). They will treat the rest of the UK, like Scotland, as a waiting game. No point in putting resources into lost causes, not a for a couple of elections anyway.

    Welcome to Labour 2015 – Party of England (South).

  47. Effijy
    Ignored
    says:

    Does anyone know if Yvette was wearing
    Her Father Tommy’s Fez when made this
    Announcement, or did it happen-
    “Just like that” ! Lol
    Labour are such an embarassment.
    They pass their script to the real Tories
    For editing and save all that heartache

  48. LouisB.Argyll
    Ignored
    says:

    Hypocracy, now exposed and in our faces.
    Legislators turned into professional liars.
    Academics strangely supporting a self serving two party syste.

  49. Paula Rose
    Ignored
    says:

    @ sensibledave 5:11 – interesting points, I expect there will be differing views but please lets all keep it civil. To start with – why do you consider the SNP group to have become part of the establishment?

  50. scottieDog
    Ignored
    says:

    @Les Wilson
    It’s the very design of the modern money system. Allow private institutions the power to create money, lend in the full knowledge that the debt can’t be paid then take ownership of the asset.

  51. call me dave
    Ignored
    says:

    Cochrane: Says “An insult to the Union”

    https://archive.is/7BtKr

  52. Robert Peffers
    Ignored
    says:

    @R-type Grunt says: 13 July, 2015 at 4:41 pm:

    “The Tories are the bullies. Labour are like the wankers that stand about, watching, shouting at the bullied. The ones who don’t quite have the balls to enter the fight on their own terms.”

    Then, R-type, we have the LibDems – they jist hing aroond haudin the jaikits.

  53. The Man in the Jar
    Ignored
    says:

    You know i think that sensibledave @5:11 is right. It is high time that we knocked this silly independence/SNP malarky on the head. Let’s all just roll over and become nice wee compliant Tories. Rule Britannia and all that! 😉

  54. sensibledave
    Ignored
    says:

    Paula Rose @ 5.50

    Hi Paula … because, actually, evidentially, demonstrably, they are!

    They take their seats in Westminster, just like all the other MPs, they take part in the debates, they follow the conventions, they take part in the Commons V Lords tug of war, just like all other MPs, they appear on Question Time, Andrew Marr, Daily Politics, Sunday Politics, etc, etc, just like all the other MPs.

    In what way are they not part of the Westminster establishment?

  55. Thepnr
    Ignored
    says:

    @Douglas gourlay

    I think it absolutely correct that WOS continues to expose the mendacity of Labour politicians and their proposed leaders.

    One thing is clear from the May GE is that there are still 25% of the electorate who will vote for them. Our best chance of ever reaching 55% in a referendum is to win half of their remaining support to our cause.

    Day be day we need to open the eyes of these voters as to what lying, self serving political creatures Labour have actually become.

    Let’s be clear the increased support during the referendum campaign came by far from disillusioned ex-Labour supporters. True blue Tories are unlikely to budge an inch in their skewed beliefs.

    Therefore we should continue to expose Labour both in Scotland and England for what they really are.

    The Red Tories!

  56. Robert Peffers
    Ignored
    says:

    @sensibledave says: 13 July, 2015 at 5:11 pm:


    I haven’t commented for some time as the various threads seemed to have become almost entirely insular with the main theme being that Tory, Labour, England, Westminster = BAD.”

    We can only comment upon current affairs as they remain current, but from where did you get the idea England was bad? You must have been reading the English Red-Tops again.

  57. dakk
    Ignored
    says:

    If they (Red or Blue Tories) think that a policy suits the hegemony of London/England then they will propagate that through their media acolytes.

    If there is even a remote chance that a policy may not buttress that hegemony, then they will oppose it,especially if it might benefit the colony of Scotland.

    They are terrified of competition and are more centralized communist types than anything.

  58. Robert Kerr
    Ignored
    says:

    @sensibledave

    Would you rather the SNP MPs followed the Sinn Fein way and refused to take the oath of fealty to HM and take up their seats?

    Worth considering a walk out perhaps now that has happened?

  59. Paula Rose
    Ignored
    says:

    @ sensibledave

    So they should turn up in their position of being constituency MPs and proceed to dirupt and misbehave at every opportunity?

  60. Husker
    Ignored
    says:

    Luigi says @ 13 July, 2015 @ 4:27 pm

    Kieza Dugdale has to highlight the perceived ineffectiveness of 56 SNP MP’s against the Tory majority if she wants Labour in Scotland to have any chance of being relevant in Scottish politics.

