A thousand miles of stupid
Even we can’t quite believe this one, readers.
Good grief, where do we even start?
Let’s try taking it one thing at a time.
1. Having the leader of your supposed mortal enemy appear to be your frontman, making your (real) arguments for you. Wow. All the wow. Wow Plus. Wow Max.
2. Nobody believes you. Just shouting it some more won’t work.
3. It’s really hard to convince people that the Tories desperately want the SNP to win votes when the Tories have just launched not one but TWO posters saying “Don’t vote for the SNP, because it’ll let Labour in”.
All you’re achieving between you there is to tell people that BOTH of the big two parties are terrified of an SNP vote, at exactly the moment in history when the electorate is actively looking for ways to punish the big two parties. Genius.
4. The core premise is a complete, obvious and provable lie. It is categorically NOT “a simple fact that the single biggest party gets to form a government”. Labour negotiated for a coalition in 2010 despite having fewer seats than the Conservatives. Labour’s own Lord Mandelson pointed out why:
There is NO rule, even a convention, that says the biggest party gets first dibs in the event of a hung Parliament. Shortly after that 2010 election a UK government paper discussed the procedures. Here’s part of page 17:
Paragraph 2.12 of the official Cabinet Manual published in 2011 confirmed it:
And even if you do get first try after that, you still have to win a vote. If the SNP held the balance of power and didn’t back the Tories – as they’ve unequivocally said they won’t – then the Tories don’t get to form the government.
If challenged by any even quarter-competent journalist, Labour will have no option but to admit that the claim is totally untrue. (And this isn’t the referendum any more – someone actually might make that challenge.)
5. By a small but clear margin, Scottish voters in the seats Labour is defending – including more than a third of Labour’s own supporters – would rather have David Cameron as the Prime Minister than Ed Miliband anyway. They’d probably rather have the Plasticine model of Wallace as Prime Minister than Ed Miliband.
What the video is in fact saying, therefore, is “Don’t vote SNP or you risk getting the Prime Minister you’d actually prefer”.
6. Scotland voted massively Labour in 2010, but got a Tory government anyway. The same thing also happened in 1992, 1987, 1983 and 1979. People aren’t total idiots, and they do remember that voting Labour is no protection from the Tories. Voting in dozens of SNP MPs is at least an approach they haven’t tried yet.
7. The SNP have expressly ruled out any deal with the Tories. Labour haven’t.
8. And we haven’t even begun on the sheer patheticness of the message you’re sending voters when all you’ve got to offer by way of a sales pitch is “Don’t vote for the party you want, because your democracy is such a broken stitch-up that your only real choice is between two other parties you despise”.
We’re reeling, folks. Actually reeling. We’ve downloaded that video for safekeeping, because unless the last of the kangaroos has finally escaped Labour’s paddock and thrown itself off a cliff it’ll be gone by the end of the day.
Ffs what can you say, idiots
On top of that, its quite simply the most badly constructed video I have EVER seen.
Its like something my old mum would have knocked up if she even knew what a computer was.
Wee dugs and sausage rolls.
Kinda fun watching them vanish up their own arses though isn’t it
A very tiny part of me is secretly glad we lost the referendum, because watching the slow motion car crash of the British Labour party in Scotland, is worth every minute.
Rev, even if you had sat down and plotted something for a year, or even if you had been granted 3 wishes, and one of those wishes was a against BLAB, then you could not have done better than this.
Very rarely do political commentators get to witness a party dying before an election. Savour the moment.
Sigh!
The old “vote SNP get Tory” chestnut is about to be blasted ad nauseaum by BBC Labour over the next 12 weeks. Not that it makes sense, it’s just that the red tories have nothing else to say. Zilch.
Brace yourselves.
“No,” said Ford, who by this time was a little more rational and coherent than he had been, having finally had the coffee forced down him, “nothing so simple. Nothing anything like so straightforward. On its world, the people are people. The leaders are lizards. The people hate the lizards and the lizards rule the people.”
“Odd,” said Arthur, “I thought you said it was a democracy.”
“I did,” said Ford. “It is.”
“So,” said Arthur, hoping he wasn’t sounding ridiculously obtuse, “why don’t people get rid of the lizards?”
“It honestly doesn’t occur to them,” said Ford. “They’ve all got the vote, so they all pretty much assume that the government they’ve voted in more or less approximates to the government they want.”
“You mean they actually vote for the lizards?”
“Oh yes,” said Ford with a shrug, “of course.”
“But,” said Arthur, going for the big one again, “why?”
“Because if they didn’t vote for a lizard,” said Ford, “the wrong lizard might get in. Got any gin?”
“What?”
–Douglas Adams
“If challenged by any even quarter-competent journalist” …. now what are the chances of finding one of those in the MSM in Scotland :
Mad as a box of frogs…
Panic in the air see the headless chickens running……….
The Lib Dems are going with vote SNP and you’ll get Independance
What an awful thought…He He He
Missing – Skippy – reward offered.
Utter nonsense and lies.
The party (or parties) that get to form a government are those that can get a majority in the House of Commons.
Imagine if 8 political parties each won 65 seats, one party won 66 seats and another party won 64 seats.
How would the party with 66 seats, the single largest party, automatically get to form a government? All it would take to block that party from being in government would be for enough of the 64 or 65 seat parties to get together to support an alternative government.
Labour must really think the electorate are ignorant of even basic arithmetic if they believe that voters will fall for the crap claims in that video.
If the Tories win it will be because Labour failed to convince the electorate that they were fit for government.
Slightly OT: In the Guardian’s analysis article on the Ashcroft poll they noted that Nicola Sturgeon was the most popular political leader in the UK by a wide margin and even a high %age of Labour voters rated her highly especially compared to their own leader. So no wonder Labour and the Tories are spitting tacks but firing blanks
When will BBC / MSM point out to Murphy that in 2010 we
voted Labour but got Tory.
Despite Scotland returning 40 Labour MPs to Westminster..
It was Labour who ushered in a Tory government as they shunned the constructive approach to a progressive alliance by the SNP which would have had a working majority in the House of Commons comprising of Labour, Lib Dems, all the Scottish Welsh and Irish parties (except Unionists who back the Tories) and the Green MP, but backwoodsmen like Ed Balls treated the Lib Dem negotiators with contempt.
Labour’s tribal hatred of the SNP caused them to ditch the “progressive alliance” which would have had a clear majority of seats in Westminster.
Given the proposed boundary changes which will eliminate Labour’s chances of ever getting a majority in England, do Labour voters in Scotland really prefer living in a permanent Con Dem Nation rather than vote for independence.
Official confirmation that David Cameron is the leader of the Conservative and Labour Party.
Tories Together are simply attacking the idea of a block of MPs standing up for Scotland.
So as it stands….
Labour: “Vote SNP and you’ll get Tory!”
Conservatives: “Vote SNP and you’ll get Labour!”
LibDems: “Vote SNP and you’ll get Independence!”
Have any of them not considered trying “Vote for us because we’ll do …..”, rather than constantly re-enforcing how scared they all are of the SNP?
Is this a spoof? What is with the little “ding” noise towards the end, is that meant to be there?
And it is a blatant cut-and-paste montage of different clips, Cameron never actually said that thing… I mean usually people do that for humorous reasons to put patently untrue and ridiculius words into someone’s mouth.
And it’s so badly done I have played it about 10 times and I can’t actually work out what he is supposed to be saying, I don’t think it’s his accent that is causing me trouble… can anyone help?
So you say it’s not the largest party that get the first crack? Hmmm … if you say so. What’s that, it’s the existing government? But that’s the Tories too? D’oh!
And, erm, what happened in the 2010 GE? Scotland voted fecking Labour and who did we get? Aye–the fecking Tories.
Vote Labour and be absolutely fecking certain of getting Tories–blue or red. Fat lot of good Voting Labour does anyone in Scotland.
Time to change the script. Time to try something different. Time to rock the boat, upset the apple-cart.
Feel that breeze… feel those winds of change…
I think they don’t know that you should never put your opponents photo on your own election material.
Today’s announcement of SNP candidate selections in various seats are as follow;
Deirdre Brock – Edinburgh North & Leith
Anne McGlaughlin – Glasgow North East
Lisa Cameron – East Kilbride
Emma Harper – Dumfrieshire, Clydesdale & Tweedale
Kirsty Blackman – Aberdeen North
Peter Grant – Glenrothes
Doug Chapman – Dunfermline & West Fife
Callum McCaig – Aberdeen South
Brendan O’Hara – Argyll & Bute
Ronnie Cowan – Inverclyde
Angela Crawley – Lanark & Hamilton East
Calum Kerr – Berwickshire, Roxburgh & Selkirk
Owen Thomson – Midlothian
Marion Fellows – Motherwell & Wishaw
Patricia Gibson – North Ayrshire & Arran
Martyn Day – Linlithgow & Falkirk East
Mhairi Black – Paisley & Renfrewshire South
Gavin Newlands – Paisley & Renfrewshire North
Martin Docherty – West Dunbartsonshire
Stu Donaldson – West Aberdeenshire & Kincardine
Opened the video in youtube:
“Comments are disabled for this video.”
Says it all, really…
Gosh, you would have thought the Red and Blue Tories would keep each other up to date on their latest scare tactic propaganda to prevent such an embarrassment.
I think about the kangaroos in Labour’s paddock. I think about cartoon kangaroos with Ed Miliband’s face. Then, inevitably, I remember the Rolf Harris cartoon kangaroos, and it all starts to go very wrong.
If you haven’t already done so,
read Mark Ferguson in Labourlist on the Ashcroft poll.
