Work till you drop in the Union
It’s nice to see some blue-sky thinking in the British government. These are difficult times and everything needs to be on the table for discussion, such as the decadent, indulgent luxury of letting old people retire.
Those are the words of Lord Bichard, a “crossbench” peer who has worked for both Labour and Tory governments and is the former head of the Benefits Agency. He’s suggesting, quite openly, that in the near future the UK’s old folk should have their pensions cut if they don’t keep working until they die. He thinks this an “imaginative idea”, necessary because we must “cut the costs of an ageing society”.
We hesitate to suggest that one way to cut the costs of an ageing society might be to reduce the size of the pension paid to Lord Bichard, which at a cosy £120,000 a year could probably stand a little trimming. (His Lordship retired at the grand old age of 53, so we’ll be paying it for a long time.) Nevertheless, we thank the noble peer for giving us another indicator of what the future holds for the people of Scotland should they choose to remain part of the UK. Decision time in two years and counting.
I actually thought that was a quote from Johann Lamont.
O/T but I see the Olympics have, ahem, ‘boosted growth’.
So all we need to do is keep borrowing 10’s of billions to spend on huge parties and we’re laughing!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20078231
Why didn’t Gordon think of that.
Great fodder for the YES campaign that another nonentity peer pops up from the sleepy cross-benches of the HOL and starts advocating this nonsense while he receiving a very lucrative government pension. We should be encouraging these bampots to keep churning out more of this B.S.
Yep, we really have to stop all these universal benefits and a “something for nothing” culture. And don’t you dare criticize all those hard-working Lords and Ladies on modest pensions, which are thoroughly deserved. The Labour Party is in full support, so it must be a fair system.
On a scale of one to Ian Smart I’d say that this guy’s grasp of reality is up there. Why just work people till they die; I’m sure that there’s a profit to be made from their corpses.
I wonder if he himself will retrain in his sunset years as a plumber or drainage engineer, looks like he has a ‘wealth’ of experience working with shite, so much so he is now talking it.
Watch out, Stu, let’s have no sniping at His Lordship. You could find yourself in trouble..
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/scotland/scottish-politics/9632629/Police-asked-to-investigate-Alex-Salmonds-anti-English-jibes.html
How much do the enobled get as a daily attendance allowance these days?
Almost certain it was hundreds of pounds just for turning up and putting their bottom on one of the red benches in the House of Lords.
They could fall asleep and still claim the money!
CYBOS,
They DO fall asleep (and claim the money).
Training Days
I think it has been ruled by an English court that the Scottish do not constitute a “race” within the context of the Race relations legislations.
As this complaint is being pursued through the Scottish Legal system, maybe there could be a use for the “English” Supreme Court ?
As I posted on a previous thread , unionists are a funny breed .
Lord Bichard has just managed to alienate the largest group likely to vote to retain the union .
So, let me get this right. You only get your pension if you work for it.
Isn’t that called a salary?
If we’re nae getting pensions, then they won’t be needing to take National Insurance off me.
It was reported that he “retired” on his VERY lucrative pension at 54. Maybe he thinks all retirees are so young. In which case he must have missed the announced increased pension age of 68. Mind you he isn’t not like he stopping working is it! It’s very hard work sitting on those red benches.
@Cuphhook
Why just work people till they die; I’m sure that there’s a profit to be made from their corpses.
Soylent Green – I’m sure it will be in the next Labour Party manifesto.
This proposal is pure Thatcherism. From her ‘no such thing as society’ speech.
‘It is our duty to look after ourselves and then also to help look after our neighbour and life is a reciprocal business and people have got the entitlements too much in mind without the obligations, because there is no such thing as an entitlement unless someone has first met an obligation’.
Frank Turner explains the consequences of Thatcher’s attack on society rather well.
Isn’t great how these en-nobled nobodies can afford this blue sky thinking about us plebs. This arse probably spent oh, minutes coming up with this cunning plan to save the govt. cash for way more important stuff like the HoL Christmas Hootenanny.
@fitheach
One thing that they didn’t count on in the 70s was the rise in obesity so if we do go down the Solyent route perhaps there won’t be the food shortage it depicted.
I’m currently reducing a tomato sauce and trying not to pretend that it’s Solyent Red.
http://www.bbc.scotlandshire.co.uk/
Scottish Labour are going to have to come up with its own policy initiative here to out-do Lord Lardy. In the next few weeks, we can look forward to Johann Lamont’s next big idea: re-introduce child labour into the workplace.
It makes sense on so many levels. When Britain was the ‘workshop of the world’ it used child labour extensively – there was no trouble with ‘feral kids’ roaming our streets, terrorising our communities, in those days, the little buggers were too knackered from 10 hours hard labour 6 days a week. But also, children are the ideal employees for business. You can pay them peanuts, they don’t join trade unions so they won’t cause any trouble at the workplace, and they don’t need much food during the day so their reproduction costs are minimal.
And re-introducing child labour could be the solution to Britain’s lack of competitiveness in the world. According to the ILO, there are some 300 million child workers in the world. This puts Britain at a competitive disadvantage in world markets, and re-introducing child labour could close the productivity gap and drive down wages for adult workers, improving Britain’s competitiveness. Finally, we already press-gang school-leavers and the disabled into forced labour programmes to begin a lifetime of low-paid employment, why should younger children be allowed to laze around at primary schools every day? Come on Johann, what are you waiting for?
Yes, another horrible idea coming from Westminster. Very similar to Osbourne’s proposal that workers give away their employment rights for shares, or such like. The inhumanity at the heart of these proposals is appalling. The Conservatives seem like they want to return to the Victorian era with their Dickensian policies.
@ yes yes yes Brilliant idea, you should have been a union politician, you missed your calling lol
@Cuphook
One thing that they didn’t count on in the 70s was the rise in obesity so if we do go down the Solyent route perhaps there won’t be the food shortage it depicted.
Which would probably mean that Soylent would get a “red traffic light” as a high fat food. Hope you enjoy your meal!
Training Day
With reference to the Lord Snooty complaint, all I can add is, if the top hat fits, wear it.
“Do as I say, not as I do”
@Alex Mcl,
I also like Cuphook’s (11.22am) embryonic idea of making profit out of the dead. Mind you capitalism has been doing that for centuries, dead labour, living labour and all that. Now I think about it, didn’t Ian Smart suggest in one of his blogs that if Scotland became independent we’d all be reduced to cannibalism? With this idea, Ian, once again, may have demonstrated that he’s a one-man Scottish Labour think tank.
