A Portuguese Laddie
Last month the Tory government published its white paper on EU migration post-Brexit. As a result, I spent my day arguing positively for immigration on social media, sharing fact-based articles showing that EU migration has had a very positive impact on the UK’s economy in the last decade.
However, one of my tweets was particularly popular, in which I specifically mentioned my personal experience with Scottish attitudes towards immigration.
Twitter is meant to be short and fleeting, leaving little room for telling long, nuanced stories. But the story behind this tweet is one I find worth telling, and I think it reflects incredibly well on the fact that there’s a bright, open future ahead of Scotland. I hope you find what follows to be worthwhile.
I was born in 1991, in Faro, the largest city of the Algarve – Portugal’s southernmost region. Like many people my age, I faced the blunt of the 2008 financial crisis when I went to university the following year, and when the Portuguese right-wing government adopted increasingly destructive austerity measures, little hope was left for middle-aged people, let alone us young ones trying to make a life of our own.
I was determined that I would emigrate after I finished my Master’s Degree in Medieval History of the Islamic Mediterranean, especially because in 2012 I had started dating the most wonderful man in the world. He was studying to become a dentist, and he too had no real prospects of staying in Portugal.
In 2014 I finished my Master’s and he finished his Dentistry Degree, and so we moved from Lisbon back to the Algarve, to live with my mother. She owned a wee restaurant in Tavira, and my partner got an offer of work at a local practice, so we packed our bags and in early 2015 started saving up money to go abroad.
It wasn’t easy. Working with my mother, despite the love between us, was incredibly stressful. I was earning about €100 (around £75) a week, because I didn’t want to take wages from her as she was struggling at the time; I chose to rely exclusively on tips. My partner was working 5 days a week, full-time, as a dentist, and earning about €600 (£450) A MONTH. That is the Portuguese reality, with a minimum monthly wage at the time of €550, a lot of people survived however they had to.
The upside of staying with my mother was that we didn’t pay a rent. We helped out with bills and food, but could put the rest apart and save up for the big move. Emigration was the light at the end of a dark, hopeless tunnel.
At my mother’s restaurant, 95% of our customers were tourists visiting the Algarve, or people born in another country who now resided there. And from those, about 60% were from the UK & Ireland, with the rest coming mainly from the Netherlands, Germany and Scandinavian countries.
Given that my mother speaks very basic English, she was quite happy to have me as a front-of-house waiter – I can hold a conversation in a few languages besides Portuguese and English, including Dutch. And I will tell you why that is relevant.
From a very young age, I had thought about moving abroad (the reasons for that merit its own blog post, but let’s just say that I never felt like I fitted in Portugal). I always thought it was either going to be the UK or a Scandinavian country (Yes, I hate hot weather). But my partner wasn’t so keen about the idea of a cold country, and so we compromised on somewhere a bit less extreme – the Netherlands.
We started teaching ourselves Dutch with apps like Duolingo, my partner prepared the paperwork to register on their General Dental Council equivalent, and we started preparing mentally for the move, reading about the country and all of that.
Now, on one particular evening, we had a couple of customers who had flown in from Amsterdam. I proudly practised my Dutch, and they were interested in knowing why the hell had a Portuguese waiter learned to speak Dutch. I told them I intended to move there. I will never forget their response. They exchanged a quick glance, and then the lady said to me, in English: “We have a small country. Not everyone has to go there, you know. The sky is blue everywhere.”
Yes, she sounded that much like a c*nt. I was lost for words, telling my partner what had happened, and for the rest of the evening I was ruminating on how horrible she’d been. (She’d also left me a €1 tip on a €60 bill, to top it all off)
Because life finds a way of spicing things up, and as I grew increasingly depressed about the idea of the Netherlands, we had a table of three magnificent Scottish folks later that week. They were our only clients that night – a middle-aged couple with a female friend of theirs. Since it was a small and very intimate restaurant, they warmly started making conversation with me.
It started being about food and how they liked their steaks cooked, and me telling them about how we typically cooked them in Portugal, developing to them asking more and more questions about myself, why I spoke English fluently, my degree, and all of that. My mother was in the kitchen, cooking, but my partner was behind the bar that evening, and he joined in too.
One of the ladies had a niece who was a dentist in Scotland, and as we became more familiar with each other, they started asking my partner a lot of questions about being a dentist in Portugal, including wages and work conditions, and were quite shocked to hear the truth.
That’s when they started telling us how Scotland needed young folk like us, how I would love Edinburgh and maybe even go to Uni there, and how my partner could lead a much more dignified life with wages that reflected the skill required for his work. I cannot tell you how lovely they were.
The warmest, friendliest group of people, who were genuinely interested in hearing our stories and wanting us to have a better future. Before they left, they actually made a reservation for the night prior to leaving Portugal, so I got the name of one of them: Mrs. Pamela Speirs, from Glasgow.
(I haven’t spoken to her since, but I would love her to know the impact she’s had on our life, so if you have any idea who this might be, do tell).
When we got home that evening, me and my partner looked at each other, and we didn’t need to say much. The Netherlands’ plan had died – Scotland it would be.
Now, this didn’t all happen in a vacuum. As I said before, we worked with a lot of UK & Ireland folk, and I had already began forming a few impressions. While our English & Welsh clientele tended to be more reserved, less generous in tipping, Scottish and Irish customers were the absolute opposite. They were always incredibly polite, very appreciative of my dedication to good service, complimentary about my mother’s food, and deeply generous when it came to tipping.
(As with any generalisation, there were exceptions to all of this, I’m just outlining my overall impressions)
After that night with the Speirs and their friend, I started telling Scottish folks who came to the restaurant that I was planning to move to Scotland, and not once did I hear a negative comment. To the contrary. Mrs. Speirs’ attitude seemed to be replicated, as if all the Scots had been passed the same memo – telling me how Scotland needed young folk like me and my partner, that I would love the country.
Some joked that I should take a picture of the sun with me, however, lest I forget what it looks like amidst the constant dreich weather. They talked to me about their own sons and daughters, nieces and nephews and how they were all doing so well back home, and how they already had so many foreign friends who had moved there and were happy.
A few more months of work until we felt like we had a financially robust safety net for the move, and on the 10th of November 2015, we took a plane from Faro and landed in Edinburgh.
Some of you might say that I couldn’t have chosen a worse time to come, due to the Brexit shitestorm. But I disagree . As the Brexit campaign exposed the terrible winds of xenophobia taking over England & Wales, it also showed how Scotland was a very different country. Of course, I am a white European, so I am still very much a privileged immigrant – Black and Asian people may have different experiences to tell from mine, especially since Scotland is a very white country.
But the thing is that I felt like the vast majority of Scottish folks didn’t swallow the anti-immigration rhetoric coming from down south, and that was confirmed with the overwhelming vote for Remain.
While some of my friends in England despaired at the result (I admit that, in the morning of the referendum result, I felt genuine grief for how small and self-centred the UK had just become), I was energised by Scotland’s adamant rejection of that kind of nationalism that wants to put up impassable border and scapegoats the “other” for faults that aren’t theirs.
In these three years, I have joined the Scottish National Party (and recently Plaid Cymru, the biggest Welsh pro-indy party), I have marched amongst my new Scottish brothers and sisters, I have voted in Holyrood & council elections. I have worked, I have lived, I have adopted two beautiful cats, and with every day, Scotland has seeped deeper into my bones.
I have travelled widely across “this wee country of oors“, as I like to call it, met many a different folk, visited countless historical sites via my Historic Scotland membership. Staple Scottish foods have become part of my diet, and I’ve fused many elements of my Portuguese roots with my newfound Scottish ones – I assure you that my Cranachan recipe with a hint of Port wine is to die for.
None of this would have happened if I didn’t feel like I had the Scottish people behind my back in these troubled times. Xenophobia is sweeping all over the West, but somehow Scotland has shone a light against that darkness. Our nationalism, if it can even be called that, comes from a place of acceptance, of a want for justice, of seeking a better future for the young folk that can do better without the cruelty of countless Tory governments we never voted for.
