A new world record for stupid
Heavens above, readers. Immersing ourselves as we do in the tepid and murky waters of Scottish political journalism for a living – because it was either that or drowning kittens in a bucket and the hours for that are slightly unsociable – we sometimes imagine that we’ve become inured to even the most fatuously cretinous word-vomiting arse-quackery that passes for analysis in the supposedly intelligent press.
And then we read something like the spectacularly, cosmically moronic mind-sewage Hamish Macdonell just strained and heaved onto the electro-pages of the Spectator this afternoon and realise that the abyss of idiocy has no end, or at the very least culminates in a black-hole singularity from which the light of reason can never escape.
“Did David Cameron just promise Scots devo max?”, it asks of the Prime Minister’s address this afternoon to the Scottish Conservative conference, and if the entire following text had comprised only the word “No” the world could have been saved a great deal of chimp-witted misery.
Instead hapless readers must absorb what – against stiff competition – may be the most utterly and comprehensively brainless gibberish we’ve read since we started wading grimly through columns by the likes of Brian Wilson, Michael Kelly and Alan Cochrane in the pursuit of truth and enlightenment two-and-a-quarter years ago.
In so far as it has any firm definition at all, “devo max” is generally taken to mean a situation in which the Scottish Parliament controls everything except defence and foreign affairs. It’s sometimes known as “full fiscal autonomy”, meaning that Scotland would control all its own revenues (including oil) as well as taxation, and therefore David Cameron is roughly as likely to bring it about as he is to change his name to Karl Stalin Trotsky McMarx and nationalise Harrods.
What Macdonell actually means, in the first instance, is “devo plus”, or “devo more”, or “devo schmevo” or any of the other meaningless terms endlessly bandied about to mean “some unspecified additional powers beyond those already due to be devolved under the Scotland Act 2012, but SHORT of so-called devo-max”.
But even if we accept that he’s absorbed so little of the last two years of political discourse in Scotland that he doesn’t know the difference between those propositions, the rest of the article is such a mad dizzy of fabrication and fantasy that by barely halfway through we were starting to wonder if language itself had been devolved, and now had a completely different form and meaning to that still used south of the border.
Here, for example, is a passage of Cameron’s speech quoted in the article:
“The Nationalists want people to believe that this is the end of the line for devolution: do or die, separate or just stick with the status quo. This is wrong.
Let me be absolutely clear: a vote for No is not a vote for ‘no change’. We are committed to making devolution work better still, not because we want to give Alex Salmond a consolation prize if Scotland votes No but because it’s the right thing to do.
Giving the Scottish Parliament greater responsibility for raising more of the money it spends, that’s what Ruth Davidson believes and I believe it too.”
Now, to any native English speaker with an IQ higher than that of a pork sausage, those words are so bland, vague and non-committal as to be completely meaningless. Cameron very carefully didn’t say a thing about MORE devolution. Rather, he talked of “making devolution work better”, a phrase which if anything seems like a coded suggestion that things will be staying the way they are.
The only even slightly specific comment related to something that’s going to happening anyway – from 2015/16 the Scottish Parliament will be responsible for raising more of its own money through the partial devolution of income tax laid out in the Scotland Act. That responsibility is already on the statute books, but by sleight of words Cameron may very well be attempting to portray it as change.
Macdonell, unaccountably, hears something else entirely.
“Mr Cameron’s remarks were being seen as a clear hint that the next Conservative General Election manifesto will contain a commitment to devolve a large chunk of income tax to Scotland – plus other taxes, probably including air passenger duty but not corporation tax.”
What? Absolutely nobody said a single solitary word about Air Passenger Duty or Corporation Tax. That’s not a “clear hint”, that’s a completely made-up supposition on the basis of no evidence whatsoever, which isn’t the same thing.
“The Prime Minister has got close to this before but this was the first time he has been so definitive about backing a ‘devo plus’ or a ‘devo max’ plan for Scotland.”
What? Seriously, WHAT? “So definitive”? Cameron defined absolutely nothing. A minute ago Macdonell was calling it a “hint”, and even that was pure invention. Now, entirely from fresh air, Cameron is said to have set out a “definitive” position, without even actually saying what it was that he was allegedly being definitive ABOUT.