Think about it. We could make huge savings if, instead of burying or cremating the dead, we feasted on them. If this was too unpalatable for delicate middle class palates, we could feed them to the poor. Just think what savings we could make. Insurance premiums would plummet, we’d save a fortune on funeral costs, the provision of human food to the poor would allow us to reduce their welfare payments, and we could use all that money to stimulate the economy, offsetting the job losses in funeral directors and insurance companies. You know, you lot all have a good laugh at Ian Smart but it looks like it could be Ian who’s having the last laugh.
@fitheach
Don’t get me started on processed foods. I recently watched another 70s movie, Over The Edge, which in terms of fun, is one of the best teenage rebellion movies out there, but what struck me was how slim everyone was; it’s like looking at another species.
One often overlooked attack on society was that upon the kitchen, the very heart of any family, by the marketing of supermarkets and ‘convenience’ foods.
I have a friend working in the field of pensioner lifestyles and, apparently, the biggest change occurs by getting them to cook for themselves. Within a few months they lose weight, are exercising regularly and participating more in society.
@YesYesYes
Ye surely dinnae think ye’ll be gettin thae died bodies fir nuthin?
@AndrewfraeGovan,
Are you Johann Lamont’s speech writer?
Some jolly excellent ideas here chaps!
You scotch are an ingenious lot. We’re going to miss you.
Toodleoo the noo! (is that how one says it?)
You want a movie about processed food – watch Soylent Green.
But as to the idea of kids working – remember one of the key policy pledges of Scots Tories was to pressure kids into leaving school at 14 and placing them in “vocational” training.
As for M’luds ripe and fruity brainfart – well this is what happens when you lurch ever more to the looney fringe of the right. It is in this area that allows Davison to state that 80% of scots don’t contribute – That Lamont could claim that certain benefits are something for nothing.
@YesYesYes
Ach!
On the Lord Snooty thing…..it’s obviously been a while but didn’t he live in a castle by the Loch ?
Which would suggest that he’s well you know Scottish ?
The Telegraph article reads like something from Viz
Private Eye’s been running a “Dave Snooty and his pals” comic strip for a few years now (as noted by the Telegraph article). Is that racism too? Ian Hislop is partly Scottish I understand….
It was the complainer who made the link between Snooty and Englishness……says more about his prejudices than anyone else.
You may gest at profiting from the dead but American companies have been doing it for years.
http://news.tbo.com/news/metro/MGB5SEJVN3F.html
Just finished catching up on FMQs. Opposition benches had their jollies and a very patient FM explained not once but several times the difference between advice sought/published and specific advice. Ditto on Ministerial code and restrictions. Of course as expected he is also going for six in a row vis a vis referrals. Not a grandstanding performance, but certainly a dignified one. The terrible twins left in no doubt the best is yet to come.
For instance suppose the result of the now specifically sought opinions vindicate the SGs stated long term position? Both Labour and the Conservatives have gone way out on a limb to ridicule the general advice sought to date. Definitely felt like a keeping your powder dry FMQs.
Lord Snooty was a kindly wee soul who was only distinguished from his mates by living in a castle and wearing what looked like an Eton school uniform. It’s hardly an insult, never mind racist.
I can’t remember, but didn’t he actually go to Bash Street with the rest of them?
@AndrewfraeGovan,
Sorry, I meant to include a smiley face at the end of my last question.
@Macart.
For instance suppose the result of the now specifically sought opinions vindicate the SGs stated long term position?
Aye and it will. They would hardly being stating that position if it was not the case.
Yes, the moment Scotland votes Yes it will be ejected from the EU. All EU citizens will immediately have to leave. Scotland will need to stop pumping oil and gas/cut electrical power exports while new trade relationships/tariffs are established, whereby crippling the UK economy, sending a ripple effect across Europe. All EU fishing fleets will need to leave Scottish waters. EU consular staff will be unable to travel to Scotland as they have no visa. For Scotland to re-join, it will go through a lengthy process starting with it immediately having to create a new currency so this can be decoupled from the £ and put straight into the ERM. No oil and gas can flow until this currency is in place and European companies operating in Scotland will need to stop work meantime while it’s all worked out. Then this currency will immediately be put into the ERM for two years to allow the Euro to be enforced the moment Scotland finally re-joins the EU. Spain then blocks entry just at the last minute.
This is what I largely understand the unionist position to be. Sounds eminently plausible.
Morag, I don’t think there were any posh ones in the Bash Street Kids, apart from Cuthbert Cringeworthy, teacher’s pet and swot. I should get out more.
@scottish_skier
This is what I don’t get, they’re practically asking for it at this point. If as we suspect, the opinion backs up the SGs position, instant vindication (even in our press), probable result – renewal of any lost trust or faith by the public, possible new converts and a huge hole in the credibility of every leading member of the butter together campaign and their own sought (but not published) legal opinions. They must surely be aware of the same facts as the SG??
O/T
Iain Banks was on Radio 5 Live being interviewed by Richard Bacon (interview finished approx 3:30) and was asked about independence and the EU. Bacon totally misrepresented the statements made by José Manuel García-Margallo, the Spanish Foreign Minister, regarding an independent Scotland’s position with regard to the EU.
The BBC should either ensure that its presenters are fully informed on topics they wish to bring up during an interview, or, if that is too difficult, not allow lightweights like Bacon anywhere near sensitive and difficult topics such as this. I say difficult, however, if we are able to get our collective heads around the issues and the existing treaties and laws affecting this area then surely a well funded organisation such as the BBC should be able also to do so without much difficulty. Failure to do so can only be the result of either ineptitude or bias. I know which one I’m going for.
@Macart
You are looking at the reactions of a very frightened, cornered, unpleasant animal. The unionist world of privilege and power is falling apart around them. The Labour party in particular is impotent and unable to do anything to stop the Scottish and UK governments working it all out. They have no positive case for the union other than the fading memories of ‘look how many medals we won’ at the Olympics which was put on the every increasing credit card bill.
All they can do is attack the SNP and the concept of independence. A tactic doomed to failure in the long term.
The Scottish government are playing the long game. Independence is a perfectly viable and attractive option. The SNP will progress with a calm demeanor knowing they may take temporary poll hits. However they know when we all go out to vote, exactly what we will be voting for will all be clear and confirmed by external parties as appropriate. It will not look scary at all compared to right-wing destruction from Westminster. Those who had been peddling all the myths will not be forgiven.
Largely the same thing has happened every time a country has left Westminster rule. I say ‘left’ rather than ‘tried to leave’ as they were all ultimately successful.