You will love it !!
http://labourlist.org/2015/02/scottish-labour-is-going-down-in-flames-and-taking-milibands-chance-of-a-majority-with-them/
As our American cousins say: The stupid, it BURNS!
Thanks for posting that list Marcia. Congrats to all the successful candidates, let’s give them the backing they need to get the job done!
Well done to Gavin in Paisley & Renfrewshire North. I know him, and I’ve met Jim Sheridan (the current MP), and of the two I believe that Gav is the better person.
Please Peter (Glenrothes) and Douglas (Dunfermline) can you both watch the electoral registers don’t go missing this time!
Murphy having a quiet day today and BBC radio Scotland seem to be full of weather reports , road traffic reports and other warm stories including a dog with new home and vanishing spray for referees.
Funny old world init.
Labour are taking a bit of a spanking in the local newspaper today. 4 anti labour letters, one from one of our wingers letter writing team.
Doesn’t stop the local MP peddling a couple of the old myths though in his column this week.
viz:-
Labour is the party that fought for devolution, and the SNP let Thatcher in.
Thanks to Stu’s articles, these myths are easily debunked. Keyboard’s clicking right now.
OMG, they are in full panic mode already with months to go. Popcorn time, this is going to be fun 🙂
Spring is but a few weeks away, and a spring clean of politics to rid Scotland of these tawdry unionist politicians and of Westminster is a task worth the doing.
Spring clean list of things to do:
Be an activist, get involved with your local SNP or Greens or SSP group.
Support the National and the Sunday Herald, they are our means to combat MSM.
Be optimistic. Remember just how simply enjoyable was the Yes campaign.
Just a small note but:
1. Eck is not an MP.
2. Eck is not leader of the SNP MPs at Westminster even if he is elected, the SNP membership elected Stuart Hosie to that role
3. Nicola has made it very clear she will lead any negotiation with the Labour Party on a support by issue agreement on there being a hung Westminster Parliament.
Apart from that …… well …. facepalm …
Great to see Mhairi Black on that list
Seems the kangaroo’s jumped out of the Labour paddock and right over the shark.
Complete incompetents at media management and human resource management or darkly, subversive and obfuscating in a smoke and mirrors/confuse the voter way, or a bit of both –
your verdict on Labour (Scottish or otherwise)?
CAN they be that inept and incompetent because I do not want them to be the sole governing body if they are?
Meanwhile SNP show responsive representation (fracking) and accessibility and accountability (wee exchange between McWhirter and our Nicola this morning). And in power have delivered what they promised: done what it said on the tin, without self-interest.
WHOMEVER wins I want Alex and his team on watch and having my back and that of the whole of Scotland (and possibly Wales, maybe even England).
It might be in the interests of the average English voter to have a large block of responsible, accountable, representative MPs who turn up and vote (ok English matters is different)…..
As all this unfolds I’m genuinely stunned at how incompetent and deceitful Labour are. Half the time I’m wondering if they are actually trying to lose the election.
Can they really be this clueless? Imagine the damage they’d cause if they got into power without the SNP holding their lead.
“Vote Labour. OR ELSE!”
Pathetic.
I think the headline on this page is very misleading – without wanting to exaggerate it is clearly a Million miles of stupid, at least…
‘But, curiously,when you look at the impact of these pollson the most recent projection, the most likely next government remains UNCHANGED. Some sort of Labour-SNP alliance…’
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/datablog/2015/feb/04/scotland-poll-shows-a-nation-on-the-verge-of-abandoning-labour?CMP=share_btn_fb
More Labour pish.
@ Rosa Alba
Absolutely – I cannot think of anything that the SNP vote on in WM, that would be detrimental to the real people of the rUK.
So no policies from Labour. Just more ‘SNP bad’ pish. All Red Ed’s policies have been REDactED.
That was poor reporting on the STV news at 6 on the Ashcroft polls.
Overall air of foreboding.
Labour’s viewpoint given throughout – Murphy lying about only the largest party gets to form a government.
Danger of letting the Tories back in.. how many seats labour would be forced to make up in England. Scotland could suffer the consequences, still time to change your vote..
No mention of the alternative scenario of having to do a deal with the SNP.
Marcia keep up the good work.
Just checked out your list and see that Mhairi Black has been nominated as the SNP candidate for Paisley South. I voted for Mhairi in our local candidate election. That will be her up against Douglas Alexander in May.
Oh what a fine day this is turning out to be.
So that’s Labour’s election “strategy” is it. Banging the “Vote SNP, Get The Tories” drum till blood pours out our ears? Jaysus!
(They really do need to change their tune. Scotland stopped dancing to that one after 2010…)
Scotland didn’t just vote Labour and got the Tories in the 2010 GE, they voted Labour and got the Tories AND Danny Alexander.
Explain that one Murphy.
Oh my, Jimbo’s bitter the gither team, no going too well is it.
On the 19th September I remember how sad and depressed I felt, then the next day kinda picked masel up a bit. Hubby, who was equally disappointed reckoned the referendum had been too soon, but we’ll dae it next time. Maybe 5 to 10 years. Little did I think that the chickens would be coming home to roost this far out from the GE.
I never thought that I would enjoy politics as much ever again. I was wrong, I wouldn’t miss all this fun for anything.
When you start seeing things like this … I assume it is meant to be some sort of political advert, although to be honest I am not that sure … it looks and appears more like a comedy slot that would be more at home in Rory Bremner’s new comedy show on a Tuesday night! 😛
I’ve just caught a glimpse of BBC (DIS)reporting Scotland and all I heard were a mass of tears bouncing off the studio floor. The actual noise was deafening! In fact it was so loud I had to rev ert to lip reading to read what was being said. Even that wasn’t much better though because oor wee Jackie Bird’s bottom lip wouldnae stop quivvering! 😀
@kalmar
Bravo for that post…big smile here
🙂
@Onwards
Yes. The ‘official’ narrative of the STV bulletin was framed around the premise that should the SNP succeed, Cameron would get into No 10. Their intent was clear as day.
As mentioned on the other thread, they are just as bad as the BBC.
Labour. Labour lying. Labour lying – doggo. Woof woof! Where are you?
That video was funny but this line on LabourList is an absolute peach:
Margaret Curran – the hardworking Shadow Scotland Secretary and one of the quiet heroes of the referendum campaign
In my youth I had Monty Python. Now I have SLab.
Postmodern as hell. Utter Murphiness, MacTernabunga and MacDougalooloodom.
But has Brown always meant to go down as a clown? Flaunting his inner nincompoop?
He He He! 😛
Just heard a claim by SKY News that Murph the Smurph is claiming Labour will see off the S.N.P. in Scotland.
I just wish these journalists would cease making only HALF statements! The FULL statement was:
Labour will see off the S.N.P. in Scotland from Glasgow Central station on May 10th. We will only be too pleased to form an honour guard as the 59 S.N.P. M.P.’s walk along the platform to their suitably adorned S.N.P. carriage for the exciting trip to London. 😀
John McTernan! Huv you been messing about with Youtube on the computer?
I won’t tell you again, fecking leave it alone! You’ll get us all sacked!
O/T But Tony Blair lied – no I hear you cry- about not being the one holding up the Chilcot report.
https://archive.today/kf7lG
“A thousand miles of stupid”
Well, they do say the stupid speak for themselves.
Dear CharlieMurphy, the point is that Labour are lying. Again. Doh!
Oh Jeez, that’s unbelievable!
They are so terrified at the idea of having to deal with the SNP they’re queuing up to see who screams loudest.
On the back of the Ashcroft polls you can almost smell the sheer panic from the Westmister dream team. 😀
Come on, let’s make their nightmare a reality. A Scottish representation with teeth.
Oh Jeez, that’s unbelievable!
They are so terrified at the idea of having to deal with the SNP they’re queuing up to see who screams loudest.
On the back of the Ashcroft polls you can almost smell the sheer panic from the Westminster dream team. 😀
Come on, let’s make their nightmare a reality. A Scottish representation with teeth.
O/T – There is a livestream on just now (just started) The Smith Commission – the vow delivered? – if anyone is interested.
The scare story doesn’t work as getting either one of these parties with a majority will do nothing for Scotland.
An SNP vote stops the Tories but it also holds Labour to account. It makes Labour politicians realise they are not bomb proof with comfortable majorities – make them work for a change.
L-A,
Train? Isn’t Chris Laws taking some of them by the Spirit of Independence bus?
That would be so cool.
…shriek …shriek …SHRIEEEEEK!!! ….wail (tears)…whimper …’it’s no fair’ (sniffle)
Would you just listen to them coming from all corners of the media. Every Unionist politician is either in denial or furiously telling the Scottish Public that to vote SNP will have the sky crashing in.
Now we have Jackie Bird and Brian Taylor playing ‘Denial is not only a river in Egypt’. Oh No! …Not Reporting Scotland! Oh No! Now we have Brian telling us that we should ignore these Polls, because they don’t reflect anything.
Well, that’s very f****** strange, because during the referendum, the Unionist media held up again, and again, and again, every poll that showed ‘No’ was in the lead. Time and again, we were told ‘Better Together are in the lead, and that tells us how Scotland is feeling’. You rammed it down our throats!
By God …are these next 3 odd months not going to be really interesting for all those who followed the ‘Yes’ ideology during the referendum. The deep down glee of just watching the entire Unionist Camp turn on each other. As they say …payback is a bitch!
Who is Labours policy director.
Hand Christian Anderssen ?????
You could not make that shit up.
Rather muted “reporting Nort Britain ” this evening( I wonder why?)
