April Fool Of The Year 2016
Goes to the BBC, for this cracker on Friday.
That is some arch satire right there, Auntie. Well done.
Because, of course, Kezia Dugdale did anything BUT clarify her independence stance with the comments quoted in the piece. Alert readers will remember that the confusion arose because on Wednesday Dugdale had startlingly told the nation that she’d refuse point-blank to respect any democratic mandate for a second independence vote:
…but then the next day had told the Fabian Society that should Scotland face being dragged out of the EU against its will by a Brexit vote, it was “not inconceivable” that she’d actually vote for Scottish independence in order to stay in Europe.
So clearly there was something that needed clarifying. But according to the BBC:
That doesn’t help us out at all. Whether Labour voted for a second indyref or not would almost certainly have absolutely no impact on whether or not one happened. The question was how she would vote in one if it did.
Dugdale continued:
Now, that DOES seem clearer – although it doesn’t so much “clarify” the comments in the Fabian Society interview as completely reverse them. But wait:
I want to stay in both unions and will vote to stay in both.”
And suddenly it’s a bit vague again. Because the entire point of the scenario being put to Dugdale is that you COULDN’T vote to stay in both. It’d be one or the other. Either Scotland would have to stay in the UK and thereby be forced out of the EU, or it’d have to leave the UK in order to stay in the EU.
So we still don’t know. Dugdale has told us that she wants to have her cake and eat it. In the space of five days she’s told us that she might vote for independence in the Brexit scenario, then that she wouldn’t, then that she wants to vote for both options. But that isn’t possible. You have to pick one.
Since Kezia Dugdale doesn’t answer when we ask her stuff, we can only throw the question out to the mainstream Scottish media in the hope that they might put it to her directly in the hope of a straight answer:
In the entirely plausible near-future scenario where you had to choose between unions – that is, Scotland remaining in the United Kingdom OR remaining in the EU, where only one was possible – which would you vote for?
We’re not holding our breath, obviously. But only when we’ve got a simple, direct and unambiguous response to that will the idea that Dugdale has “clarified” her stance on independence be anything but a joke.
Blowing in the wind…
If Scotland was in EU and England was not , would the border still be open ?
If it would (there would be free trade between the two ) .
If it would not be open , then there will be all sorts of custom slips and border delays .
If the border was to be open , and the main reason for UKIP , Brexit , is “control our borders , control immigration ”
Then the rUK will have a drafty back door (no doubt with Ireland as well ) .
Which tends me to think , even if there is a “Brexit “, it will be more a EU 2.0 , and some kind of re imagining of the EU , we wont really know the difference between in and out .
Is “clarification” the same thing as a U turn?
“The collapse in the oil price showed that the best way to secure our public services is to stay in the UK.”
Looks like Kez forgot to add “so we can then raise taxes to offset cuts from a Tory government we didn’t vote for”
It seems Kezia Dugdale is as usual dodging answering the question she was actually asked by answering one she wasn’t.
Illustrating perfectly the problem with London’s unionist parties. Scotland cannot decide on anything while attached to England as it is too big and stupid to do anything right.
With FPTP its impossible for England to produce a proper mandate, instead we get insane parties like the Tories in the process of privatising schools. We have to pay for a new bridge, but also for a new London railway?
Unionists – either stupid or insane.
Poor old Kezia, she seems to be completely bamboozled by a pretty simple question, and is trying to bluster her way through it and hope no-one notices she hasn’t actually answered it. She seems to be paralysed with fear that admitting she might vote ‘Yes’ in these circumstances somehow commits her to voting ‘Yes’ at any time.
Has anyone asked Ms Davidson what she would do in the same scenario? Is her commitment to Westminster stronger than her desire to stay in the EU?
OK.
While this is entertaining, I think what we have here is a wee dug chasinng it’s own tail.
What the border between an iScotland @ rUK would look like depends upon whether iScotland would join the Common Travel Area. I get the impression that the SNP would strongly like to, however Better Together where very negative about it in the run up to Indyref1.
Of course, given all the noise the “Leave the EU” camp are making about “regaining control of our borders” maybe they want to leave the CTA too? (An idea that’s likely to go over in N.Ireland about as well as fart in a lift!)
Proof that she is a vacuous and moronic!
The Romans had a saying that applies to Dugdale and the rest of her Slab cohorts .
” words fall from mouth, like shit from arse”
if brexit
in the council elections in 2017, we can campaign for a referendum. the snp councillors can put indyref2 on their manifestos and hey presto, nicola has her “if the people of scotland want one” mandate
simples
A different day, a different answer. Unionist policy. Clear as mud.
Serious question, and I am genuinely not trying to be funny or smart. I gave my first and only vote to Labour when I was eighteen. Now a bit older I do find it difficult to understand why people would still vote for Labour.
If there is anyone reading this who intends to vote for Labour in may I would be very grateful if you could tell me why, as I know I don’t have all the answers, and I may well be missing something.
….but Scotland is only a word, isn’t it ?!?
If David Cameron can hold an EU IN/OUT referendum (even though he probably would have much prefered not to), why then can’t the Unionist parties in Scotland put an Indy Ref commitment into their SE2016 manifestos? Have IndyRef#2 sooner rather than later, at their time of choosing (should they get it through Holyrood of course), get a second NO vote and kill the constitutional question for a ‘generation’?
Why don’t they do this? What are they afraid of? Democracy?
Ms Dugdale brilliantly embraces Dissoi Logoi, and in so doing “owns” her detractors!The SNP will be shaking in their boots.
With such fantastic political manoeuvrings she really is the reincarnation of Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli.
Kezie whit ah Tosser an never even went tae ah Tossing School but she,s found double headed pennies an still canny win.
Trying to get any sense out of Kezia Dugdale is, to quote Robbie Coltrane playing Dr Johnson in Blackadder, “very time-consuming, and completely pointless.”
This is clarification in the sense of butter: runny, insubstantial and completely see-through.
I think Bernard and the rest of us are still wondering ‘did she just say what I think she said?’. 😀
No amount of Kezia’s ‘clarification’ will wash away the answer to those questions. The leader of a regional party branch that doesn’t believe in the potential of its own population. So much so in fact, that ‘for their own good’, Kezia Dugdale would be fully willing and prepared to bin the democratic process.
Way to go Labour. Marginalized yourself and your electorate in one mighty cluster***k of a referendum strategy. Are you feeling better together yet?
Papko,
Norway is in Schengen and has an open(ish) border with Sweden and the rest of the EU, though it’s not in the EU itself. Commercial goods stop for customs; people drive straight through. No reason the rUK couldn’t do something similar within the UK/Ireland free travel area.
Ooops! Incomplete quotation @ 11:18
“Like putting wheels on a tomato: very time-consuming, and completely pointless.”
“not inconceivable” – now that’s a very woolly and John Majorish statement, isn’t it.
Spot-on Stu. BBC SLAB’s Holyrood 16 campaign function: mask Kez’s flip-flopping and ineptitude. Day after the STV Leader’s Debate, Glenn Campbell decided Indyref II was the defining issue. Spent the full day trolling the air-waves with “Davidson got biggest cheer of the night for holding Nic to account on once in a generation pledge”. He also EXPLICITLY stated that Dugdale ‘got round’ (dodged) an awkward question about re-campaigning with the Tories. Eh no she didn’t; she answered in the affirmative. The Beeb’s telling of the Labour campaign story is the epitomy of spin. Malcolm Tucker eat yir f*ckin heart out.
Regarding the forthcoming ballot papers will they state.
“Vote for Xxxxxx your Labour candidate.
Schrodinger for First Minister”
The less power labour fumblers
have in the next parliament,
the better.
If we assess their ability to govern,
based on how they’ve run recent
election campaigns..
It won’t be u-turns..it’ll be the u-bend.
There is a saying; “If you can’t ride two horses at the same time,you should not be working in a circus”.
