An absence of challenge
Kezia Dugdale isn’t even trying to make our life difficult.
“I don’t think Jeremy can unite our party and lead us into government. He cannot appeal to a broad enough section of voters to win an election.” (22 August 2016)
“I believe that Jeremy can unite the Labour Party [and] win a general election.” (24 September 2016)
We’re sure that the media will pin Dugdale down over this weekend and we’ll get a detailed and convincing explanation of exactly what it is that she thinks changed about the fundamental nature of Jeremy Corbyn over that solitary month.
It hasn’t been the best of weeks for the newly super-mega-ultra-autonomous leader of the Scottish branch office, of course. On Thursday she was at the centre of a comical incident when her failure to record a vote let the Scottish Government escape defeat on a Tory amendment about the council tax.
Dugdale complained bitterly – blaming the Holyrood computer system even though it was checked after the event and found to be fully operational – because the subject matter was supposedly so important:
Alert readers already know that’s total hogwash, of course. The SNP pledged to abolish the council tax in their 2007 manifesto, but after their attempts to do so as a minority government were defeated by the combined opposition of the three Unionist parties they officially abandoned the idea in 2009, and it was no longer policy in the 2011, 2015 or 2016 manifestos.
But there was a major obstacle beyond Parliamentary arithmetic too:
It was Labour who effectively made the abolition of council tax impossible within weeks of the SNP first coming to power, by threatening an effective £400m cut to the Scottish budget if the policy was enacted. But then, since Kezia Dugdale’s memory evidently can’t be relied on over the space of a month, we suppose expecting it to go back almost a decade is asking for a lot.
How is it possible for Government to hold back a rebate when a rebate is pay back for an overpayment or money wrongly taken.
Government doesn’t actually own rebate money it actually belongs to those who are entitled to the rebate. By withholding it they are in effect stealing it.
Just what we have come to expect from Kezia Flip-flop Dugdale
Excellent dissection Rev, real investigative journalism, delving into the archives – so much better than any of the crap regurgitated by our MSM, keep up the good work I love this site.
I hope Kez stays “leader”, for a long long time.
Labour has not purged me,I purged myself of Labour because they betrayed not just the working class but have failed to stop the Tory destroyers.
Ruth Davidson is not the cuddly,happy jolly sticks, face of an unnamed party. She is a Tory destroyer.
Scotland please recognise those who would do you harm and support your defenders from these destroyers.
SNP X 2
You really do have to ask what newspaper and media ‘journalists’ are doing. They really do seem incapable of any investigative journalism or balanced, researched honest appraisals of what is going on. I know WM would rather we did not know and deliberately keeps things hidden for many years but surely someone other than the Rev and other indy writers, are working for the greater good of us citizens in this country.
Brilliant Rev. I didn’t know that. I wonder if any newspaper will cover this angle? It’s pretty topical after all. I’ll be scouring the French papers this morning. Well, no point in looking in the English language ones is there?
If ever anyone was in the wrong job. She’d make a good Tory cooncilor, mind…
BBC (I detest having to write that) Radio Scotland between 7 and 8 am today back talking about the SL’party’ as was the Dippy Dug.
The reporter also glossed over the beliefs of Dippy Dug by saying historically she did not think Corbyn could unite the party – so a month is now history; there was no mention of not being capable of winning an election under his leadership.
I really do not like that national broadcaster peddling any c**p they like in attempts to diminish the standing of the SNP and to try and convince folk that SLAB are still a force to be reconned with.
What Kezia doesn’t get is that a Labour party in Scotland led by right wing Red Tories is unelectable and always will be. Your Murphys, McTernans, Foulkes and Darlings have made them unelectable.
Labours constituency vote in 2016 was 22.6% down 9.2% which gave them 24 seats a loss of 14 mainly to the Tories yet Kezia believes a swing to the right will be the saviour of Labour in Scotland.
Sorry, but she has to be a deluded fool.
The Tories only got 22% of the constituency vote so between them, less than 45% of the Scottish electorate believe in Blue or Red Tory governance.
She really has to get her head around these facts before 2017 council elections and change tact if she wants Labour to survive as a political force in Scotland. She won’t though, but it will not matter as she will be gone and fade into obscurity.
So too will the party she leads, just a matter of time.
Long may she rein over them, happy and confused
re farnorthdavie at 9.46
If a month is “historically” in the eyes of the BBC how long is a generation?
re opinion polls, if asked, I say I am satisfied with the various Scottish Unionist Party leaders’ performances. What’s not to like about their incompetence?
I think we are in a new era of politics, politicians anyway.
Not just Kezia. Ruth is the same. U turns are made so often even they can’t know what their policies are anymore.
Politics without policies? Perhaps they are trying to replace principles with personality. They both have nae chance.
I believe Kezia is being interviewed on the politics show today.
I’m recording it, I’ll need a laugh after my work.
Seriously, adults and children need to tell their parents and grandparents, ‘look your not just F’cking this up for your grandchildren, but you are F’cking it up for everyone, as well as future generations of children not yet born’.
Well Rev i read it as please don’t sack me Jeremy i will do as you say kiss bum time.
Sometimes you just have to read between the lines
Though i think her sooking up is maybe a tad to late and i am sure us cybernats will remind JC all about what his Scottish branch said and did during their attempt to ruin his chance at being Labour party leader.
http//www.heraldscotland.com/news/14763232.Labour_candidate_defects_to_Tories_over_party_s__weak__stance_on_independence/
Herald covering a story about our ‘friend’ Brendan Davy defecting to the Tories. Wingers may recollect the Rev’s expose of this little turncoat challenger in Gordon. He was an assistant to Ann Begg, ex-Labour MP who was photographed beside some very dodgy extremist characters.
Turns out Davy is a closet kipper, an entryist. He led the Scottish Labour vote Leave campaign, believes Kez is too soft on independence, is in the Royal Navy reserve, and is English. He thinks Davidson is a more effective challenge to the SNP. A bright blue Brit Nat Tory all along.
“I believe that Jeremy can unite the Labour Party [and] win a general election.” STARDATE- (24 September 2016)
I believe for every drop of rain that falls,
A flower grows,
Like Kezia’s Nose.