Is the penny now beginning to drop at “pacific propaganda Pier” Of
Course they did not “lead on Ashcroft (surprise surprise ) but on a
Supposed spat between John Swinney and local gov.No doubt they
Will try to make the most of this if it helps the “branch office leader”
A rather false Bohnommie “smiley smiley” to end between Jackie
And Chris appeared to suggest “let’s try to keep our chins up”
If Jim Murphy didn’t attend Big Issue’s Vendor Week event today, how come he is pictured on Twitter with J.Baillie both dressed in Big Issue clothing? Yet another lie Jim -shame on you! Wonder how many voters that photo conned.
Ah, really pleased that Mhairi Black (no relation) is standing, the best of luck Mhairi, you’ll shake them up down there. Breath of fresh air blowing through the festering atmosphere of Westminster. Lovely!
@Training day 6.55 – yes but did you ring STV to complain based on the info at the top of this post (I just phoned BEEB again and got a Scottish voice that clearly understood the point and wrotye it up well) http://wingsoverscotland.com/a-thousand-miles-of-stupid/comment-page-1/#comment-1959154
cearc says:
L-A,
Train? Isn’t Chris Laws taking some of them by the Spirit of Independence bus?
That would be so cool.
Oops, my mistake Cearc of course you are right. 😉
Sorry Chris I forgot you were bussing some of the new M.P.’s to London in your Spirit of Independence bus.
Boy Central Station AND Buchannan Street bus station are really going to be busy on May 10th aren’t they! 🙂
I wonder how Buchannan Street bus station will be able to cope. I hope they are able to join into the *ahem* spirit of the occassion. 😉
Glasgow Central Station will have no problems though cause it is used to *cough* seeing off thousands of Tartan Army fans on their trip so a a few S.N.P. M.P.’s shouldn’t be too much of a problem. Getting the Labour *ahem* Guard of Honour may cause a bit more problematic though I fear! 😀
Yes it will be the same mantra right through to the election. They used the same single tactic approach during the referendum, in which case the spurious argument put forward was about the currency. We MUST have a competing mantra that can be posted all over the country and repeated day in day out. Maybe we should have a competition to find one.
I know this is a shallow comment, but wtf has Smurph done to his hair. I accidentally caught sight of him, on a Sky news piece.
Couldn’t take my eyes off it, it is so reminiscent of Archie Macpherson weetabix.
Sky were actually poking fun at him because they had compiled a montage of him, and how many times he said ‘change’ in all his interviews.
Makes a nice change to see him the butt….
I reccon journalists must read wings and go “wish i had said tha to him” when interviewing a polititian of the moment!
@TrainingDay
STV complaints … Is basically sending an email to enquiries@stv.tv
Where it will stay in the junk folder and be trashed after 24 hours…
@Valerie says at 7: 46
Totally agree, Valerie.
Anybody else noticed this weird thing happening to ‘His Holy Jimness’ since his anointment as leader of the Church of the Living Labour Dead (North British Chapter)?
You can see it in the way he looks – eyes even madder, more stary and more swivelly than usual. Facial structure more spookily angular, and flesh colour even more milky grey than is normal for someone on the “Irn Bru diet” ™. Heck, any minute I’m expecting green projectile vomit.
It’s a terrible thing, but it appears that oor Jim was so unprepared for his sudden and unexpected aggrandisement that it has unleashed within him a voracious, unquenchable appetite – a craving for bigness and 24/7 publicity at any cost, which nothing can satisfy, and he’s now running out of options.
So, the inevitable must surely follow. Question is, though – which direction will this drooling loon take?
It has to be either “I’m a Celeb. . . . .” or “Celeb. Come Dancing” ? , and I for one, having a thing for spangles, favour the latter.
@Stuart Black
Welcome back Stuart, hard to resist eh when things are just getting interesting.
Judging by the bile and foaming on the interwebs I think it is beginning to sink in that Labour are in serious difficulty. However, the vitriol towards the people leaning to the SNP is hardly conciliatory. The electorate are apparently “thick”. There is no real recognition that Labour have lost their way and there seems to be little evidence of that sense of entitlement to our votes diminishing. They are like the aristocracy faced with a revolt from the peasants.
Murphy on C4 did strike a more measured note, a wake up call, lots of work to do etc., but still pushing the vote SNP get Tory line. Still refused to rule out working with the SNP though.
Feck me! Now Jim Murphy has his hands on the computer!
https://twitter.com/jimmurphymp
The thing that’s missing at the end of that video is Ed Adenoid saying…
“Th-th-th-that’s all folks!”
Training Day
You and I have been on STVs case for a long time now. I email my feeling regards their unashamed bias reporting and now I don’t even get replies.
They are just another media outfit who have stopped listening.
The theme of their headlines tonight was that even although the SNP are miles in front, it doesn’t need to stay that way, you can still come back to Labour.
Rev, Your exasperation is oozing from the page.
This has to be worse than the Willie Rennie’s Libdems party broadcast last week and EVEN worse than the Better Together “Eat your cereal” video.
Interesting fact about the sitting PM having first option on forming a government. Just proves that Murphy is a big fibber(again).
Sky News interviewing some fine people in Glasgow and their verdict is clear,
Dud Murphy and Labour are finished. Well done, Scotland’s biggest YES city.
I know some people aint too bright. But if our country votes as these polls suggest, we lose Libdems, we gain no Tories (it looks like), and we get rid of Unionist Labour. So the net effect is that the present junior coalition party gets less representation, but the senior party gains no extra.
On what planet does that alter the composition of Westminster in favour of David Cameron? If he is elected it will not be anything to do with Scots, because we would only have elected people opposed to him, and indeed reduced the number of members he may try to form a coalition with in Mr Cleggs team. It is absolutely obviously in Scotland’s interest, whomever England elects, to elect a large number of SNP members.
I think these Labour people are among the none too bright subgroup I started off with.
The cretinous Labour spin doctors and the unionist media have been spouting this same tired old shite since even before they made the right-wing Blairite Murphy leader.
How’s that one been working out for you so far lads?
Ye no seen the Ashcroft polls then?
Ha ha ha ha ha! 😀
“Couldn’t take my eyes off it, it is so reminiscent of Archie Macpherson weetabix.”
Yeah thanks Valerie. Now my jaw and ribs ache. My youngest is asking whats wrong with me and you’ve made my headache worse.
and now I can’t see for tears.
LOL
Just seen Murphy on Channel 4 News and literally having to be sat down by Jon Snow, and then told point by point as to what is ‘really’ happening in Scotland.
It says something when the Leader of the Branch Office has to be told by a TV reporter, that basically, Scotland does not want any Westminster MP’s from now on, interfering in the affairs of Scotland.
Murphy response – …blink, blink …tumbleweed …then mouth opens and a regurgitation of the present usual Labour mantra, ‘…if people vote SNP, then the real winner will be Cameron and the Tories’.
He’s just not listening! Nor is he even getting it!
IF there were to be a Labour meltdown in May,what would happen to all their ex MPs?The Labour Party has always managed to find a role for the odd one from time to time,but what would they do with 30+ dosent dopes?
Mhairi Black v wee Dougie Alexander in Paisley South – is that right?
That’ll be my favourite Portillo moment on the morning of Friday 8th May then!
Valerie at 7.46
Re Murphy’s hair. When I saw him on Channel 4 news tonight I noticed his hair and thought he had being dyeing it. The bit on top looked slightly blondish.
Why not ‘500 miles of stupid’. Catchy enough to be set to music 🙂
Aye, thanks Thepnr. Retreated to ma cave after that result, sharing it with the biggest black dog, but starting to come round again. Onwards and upwards, it’s the thought of wiping out SLAB that keeps me going.
Hello to everyone else.:)
@marcia
Thanks for the seat selection update, somehow I’m still missing the SNP selection for 2 seats; Coatbridge/Chryston etc and Orkney/Shetland.
galamcennalath
Nobody expects the SLabbish Imposition.
Got an email that our candidate against Katy Clarke is Patricia Gibson (who I voted for) who stood in 2010 and closed the gap.
To the new Branch Manager in Scotland,
Get it right up ye Murphy.
Signed,
J Lamont. (EX Scottish Branch Manager)
My first election in 1970 saw Scotland vote Labour and get a Tory
Government under Ted Heath, the same situation in 1979, 1983, 1987,1992,when old Maggie Thatcher, the milk snatcher, and her motley crew filled the coffers of the filthy rich and made a right few quid for themselves.
What did Scotland got for voting Labour in 1996, the New Red Tory Blairite government, who again saw their motley crew fill the coffers of the filthy rich and made a right few quid for themselves.
2010- Scotland following the same tried and failed formula, voted
Labour and got the Blue Tory Bullingdon Boys, Cameron and Osborne. Two men who have combined personal wealth of over £100,000,000, and growing every day. Men who advise the Scottish Working classes, who have never voted for them on how to cut back, and keep their corporate banker friends in the lap of luxury.
I listened to Prime Minister’s question time today.
Poor old Ed took a complete beating from Cameron.
As you may have guessed, I’m no fan of Miliband, but I felt embarrassed for him as his incompetence was cringe worthy.
From there I listen to Ed Balls claim that there was “a” businessman that supported Labour’s policies, Bill “something”
a man that used to work for an energy company??
There you have it, the cream of UK Labour who haven’t got a clue
about politics, or tactics, and couldn’t change the shape of a Tic Tack let alone the country.
Please dear Lord, let Scottish Labour supporters finally see that
after 45 years of voting for these half wits, they always get a Tory Government.
No one in Scotland can be Dumb enough to make it 50 years straight of Heads Westminster Wins and Tails Scotland loses!
Vote SNP or you should really consider standing for the Raving Loony Party!
lEGERWOOD SAYS
“Why not ‘500 miles of stupid’. Catchy enough to be set to music”
JOCK?