She is in the wrong job.
For the avoidance of doubt, Ireland is not a foreign country. It is a home country, hence the Common Travel Area.
And I would expect an indy Scotland to be treated similarly. The EU issue is actually a yoon red herring!
What will be her next flip-flop? Me I’m just off to meet Nicola in Lerwick and a bit of sanity. Hope I’ve stopped laughing to be able to concentrate on driving.
Auld Rock
Slab’s support base in Scotland is dying off like… like… like a support base of frightened old pensioners who are naturally dying off.
Dugdale’s only chance of conjuring up any interest now rests on her willingness to reveal details of her private life. Maybe Attenborough can be persuaded to cover it in an HD special — ‘the private life of deadbeats’.
…’circus?’
‘We thought this was a gravy train…we were told we didn’t need skills’
.. as a politician, if you’re morally bankrupt, it has to be the union, unless you can change.
Kezia is spoiling us for choice when it comes to declaring her actual Subway moment!
On the one hand we are witnessing her inexperience.
However layered on top of this is the wider Unionist approach of saying whatever they think needs said at any instant regardless of overall coherence. The only common factors being save-the-Union and SNPBad. That ‘drowning & clutching at straws’ behaviour has become the norm, especially for SLab.
Slightly O/T (but still labour related) and apologies if Nana has already posted a link ( 🙂 ) but the ponsonby post has a good article about bbc and labour related think tanks:
http://ponsonbypost.com/index.php/comment/58-bbc-scotland-owes-all-of-us-an-apology-after-its-think-tank-charade
Ah but this is the ‘impartial’ bbc at its best.
If anyone is wondering why in spite of all of this, 20% of people still vote Labour in Scotland. The people that vote for them are people like Kezia , Lamont and Marra. In other words intransigent and terminally blind to logic.
Unfortunately you can’t win over people like that with information. They just are!
OT I see that Peter May has a comment on the BBBC article in the Herald about the non making of the Lewis trilogy.
Some time ago I suggested to our Grouse that it was ripe for televising , I had no idea that it had been mooted but the author found the whole BBBC experience wondrously awful.
@Auld Rock
Enjoy! I think folk are quite excited, judging by the way her ferry was being tracked yesterday!
Nothing against he personally but in terms of politics, she comes across as a bit of an idiot.
Who the hell saw her as party leader material ?
Oh.. the Labour party
Fits a lot of the categories of the classic Proudscotbut No voter though
I used to think that I was schizophrenic. However, these days I’m in two minds about it.
Ah, the double negative.
I am not unsympathetic towards Ms Dugdale’s plight.
There are all those fictitious Labour voters who voted Yes to consider.
I see that she’s trying to drag Ruth into this.
She’s too busy checking for offshore accounts among her Band of Brothers at Holy rood.
It is not impossible that Kezia has just lost the plot; rather like the Labour Communications Branch at Pacific Quay.
Not uninteresting times these.
Because we now have the most powerful parliament in all of the Scotland world, in the event of Brexit or Independence the position of Scottish Labour is and has been very clear
We will Nyooze the Pouwerrs to reverse the cuts to our future by makin ME Kezia Dugdale FM and then all of our Ickle Children will be maked more safer from Nicola Sturgeon and her desk and office because I’ll be in it and my door will always be open but locked up really really tightly to the SNPeee so’s they cannae start mind controlling all of our future wee babies who’ll all get a Haribo selection hamper every week under Scottish Labour
and I’m very clear on that
Thi end
The Man in the Jar
if slab change their name to the schrodinger party….
my carreer will be over 🙁
Labour tries to focus on tax as Salmond says Dugdale made case for second independence referendum
https://archive.is/DtdDx
Lesley Riddoch just thinks it’s a labour shambles:
https://archive.is/YsVE2
Meanwhile Sturgeons away to the islands because it’s an ill wind that blows nobody any good.
https://archive.is/MfIA4
Being fair she also said she would stand shoulder to shoulder with the Tories if there was another indyref.
That didn’t need much clarification.
She basically sold out every labour voter who voted yes.
Nicely played Ruth.
I’ve seen Dugdale called an amateur politician.
Amateur doesn’t always mean unskilled.
You can be a trainee and therefore still amateur, or you can be an amateur enthusiast, someone with a lot of knowledge of a given subject, but not a practitioner. (A railway enthusiast who can’t drive a locomotive is a good example, or an opera fan who has encyclopaedic knowledge of all the works and singers but cannot sing a note.) Or you can be a practitioner but totally inept.
In Dugdale’s case she’s none of those things and more than amateur.
She’s chronically incompetent.
The pity is the rest of us are subjected to her wittering, and Wings has to spend time illuminating her absurdities.
Not atopical: I splurted a generous mouthful of Typhoo over my battered old keyboard when I read that Cameron’s late father Ian had an offshore account titled BLAIRmore Investments.
Was this some sort of perverted joke by Cameron Senior.
Not unlikely, methinks. I think we should not be unconcerned by these FiddleLeaks.
I sincerely hope the good people voting in May, realise they have a unique opportunity to raise the collective IQ in their Parliament.
SNP x 2
Now, bracing myself to get out into that pishing doon rain, and get my leafleting done!
Auld saying! “Many a man in the Cameron clan would be far better off inside a police van!”
I see the Daily Stranger is reporting that
Kezia Dugdale faces party backlash over comments on independence as Scots Labour descends into in-fighting.
BBC Scotland certainly has its viewers down as mugs but it looks like SLab probably trying work out some way somehow of getting YESers to vote for them again.
YES vote clearly not buying their “wonderful new powers” bullshit, as last ever SLab dude Ian Murray calls them. So, how do SLab start making it look as if they are pro self government for Scotland, but monstering every single thing about all of it, until May 6.
I see that BBC Labour are working very hard again to help Kezia out before the reckoning in May. Give it a rest, Auntie, this is one big turd you won’t be able to polish.
@Jack Collatin
Not a joke. It’s the name of a Scottish property owned by Cameron’s father.
As I’ve said, this story broke in 2012.
When any one mentions oil price, or the lack of as an argument, dont they realise that @ $100 and let’s say the tax on the oil is 20% realise $20 on every barrel Scotland got if it was lucky (westminster accounting is not very good), 8% of the $20 = £1.6. If Scotland had been independednt at the same rates it would have had the whole $20, even if the price of barrel fell to $32 and independednt Scotland would have still brought in tax revenues of $6.40 a barrel. A whopping 1024% better than if it had been tied to Westminster.
Radio North Britain News reported that Willie Rennie is going to an adventure playground.
Oh good. Later we’ll get pictures of him covered in mud, scrambling over wet tree trunks…
Just another month of this pish to go…
🙁
Aye john, a point avidly avoided by all those barking up the ‘but the oil, the…oil…price has collapsed leaving Scotland wi a ginormous ‘black hole’….Independence woulda bankrupted us…tree’
Desperate and cloyingly clinging’ tae their ain lies as a form of haudin’ back whit they see as a tidal wave of oblivion comin’ their way as it did last May and will this May…they’re no the ‘brightest’ of bulbs…aw them red, blue and yellir tories.
I’d rather cut my right hand off at the wrist, than put a cross ever again beside the name of a liebor candidate. Scum!
The woman took 25 years to work out her
Sexual orientation. You have no chance of
Her making up her mind on anything within
The same decade.
This is why she is SLab leader, she will do
Whatever Westminster tells her as she just
Can’t work anything out for herself.
By standing shoulder to shoulder with the Tories
She has just advised a third of her membership
That they are in the wrong party!
I think this hokey cokey policy shifitng politics is deliberate.
Confuse voters knowing that MSM will not hold them to account.
Poor show.
As I’ve said, this story broke in 2012
Rancid The Graun have gone nuts at Putin and FIFA but nothing at all about teamGB super rich, well a mention maybe for PM Cameron’s dad, Pamela Sharples and Michael Mates, who?.