Of course, Scotland is not a place of exception. It has plenty of numpties and bawbags walking around, it has profound issues with alcohol and drugs, sectarianism, obesity, and I wish it were less white and more diverse, but that’s just a reflection of its history. And I love Scotland with all of these things to – for it wouldn’t be this beacon of light without the dark side, and I hope that I can contribute to strike another match, to make it all a bit better.
I can’t vote in UK elections, but I can’t separate myself from this sense of belonging to Scotland any more – I always talk about our country, our people, our voice. Sure, I open my mouth with my Portuguese accent and it is clear that I wasn’t born here – and I don’t mind that people ask and are interested about where I come from.
I’m always happy to tell all the good things about Portugal, about the food and the wonderful places to visit, and all of that. But it doesn’t feel like I’m talking about home, like it feels when I talk about Scotland.
At the risk of sounding really corny, and bear in mind that this comes from an atheist with no time for superstitious silliness, I do think that I was born with a Scottish soul. Its flame just brightens up at the sound of the bagpipes (or the Proclaimers, for that matter), its spirit is lifted when I smell the freshness of our cold winter mornings, and it is fuelled by the affection and love of the many folks I have crossed paths with here.
Nowhere else on earth do I feel the peace I do when walking around the Trossachs, or setting my sights on the majesty of the Highlands, or when I’m walking around the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art in Edinburgh, which is my favourite museum in the world after London’s Tate Modern. I love the historical atmosphere of Edinburgh, as I love the working-class spirit of Glasgow, and how genuine Glaswegians can be (especially compared with some Edinburgh folk who come off as slightly… stiffer, but they’re sweethearts once you get to crack their shell).
And there’s still so much about Scotland that I don’t know, and I look forward to it all – as long as the nasty Government from Westminster doesn’t try to get rid of me post-Brexit. Regardless, I’ll be fighting the good fight for this country to be independent, a sovereign nation within the European Union, which is a true equal union, not this little, narcissistic, inward-looking United Kingdom that is becoming increasingly less United with each day its glaring injustices are exposed.
What matters is that we’re human beings, all one clan. We’re all Jock Tamson’s Bairns.
.
Miguel writes as “WG Saraband”. This piece originally appeared on his blog, and is reproduced here with permission.
I am glad that you find my love letter to Scotland worth sharing on Wings. As a longtime follower of the work and contribution to the indy movement from this website, I am honoured to be featured here.
Also, many thanks to all the lovely messages coming my way as a consequence of that blog post. It all just reinforces that Scotland is only the best country in the world, because it is lucky to have the best people.
I loved reading this, on his blog, glad it’ll reach a wider audience here.
what a wonderful piece. You and your partner are a most welcome addition to Scotland. Thank you for your contributions to our wee country. And I hope the people of Scotland stand up for you and other EU nationals against the Westminster government. Look forward to the day when both you two and I get our Scottish passport.
I’m sure you’ll get many ‘welcome to Scotland’ comments here, Miguel, but let me add my Welcome to Scotland to you and your partner. And just as well you met these weird Dutch people, otherwise you might be in the Netherlands right now! Their loss, our gain.
See you in the forthcoming campaign!
Wow…Just Wow. That brought a tear o’ pride tae ma’ glass ee’
Welcome, and thank you for your very kind words. Always means more when someone has chosen to make Scotland their home.
Great piece, and Miguel and his partner sound like lovely people who will be real assets to our country.
I had a great week walking in the E Algarve a couple of years ago and we stayed in Tavira going to different local restaurants every evening. Good memories of a beautiful place, amazing food and friendly people.
A ray of portuguese/Scottish sunshine to nicely counter the utter toxic other news doing the rounds. I (and we) are glad you chose to come here. Lang may yer lum reek
Thank you all – I’m extremely humbled by the cheer amount of lovely messages I’ve been getting because of this. Happy to do my bit for a better Scotland 😉
The EU & it’s Single Market is built on Four Freedoms – only one of which is free movment of people.
FoM of Capital is by far the most pernicious and destructive and restricting it is the reason why we must leave the EU. It’s as simple as that.
I’m so pleased you decided to come and build a home here and so glad it has been so positive for you. As you say, we have our numpties and bawbags like any other place, but we seem to have an inbuilt sense of fairness, of looking out for ourselves and others in equal measure – most of the time anyway. I’m glad that has been so obvious to you as we can lose sight of ourselves at times.
I’m going to nip over and visit the blog. If your writing is as good as here You’ll have another follower.
Cheers and a’ the best to you both for a great life here in an independent Scotland.
Magic!
You’re welcome here Son.
Great story, and glad to have you on-board.
[…] Wings Over Scotland A Portugese Laddie Last month the Tory government published its white paper on EU migration post-Brexit. […]
‘VisitScotland’ should use this as a marketing tool . Brillliaaant !
Portugal to Scotland, in winter, in a recession, during Brexit?
In the name o the wee man that’s mental.
Then again, mental is a prerequisite for being truly Scottish right enough…
What a wonderful and touching story Miguel, I’m glad you and your partner have made Scotland your home.
Oh my oh my. I read this twice, I cried, I shared it widely by email, messenger and Facebook. Oh my. You are spot on. I have a Scottish soul too. Unique place, unique people.
Orrabest to the both of you.
Well….what can you say…..looks like the proclaimers have broken the 100 fans mark 🙂 ….but apart from that an awfy fanfukkintastic story! Who is the real Scot? One that moved to Scotland to be part of that Brilliant Land (Miguel) or one that was born there but now lives in Germany (me) ? ….Dead easy ! Both of them ! Hey Miguel! maybe you can convince your English friends to move further north too? The more the merrier !
A great story that lifts the soul of the reader.
Welcome to Scotland.
Welcome home Miguel and thank you for your kind observations about Scotland. I hope you and your partner have a long and happy life here. You’ll need a good warm jumper though.
Most excellent.
That has put a big smile on my face. 🙂
Welcome and well said Miguel.
Aw, Miguel,a bright educated hard working couple picked us!
Out of the whole wide world you two have chosen to be Scottish..Wow…thank you so much.
It really gives ye a boost tae know it.
I’m so glad you shared your story,just what we all needed to read right now..xx
aw ra best boys
You Miguel and thousands like you and your partner are just one of the many reasons why the people of Scotland voted so massively for remaining in the E.U.
WE should be so proud to have people like you wanting to come to “oor we country” who are so full of positivity and belief in the future.
Saw this on his blog and found it totally uplifting.
If I lived back home in Scotland, I’d rather have you as my next door neighbour miguel , than any proudscotbut.
Fraser A Reid says:
23 January, 2019 at 2:06 pm
One that moved to Scotland to be part of that Brilliant Land (Miguel) or one that was born there but now lives in Germany (me) ? ….Dead easy ! Both of them !
—————
Me too, a result of another (s)tory: M. Thatcher.
I hope you will be happy in Scotland and I hope the Home Office don’t ruin your perception of Scottish hospitality and inclusiveness, Miguel.
This is part and parcel of being an active European country. Another reason, if one was even needed for Scotland’s independence from the UK and staying in the EU.
I’d rather have you as a neighbour down here than some that I have, but it would be a yes vote wasted. So good on you.
Hey there Saraband =)
Welcome home.
Arbroath 1320 @ 2.23
Exactly….I don’t think it gets pointed out enough,that Scotland could quite comfortably double it’s population..
And therefore double it’s tax base.
We were at the time of the 1706 union 20% of the Islands population,now we are only 8% of Great Britain.
Just imagine what kind of Health Service and Pensions we could have if we doubled the tax base to 16%.
Not to mention all the new cultures new people bring!!!
Blend it all with Scottishness and we’d have quite a Country going on!!
We have the space and the resources to build the required infrastructure.
It all starts with Indy,bring our Government within slapping distance and we can get all of it and more.
Even the numpties and bawbags will thank their lucky stars one day if we pull it off!
A guid Scottish welcome to you and your partner, aw the best.
Great post. We left Scotland for the Netherlands post Brexit, and our reception here has been pretty similar to yours in Scotland. Sorry to hear that your experience of Dutch folk wasn’t the best – I can honestly say that I’ve never been made to feel unwelcome! Like you, all I’ve got is genuine interest as to why we came here. The media on the island love to talk up Geert Wilders, but he’s nothing other than a fucking meme. A Nedermeme…
The tipping thing is cultural and shared with Germany and much of Scandinavia – these places ensure a living wage so tipping is usually just a case of rounding up to the next 5€. It’s easy to forget that other places don’t.