Peace,Love and Pinocchio People.
To Mike:
The UK government “stealing” Scotland’s money? NEVER!
@One_Scot
‘look your not just F’cking this up for your grandchildren, but you are F’cking it up for everyone, as well as future generations of children not yet born’.
Agreed, the best thing we can all do is persuade OUR older relatives that the future is for the young. If they can’t bring themselves to vote Yes to a country free of Westminster rule then the least they could do is abstain and leave it to the younger generation to make their choice.
Work hard to persuade our old folk to ensure next time it’s our time. I’m sick of another countries voters making decisions for my country. Let’s Brexit, I want an exit from Britain. Vote Yes.
I wish Wings would stop focusing on trivial things like this. It’s just deflection. A squirrel if you like, diverting our attention away from the big stories.
When will Wings do an article about the Great British Bake Off?
Kezia, in charge?
Uncle Jeremy trying procedural tactics to block any transfer of power to SLabour
link to stv.tv
galamcennalath
“I think we are in a new era of politics, politicians anyway.
Not just Kezia. Ruth is the same. U turns are made so often even they can’t know what their policies are anymore.”
Don’t they call it Post-Truth politics? Such a phenomenon can only exist when journalistic standards of scrutiny and fairness are low/non-existent, as in the UK.
The real referendum question for Kezia and BLiS______d is posed by her dear old dad on Twitter: Do you wish your country to be governed by the Tories for ever?
That’s the reality they have to face and the choice they have to make.
I’m sure they’ll make the wrong choice and oblivion will follow.
Jeremy tries procedural tactics to “delay” new powers to Slabour
//stv.tv/news/politics/1367997-corbyn-calls-for-delay-on-scottish-labour-autonomy-deal/?utm_content=buffer42530&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer
Sorry about double post, got a message that something was wrong with original one
Well done Rev, nice timely reminder. I make notes of all this stuff, ready for the opportunity to answer any questions. Some journos could do with a wee refresher as I have never heard them lay the blame for the failure to scrap Council Tax at the feet of the real culprits.
The Labour Party.
Sorry to be o/t so soon, and this may have been mentioned before, but, according to Jeremy Corbyn on the Andrew Marr show this morning, the government intend to complete the Brexit negotiations with the EU without informing parliament of the details until the deal is signed and sealed.
In other words, Scotland’s assets could well have been negotiated away before we are even told about it. I’m really struggling to be nice to No voters now.
What do you like
The last dregs of the remainder of Labour party folk really aught to start getting a grip and catch themselves on here
They don’t like Kezia, they don’t like most of the Hoylrood party, they don’t like their own meetings, they don’t even like poor old Duncy Hothersall or Labour Hame, they know they’re never going to win a general election in the big England
The one chance Labour in Scotland has to do the right thing is to stop their nonsence and embrace the SNP as the party who really actually represents them
But they don’t like them
Commenting on Jeremy Corbyn’s re-election as leader of the Labour Party, Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale said…
“Jeremy can unite the Labour Party, but he needs to want to unite it. That means he needs to work with both the party across the country and MPs to provide an effective opposition to the Tories in Westminster…”.
(source link to scottishlabour.org.uk )
So one assumes Kezia adopts such thinking to her position within the North Britain accounting office. Can she unite? Does she want to unite? If we assume the answer to both is yes, what has gone wrong?
Maybe she’ll come out in the end and say she was working “under cover” for the SNP all along…. Daddy’s little girl.
Am losing track of days of the week, it seems every day is ah Dippity doo da day an nae sunshine anytime soon.
I’ve always been convinced that Kezia is working for the SNP (under cover maybe)
Don’t laugh! She,s doing a great job.
We don’t want a new leader of the monotonous, autonomous Labour in Scotland Party!
You would feel sorry for her if she wasn’t so stuck in her ways.
Everyone knows she is right about Corbyn. The guy is unelectable in England, and no-one seriously thinks he could be Prime Minister.
Yet she will just pretend otherwise now, bluffing it out, knowing Scotland will suffer under Tory rule for years to come.. unless we take matters into our own hands.
Got my sparkling carmugeon hat on again, but I don’t think it’s funny. It demeans Scottish politics to have people of such little presence or political aptitude thrust into the spotlight and held there with faux integrity to deliver whatever the Westminster puppet masters wish disseminated to the people of Scotland. Are we so feckless as a nation that even in opposition we can’t find any better leaders than this?
When you have “leaders” put there, based upon something other than merit, you have to ask who gains from having them installed, and what is it they gain?
In terms of progressive politics, we might just as well update the TV test card; animate it so once in a while the rag doll gets a bit of a shoogle. We’d be seeing the same intellectual difference.
I am just sick to the heart with Scottish politics. Not because it isn’t important, but because it is so artificial and contrived. There are so many jugglers, dancing bears, and acrobats dancing about on stage, kept inside the BBC’s spotlight, that the real issues which concern the leadership of our country scarcely get a look in. Labour Party politics is like nitrous oxide pumped into Scotland to keep us daft and giggling while they remove our teeth and hope we don’t notice.
It’s a crude formula, but the BBC needs a credible platform to deliver its poisoned propaganda, and if you remove the Scottish Labour glove puppet, then the people will see the hand of Westminster controlling the narrative and manipulating the agenda, and that simply wouldn’t do. Can’t have those uppity jocks thinking for themselves can we? Good lord, imagine if they ever managed to coordinate themselves behind doing what was best for Scotland.
It’s dishwater broth, but with a heady vapour, and it seems we Scots will swallow it by the bucket.
@Mike says: 25 September, 2016 at 9:16 am
” … (UK),Government doesn’t actually own rebate money it actually belongs to those who are entitled to the rebate. By withholding it they are in effect stealing it.”
Ach! Mike, considering that stealing Scottish resources is exactly what the Westminster Establishment has always done since 1 May 1707, are you actually surprised?
I look at kez and see someone promoted beyond her abilities and completely out of her comfort zone with obvious signs that her comfort zone is increasingly becoming a burden too big to handle.
kez ironically encapsulates all the traits of comrade corbyn, completely unelectable and prone to mishaps.