    However, in using it as stick to bash the SNP, with the comments of Labour politicians to UK level in which they have in effect ruled out any effective opposition towards the Tories, the accusation will only end be bashing her and her branch.

    The best way is to keep quiet about this in the hope that she builds on it and when the time comes, launch the sucker punch to floor her.

  61. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    In what way are they not part of the Westminster establishment?

    They want Scotland to run Scotland. Duh

  62. Robert Peffers
    Ignored
    says:

    @sensibledave says: 13 July, 2015 at 6:17 pm:

    “In what way are they not part of the Westminster establishment.”.

    Laughable, Dave, you quite obviously have no idea what the Establishment is and here’s a clue – it is NOT all at Westminster.

  63. The Isolator
    Ignored
    says:

    @sensibledavesays 6.16

    “In what way are they not part of the Westminster establishment?”

    I don’t know of any SNP ermine clad representation,but you knew that anyway.

  64. Les Wilson
    Ignored
    says:

    scottieDog says:

    yeah, you are right, and it is out in the open, for everyone with half a brain, to see. The EU is now in danger from the public themselves.

  65. sensibledave
    Ignored
    says:

    Robert Peffers 6.28

    … you just can’t help yourself can you Robert? – you just demonstrated my point.

    In your biased head, I am English therefore, ipso facto, I read and adhere to the politics of the English Red Tops.

    You are so one eyed, you don’t even know you are doing it.

  66. Gavin
    Ignored
    says:

    sensibledave

    Are SNP MPs part of the “establishment” ?

    Well, if they are then so are all of the other MPs in the commons with perhaps the exception of Sinn Fein who don’t bother turning up !

    Are you suggesting that the SNP follow Sinn Fein and don’t attend, or are you implying that they shouldn’t stand in general elections ?

    The SNP and their supporters may not like the establishment but if you want to change things and get your voice heard then you have to take part in the democratic process. If that means full involvement at Westminster then so be it.

  67. Ken500
    Ignored
    says:

    The SNP don’t kill and maim innocent people all over the world. Evade tax, sanction people and starve them to death. Illegally and secretly, use the Offical Secrets Act to hide Reports. Illegal and secretly steal another countries wealth. Or allow (foreign) Multinationals making vast profits to tax evade, while the vulnerable and sick starved to death. The SNP didn’t cover up the abuse and death of children by Westminster MP’s. The SNP didn’t Knight an abuser of children.

    The SNP didn’t lie to start an illegal war which killed and maim millions of innocent people and cost £Billions. The SNP didn’t put up student fees after promising not to do so. The SNP didn’t deregulate the world banking Laws and reduce libor from 25% to 13% causing a world banking crash. The SNP didn’t have 3Million unemployed and interest rates at 15%.

    The SNP has balanced it’s books every year, despite the rest of the UK not raising (pro rata) as much as Scotland in tax. The rest of tge UK borrows and spends more. Tax evasion in the City of London is allowed for back handers to corrupt Unionist political Parties. Unionist Party Millionaires and their associates gett away with not paying taxes. Thatcher made the City of London a tax haven.

    The SNP is the most popular party in Scotland and Alex, Nicola and Co are given love affection everywhere they go. People can’t get enough of them. People wait for hours to see them.

  68. Ken500
    Ignored
    says:

    Tony Benn was a hypocrite who did not support Scottish Independence. He claimed falsely that Scotland was subsidised and was party to the secret ‘D’ Notice on the McCrone Report. Tony Benn did not believe in self determination.

  69. baronesssamedi
    Ignored
    says:

    I think Handclapping 4.21 has a SUPER BRILLIANT idea. An SNP/English pro indy left wing party at WM would solve everything. Let’s do it.

  70. sensibledave
    Ignored
    says:

    To All

    I dont want to get into a debate about defining the “Westminster Establishment”. We all know what we mean and the SNP are just as much part of it now as Cameron and Skinner and Abbot and Rees Mogg. Not agreeing with the government policy doesn’t exclude you from being part of the Establishment. The SNP representation is, factually, over 8% of the House of Commons (the third largest party and bigger than the Lib Dems, UKIP, The greens, etc) and therefore part of the fabric of Parliament now.

    At the moment, the SNP have no intention of calling another referendum and Ms Sturgeon went out of her way to ensure that voters understood that a vote for the SNP was not about Independence – but about fighting for a better deal for Scotland. The SNP MPs are in Westminster to be part of the democratic process that produces the laws for the Union and any changes to devolved powers of the assemblies and Parliaments.