Hoping that you guys get to stay- Nicola’s letter post Brexit said you would. Hopefully she stands by it.
This is a wonderful story. Hard to believe that Scotland was the second last place in the UK to make Same sex legal (1982), and since then has literally zoomed into position of being one of the best places for gay and lesbian rights. Glad to read this story, it speaks volumes about the clear gulf between how most folks in England are thinking and most Scots.
Meanwhile…
Today in the HoC at PM questions, you could literally smell the absolute terror of unionists, when the very first placed question was to condemn the Scottish government for seeking normality, where Scotland will run its own affairs, instead of another country (England). In many ways, by placing that question, the Tories have given the game away. They are feart, absolutely terrified of the Scottish Government calling an independence referendum.
And here’s the point, they would not be so very terrified, if it were not the case that they know (and their own private polling will be telling them) that Scotland will definitely vote for independence this time.
I had to laugh, though, about the bit where Theresa should;d refuse permission, like it is hers to give. We will hold the referendum with or without a section 30 (which btw, is NOT permission) – and their are some serious downsides for Westminster, if we proceed without section 30, so it is best they do. Either way, they cannot stop the referendum.
I have to say, the minute I heard that question, my first thoughts were, YES!!, even the Tories now know we will win this time. The end of this terrible, unwanted, undemocratic ‘union’, which allows England to control and STEAL from Scotland, is coming to an end. It cannot happen too soon.
@misteralz
Unfortunately whilst we are part of the UK and Immigration is Reserved to Westminster there is little Nicola can do other than protest each individual case. Which is why we need Independence stat so you and he can stay without a problem. I cannot see it being a problem. Pretty well all parties other than the extremist fringes of the Tories recognise Scotland needs immigration. So regardless of the makeup of Holyrood post Indy I’m sure you will be okay.
I’ve worked in Holland 3 times, once with wife and baby and they were great, really friendly people, plus met a lot of Dutch tourists in Scotland. All lovely people.
Oh, wait.
No, the Dutch are terrible, so are the Germans, the Belgians, the rest of them apart from the Portugese of course, you definitely wouldn’t to go there, in the whole wide world only the people of Scotland are great, friendly welcoming people 😎
(I think I got away with that)
” Jock Tamson’s” bairns just grew by two.
A thousand welcomes.
Miguel – that was just so heartwarming to read how you feel about being in oor wee country. Seeing as how you are now a Winger, I really hope that you and your partner (and any friends) will come along to one of our WOS soirees. The next one’s in Glasgow (tbc) although there will probably be one in Edinburgh too at sometime after that. It would be a pure delight to meet you both. 🙂
@Robert Louis
The lateness in Scotland was because back then the Churches had greater sway and there was no devolution and the Scottish Grand Committee in Westminster was sclerotic and sometimes even moribund.
Remember it took the re-establishment of the Scottish Parliament for bloody feudal landholding to be scrapped. When we bought this place back in ’99 the deeds stated who the feu was held by. In our case the benign Dundee City Council. But other folk were not so lucky. That should have been scrapped well more than a century or two ago, but not relying on Westminster.
Muscleguy at 317,
Oh I know too well the whole history of gay rights in Scotland. The point I was making, is the revolution that has happened since then, making Scotland a place with some of the best lesbian and gay rights.
I’ve said it for many a year now, you don’t have to born in Scotland to be Scottish. Many people who I know who have moved here and settled have said that they do not know why they wanted to come to Scotland but just that they felt they had to. Also a lot of people who have come from abroad now say when they return to visit family that they are going on holidays instead of going home for a week or two. Scotland is now a country of many languages and cultures that all melt into being Scottish. As the auther wrote there is also the negative that not everyone born in Scotland is Scottish. Politically and religously motivated throwbacks to the English policy of breed them out still exist but thankfully they are but a boil on Scotlands rosey red arse cheek and will eventually burst and dissapear. Come one and all if Scotlands for you as Scotland is open for you all.
That wee story has really brightened by day. Thank you Miguel.
My wife is English and she feels exactly as you do.
Sadly some numpties on hear think that she should be denied a vote in Indyref 2.
Thank you and welcome!
Great read, made me proud to be Scottish
For me, it’s as simple as treating people how you wish to be treated. Best of luck to you both
Welcome Miguel and partner , I read your blog recently through a link I think supplied by the sooper dooper Nana she of the endless links , it is heartwarming to be reminded that the compassion and empathy for folk is still flourishing and is recognised in our little country
Even 1 person like that is worth more than a thousand useless Mundells anyday of the week.
Your story made me feel suddenly very proud. Our Nationalism is one that holds out a hand to those who need it rather than turn them away
Thank you so much for your story and may you be happy whatever you do.
How lovely! Though I have to say the weather in Portugal is better and the Portuguese people are very welcoming too!
Great stuff!
Do we know if Mrs Speirs has seen this yet?
😉
@ Miguel : I was at opticians today [yeah….should have gone to SS 8 years ago]…stingy eye drops made my tears flow a bit. You made those tears flow again, but ones of joy and happiness for you and your partner.
Present yourselves at the next WOS get together so we can meet and greet.
Thankyou for choosing Scotland as your 2nd home. It’s our honour to make you welcome.
Remember talking to Miguel on Twitter last year when he was sounding rather down because he thought they would have to leave & go back to Portugal. There was so many of us jumping onto the thread to say he couldn’t go back as he had too many friends here. Before I knew it there were hundreds of comments urging him to stay & offering help if needed. Everyone saying the same-you’re one of us now- you belong here with us.
Brings a lump to the throat & a tear to the eye to know that WG Saraband (as I know him) is not going anywhere.
Weel said, Cutty Sark! (To paraphrase our great bard in this, his week). I visited Portugal for the first time last year and my partner and I loved it and the people and it’s not surprising you feel an affinity for Scotland’s soul.
Welcome to the best wee country in the world! 🙂
@Gullaneno4 “My wife is English and she feels exactly as you do. Sadly some numpties on hear think that she should be denied a vote in Indyref 2”
Most if not all of those aren’t genuine Indy supporters, they were flag trolls. Then there’s just one or two extremists. Sigh.
Makes yer want to greet. Brings a tear to the ean. Love it.
Aye, Aye, Aye.
Scotland has been depopulated by Westminster unionists. People from Scotland have (had to) migrated all around the world. A 40million diaporia.
Soon the unionists can be voted out of power.
Just vote SNP/SNP Vote fior Independence. Make Scotland and the world a better place to be.
Of course, the fact that Miguel’s partner is a dentist has nothing to do with the welcome at all. Cough:
link to sundaypost.com
I can vouch for that a bit, I know people in the Highlands who have or at least had to, travel up to 100 miles to find a dentist.
You will soon get a UK vote to vote the Tory/unionists out. Including migrant Johnstone et al.
There was a shortage of dentists in the NE. Queues out the door to register. The Polish/EU dentists filled the vacancies. A new dental clinic was established (Alex Salmond).
what an uplifting story. You’re very welcome here lads, nice to hear that folk appreciate this country of ours, especially our newer Scots.
I love the way c*** is used in such a casual manner.
Miguel, you are a true Scot!
Germany (2million) and other EU countries have taken in millions of migrants. Including those who have had to flee because of the illegal wars caused by U.K./US/France. They want to shirk their responsibilities of the carnage they have caused. Leave people to die. In the UK sanctionig and starving people is the UK Gov policy.
Germany 82Million pop has 20% migrant workers. The unemployment rate is 3.4%, the lowest since German unification. A successful economy, in surplus.
Brexit is about tax evasion.
Mrs Speirs perhaps. There’s a profile pic to check Miguel
link to facebook.com
Meanwhile, we in Scotland are stuck with a WM gov trying to throw good folk like Miguel, out the uk.
Lets keep miguel and co, and punt WM.
Seems a better deal !
Wonderful post
Adrian Kent @ 13:49,
Oh, there just had to be some sorry miserabilist who couldn’t resist bringing their own little raincloud to try to dampen all the sunshine. One of those Leaver isolationists of the Nirvana persuasion, it would seem. A minority of a minority, but nothing if not predictable.