But, comrade corbyn has one advantage over comical kez, he has a deputy he sends out to face the music. kez has no deputy, her way round this is not to appear at all in front of the public and rely on office administrators to send correspondence to the press on her behalf.
corbyn is already reneging on the super, ultra, high and awesome max autonomy for Scottish labour, who’d have thought it?
Two sayings spring to mind:
A power devolved is a power retained.
He who pays the piper calls the tune!
Scottish labour is farcical!
Kezia’s phyzog when the result was announced was a classic stolen scone moment, then she realises the camera’s on her & claps wildly.
Sadly for Scottish politics both Dugdale and Scottish Labour are such basket cases that they hinder Scotland’s future.
A new Labour leader in Scotland with an Independence agenda would see us independent before the next General election.
Red Tory or Blue Tory? So many questions.
Bradley Wiggins:
The Tour de France winner and Olympic gold medalist said Mr Corbyn was a “lovely fella” but suggested the left-winger was out of touch as he heaped praise on Theresa May’s performance since she became Prime Minister.
link to archive.is
…And when ScotLab got rid of ‘StairheidRammy’ Lamont, they surely couldn’t have guessed that they were electing an even worse leader.
It’s so hard to care about Slab, but Breeks has a point, these folk like Kez and Ruth are a complete embarrassment to the new Scottish political scene.
We are aware of the spin, manipulation and bullshit. None of that stuff is substance, it’s flim flam on offer.
I genuinely think that the figure of 62% to Remain shows that there is a high level of engagement with the real issues and facts.
I don’t think it will be very long before the Corbyn shit kicks off again, judging by the sneering, gobby statements by Blairites this morning.
I have long held the opinion that the Rise Of New Labour was a CIA inspired exercise but have kept reasonably quiet about it in case I was laughed out of court over an alleged conspiracy theory without a shred of firm evidence to back it up.
However, becoming increasingly annoyed at the war of hate directed at Corbyn and the members of The Labour party by his own MPs and the whole of the UK Establishment I decided to stir things up and test the water this morning.
I therefore posted a comment at 6.42am this morning on the Lead Kez story in The Sunday Herald expounding my conspiracy theory.
I expected to be shot down in flames but so far comments posted supporting my theory exceed those attacking me so maybe there is something in it.
I would welcome comments either here or on the SH on my theory from any Wingers who would take the trouble to look at The SH, my comment and the responses thereto.
I’m telling you …Kezia’s feet must be made of asbestos.
Simply for all her hotfooting from one position, to the next, and back again, before jumping to a decision that is neither here nor there …it really is a wonder that she hasn’t burned the souls of her feet with such constant hopping and jumping around. It’s also still a wonder that she remains the Scottish Labour leader …let alone still being allowed in the Labour Party at all after a succession of screw-ups!
I don’t think I have ever seen such a ‘Calamity Jane’ as Kezia. In fact, she makes Calamity Jane look like ‘Safe-hands Jane’.
Seriously, how can one person get it wrong on a continual and regular basis? I mean, statistically, she should get it right now and again. But not Kezia. Never her…
I’m sure as a person outside politics, that she is a lovely person to speak too and is probably a right good laugh. But when it comes to frontline politics, she is working in the wrong environment and is in the wrong position. If one takes a big step back and looks at the Labour political landscape, one must wonder how it has not only come to this …but how on earth did a person such as Kezia end up as the Scottish Labour leader?
In fact, it’s not hard when you look at the timeline. Starting off with political heavyweights such as Donald Dewar and Henry McLeish, you can see the potential begin to dissipate with each passing leader.
Donald Dewar (7 May 1999 – 11 October 2000)
Henry McLeish (27 October 2000 – 8 November 2001)
Jack McConnell (22 November 2001 – 15 August 2007)
Wendy Alexander (14 September 2007 – 28 June 2008)
Iain Gray (13 September 2008 – 17 December 2011)
Johann Lamont (17 December 2011 – 24 October 2014)
Anas Sarwar (acting: 24 October 2014 – 13 December 2014)
Jim Murphy (13 December 2014 – 13 June 2015)
Iain Gray (acting: 13 June 2015 – 15 August 2015)
Kezia Dugdale (15 August 2015 – present)
Really, the problems began with Jack McConnell and Wendy Alexander; two people held up as political heavyweights but were really a few shades lighter in tone from Kezia when it came to cocking it up.
Therefore, one wonders then what comes after Kezia? Is it going to be Anas Sarwar …an absolute chancer?!? If Kezia is seen as a ‘shake of the head’ for her screw-ups by the Scottish electorate, then Anas Sarwar will surely anger and alienate most of Scotland if elected leader. He abstained on a vote during the Bedroom tax row, and if it came to discussing investment in State Education, then he is not exactly the paragon of virtue on this matter since he sends his own child to a private school.
But with no real alternatives to replacing Kezia, it means that UK Labour, Scottish Labour and the Scottish media are all stuck with the accident and gaffe prone Kezia. And with their hands tied behind their back by London Labour, the chances of a leader with true potential ever coming through are limited. How can one learn the ropes if they are denied by their London HQ. This conundrum also runs true for the Scottish Lib-Dems and the Tories. Ruth and Willie sit in the exact same boat as Kezia.
Therefore, knowing that the capacity to produce real quality leaders seems hindered, then it makes you wonder if Scottish Labour will ever be allowed near the reins of power within Scotland ever again…
Sunniva says at 10:09 am
Brendan Davy defecting to the Tories.
A lot of red Tories may shed their disguise and jump to Blue but more because they believe the hype that Rooth the Mooth is on the up and they have a better chance of retaining their place at the trough.
I was half listening to radio shortbread this morning and I thought I heard David Clegg say something about an opinion poll today with SLab on 16%. Lady from Herald (name escapes me) was flowing with praise for Ruth of the Onion. To be fair to David Clegg he did say that there would only be one winner in a straight Unionist vs Nationalist match and that Nicola would win hands down.