I see the First Minister is referring himself for investigation again, this time over ‘EUgate’ of course.
LOL.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-20083993
And of course he will be found innocent, or to put it a better way ‘falsely accused’ by ‘bare faced liars’.
Look at the headline though SS.
Would the unaware reader think he had referred himself?
Brian Taylor Political editor, Scotland
I am beginning to think Alex Salmond is a fan of the ‘Rumble in the Jungle’, the fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman in Zaire in 1974. Ali deliberately stayed on the ropes and allowed Foreman to throw fearsome punches upon him. However, in so doing, by the sixth round or so, Foreman had used up all his strength and energy and was physically exhausted. Ali just needed to wait for a chance to launch a counter-attack. When it came Ali was able to knockdown Foreman and wins the fight. Muhammad Ali called it his ‘rope a dope’ tactic. Is Salmond using the same kind of tactic on the media in Scotland and his political opponents? Is the ‘dope’ in this case the media and the No campaign? There must be a possibility that by the autumn of 2014 they will have wearied themselves out, and that Salmond just needs to wait for his chance to counter and win. Would Salmond use this tactic to exhaust his opponents? If you can win political strategist of the year awards then…..
…there are clearly plenty of dopes to choose from.
Questioning the integrity of Sir David Bell now
https://twitter.com/BrigadoonGent/status/261485884027858946
Their tactic, for lack of any cogent policy, appears to be smear and damage credibility as much as possible in the forlorn hope that when the white paper is released so much damage will have been done that reclaiming any lost ground will be impossible. Of course there is a huge downside to this cunning strategy, as and when their current counter arguments are exposed for the complete pile of guff that they are, their own credibility will be completely shot to hell.
You’ll notice from today’s wee visit from choob in chief of preventing separation from the mother of parliaments, that Westminster is beginning to take the SGs defence policy seriously since the weekends vote. Davidson didn’t know whether he was punched, bored or countersunk, trying to validate his old position on removal of Trident whilst arguing staying within the union to retain the 6000 jobs. Now agree with nato in/out or not, its certainly made thone wee hoose on the Thames sit up and take notice and not a peep about that anywhere else today. More dominoes still to fall the closer we get to the white paper.
Some really amusing posts here posts – from cemetery ceremony to cemetery bone grinding machine to allotment as bone meal is indead a possible opportunity for some of Ruthie’s pals. Does sort of close the loop in a ecological kind of way. After all, why allow a business opportunity go up in smoke, at the crematorium
Blue skies thinking: why not tie pensions to a percentage of the average wage? That way,as Cameron might say, we are all in it together. But alas I fear the good lord Bitchard ( spelled to a t)is musing on how to keep his lifestyle intact, not musing on how to care for his fellow – citizens? plebs?
@velofello,
It might be worth taking this as a business idea to Dragon’s Den, they like budding entrepreneurs on that programme. I can just hear that blonde woman, the one with a face like a skelped erse, saying, ‘You want to feed dead people to the poor? Why didn’t any of us think of that?’
I’m quite particular about the people I eat, so I usually go for the vegetarian option (but only if they’ve been humanely dispatched).
Despite what the media say I believe Alex Salmond marched (lead actually) the
three unionist parties up the hill (mountain actually), not telling them that this
hill (mountain) was sliced in half vertically from summit to base , so when they all
got there, Alex stood to one side while the three “union” parties continued to march
on and over the edge into the abyss, ———–PRICELESS!!!.
Majorbloodnok
There is a wide selection of vegetables available on the Unionist benches.
Would that work for you?
“Mr Salmond has deliberately remained silent for two years so that the truth would not come out. It is normal for politicians to try to suppress unpalatable information. But in this case, Mr Salmond’s cover-up strikes at the heart of Scotland’s democracy. “
“Mr Salmond‘s deliberate silence and inaction regarding the behaviour of police at Balmedie has allowed others to undertake cover-ups of their own.”
“When the Government and the police are guilty of trying to suppress the truth, where does that leave the local residents, and those throughout Scotland deeply concerned about what they saw in You‘ve Been Trumped?”
“The evidence we have gathered is overwhelming: Donald Trump is revealed to be a super advanced alien from the planet Shreddie and Alex Salmond is his bio-mechanical robot. The so-called ‘world class golf course’ is, of course, no such thing – it is a landing strip for invisible UFOs. Each year, thousands of Scottish Labour members are being abducted and ferried across the universe to be used as poor quality sandwhich filling on the neighbouring planet Grahamspiers. This goes way bigger than Savile, and I have seen it – all of it – in mine own dreams.”
http://www.youvebeentrumped.com/youvebeentrumped.com/Montrose_Pictures_Statement_on_Youve_Been_Trumped.html
You know what? I think everyone is in Alex Salmond’s pocket. Donald Trump, Grampian Police, Rupert Murdoch, David Cameron, Lord Leveson / any independent panel judging AS, Nick Clegg (he only went into coalition to help Salmond – I have evidence), Ian Gray, Subway Sandwiches, Johann Lamont, Ruth Davidson, nearly half the electorate…
All of them I tell you! All of them! They’re all out to destroy our wonderful union! It’s a conspiracy!
O/T
I was thinking about the referendum campaign. What happens now that we have had the agreement? We have from the present to the publication of the White paper in November next year, around about a year. Therefore, what happens to the campaigns? Do they hibernate or what?
I have a funny feeling that the Unionists may have walked into a trap of their own making. I can’t believe for a moment that Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon have not checked out the law on this.
It sounds like the law officers in Scotland, as well as advice from Europe have basically said ‘sort out the Edinburgh Agreement first’. In other words, you can’t speak to the European Commission until you have an agreement from the British Government first. Why jump the 2nd hurdle when you haven’t jumped the 1st one yet? It seems that the Spanish leader in the EU has said that the EU has kept quiet and not said anything …because they were waiting to see how the Scottish Governemnt and the British Government came to an agreement!! – which seems to tie in with Salmond’s main argument.
I noticed that Salmond has asked for the law lords (or judges, or whatever they are) to investigate what has happened in this process. Lamont and Davidson have literally been delerious today (Ruth demanded either the FM’s or the Deputy FM’s resignation). What if the judges say the SNP have done everything correctly, and the EU were to say the same thing, but it has been found that the Unionists were in breach by trying to find out the answer even though it is against the ministerial code. Ruth might get her resignation yet…her own!!