    I would prefer a discussion about the main point of my previous comment – i.e. whether the SNP being in Westminster is helping or hindering the Independence cause.

  71. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    You are so one eyed, you don’t even know you are doing it.

    Your UKOK union’s over Dave. Once democracy gets going, you cant stop it. No one has ever stopped any country from running its own affairs with fear and threat but even that grand old Project Fear vote red tory SLab they know best idiocy won’t last for much longer.

    England will feel a bit diminished if only because Britain is England and losing control of a third of England/Britain to a bunch of foul mouthed sluts won’t be easy but you’ll be fine. There’s 60 million English people all chavin awa.

    Rule Britannia! from Lands End to Carlisle sounds just as good SensibleDave.

  72. Robert Kerr
    Ignored
    says:

    @sensibledave

    You brought up the “Establishment” of which you claim the SNP MPs are part thereof.

    But you refuse to debate or consider it.

    Go elsewhere and not insult our intelligence or cognitive facilities.

    Better still let us discus the “Deep State” including HMQ and all the rest!

  73. handclapping
    Ignored
    says:

    @baronesssamedi
    Why thank you, Ma’am.

    Is gay marriage into Voodoo, or vice versa? Is Maman Brigitte still your spouse?

  74. sensibledave
    Ignored
    says:

    Re Ken 500 at 7.12 and others of similar ilk

    Is it not possible to have a debate where we at least try to accept that others are making their points in good faith? I didnt agree with Tony Benn’s politics but it is my view that he was an intelligent and formidable political advocate – do you not agree?

    Just so I have a reference so that I know whether I am wasting my time responding to you, could you give me a list of say, three English MPs who you admire for their intelligence or commitment or passion?

  75. Dr Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    It’s all become a bit Romans and Christians now hasn’t it
    Trouble is we’re the Christians and the Romans definitely want our heads on pikes

    We’re all a bit peace and love man, how about seeing our point of view and the No team (Romans) are deaf to our entreaties and still want to kill us into submission

    This convincing the opposition thing needs looking at coz I’m not sure it’s going well
    Even when they’re own team GB LAB (I CAN’T BELIEVE THEY’RE NOT TORIES) are behaving like Tories Looking and sounding like Tories they keep saying we’re worse than them

    There’s only one explanation, they’re dead, a stake through the heart looks like the only defence now

    Zombie Labour Stalks Scotland

    Truth won’t kill them, crosses have no effect, although I think I read they can’t cross running water
    That might have been Vampires

    Brains, Brains, they moan
    We’ve got no Brains

  76. Lesley-Anne
    Ignored
    says:

    Could THIS be next on the list of BLUE Tory ideas 100% supported by the Abstention party?

    https://archive.is/XXll7

    I may only be the village idiot around these parts but I thought this thingy called NATIONAL INSURANCE was supposed to take care of such things. Apparently NOT!

  77. Dan Huil
    Ignored
    says:

    @sensibledave 7.16pm “At the moment, the SNP have no intention of calling another referendum…”

    At the moment? How do you know? and have you read the article by George Kerevan MP in today’s National newspaper?

  78. Ken500
    Ignored
    says:

    ”The latest documents to emerge from the 1070’s show’

    “Among those who wanted to stop devolution was Sir David Walker, who is currently investigating the Banking crisis on behalf of Gordon Brown, he wanted devolution’ ‘to be delayed for as long as possible consistently with honouring the government commitment to move down the devolution road and containing the SNP lobby in parliament’. This was agreed by Dennis Healey,Tony Benn and Roy Jenkins and it was not until 1979 that the rigged referendum was held.”

    2009

  79. HandandShrimp
    Ignored
    says:

    Ian Dunkin Donut’s latest wheeze that we should save up for our own unemployment benefit is another great example of Gordon Brown’s pooling and sharing

    Still feeling Better Together? They are barely in the door it is going to get a lot worse.

  80. Dan Huil
    Ignored
    says:

    @sensibledave 7.32pm. Ah, I see now. I made comment to your 7.16pm post, but your 7.32pm post is a dead giveaway. Nice try dave, bye.