We’re so lucky to have just three tax dodgers in the UK or, another day of spectacular BBC led propaganda protects them.
Lots of red balloons in the photo with two prominent at the front.
https://archive.is/rBzup
Jack Collatin says: @Valerie says:
Thanks for this , Valerie.
There seems to be no depth of greed, depravity and corruption to which these Masters of the Universe will not stoop.
Yet there are still many who keep voting for them.
It’s a Mad World right enough.
“Agnotology” The study of the willful spread of ignorance to low-information voters/consumers. Historically it does work (#indyref) and Donald Trump is using it as a campaign tactic.
There is one thing that can happen that stops this tactic dead in its tracks: political awakening of people, or accessible unbiased reporting calling it out for what it is.
an interesting article on the subject can be found here: http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160105-the-man-who-studies-the-spread-of-ignorance
Kezia will continue to try to remain silent on the subject, but if forced, she will hotfoot between the issue, and will only say ‘Yes’ through very gritted teeth if it means trying to win the electorate over. However …deep down …she’s a ‘No’er …and will be till her dying day.
Does anyone remember the question posed by Lorraine Mann during the debate between Devolution v Independence at the Royal High School circa ’92?
The same type of question needs to be put between Euro Union v UK Union to Dugdale at one of the debates.
Watch her squirm just like wee Doddie Robertson!!!
“I ask the question: Is Europe ‘them’, or ‘us’?
Nick Robinson, BBC in-house journalist, speaking and thinking as only an isolationist Englishman can, for England, not Scotland.
One more for the ever-growing list: http://wp.me/p4fd9j-iY
Respect is an ill used word
What’s funny is the British media’s outraged indignation at the Russian media for being a state media
and naming Russian people all over the place for being terrible bad guys but all they have to say about Britain is some Peers and MPs have been named but won’t tell us the names
So it’s easy to see why the British media is so highly respected around the (House of Lords) and the (House of Commons)
@Dr Jim –
Aye, the Icelandic PM is doing a quite-good Father Ted impersonation, saying that it’s all a terrible confusion…
Why can’t we get any names? If they’re in the documents and the documents have been released, what’s stopping people stating them?
As I always do, in any big news story, I’m watching RT, to see how they are reporting it.
They simply took all the UK news titles and counted up mentions of Putin or Cameron in the Panama thingy.
Putin – 54
Cameron – 18
I’m not swallowing this Panama papers thing, until further concrete evidence. Off shore tax havens aren’t illegal, just immoral, and indicative of whether your government cares to stop it. We know the UK doesn’t.
By putting Cameron’s father into the mix, a story that broke in 2012, to be greeted by indifference, it gives the story some kind of authenticity.
http://caltonjock.com/2016/04/04/scots-need-to-exercise-caution-ultra-right-wing-scottish-tory-party-youth-take-leading-role-under-davidson/
@Dorothy
I have extolled Peter May’s Lewis Trilogy here before and would recommend it again.
There are some similarities with Anne Cleeves’ Shetland series, similar island community backdrop, similar in depth structuring of the protagonist’s characters and unlike most English crime fiction all characters are allowed to operate within the full logical capacity they possess. No lionising.
That may constitute a reason. in BBC logic, for only having one of them, although similar principles used in Scandi-Noir are not notably restrictive there.
Also, repeated formula does not seem to have held them back before. For example think of the innumerable and indistinguishable SE Sitcoms which have been produced, the main running meme being ‘Your not from the SE Ha Ha.’.
I suppose, given the above reason, arbitrary as it is, Cleeves does have priority rights over May in having started her series first.
However, I personally think May’s work is better myself, up there along with the late greats William McIlvanney and Iain Banks.
Ian “the Icelandic PM is doing a quite-good Father Ted impersonation, saying that it’s all a terrible confusion”
Aye, Icelandic courts have jailed 29 bankers to date for swindling savers and home owners …. go straight to jail, do not collect £200.
Evidence appears to be there. It is up to the BBC to report on it. They have steadfastly not mentioned PM Cameron’s father whereas other stations have.
Explain.
Kezia “Dizzy” Dugdale.</b<
Occasional dizziness is a common in children & adults so the underlying cause is usually not serious & nothing to really worry about.
However, frequent bouts or chronic dizziness is a serious condition for which one should seek medical attention. It is often associated with
(i) Vertigo; a feeling of spinning
(ii) Disequilibrium; a loss of balance
Documented causes of chronic dizziness include large shifts in public opinion, branch office policies in contravention of head office decision making as well as an outdated reliance on the decreasingly popular BBC & the shrinking mainstream media.
But while there are remedies that can alleviate the symptoms of dizziness such as injections, at-home exercise & inner ear surgery, the best chance of remission is probably to adopt a more thoughtful, reasoned approach while recognizing the plurality of the SNP in a UK electoral context.
However, the cynical timing of an announcement about being gay probably won't have much effect & risks further chronic bouts of flip flopping dizziness.
Sorry Rev, your question is too complicated for SLabour.
May I suggest you start with an easy one,as the Kenny Dalglish answer is now SLab norm ,”maybees Aye maybees Naaw.”
As an aside , iScotland is a basket case …. but not if it is still in Europe, thats Ok then.
S Lab are in a richt bouragh!
@boris
Thanks for the link. Lots of Ruthieness 🙂
PS:
More investment in spite of WM.
https://archive.is/LL3ah
Andrew at 11 18.
Machiavelli was an intelligent man and his writings stand the test of time whereas Labour’s leader in Scotland just talks mince.
No on the contrary, this charities KD position entirely, she what she fells at the time(that very moment) will play best with no continuity to whats she has said before or thought to a future on going policy.
It’s a political shell games, political find the lady
We know we’re the marks the question who are the shills?
BBC? They dress this as clarification
UKOK fraudster press today reports there’s an inquiry into the delay of the Chilcot Inquiry before Chilcot’s published. Noble and honest Westminster MPs appoints a n other barrister to examine why there are delays into the Chilcot Inquiry into the Iraq war. Thats hidden in the Times, should keep them all busy for a few more years.
BBC r4 lunchtime go massive with Archers soap ham’s lousy domestic abuse thing in the Archers. A n other BBC barrister wheeled out to give learned friend opinion on BBC garbage, or more very expensive dead air.
Another weekend past and another Saturday afternoon on the SNP street stall. Still no sign of Labour. I am beginning to think they have ceased to be an effective force across whole swathes of the country. They have become as invisible as the Liberals. I don’t think any of the three Unionist party candidates live in Scotland although the Tory stands a good chance of getting in as he is high on their list vote.
If the likes of Kamikezia are SO confident in their precious union and the “overwhelming majority” which supports it, then why are they all so terrified of the prospect of another independence referendum they would surely win…?
# The Kezia, my friend, is twistin’ in the wind… #
Kezia, Your fast running out of coffin nails. You need to think outside the box to get it. Get it?
“I got away with treachery because I was upper class.” Kim Philby.
Sheesh! In Scotland you need only hate the SNP to do that.
I see the opposition are still bumping their gums about the MOU that the Scottish Government signed with two Chinese companies.
They are desperate to make it sound like an SNPbad story but in the end it just sounds like so much sour grapes.
The SNP are attracting inward investment.
Is this bad?
No, but they are doing it deliberately.
At least you have to admit she is a trier. And the make over has improved her appearance.
If there was a way out of the maze she might have found it, albeit by energetic Brownian motion if nothing else.
But there isn’t.
“I got away with treachery because I was upper class.” Kim Philby.
The whole of the spy ring of ("Tractor" - Ed)s were upper class Englishmen, enemies within. Same class destroyed British industry and the British working classes. Scargil was monstered by their thug media for starters.
Oh, i do despair!
Must we continue making comparisons with mince, folks?
Mince has a variety of possibly excellent uses such as burgers, bolognese or chilli-con-carnie.