If this correct, and I’m praying it is…Salmond will slaughter them all once the truth is revealed. The Unionists would be utterly humiliated.
@AndrewFraeGovan
– I’ve looked at the link and that chap seems to have an unhealthy fixation on AS. I wonder if his bedoom has posters of him? Maybe has his photo on his pillow? 🙂
@scottish_skier :
also the Subway sandwiches contain electoral altering ingredients. Don’t choose the curry ones.
I hope everyone remembers Catherine Stihler’s role in all this.
Take a step back from all the shouting by the LibLabCons and look at what she wanted.
Catherine Stihler wanted the Labour party to have access to the legal advice given to the SNP Government by its law officers.
Think about that. She wanted to smash all the conventions of the Ministerial code and for Labour to have the same access to the Government’s legal advice as the Government itself.
She’s not a happy bunny now that it turns out she put all that effort into opening an empty box but whatever happens, independence or not, I hope she gets kicked out at the next European election.
@scottish skier, sounds like you are having a Dr Evil moment. I hope your not sitting stroking a white cat lol.
Well muttley 79, my wife and me will be attending the Yes Scotland meeting in our area and hope to contribute/encourage an active group to raise the public’s interest and correct MSM propaganda.
i’ve never been a political activist. Attending the protest at Pacific Quay was my first tentative step, and then the Edinburgh gathering. I view independence as too important an issue for me to sit sideline and simply “shout from the terracing”, and i am of an age such that independence will likely prove of little personal gain to me yet independence will provide me with huge satisfaction.Reward enough.
So I’m up for it and urge you and others to get actively involved too.
Listening to the crap spouted by the unionists on social media has been tiring today and I’m feeling a bit burnt out by it all. I hope you guys are right about them walking into a trap because I’m at the ‘wishing all sorts of evil on them’ stage tonight.
Best have a step back I think!
@David Smith
Chill out, have a laugh here:
http://www.bbc.scotlandshire.co.uk/index.php/city-news/60-labour-arse.html
Just been over at the Telegraph, I know, I know! The lunatics really have taken over the asylum. Some clown wants to take AS to court for being a racist. Apparently the ambassador for the country of Snoot – you know where the Lord Snooty’s come from, is up in arms that AS has offended the Snooty race. Posted the following as a gentle reminder that although we might be too poor, too wee and too stupid to govern ourselves, we are not completely nuts!
As a member of the SNP for over 40 years, I would like to set the record straight. In all that time, I have never heard an anti-English comment at meeting, march or rally. I have many English friends who I am proud to call friends and many of them are in the SNP.
Independence is about the people who live in Scotland being able to govern themselves. I repeat that, the people who live in Scotland. That means anyone and everyone who makes their home in Scotland will be able to vote in the referendum. That means you can be of English, Spanish, Welsh, Irish, German or Martian descent (you get the drift), it matters not, live in Scotland and you get a say in how the place is to be governed.
Alex Salmond may be the most able, astute and progressive politician in these isles, however he is most definitely not anti-English.
Scotland Tonight – panel discussing whether AS has been damaged by week’s events. It seems the cacophony of lies, distortions and smears continues unabated.
Just saw this cracker of a letter in the Guardian:
“It may well be that nuclear weapons are the biggest headache for the SNP, but there are others. For example, would an independent Scotland observe fealty to an English monarch? To its banks, now mostly owned by the London government? Would it retain sterling? A commercial-free BBC? Even if the referendum were a victory for Scottish independence, to what extent would a Scotland which was forced under Nato rules to station British nuclear weapons on its soil, which retained British banks, sterling, the Queen and a version of the BBC, be really independent of the rest of Britain? I’m a Scot and proud to be Scottish. And many people – not just in Scotland – are encouraged by the way that the SNP is opposed to the sociopathic Westminster policies on education, welfare, health, nuclear energy, and the massive fiscal cuts. But the SNP doesn’t need a formally independent Scotland to continue to do that.”
Ian Fairlie
London
The First Minister should refer that piece of shit to a nut house. Oh I forgot he works there already!
Scott Minto.
Och!
The sadness of it all. I kind of think our relationship with the monarch (butterfly?) would be somewhat the same as that of the Australians and the New Zealanders.
And a party that doesn’t even stand a candidate in Berwick on Tweed is supposed to just remain in the Union as an increasingly marginalised protest movement?
I fear for the poor chaps sanity……
That’s it folks, it’s game over according to David Torrance and Iain Macwhirter on Newsnicht. Big Eck, the “bare faced liar”, the “corkscrew” the “Bill Clinton” and “Del Boy” of Scottish politics has done it again. The devil incarnate has kicked the whole issue of Europe, Ministerial Code etc, etc, “into the long grass”. The most astute politician in these islands has made a monkey of his accusers.
I know AS is not fond of the “Lord Snooty’s” of this world, but it would appear that he has learned something from those who would “Lord” it over us. The Grand Old Duke of York must be immensely proud of his Scottish protege.
I am such a lazy political monkey that I – almost always – miss these discussions. Perhaps it is to do with having to earn a living.
Anyway, has anyone got a link these programmes?
————————————————
If I await Newsnight Scotland’s link we’ll have been invaded by Martians by the time they put it up…
“In other news, Alex Salmond was accused of agreeing with our new overlords that Westminster was a ‘bit shit’.
Cameron gobsmacked!
“We didn’t believe there was intelligent life north of Watford, far less on Mars. Where is Dr Who when you need him?”
Meanwhile, Camerons poll rating hit an unprecedented minus a million zillion, and we are the BBC and we know that is the truth.
So the Rev. Stuart Campbell 2 days ago was correct that it is a storm in a teaspoon. Pity I missed Newsnicht then.
“and the methods and tactics used to formulate and apply policy”,part of Wikis definition of politics.So the rumpus over Europe is,basically Alex Salmond as a politician has used his political knowledge and skills and the opposite (paid )politicians did’nt understand this ?Is that about the sum of it ?
O/T A wiser head really needs to speak to Ruth Davidson as her ‘performances ‘would not be tolerated in any workplace I know of and the look on Annabel Goldies face (sitting directly behind her ) spoke volumes.
Re: FMQs, I have noticed for some time that after the “question” (I really wish the PO would insist on a question, and not allow these mini speeches) is put, during Alex’s answer the little children (Ruthie, Joannie, and wee Willie) are smiling and sometimes laughing at his responses. Not, I think at the paupacy of his response, but because they treat this all as a media game.
This is our PARLIAMENT, I thought that some rules of probity applied? Adult debate is not possible in such a kindergarten environment. The opposition really are a disgrace to their supporters.