  81. Bob Mack
    Ignored
    says:

    @sensibledave,
    It is not a new tactic to be unreasonable whilst trying to be unreasonable.
    The SNP are there in Westminster not necessarily to change the world,but by showing openly to the Scottish people that their wishes and those of their chosen representatives are shunned,mocked,ridiculed and sometimes completely ignored.
    Now just how do you imagine that pushes forward the cause of independence?
    Do you really imagine that the SNP thought they would be welcomed into the Establishment.? If what we have seen over the past several weeks is integration,then heaven help my judgement.
    Any special forces operative will tell you that the best way to disable a target is to do it in proximity. ( inside).

  82. caledonia
    Ignored
    says:

    This must be the statement of the day whoever made it further up the posts

    “What are the SNP going to do to protect vulnerable people from these policies that we fully support?”

  83. Ken500
    Ignored
    says:

    ‘The latest documents to emerge from the 1070’s show’

    “The lies and deceit of over 30 years ago repeated as recently as 1999 when Henry McLeish ‘quietly moved’ England’s North Sea Fisheries boundary 60 miles north just before devolution took place.

    The former boundary between English and Scottish waters ran due east from Berwick in a median line between the UK and Norway. A new ‘demarcated’ limit has been created 60 miles further north of Carnoustie. The new boundary has been drawn up under international maritime regulations to identify a zone within British fishery limits for which Scottish ministers will be responsible in the future.The boundary shift was established by an order carried out at Westminister under the Scottish Boundaries Order (1999).

    The order was passed by the House of Lords and the Committee on Delegated Legislation on March 23, 1999 but was not openly debated in the Commons.

    It was moved by McLeish then a Scottish Office Minister and received minimal opposition from a committee containing three other Scottish MP’s – Tam Dalyell, Sir Robert Smith and John McAllion. ”

    2009

  84. sensibledave
    Ignored
    says:

    Dan Hull 7.43

    … No I haven’t read the article. If it is now SNP policy to call another indyref in the near future then I stand corrected. The point I was making was in reference to the SNP manifesto in May – which might change before the next holyrood elections – or might not.

    Contrary to what the likes of Heedtracker might think, most of my friends down here in the south of England are completely neutral on the subject of Independence for Scotland. If the majority of Scots want Independence then they should have it.

    Again, I don’t want to keep going over old ground – there is no point. My original comment posed the question, now, with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, is having 56 Westminster SNP MPs proving to be helpful, or not, to the cause for Independence?

    No one has answered me.

  85. Thepnr
    Ignored
    says:

    Westminster is naught but the legislative branch of “The Establishment” which has been around a lot longer than even Parliament itself.

    The Royals, the unelected House of Lords, the Bankers, the Corporations running our business, the Media barons, the elite Schools and Universities, the Civil Service, the Military are all part of “The Establishment.

    The SNP are none of these things are their goal is to fight against the only branch of the Establishment that they current can and that is in the House of Commons.

    Note i did not say Westminster as they have no members there. None of the SNP contingent at the HoC went to either Oxford of Cambridge where the Establishment are educated in the ways of the world. Their world, none of them are media barons or generals in the army.

    They are the opposite of establishment, ordinary people using the only option open to them to fight back AGAINST The establishment and that is Democracy and they have a mandate from the Scottish people to take our fight there.

  86. Rigmac7
    Ignored
    says:

    Tories are very clever aren’t they?

    Forcing the SNP’s hand early doors with the fox hunting bill (relatively meaningless in the big scheme of things, but emotive enough to make it difficult to stand by and let it go through).

    SNP don’t vote, they’re pilloried for standing by and letting innocent animals be killed in a particularly abhorrent way, by stereotypically abhorrent types.

    SNP vote, Tories et al are rubbing their hands with glee at SNP breaking their word on voting on English only issues. MSM will play it to death and all but the most ardent “sensible” people or wildlife activists will end up only remembering that the SNP broke their word and voted on and English only matter.

    Tories are very clever, arent they? The Tories and their “special” advisors are fairly more advanced than McTernan and his brigade. A most objectionable group, but know how to manipulate at a whim.

    I really really do not like them. Really.

  87. Ken500
    Ignored
    says:

    Most of the English MP’s would be in jail, if there was any justice,

    For Tax evasion, killing people, lying, cheating breaking Laws/International Laws. allowing reporters to bribe public officials, assaulting people, abusing childen, sanctioning people illegally, cheating expenses, taking back handers to allow tax evasion, to fund their Party. Abusing the public funds. Using the Police to threaten people. Put ‘D’ notices on under the Official Secrets Act to cover up their crime. Refusing to recind the Official Secrets Act on public officials so child abusers can be prosecuted. Briefing the Press with lies, and allowing the Press to print lies.