Slabber on the other hand have absolutely zero possibilities. They no longer even function as a bad example, they’re a joke, that excruciatingly painful bad example 2nd-place slot is now the domain of the blue tories.
Red Tory ("Tractor" - Ed)s stood shoulder to shoulder with the blue tories and helped destroy every possible bit of future prosperity and happiness for our beloved country. They will eternally pay for that unforgivable act of self-serving treachery.
Yes2snp2
Kezia and Scottish labour are the political equivilant of how a sock behaves inside a Wellington boot
Kezia Dugdale has been given a terrific leg up from the BBC .They are there for her at every little nonsensical word that comes out her mouth . Heaven help us if the SNP don’t get a majority and have to share governing Scotland with this numbskull and her minions, we won’t have any policies for the next five years as she changes her mind every day .
Aye. Kezia all over the place – doesn’t know Weymss Bay from Bombay.
But not so oor Ruth-the-Mooth. She knows exactly what she’s aboot. £6,000 for your degree, kids! Woo-hoo! £8 a pop for yer prescriptions, folks! Woo-hoo times two!
Let’s not take the eye off the ball here, people. Aye–show the Red Tories for the utter dog’s breakfast that they are. But the Blue Tories are fecking WORSE and we should keep that in mind.
As for the LibDims. Aye–’nuff said.
Vote SCOTLAND – SNP x 2
To be honest, I couldn’t give two hoots about Kezia’s stance.
What worries me is that we didn’t take the “lifeboat option” in 2014 and the UK “ship” could well founder before we achieve independence. It worries me that Brexit could be the trigger for both and independence would then be the “liferaft” or even “lifebelt” option.
Still, Scotland has enjoyed a trade surplus. Scotland has enjoyed a mixed economy. Scotland could hopefully be free of the pound (and the debts that come with it). Independent, we should be able to invest in our country – rather than have to sell it piece by piece to Chinese (or other foreign) investors. Those are positives – for now. But we don’t have the chance to be independent right now.
Kezia’s stance on independence – I couldn’t care less. What we have to go through before we’re free of Westminster and the City – that’s what worries me.
Stoker, you forgot mince pies! #unforgivable
Derek Cameron: I was being sarcastic 🙂
Well laugh all you want it aint going to get out ,the Scottish media won’t let kezia be roasted particularly after she played the sympathy card recently , our very own BBC will continue to play up the non Chinese story and i notice during their news of the campaign only one party LABOUR seem to have a prominent vote LABOUR placard flag message in the background just coincidence ??.
Anyone pushing for the Unionist parties to declare a early indyref vote , behave yourself , leave them alone they are doing ok by the look of it .
*TSK* How kid ah, yiv pit me in a bad mood noo, dinny talk tae me.
(And off he stamps to check the fridge. licky-lips-smiley-thingy)
Sorry, folks, that tantrum @ 2.53pm was direct @ AM’ 2.45pm post.
Spookily going back a thread to those poor misunderstood meeja types. Kezia Dugdale is living proof of their effect on the public. Were it not for a ‘partisan’ media, Labour’s grip on the public would have long since been a distant bad dream and needless to say we would not now be enjoying the tender mercies of a Conservative Westminster government.
How much pain and hardship could have been avoided had the media just done the damn job they were paid for? For the past several years their day job has seen them propping up Labour in Scotland and the establishment orthodoxy in general, they’ve basically spent this period acting as the informal government opposition in Scotland.
Imagine a media that grilled the opposition parties the way they savage the SNP on a daily basis. Imagine the impact during the referendum campaign had we seen either a. Four or five titles come out pro indy or b. Had there been some semblance of political balance in their coverage?
Proof of the real irony of the situation is inhabiting the branch managers chair for Labour in Scotland. The media made that possible.
Well done them.
@ Stoker 2.19 Thats mio gagged then,ah thought ah dided mince rather well , minus the speiling.
“We won’t introduce one in government…”
Oh, right. Well, I don’t think she should worry too much about that.
SNP X 2
Macart at 305pm
That is the problem exactly. If say, only 5% of Scots had voted YES in the referendum, then a fair-minded person might suggest that the media in Scotland is reflective of Scotland. However, the reality of almost half of Scots voting YES, shows the media in Scotland as the out of touch propagandist, pro London rule p*sh that it is.
That the main broadcaster in Scotland continues pumping out pro Britain and union jackery programmes, makes it clear, it has ZERO intention of ever representing how Scots think.
The media in Scotland (almost ALL of which, including the BBC, is controlled in England), is quite frankly an affront to democracy, and the notion of a free representative media.
Jusy how many TV programmes can the BBC make, using the phrase ‘(insert adjective) for Britain’. Week after week we see new programmes, called something like digging for Britain or Britain’s kings, or The ships that made Britain, or Britain’s best (fill in the blank), and so on. Oh, and of course the Great british bake off, with rampant union jackery and all.
Perhaps people in the English controlled BBC think YES voters will change their mind if exposed to enough pro britannia, pro London rule bullsh*t. Recent history shows that belief to be somewhat misplaced.
thing i take most from what is happening now.
we took on the entire unionist media and just lost the ref
since then, we have continued to chip away.
the unionist political representation has been destroyed, their gene pool has become vanishing small and the contrived facade of their so called massive public support has been revealed as a fraud. one labour msp candidate raised zero in 28 days of crowd funding.
from the shrill deranged squawking tweets and comments from the dross which remains, they know we are beating them and the unionist press’s power is diminishing.
bring it on
I like to think that what the electorate had at the back of their minds at the last election was to eject all the airheads and dopes from our Parliament, with a warning a second purge will happen unless opposition parties mature overnight, and put up candidates of real political nous.
They perceived faster that the politicians, Scotland has come of age; we had better raise our standards fast.
“Perhaps people in the English controlled BBC think YES voters will change their mind if exposed to enough pro britannia, pro London rule bullsh*t. Recent history shows that belief to be somewhat misplaced.”
I think this is a part of the problem. We have this thing called ‘BBC Scotland’. But even in its name, it is ‘Brtish’ first and ‘Scotland’ second. Scotland is merely a small part of their bigger picture.
BBC (Scotland) sees the people in Scotland as merely 8.4% of the people of wider Britain. And those who voted YES in IndyRef#1 only around 4% of that figure. In that sense, they see that they are representing and reflecting the majority ‘British’ view (i.e. by including the Brits in rUK even though they had no say in Scotland’s referendum).
Pish I know, but that’s how they’ll try and argue it.
If Kezia puts up tax every time Osbourne cuts, where is this leading, at what point would she say enough’s enough.
we are at foodbanks now, soup kitchens are on the horizon and the poorhouse will follow that,
I wish some reporter would ask her or her bestest buddie Ruthie when they would call stop, and turn to independance
Labour need to come in from the cold on Independence:
http://moflomojo.blogspot.com/2015/09/the-prodigal-party.html
This was posted on the previous thread but worth re-posting as it sums up BBC Scotland’s attitude to Scotland.
Can’t be allowed to be successful at anything.
http://archive.is/WVmpe
It is similar to Tutti Frutti which took years to be put on video
I had to suffer the Burd Show again today. I was choking and spluttering on my broth as the Burd presented the findings of an extremely spurious IPSOS MORI Poll but also presented it in a manner that was incomprehensible. I got the SNP BAD but LABOUR FUNDAMANDALLY bias of it but nothing else. I cant even get my tongue round the Murphyism.
Credit to Brian Taylor for actually pointing out the poll was conducted before the SNP had made its announcements on Tax. I suppose that is his way of saying we at the Burd Show are a shower of biased canutes or as close as we are going to get them to say it.
Chic, his comment is to do with a lack of professionalism by the BBBC – well worth a read!
You’ll find it under Makers of Gregory’s Girl Go to war with the BBBC.