I am now an SNP member (Just in the last 12 months) as I think that this party will be the driving force that gets us over the line of Independence. Whether I remain a member after Independence will depend on what they propose for Scotland. In other words,. Independence is the first and most important objectives – without that we will NEVER be allowed to make our own decisions.
In the meantime, Scotland deserves a proper, mature, opposition with alternative policies and ideas for SCOTLAND, and not just a mouthpiece for Westminster. They are a disgrace, not just for the vacuum of policy, but for the way they conduct themselves, and their constant abuse of Holyrood. (As an aside, what the Hell was Elaine Murray on? Was she drunk?)
FMQs have become a bizarre form of ritual abuse which Salmond has to endure at the hands of a cartoonishly inept array of sub prime stoneybridge coonciller wannabes. You have Lamont who increasingly seems like she is channeling Thatcher as she lurches to the right. Davidson who looks increasingly like someone who got this position by winning a raffle. And Wee Wullie Rennie – looking like the little creepy kid who hangs out with bullys as to avoid being bullied.
This is the best the Union has – is it any wonder they keep looking to the past?
Is it just me or is anyone else beginning to wonder about the mental health of Ruth Davidson? In FMQs yesterday, in the course of one “question”, she managed to compare the First Minister to Del Boy, Bill Clinton and Richard Nixon, and, not content with that, further impugned the integrity of the First and Depute First Ministers by strongly implying they were liars and calling for the resignations of both. Annabel Goldie’s face said it all – Ruth is seriously out of control. I’m increasingly getting the impression that Ruth Davidson has no real interest in politics but is simply gearing herself up for media jobs such as guest presenter on “Have I got News for You”. She has the ego and the ambition, just not the talent.
Then Johann Lamont states that the First Minister is “as straight as a corkscrew”. And did the Presiding Officer intervene? Not at all!
I’m sorry, but these people are bringing out Parliament into disrepute and doing the people of Scotland no favours. They may think that abusing Alex Salmond will benefit their parties by stopping people voting SNP, but in my opinion, they are just stopping people voting period, by completely turning them off politics.
Does anybody know if politicians have contracts of employment? If so, surely they must be subject to disciplinary procedures. I would like to know what workplace policies these people are subject to. Anyone know?
It’s a case of a government that has policies that are popular and what people want, against parties whose only offering is shallow spin and rabid smears. The Scottish electorate know which to vote for, so although it’s annoying, I think AS is playing it very well and just letting Labour et al. make fools of themselves.
In the long run I think that things like this will have little or no bearing on the Referendum or support for the SNP, and may even weaken the opposition and the MSM, particularly when it comes out that the official legal advice is that everything will be fine and dandy with the EU.
@ Aplinal
Plain fact is they were out manoeuvred and outclassed yet again. Thankfully yet another car crash display by the opposition. Before they could get up a head of steam the FM had declared self referral taking much of the wind out of their sails. There were other obvious points and issues they could have raised, but were so intent on grandstanding, name calling and point scoring that the FM wound up having his usual comfortable Thursday afternoon stroll.
Since it is a self referral I’m fairly confident he’ll come back with a clean bill of health and as I pointed out earlier, should the specific legal advice now in motion vindicate or at the very least support the SGs EU stance then the opposition will have stuck their necks on a block.
Yup, listening to Ruthie on FMQ and watching her gesticulations when trying to convince the chamber and the viewing public that she is a serious politician is truly bizarre. She’s definitely getting desperate when she starts the incoherent rant and becomes an amusing sideshow with no substance to her point. Truly a very poor excuse as a politician, long may she stay there.
Interesting…I was just reading the Code of Conduct for our MSPs.
You might be surprised to know that according to Section 7.2.5 “Members must treat other MSPs and the staff of other MSPs with courtesy and respect” and 7.3.3c explicitly states, under “Conduct in the Chamber or in Committee” – “no abusive language or gestures likely to cause offence”.
Someone is clearly having a giraffe!
Quick question – Was it Ms Stihler who asked for this ministerial code investigation initially?
Eliane Murray was a hoot yesterday at FMQ, was she trying to outdo Ruthie with the body language? unstable is putting it mildly.
@Jeannie,
“Is it just me or is anyone else beginning to wonder about the mental health of Ruth Davidson?”
It isn’t just you Jeannie. Previously, Ruth’s peccadillos were attributed to her youth and inexperience. But watching the faces of Murdo Fraser and Annabelle Goldie looking at Ruth as she delivered her lengthy, incoherent speech yesterday, it’s clear that the Tories now realise that not only have they been sold a pup, they, too, seem to be convinced that the woman is barking mad.
Having said that, Alpinal’s (8.25am) “aside” at the end of his/her post, in singling out Labour’s Elaine Murray, identified the performance of the day. When Murray asked her question, she was like a deranged meerkat with a corkscrew stuck up its erse. There must be someone out there who could capture this on YouTube.
I wish we had a Spitting-Image-style TV programme in Scotland, something that could be broadcast on TV to the whole Scottish nation. There are some rich pickings in the Scottish Parliament – much more entertaining than the pompous and irrelevant drones at Westminster – how sad that all the wonderful potential of this material never makes it to a wider audience.
Catherine Stihler (born 30 July 1973) is a British Labour Party politician. She has been a Member of the European Parliament for Scotland since 1999, being re-elected in 2004 and 2009. She is currently the only female MEP representing Scotland.
Enough said!
I think it was Ms Stihler MEP who made the FOI request and then asked for the ministerial code investigation as a rather lame follow up.
Obviously entirely mischief making with the FOI request to the SG as the Conservatives just asked the European Commission directly and they confirmed that no advice had been sought, as Ruth Davidson asserted on Question Time last week.
I wonder how much the FOI request has cost the tax payer when Stihler could just have gone to the Commission herself and asked them directly, being an MEP and all….
Having watched Elaine Murray she certainly had the outgoing demeanour of being intoxicated.
Having said that I actually thought to myself, “surely not, she wouldn’t be that pissed in the chamber…” and I felt a bit guilty in case she has some physical or mental disability that I am unaware of that explains the slurred speech, gesticulations and losing the thread of her statement.
Is she handicapped?