  88. mike cassidy
    Ignored
    says:

    Labour seem more concerned about foxes. Just as well they’re not receiving tax credits!

  89. john king
    Ignored
    says:

    Fred @5.15
    Close
    https://archive.is/4O8QF

  90. Kenlike
    Ignored
    says:

    @”sensibledave”

    “in what way are the SNP not part of the Westminster establishment?”

    They’re not Moloch-worshipping pederasts

  91. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    sensibledave
    I hope they are. How’s that? 🙂

    Seriously though, I imagine they are doing everything according to procedural rules, in order to show that Scotland does not count in Westminster’s calculations. Apart from all the lovely export revenues Scotland’s economy provides to the Exchequer, of course.

  92. One_Scot
    Ignored
    says:

    I have said it before and I know others have also mentioned it, but there needs to be a party south of the border with a similar values as the Scottish Government.

    And I don’t state that from a selfish Scottish point of view, I say it as I genuinely believe that voters south of the border deserve better than what they are being offered.

  93. Anagach
    Ignored
    says:

    sensibledave says:
    13 July, 2015 at 7:16 pm

    To All

    Do you put ‘sensible’ in your name because your posts cast doubt.

    To change a system a group must be in strong, even violent, opposition from outside or peaceful opposition from the inside. The UK has a low success rate for both.

    The SNP decided a long time ago to follow democratic means and that entails being present in the electoral system.

    It would slow or stop altogether the move for Independence if they did not participate in the electoral process.

  94. smithie
    Ignored
    says:

    Oh dearie dearie me, methinks some excreta is gonna hit the circulating air cooling device on Wednesday regarding ripping apart foxes.

    SNP are gonnae vote against the bill
    Bring it on LoL.

  95. handclapping
    Ignored
    says:

    Anent the SNP being part of the “establishment”, it was decided in 1962 / 63 that the SNP would fight to establish an independent Scotland in parliamentary fashion and in parliamentary fashion only. This was because at that time various other methods were being advocated after the failure of the Covenant petition, eg Home Rule by the Liberals, the Scottish Liberation Army, Wendy Wood’s Patriots et al.

    It is therefore not surprising to find the SNP refraining from clapping as for the past 53 years the SNP sub-text has been “Westminster Rules, OK.”

  96. sensibledave
    Ignored
    says:

    .. I can’t answer or respond to all the points and there would be no point anyway.

    The pnr wrote “Most of the English MP’s would be in jail, if there was any justice” – … and that is your considered, intellectual view is it The pnr – Could you have a word with Robert Peffers for me please. He doesnt understand why I allude to an undertone of England/English = bad here.

    The pnr goes on to lambast people that are now English MPs having the bloody cheek to attend an English university such as Oxford or Cambridge. No mention, acceptance or questioning of the fact that over half of Scottish MPs went to one of Scotland’s top four Universities (Glasgow, Edinburgh, St Andrews and Aberdeen)?

    I note nothing has changed since I last commented a month or so ago. Same old quasi racist nonsense from a number of regular commenters. And not a single response to the very simple question I asked originally.

  97. David
    Ignored
    says:

    ‘sensible’ dave wants answers to the question: “with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, is having 56 Westminster SNP MPs proving to be helpful, or not, to the cause for Independence?”

    My answer is ‘Hell yes!’
    The very act of electing 56 SNP MPs out of 59 was huge. The news of it was everywhere. It made headlines throughout the UK and beyond, bringing welcome publicity for Scotland in general and the SNP in particular.

    The people who voted for SNP wiped out Labour in Scotland, leaving no wounded to be bayonetted (see what I did there). The 50% vote for SNP proved that people in Scotland no longer trust Labour, and instead trust the SNP.

    ‘sensible’ dave, the election landslide proved that the people of Scotland trust the SNP. That was May, this is July, and the trust is still there.

    The people of Scotland trust the SNP, who have as their main aim that Scotland deserves to be independent again. The desire for independence is in the DNA of the SNP, and they are the party of choice for Scotland.

    So yes, ‘generic’ dave, it it helpful to the cause of independence to have 56 SNP MPs in Westminster.

    Another point is that many more Scots are now paying attention to what really goes on in Westminster. We are gaining interest in the day-to-day business of politics. And what we see at WM is a shocking system that is archaic, outmoded, and stands up badly when compared to Holyrood.