I’m surprised that no one, not even anyone from Labour North Britain branch office H.Q., has said to Murph the Smurph, or realistically passed him a wee post it note, that he might want to go to Specsavers to get his HEARING checked out. 😉
Anyone who walks around like the Smurph with so many people telling him the same thing “Labour are Shite … Labour are Deid!” etc you’d think at least something would sink in. The fact that NOTHING is sinking in tells me one inescapable FACT … Murph the Smurph is stone DEAF! 😛
I think this explains why he used a megaphone thingy during the Referendum crate date. 😀
Stuart Black
Hello there, matey! Welcome back.
Don’t worry, you’re not the only one coming back into the fold. I’ve only really started posting again over the last couple of weeks. Have had my head down doing studies! (the constant campaigning during the referendum just about railroaded my Year 1, but still got through it and am now in Year 2). Still …bloody murder trying to find the time with work, Open Uni, and following the SNP / Political Landscape / GE, as well as the odd post right here. LOL
But great to catch up with a few folk again.
Wind up merchants. They are just taking the piss now.
Can you imagine anyone wanting to vote for these scumbags.
Do you think if we all laughed at once Murphy might hear us
Maybe we should organize a mass laugh in
I don’t just want to beat them, i’d like them totally humiliated
It’s no less than they deserve and what huge satisfaction and fun
@Stuart Black
Good to see you back Stuart. Fully sympathise 😉
Stuart Black
welcome back man,
you’ve been missed! 🙂
@Valerie
“Sky were actually poking fun at him [Da Moiph] because they had compiled a montage of him, and how many times he said ‘change’ in all his interviews.”
He definitely wins ‘Chameleon of the Year’ award.
Let’s hope it is ‘Karma Chameleon’ eh?
Although I know one ‘Boy George’ who is probably in two minds on that one as he eyes Scotland’s Oil and Food and Drink revenues.
https://gscott123.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/ed-and-jim.jpg
Albalha
These 2 seats declare their candidates tomorrow.
@Marcia, thanks for that.
Total wipe out. Not only but also, here in England it feels a lot like the 92 election win by Major. Exit polls on the day showed Labour/Kinnock winning except people were lying to exit pollsters and the rest is Tory boy Major history. Middle England are just not going to have Milliband and Balls this year. Poor drippy Milliband is no Tony Blair, Balls is toast. UKIP and the Greens are tempting them too. Even if polls show its neck a neck in England, Scottish voters can finally make a teamGB difference by voting SNP. We clearly dont need to be told that either:D
During the indyref the no outcome on the ballot was subverted by the no side to mean something it did not (extensive new powers, home rule, devo max). That was completly undemocratic and has resulted in the current constitutional disintegration and friction. Something that could have settled the issue of independence was subverted by forces pitched against the democratic expression of the people.
Here we are a few short months on and the choice on the ballot paper in the general election is again being subverted by labour, the Conservatives and lib dems. A vote for the SNP is a vote for labour/tories/ed/dave, even a vote for independence apparently.
I am no constitutional expert but I don’t believe that my ballot paper has a box where I get to pick who the prime minister is or even who should form the next government. I’m pretty sure that the SNP have not announced another indy vote will be on the ballot paper either.
I only get to vote in one UK general election every 5 years so it would be nice if we could be left I peace to vote for a candidate to represent the constituency I live on the basis of their character, their policies, the policies of their party (if they are members of a political party) and what they intend to prioritise if elected to Westminster. To represent the constituency’s interests.
The logical conclusion of labour’s position is that every vote for any party other than labour or the Conservatives is not even a wasted vote – you are either pro conservative or pro labour. Is that what passes for democracy in 21st century UK? Why not ban other political parties then if it is a binary choice?
The more they distort democracy as part of their desperate tactics, the more distant labour become.
In a brief moment of honesty Johann Lamont said it like it was and a period of introspection and a genuine renewal of labour as an independent Scottish party could have saved them. That kind of genuine political honesty lasted for a few lines in Johann’s resignation.
In May I will be voting for Deidre Brock in the Edinburgh North and Leith constituency who I believe will represent myself and my family’s interests best at Westminster as she is a fellow member of the SNP.
But if we are talking about subverting the meaning of that vote, then let me decide the meaning of that vote myself.
@Marcia,
thanks for the list. Do you know if there is a full list of all the SNP candidates and how many are yet to declare?
P.s. minor correction Deidre Brock – Edin North and Leith has no r in Deirdre.
It’s an Aussie thing!?
HEALTH WARNING
The BBC will be going all out to prevent a red tory wipeout in May. Expect relentless attacks on the (SNP) Scottish government all the way to the GE. It started this morning, with wide coverage (and radio discussions) cherry-picked info on NHS A&E waiting lists (coordinated with the SLABBers at Holyrood). Never mind the 90% good news (not considered important enough to share), the BBC narrative from now on will be SNP bad, SNP bad, SNP bad.
They know that they only have to frighten a small, target group of pensioners and they can avoid a Labour wipeout (just as they did during the referendum). To hell with the rest of us, but it might still work. We really need to counter their cunning little plan and reach their target audience before they do – I’m not sure the best approach for this but I trust better minds are already working on it.
How did it come to this?
How did it come to this?
We need to try to understand where our enemy is coming from. They know that their arguments about voting SNP and getting a tory government are completely illogical. But what else can they argue? Remember that their objective is re-election in Scotland so that they can play their part in forming a Labour UK government. Given their policies, which are imposed by Labour head office in London, are not acceptable to the majority of Scottish people – slavish “unionism”, austerity, Trident, what else can they do but try to scare us into believing that an SNP vote will put Cameron back in Downing Street? The fact that it is patently not true is irrelevant – it’s a bad hand but it’s the only one they’ve got and they have to play it enthusiastically.
They are trying to solve an insoluble problem – the Scottish people just don’t want them or their policies. But they are desperate to get elected and they see it as their right to dominate Scotland. They still haven’t got over the last two Scottish elections.
Of course if Murphy was really in charge of the Scottish Labour party and it really could formulate its own policies, then they could come up with some ideas that might actually appeal to Scottish voters. Trouble is they don’t really know where it is that they want to take Scotland. So rather than argue for distinct Scottish policies that they can’t agree on anyway and incurring London’s wrath for daring to have a different opinion if they could agree, it’s easier to just follow London Labour’s lead and revert to the completely ridiculous scare stories about letting the tories in if we vote SNP. They know they’re losing the arguments, but they’re boxed in and have no choice.
So what do we do? We go in for the kill. We expose them for what they are. We are ruthless in ridiculing them. We don’t let up. We do not become complacent. Kinda like Stu is doing rather effectively.
@Stuart Black
Many, many of us, as a result of the referendum, have, I suspect, had a similar encounter with an emotion which can only be described as being similar to an abnormally prolonged bereavement.
I know I was not able to function properly for several weeks. Ignoring the inevitable friendly chorus of “So what else is new?” it genuinely got so bad that at one stage I thought I might need to visit my GP for some medication or treatment for ’emotional issues’ for the first time in my, quite long, life.
But eventually it did lift and I think before the paradigm shift became so evident.
O/T – Important.
Discovered tonight I was not registered to vote in the coming GE in May because of the changes being made in the voter registration system.
I have been at my home for about 8 years and voted in every election from this address, receiving my polling cards each time without any problem for years.
It turns out that because my wife had registered me on her electoral registration form 8 years ago when we moved here, it was only her that received a form to re-register. I didn’t receive any such form and so was not being asked to register.
On the website it states that most people will go over automatically and that some people, if they cannot match you, will get a form sent out to register. The thing is–they don’t tell you if you are on the new register so you don’t know if you are registered or not.
If you’re not sure you are registered then make doubly sure that you are by going to the web site here and registering online:
http://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
We cannot lose this in May because you thought you were registered and don’t get a polling card. I thought I WAS registered but I may well not be. I damn well made sure tonight that I am. Click the link and make sure you are registered. Only takes two minutes.
I think as we approach the election a careful eye should be kept on the amount of airtime Murphy and Co get on the TV. It seems to me that the BBC have Murphy on every show every other day. He is an opposition MP. Miliband gets nothing like that exposure on the BBC and ITV. He rarely seems to be put under much pressure in Scotland although I concede London is less kind. Whereas BBC Scotland frequently drip on with negative stories about Scotland (by association the SNP) and then use that as an opportunity to consult with Murphy for words of wisdom.
A tally should be kept and the electoral commission needs to take note.
@Marcia, I didn’t see our one on your list. Ochils and South Perthshire gets Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh, interestingly enough.
One snag with their wee video is that it might be too long for many Labour voters attention span.
First item on radio scotland’s main evening news was cosla and scottish government relationship breakdown (as told to the bbc by labour). 3rd in running order was ahem, a certain poll that was quickly skated over…R4 managed to go one better with 9pm headlines that failed to mention the poll at all. however, listeners will have been delighted to note that a stray dog discovered last month in ayrshire had found a home at last. see, happy endings, see nothing else. don’t tell them how bad it really is, more of them might get the same idea. you see, we’re better together but just less newsworthy than a stray dog 😉
@ Stuart Black
Good to see you fella.
‘Black dog’
Oh hell yes and I’ll never forgive the bastards who orchestrated BTs campaign. What they put us through and in fact what they put the whole Scottish electorate through. It starts in May Stuart.
We fix it, put it right and put them where they belong.
On a dole queue.