@ Jeannie
In regards to Ruth Davidson, Annabel Goldie was instrumental in getting her elected as leader in the first place. Therefore, it surely puts Goldie’s judgement into question if she has lost control of her own puppet. Goldie became a media darling and I think became a bit of a caricature. Davidson was picked and elected essentially because Murdo Fraser had correctly recognized that the Conservatives in Scotland needed to radically change, but this was not supported by a significant element in Scotland and Cameron would not have liked this either. In regards to Davidson’s position, it is now clear that she is too inexperienced and should never have been put forward for leader. On the Question Time debate last week, it was noticeable that Alan Cochrane said that the S.G. were right not to break the ministerial code and publish the EU advice (although it now turns out there was no advice to publish). When even a diehard Tory like Cochrane does not publically back you up, then you are in trouble.
Begs the question – why are so many Unionists incompetents or simply bonkers? Or is it a requirement?
MajorBloodnok
Apoptosis
I was just thinking, if Ruth gets dropped as leader and pursues a media career, with her TA background she’d be great as an extra on “Gary, Tank Commander”.
@yesYesYes
Having said that, Alpinal’s (8.25am) “aside” at the end of his/her post
A proud Sotsman
Hail Alba
Tony 😉
@ Major
I don’t think they are bonkers as such, although the likes of Smart, Davidson etc have been acting in this way recently. I just think they have completely lost the political agenda in Scotland, starting in 2007 and the game changer elections in 2011. Unionist ideology used to be completely dominate in Scotland, the real emergence of the SNP in the 1960s challenged it. However, even then they were able to channel it into the campaign for a Scottish Assembly and then Parliament. The creation of the Scottish Parliament changed everything. In the medium term there was only going to be the option between the status quo or independence, the unionists used up their last option with the inadequate Calman Commission. With the massive win last year, the SNP have ensured a status quo versus independence debate. Essentially the unionists don’t know what to do and I think that is why they are acting in the manner they are at the moment. We were never suppose to get this far down the road to independence.
@muttley79
Re: “Oor Ruthie”, I was under the impression that Cameroon was behind her “elevation”. But I could be wrong.
For the uneducated like me
Definition of APOPTOSIS
: a genetically determined process of cell self-destruction that is marked by the fragmentation of nuclear DNA, is activated either by the presence of a stimulus or by the removal of a stimulus or suppressing agent, is a normal physiological process eliminating DNA-damaged, superfluous, or unwanted cells (as immune cells targeted against the self in the development of self-tolerance or larval cells in amphibians undergoing metamorphosis), and when halted (as by genetic mutation) may result in uncontrolled cell growth and tumor formation—called also programmed cell death
—ap·o·pto·tic adjective
@James Morton
Apoptosis – I had to look that up (being trained originally as a whole organisim Zoologist type rather than a cell biologist).
So, you think there is a cunning plan and Ruthie and her ilk are expendable?
As other have mentioned above, I am seriously disappointed with the performance of the Presiding Officer. She is, frankly, useless! She allows all sorts of bad behaviour and shocking language to go unchallenged in the chamber. There are no consequences for offenders and so the behaviour continues and deteriorates. She should be clamping down and imposing sanctions, but she doesn’t.
I believe Tricia Marwick is the worst PO Holyrood has ever had.
Ah, so they’re programmed to self-destruct? Is there any known way to speed up the process?
@ Aplinal
Cameron’s support would have been the most influential behind her elevation. Fraser’s plans did not go down well with some Scottish Conservatives, I think this included Goldie.
Jeannie
I believe the tipping point is near or even maybe just past.
I think the bottom line is that Ruth needs to take a break, do a bit of growing up and come back when she’s ready to play with the big yins.
Nah, I reckon she should stay where she is and continue to expand the YES vote. We need people like her and her fellow numpty cohort across the chamber to further promote the reason why the people of Scotland need to rid themselves of the insane unionist shambles. Give them as much lead as necessary.
So AS is been pilloried for making claims that aren’t backed up by legal advice (in his opponents opinions). However, are not unionist politicians, on an almost daily basis, making almost exactly the same type of claims (all be it diametrically opposed to those of AS). What is the legal backing to their claims? Where is the outcry for their legal advice?
Jeannie
I think the bottom line is that Ruth needs to take a break, do a bit of growing up and come back when she’s ready to play with the big yins.
Or she could just go for a safe Tory seat in England. Do a column for the Mail maybe.
Holebender says: @ 12.53
Understand the comment but It’s good that the P.O. allows these so called representaives of the Scottish public blatantly expose themselves to how anti-Scottish they are to the people of Scotland. Give them enough rope and they will undoubtedly hang themselves…
@Majorbloodnok
Apoptosis is a good one but not mine, that was JamesMclaren 🙂
I have always settled on the term Narrative fallacy to explain the massive mental breakdowns seen on the Unionist side. I think the SNP win in 2007 and again in 2011 could be termed as a Black Swan event, as the unionist narrative of a “status quo” built around shared values precluded the possibility the SNP ever winning. Their position has been challanged in such a way as to render rational opposition impossible, because the event itself (the SNP winning) was meant to be impossible. Their only option then is to lash out angrily in an attempt to score cheap points but fail to realise that they must also be offering an alternative for people to think of them as a government in waiting.
What makes it worse for the Scottish unionist camp is that their English partners are showing a considerable degree of indifference for the most part, while trying to out triangulate one another into a race to the right. For a side built on the notion of banal unionism, of wee dugs and rolls and sausage this is something that is going to haunt them in the next two years.
Does anyone else here think that our 3 unionist stooges could be doing it deliberately to bring the Scottish parliament into disrepute .
By their incompetence are they not giving westminster the excuse to say we have tried devolution and it is not working as there are no unionist politicians upto the job of running Scotland .
Would the unionists be so stupid as to try something like that ?
James (x2) – apologies! My surname recognition neurons have clearly succumbed to premature apoptosis (or Lagavulin-fuelled necrosis; one or the other).
I’ve just watched FMQ’s on you tube. It can be found here for any one who has still not watched it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-QR8amvVUZE
On the question of the day re: what was Elaine Murray on I think I have the answer. I think that when she was asking her question, it was a question wasn’t it?, she actually had her I pod on and was listening to this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoJXYgVnQIQ
Unfortunately she could not control herself. 😀
Re Elaine Murry. I was reminded of Spuds interview in Trainspotting.
Or maybe the brainwashing pills were wearing off?
Bettertogether sending out badges of honour to martyrs to the cause (Andra Neill being the first) and continuing with the positive and high-minded campaign they promised us. Good luck with convincing Scotland that we should feel sorry for Brillo..
http://tinyurl.com/8tu77y3
Scottish independence: Law officers ‘approved EU documents’
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-20098498
Aye, becoming increasingly tricky to spin this one.