We cleaned the keyboard on our PC this morning, readers. We’re starting to think there may have been some sort of prohibited chemical in the detergent.
“It puts the Conservatives alongside the Liberal Democrats and, probably, the Labour Party too, in advocating a range of new powers for Holyrood. “
WHAT? NO IT DOESN’T, YOU BLITHERING LUNATIC! It advocates ABSOLUTELY AND PRECISELY NOTHING! It’s five sentences of anodyne space-filler painstakingly constructed not to say a single thing that could be pinned down as any sort of commitment to anything whatsoever! Help! Nurse! The spiders! They’re everywhere!
We have to stop now. The leprechauns are talking about us behind our back again, and we have to ascend into the astral sphere to shoot them with our psychic death ray before zoinksty-twelveteen o’clock, when it turns into an aubergine and we have to file a special requisition waiver with Lena Zavaroni. Fleep.
Stew take a day off.
Be careful with reading all this bilge, Rev. You know about staring into the abyss……
“Giving the Scottish Parliament greater responsibility for raising more of the money it spends”
That’s actually massively an horribly worse than no more powers. It’s a straight sop to those down south who wine about “uk taxpayers” paying for free prescriptions, tuition fees etc with no apparent awareness that people here are UK taxpayers and it all goes to London.
It’s basically hinting at abolishing Barnett and making the Scottish parliament raise more money itself off it wasn’t differential policies. Anyone in Scotland trying to make that out as positive is delusional or acting in very bad faith.
Gah! Apologies for spelling. Broadband is down and phone posting is hell!
The leprechauns are talking about us behind our back again and the toaster was laughing at me.
where do they get these guys from they couldn’t right a fucking horoscope
Jeez…the comments section in that article are just as bad.
The Prime Minister went further than he has ever done before by promising to devolve more power from Westminster to Holyrood if Scots vote No eh!
I promised my mum I’d clean ma teeth everyday guess what..falsers
Stick it to him Stu! That’s how I feel sometimes when reading the tripe that some of these so-called journalist spout. Nice to see someone actually holding them to some sort of account for their gibbering nonsense! I am astonished at times and wish someone with some buccaneering sprit would say it like it is. You just did.. Cheers.
Let me be absolutely clear: a vote for No is not a vote for ‘no change’.
What he means is that they are going to do a conjuring trick and give us, as yet undefined responsibilities and write into the agreement that all the oil are in British waters and Barnett has to go. So we end up paying more money to Westminster and receive less back.
Holyrood will be emasculated and a lot of its legislative competence transferred to Labour Baboons and lower apes running District Councils.
The SNP’s fox will have been shot.
Job done.
Regrettably the lunatic asylum must have an open door policy because Brian Taylor wrote several lines of fantasy too.
Cameron said, “Here’s the re-cap. Vote ‘Yes’ – that is total separation.
“Vote ‘No’ – that can mean further devolution, more power to the Scottish people and their parliament, but with the crucial insurance policy that comes with being part of the UK.”
And that’s as far as Cameron was willing to commit; a condition of sort. To the distracted, blinded or disinterested, it might sound like a casual promise but it’s nothing of the sort.
And here’s Mr. Taylors version.
David Cameron has backed greater tax powers for the Scottish Parliament in the event of an independence No vote.
That’s a blatant lie. He said some words that the audience wanted to hear even though they were wishy washy, fluff. Brian Taylor knows it but nevertheless couldn’t help himself.
He’s part of the propaganda machine that is the BBC & the English media.
If Mr. Taylor is reading this … we’re not stupid. We know a liar when we see one. Assume you’ve been counted.
I believe this is called ‘Fire-Fighting Max’.
It’s like desperately trying to put out a fire on a sinking ship that’s just about to slip beneath the waves.
Anyway, time for a movie.
Less than a week ago Scottish Libdem leader/genius Wullie Rennie did announce/threaten that “If you vote YES you can forget about getting any more powers for devolution in Scotland” so vote NO. What ever you say about Bettertogether, BBC etc, they are a confederacy of liars and numpties, thankfully.
Hamish Macdonell?
Means nothing to me.
This is another of those John Major style “taking stock” style speeches. It’s a Tory conference anyway,can’t believe them at all,after all,THEY ruled devo max anything out.
What’s changed to bring even a mention of this from Mr Cameron’s party?