Kalmar
The list I produced is only of the candidates selected today. For a complete list you can find all the parties candidates here
http://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/images/dynamicImages/GE2015%20candidates%20Scotland%207pm%2004_02.pdf
Tomorrow’s front page for The National;
https://twitter.com/ScotNational/status/563091369611517955
@Luigi
They know that they only have to frighten a small, target group of pensioners and they can avoid a Labour wipeout (just as they did during the referendum). To hell with the rest of us, but it might still work. We really need to counter their cunning little plan and reach their target audience before they do
The thing is, the pensioners you speak of are in the main the mothers, fathers, grandmothers, grandfathers, aunts and uncles of people just like us!
This to me is the whole point of the “having a conversation” thing. Labour have vowed to have 4 million of them, we don’t need that many to deliver a knockout blow.
Being active does not necessarily mean knocking on doors, delivering leaflets or phoning strangers. Sometimes it just means talking to your relatives.
Some you will win over, some you will lose. No harm trying.
Keep phoning the BBC ‘ please don’t give up
Yeee HaaaW.
Good day continues – i got my renewed driving licence and NO Union Jack.
Comes with EU flag with the normal GB in the middle.
Don’t delay in renewing – I put mine off since June hoping for a Scottish version but was shocked into action in case I got the Union Jack.
Hopefully will not have to wait ten years to get the new indy Scot one 🙂
Hoss Mackintosh
It must be the cutbacks. 🙂
Sorry folks but just saeen THESE! 😉
I thought this was just a wind up at first.
https://twitter.com/my_daily_gripe/status/563098749741064192/photo/1
However I have just seen this!
https://twitter.com/my_daily_gripe/status/563099320334176256/photo/1
So we have had in the last 50 days the Labour party North Britain brach being run by:
a) Ed Milliband
b) Jim Murphy
c) Gordon Brown
d) Duncan Hotherstall
I wonder how long he’ll last before the next *ahem* volunteer steps up to the almost invisible mark. 😀
@Stuart Black
Good to see you back man. I missed that coupon of yours.
Have you managed to get your guitar back off the Mafia yet? 🙂
What annoys me about the BBC is that we can only legally watch TV if we pay money to a corporation that will then spend that money promoting a political party whom we do not ourselves support.
That’s like saying if you got caught by a speed camera, then £5 from your fine goes towards, say, the BNP to support their agenda, because that’s where someone decided the money should go. It’s not democratic when part of your income is used to promote a political agenda against your will, and refusal is a crime.
Luigi honey – doors have bells and knockers, we do this by face-to-face contact, get your neighbours to trust you more than the BBC.
FFS! Worst video clip show EVER!
Some Android guy who voted ’83,’87,’92,’97 – AW fukkit I never liked labour except as a bulwark against the selfish party!
Now who the fuk is this sh!t youngster Miliband, never dirtied his hands ever like me and my peers have, from shite to salvation without a suit and a tie, feckless w@nkers one and all.
‘Nuff to say the polls agree and those who are more street ‘n estate hardened than a softie like me now openly agree.
Scales have dropped and it’s easy to see that these to55bags have nothing in common with u ‘n me.
And I wondered what we would have to talk about after Sept 19th. Labour the gift that keeps on giving.
Rev Stu said above; “with only Willie Bain in Glasgow North East barely clinging on”. However, were a deal made with the Greens, Bain could be toast. Obvious deals are available.
as schrodingers pointed out;
http://wingsoverscotland.com/youre-gonna-need-someone-on-your-side/comment-page-1/#comment-1959059
http://wingsoverscotland.com/youre-gonna-need-someone-on-your-side/comment-page-1/#comment-1959062
Even a thicko like me gets this – whats the problem? Any wingers have any influence with the higher-ups in the main 3 YES parties?
(or do we think 59 seats would be too much? maybe not be able to afford all the train fares to London?)
Dougie Rat Face getting an easy ride again on BBC 2 and allowed to pontificate shite at length about a vote for the SNP blah blah fucking blah Grrrrrrrrrr!
Scotland 2015 tonight nothing more than labour talking about labour
Interesting Vox Pops on Scotland 2015- seems like Lord Ashcroft has it all wrong. Actually in Paisley 3 out of 5 respondents were solid labour, one SNP and one swithering between the 2 (leaning towards labour).
Just a wee snapshot of public opinion. Wonder how many folk they asked?
Wee Dougie Alexander looked like he’d been greetin or sniffing glue or something. Never one to be off message he’s beating the same drum as the rest of them.
Dougie thinks Scotland disnae want a new conservative government. He does not get that for many folk labour and the Conservatives are indistinguishable.
Calm down everyone.
Measures for rigging the election are in full swing and will be ready by the time postal votes are sent out.
Of course, no evidence of rigging will be left behind.
International vote observers are corrupt. They only criticise the results if their paymasters don’t like the ones elected.
Am I seeiung things in that list of candidates for May G.E. Marcia?
Is that Richard Baker standing in Aberdeen North the SAME Richard Baker as here?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixJunZe5l7M
@Lesley-Anne
Ha Ha! Close spoof, but Murphy would find nail holds on a blackboard.
@handandshrimp
apologies it is my fault – I keep phoning the BBC up to tell them to keep Murphy on at least three times a day and for once they are listening to me.
Just great – from the polls the SNP must get a few thousand extra votes every time he is on.
I wonder if the BBC will be able to work it out by May – unlikely – Prof Curtice is still deluding himself on his latest article – it only takes a 10% swing back to labour to be ok – FFS !
I am sick of Murphy all ready and I do not even watch TV. 🙂
Jim Murphy jogging with Emily Matlis on Newsnight a few minutes ago. Guess what he was wearing?
Creepy voiced as usual too.
Both working in tandem attempting to polarise the vote. Using the same language. Colluded in the referendum and now again to try for a two horse race. If Labour were to be believed they’d rather see a Tory government than cut a deal with SNP.
Hi Rock – usual positive outlook darling.
Did anyone watch Newsnight in the BBC England time slot? Did he really give an interview to Newsnight today wearing a Scotland footy top as it looked in the preview just now?
Some of the vox popping done in Paisley today by the Imperial Broadcasters managed to unearth some classic, unthinking Labour-voter comments:
” … Always voted Labour, aw ma family are Labour, aye, I’ll be voting Labour.”;
and, the old chestnut: ” Labour till a die.”
No reason asked, no reason given. Non required. 50 years of Labour rule, based on the precept of ‘Keep em Stupid’.
Harsh but true.
Scottish Representation in the Union
http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/hansard/commons/todays-commons-debates/read/unknown/1007/
By Grampa Broon
Wir aw doomed! Doomed a tell ye…
You that watch the BBC Scotland news programmes I salute your fortitude (I haven’t watched that, is it any good?). Just the thought of turning over to a BBC news programme is chore. I just sit there feeling like I am being lied to on every single story no matter if it is Syria, Ukraine, France or Scotland.
Scottish Labour’s Willie Bain Rocks Political Landscape Shocker!
Holy Moly SH that links to a speach from someone called Gordon Brown. Now correct me if I am wrong but is THAT the same Gordon Brown who *ahem* saved the world?
I only ask cause apparently THAT Gordon Brown has absolutely no idea where the House of Commons is as he is NEVER there!
“Ma name is Dozymurphyarse, branch manager ae branch managers,
Look upon ma electoral prospects ye voters an’ rejoice!”
(Is it just me, or has Murphy’s hair got a lot greyer the past couple of weeks? Can’t imagine why…)
Scotland Tonight agenda in full force. They spoke to the London Guardian columnist about an SNP landslide. It went along the lines of :” But how will the Tories feel…they will be delighted.” The old game of vote SNP get Tory subliminal overtones. Ponsomby is fine but the rest are just trying to help Labour out.
Re: Newsnight.
Murphy’s not in favour of austerity. Oh no. He’s in favour of “balancing the books.” Not social justice. Not wealth redistribution. Not equality. But “balancing the books.” So that’s alright then.
(He also says – with a straight face – that he’s, wait for it, “a Socialist”! No, seriously…)
Murphy is a lying disingenuous odious piece of shit. Utterly despicable and a lack of real anger against him is disappointing. I mean real anger.
“A vote for S.N.P. is a vote for the conservatives”.
So don’t vote for what you believe in, vote to help the parasites who sold out Scotland.
Aye, Right.
Paula Rose,
“Hi Rock – usual positive outlook darling.”
Yes, the non-rigged positive referendum result has had a positive effect on me.
Hang on Chris. If as he *ahem* claims he is FOR “balancing the books” where the hell was he last week when they held the debate and vote on
austerity“balancing the books” oh that’s right he was playing keeie uppie at Aberdeen F.C. 😉Magrit Currin *ahem* claimed that she voted with her favourite collegues a.k.a. the BLUE Tories, FOR £30 Billion
austerity“balancing of the books.” Remember Westminster has rung up £1.5 TRILLION of debt so the £30 Billioncuts“book balancing” will certainly make a MASSIVE dent into that debt mountain then … or maybe NOT!@Ravelin says:4 February, 2015 at 5:23 pm:
“Labour: “Vote SNP and you’ll get Tory!”
Conservatives: “Vote SNP and you’ll get Labour!”
To hell with it – I’m voting SNP and that will eventually get rid of The Establishment of all Establishment colours.
Rock dear where’s that smiley winky thingy xx
How long before they wheel out all the ex Scottish Labour Cabinet Ministers, Reid, Wilson, Darling and all.
And where is Jack (These ARE my own teeth, honest.) McConnell.
Ooft. If Heineken made bottom of the barrel scrapers they wouldn’t have a hope of out-doing Labour. This is just desperate stuff. Do they not realise how bad they look when the only thing they can use to sell themselves is someone else is worse so don’t vote for who you really want or the bogeyman will get you? They might as well tell us there are vampires on the loose and that they’re going to hire Van Helsing as a policy. It’d make about as much sense and be just as truthful. God forbid they’d actually have some meaningful policies or anything!