With declining support and no real power base in UK Labour I am not sure Kezia’s branch party has anywhere to go. The PLP and, it would seem, the membership are not as Corbynista as the rest of the UK. If not Kezia then who?
Neil Findlay is one the few ardent Corbyn fans but he is a SLab version of Murdo Fraser. Defined more by hatred of the SNP than issues, given to injudicious tweets and is not always desperately coherent…plus the PLP have already consigned him to the outer fringes in a previous vote.
Alex Rowley?
gus1940 says at 11:29 am
Interesting.
Are they (CIA etc.) now backing the Scots Tories (trips to Israel etc. in the company of MI5 Ops.) now that BLiS are a busted flush??
“We will ask Labour’s NEC, the Scottish Executive Committee and other bodies of the party to agree new arrangements that will deliver a more autonomous Scottish party…” – STV news.
In short, Kez gets a slightly longer leash.
Poor Deputy Deadwood, soon to be autonomous if the papers are to be believed…Oh wait!
Heard on shortbread radio this morning during ‘The paper review’ that there is a poll out showing ‘Scottish’ labour at about 16% That’s seriously bad….for them.
@Breeks
Your glass is half full… what a state we are in.
Things can only get better!
@Handandshrimp
Honest gov I didn’t copy ‘snap’
But you confirm my ears were working .
“How is it possible for Government to hold back a rebate when a rebate is pay back for an overpayment or money wrongly taken.”
It’s called bullying. Something that Westminster has been used to doing with the colonies for centuries. I think they see Scotland as their last piece of empire. I suppose we’re lucky they never sent a gunboat up the Forth to bombard our capital.
Kezia Dugdale being interviewed by Gordon Brewer – holy Jesus, how utterly hopeless is she.
Watching Dugdale through my fingers on Sunday Politics. Wheezy monotone ramblings, trying to shoehorn in her fantasy manifesto at every opportunity.
It’s not her, it is us, we cannot understand her – she has been absolutely clear.
Oh gawd, please make it stop
Kez’s nightmare continues. This interview is embarrassing.
Awoke this morning to hear Ming Campbell droning on, trying to lure disaffected Labour Unionists to join the Liberals (I think we can drop the Democrat joke now).
Also heard that SLAB are on 16%.
Then paper review. David Clegg asserted that we should allow fracking because we are importing fracked gas from US which is destroying the environment in the US so we should just do it here!. He says INEOS controls 20% of the Scottish economy and if we don’t allow them to frack they could throw a hissy fit.
Absolutely NO discussion of the Westminster reserved powers, that they issue licences etc etc. As others (Breeks) point out – we have no media capable of discussing the real issues. Their sole function is to spread fear, uncertainty and doubt.
@ Gus 1940 – if you’re not paranoid you’re not paying attention!
Gus1940 11.29
You’ll need to stop watching “The Ghost” on repeat!
Apparently a Sunday Times General election poll. Don’t know if it is sub sample or a full Scottish poll.
SNP 50%
Tories 21%
Labour 16%
Lib Dem 5%
Greens 4%
UKIP 4%
That is actually better for the pro independence parties than 2015.
Have just listened to a total rambling shambles from Dug on the politics show enough said.
For once Dugdale got it tight on the Politics show she waffled and waffled need I say more.
Bingo Wings Over Scotland says:
“I wish Wings would stop focusing on trivial things like this. It’s just deflection. A squirrel if you like, diverting our attention away from the big stories.
When will Wings do an article about the Great British Bake Off?”
I have to agree with this, Wings over Bath hardly even mentioned the fall out that Simon Cowell had with the Irish Geezer when that was full blaze over Scotland’s MSM.
My question is: Does the so called Reverend even care???
Just watched Sunday Politics report on the question of council tax in Scotland.
Apart from the usual feeling that the visuals in these reports presume the viewer is very simple-minded –
mention education – oh look! a school! –
there was no mention of the important historical points made here.
Nor, incidentally, of the absence of one tory mp from the crucial vote.
Ah! Back in the hoose at last tablet, commandeered by the grand-daughter:
Paul Hutcheon: Kezia Dugdale made a bad political mistake yesterday
link to archive.is
gus1940
I’ve always thought Blair was a plant and CIA involvement wouldn’t surprise me in the least. Wasn’t it they who coined the phrase “conspiracy theorist” to shut anyone up that tried to reveal the truth behind their shenanigans. They went a bit further with Gary Webb, of course. Be very careful.
Can someone provide link to the honking interview Kezia just did with Gordon The Brewer? Sounds tasty…
call me dave 12.21
That last paragraph.
” The wider lessons for her are obvious: focus on your obvious strengths as leader; seek better advice from a wider group of people, and stop acting like a bit-player in an increasingly tedious sit-com. “
Obvious strengths!
@Thepnr says: 25 September, 2016 at 10:14 am:
” … Agreed, the best thing we can all do is persuade OUR older relatives that the future is for the young.”
I’m older folks, Thepnr, and if you try to tell me such things you stand a very good chance of a very sore nose.
When are you bloody fools going to realise that those still clinging to Unionist ideals are not doing so simply because they are older, per se, but because they ARE the remnants of what were the Unionist party members?
It is because the unionist parties are in sharp decline that they are, of necessity, now composed of a older generational membership.
There are whole families in Scotland that have, for generations, been Labour, Tory and LibDem councillors, MSPs, MPs and MEPs. I’ll give you an example.
The present deputy leader of the Labour in Scotland party is Alex Rowley. Alex’s father was a Labour Councillor. Alex’s middle name is Penman and the Penman’s were also Labour and even Communist party members before him, These families have in-laws and connections in their communities and family loyalties go back a long time.
Not so long ago Scotland was almost border to border Labour controlled. We had local & regional Councillors, Holyrood MSPs, Westminster MPs and European Parliament members and they were almost all Labour Party. Now consider their immediate and extended families and the inevitable hingers-oan and their Trade Union, Co-op and paid agents such as election agents.
That’s an awful lot of Labour party members but as the Labour Party has been in decline their average age is inevitably higher than the Scottish average.
By drawing the wrong conclusion that just by being older a person is more inclined to be anti-independence you only risk alienating those who would be ready to listen and be converted.