We all knew there would be days like this…I usually take a break and read something uplifting on the Wings website to get me going again …. Doh!
@Steve McKay – read about Scotland’s Sweetheart and be uplifted
link to bellacaledonia.org.uk
Devo-max lite- is that not we already have?
Stu- this stuff can eat you up.
Seriously, go for a walk in the hills this weekend. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. .-)
@Snowy Bottles – Got visions of Stuart going cabin fever ah la here’s Johnny oot The Shining..
It’s a straightforward ploy to muddy the waters. They have failed with everything else, it is now lies.
They are the press, the ones who are supposed to hold the Government to account, but there is nobody to hold them to account, except we are all reading, and we know the truth.
Their relevance is draining away.
What happened to the line in the sand? Why the sudden splurge on Devo Something? Why was Cameron so desperate to remove Devo Something from the referendum if he was going to offer it anyway?
All these questions and more will not be asked by these journalists.
Read the antidote, Saphron Dickson with her new movement, Generation Yes.
GIBBERISH
link to m.youtube.com
No surprise. The entire Scottish media (aka the English media) will now run en bloc with the fiction that a No vote means more powers. The facts won’t get in the way of their ‘analysis’.
In an ironic twist, McDonnell was described by the editor of the Caledonian Mercury as ‘someone who does not run with the pack’. Not Mr Kirkpatrick’s (now of the Yes campaign) finest moment.
Rather than Jam tomorrow and Alec Douglas Home type promises all the unionist parties must be asked to specify what taxes will they devolve if we are daft enough to vote No.
Scottish Parliament only has control of 7% taxes raised in Scotland, Scotland Act will make this 15% in 2016 (after 8 years of deliberation). Vote Yes this year and get 100% control in 2016.
The UK’s convoluted tax system has 30 main taxes.
Currently Scottish Parliament has control of roughly 2.5 taxes.
All Party unionist Calman can up with six taxes to be devolved but this was watered down and Scotland Act will give us 4.5 taxes including crazy partial income tax which will cost £200 million a year to collect.
So how many taxes out of 30 will the Tories will devolve to Scotland and when?
link to businessforscotland.co.uk
I think I know how Stuart feels.
I’ve been listening to Helena Kennedy doing her best on BBC Radio Question Time to claim Scotland might be walking into a nightmare of ethnic intolerance, and consequently found myself swearing at the high-minded clap-trap of her utterances.
But, hey! the English body politic is a beacon of light, blazing with generosity of spirit for our fellow men. Immigration? Let’s welcome them to our merry shores. Those of African or Jamaican origin, now full British citizens living in London, why London’s MET loves ’em to death. Anybody wearing a tea towel on their head – wonderful desert peoples.
Pun intended.
Where do these people get their opinions? Do they walk barefoot over hot coals until they scream in pain and shout, this is what Scottish independence will be like?
Their idiocy is as far away from our lives as England’s coalision is from protecting the National Health Service.
the most fatuously cretinous word-vomiting arse-quackery
For that line alone, worth every penny.
Nice one Rev.
We’ve had Gordon; we’ve had Ming and now David telling us nothing very much at all about what can be anticipated in the aftermath of a No vote.
But what can we expect the No-supporting media to do now? With the wafflings of these three in the bag, don’t be surprised if they move towards engineering the idea of an actual Labour-LibDem-Tory consensus on the principle of the ‘new devolved powers’ they are supposedly promising.
Look out, some day soon, as the lie is taken to the next stage by the BBC, STV and print media: that the ‘Better Together’ partners have now agreed that a No vote means more devolved powers.
Grouse Beater
Every coloured immigrant to England I have spoken to, including Labour card carrying members, agree that Scotland should go is own way as the UK is intolerant to immigrants.
When canvassing last week I spoke to a Gambian who said if Gambia which has no natural resources can improve their standard of living year on year why can’t Scotland?
He was really clued up and referred to Norway so I asked him to go out campaigning with me.
It’s best with the lights off.
So, Cameron et al aren’t actually promising anything additional …. But they now feel the need to step over their ‘line in the sand’ and pretend to be offering something. Why? Probably because they realise they are heading for defeat!