Scotland will never be free until the last Labour Shadow Minister is strangled with a copy of the Last Labour Vow.
@Chris Kilby –
‘Murphy Claims To Be A Socialist Shocker!’
(Okay, that’s it – clear yer desk, hand in yer pass, then get yersel tae fuck. Seriously. Ed.)
Just seen Catherine MacLeod do her stuff for the Labour Party. Unfortunately Tom Divine is too polite to join her in the gutter.
Her message? the usual. Vote SNP get Tory.
This site has proved beyond peradventure that statistically that is nonsense but it also logical for her to say less Labour MPs from Scotland means a lower total for Labour at Westminster.
To counteract this we have to get into the language of probabilities and say that there is a 1:x chance that voting SNP will give that result. And then put in betting odds language.
Somebody with more knowledge than me can do the psephology.
@Lesley-Anne,
Yep, THAT Gordon Brown 😉
He’s got to be a Winger surely, he’s got lines early on in his speech that appear for all intents and purposes to be straight cut n pastes out Robert Peffers Itinerary.
Good to see our SoSfS getting down and kissing the ring as usual.
Why does BBC Scotland 2015 have this fixation with the Sarwar family. Especially daddy Sarwar, who has given up his UK citizenship has he not.
Thanks for clearing that up SH, for a minute or two there I thought there might actually be TWO Gordon Brown’s. JEEZ! ONE Gordon Brown I can just about manage but TWO? 😉
You are indeed correct Caz he has indeed surrendered his UK citizenship. He then took up governorship of Punjab in Pakistan. There is only one wee itsy bitsy teeny weeny problem here … Mr Sarwar Senior has RESIGNED from the post of governor. Maybe he can see the writing on the wall for Sarwar Junior and is makiong way for a family dynasty of Sarwar governorships! 😛
Can we remind Labour that they voted against John Swinney’s budget on Wednesday?
The budget Labour voted against will see a record £12 billion invested in Scotland’s NHS in 2015/16, make additional funds available to local authorities who commit to protect teacher numbers, provide a rates relief package worth £615 million to Scotland’s small businesses and will keep Council Tax frozen for the eighth year running.
Additionally, £330 million will be invested in Scotland’s school infrastructure and £140 invested in college campuses through NPD funding.
While Labour in Scotland has made almost £3 billion of spending pledges in recent months, it has yet to give any indication of what is to be cut in order to pay for the increased spending.
http://www.snp.org/media-centre/news/2015/feb/labour-fails-budget-test-vote-against-funds
More astonishingly the Greens apparently failed to support measures that meant an additional £3.5 million for cycling etc.
FROM BUSINESS FOR SCOTLAND
You could argue that there is some good news for the Labour Party in that one seat is currently showing a Labour hold and that is Glasgow North East. There is still a 23.5% swing to the SNP and here the Labour vote is still collapsing, but as it started at near 70% the SNP have not yet crossed the finish line. What makes this seat interesting is that the others vote will be largely Socialists and Greens and if they vote tactically then we can expect this seat to fall to the SNP as well.
Given the size of the SNP membership, its motivation and the funding they have compared to any other party in Scotland, and also taking into account that they have a tendency to create a late surge there is no good news for any other party in Scotland in these findings so far.
There are two ways to win an election, both involve fighting.
The first is that you stick the head on your opponent when their not looking, forcing them to the ground and then sticking the boot in.
The second is you just tell the electorate the truth.
Another good BBC article by Ponsonby over on Newsnet.scot
With the SNP candidates list nearly complete and the frontline team in place, from here in CYMRU/Wales it looks oh so exciting…
The Wallace frontline on Braveheart was told to ‘Hold! Hold! Hold!… until the enemy were upon them – so I look forward to the SNP offensive battle cry very, very soon now.
Go hunt them Lab M.Ps out from every nook and cranny… please don’t just sit back and keep taking it on the chin …
and give more than you get with this conniving Brit Media we have – don’t stand for any nonsense from now on – we (Celts collectively) will have our say and our way!
Can I just say that I actually enjoy watching the late-on political programmes. It is possible to watch them using a critical eye. Of course they’re biased, they’re part of the GB ideological infrastructure which we on Wings want to dismantle.
All TV is ideological in some form or another. In fact I tend to think the innocuous soaps, dramas, chat shows, magazine programmes register more highly on the brainwashing meter than do the obvious political slots, which is when the ‘invisible ideology’ becomes more visible to those of us who are politically engaged.
On Scotland Tonight (STV) earlier, Rhona and Bernard were wearing furrowed brows, asking themselves how might Labour win back support given the Ashford polling. This may seem a fair thing to do under the circumstance but the implication is that the Tory/Labour WM hegemony is the natural state of things and this somehow demands ‘repair’. A good analogy would be the way sports presenters, if either of the Old Firm get beaten, tend to concentrate on the deficiencies of the losers rather than the merits of the ‘unnatural’ winners. The bias is implicitly woven into the ‘natural discourse’.
What comes across most from London-based broadcasters is that they just DON’T GET the democratic case for Scottish Self-Determination. I actually enjoy listening to them trying to find a handle (the recent QT ‘take, take, take’ episode for instance), and how they end up talking about the ‘Scots’ in the third person, which happened often during the Indy campaign. Yes it can be infuriating, but strangely it does give me a perverse sense of pleasure (mainly because I get a good bellylaugh at their expense). And perhaps because I’m sure that Scotland, one day quite soon, will gain her Independence.
@Tîm Criced i Gymru
It may take time, maybe a long time but you and I will one day be free to make our own choice of government.
Thanks for your support in the run up to the referendum. When it comes to the same in Wales we will return that support!
The question: “Why won’t you confirm you’re standing for Westminser, Mr Murphy?” is conspicious by its absence in the Scottish and UK media.
I strongly suspect Murphy is weighing a lot of private polling in the constituency and not confident of a win. His engineering of Lamont’s fall and his ascension to the branch leadership now appears to be an act of pure hubris: Labour thought the SNP bounce would peter out and normal service resume when the main bout started. They’d shot the Nationalist fox and now they’d rip the caracass to pieces in the upcoming election. Except that didn’t happen. To be honest, that was the scenario most commentators predicted and even the most optimistic Yes campaigner never saw the surge in SNP (and Green and SSP) membership, much less the scaling of polling heights. Now the cynical, super-ambitious ego that is Murphy finds himself staring down the barrel of political obliteration – hence his indecision.
If he stands he knows the SNP will slash into his vote. Even if Labour threw everything at East Ren and blocked an SNP gain, there’s a good chance the Tories – who gerrymandered this very seat to be a Tory foothold – would sneak through the middle. Moreover, the voters in East Ren are unlikely to take kindly to an MP who takes them so much for granted he’s asking for their vote while declaring he’ll stand down within a year to fight for a Scottish parliamentary seat, probably somewhere else entirely – not a strong hand to play in what is now a three-way marginal.
If he doesn’t stand – and I think this is less likely, but wouldn’t rule it out – it’s a gift to the SNP, and not just the East Ren seat. “Fearty!” would ring out across Scotland and Labour heads would go down even further. It’s like a boxer swaggering towards the ring full of braggadocio only to chuck in the towel the second the first bell rings.
Either way St Jim is stuffed.
“Vote Labour or the Bogeyman will get you” seems to be only Scottish Labour policy.
Dr Ew says:
If he doesn’t stand – and I think this is less likely, but wouldn’t rule it out – it’s a gift to the SNP, and not just the East Ren seat. “Fearty!” would ring out across Scotland and Labour heads would go down even further. It’s like a boxer swaggering towards the ring full of braggadocio only to chuck in the towel the second the first bell rings.
This is precisely why I will never understand the stupidity of Labour. Electing Murphy as branch office manager was a lose-lose scenario, especially when they already had indication of the SNP surge(but didn’t want to believe it)
If Murphy stands….and loses in a 3 way marginal where unionists are divided while nationalists are united, labour suffer the ultimate humiliation of having an elected “leader” booted out of his seat. That almost never happens in politics. If Murphy doesn’t stand, labour are automatically humiliated by default for having a coward as a leader. Pretty much as you say.
Both Tory parties: Vote for the SNP and get the other guy.
SNP: And the difference is?
Under both, the UK ran up the near biblical £1.5tr debt. Both support austerity as an economic master plan to dig UK out of said debt. Or in other words, they took our money, pished it up against a wall, then came back asking for more to replace what they’d lost. All whilst removing our services, rights and using a media assault to create scapegoats in the poorest sectors of society.
Both support governance through patronage. Both have significant lobbyists working within the corporate world. Both support renewal of Trident and UK geo political positioning. Under both parties the rich/poor gap has widened with catastrophic effects for the poorest in our society.
In the recent referendum, both claimed they would build border controls between Scotland and rUK. Both claimed they would have refused a currency union with an independent Scotland. Both claimed the NHS could only be safe in their hands. Both are determined to see Westminster powers paramount over devolved assemblies with the least devolution of economic levers possible.
There isn’t enough time in the day to list their joint crimes and governmental calamaties of the past forty years.
So seriously, there’s a difference between the two of them?
And the SNP, the only party of government in the UK who still uphold a left of centre social agenda and who incidentally know how to balance a set of books, holding both to account in Westminster is a bad thing why? A party of government who have two prime motivations Scottish interests in a partnership and eventually independent Scottish interests.
For nothing else other than to watch these criminals sweat, I’d vote SNP.
I will have a crack at a soundbite.