If an old dyed in the wool independence activist like myself gets annoyed at you then think how someone on the fence will react.
Oh please release her let her go
for we don’t understand her anymore
she’s a waste of space and a disgrace
release her let her go
Fur aw that fur n aw that
Kezia’s day’s ur numbered
fur aw that.
If you are stuck for how to challenge those who are not prepared to move from the party they and their parents voted for all their lives, why not show them this and tell them that the British state is required to make it happen. Then you could ask them to think why the British state is not complying with international law on development.
link to un.org
Gus1940 / Weechid
Guys, you have to stop with the wild theories like the ones that you are proposing (that Blair was a plant and the CIA set about manipulating British politics).
Coming out with theories like that will just turn away new folk from this site. You will be supplying the media with treasured nonsense like this and have them finger-pointing us as raving-loony nationalists.
Simply put, greed has driven men like Tony Blair and parties such as New Labour to forget their principles and morals. Once they realised that wealth beyond their wildest dreams was very real, they sold out. It’s as simple as that.
That is why the Labour Party today finds itself in a mini civil war because half of their MP’s want to still eat and drink from a trough that will make them wealthy. They see themselves sitting a few years in the Commons before taking up positions as ‘advisors’ and ‘executives’ on major company boards where they can fill their boots with real wealth. That’s what they aspire too.
There is no conspiracy theories. It was just greed that destroyed men and parties such as Blair and New Labour.
@Ian Brotherhood
link to youtube.com
Sometimes it feels, when reading the Unionist press, and listening to the Yoons that parrot their lies, like you are living your life through the novel 1984. where the population are told that the chocolate ration has increased this month to 2oz per week and while the folks cheer, I am like Citizen Winston Smith, thinking, “It was 3 oz last month”. Are the Yoons so stupid they are like the sheep in Animal Farm bleating, “Four Legs good, two legs bad?” Or should that be baaaaaad.
Answers on a postcard addressed to:
The Bleeding Obvious
1707 Union Street
Aberdeen
North Britain
GSTQ BBC.
“Scotland will be free, when the last minister is strangled by the last copy of the Sunday Post”.
I’ll settle for the last copy of the Record, and the last Unionist MP.
Stephen.
P.S. Hamish100, no sweary words this time. Mind you, you think I’m a plant anyway, so whats the point?
I once thought the writer of the “Kezia” article was full of promise – I believe that was in 2012 .
I have since revised my opinion.
I look , seek , search for “obvious strengths” both in the opposition parties and the press – and sadly find I none.
Yougov had a poll the other day on voting intentions for another indyref, and which party was voted for in last GE and SE.
For once it wasn’t full of consumerist questions to obscure the real intent of the survey, and for once, I didn’t get suddenly dropped ‘ooh something has gone wrong with our page, please try again later’ when I answered Yes or SNP. Not sure if its the same poll being discussed in above comments.
JLT
Watch Argo.
re the dugdale interview.
The unionists really are having a Clinton/Trump dilemma.
Or, as we well-educated Scots would say
“How’s it goin’ with that Scylla and Charybdis thing, pal?
Dugdale or Davidson?
Not exactly ‘Daddy or chips”.
Isn’t Kezia’s Dad & Mum SNP?
Is she a 5th columnist for Alex and Nicola?
If so, carry on Agent Dugdale, you’re doing a great job. Back to Bute House for Tea & Medals.
Kezia, the Muttley of Parliament.
Stephen.
Dugdale wasn’t even asked anything difficult, merely to clarify the inconsistent statements she had put out over the last 24 hours. It really shows how easy a time she has had from MSM. She doesn’t answer the question, then tries to steamroll over the interviewer, getting in a few SNP bad statements towards the end when she remembers Slab’s raison d’etre.
So the strategy for the Council elections appears to be to focus on Tory cuts, calling them ‘SNP double cuts’? Well the SNP have been warned so perhaps they can counter this earlier rather than leaving it to the elections?
Just saw Gordon Brewer tossing Kezia Dugdale around like a killer whale playing with a frightened seal. Funnier and even more excruciating than the Seinfeld boxset I’ve just been watching.
(Not that there’s anything wrong with that!)
Incompetence + Lack of Integrity = Lack of Credibility. A simple equation that Scottish Labour would do well to take on board.
Keep up the good work Mr Campbell.
What you will not hear, “and it was no longer policy in the 2011, 2015 or 2016 manifestos,” in any tory BBC media stuff. Sadly.
SLabour collapse in Scotland puts a little bit more heat under Thatcher 2’s Brexit means Brexit jibber jabber. If they fail to get a Brexit that works, why stay under tory London reign Scotland?
Although Brewer did spectacularly fail to ask Kez the obvious question: if Scottish Labour can have “autonomy” (aye, right!) why can’t Scotland?
@Nana –
Thanks for that link.
It’s bad enough that Kezia Dugdale manages to give two-fingers to everyone with more than fresh air between their ears, but she compounds the offence by maintaining that inane grin throughout.
Yes, she’s an asset to the Yes movement generally, but this interview is evidence of how debased political discourse has become.
She is a disgrace.
@ JLT Kin we no hiv the Intrigue wie the greed.
I can just see Kezia walking away from that Thick of It-style interview thinking: “That went well…”
At least Kez was being honest. She can’t be any clearer. That’s as “clear” as she ever gets.
(That interview was so bad I was more interested in the passers-by at the Labour conference and how glum they all looked. Did anyone else spot the guy in the sharp suit with a great big pink mohawk…?)
I think Kez learned to “smile” from Ruthie Tank Commander. Who learned from Judge Death…
Another straw in the wind.
link to archive.is
O/T
Footie: Not any of my teams but a break from Kezia. 0-0
link to neolive.net
Kez obviously has very thick skin which apparently matches her intellect. Maybe not her fault, however if she has the brass knock to put herself in front of the public and pocket the cash then hell mend her.
However what eejits voted her into this position and constantly tell us how good and knowledgable she is. Now there is the root of labours problems. Along with selling their country and soul to London Tories/establishment to the detriment of their own country.