If Ms Dugdale shoots herself in the foot any more, that new pair of boots she received for Christmas could very well be transformed into Jesus sandals by May 5th.
@Jack Collatin
Kez used to be indecisive but now she’s not so sure.
@Callum
An article on agnotology by the EBC must be up for the irony of the year award.
🙂 @ Ronnie Anderson (3.29pm)
Och, Ronnie, ah dae ah mean mince n tatties mesel!
_________________________
BBC Scotland exists in name only. A front!
It’s nothing more than a branch office. Fact!
Yoons always changing their minds,always looking for conflict,always angry.
Scotland has walked away;the battle they fight is not with us……it is with themselves.
Left alone they will destroy each other.
Tick Tock
Robert Louis – Also Countryfile using English history as a continum for 1000 years. Last week they were talking about ancient legal scrolls being written on leather for 1000 years in Britain. There is no Biritish legal system now or 1000 years ago. Nor was there a Britain. This deliberate ignorance of history gets played out on a daily basis.
Add to that the Great British everything and British cooking. The Scottish diet was vastly different from the English one, and has been reinvented as something different today. They have roasts and Ham and Eggs. We have Stovies , haggis and square slice bread.
O/T
Received this response from the Electoral Commission in response to my question as to whether the EU Ref will have exit polls:
“Dear —
The referendum legislation prohibits publication of the results of any exit polls prior to 10pm on polling day, however, it does not prohibit any exit polls from being conducted. As exit polls are usually conducted by polling companies and often commissioned by the media, you may wish to direct your query in their direction.
Best wishes
Sarah Mackie
Senior Officer – Scotland
The Electoral Commission
In other words, if the Establishment want to ensure they get the result they want and not get caught out, there will be no exit polls in the EU Ref.
Too cynical? Probably.
Got some recycling material through the door today, you know, the leaflet which announces to the whole of Scotland that the best Ruthie the tank commander and her hangers-on can possibly hope for in May is second place.
They might as well have sent everyone a message saying: Vote for us if you can be bothered. It won’t make a blind bit of difference, we know we’re gubbed. But hey, it’s not the winning, it’s the taking part that counts.
It seems labour and the tories are both involved in what Ed SillyBand would have called a race to the bottom.
America the Stupid
I just watched an interview with Donald Trump where he admitted he would use Nukes on Europe
Except he didn’t
We know Mr Trump’s an Ass but the Stupid interviewer using the tried and tested Stupid method of continually interrupting answers with more Stupid questions managed to illicit the Stupid response he wanted inasmuch as Mr Trump saying he would take “nothing off the table” which as we know is NOT saying he would do such a Stupid thing
But it’s managed to generate the Stupid headlines desired by the Stupid media in order to scare the Stupid
Again, I stress Trump’s an Ass but this is more a reflection of the appalling media tactics which have floated their way to our country and are used constantly and Stupidly by the Scottish Press, but the difference here is, we’re not as bloody Stupid as the average redneck chicken shooting, shrimp eating, crawdad munching Duh, that America seems to have lots of
So Stupid “Scottish Media” stop it and Fukc off
She gets a lot of stick.
I think and I’ve seen others say the same, that the only hope for Labour is to reform itself root and branch, get rid of all the old deadwood including, perhaps especially including, most of the councillors who used to go on to be MSPs and MPs, and get fresh faces in. And also to endorse Independence, break away completely from what is becoming a toxic Westminster brand.
Well, Kezia wanted fresh faces but wasn’t given them by the party members, she wants a free vote on Independence but I daresay gets daggers from the old guard.
In short I think she’s doing her best to revive Labour but her party is letting her down. And they call her thick! Financial policy wise they’re doomed until they get rid of Baillie. And outward face, it’s Ken Macintosh who’s holding them back which is a shame because he showed promise, once upon a time.
I’m probably one of the very few who actually respects her, for keeping on smiling, and carrying on.
It’s high time Jenny Marra took over the reins.
mealer says:
It’s high time Jenny Marra took over the reins.
Is that the one photogenically placed behind Kezia for the last few First Ministers Questions ?
@Proud Cybernat, 4.25pm
I guess that means we’ll have to crowdfund our own exit poll for IndyRef2!
@yesindyref2 at 4:29
The smiling is fake, but the “carrying-on” is genuine.
@Proud Cybernat and @Paul
It would be one way of getting an exit poll. But they are vastly expensive as it means a lot of interviewers on the ground simultaneously for a large number of polling stations, which is why they’re only done for the General Election which is considered important enough. I would think there would be one for the EU though.
Salmond did say he regrets not having had an exit poll, I’m not actually sure though whether it would be “legal” for a government to commission and pay for one.
The SNP has a leader. The unionist parties have misleaders. Simple as that.
We just laugh now when a misleader says anything. We just laugh when their mouthpiece, the BBC, says anything. It’s not a funny laugh, more of an “oh FFS you’ve got to be joking” laugh.
@Free Scotland
Aye well I do have some unusual views at times. But hey, Indy is a broad church!
Maybe Kezia has Vocal Dyslexia. Never heard of it?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8t-zycJBGjU
Dr Jim
I watched that clip too. Pretty meaningless stuff blown up as you say.
Funny thing is- if Trump categorically ruled out dropping a nuke over Europe would all those in Europe who are uneasy about him perhaps becoming president be like- aaahh now I can sleep safe in my bed?
And what if he ruled it out in that interview and went on and did it anyway? I guess that is inconcievable. Then I guess that interviewer would feel like a right dick!
That guy probably thinks he got a great scoop.
Also caught the Burd show at lunchtime. Didn’t quite get the Ipsos Mori percentages as SNP hadn’t announced their tax plans don’t know that it meant much. First up on the campaign trail wee Kez making Chapatis or sumptin. Second up our fiirst minister? Surely the first minister should have been covered first? Oh forgot it’s the Jakey show. Ruthie tank commander next then wee wullie in the borders sliding doon a big rope. He wis havin a rerr terr. I wonder if he was thinking about donating another £750. to his big pal the liar Carmichael’s fund.
BBC Scotland’s lack of professionalism. Here’s my own experience:
http://archive.is/NpQvE
http://archive.is/CZeoI
Chancers. Every last one of them.
RE the media’s so far reluctance to name names of UK fat cats exposed by the release of the Panama Papers I wouldn’t expect our press barons to actively encourage in depth coverage given the fact that their names will almost certainly feature on The List.
Mealer
That would be fun for us but not for Labour. If you scrach the surface you will realise there is no depth there. She would want the TV camera there when she opens her curtains.
I’m beginning to feel just a little sorry for Kez. She’s may be personally somewhat conflicted, since (unlike most yoonies) she has to have at least tried to “square the circle” in her own head in order to present a case to the public, but ultimately she’s cursed having to promote a party policy that just doesn’t add-up. (And never will.)
It reminds me of the time during one of the Salmon-Darling indy debates when Darling painfully struggled not to have to admit in public that Scotland could manage on its own.
The question is, how much denial of reality will “Scottish” Labour be prepared to endure before it “gets real” (as Gordy Broon once said)? Or will it just totally self-destruct instead? (Competing with the Tories for a few working class Orangist votes doesn’t seem like a very viable future to me.)
@Iain More
Aye for those of us waiting on the BBC poll/survey result for the SNP tax proposal which never came… 🙂
Big Brian just a minute ago on radio shortbread declares the substance of the SNP tax proposal came too late to be included in the survey.
A cover up!
But we here all knew that it was going to be status quo until the WM tax threshold changed which would result in the better off paying more while the would be unaffected.
Good old auntie!
bobajock @ 10:59am
The Melanesian cultures that gave rise to the concept of “cargo cults”, would reproduce the vestiges of airports and jetliners, using bamboo, vines and whatever else that came to hand in the jungle. Their aim was to invoke the ‘great spirit’ that formerly airlifted supplies to colonial outposts.