‘Vote Labour, be sidelined’
‘Vote SNP, get influence’
Or the one that will really terrify the electorate:
‘Vote Labour, get Milliband’
I wonder how loyal labour’s troughers will be in the coming months. There were no high profile switchers during the indy ref, but the imminent loss of job and expenses must be focusing a few minds.
Dr Ew says
“If he stands he knows the SNP will slash into his vote. Even if Labour threw everything at East Ren and blocked an SNP gain, there’s a good chance the Tories – who gerrymandered this very seat to be a Tory foothold – would sneak through the middle. Moreover, the voters in East Ren are unlikely to take kindly to an MP who takes them so much for granted he’s asking for their vote while declaring he’ll stand down within a year to fight for a Scottish parliamentary seat, probably somewhere else entirely – not a strong hand to play in what is now a three-way marginal.”
Mibbies Ed the talking horse isn’t as daft as he’s cabbage looking after all eh?
Murphy’s looking into the volcano waiting for the push in his back but he’ll be comforted by his final thought before he falls into the lava is that he’s being sacrificed to the Labour parties great GOD,
POWER AT ANY COST
popcorn anyone?
Sturgeon is couthy.Murphy is creepy.
Anybody else got the feeling that Nicola Sturgeon has a bigger set of COJONES that that crowd of sniveling reprobates put together? 🙂
I’m confused… who’s the guy cuddling Ed Milliband? ;0)
Is that because the English MPs wouldn’t know who Stewart Hosie is if he walked up to them and slapped them in the face?
Labour might get a wee shock if they think Alex Salmond will be leading the charge in Westminster and not the Deputy Leader of the SNP…
Hearing Torquil Crighton and Iain McWhirter on GMS
McWhirter saying exactly what Rev wrote Crighton denying it
We should point out to anyone who will listen that Labour refused to enter a rainbow coalition with SNp and they allowed the Tories in
Did I just hear that right on GMS?
Did Gary Robertson actually QUESTION Torcuil on the “Vote SNP get Tory” pish.
And well done Iain McWhirter on ramming home the point that wee Dougie A was WRONG when he said the largest party forms the next government!
How many times per month do you think of Ullapool.
That’s how often London thinks of Scotland.
Until recently that is.
Thanks to Lord Ashcroft.
.
And if you did think of Ullapool, WHAT would you think?
Nice place. So what.
That’s the way London thinks of Scotland.
A nice place. Very far away and almost irrelevant.
Requiring England’s subsidies.
Vote SNP
Be resolute and steadfast for Independence.
Do not look over your shoulder
when you hear their wailing and weeping
and their threats
then the bribes.
Remember always the relentless abuse showered on Scotland,
by the Unionist Campaign,
which was made up of Scots as well as English.
Union? It’s over.
Cracking front cover on the National today.
I won’t spoil it.
Go out and get one. 🙂
Amazing! Radio Scotland allowing Iain McWhirter to challenge Torcuil Crichton’s lie. I wonder how long that’ll last.
Vote SNP – let the Tories in – mebbes the tory voters will take that as a que and instead of chucking their tory vote away, vote SNP to keep Millepede oot?
Just completed the electoral registration provided on a comment above. There was no option for Scottish in the nationality section therefore I have made a complaint on their section for improving the form, pointing out that I am entitled under human rights legislation to express my identity, including my national identity, which is Scottish,definitely NOT british, therefore the form breaches HR legislation as well as being racist. I abhor the very concet of ‘britishness’, and nothing Robert Peffers says will make that term any less offensive to me. I am sick of people trying to force me to ‘be british’.
The whole of Scotland is talking about the Ashcroft poll results and how bad they were for the Labour Party. So you would expect the GMS phone-in this morning with Louise somebody to be about this poll.
Well you’d be wrong, because BBC Scotland have decided to talk about – Alcohol.
Yes folks, nothing to see here, move along.
Gary Robertson on GMS. Haha, Itweeted
Just heard a preposterous statement from Danny Alexander. It seems he has been working hard all this time to deliver public services in his constituency. He thinks that if people vote for an SNP candidate they will vote for a person who is focused on independence and therefore has their “eye off the ball” when it comes to those services and to social justice. I don’t know what he has been drinking on that planet of his. But if that is an argument I am a sausage dog
McWhirter says Alexander is ‘just plain wrong’ to say the party that wins most seats forms the government.
Torquil Crichton still arguing at the end that Alexander is right (although he knows better, got to stay on message).
We’ll agree to disagree and leave it there says BBC interviewer.
Still a rare moment for Auntie allowing the truth to be spoken.
Dougiekdy 8:24am
I didn’t hear GMS. Last night I tweeted The Rev’s link to this article encouraging Gary Robertson(BBC) and Claire Stewart (STV) to carry out the Rev’s challenge. I wasn’t expecting a result.
Good Morning – Here is the news
(Well the news, as I see it, on the BBC Text Services and not in any particular order).
———————-
ECB toughens stance on Greece : European Central Bank will not now accept Greek Government bonds as collateral from Commercial Banks. Thus making it MORE expensive for them to gain access to cash: (A UNION Government bullying the little guy to keep them in line.)
———————-
English NHS spending on agency nurses soars by £158 Million. We have unemployment and agency nurses cost more than NHS Nurses: (Do these NHS Trusts want privatised?)
———————-
LibDems Plan policy for next parliament: They plan £8bn extra tax rises and £16bn more cuts: (Yellow Tories in Red/Blue Tory clothing).
———————
MPs want to, “Simplify”, Voter Registration: They want voters to be able to register to vote on election day itself. Along with votes for 16/17 year olds, elections to be at weekends and online voting: (Postal fiddles must be getting harder to get away with).
——————–
Brown warns of Union disintegration Brown claims the Tory plan to create a second class of non-England MPs will split the Union:(With Westminster already doubling as the parliament of the Country of England there has been a second class of MPs since devolution happened. Only Englanders wear two hats).
——————
Education background of MPs won’t change after election. 31% of the new likely winners of seats will be products of private schooling. At present the commons figure is 33%. Among voters the figure is 7%. 55% of new candidates went to, “Russell Group”, Universities with 19% from the Oxbridge pair:(The Establishment in action – as usual).
—————
IFS says worst of cuts to come. To meet plans from last year’s Autumn Statement Government spending needs £51.4Bn, or a 14.1% rise for the next parliament. Cuts at present are expected to be £38.3bn or 9.5%, (‘Nuff said).
————–
NZ Judge to lead Enquiry into England & Wales Historic Sexual abuse With the HOL the biggest non-elected legislator in the World the Establishment couldn’t find a single non-suspected member to lead the enquiry among the Establishment:(‘Nuff Said).
—————
Sir John Chilcot claims he underestimated the time it would take to read 150,000 documents:(Ahem! Told you so).
—————
The Defence Select Committee urge, “Britain”, (they mean the UK), to step up roll in fighting Islamic State extremists. This is the same group that want to not only keep Trident but to update it. They stress that they are not in favour of deploying combat forces to battle IS, (are they going to send in Trident armed nuclear submarines as the UK’s defence troops have been cut to the bone as have ships and aircraft?)
————
You couldn’t make this garbage up – but they sure as hell can.
M Mackintosh says:
5 February, 2015 at 8:33 am
Amazing! Radio Scotland allowing Iain McWhirter to challenge Torcuil Crichton’s lie. I wonder how long that’ll last.
Aye, Crichton was trying really hard to promote the Red Tory message this morning. It was good to hear him shot down in flames by McWhirter (and Roberston!!!!!!).
O/T sorry but I have been talking to my Midlands friend again and thinking.
Ed Milliband. Son of two Polish Jewish Immigrants. The musselmen won’t like the religious side and the BNP/UKIP won’t like the immigrant bit. A double whammy against Labour in realpolitik.
Oh dear!
Torquil Crichton is a bit behind the times. He said this morning that the SNP haven’t even picked a candidate to go up against Douglas Alexander in the Paisley South seat.
Well Torquil, just for you, Mhairi Black is the SNP candidate who will be representing the SNP in the May GE.
https://twitter.com/mhairi1921
For a political journalist, you don’t seem to be too clued up about what is happening in Scotland. I think you’ve been down in London too long Torquil.
@dr EW
Of course the other consideration must be that if he stands and retains East Ren AND the predicted Labour meltdown happens, he has the option to resign as leader in Scotland and carry on being an MP.
They shoot.. they score… An own goal..
Brilliant.. I just picture them watching this before it being released. All sitting there clapping and bouncing up and down on their chairs like excited chimps (making similar Bonobo excited noises – only without the usual Bonobo ‘fun’ behaviour – but then you never know)..
Only, they just don’t get it do they? They are so blinkered by the ‘SNP Bad’ mantra, it is preventing them from being any sort of party with progressive policies that people would want to vote for.
When you see this kind of ‘Media Mish Mash Message’ again, and again and again from Labour, people don’t pay the slightest bit of notice. Same auld shite from the same auld party.
Unless they radically change then they are f**ked! Whoo hoo.. then I’ll be sitting there like and excited chimp, clapping and whooping at their demise.
I must confess to enjoying a degree of schadenfreude on the Guardian (doesn’t make you a bad person). I think right up until Tuesday night there was an expectation that Ashcroft’s poll would show that things were not as bad as was being suggested for Labour and the Liberals. That bubble burst the anger on boards and blogs is really quite remarkable. The Scottish electorate are “stupid”, “thick”, “gullible”. The SNP are blood and soil Nazis, right wing extremists, one party state Stalinists. The English will never accept Scots being part of the Government….or presumably any of the other ethnics that make up what is laughably called The Union.