Brilliant – makes me so proud of our genuine Scottish warmth and hospitality to people of all shape, size and colour (a few numpties excepted, but hey all countries have these).
Makes me think – how’s this for an idea: A companion set of videos to the “Journey to Yes” series for former NO voters, featuring “new scots” like Miguel talking about their experience in Scotland, thoughts on Brexit and Independence:
“Journey to Scotland” or “Welcome to Scotland”
Now that would really stick in the craw of the BritNats.
Just sayin. 🙂
Thankyou for choosing Scotland, Miguel. Now, come to the northeast, and you’ll have a whole new language to learn !
Honestly, I am almost numb from the amount of incredibly kind and loving messages I’ve been getting all day, from all kinds of people. You lot are really trying to rub it in that there’s no finer folk in the whole world 😛
Many thanks to all, I’ll keep responding individually on Twitter but I won’t spam the Wings comment box.
I raise a glass to you sir
you are truly welcome in our country
The first time I set foot in Scotland, it felt like I was finally home. Isn’t it a wonderful feeling? Welcome!
What a lovely post Miguel as others have said, just what we needed to hear just now. This endless Brexit dominance of politics imposed on us is soul sapping but we need to keep fighting the good fight for you, me, us and everyone who lives here.
I recently moved out of Edinburgh but it is indeed a beautiful city and I hope you will have many happy years there.
For my sins I now live in the prime bawbag’s constituency, the one and only Ross (cringe personafied) Thomson. GOD help me. At least it is an incentive to keep climbing those tenement stairs.
That is a fabulous story
May you continue to enjoy and contribute to your adopted country, a nicer, more open and forward looking country, you would struggle to find anywhere else.
Lovely story, and Scotland is all the better for having you in it. Fàilte gu Alba my friend 😀
Welcome to Scotland.
Best wishes for the future.
———————————————————
Meanwhile!
Soldier’s daughter in Kenya denied visa to live in UK
33 minutes ago. 🙁
link to archive.is
Fàilte gu Alba that should’ve said. Dunno what happened when I posted the comment to change it to “Caesar!”
Odd.
What the hell? Why does A-L-B-A (I’m typing it like that so it doesn’t change) keep changing to “Caesar!”?
Im delighted to say my wife’s eyes filled with tears of joy reading your story. I am directed to pass on her fondest wishes to Miguel and his partner Two of our own ,as she has dubbed you.
What a fantastic post, thank you for coming to Scotland to be one of us. ?
Welcome and if you ever come to Arran give us a shout and ill show you round.
Lovely story and you are both welcome to our loving Scotland.
OT
It’s very difficult to stop myself from goading unionist activists in other forums, as they’re such an easy target. Very trying, very trying indeed.
So I’ve stopped trying for a while 🙂
Obrigado!
Welcome to Scotland. Delighted you have both settled here.
Welcome to Scotland buddy. I wish more were like you. Great blog post and also a great wee story
OK. Reduced to tears by that.
Miguel as I said to a young copper in Gibraltar he must be mental moving to Edinburgh from the sun drenched Gib . Did he listen NAW , nice to see a chance positive meeting with Mrs Speirs changed you & your Partners lives .
Wings night oot 2nd Mar Counting House , hoping you and your partner can make it .
Ceud mìle fàilte! Lovely story.
Well, what can I say… a really good read that’s from the heart… you’re very welcome here in Scotland.
Yes, we Glaswegians are a friendly lot, more so the those edinbuggers… we let you pick your windae first… those edinbuggers expect you to have had your tea before arriving ?
Glad you have moved to and feel welcome in Scotland.
I have visited Maderia and would say that its my favourite holiday destination. I find the people there so friendly and helpful. I also really enjoy the Portuguese nata cakes.(egg, custard and cinamon)
@ Cod, the word A-l-b-a is filtered and replaced in an effort to stop the appearance of the phrase S-a-o-r A-l-b-a.
Slightly insulting, given that A… is the Gaelic name for this fine country, and a name with a much longer history too. One of the wee quirks of this site.
Welcome M, but could ye no have brough a wee bit mair sunshine? Ma vitamin D deficiency is playin up.
Great read. Glad you made Scotland your home.
Here’s hoping they and the rest of us will have the chance to live in an independent Scotland.
Has the FM made a formal request for an S30 during her talks with Mrs May?
Has S30 been refused? The SNP need to give a forthright answer ASAP.
The travels of the Scots from Scythia to `Scotland` brought them to the coast of the Iberian peninsula,
Portugal comes from the place name `Port of Cala`
Scotland was and is still called `Cale donia`
the Scots spent a long time in Iberia before travelling to Hibernia and then crossing the sea to the promised land defeating the Picts and Britons,
the Galician gaita is a form of bagpipe,
you could well be more Scots than most of the citizens of Scotland 🙂
I’m sure Nicola has your number, coco, and you will be on her speed dial as first to know.
You are more desperate by the day.
Miguel, I hope you and your partner are made as welcome in Scotland as I was working in the Algarve (many years ago)
“Has the FM made a formal request for an S30 during her talks with Mrs May?”
Frankly, I couldn’t care less if she has or not.
I don’t suppose either of you take a good free kick? Asking for a Scouse friend.
Oh crap. I just bawled my eyes out. What a wonderful piece. Thank you.
@ Geeo
This is my and other people’s future and the future of our nation we are talking about, so aye, I am desperate to know the situation.
The cloak and dagger stuff from the UK Govt masters and Colonial Scottish Govt is a rubbish way to treat the electorate.
Cod
this website is programmed to restrict certain words:
You will find that you cannot accuse someone of betraying their country or they will be called tractors
Also, it is difficult to discuss the tory grape clause minus the first letter ‘g’ because it will probably not allow the posting.
Unfortunately you’ve discovered for yourself that it prints Hail Caesar instead of ‘say’ or
and the four letter word you tried to post beginning with ‘a’ followed by an ‘l’ then a ‘b’ and another ‘a’.
apart from this it is a slight eccentricity of the proprietor ( risking the hammers now, sorry Rev.)
Shinty said:
23 January, 2019 at 7:38 pm
” “Has the FM made a formal request for an S30 during her talks with Mrs May?”
Frankly, I couldn’t care less if she has or not.”
How no? Do you no care whether the Scot Govt plan to hold indyref2 or no?
I love this Miguel. Especially that you haven’t been disappointed by your decision and that folk want you to stay as much as they wanted you to come here in the first place.
I dream of this country being able to welcome many more folk from all over to live, love and work here.
Colin,
I think May was pretty clear she was still against issuing a section 30. Nicole’s accusation that May is running scared would seem to confirm it.
However, that doesn’t mean there isn’t going to be a vote. May is anything but strong and stable. If we fall out of the EU on no deal then the runes seem favourable for Scotland to follow her own path. May could very possibly no longer be PM.
“How no? Do you no care whether the Scot Govt plan to hold indyref2 or no?’
I care not a jot about S30 -(which if you’d been paying attention, has already been done to death here on wings).
link to airdrieforindependence.wordpress.com
If your oot n aboot near Airdrie pop in free Tea/Coffee n Bisquits
As some have previously stated, why don’t we hold an advisory independence referendum bypassing Theresa May (like Brexit) and on yes winning, hope the EU and the UN recognise it.
The travels of the Scots from Scythia to `Scotland` brought them to the coast of the Iberian peninsula,
Portugal comes from the place name `Port of Cala`
Scotland was and is still called `Cale donia`
the Scots spent a long time in Iberia before travelling to Hibernia and then crossing the sea to the promised land defeating the Picts and Britons,
the Galician gaita is a form of bagpipe,
you could well be more Scots than most of the citizens of Scotland ?
———————
I know very little of the Scythians, but I reckon the Sith settled in the London basin and slowly formed what was to become the Tory party.
They had a custom amongst their people. It to send the weakest and most purile as far away by foot as possible, affording them no funds or means to enter Europa Major. Their rejects settled in Scotia, but while they got the same welcome as many others who became fully integrated in that northern realm, they thought they were better and more entitled than the good folk of Scotia and hankered after the power that their old masters commanded far to the south. In an attempt to gain some of the glory, the exiles formed various poltical groups, which although in modern times still work in harmony with each other, didn’t have what it takes to succeed.