Yoons and stone age cultists, separated at birth. Who’d have thunk? 🙂
Notwithstanding the daily Blatantly Biased Continuous Scotlab propaganda
emanating from PQ, in the event of an SNP outright majority government , and prior to
any Indyref2 , should Holyrood confront the “B” BC over
” broadcasting” in Scotland ? Would it be possible to include something relevant in the
mandate for May ?
Surely this issue requires to be addressed now!
Ave said it before an I,ll keep saying it the SNP should take on the BBC & fek them out of Holyrood , what have they got to lose,show some balls SNP & break the stranglehold of Britnat Media.
@Robert J. Sutherland
I think Darling was on the wrong side and knew it, which is why he was so angry all the time.
@call me dave
It was clear to a blind mice cahsing its own tail, that the SNP were going to wait for the budget, and wait until the fiscal framework had been cut and fried, before announcing their own tax policies.
BBC is either thick as two short planks and as politically naive as a polar bear putting on shorts and a T-shirt, or done deliberately. Or both.
Mr B is not happy with the situation in Panama. 🙂
http://derekbateman.scot/
O/T
Re Exit Polls. It is absolutely dead certain that come IndyRef#2, NOT A SINGLE BritNat rag will commission any Exit Poll (just like last IndyRef#1). This is something I think us Wingers will have to crowdfund to make sure it happens. It will be quite a wad of cash because, as others stated, it requires boots on the ground on numerous polling stations right across the country.
Brexit and its implications notwithstanding, we (probably) have a number of years to get enough in a crowdfund kitty to fund IndyRef#2 Exit Poll. We simply CANNOT leave this to the BritNat press. They simply WON’T do it. Not in their interests.
So we must. I certainly know I will feel better about the result (whatever it may be) if it correlates with the Exit Poll.
The Panama Papers are going to be a real acid test to the Brit media’s impartiality or not.The UK has been at the center of the offshore ,tax haven culture for decades.Its becoming clearer by the day that we need to take a different path if we are going to offer a better future for our children and our children’s children.I think we all know the way the media’s going to fall.
@ call me dave says 1.35
PS:
More investment in spite of WM.
Didn’t see this reported anywhere either
http://tinyurl.com/zex5s9j
Funny that
Give Kezia some credit that having declared publicly her sexuality several days ago, it is to her credit that she has not yet had to have it clarified.
Slightly O/T but still involves Labour but in Wales.
A report in the “i” newspaper today saying Wales has a £15 Billion deficit/black hole. Maybe Labour should keep quiet about black holes from now on.
The number 15 seems to be really popular though especially with the word’billion’ after it.
Well, Macnakamura, that’s no problemo for her – she doesn’t have to get “S”Lab’s opinion on that!
“I’m not actually sure though whether it would be “legal” for a government to commission and pay for one.”
Seems from the Electroal Commission statement, any political party can commission an Exit Poll (i.e. SNP as opposed to the SG). Could also be commissioned by YES2 Campaign Group. And, of course, us Wingers. I think it is an absolute MUST next time. Not as naive next time, y’see.
@FairFerfochen
Covered in the Herald, but News section not Business, and as an SNP bad story:
http://archive.is/Flatv
Strange though, the business section usually is good, and that is massive.
@Proud Cybernat
Thanks for that. Well, YES ran out of money, having set themselves a warchest of £24 million apparently and achieved about £5 million.
Ah, search, from the spit-the-dog (chkwick too) Mail:
“The exit poll is a much bigger poll than those conducted during the campaign. Normal polls involve around 1,400 individuals, making the margin of error much higher.
Last night’s exit poll, which cost some £300,000, involved interviews with 22,000 people in 141 locations in 133 seats. It was carried out by three different pollsters, GFK, NOP and IPSOS/Mori for BBC, Sky and ITV News.”
That’s all over the UK, you’d think it would be a fair bit cheaper just for Scotland, maybe £60,000 – £80,000 considering the geography.
Hmmm, I’m sceptical myself about the necessity for an exit poll. To my mind the potential weaknesses in the current electoral system are twofold: postal voting and proxy voting, especially when done on behalf of the elderly. One hears eg. rumours (never substantiated) of party workers (all kinds) coming out of nursing homes with sheaves of voting papers in their hands.
Re-possible exit polls and crowdfunding.Say we did one for indyref 2. It went ahead and showed a widely different result. The yoons would just shrug and say so what? What difference would it make?
I know it would feel good for a day to kick the BBC in the goolies metaphorically but recall how the rat Robinson squeeled like a stuck eh rat and he was clearly in the wrong but the rest of the yoon press joined in his defence. The free press may be a tenet of our free society but yoons disgrace that principle knowing their lies are safe under the very rules that they disgrace.
The best way to deal with the BBC is do not pay them a penny and laugh loudly every time they lie.
Laughter is indeed the best medicine.
@yesindyref2,
Cheers for the link, would have missed it as I won’t go near the Herald.
Thanks for taking the hit for us.
BTL was quite entertaining though.
And yep, you’re right it’s massive, if it comes off.
The Dug does the Indy Hokey Cokey.
call me dave@5.21
I will take notice of the Panama papers when every wealthy American,(Bergs, Steins e.tc) Israeli, Brit Nat parasite (plenty of them), Royal family member, Blair, Bush e.t.c get cited for hiding their wealth.
“Big surprise!!” on MSM, pictures of Putin, Gadaffi and Assad along with the headline of the Panama story.
Radio shortbread running the story linking the Icelandic minister to it also, then again Iceland never took the IMF bailout “call me cynical”
Don’t care about Kezia Dugdale nor any other unionist politician and what they have to say.
SNP SNP and EU then vote SNP until independence.
SNP are the only game in town for Scotland and it’s people.
After Indy then I’ll maybe listen to what others say.
So let me get this clear.
Kez and Scottish labour are talking shite again?
Business as usual then.
@ Macbeda 6:41pm
Agreed. Dugdale and her ilk would happily sell Scotland down the river – again.
I note that the BBC poll discovers that people are ambivalent about tax. In other news bears like alfresco arboreal toilets.
Hordes of little Yellow devils descending on Scotland to invest money
What’s not to like …Well..Is it Nasty Furriners or Inscrutable men, or could it be they’re investing too much? What’s in it for them? Don’t know!
“INVESTIGATION” they cry! in that not quite sure that it might be really good news and they’re Fukced kinda way
What could it be the opposition parties don’t like? Hmmn?
Got it!!! “Naebody Telt us”… (WHINE)!!!
This looks like it’s going to be a “Nicola Sturgeon done good” advert for free
The opposition might wish they hudnae opened their big Gubs
Gary 45% at 6.40pm
“”Radio shortbread running the story linking the Icelandic minister to it also, then again Iceland never took the IMF bailout “call me cynical”””
Actually Iceland did get a bailout from the IMF – $2.1 billion. Another $2.5 billion came from the Scandinavian countries.
@ronnie anderson 11:18am
She’s got a double headed coin and still chooses tails the stupid yoont!
I haven’t spoken on wings for a long time…well at least since the Indy ref,I have just been watching everything from msm and how they judge us “cybernats” one perty state and all.
I have much more to say but I’ll leave it for the time being.
P.s the Panama story is probably true and could be a way for Cameron to resign his position as pm
and whoever takes on the role could be the man that “loses” Scotland during the E.U ref when they do drag us out.
SNP X2 ,fuck yer Union
RS I heard tonight from Brian Taylor on about tax saying that Lib and Lab would protect anyone earning below £20,000 would be protected I thought that Kez had thrown this out and relied on Osboy to fix that for her.
C4 teatime news toeing UKOK party line going after Putin the great tax dodger. What a press pack of propaganda gimps the whole of the UK meeja are.
C4 news redeems itself a tad with putting a progressive liberal like Yanis Varoufakis in front of the usual UKOK waffling liar of a toryboy that currently owns Scotland.