    We see new SNP MPs give good speeches to empty rooms, then we see the WM troughers pile out of their subsidised bars to vote against Scotland.

    We see our new MPs get the ‘country yokel’ treatment from the MSM, and that mistreatment will only fuel justified resentment and increase pro-indy sentiment.

    We see Cameron’s Tories trying to make our MPs and by extension all Scots into second-class citizens. This clarification of how the power elite sees us, and how little they care about us, will never improve pro-union feeling.

    Scotland and the people of Scotland are paying attention to what is going on, searching out new sources of information, and we are not getting back in our box & eating our cereal again.

    So yes, having 56 SNP MPs at Westminster, on tv, in the papers, on politics programmes is extremely helpful to the cause of independence. They are the proof that left-leaning politicians can be elected, that leftwing politics can work well.

    It is also good for the RUK, as they are the real opposition to the Tories. You’re welcome, rUK.

  98. Petra
    Ignored
    says:

    This latest fiasco with the Labour Party, cut benefits / don’t cut, has finally and very publicly exposed the Labour Party for what it stands for and that’s not the working classes. In fact they don’t seem to stand for any section of society at all now. This betrayal of millions of people north and south of the border has sounded their death knell, with many more abandoning the Party, and is like a gift from the Gods for us.

    Kezia Dugdale can say that her party in Scotland will be autonomous but no one is falling for that old chestnut anymore. If many people in Scotland didn’t hear her saying recently that they (Labour) had focused too much on the vulnerable previously they will definitely have heard about Labour backing the Tory budget proposals on MSM and will be sickened to their back teeth.

    Labour has just fallen into another Tory trap … ‘’Tories being the party of working people now’ … and there must be much gnashing of teeth going on amongst the divided Labour ranks, especially in Scotland, while the Tories, hand in hand, hee-haw and guffaw all the way to the bank.

    I feel sorry for the ordinary English people as they have nowhere to turn now: No viable alternative to what’s on offer. It’s time for the English, such as those who petitioned to join Scotland, to found a new Party .. a sister Party to the SNP … the ENP to represent the decent people of England at Westminster who are sick and tired of being duped and penalised by the right wing Labour / Tory monopoly.

    As to the EU I’ll vote to remain in the EU because it may help bring about another IndyRef, sooner than later, if rUK decide to leave. At that point in time we’ll be members of the EU and therefore will have the choice to remain or exit through an in / out EU Referendum in an Independent Scotland.

    It goes without saying however that I have grave concerns about EU membership especially in light of the Greek debacle. I read through Derek Henry’s brilliant posts on the economy, and so on, which I found to be extremely enlightening. Derek posted an article / video on the ‘Death Cult of Tony Blair’ thread (at 8:08) that makes absolutely clear (in laymans terms which suits me) what’s been happening in Greece and it makes for VERY ‘scary’ listening indeed. One wonders what plans the far right wing European Central Bank would have in mind for an Independent Scotland. I’m posting it again in case anyone missed it.

    http://michael-hudson.com/2015/07/why-greeces-debt-is-illegal/

    I see that Willie Rennie has appeared on the scene once again like some kind of a goul that revels in bad news. You never hear him proffer any kind of positive, constructive suggestions on any issue affecting the Scots. He must be one of the most objectionable ‘Union’ politicians of all (top of my list), a wee sweetie-wife, who accepts a lucrative salary for doing no more than opposing Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP at every turn.

    I’ll never forgive him for contesting the abolition of the centuries old Corroboration Law and forming a sneaky, behind the scenes, cabal with Davidson and Lamont to ensure that his objective was realised …. outwitting Kenny McAskill. In doing so he’s ensured that thousands of children who have been sexually abused have had no recourse to justice (one related to me). Worst still as I type this thousands more will be suffering terribly from sexual abuse as their abusers are aware that Scotland is the place to be if you want the best chance of avoiding detection and prosecution. To add insult to injury his response to the spiraling rates of sexual abuse towards children in Scotland, publicised earlier this year, was that ‘the SNP had better come up with a plan to deal with it”. Well they did but he and his ilk stymied that.

    @ Fred says at 5:15 pm ”Did Harman not approve of de-criminalising child-porn?” Fred lots of information on Harman AND her husband in relation to the Paedophile Information Exchange (PIE) online.