These exile’s descendants still to this day, hanker after privelege and power, but, sadly they have no real hope of achieving anything and will never be accepted by their original tribes and at best are considered amongst the Sith as useful idiots.
Oh! I have to go as the nurse is bringing my meds soon.
Welcome, Miguel.
link to facebook.com
Beautiful words… Welcome to YOUR Scotland. We are all Scotland’s story and we are all worth the same. thank you. Hail Alba.
What an incredibly touching story.
Fàilte Miguel, get that Portuguese flag flying at the next march
@ronnie anderson
Thanks for that link Mr A.
Went much as everyone expected. 🙂
Todays meeting wie May only confirms what Nicola has long since known .
we’re gon awa teae bide awa an no be back tae see ya .
Last shout to those who fancy meeting for a pint in Glasgow tomorrow – Courtyard on West Nile St approx 4ish, or The Social, Royal Exch Sq approx 6ish.
😉
Honoured, humbled and proud that out of every country in the world, you and your partner chose ours to make your lives in and enrich with your presence.
Your kind words also highlight the difference between Scotlands Civic Nationalism and England’s Blood and Soil Nationalism.
Reminds me of the words of a former First Minister of Scotland who said “Our progressive nationalism goes hand-in-hand with a commitment to internationalism.”
Bom trabalho, e muito obrigado Miguel.
Len McGluskey was at downing st today , ( by the back door ) must be his fitting appointment fur his Stoat Cloak lol.
This was wonderful to read, I am glad that you and your partner have made Scotland your home and you feel Scottish in your soul.
I wish you both the very best for the future and will have a very happy and contented life in an independent Scotland.
Thank you for choosing Scotland as your home.
Turned Sky News on to see how Nicola got on in Downing St.
Not a peep.
Heard somethin about Venezuela
Heard somethin about a missing football player
Heard somethin about England playin Rounders against somebody
But never heard a thing about Nicola meeting Treeza.
A Union of equals my arse.
welcome to scotland saraband, lang may yer lum reek
—————
getting a bit miffed with all of this “no is not the time” stuff, a comment in the hoc or to the bbc is not, IS NOT, an official response
when nicola tabled an official request in 2016, ratified by holyrood, treeza did the exact same thing, but before the deadline for an official and legal document was returned to wm, treeza called an election. nicola delayed chasing up the request, went into election mode, where we lost a lot of support, forcing nicola to take the request “off the table” . It made us look weak and indyref2 began to look more like a hokeykokey.
the tories are goading us table another request and are planning to do the same again. nicola wont rise to the bait, the tories will own all of this fiasco, and when this ge is called and we know what brexit means, then nicola will make the request for a s30.
then treeza will need to make an official reply, yes or no, only then can we consider legal action. a comment in an interview to the bbc isnt worth the paper it isnt printed on
Ian Brotherhood Courtyard or ah wee bitty culture we could go an see the Dippylaydoris lol naw Courtyard it is , who interested in ah pile of auld bones other than Flounce Bounce an Go .
Queens eleven gubbed 🙂
Jam tarts gubbed! 🙁
A very warm welcome to Scotland, Miguel. Loved your story about choosing Scotland for you and your partner. Scotland isn’t perfect yet, but I hope you will both be very happy here, just as we are so happy to have you. With very best wishes.
Lenny
Good news,,,keep those Union Jacks in the bottom drawer.
The last thing we need is the Queens Eleven on a roll.
You will never know how much your story gives us strength to keep fighting against Westminster Rule Thank you so much 🙂
Doesn’t look like this thread is going the way STV hoped.
link to twitter.com
STV, looking for stories using the ‘Better Call Saul’ technique.
@Colin Alexander says: 23 January, 2019 at 7:26 pm:
” … Has the FM made a formal request for an S30 during her talks with Mrs May?
Has S30 been refused? The SNP need to give a forthright answer ASAP.”
The Kingdom of Scotland and her legally sovereign people need no permission from anyone to hold a referendum on any subject we choose, when we want it ran or how we want it ran.
There is only one real reason The First Minister will ask for a Section 30 and that is in the sure and certain knowledge that the Queen of England’s Prime Minister will feel compelled to refuse to agree to one.
In the first place a section 30 is not Westminster’s permission to hold a referendum. It is Westminster’s agreement to abide by the result – what ever that result may be. Scotland doesn’t want a section 30 and doesn’t need one but no matter what May decides after formally being asked for one will be to wrong foot herself.
If she refuses it will act against her and if she grants one and then loses the repercussions from the Britnats will be something very satisfying to sit back and watch. A section 30 will see May damned if she does and damned if she doesn’t agree and that has been stated here on Wings many times and has been stated elsewhere by senior political figures.
The question is, Colin, why are you so ready to take whatever Westminster says as if it were true and factual?
The People of Scotland are legally sovereign – it has been the basis of Scots law since long before the Treaty of Union and it is stated as such in the Treaty of Union.
When you are sovereign your word is law and international law has long ago accepted it as fact. The International Law of the Seas acknowledges that Scotland has jurisdiction over both the 12 Mile Limit and the 200 Continental shelf limit.
International law also acknowledges that Scotland has her own independent rule of Law and it was proven that Scotland’s territory is her own and no one else’s when both the USA and Westminster tried to highjack the Lockerbie Bomber Trial. Washington claimed the trial because the crime was committed of a USA aircraft and the UK claimed it was committed in United Kingdom airspace.
Both Washington and Westminster were rule against when they attempted to claim to use their Rule Of Law to try the suspected person.
Both failed and the trial was conducted under the independent Scottish rule of law on what was designated as being temporary Scottish territory in a foreign, (neutral), country but which neutral country had no part in the trial.
Not only was the accused found guilty under Scots Law but Scotland imprisoned him in a Scottish Prison and The Scottish Government freed him on compassionate grounds against the very bitter wishes of both Washington and Westminster.
What more proof do you need, Colin? Not only does the World acknowledge Scots law is independent and her people are thus legally sovereign? If you are sovereign you need no one’s permission. The only problem is getting a majority of the legally sovereign people to agree. So why are you so set upon putting down your own country?
So Nicola will request a Section 30 but will not give a damn whether she gets one or not for it is win/win and May, and Westminster, knows it.
Welcome to Scotland (both of you).
This is the Scotland we aim for.
@jfngw
Jings! Ordinary folk telling them how it is eh.
Good for them.
Thanks for the link… good end to the day. 🙂
Met an old acquaintance today who is very intelligent and well adjusted in every way. Except for believing that Scotland is too poor to be able to afford its hospitals, schools and other public services, – and the oil & gas doesn’t amount to much. Yes, the BBC/MSM remain a formidable and effective enemy among the educated classes. Independence per se, is of little.value seemingly.
Hi Miguel.
Thumbs up! See you at the Counting House in Glasgow on 2nd March?
8=)
Jfngw sent this to Stv
Your looking for feedback on the QE2 Hospital in Glasgow.
i was a patient there for six weeks from mid june to end july 2015 , in fact the Queen officially opened it when I was a Patient.
I had two major operations, first one 6 hours long 2nd one 7 hours long, i spent a week in an induced coma, i spend 10 days in Critical Care, 20 days between 2 different Intensive care Wards and the rest in an Ensuite ward where the facilities, comfort and food would put many a hotel to shame. The staff from Catering to surgeon were incredible, i have been told by a relative who is a senior NHS worker at another hospital with forty years experience at hospitals in Glasgow and Ayrshire that if
I was anywhere else I would not have survived.
I am only writing this because of the expertise and facilities available at the qe2 Hospital
It sickens me to see a so called reputable News Organisation trolling for dirt on an amazing World Class Facility. I will no longer watch STV.
Regards
lenny Hartley
Isle of Arran
jfngw, that was good for a laugh!
I wish I did twitter so that I could add my several pennies worth on behalf of three members of my family – suffice to say I have nothing but praise and gratitude for the staff.
I do hope that the disgusting media feel suitably embarrassed by their attacks on the Scottish NHS and their attempts to use those to discredit the SNP.
It will always be the New Southern General to me as the expense of the name change rankles with me to this day.