@Arbroath1320
Thanks, Arbroath, just watched Elaine Murray’s “virtuoso” performance. What was she thinking? She looks as though she’s attending an audition for a part in the Christmas pantomime. I was just waiting for her to slap her thigh, laugh uproariously, and lead the audience in community singing. All that was missing was the smell of tangerines and wet knickers!
“Behind you!!!!”
(in the polls)
@Major Bloodnok
LOL! Stop making me laugh – my chest hurts when I cough!
On topic with this article – it seems clear that the consequences of a ‘No’ vote are not – yet – getting through to the casual observer (working till you drop being one of them). Many people are still thinking things will stay as they are vis-a-vis Holyrood post ‘No’. I wonder if now is the time for Yes Scotland to produce a leaflet (or even a broadcast) with ten reasons to vote Yes on one side, and ten consequences of voting No on the other. Short and to the point.
I’m all for positive campaigning but educating people in the realities of a No vote does seem to be an area that requires attention.
This tactic may be most effective the closer we get to the referendum though..
I know this is seriously off topic, but I think today really for good puts a nail in the coffin of the too poor nonsense about the Scottish economy.
I refer of course to the various announcements today regarding the STRENGTH of the Scottish oil reserves and potential.
However, for those who still do not accept that Scotland has a very strong economy, let me quote verbatim, the words of the Department of energy and climate change, located in London and which is part of the current Tory Government;
“UK oil and gas investment looks set to flourish after the Government announces winners of the record breaking 27th Licensing Round today.
A total of 167 new licences have been offered by DECC covering 330 North Sea blocks – with a further 61 blocks under environmental assessment.
Interest in the North Sea from investors is at record breaking levels. In May DECC announced the 27th Licensing Round had a total of 224 applications covering 418 blocks of the UK Continental Shelf, the most ever received and 37 more than the previous high received in the last licensing round.
Energy Minister John Hayes said:
“Fortune has favoured the UK. Oil and gas from our waters provides around half the energy we need to heat our homes, fuel our cars and power our industry. It is the single largest industrial UK investor, supporting 440,000 jobs, and benefits the UK’s trade balance to the tune of £40 billion.” [my bolding]
This was from the mouth of a London Tory, and he is talking about SCOTTISH oil.
Source http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/news/pn12_134/pn12_134.aspx
There are still around thirty to forty years reserves left, with increased interests and substantial from large companies such as shell in this year alone .
So, please, people of Scotland would you wake up, and realise just how much the London hedgemony at Westminster is daily stealing from Scots. No wonder they are doing every dirty trick they can pull to prevent a democratic vote on independence, via the MSM and the state owned BBC propaganda machine in pacific quay.
Honestly, Tory politicians in London must laugh long and hard at how stupid Scots are and have been, to let every penny from Scottish oil go straight to London. How freaking stooopid!
Is it not time for the gloves to come off on this subject, and for the SNP to relentlessly tackle the likes of Labour and Libdems in Scotland who also try to pretend to Scots that the oil is worthless. There is NO other country on earth that is stupid enough to allow this kind of thing to happen.
Do I regard Scottish politicians who lie to Scots about the oil wealth as anti Scottish??? Damn right I do, and it high time the SNP and Scottish Government stopped being nice about the subject. It is time they called it for what it is. Any politicians who tries to talk down the oil, should be tackled on the subject relentlessly, and on each and every occasion. The same goes for the so-called ‘Journalists’ at the BBC who do the same.
This is one lingering lie, that needs firmly and repeatedly hit squarely on the head, over and over and over again, until every man, woman and child in Scotland knows just how much they have been (and still are) lied to regarding the oil reserves by unionists.
Rant over.
I have always thought that the Tories made a mistake in wanting to ditch Annabel, she may only have kept the Tories flatlining but what they didn’t and still don’t seem to understand is that flatlining in the polls is a good result for the Scottish Tories.
Jeannie at 10:59, you wondered if MSPs were subject to the same workplace rules as others. Legally yes, but otherwise as employers they can treat their employees and electors as they want, within the law. As for them being employees. They aren’t employees in the same way you or I would understand it. They can really do whatever they want (again, within the law), their employers are the electorate who only get a say once every 4 years.
And the MSP code of conduct, is purely advisory. It is put together by a representative body of MSPs and the punishment, if any, for transgressing the code, is up to the presiding officer (in the first instance) then MSPs in general (as happened to the SSP when they were banned from the chamber).
@R Louis.
How do you get that info into the hands of the general public? The MSM certainly won’t help.
@Craig P.
Thanks for that, Craig. No wonder they think they’re untouchable! I would write and complain to the Presiding Officer, but it looks as though she might actually be part of the problem by not calling time on it and allowing it to go on.
O/T BBC
I see BBC (Empire variant) is questioning ‘What is Scottishness’, they’ve dredged up the Cringe and tying it into the referendum debate. Also questioning who should vote by trying to fan the flames by saying nearly 800,000 Scots live in England will not get the vote while 400,000 UK non-Scots people living in Scotland will get the vote, and they’ve advertised a campaign by someone to get ‘exiled’ Scots the vote.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20048521
I know who I am, I know how I feel, I know my country’s history and I know what future I want for my country so I don’t need or want the F**KING BBC or anybody else to question and undermine my sensibilities!
Juteman,
I agree. It isn’t easy, but I do think that part of the responsibility lies with the Scottish Government. I’m just a bit frustrated at reading press releases like that. It is akin to literally laughing at Scotland.
I have lost count of the times this issue has come up, and whilst the Scottish Government will often dispute unionist spin about the oil, they really need to be much more forceful on this issue. They must start to stand their ground and NOT back down, despite the MSM howling, as I genuinely believe the kind of nonsense we have seen this week of unionist MP’s openly calling the First Minister of Scotland a bare faced liar is just the thin end of the wedge. The day is coming when the SNP really need to srand their ground, and call things as they are, and if that means calling certain disreputable MSP’s or MP’s anti- Scottish, then they should do so. No only that, when the media creates an outcry because of the use of the words ‘anti-Scottish’ they need to state it clearly and unequivocally that such behaviour by an elected Scottish representative IS by definition anti scottish.
Too many time, I have watched them let the matter drop. The more they allow to be said and done against them, the more it will happen. They need to do it now, before the 2014 vote, because you can be absolutely sure that in the week of the referendum, Alex Salmond will be called every name under the sun, and will be accused of the most outrageous nonsense. If they do not at some stage resolve to stand up to this nonsense, then it will only get worse.