I listened to Helena Kennedy on Any Questions and I could see her coming a mile away on that point Michael Fry, quite legitimately made about the distinctive church history of Scotland. That was surely a fact of the 1707 Act of Union. But Helena saw it as an opportunity to drive a wedge between her representing the catholic community and the rest. She had obviously rehearsed her pieces on the topic of the evening. Michael Kelly eat your heart out, Helena has just come in from the big smoke to take over.
On the topic of Devo-max, the bottom line is that according to the Unionist argument we can’t have it because it would give us too much fiscal independence, thereby putting us into a Eurozone scenario. So the jam tomorrow isn’t going to amount to much if they are being logically consistent.
Why do our journalists not ask why, after almost 2 years, of this referendum coming along, the Unionists are unable to state clearly, before the vote, what cast iron guaranteed powers we will get with a NO vote. Yes equals 100% powers, why would we give that up for devo anything, that they may at some point deliver.
Our journalists are either niave, or they are paid liars.
I’m glad David Cameron isn’t getting involved in our referendum after him making such a big deal of it being a matter for us Scots to decide.
No pre-negotiations. It’s for us to decide what we’re doing first.
No pre-negotiations. We can’t ask the EU for advice, and he won’t, but he’ll badger us about the uncertainty which he himself creates.
No pre-negotiations like ruling anything out such as a currency union.
No pre-negotiations like proposing some airy fairy Devojamstuff.
Butt out Mr Cameron, or debate your case with Alex Salmond.
@ Linda’s Back
Good thinking!
All I can say is that if the English language has been devolved, it has found a worthy home.
And then we read something like the spectacularly, cosmically moronic mind-sewage Hamish Macdonell just strained and heaved onto the electro-pages of the Spectator this afternoon and realise that the abyss of idiocy has no end, or at the very least culminates in a black-hole singularity from which the light of reason can never escape
In the annals of invective, there is little to compete with that. That sentence alone is worth every penny of my contribution to your fund-raiser
I fear I am getting to the stage I am overly keen to hear the next line of unionist gibberish so that I can satisfy my perverted lust by mocking the morality devoid afflicted.
I think I need professional help!
Vote Yes to a Scotland with better mental health care…Im away for my meds and a wee lie down!
Wake me with news of our victory.
labour party conference
should be a laugh
Hamish was a former intelligence agent for MI5 so you can interpreter his opinions in that context.
For crying out loud! Where do these numpties get the idea that control over income tax is a big deal? Do they really imagine we Scots are so very stupid? The main burden of tax, (thank you Labour), has long been indirect taxation and that is why the poorest people now bear the highest burden of taxation. It is also why the de facto Parliament of the country of England at Westminster are so happy to promise such tax raising powers to the country of Scotland. Now also consider the further typical abuse of the English Language by the anti-independence, “boorach”, whose Top Man today also spoke of, “The family of Nations that is the United Kingdom”. Err! No! Old Chap! That’s an abuse of the English language. Now, Dave, sound it out after me, U-N-I-T-E-D — K-I-N-G-D-O-M spells, “United Kingdom”. It does NOT spell, “United Countries”. Not to mention there are only two of the former and four of the latter.
Haiku for Hamish
This is not stupid
Is it for hope of a gong?
Place head in pot: boil
That was some flyting RevStu!
I’m glad someone can remain calm enough to dissect this guff. I’m absolutely fed up with the “consolation prize for Alex Salmond” attitude. Like its a personal fucking raffle for the First Minister.
This is not about one man’s prize, its about democracy for a nation.
So the PM says nothing much, but briefs friendly journalists about devo-meh, who then write about ‘commitments’ in a plausibly deniable way. The electorate picks out the keywords ‘more devolution’, ‘committed’, ‘new powers’ and is reassured. They vote No, the PM points out that he never promised anything, it was just journalists speculating…job done.
A trump card played too early as a simple distraction. In order to backtrack entirely in the lost war, one must plant the seed even if out of season – no need to sound so ninja really.
Softly softly catch a monkey. What is that in Latin?
Liars such as Hamish Macdonell will not be exposed to the majority if they succeed in conning the people of Scotland into voting no because the media will continue to pretend that more powers are being devolved. Responsibilities will be dressed up as powers and Westminster will insist that only their broad shoulders can handle Scotland’s oil. When we vote yes though these cretins may or may not be exposed, but who cares. They can slither back under the rock from whence they came never to be heard of again.