Pointed out by a neighbour this week was a mysterious plaque naming our wee local park as Queen Elizabeth Field as of 2010 , I was singularly unimpressed by this sleekit act.
jfngw 9.56
Thanks for that link.
Ambulance-chasing STV ripped a new one!
The good side of twitter.
People make Glasgow
People make Edinburgh
People make Scotland
People like Miguel
Make Scotland better…
A very moving story.You and your partner, Miguel, are just the people Scotland needs.
Dons win, Gers lose and coupon up. What`s not to like!
I wonder if those tweets full of praise about the QE hospital will make it onto whatever it is STV were hoping to do?
The media is sick. Leave our NHS alone.
@Robert Peffers
I’ve already said I’ve written to the EU asserting Scotland’s people are sovereign and asking them to cancel Art.50. on the basis the process failed to obtain democratic consent from the sovereign people of Scotland.
That in the EU-Ref, despite EU-Ref being regarded as advisory, Scotland voted Remain. So, either Scotland has decided to Remain in the EU or were not consulted at all. Either way, such failure violates the integrity of the persons of Scotland and so violates the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and is maladministration by the UK State and EU Commmission etc and Scotland should not be dragged / kicked out the EU against the will of the sovereign people of that Kingdom.
So, will Art. 50 be cancelled by the EU Commission now that I’ve asserted Scotland’s sovereignty and cited the Claim of Right 1689 as legal evidence?
I’ve received an acknowledgement from them that my complaint was received. I will let you know of their reply, if I ever get one.
The Brexiteers are calling up the big hitters now.
Must have missed the lecture that mentioned the EU during my Religious Studies degree.
link to twitter.com
Just catching up for first time today.
Literally brought tears to my eyes reading this. Thank you so much for coming to live here, makes me feel heart proud to see mair soul Scots arriving hame for the battle. 😉
fngw says:
23 January, 2019 at 9:56 pm
Doesn’t look like this thread is going the way STV hoped.
link to twitter.com
STV, looking for stories using the ‘Better Call Saul’ technique.
Brilliant 🙂
And in case I forget the post above
Any foreigner who can write this about Scotland
“It has plenty of numpties and bawbags walking around”
is more than welcome.
Oh that Stv thread is just fantastic!
GIRUTFLOT
Paraphrasing
Scotland is a voluntary member of the United Kingdom and as such may leave that membership by choice by a free and fair plebiscite on the right of self determination as laid down in United Nations charters
Antonio Guterres Sec Gen UN
Then a whole load of stuff about not commenting on specifics of domestic politics and resolutions and non interference of states in referendums
A traveler came upon an old farmer hoeing in his field beside the road. Eager to rest his feet, the wanderer hailed the countryman, who seemed happy enough to straighten his back and talk for a moment.
“What sort of people live in the next town?” asked the stranger.
“What were the people like where you’ve come from?” replied the farmer, answering the question with another question.
“They were a bad lot. Troublemakers all, and lazy too. The most selfish people in the world, and not a one of them to be trusted. I’m happy to be leaving the scoundrels.”
“Is that so?” replied the old farmer. “Well, I’m afraid that you’ll find the same sort in the next town.
Disappointed, the traveler trudged on his way, and the farmer returned to his work.
Some time later another stranger, coming from the same direction, hailed the farmer, and they stopped to talk. “What sort of people live in the next town?” he asked.
“What were the people like where you’ve come from?” replied the farmer once again.
“They were the best people in the world. Hard working, honest, and friendly. I’m sorry to be leaving them.”
“Fear not,” said the farmer. “You’ll find the same sort in the next town.”
In case anyone missed it…
link to wingsoverscotland.com
@t42
Never heard that before but very good.
Great story. So nice to read in a world gone mad – what with Trump, Brexit and Cosgrove scoring for fun.
Nice of you to join us, Miguel.
PS. The Netherlands are way colder (but drier) in the winter.
A very warm welcome to you Miguel and your partner. Lang may yer lum reek.
I have worked in the catering industry for 24 years and I have met people from all over the world who come to live and work in Scotland. I have made many friends in that time and so many of them have said how much they love Scotland.
I think for a while I couldn’t really understand why they would think it was good and praised it so much but the thing they say most is that the people are generally warm, friendly and welcoming.
I felt strongly during the brexit debate that the arguments I was hearing just didn’t even apply to Scotland. In that respect I suppose it must have highlighted to many folk here that England’s wants or needs simply don’t match Scotland’s.
Since that shameful campaign I can only hope that Scotland remains a distinctive nation in a lot of ways and chooses to forge it’s own path while always striving to improve our lot. I hope choosing independence is just the start of a massive boost to our aspirations seeing as they are constantly managed downwards as part of the so called union with our neighbours. We have true friends to be made in Europe, ones that won’t put us down at every step.
Interesting but since they put the chances of a no deal at just 5% I’ll take this analysis with a pinch of salt.
The likelihood of a second Brexit referendum being held to break the political deadlock over the issue has “risen sharply”, data has suggested.
Forecasting group the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) put the probability of another poll at 50 per cent, up from 30 per cent following similar analysis two weeks ago.
Sorry tried archiving the article but didn’t work.
link to standard.co.uk
great post!
here’s a song for you
link to youtube.com
Anyone any idea what the actual point was of Nicolas meeting May?
Are the Tories just doing ‘optics’?
You all know it’s a typo, but I’ll correct it anyway…Nicola not Nicolas
Ian B, Ronnie, sorry can’t make it. I’m in Inverness tomorrow night. Have a great time.
schrodingers cat @ 21:18:
Ah, I see. Because as soon as Nicola makes a formal S.30 request (which BTW she has never yet done), May will call a UKGE to thwart it. So instead we have to wait until the Tories decide to call a UKGE all by themselves for their own reasons sometime in the next 3 years, then Nicola gets “permission” to make her call for an S.30. Because we will be in control then (?) and the call will inevitably be granted and succeed. (??)
Oh my giddy aunt. Paralysed by fear, bereft of initiative, waiting passively for the Tories to call the shots and control the timing when it best suits them, sometime after Brexit is a done deal and become the new normal. That’s a strategy??!
I just hope this kind of defeatist thinking isn’t in any way typical of the leadership of the SNP, or we are royally stuffed, and 2017 will come to be seen as a roaring success compared to the plummet in support to come.
Thankfully, I believe Nicola has more spirit and sounder thinking than this.
an ACE post Miguel … your most Welcome !!
Kin yis play fitba?
Bearing in mind that May called for a meeting with Nicola after she had already decided what was going to happen & was to tell her such, here is just a thought regarding S30.
Nicola decides, after all is said & done, maybe just after Brexshit, to publicly declare a date for Indyref AND THEN INFORM MAY. Out of politeness, Nicola would then ask her to sign S30.
As Mr Peffers has already informed us, as the people of Scotland, in the eyes of the world (except perhaps England) are sovereign, this is not a legal requirement. This is just to endorse the integrity, the transparent goodwill to be expected from a Nation that is known worldwide for it’s warm welcoming outlook on life.
Somehow, I feel that May would realise she is on a hiding to nothing. Should the above suggestion be adopted, we should make sure that the rest of the world is watching, Our political, economic, & inventive history to the things people take for granted, telephone, TV, tyres, etc. would become known.
I don’t think the industrial nations of this world would look favourably in doing much business with an introvert rUK. They are unaware of the morals of life, TTR, Truth, Trust, Respect.
@4:13 I already asked if either could take a free kick (in homage to their fellow countryman Cristiano Ronaldo) but it was ignored by all and sundry. Was I asking too much?
Cant say ive felt much pride in being Scottish over the last few years. Ill blame the yoons for that. However reading articles such as this sparks it right back into you. Cheers & Welcome!
cearc nae worries its only for a few hours we wouldn’t like you to end up with pneumonia, take care of yourself .
Big Hugs XX.
cannae sleep?
great play from 1975
comedians.
link to youtube.com
1979
Off, topic the bbc is going to look very silly with their downbeat down market too wee, too poor and too stupid programs when Scotland becomes independant and one off the richest countries in the world.