Unionists are like School bullies, and as long as they can get away with their nonsense, they will continue. Stand up and do not back down on just one occasion, and it will stop. Dead.
So, let their be a media ‘storm’, let the media and state run BBC howl and howl, but the Government must put and end to this ridiculous scenario where unionists and their media/BBC chums can lie and lie about them at will, and insult the First Minister on a near daily basis, with impunity.
This cannot be allowed to continue until 2014.
@Dcanmore
And if they have a vote on leaving the EU, they’ll be quite happy for all those British people living abroad to vote on it, then?
@R Louis 100% agreement. Since the late Sixties Scotland’s oil has funded English dole queues, illegal and foreign wars and weapons of mass destruction etc, etc. Yet Aberdeen, the ‘Oil Capital of Europe’ has a roads infrastructure comparable to cities in the Third World, Scotland has some of the highest fuel prices in the world and some Scottish households rely on food banks to feed their children etc,etc,. I for one have had enough being mealy mouthed about Scotland’s oil. 90% of North Sea oil is in Scottish territorial waters and it has at least another 40 years production. It is time that Scotland’s resources were used to benefit Scotland’s people. I would be more than happy to join any campaign etc. to ensure that Scotland’s wealth stays in Scotland.
Totally agree R Louis. Time to get some passion on show.
@R Louis
I sometimes feel like that. However, if the unionists have not learned that negative, smear campaigns get you nowhere, then I think they should be allowed to continue. The longer they go on in this manner, the more a wider number of voters will understand that, they have nothing to offer the people of Scotland. Look what happened to the Conservatives after 1979, when their Jam Tomorrow promises failed to materialise. The Scottish Labour leadership are similarly not proposing, or offering further powers to Scotland. In addition, Lamont has seemingly just embraced a clear Conservative agenda. The old saying, never interrupt your opponents when they are making a mistake, springs to mind.
@RLouis; Juteman
You are both right, and for quite some time I was frustrated as well. However, what I see now is the pro-dependency parties expending all their bile and lies and mendacity NOW. There are two more years to go and the more they continue, the less impact it has. Someone referred to Muhammad Ali and his “rope a dope” fight with Foreman in Zaire. I think this is what’s happening. In reality the mud is not sticking. The more they throw without impact, the worse they gradually look.
When the time is right – I assume 6months before the referendum, basically after the release of the White paper in November 2013 and the initial “antis” have tried to upset the apple cart – the REAL YES campaign will begin. An effective, high profile, focused campaign of facts. A constant barrage of positives about Scotland, again and again across all kinds of media, leaflets, networking etc.
The pro-dependents will have nothing left to fight with except even more negativity because no one will really believe the ‘positives’. By then, who knows, there may actually be a sensible newspaper owner who sees which way the wind is blowing and comes down on the YES side.
It’s frustrating, but I see the rationale.
Hail Alba
Muttley 79,
Part of me agrees with every word you say, but I do think also that on at least one occasion, the SNP/Scottish Government needs to assert itself, and not back down, regardless of ‘headlines in all the papers, and nonsense by BBC ‘journalists’. They need to quite literally stand their ground. Maybe they think they already are, but to my eyes and after this week, it doesn’t look like they are. They need to literally ‘take it ALL the way’.
I’m not suggesting the FM starts behaving like Lamont, but rather not letting the matter drop. The Labour party called the FM a bare faced liar this week. Next week and at every opportunity, they should be asked to apologise, as they were totally and demonstrably wrong. The matter should not be just allowed to drop.
I understand the Scottish Government doesn’t want to descend into the gutter with Labour, but there are mature ways of handling situations like this, and it does not necessarily mean just letting the matter drop.
Good points Alpinal, but we Scots find it difficult to just stand there and take the ‘rope a dope’ treatment.
I’m glad i’m not a politician!
@R Louis
Thanks for the info. I’ve copied it onto my facebook page. Still trying to get my “one person”.
@R Louis
I am very sympathetic to the view that you have. Personally I could not be a politician because I would basically tell the unionists to fuck off when they start all their negative stuff. However, the problem with a more robust approach is essentially that they are looking for a reaction at the moment. They are basically being trolls. When you think about this pychology, they are in effect saying that they are not interested in a debate, or being civil towards their opponents. To me that says the unionists know that their arguements are not good or rational. That is not the way to win the debate. Furthermore, it is almost impossible to carry on using this type of a tactic for two years. I think they are attempting to get the Yes campaign and the SNP to react and get drawn into this stupidity and lose sight of the arguements for independence. Eventually even an element of the No electorate will get hacked off with their own sides’ approach.
The naysayers are lashing out in utter frustration as we sail on serenely to our goal. All is good.
OK, so the unionist parties are doing what they do.
How about a list of unionist media lackeys? If they can see their names on a list, they might start to think about post-2014 employment.
R Louis @ 5.04pm Spot on , We were told in the 70s that the S.N.P were lying and that the oil would not last .
We now know that the S.N.P were actually underestimating the value of Scotland,s oil and that there is at least 40 years of oil left and some experts are quoting anything upto a 100 years left and that is without what is still to be found on the west coast .
One of the reasons unionists and other country,s are wanting to annex rockall is that as technology improves it will become easier to extract oil from off the west coast .
The McCrone report is as relevant today as it was in the 70s and a copy of it should be sent out to every household in Scotland .
@Silvertay
“The McCrone report is as relevant today as it was in the 70s and a copy of it should be sent out to every household in Scotland . ”
A brilliant idea Silvertay, I think you should run it past the YES campaign team. I know they are looking for ideas and yours is a cracker!
‘In the interests of impartiality perhaps the Herald might like to run a series of extracts from the McCrone Report. The report on Scottish oil which the British Government kept secret from the Scottish people for over thirty years! Then again impartial reporting from the Herald seems to be a rarity in recent months!
‘
Further to the discussion on Scottish oil. Just left the above on the comments page of a report in the Herald which describes how Scotland’s oil industry is booming. Might be an idea to try and mention the McCrone Report at every opportunity. That way at least some of Scotland’s people might get to learn how they were ripped off.
Of course whether they publish it or not remains to be seen. Also think I’ll email ‘Call Kaye’ and see whether she is up for a wee debate on the McCrone Report. Somehow I think not. I shall report back ASAP.
Bill C Thanks
I would imagine that if the YES team are any good , and we know they are , they will follow all pro and anti independence blogs just to keep abreast of things .
The one thing I like about the YES team is the fact that they do keep you informed about what is happening .