  99. smithie
    Ignored
    says:

    O/t at least a chink of light for the “people” to have some hope.
    https://archive.is/kROkf
    Hope this works, first time on arhive

  100. Thepnr
    Ignored
    says:

    @sensibledave

    Dave you have made a major foo pah as far as attributing comments to me that I DID NOT POST.

    I could have asked you to learn best how to debate or argue reasonably. Instead I’ll ask you to learn to read and not to accuse me of posting that which I have not.

  101. Brian Doonthetoon
    Ignored
    says:

    Hi sensibledave.

    Your input is welcome and I found your comments interesting.

    But – and this is where I put on my pedantic hat…

    Your comment – “and Tommy Sheppard is someone I will follow now that may, over time, achieve similar status.” – I had to read three times before I understood the point you were making.

    When I studied English, the rule was that you used “who” or “whom” for people and “that” for inanimate objects. A wee extra comma would have helped as well; and a wee change in the order of clauses. Your comment would have been instantly understandable if you had typed,

    “and Tommy Sheppard is someone, who may, over time, achieve similar status, and whom I will now follow.”

    Onnyhoo, welcome back to the menagerie!

    8=)

  102. Rev. Stuart Campbell
    Ignored
    says:

    “I’ve been abused by those anti SNP people on Twitter.”

    You’ll get abused by me if you don’t put some fucking paragraph breaks in your comment next time. Every newbie gets one free fix (if I’m in a good mood), then you’re on your own.

  103. Geoff Bush
    Ignored
    says:

    I think I might have a crafty £10 on Jeremy Corbyn

  104. Anagach
    Ignored
    says:

    @”sensibledave”

    “in what way are the SNP not part of the Westminster establishment?”

    They refuse to retire to the House of Lords.

  105. sensibledave
    Ignored
    says:

    From the Wings over Scotland “About us” Page:

    “We have an inquiring mind, and actively welcome intelligent contributions from all sides of the political debate. Got something worthwhile to say about Scotland’s future? Try us.”

    Or, in reality, if you have a contribution but you are not Scottish and not a YES voter – don’t expect a rational debate. Instead, expect a constant stream of criticism and abuse about everything that makes you English. Expect to hear that all your MPs that you democratically voted for, your institutions and your traditions are corrupt- and exist only to help the wealthy, oppress the poor, and, in particular, oppress the Scots – but please don’t interpret this as any anti-Englishness though.

  106. Brian Doonthetoon
    Ignored
    says:

    Hi Petra.

    You typed,

    “I’ll never forgive him for contesting the abolition of the centuries old Corroboration Law and forming a sneaky, behind the scenes, cabal with Davidson and Lamont to ensure that his objective was realised …. outwitting Kenny McAskill. In doing so he’s ensured that thousands of children who have been sexually abused have had no recourse to justice (one related to me).”

    My problem with the abolition of corroboration was that it was ‘blanket’, with no exceptions. I believe in its primary purpose, ie there has to be more than somebody’s word against somebody else’s.

    However, I also believe that circumstances have moved on. The need for corroboration could have been removed in the cases of child abuse and domestic violence, for example, whilst retaining it for ‘mainstream’ crime.

    This, I feel, would have been ‘progressive’.

  107. sensibledave
    Ignored
    says:

    Dave @ 9.25pm

    Thank you Dave. I reasoned and well written comment that managed to address the question without abusing me.

    I follow your argument and you may well be right. I just get the feeling that things have gone quiet, the novelty factor has passed now and it is, sort of, “business as usual” in Westminster – albeit with very different dynamic as a result of the make up of Parliament now.

    I understand from one of the comments above that the SNP may vote on the subject of fox hunting in England. Irrespective of one’s views on fox hunting or the subject of EVEL,that certainly has the potential to spice things up. However, typically, any government that thinks its might lose a vote (albeit that this is not a whipped vote) – would usually withdraw the bill so they don’t lose. In this case, if the SNP is perceived to have the casting vote and, as a result, it is perceived that the vote will be lost then the bill’s supporters will want it withdrawn until EVEL is passed. So, paradoxically, if the SNP want to push forward with the introduction of EVEL then, somewhat ridiculously, potentially voting against fox hunting in England will probably do the trick methinks.

  108. David
    Ignored
    says:

    sensibledave, a part of the downtrodden minority of 50-milliom-plus!

    The trouble is, that many of ‘your’ institutions, by which I presume you mean the British or UK institutions which belong to ‘us’ as much as to ‘you’, are indeed corrupt. You just haven’t found out yet. Pay attention, Cap’n Sensible, and continue looking for real news outside of the MSM.