Links
What matters is what *Scotland* wants.
link to youtube.com
link to gov.scot
link to thoughtcontrolscotland.com
link to barrheadboy.com
WATCH: Denis is a serving soldier in the British Army and his daughter is being denied a visa because the Home Office don’t consider he has spent enough time with her.
link to twitter.com
Constitutional opportunity coming up fast.
link to facebook.com
link to itisintruthnotforglory.wordpress.com
link to thenational.scot
This is worth watching
What has got into the English? Lesley Riddoch asks why have they vented their spleen on Europe instead of Westminster. A discussion with Anthony Barnett and Fintan O’Toole. Chair: Lesley Riddoch.
link to youtube.com
Also at the convention – James O’Brien and Jonathan Coe discussing Brexit
Fact, Fiction and Brexit
link to youtube.com
link to leftfootforward.org
link to lesleyriddoch.com
Remember when BT told us the banks would all leave if we voted YES
link to archive.is
The Integrity Initiative, a registered Scottish charity, which has received more than £2m in funding from @foreignoffice has locked its twitter account and erased all content from its website.
link to twitter.com
link to unherd.com
link to prospectmagazine.co.uk
link to project-syndicate.org
link to inews.co.uk
https://sg.news.yahoo.com/amphtml/dutch-250-firms-interested-brexit-move-143308093–finance.html
link to bloomberg.com
Nick Timothy fails at politics so walks straight into British sport’s blazer class
link to archive.is
Astonishing. Updated MPs register of interests reveals that ex-Brexit Secretary David Davis has landed a job advising JCB (Tory donor Anthony Bamford’s firm) for £3000 AN HOUR. Nice work if you can get it
link to twitter.com
link to businessinsider.com
EU readies support for fishermen if hit by no-deal Brexit
link to archive.is
link to voxpoliticalonline.com
Anyone else feel like screaming?
link to thecanary.co
link to ucl.ac.uk
High Court told senior Murdoch executives and line managers allegedly covered up crimes…
link to byline.com
New shipping routes needed for ‘no-deal’ Brexit medicine supplies
link to archive.is
link to gponline.com
link to politico.eu
Trash get-together
link to twitter.com
Welcome to Scotland guys. If you watched The outlaw King you might like this
Exclusive: Outlaw King River Chase Deleted Scene
link to youtube.com
According to Guardian person on Twitter Nigel Farage says “better to go for second referendum than this deal and says will end up with “biggest Anglosaxon” fingers up”
Proves Brexit is an English project.
I don’t do Anglosaxon and neither should any real Scot.
Aweright Miguel, cheers for sharing yer positive vibes with Scotland.
Lookin’ forward to seeing ye’s all later this evening Wingers…
Gonna pop into Tam’s shop fur some water-pistols for the SiU crue.
link to tamshepherdstrickshop.co.uk
Let’s soak em hehe… it would certainly beat eggs!
link to ruthwishart.scot
No thanks
link to twitter.com
Wee Highland cash coos for Westminster.
link to twitter.com
link to indyscotnews.com
Do you like radio interviews…
link to youtube.com
Have you ever heard this one?
It’s just a ride!
@K1 says: 24 January, 2019 at 12:38 am:
” … Anyone any idea what the actual point was of Nicolas meeting May?”
It was for Nicola to tell May that Scotland will hold an indyref2 referendum and/or otherwise end the United Kingdom.
Ignoring the English exceptionalism that claims that, “Britain”, will exit the European Union when the fact is that, “Britain”, is not an EU state so Britain cannot exit the European Union.
However, that exposes another little anomaly so here’s a wee thought for you.
If Scotland’s legally sovereign people decide that the legally bipartite United Kingdom union is over then there is not even a United Kingdom to make an exit from the European union.
This obviously bounces the ball right into the European Union’s court. They can play with it as they choose. After all, if the United Kingdom ends with one of the only two member kingdoms declaring the agreement made by the Treaty of Union has ended, there is no remaining United Kingdom member state either in or out of the European Union.
That leaves the individual kingdoms, now BOTH again independent, and the EU has to decide which, or neither, is the successor member state. Here though is the irony – Westminster is not legally the parliament of the country of England for there has been no parliament of either the kingdom or the country of England since 1 May 1707 when, “The United Kingdom”, parliament first sat at Westminster.
Just who can the European Parliament legally negotiate with?
Westminster legally represents both partner member kingdoms – it does not thus legally represent either the country or the kingdom of England alone.
The English nationalism and exceptionalism has blinded them to the real fact that Westminster is not the actual parliament of England but is the two partner United Kingdom parliament.
Anyone care to prove any of the above to not be the true legal standing of the Westminster parliament?
It boils down to a very simple fact. The independent rule of Law of the two United Kingdom partners in the United Kingdom have remained, as is guaranteed in the Treaty of Union, independent from the 1 May 1707 until the present day.
That being so there is no legal way for the parliament of the two member kingdoms to claim its sovereignty overrules one or other of the member kingdoms. It cannot assume to be the parliament of only one member kingdom. which is exactly what Westminster has done. It set itself up as the de facto parliament of England and proceeded to devolve a few English powers unequally down to only three of the United Kingdoms four countries but there is no actual parliament of England.
In any case the union is a union of kingdoms and only three of the four United Kingdom countries are parts of the kingdom of England and everything about that devolution is illegal.
@Nana
Mornin’ Nana. Great crop as usual. 🙂
Standout on the Convention vids and yes, the Mirror piece on business flight is no shocker.
link to independent.co.uk
On yesterday’s staged drama by May and the baker’s dozen? Saw that coming a mile off and pretty certain the SG did too. Yesterday was a ‘put you in your place’ kinda statement and it reeks. A mixture of arrogance, ignorance, false entitlement and… desperation.
One what I writ at the tail end of last year:
link to weegingerdug.wordpress.com
No. Mainly I won’t be respecting the result of 2014 anymore. If those who won that ballot can’t be arsed respecting their pledges, their assurance and their ‘vows’? I’m really struggling to see why we should. (shrugs)
Ooops! Sorry about mucking up the bolding in my last comment. That’s the second time I’ve done so recently. I need to be more careful with the HTML tags
Fantastico!!
Morning Macart, glad you found something of interest in the links.
As for ‘respecting’ the 2014 vote, I feel my blood pressure rising.
Ta for this Sam
link to weegingerdug.wordpress.com
Robert Peffers,
What is your take on the UK Supreme Court?
It was set up to retain some judicial control over the independent Scottish system. How legal was that? Can they really legislate over Scotland in this way?
I appreciate the people of Scotland are sovereign, and our legal system has been independent for centuries (if not forever). However, the recent shenanigans about the Article 50 ruling (moving the goalposts after the event) should be a wake up call. I expect the SC to be fully utilised by the BritNats in a serious attempt to thwart coming Scottish legislation on referendums, Scottish EU membership etc. Can we deal with this Kangaroo effectively?
@Robert J. Sutherland says: 24 January, 2019 at 3:20 am:
Stop posting utter pish, Robert.
Neither Nicola, or the SG, nor anyone else for that matter, needs Westminster or May’s permission to hold a referendum.
A section 30 is not, in any case, permission to hold a referendum. It is all parties concerned agreeing to legally abide by the result of a particular referendum. In any case Westminster has set a precedent with the EU referendum in that there was no agreement the results were enforceable upon the Westminster Government but Theresa has since always claimed that she must carry out the results.
As there were no prior agreements for Westminster to abide by the EU referendum result then it remains the norm that all referendum to be purely advisory unless by prior commitment to abide by the result. No such commitment was made so May chooses to make the result ironclad and not advisory.
That now changes the goal posts and Nicola can hold a referendum and make it stick if she chooses to do so. Even a child can see the open goal Theresa has provided.
When Nicola calls Indyref2 she now has the option to call it advisory if the result is not a majority to leave but can insist, like May, that the result must be carried out if a majority is achieved.
May’s stupidity has already been her downfall and there is no signs that she is about to become less stupid in the foreseeable future. She is like a zombie, dead but hasn’t the sense to lie down yet.
Nicola & Co/SNP won the elections in Scotland.
May and the Tories lost the election in the UK. Propped up by criminals in the DUP.
The Tories could not make a bigger mess. A complete shambles. It is disgraceful.
May is a malicious liar. A nasty person. The unionists can be voted out of Scotland in 2+ years. An IndyRef.