Apparently 58% of Labour members voted Owen Smith in Scotland. So by not backing Corbyn Dugdale was only reflecting the views of her membership.
It may also go some way to explain why Corbyn seems reluctant to allow the Scottish branch office autonomy, what with Ian Murray being opposed to him too and being a leading figure in it.
So the question for the likes of Alex Rowley is, how far do you go on supporting SLab?
I loved it when Kez got aw biscuit-ersed and huffed that she’d rather the interview had been about public services and Brewer said it would have been if Labour hadn’t called another leadership election.
(Do you know what Paxman disparagingly calls Brewer? Mini-Me. Heh.)
Sheesh!
Believe it or not but there is now a new DAB Radio Station broadcasting to Scotland and it is named. “UNION JACK RADIO.”
That’ll be very, very popular with wingers I expect.
Kezia- we will fight the tories and snp cuts— so how come she was voting with the tories last week…… oh she voted with the tories but it didn’t work..helping the snp.
Is Kezia Dugdale just so very clever and we don’t notice?
……….naw.
@ Nana You should have provided Mr Brotherhood wie a pre script & a translator , he might not have updated his waffle software lol.
Ok Mr B
O.k. guys an gals. I just checked out Union Jack Radio.
Turns out it is a DJ-less station where the listeners pick the next tune. The caveat is that they only play British, (mind you not UK), music.
link to factmag.com
We could really have some fun here flooding them with requests for The Corries or better still the pipes & drums of the Scottish regimental bands or Ally Bain even.
@ Hamish 100 (Is Kezia Dugdale just so very clever and we don’t notice?)
send me yer address an i,ll send U ah cake of Carbolic soap lol.
BTW:
Radio Union Jack is DAB+ so if you have an older DAB Radio you won’t get it. Mind you some Dab Radios can be updated by firmware. It may also be on-line.
Union Jack Radio
Or as the NME calls it –
Radio Brexit!
link to archive.is
” The aural equivalent of being fed a black pudding by a dinner lady in a motorway café while a bulldog pisses on your leg “
Still, you can always listen to it on your Union Jack Radio!
link to archive.is
@Ian Brotherhood
No problem Ian.
I find it offensive that this woman is given any airtime, was she really the best they had to offer. For years they got away with it, putting any clown up as a mp/msp hoping the electorate would not notice.
That’s the real reason they hate the snp, the party that showed them up for being a load of incompetent liars.
The bbc are going to turn their favour onto Davidson now that slab have been shown up so much.
Getting sick of it all.
@Ronnie Anderson
Dugdale was fairly waffling Ronnie, must have been all the waffles she ate at breakfast.
@Ronnie Anderson
Dugdale was fairly waffling Ronnie, must have been all the waffles she ate at breakfast.
O/T
Here is the phantom power video, I believe it was blocked last night but Newsnet are supporting.
link to youtube.com
Yes! Here’s where you can request a song on Radio Union Jack :-
link to unionjack.co.uk
@ Robert Peffers 1.47.
Don’t forget The Red Hot Chilie Pipers!
O/t A warning to anyone hoping to read any Sensible Coherent comments in the Scotsman don’t bother , it’s like the Twilight Zone over there, oh well at least most of the loons seem to have been corralled in one place, and it’s scary to think these nut jobs are out unsupervised and could very well be living in your street or road , and folks here want to save these people, well f/k that , a fair number of rabid Scots are not worth the effort so why try they will never listen ever .
Nanna
You’re link and the news net one are both coming up blocked.
Do you have any idea why it’s been taken down?
Hi Liz g
Do you mean the Dugdale one and the Phantom power?
Just checked and both are working for me right now. Try switching your computer off for a few minutes and clear your cache.
OT
But that missing tory ,Douglas Roy, gets himself about.
link to archive.is
Mr Peffers , my eyes hurt now that I visited RUJ – thanks a bunch!
Re. Phantom Power and Govenhill Baths. Place activists in the space of yooniformity,….nice.
N.B. The semiotic theory of space and place tells us the more autonomy from central control, the more likely that new practices and processes will emerge. That’s cultural development that is. Further, public space is the platform for social life and so enables the expression of cultural and moral identity. Fancy that.
P.S. If public space is to enable the expression of culture that is inclusive, than it must be free at the point of entry. Otherwise you have an environment which is characterised by limited culture expression. That’s BBC BLiS_____d that is.
UnionJack radio:
Sugababes:
Push the Button
link to youtube.com
Nanna
Sorry ment the Phantom Power one.
Ok will try what you suggested….. Thanks
There seems to be a number of wingers that wake up to something nasty on the radio. Hardly sets you up for the day and will do your blood pressure and stress levels no good whatsoever.
How ever help is at hand. Ether using internet radio, your smart phone etc. It’s possible to wake up to birdsong radio. No talking. Just the chatter of birds.
Now how you work out if your waking to birdsong radio or Kesia Dugdale is your problem.
How are the queens eleven getting on at Pittodrie?
WELL OT
Fit nae last second penalty for NewCo. Well FM!
QE11 leaked too many goals.
@Vambomarbeleye
Yes tried that for a wee while… it’s OK very relaxing.
Also got a thingy that does UV lighting with choices of various wind chimes and water noises… but it makes want to get up to have a pee!
Kez’a new toryboy spokesberk is not exactly setting the heather alight, on twitter at least.
Alan Roden Retweeted
Scottish Labour ?@scottishlabour 22h
Speaking at #LabWomen16 @kezdugdale criticised Nicola Sturgeon and Theresa May for presiding over cuts in Scotland.
He’s a ferocious toryboy but for how much longer will Kez be the boss, feminist Roden’s not saying.
Alan Roden Retweeted
Margaret Keenan ?@MargaretKeenan 22h22 hours ago
Don’t let Tories tell you Labour don’t elect women leaders – you’re looking at one @kezdugdale tells Labour National Women’s Conference
Today, on the Great British News Bulletin:
Labour peer resigning citing Brexit, “The British people have spoken”.
And in the same breadth, “We must appeal to Middle England”.
Ah, the good old United Kingdom Assembly of Nations.