It is 91 days to the election, polls may come and polls may go and the final results may not be quite so incredible (I mean when did any party win 90% of the seats) but in the meantime Labour and the Tories know they are in a fight and that they have to think this through very, very carefully. However, poor Miliband has two fronts to fight and also must focus on Rotherham where no doubt UKIP will milk the failings of the Labour council for all it can.
I haven’t enjoyed an election so much in a long time.
I was clearing out some of the statements I’d saved and found this wee cracker from somebody using the red rose as their pretty picture .I think from the Telegraph.
This is a wee snippet,
“Scotland has a long line of expensive cock ups to its credit. A tiny country with a massive ego. I would far rather cut loose and see Scotland reduced to the backwater it should have always been and frankly am appalled by the ingratitude and negativity we have always got from that place, despite opening our doors to Scots and pulling up a chair at the top table.
Now the Scots think they can create some sovereign wealth fund with the plaintive cry of “Oir oil” all I can say is go, go choke on it, because if you imagine the English give a damn about Scotland, with its whining, negative, bitter people you could not be more wrong.”
I don’t recognise the description of us but this chappie was not alone in thinking this way.
Reminds me why I voted YES.
On the subject of political ads not being covered by ASA rules. All ASA ads that I have seen just say that ads need to be legal, decent honest and truthful. There is no mention in their adverts, even with a wee asterisk, that this does not apply to political ads. Could the ASA perhaps be prosecuted for breaking their own regulations?
Absolutely unreal.
Have there been any polls done which ask what the English think of the SNP? I mean genuinely think – not what is trotted out via the MSM?
I would be surprised if there wasn’t a lot of “support” for them down South, obviously not in your hardcore Conservative areas but in the North and dotted throughout. When I say support I must add that I mean more of a “good on you” type of support rather than a “I’m moving to Scotland love pack yer bags” deal.
Two party politics in the UK is finished and it is only a lack of credible centre/left-wing alternatives that is preventing a massive shift.
Do you think a Syriza or Podemos (Podemos without the political ambiguity) style party would do well down there?
Great comments everyone, you have all put a smile on my face.
Would it be possible to crowd fund a few thousand Red Tories Out stickers?
I think they would be very effective.
If Murphy claims to be a socialist why doesn’t he join the SSP.
Just kidding Ian Brotherhood:-)
Some info re voter registration…
https://www.facebook.com/notes/electoral-reform-society-scotland/voter-registration-changes-facts/10152711689858165
https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
Election ‘Winner’ May Not Get Keys To No 10
Britain’s next Prime Minister might not be the leader of the party which wins the most seats at the General Election, Britain’s former top civil servant has told Sky News.
Normally a new leader gives a party a bounce but Murphy’s Law applies to Labour.
@Albalha
Yes, Murphy is a careerist above all else. Murphy must realise by now that he is not going to reach the top. He has been demoted by Miliband, and has already had to defer to Brown, and they loath each other. The only remaining option is for him to continue to line his pockets as much as possible.
@Calgacus
There is already a Red Tory poster/sticker fund raiser. I linked it on here about a week ago.
speaking of miss-representing what’s actually going on..
just read link to the Spectator story seen on twitter – (funnily dated the 7th Feb 2015 and it’s only the 5th)
http://www.spectator.co.uk/columnists/politics/9432812/how-labour-lost-scotland-and-could-lose-the-union/
“Should Nicola Sturgeon, the party’s new leader, and Alex Salmond, who plans to return to Westminster, refuse to cut a deal with Ed Miliband, they would be putting David Cameron back in No. 10 — something that they have said repeatedly that they won’t do.”
Where to start with that..
Firstly SNP have never ruled out/refused working with Labour. They have repeatedly said they’d work on a case by case coalition of sorts with Labour. Ed’s never categorically said no either – Ed Balls and Danny A have ruled it out though.
Secondly – The story twists the sudo-fact the SNP not cutting a deal will let the Tories in & this is something they said they’d never do. I do recall them saying they’d NEVER enter a coalition with the Torie, this is totally different from saying they’d happily put David Cameron in No.10.
Any idiot can see that Labour are in free fall, and in all likely hood there will be a hung Parliament. They all know it, so it is easy to point the finger of blame in a Parties direction – knowing fine well the out come is inevitable – but it does stick a few knives in a suppose – easy pickings/lazy journalism?
I think someone is living in a parallel universe.. Ho-Hum
This is a mistake I’m always making – thinking that facts and logic are what persuade people.
OT: I see the Red Tories are trying to out do the Tories, David Blunkett want’s to bring bring back the ‘death tax’ https://archive.today/VBJTU
@caz-m
I remember seeing a 19 yr old Mhairi Black giving a speech at the SNP spring conference last year and I was very impressed to say the least, incredible ability for someone so young, a definite future leader of the party, many congratulations to her for getting the candidacy, well deserved, and im confident she can run that wee liar Dougie outta town come May…
Ok thanks muttley79,must have missed it.
O/T – Not impressed with the National this morning. A double column titled ‘Ashcroft: The labour View’. This includes a large piece by Jim Murphy.
In his 300+ word article he mentions Ashcroft only once, laughingly writing that Ashcroft ‘suggests’ SNP may take some seats off Scottish Labour. He uses the rest of the piece to tell us that voting SNP will let in a Tory government.
We don’t need to be giving them publicity, they get enough of that already.
@No no no…Yes
Result! Or maybe they follow Wings as well:-)
@fionan says:5 February, 2015 at 8:53 am:
” … I abhor the very concet of ‘britishness’, and nothing Robert Peffers says will make that term any less offensive to me. I am sick of people trying to force me to ‘be british’.
Gobbledegook, Fiona, nobody, least of all myself, are forcing you to do anything of the sort. The only thing I do is state the cold hard facts and, if you cannot accept cold hard facts, then the problem is yours and will remain yours until you analyse what it is you are actually abhorring. In fact the ones, “forcing”, you are those you have allowed to con you to believe the UK is, “Britain”. It isn’t but, like every other part of the British Isles, it is also, “British”.
I can only assume your abhorrence is really being associated with, “The United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland”, Establishment. It is rather idiotic of you to so hate your fellow Britons in Scotland, Ireland, Wales & England who also abhor the United Kingdom Establishment.
The term British is defined as, “Belonging to Britain”, and thus every person born in, or adopting, ANY part of the British Isles as the place they acknowledge as their home is by definition, “British”.
If you are so upset at being, “British”, then be aware you cannot also claim to be Scottish. Scotland is, always has been and always will be, an integral country in the geographic area of Britain. It has NOT, however, always been part of the, “United Kingdom”. Best advice is to do as so many of Scotland’s past population have done and emigrate elsewhere.
I’m Scottish by birth, by choice and by belief and have fought for Scottish independence almost all my life and I’m very, very close to being an octogenarian. I’ve actively supported the SNP since 1946. and I’m British and European and a citizen of Planet Earth too.
Grow-up, educate yourself and learn to differentiate between, “The United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland”, and The archipelago of the British Isles, of which the UK is only a part. There are four other, “British”, political legislations that are NOT parts of, “The United Kingdom”.
Failure to do so allows the Establishment of, “The United Kingdom”, to achieve their goal of brainwashing you into allowing them to steal your right to belong to your own country of Scotland as a part of the British Isles.
Your argument is quite irrational and demonstrably wrong.
@caz-m says:5 February, 2015 at 9:39 am:
” … For a political journalist …”
Err! caz-m, I don’t want to be picky but should that not read, “for someone who, ‘purports’, to be a political journalist”?
For the avoidance of doubt, Robert Peffer, I did not write fionan’s post. We are not the same person 🙂
Vote Labour & keep the Tories out! how’s that for positivity?
Finished today’s Xword but not sure about 19ac
While it is true that the concept of Britain as a geographical entity was known AND accepted (e.g. by the Makaris) long before there was any kind of Union, nevertheless I can quite understand how some might be ashamed of having been partners in the British Empire.
Also ‘Britain’ and ‘England’, at the behest mainly of some of the inhabitants of the latter, has, to paraphrase a recent inanity, ‘Become as close to synonymity as is possible where Scotland has 8.3% of the population’.
I love this site 🙂
Permanent smile on my face watching the Uk shudder at the thought of us uppity Jocks and Jockeses having the bare face cheek to vote for a party we have faith in.
The desperation of labour supporters is comical . Funny how it used to get me angry but no more.
Great comments again folks. We really are gonna set the heather on fire ….. May is going to be a long month of parties and then we prepare for 2016.
independence is pretty much assured. 😉
The people of Scotland were hesitant and a wee bit feart.
no more
Oops! Thought those last two were in Off Topic.
@ fred,
We voted Labour throughout the Thatcher years, and it did not keep the Torys out.
We voted Labour in the last general election and we have Torys, now.
Labour has supported, or failed to oppose (because of political gamesmanship) every single austerity measure, measure that supports big banks, trident, etc etc.
So there’s no such thing in most Scots minds now as Tory / Labour, they are both the same.
So vote SNP if you want both the Blue and Red Tory’s to fulfil the signed pledge they made to Scotland.
Just in from community council business, Robert Peffers honey – you sounded a bit tetchy there, that’s not like you, are you OK xx
Yes, well noted: it’s not the case that “the single biggest party gets to form a government”. Labour indeed negotiated for a coalition in 2010 despite having fewer seats than the Conservatives. (But it didn’t succeed.)
So even if Labour wins more seats, the Tories will have first go at forming a government – and if they then offered the SNP a giant step towards independence, what do you think Ms Sturgeon would do?
It’s still the case that the more seats the SNP take from Labour, the greater Cameron’s chances of staying in No. 10.