Seriously one of the funniest posts I’ve ever read anywhere. Sharp, scathing, and utterly withering. Not that Mcdonnell didn’t deserve it, the unionist sycophant that he is.
@Grouse Beater
That would be Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws. Another unelected member of the Hoose’o’Lards.
She’s in a panic ’cause her cushy life of privelege is under threat and like the rest of them she will say and do ANYTHING to try and stop this happening.
Be careful of what tories say,they speak with a forked tongue.Take yesterdays example,tory on tv says they talked to nhs england staff,and they were in agreement about needing more staff.So he takes their agreed(below inflation) pay rise to pay for more staff that they already should have had.Tories-magic bean counters alert.
Well I watched STV news 6:00 pm tonight and pished my breeks. At the end of Cameron’s speech the activists stood to give him a standing ovassion. The activists, don’t think there was 10 under 80, walking sticks and wheelchairs in profusion. Don’t think many of them new where they were and they were described as the activists, takes misreporting and propaganda to a whole new level. Angus McDonnell, what can one say, a poor writer of fiction.
BT are out of ideas and panic is beginning to take hold, we are moving into a very dangerous phase now the rats feel cornered and in fear of their existance and now the gloves are going to come off and some of his mercenary friends might be allowed to join the party.
Things are going to get very dirty, mr McDonnell is just the first kamikaze attacker, plenty more to come.
Rev Stu I think it is time for the implementation of a Bullshit detector for every bitter together story.
And the golden turd of the week award to the most deserving unionist reporter.
And chill you know we luv ya.
I heard him on the radio – heard the sotto voce weasel word “could.” Well I “could” win the lottery tomorrow, but I won’t (if I wing the jackpot I’ll make a hefty donation, haha!) They actually DO think the voters are stupid. There may be some who ARE gullible but the majority are not taken in. This could even cause doubt in the NO camp. A blatant attempt to con us out of our freedom, I hope we get a landslide and humiliate this weasel the way he is trying to humiliate us.
“Scottish Parliament only has control of 7% taxes raised in Scotland, Scotland Act will make this 15% in 2016 (after 8 years of deliberation). Vote Yes this year and get 100% control in 2016.”
BILLBOARD!
The Westminster parties are playing the “Shell game”. You have to guess under which shell the pea is hidden. Of course there is no pea it was palmed before they started shuffling the shells.
The con works because you think one of the shells is going to make you a winner.
Each Westminster party is promising you that winning chance!
Your winning odds if you play are the same – zero
“Giving the Scottish Parliament greater responsibility for raising more of the money it spends, that’s what Ruth Davidson believes and I believe it too.”
It’s better to think a little about what David Cameron says here. What does “greater responsibility for raising more of the money it spends” actually mean when you decode it?
Fiscal equality across the UK is the rock on which all the schemes to give the Scottish Parliament more fiscal powers founder on.
Every devolution scheme is based on exactly the same model. If Scotland keeps its tax rates (or tax take if it gets to play with the tax bands) exactly the same as the rest of the UK then it will get a top-up block grant which takes it up to the Barnett Formula level or whatever scheme replaces it.
So in order to keep its funding at the same level in comparison with the rest of the UK the Scottish parliament simply does nothing with its tax powers. With the same tax rates as the rest of the UK it will get per capita the same public funding as the rest of the UK as fiscal equality works both ways. Scotland will get no more but it will also get no less.
So where does this “responsibility” word that the Tories, Labour and the Lib-Dems love come into it if by sitting on its hands the Scottish Parliament apparently gets the same as always? What they mean is simple. They want to get rid of the Barnett formula which favours Scotland and cut Scotland’s overall block grant.
At that point Scottish politics will become a poisoned chalice where it will be all about how much income tax increase above the standard UK rate will the Scottish electorate stand in order to fund things like a decent NHS or no tuition fees.
That’s what “responsibility” means. It means a grant cut and then a stand-off between public services versus an income tax hike in relation to the rest of the UK.
Westminster will watch with glee as internal politics in Scotland turn into a bloodbath as independence disappears from view.
Atypical Scot says
softly softly catch a monmkey,
Leniter, molliter adsequi elit.