Dugdale’s dad is tweeting the new question for Indyref2:
“Do you want your country to be ruled by Tories forever?”
Meanwhile, BBC is reporting that Yvette Cooper demands that Corbyn stop the online twitter abuse. Ring a bell?
Finally, in Bath, lost film about Bath “Queen of the West” to be screened.
link to bbc.co.uk
“Do you want your country to be ruled by Tories forever?”
Clearly just enough ex SLabour voters do, as they switched to Ruth Davidson last Scots GE. But Ruth is a working class tory though, that’s the best kind of tory you can get. Well there is the rarer Slovene tory, like my girlfriend, who has a tantrum if you suggest he’s a working class tory, its not pretty.
With love and Britnat best wishes from BetterTogether Slovenia:D
Adam Tomkins MSP ?@ProfTomkins Sep 24
As Corbyn drags Labour to extremism and obscurity there is a vibrant centre-ground party to join in Scotland
David Maddox @DavidPBMaddox
The mythical beast of Scottish legend exists! An actual #redtory has been discovered…a coup for @RuthDavidsonMSP
Adam Tomkins MSP Retweeted
Ruth Davidson ?@RuthDavidsonMSP 3h3 hours ago
Ruth Davidson Retweeted David Maddox
Not so mythical. Thousands of former Labour voters turned to us in May, now activists, councillors and candidates are too. They’re welcome.Ruth Davidson added,
Ruthie and Rennie trying to sell new lamps for old, rubbing up the tarnish with a new pledge. Cannae see it working shurley!
link to archive.is
call me dave says:
25 September, 2016 at 3:47 pm
Ruthie and Rennie trying to sell new lamps for old
Interesting how Ruthie babes doesnt say out loud, vote blue tory and there will never be another Scottish independence referendum.
“Writing in the Sunday Times, the Scottish Conservative leader said: “I am therefore determined to build a moderate Scottish Conservative party that appeals to the same people who supported Brown and Blair: one which knows that economic growth only has value if it works in tandem with social progress.”
Ride on the Ruthie Babes blue tory tandem? Its all up to hard core red tory yoons like Dr NO! here, who’s style of red tory UKOK bullshit, Ruth’s clearly been reading.
Scott Arthur ?@DrScottThinks 28 Jul 2015 Islington, London
Labour’s recovery shouldn’t be about right v left, or rich v poor. It is about convincing everyone that social justice is in their interest.
Seriously, anyone pushing for Scotland to remain in this corrupt and damaging union, while England takes back control from the EU, you have to wonder what their ulterior motive is.
Jeez! Just watched Sunday Politics Scotland on BBC iPlayer.
My God …Kezia …answer the bloody question instead of the droning mantra of ‘Jeremy has united us. We need a United Labour. Only a united party can win the next election’.
Brewster asked her again and again why she’s hotfooted twice on who she backed as Labour leader. She just won’t answer it. Instead …droning mantra.
However, Brewster like a ferret with a rat, just won’t let it go. You can see in the end, that Kezia’s not just hacked off, but getting angry. And yet, Brewster all charm, just keeps asking her in simple layman’s terms …‘Why did you back Owen Smith and not Jeremy Corbyn? Why are you backing Jeremy now?’
Instead, mantra…‘Jeremy has united us. We need a United Labour. Only a united party can win the next election’.
Eventually Brewster changed the agenda and tried to get Kezia to discuss future Scottish Labour policies, but still, it was just another rehash of ‘Tory bad …SNP Baaad. We need to stop cuts!’.
Aye …a font of wisdom and enlightenment is our Kezia. For the people of Scotland, the gift that just keeps on giving…
Nana @ 2:05
Thanks for that link.
Been away from Glasgow for so long I just stupidly thought that the places of my childhood still existed.
Saddened to here the home of Kingston was under threat. I swam with the Castlemilk club and Kingston were our biggest rivals (Whiteinch tried but they were pants). The great thing about those swimming clubs was they were for everyone. Nae money, nae bother. And they had half decent coaches. Even went to Dundee for the national trials through them.
Well done to all who fought to keep that place alive. Next time i’m home I will have a wee daunner through Govanhill, it’s been a while
@ronnie anderson
Kin we no hiv the Intrigue wie the greed.
LOL …naw!
Nah, but seriously, Everything that has taken place in the last 30 odd years has revolved around money. Thatcher, the Tories and many businessmen got rich from selling off council houses and state assets that had previously been in nationalised; Iraq was about oil and the arms industry, and for many, getting appointments in banking and the financial industries from the 1990’s onwards during what was to become the biggest Ponzi scheme since the 1930’s that would eventually crash the world in 2008.
It’s always been about money for many politicians. Many just want to ride the gravy train to a very early retirement and to a lovely nest egg.
Intrigue however …is another matter. And Westminster being the most Byzantine of all European Parliaments, probably holds more state secrets and whispers than all the rest of the Parliaments in Europe put together. And only God knows what has been buried deep into the archives of that Palace that won’t be seen for a good couple of hundred years…
@Smout
You are very welcome. Sometimes seeing old haunts can be bittersweet as nothing stays the same much as we sometimes want them to.
Oh dear!
I have just watched some of the interview of Kezia with Gordon because I thought it would be such a laugh. Well, that was a mistake. It was a total embarrassment actually, so much so that I couldn’t bring myself to watch the lot and I do not support labour. I can only begin to imagine the degree of torture that such an interview would inflict on someone holding some affection for the labour party.
I started to cringe when Gordon was initially trying to remain calm and composed when attempting her to understand ‘it can’t be true simultaneously that …” but when that didn’t work and he passed then to ‘in which logical universe are those two statements clear and consistent…’ you knew it was going to be painful. To be frank it would have been far less embarrassing for the branch if they had put one of those dolls that you press a button at the back and they start parroting the same record over and over again until their battery runs out. It was beyond embarrassing.
It is after interviews like this that one has to wonder how this person could have ever got the position of leader of what used to be the second biggest party in Scotland, but hey, this is the handiwork of a disgustingly biased MSM, isn’t it?