    Seriously, anyone writing here can expect fair, intelligent criticism, so what we write had better be backed up by facts. You are not immune from this. The referendum campaign has been an invaluable lesson for us. We fight back with facts against the 95% of the MSM that lies to us and seeks to keep us in our Jock box.

    There will also be humour, and music, and some unparliamentary (!) language here. All life is here.

  109. Thepnr
    Ignored
    says:

    @

    Instead, expect a constant stream of criticism and abuse about everything that makes you English.

    Dave you are such a card, I see not a single post on this article that abuses you personally nor could be described as a stream of criticism.

    There is one post that you WRONGLY attributed to me stating

    “Most of the English MP’s would be in jail, if there was any justice”

    That is one posters opinion and cannot possibly be described as abuse about everything that makes you English.

    I’m fed up pandering to your unsubstantiated moaning, why are you here in the first place other than to abuse and decry the arguments of regular posters?

    The simple fact is, get out of the kitchen if you can’t stand the heat. You want debate you have got it, you want to stir the porridge then you will reap what you sow.

    It’s a simple fact, don’t expect much support as most here completely disagree. Even you should not be surprised at that fact.

  110. Fred
    Ignored
    says:

    @ John King, thanks for the Harman link John, shockin stuff!

    @ Ken 500, Tam Dalyell, still alive, just & no more a Dalyell than I am. Real name Loch, family name changed to inherit The Binns. His Loch of Drylaw ancestor was chamberlain of the Sutherland estates at the time of The Clearances and superior of their infamous factor Patrick Sellar. I used to work with an Elgin guy who claimed that he & his buddies urinated on Sellar’s grave every chance they got. He must be swimming in the stuff. 🙂

  111. Ken500
    Ignored
    says:

    Cameron won’t get EVEL through the Commons and he knows it. It’s been kicked in to the long grass. Just another PR exercise from the Conman. There were 20 Tory MP’s lined up against iit. Along with everyone else. Some Tories don’t want to break the Law.

  112. Stoker
    Ignored
    says:

    Re that video footage of Yvette Cooper at the top of this article.

    I know liebore are notorious for creating illusions when it comes to supportive crowds but are things really that bad they have to get former sportsmen to dress up as females?
    🙂

    Its been rippin-ma-knittin because i can’t for the life of me remember his name but i never forget a face.

    Have a look, see for yourselves!
    🙂

  113. Petra
    Ignored
    says:

    Brian thanks for responding to my post re. Corroboration Law. This Law is totally archaic now in light of the fact that CCTV evidence and DNA samples can be used to great effect. Scotland is the only country in the UK and in fact the Civilised World over all, other than the Netherlands, to use this Law and it doesn’t make us any better or smarter for it. Paedophiles are known to, in the main, carry out their disgusting acts behind closed doors and until such time we develop the skill to see through these walls and doors thousands of children in Scotland will continue to be abused.

    I studied this subject (paedophilia) as part of a Degree course, have had professional dealings with paedophiles and additionally have first hand, personal knowledge of the hellish damage this can do to a child and a family overall. Scotland has become an absolute haven for paedophiles due to the laxity of Law and just to give you ONE example when the Police were searching for a particular paedophile on a crowded Scottish beach spotted over 100 known paedophiles there. Frightening or what?

    Four years were spent with the Scottish judiciary looking at the implications of the Corroboration Law and a number of recommendations were made such as upping the number of jurors and so on. Wee Rennie (and others of course) blocked every suggestion in turn. To my mind, following this at the time, it was more about Rennie carrying out a bullying vendetta against Kenny McAskill and the SNP rather than caring about children who are living in hell or for that matter women (and men) who are suffering from domestic abuse.

    I see this happen over and over again with the ‘Union’ pact in Scotland and I’m bl**dywell sick and tired of it. Sick and tired of them doing nothing at all for the wages they are being paid; in fact rather just being totally obstructive at every turn. They don’t seem to be interested in what’s best for the Scots or Scotland it’s more about going all out to undermine or demonise the SNP. This was exemplified recently with the broadcasting of the BBC / Jackie Bird ‘Downfall of the Labour Party ( or whatever it was called … on my iPad so can’t check) when it was made clear that their main agenda over a number of years was to totally discredit the SNP and hope it made MSM headlines. How some of these people ever became politicians … to serve … and have managed to hang onto their jobs is way beyond my comprehension.



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