Alex Salmond arrested claim Herald website
Former First Minister @AlexSalmond was arrested by Police Scotland and is expected to appear in court this afternoon
link to twitter.com
Alex Salmond – all news outlets breaking news at the same time.
Just sayin’.
AS arrested.
BREAKING NEWS:
Sky News reporting Alex Salmond has been arrested and will appear in court this afternoon.
Lol, it looks like it is going to be wall to wall SNP Bad for the next few years.
Well if nothing else it will make a change from Brexshit.
Remember folks,it is an offence to write anything at all about an ongoing court case. You can and will be prosecuted, because sites like this will be under scrutiny.
If AS has been arrested it means Westminster expects indyref2 to be called very shortly.
Bastards
What the hell is going on
@ Guardian ‘Alex Salmond arrested’.
An absolute disgrace. The unionists are at it again.
Evans will have to be arrested. For her illegal actions,
When Alex wins again. False allegations will be thrown out.
Another unionist plot. Psycho bastards. Losers. They will pay at the ballot box.
One_Scot says:
24 January, 2019 at 9:43 am
Lol, it looks like it is going to be wall to wall SNP Bad for the next few years.
Well if nothing else it will make a convenient diversion from Brexshit.
Corrected that for you, one_Scot. Hope you don’t mind!
May will pay for this.
Place your bets, Indyref or General Election imminent?
Dirty lying pigs
I’m going to bold your comment Bob, just for those who are tempted to ‘leap’ into any kind of speculation about this.
‘Remember folks,it is an offence to write anything at all about an ongoing court case. You can and will be prosecuted, because sites like this will be under scrutiny.’
AS is not the SNP nor the Independence movement don’t let this provoke unsolicited comments and give the powers that be an excuse to shut down sites like this.
Nana says
That article leads to another ….
link to businessinsider.com
Basically, REAL unemployment is about 20%. Which is something we knew, just look around you!
If unemplyment really was ~5% then we would see skilled employees calling the shots and wages rising. The demand would be for people to fill jobs, not the other way round. There SHOULD be wage inflation, there isn’t.
So next time a BritNat numpty tells you unemployment is low, destroy their assertion with ease!
Wee Eck’s inocence or guilt will be demonstrated in court – but, I see his arrest, at this time, as being a pointer to the Establishment being very-worried about what will happen in the upcoming Indyref2.
To conspiracy theorists of an Independence mind, the timing seems very suspicious – as if they want Eck out of the game during the Indyref2 campaign and afterwards.
I wonder if Paddy Power is offering odds on a “Not Proven” verdict – should it ever come to court.
Legal experts might be able to tell me. I know, once Eck is charged, the case becomes “Live”, and comment is banned, but, does the 110-day rule apply – or was this scrapped?
Stinking civil servant bastards.
Lol, that’s actually what I meant to type. 🙂
Barnier says time-limited Irish backstop not possible
link to archive.is
Aberdeen’s deputy provost charged over alleged sexual assault
link to archive.is
The old ex regio con trick
link to twitter.com
see here
link to wingsoverscotland.com
That’s all for now.
Do not bet distracted folks. Indyref is coming soon so we need to focus on the ultimate prize.
Absolutely furious. Beyond rage
SKy stinking lies
Socrates, comment may be banned but I am willing to bet it won’t stop innuendo and speculation by the MSM ad nauseam.
And with no Brexit vote until January 29th, it looks like the Alex Salmond story is going to be the only game in town.
James Matthews of Sky News (the little Scots BritNat bastard reporter) last seen cummin in his pants in the middle of Princes St on hearing this breaking news.
Aye! It has started this fear of Independence.
Scotland such a poor wee country with no resources needs looking after. 🙁
An update on the Parnell opening gambit?
Unionist plants trying to destroy Scotland. Killing off the population.
SKy wee naff.
Time for Indyref2 now. The Salmond smear tactic is the final straw from this vile UK Establishment.
Salmond arrested…
But seems the press cant report why ?
Very odd given most of the details of his case already been printed in Daily Record.
Weirdly, Aberdeen’s depute provost Alan Donnelly has been charged with sexual assault today.
He’s been a very lucky boy with the timing, hasn’t he?
link to bbc.co.uk
😐
Jezza@10.07am
A coarse comment by a coarse person.
Why do you think it is acceptable to post a comment saying that a border guard is a legitimate target for gunmen? What was your motivation for posting this comment on the previous thread ?Trying to tarnish Wings with comments inciting violence?
Their rattled about Scotland giving them the boot.
Can anyone remember which American politician spread the rumour that his opponent had sex with his pigs, from the 50s or 60s?
This is an obvious attempt to derail independence
Sky news report that Alex has been arrested for CONTEMPT OF COURT and NOT the sexual allegations which he vehemently denies.
> Sky news report that Alex has been arrested for CONTEMPT OF COURT
Ironic – given Daily Record already published all details of the case!
Anyone smell a rat ?
Seriously this should be the last straw (though I sadly doubt it will be).
STOP playing Westminster’s game as its one they will never let us win.Ever. As May had made clear in every utterance it is a fear of losing Scotland and all that entails is the thing that scares them most.
Why the hell do we ask for permission ? Eh give me a break please.
@Ken500
I think you’ve forgotten to take your meds today
Try a lie down.
Cubby
Harassing me again.
The comment about the border post guards being targets came from interviews I heard on the news yesterday.
What’s your point caller???
Interesting timing.
TheBuchanLoony says:
24 January, 2019 at 10:25 am
Sky news report that Alex has been arrested for CONTEMPT OF COURT and NOT the sexual allegations which he vehemently denies.
Well, there’s a few media outlets that are going to be facing defamation suits, if that’s the case, as they are reporting his arrest as relating to sex offences!
As some imply in order to deflect the publics attention away from Brexit to try and undermine the leaders of Scottish independence.
We will get wall to wall coverage from the British nationalist media, not just over Alex Salmond, there’s also Natalie McGarry case as well.
Jezza@10.32am
In your previous post
YOU said border guards were a LEGITIMATE target for gunmen. You never mentioned media reports.
YOU never said that the media was wrong to make that comment. You said it – own it and retract it.
I think I have made my point Jezza.
You have personally abused me on approx 15 posts and you make the pathetic claim that I am harassing you. Pathetic. Your comment was coarse.
> Sky news report that Alex has been arrested for CONTEMPT OF COURT
Is that true ? Or can media simply not report what he has been arrested for “under contempt of court act” ?
Peter , they will dig them all up and hint ,imply and smear away , however I think that there are more and more people aware of the inaccuracies , lies and general spinning .
Lol, the BBC News website main story, ‘Alex Salmond has been arrested but we don’t know what for’.
You could not make this shit up. Can the BBC make it any more obvious that they are nothing more than a propaganda outlet for the British State.
The BritNat Establishment (WM, Judiciary, Police, MSM, Royals) seems to be in meltdown.
For decades, they have gotten away with their dirty business in the shadows. Well, well, now the constitutional situation has become so bad (and so exposed due to social media), they have been forced to play dirty in the open, for all to see. Over-playing their hand badly. At least half of Scotland (and the rUK for that matter) are now on to them.
Not a pretty sight.
Alex Salmond – Contempt of Court and not sexual misconduct.
This stinks to high heaven of an Establishment stitch-up.
I can just see the “Sir Humphreys” in secret conclave – “Just get that fat Sweatie shut-up for the duration of this Independence Referendum campaign – stuck a charge, any bloody charge on him, but, he must be silenced.”
Still, it will be nice if the Record, the Sun, the Herald, the Daily Mail, the Scotsman, BBC Shortbread, Sky etc., all end-up contributing to his defence costs.
Somethings about to break.
If Alex Salmond needs to be taken out beforehand, it must be big. 🙂
Alex, if you need another crowd funder – I’m in.
Contempt of Court – the letter of the Law from the Fiscal’s Office
link to threadreaderapp.com
Cubby my old sunshine,,,,,let it go.
You are only torturing yourself.
I think they call it “self harming”.
IMO you need medical attention.
Have you tried phoning the Samaritans???
Does this not mean that FMQ’s today now can be about something relevant to Scotland’s politics -Like brexit and stuff, so Carlaw and Leonard better be careful with questions!?