The MSM lifted her up from being a non-entity into a golden pedestal of ‘pretend wisdom’ to which now not even themselves can climb: ‘you are the one holding us back, Gordon’ or, ‘Gordon change the record, we have been round this so many times!’, ‘I have been a b s o l u t e l y consistent and very clear Gordon, but let me do it for you, once again…’ Ouch!! This is what I call biting the hand that feeds you.
I guess the only time I really laughed my head off was Kezia’s eureka moment:
‘let me put it this way Gordon, divided parties don’t win elections’
Hooray! And there she is, such wisdom explains why she is the leader of the branch. Shame that she and the coupers didn’t realise of that fact before deciding to descend into the leadership challenging farce that stopped labour to challenge the tories.
Fascinating though was that she said in the interview that ‘she is fully committed to and what she gets up every morning for is to fight for the labour party to reach government in the UK’.
I see, so what about Scotland and leading the branch in Scotland? How far down is that in the priority list? Is that even in the priority list?
So can we now be absolutely clear from her words that all her stubborn rejection of indiref2 and reluctance to acknowledge the 45% is only because her commitment is with the Labour party and not with the Scottish citizens she represent? Yeah, that was quite clear.
I have the feeling that Kezia’s borrowed time is up:
‘Kezia you are the weakest link. Goodbye! (bang!, MSM pedestal of wisdom is taken away)’
Oops autonomy on or off, again
link to twitter.com
link to politicshome.com
Nana
So true, but thank you for reviving forgotten times. loads of good memories too
Lx
I used to be schizophrenic, but nowadays I’m in two minds about it.
The old ones are the best.
Cameron Clegg Miliband all resigned. Davidson and Mundell backed the Remain English loser, yet, they see nothing wrong now in promoting Brexit, even although it was the ‘democratic will of the people of Scotland'(see, I can use that wee sneering dig just like they can) to Remain.
They see nothing wrong with it.
‘I opposed bringing back hanging. Now that England has voted for capital punishment, string ’em up.’ That seems to be their perverse logic.
They should surely have resigned, like Cameron, because the UK electorate voted to leave?
They are after all Unionists and constantly tell us that it is the ‘UK vote’ that counts, when it suits them.
Willie Rennie should resign on principle too.But who would notice?
It may be argued that Kezia Dugdale is quite seriously deranged.
Jenny Mara will be the next one over the parapet.
Or perhaps the great lumbering JaBa the But?
I’ve not tuned into BBC News Where You Are in over a week.
How Brewer, Joffre, Campbell, and Taylor can perpetuate the myth that Dugdale, Davidson and Rennie are anything other than poor makeweights beats me.
Unless of course, they know that, as surely they must, but it suits the Unionist cause to populate Holyrood with a bunch of low division dullards, to ensure that out nascent democracy is sabotaged by the nonsensical ‘baloney’ this trio spout every week, as epitomised by their performances at FMQ.
Scotland deserves better that a bunch of predominantly unelected chancers intent on destroying Scotland.
They are truly Red Blue and Yellow Tories, anti Scottish wreckers,in the pay of their WM masters.
Was this the headline in today’s Sunday Herald?
Will this be the headline in tomorrow’s National?
The Rev. Stuart Campbell does investigative journalism for free while the sheep in wolves’ clothing pocket the money of gullible independence supporters.
Was this the headline in today’s Sunday Herald?
Will this be the headline in tomorrow’s National?
The Rev. Stuart Campbell does investigative journalism for free while the wolves in sheep’s clothing pocket the money of gullible independence supporters.
@frogesque says: 25 September, 2016 at 2:06 pm:
“@ Robert Peffers 1.47.
Don’t forget The Red Hot Chilie Pipers!”
Oh! frogesque, I didn’t forget them, nor the many, many other great Scottish musical successes over the years. Many of whom were never really recognised as even being Scottish.
For example, from the 1950s/60s we had Leither Alex Welsh, band leader, and his Traditional Jazz band who were recognized by the old USA jazz greats as being great performers.
There were also many great Scottish individual instrumentalists who played in the great, “Big Bands”, such as that of Duke Ellington and others of the, “Swing”, era.
The ones I chose were those who would most annoy those most likely to become, “Union Jack Radio”, listeners.
@Liz g
In case you did not manage to get the link working, the video is now on vimeo
@Dorothy Devine says: 25 September, 2016 at 2:38 pm:
“Mr Peffers , my eyes hurt now that I visited RUJ – thanks a bunch!”
Ah! But! Dorothy, if I had just attempted to tell you how obnoxious it was you just would not have believed me. No one would. It simply has to be seen to believe it.
Now you do – sore eyes and all. It might have been worse and you would have had sore ears and a sore head too.
Nanna
Thank you very much,just finished watching it.
Couldn’t get the link to work right enough, even tried from their own site.
Was left with only my normal go to response (wait till one of the kids get home to fix it),then you showed up a saved the day.
Thanks Again.
Front page of The National for those asking (Rock):
link to twitter.com
@ Kezia Dugdale
Ruthie babes sounding a bit Fabian there Ms. D? Better watch she doesn’t park her tank on your lawn. Then again, you are both British nationalists so why don’t you simply merge your parties? Support the Conservative and Labour Unionists rather than the Scottish electorate’s “Right to Development”, eh?
@Liz g
No problem Liz.
It’s a good video, terrific quality and the producers have a fundraiser right now which is struggling a bit.
So if anyone wants to donate here it is
link to indiegogo.com
End of era red toryboys strike back. Stay in the UK, just don’t spend UK money, or else! In end of era times like these, you have to wonder if you’ve way over estimated rather a lot of the UKOK tub thumping twerps:-(
Scott Arthur ?@DrScottThinks 40m40 minutes ago
Mhairi Black claimed £17,700 in flights in 2015/16, all of which appear to be business class… & you defend her.
Scott Arthur ?@DrScottThinks 41m41 minutes ago
The SNP’s Mhairi Black claimed £17,700 in flights in 2015/16, all of which appear to be business class. This included 39 trips to London.
Heedtracker @ 8.51
Mibbi somebody should ask Dr Scott if he thinks asking Nicola to reduce airport tax would help with Marhi Black bill?