The worst of it isn’t revealed until you click the link and read the comments. They all heard the promise of Eden to the Scots too!
I’m off to bed.
Gary says
“I hope we get a landslide and humiliate this weasel the way he is trying to humiliate us.”
I’m starting to think he’s trying to drive Scotland into independence, no one is that stupid,
are they?
This article easily demonstrated Hamish Mcdonell is talking complete bollocks and that is a fact easily checked up by the laziest of internet users.
The first time I heard of Hamish MacDonell was when he was joining Lorraine Davidson in spinning the departure of Stephen Purcell from Glasgow Council as no big deal. That affair and the discussion of “what is going on” on the Blether with Brian blog comments page are, I am sure, a major factor to triggering the comments being turned off.
On the CalMerc he was a dolt. He once tried his hand at replacing the infinitely better Rab McNeil at doing the diary, mocking John Swinney for calling Economist David Blanchflower “Danny”
Except that’s his nickname which he uses every day, as three second with Google could have confirmed. That diary got pulled.
At every opportunity he is given, Hamish MacDonell spares no time in showing that he and decent reporting are not in the same room
Forby the fear of loosing their power, wealth and glory if Scotland separates.
IMO when the books are opened I think the amount of fraud and theft visited upon Scotland tax wise, will be nothing short of scandalous and probably quite horrendous.
Hence they are fighting tooth and nail to keep control of the tax records to prevent them being analysed properly and showing how Scotland’s true contribution to UK taxes have been hidden for a very long time.
In short think the baw will be on the slates
@lindas back says 9:42
So Angus is a spook, that explains everything. Once a spook always a spook.
JHC Rev,that last paragraph ur you on the Talcum Powder as well
if I knew I would be starting a trend ah would have bought
share,s in J.Johnstone. Take some time aff.
Bearing in mind this was recorded on St. Andrews Day 2013, it is scarily accurate:
Everyone is telling the Rev to take time off. Why? He is producing his finest work. Keep him stressed, I say!
You can always count on a cybernat for a fancy prose style.
Stu, I haven’t laughed so much this year!
But it’s not really funny, is it, when this sort of meaningless tripe gets trotted out to deceive us stupid Scots.
And they wonder why we stopped reading their drivel…
I saw a post on facebook yesterday that NHS England are making a further 20% cut to mental health services. Better keep your head Rev Stu, just let all around you lose theirs!
‘Fleep?’ brill! Hope DC and his cronies are well and truly fleeped come Sept 19th.
Know your enemy they say.
Someone I know of who is vehemently anti-independence and posts his vitriolic views all over the the web also claims to know everything there is to know about tax avoidance for his businesses.
Doesn’t take a Sherlock Holmes to work out that his anti-independence stance may be directly related to real fears that an independent Scotland might not be as tolerant of tax avoidance as Westminster is.
This tripe merchant also probably believes Cameron’s going to renegotiate Britain’s membership of the EU, and every country is going to bow down to his also-as-yet-undefined demands on that as well.
The walls on that London media bubble are a helluva thick, opaque and hallucinatory.
Don’t believe the tripe!
@Diane “What the future will look like should we vote No” should go viral! It’s absolutely spot on and should be shoved in front of everbody’s faces. It should be on billboards around the whole country in simple format.
1.
“Let me be absolutely clear” Cameron said “a vote for No is not a vote for ‘no change’. We are committed to making devolution work better still,…”
Better for who though that’s the question. And while I’m at it, what ever happened to the straight choice between yes and no? What I’m being offered is a choice between Yes and something unknown and entirely undefined.
From the Alan Bissett video. “What the future will look like if you vote No.”
Labour/Westminster are working together and have their campaign to cheat the Scottish people (again) all worked out. In 8 easy steps they will –
1. Before the vote they will start talking about enhanced devolution – even though devo max isn’t on the ballot paper. The MSM will report this ‘talk’ as a genuine offer.
If it’s a No vote they will then –
2. ‘Allow’ Scotland more taxation powers.
3. Scrap the Barnett – formula leaving Scotland with a 4-7 billion black hole in it’s finances.
3. Ask why Scottish ministers are allowed to vote on English matters, because they already gave us our enhanced devo, then redress that.