One point of an exit poll is to highlight potential abuse of postal and proxy voting as well as any discrepancy in he result of a particular polling station. In part that’d be one valid reason for parties to unofficially take note of postal balloting if the results were actually declared separately.
Far harder for a outrageous distortion of a vote to take place if you have information of what the result should be.
Yes there are potentially differences between postal, proxy and personal voters demographics but realistically the impact of the vote should be decided by those who vote on the day except where close. The scale of postal voting in the referendum was ridiculous to say the least. More so if you consider a more charitable interpretation of his assessment of the postal balloting as being they would reflect the state of the polls at the time they were cast so the Yes side needed to overcome an embedded No majority from votes already cast.
O/T On the so called “SNP under pressure over China” deal which the BBC and anti Scottish press is going big on I doubt if any of the BBC journos or opposition politicians have actually looked at this publication which has been in the public domain for some time and puts the Memorandum of Understanding into context.
http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0040/00409256.pdf
Just imagine the furore if the SNP had announced a £10 bn trade deal in the middle of an election campaign.
An SNP spokesman said: “Once again Labour are ignoring reality to make up their own version of events. The Memorandum of Understanding is an agreement to have preliminary talks about potential opportunities for investment.
“It does not relate to any specific projects or any specific amount of investment. No investment has been agreed.”
BBC giving it big licks tonight how President Putin and sundry unlikable people have been avoiding tax!!. No mention of Westminster MPs and lords
Strangely the radio was full of Putin but the web only really mentions Iceland and Syria
Funny that!!
Looking forward to phoning Call Kaye – whats the chance of getting through
Ha ha
Rather than ask Cameron the clean up tax havens perhaps a better question is – does he or any of his family have any business connections with tax havens
Kezia would like to clarify that when she said she had a female partner. She did not mean offence to women with male partners. Of course she has no problem with heterosexuals.
Humza gets a fair few April Fools richt enough….
https://twitter.com/HumzaYousaf/status/716738595898400768
Are yous getting the latest pile of excrement fae BBC Shiteshire?
Dippy Dugs latest statement announces that Holyrood is “the gayest parliament in the world”. I feckin shit yous not!
So folks, the branch office has now made it official – Scotland now has the most powerful devolved gayest parliament in the whole wide world thingy.
I’m an anti-theist but even i’m praying these feckwits never get any positions of power. We have people in Scotland who just about made it through another winter and who continue to struggle every day thereafter.
And what do we get? We get BBC Shiteshire parading Bozo the Clowns afterbirth telling us all we’ve got the “gayest parliament in the world”. FFS! REALLY? In this 21st-Century?
And that’s the best they can do?
Proud Cybernat: “Chancers. Every last one of them.”
The memo said, ‘Entertain independent proposals but accept none. The best ideas should be sent up to your head of department for assessment.’ It’s my belief that attitude prevails to this day, with some exceptions.
These facts were made public some years back in a conference arranged by independent producers.
@Stoker
Mundell & Coburn are not even in the Scottish Parliament. Sorry I forgot it’s labour trying to get something right!!!
Same auld tactic,anybody would think it was coordinated…….right she’s away on a trip somewhere run….SNP Bad Story….EBC complicit.
#changetherecord
Remember when the state broadcaster used to make such a fuss about anyone Yes supporting saying something not to Labours liking, things like, Claire Lally’s not an ordinary mum
Nightly horror would break out for days over it on the Telly
On a regular basis guys like Humza suffer downright racist abusive filth even the FM gets tons of the stuff and …nothing, not a dickie bird
Jim Murphy and Eddie Izzards set up was on for a week
The freakin egg story ran and ran like forever
Amer Anwar gets DEATH THREATS and it gets about two minutes twice
The news media in Scotland should consider themselves extraordinarily fortunate to be still walking around because in many, many other countries they wouldn’t be afforded that luxury
Sinky @ 7.57 pm
Re the Five year Strategy drawn up in 2012.
It followed on from Labour’s (and LibDems) China Plan drawn up in 2006.
Perhaps should remind Labour, and the LibDems, that when they were in power they also had a China plan. They seem to have forgotten that.
To be honest, if I had a choice between Labour and bad-luck, I would pick bad-luck.
You would get more positivity out of it.
Maybe we have the “gayest parliament in the world” because the work hours are so long and the stress so great that no-one with children could cope?
Robert J. Sutherland at 5:53.
Yes indeed. At the election briefing meeting I was at one of the(Labour)agents said to the Counting officer giving the briefing. “Is it ok if we help voters to fill in the balot paper if their hands are too shaky to do this”
“Yes that would be ok” said the Counting officer.
A knowing smirk was then exchanged by the two labour agents there.
Legerwood@7.30
I thought I read something in the book The Body Economics, that Iceland never took any help along with I think Malaysia.
A friend has a loan of the book in Portugal at the moment so I can’t check.
Just had a wee look at Google, right enough they did get a bailout. I stand corrected.
So….. trying to be open minded about this Panama hoo ha, I go to the BBC iPlayer to watch the Panorama programme.
Opening credits, lots of shaky camera, lots of shouting, shocked voiceover –
‘It’s so secretive, we may never know the truth’
Wait, is Brass Eye back??????
Economic programme on radio 4 right now 9.30 to 9.45
Examining the unraveling of the EU with our favorite Greek ex finance minister – and economists queuing up to agree with Yanis’s analysis
Interestingly, all agreed that the Greek situation could not have happened in Scotland, as Scotland had its own pound pegged one to one with the English pound – had Greece had a currency pegged one to one with the Euro – it could simply have left the Euro and used its own currency.
This is the obvious route for the SNP and the Yes campaign to follow in Indyref 2 -when asked to explain what currency to use. Simply hold a Scottish bank note up on TV and ask the equivalent of Alistair Darling – “well, what is this?”
Programme worth listening to right to the end if you have any interest in the economics of Independence
http://caltonjock.com/2016/04/04/power-sex-drugs-infidelity-blackmail-death-back-stabbing-appalling-moral-standards-this-is-the-party-ruth-davidson-would-rather-scots-didnt-see-but-here-it-is-warts-an-all/
Well that whole China thing looks like nothing more than the Brit Nat Press and Media and their lickspittles in the Tory, Liebiral and Labour Parties making another election campaign smear against Sturgeon. We know how the last one worked out for them.
I wondered how long it would take long this time. Devoid of any real policy with Scotland at its heart and no credibility on what policy them might have it was inevitable they would resort to innuendo and smear tactics. It is so boringly predictable.
Gary45% @ 9.47 pm
No problems. I had remembered something about the loan and double checked to make sure I had remembered correctly – senior moments come thick and fast these days.
I have also been keeping a eye on Ireland and Iceland off and on to keep track of how they are doing because the UK media never mention them other than to talk of the ‘arc of insolvency’. But when you look at their stats they are in a better position on many fronts than the UK. But of course that does not suit the media who like to hold them up as examples of what could happen to an independent Scotland.
@myself at 9.55
This shockingly obvious conclusion also can lead to the compelling notion of the Scottish Government taking back the creation of credit to Government itself.
In addition to simply using the already existing Scottish Pound in a post Indyref2 world, all credit created in the Scottish economy could be created via the banks as at present – but only be reference to funds drawn down from a state-owned central bank. IE the government not only creates the cash in your pocket – but also the electronic credit created by the banks since the 1960’s.
At a stroke solving 2 problems
1. The Scottish Currency argument in Indyref2
2. Ensuring that the new Scottish Economy is owned and controlled for the people – not the banks.
Legerwood,
If you get the chance, have a wee read of the book I mentioned, its a real eye opener.
I too am having ultra senior moments, (pants on head e.t.c)
Cadogan, I remember a livestream video from about 6 months back where Yanis was being interviewed. One of the questions was about currency. That was his answer, you already have one, Pound Scots. All the Pound Scots are already backed by Titans in the B of E.