4. Scotland is now less powerful at Westminster, has less money to spend but will have been ‘given’ more powers to increase taxation.
5. In 2016 to fill that 4-7 billion pound black hole in Scotland’s finances the Scottish govt will have to either, raise taxes or cut public services, making them extremely unpopular.
6. They’ve now lost the referendum, had to increase taxes or cut services, proving to the media they’re the same as Westminster. They become untenable as a vote.
7. So, Labour sets Scotland up to fail, and then occupy the ruins.
And…..
8. The Tories have written Scotland off because they now have no power and get the bonus of ejecting Scottish MPs from Westminster.
THATS THE FUTURE. Win/Win for Westminster and Labour. They don’t give a fig for the Scottish people they only want power any way they can get/keep it.
Vote Yes or you know what’s waiting for you.
Don’t hold back Rev, tell us what you really feel.
Cameron and his auld Cretonian swamp Donkey pals are chuffin it. Leave our land.
Tioraidh-bye, slan abhaile.
“IMO when the books are opened I think the amount of fraud and theft visited upon Scotland tax wise, will be nothing short of scandalous and probably quite horrendous.”
I absolutely agree with you Papadox,
I’ve said for years that the primary reason for their desire to hold on to Scotland is not the loss of revenue but the ruinous repayment of money stolen from Scotland is truly massive and would make lend lease repayments look like small beer,
not only would they NOT be able to ask Scotland to pay its share (ha ha) of the debt but it will be added to by a huge amount by our independence they’ll be paying us back for a century.
Do you people really believe this stuff?
an_observer says:
15 March, 2014 at 7:21 am
Do you people really believe this stuff?
As opposed to what exactly? MSM? Do you really believe that?
@ an_observer,do you people realy believe this stuff.
What people are you refering to, who,s you .
Ah want tae know,who left the door open last nite,we,ve got
a draught blawing through the hoose.
I think Wings is the new home of the David Icke forums.
Bored of trolling now.
It’s good that Wings dismembers drivel of the type of this Spectator piece although I’m glad that I’m not the one who has to do it.
Seems to me that our response to all this eleventh hour devo waffle is actually quite simple:
1. it’s all a cynical spoiler – if it wasn’t they would have done it before now and not ruled it out on the ballot paper;
2. if we’re stupid enough to fall for it they will take revenge on us after a no vote;
3. start on the positive reasons for a YES vote again.
People are usually not stupid and can readily be helped to see this for what it is. We need to kick it out of the way quickly in our conversations and keep pushing forward !!
Hamish has been writing this rubbish for years
As soon as someone says to me we will get more powers if we vote No, I ask them to think about the reason more powers wasn’t included on the ballot paper. Any thinking person can figure it out, even without the ’79 example.
Had a wee family get together last night. Included in the company was my youngest son’s in-laws, Labour Party voters all their lives. By the end of the evening the man had changed from D.K to a Yes, partly because of my spiel, but also because his best pal since childhood, a former high-heid yin in the Scottish LibDems has also been converted. Still working on his wife, but as she detests J.L I have high hopes.
Re Helena Kennedy – she is a baroness and has probably completely lost touch with her background.
She went to the same school as me back in the day in a very working class area of Glasgow.
That however does not excuse her from playing the sectarian card and she should be pulled up for that – it’s disgraceful.
I think Scotland is becoming more and more secular and thus more tolerant of different views – she however is probably still living in the past.
” making devolution work better” would the loss of planning powers at Holyrood help Westminster make devo work better.
Can we start calling these promises of such sexy good times ahead “DevoLOTION”
liz says:
– she however is probably still living in the past.
No “probably” about it, Liz. She suffers from an ailment common to those who leave their own community. Their views of that community are fixed at the point they left it, a sepia snapshot lodged in memory and nourished by nostalgia. This is why so many who spout the “proud working-class Scot” nonsense are unable to see the reality of now rather than their memories of then.
Helena Kennedy’s Scotland is no longer the Scotland the rest of us inhabit. And it looks a whole lot different from her memories of when she was a bairn, filtered as it is through the Twilight Zone of their Lordship’s House.
@Dick.
A very good post. It explains exactly what is going on in the minds of these folk.
Baroness Kennedy of the Shaws? what the fuck are the Shaws?
Pollockshaws?
Tattie shaws?