I think we need Yanis on our team… perhaps he already is…
Next 5 weeks is their last big BBC vote SLab Scotland push, their battle of the bulge, their the Alamo, empire strikes back, cant think of any more historic last stands, battle of hastings!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-35958781
“Labour’s Jackie Baillie said: “The SNP pat themselves on the back for things they aren’t even involved in, so for Nicola Sturgeon to keep quiet about a deal she signed potentially worth £10bn with a Chinese consortium is quite extraordinary.
“At a time of crisis for British steel the SNP must give a guarantee that, if they are returned to government, any future contract with Chinese firms will not bind Scotland to using Chinese steel for Scottish infrastructure projects.
“The arrogant approach of the SNP government in this case has been unacceptable. People in Scotland deserve a bit more respect from ministers.”
Speaking before the document was published, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said it was “extraordinary that a deal of such magnitude has been kept private by the SNP”.
And John Lamont of the Scottish Conservatives claimed SNP ministers had “simply tried to hide this away until after the election”.
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels sums up UK Media and Westminster’s
right wing parties, ( All except SNP)
I watched the Panama Tax Dodgers clip from EBC News at 10.
They did mention David Cameron’s father being among those
without morals, but instead of naming every UK Slime ball,
a number of Tory members of the HoL, former MP’s, and Non Dom Tories, they let me see a full breakdown of China’s leaders who appear on the list???
I am interested in the UK cheats, and I am not interested
in any of the Chinese leaders, none of whom I’ve ever heard of. They even show pictures of China’s poorest who
appear to being deprived of their share of Chinese growth.
Why didn’t they show Scottish Kids at Food Banks due to
people like Cameron and Osborne swindling our taxes?
STV dropped the story to 3rd place and spent seconds on
Panama’s UK connections?
Nothing for you to see here, move on plebs.
@Cadogan Enright
Certainly a sovereign currency is a must. I can see the attraction in a pegged currency in the short term – to instill confidence, but in the long run it is best to let the currency float to give the economy more flexibility rather than having to shadow the monetary policy of another country – ie rUK
The MMT guys are big on this…
http://bilbo.economicoutlook.net/blog/?p=30017
As for a sovereign money system where all money is created by the state or central bank rather than banks creating most of it, I’m a fan, however i reckon that might be too radical for the likes of the snp (depends who drives indy2)
Sad fact is that most politicians don’t even realise most of our money is created by private banks.
A Memo Of Understanding?
What coes Labour not understand?
I read the memo on the internet.
Re economic advisors for a new currency – I would go with the likes of stephanie kelton (advising Bernie sanders)
Others spring to mind could be
Steve keen
Bill mitchell
Positive money
Above don’t all agree on solution but very well versed on how the economy actually works and not how the textbooks say it works. Big difference!
Should have also included varoufakis in that list too!
I’ve got the creepiest feeling that Kezia is being scripted by……..
JIM MURPHY!!!!!!!!
That would sure explain a lot.
And as for the Panama Tax dodgers,the truth is out there so why don’t we find the UK names and put them up on Wings.
Job done.
Do Bears jobby in the woods but Jackie Baillie made herself look a right erse on Scotland today over the “secret China deal”
Did Brian Taylor just say ‘macho breast feeding’?
He was explaining the various party policies – I think.
Kez doesn’t know whether she’s gong for a shite or a haircut!
Dear ah fuckin dear…
http://stv.tv/news/politics/1348742-dear-nicola-i-voted-yes-i-think-youre-great-but-im-novotessnp/
The BBC broadcast a film about the 1916 Easter Rising on Monday 28th March at 10pm on BBC Four.
But the film was made by Coco, an independent company, for Notre Dame University in association with RTE, funded by the Irish Government, narrated by Liam Neeson.
The BBC edits out half of the content.
See the original on youtube ( I can’t be bothered checking out what the BBC decided to erase).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTDCi5D5PFw
Bill Forsyth shouldn’t be surprised if BBC Scotland isn’t interested in his scripts about Highland life. They’re not interested in anything much outside the M25.
@ liz 4.30 pm http://archive.is/WVmpe
The great pie eater said on Scotland Tonight the SNP kept the talks and agreements with the Chinese secret!!!!!. Who kept the Mcrone Report secret Jackie, or did you never hear of it. Hundreds of leaflets have been put through doors in your area Jackie also Ruthie and Keize’s asking for an explanation as to why the Mcrone Report was kept secret, and also the 6000 square miles along with 6-7 Oil fields have gone missing from Scottish waters due to a realignment of the border, explain who, and why was that done , come on Jackie lets hear from you.
@ Heedtracker
Custer’s Last Stand?
Should there not be an enquiry as to why the broadcast media don’t read Scottish Government Press Releases?
I thought the funniest bit on 2016 was when Andrew Kerr (Tonights presenter) insisted that the BBC should have been informed of the deal that isn’t a deal it’s only a signed document to say there will be an understanding of a deal sometime in the future
Then the “Journalistic” Numpties are wheeled in to try and find ways of getting SNP Baad in even though there isn’t anything to say about anything
Folk pay a taxation license fee for this shit
It’s comical but like I said earlier, in many, many countries these “Journalists” and their organisations wouldn’t be walking around freely
In Brazil they shoot referees for less
(Not advocating that of course)… I’d do it myself..heh..heh
Hi Croompenstein
You linked to:-
http://stv.tv/news/politics/1348742-dear-nicola-i-voted-yes-i-think-youre-great-but-im-novotessnp/
I see no comments are allowed on Loki’s story.
What got me was that he said/typed,
“I must confess that I now harbour a nagging fear of what an independent Scotland, under the stewardship of an ever-pragmatic SNP, might look like given how sections of our “critically engaged population” are willing to contort themselves to accommodate your increasingly unconscionable political flexibility. “
That was where he lost any sympathy I had. Why is it ASSUMED that the SNP will be the first government of an independent Scotland?
Are NONE of the other Scottish parties up to the job?
Maybe that’s the problem that an independent Scotland will have – the competent politicians will be attracted to the proven, successful party of government and the other parties will get the dregs.
Lets be honest here, labour are furious that the china MOU has not been trumpeted as the big yeeh haar by the SNP.
If they (SNP) had, baillie and co would have been screeching that it was ONLY a MOU and NOT a trade deal yet !!
It was brilliant to see the trembling bottom lip of labour transform into a petted lip during the course of SNP bad at 10.30 programme…..love it !
Labour back to their old Better Together tricks with Public Meetings.
On Saturday Morning I was driving through Brodick Isle of Arran when I seen a mate who is about the last Labour activist on the Island, he drove into a car park beside a village meeting place, I followed him in as we had not spoke for a while and wanted a catch up. When he saw me I could tell from his body language he was on the defensive, before I could say anything two other Labour Party members appeared, sensing it was a Labour Party meeting i asked if it was a coming out party for Kezia, only to be subjected to Nazi Salutes and shouts of National Socialist from one of them.
Anyway I went on my merry way thinking 3 folk at their meeting , how the mighty have fallen (there were no other cars in the car park)
anyway I goes to get my National and on the front door of the shop there is a poster advertising A public meeting with Kezia Dugdale discussing the future of Cal-Mac. I didn’t see the poster the day before, I enquired the next day when I went back to the shop when it went up Thursday or Friday was the response, No advert in the local newspaper , deadline Tuesday.
I found a little bit in the news section , strange but maybe that’s the only bit they could put
Something in after the deadline.
So more public meetings without the public being notified, was it an attemp to get Kezia away from the mainland press?
Why the fuss of the Border controls between Scotland and England during Indy Ref1 and now the confusion over Brexit outcomes when Westminster spends an inordinate amount of time arguing the opposite in NI about the same situation in Ireland?
What gives with that compared to All in it together?
Every Nation in uK seems to have a different understanding with Westminster!
Pacific Quay in Glasgow is leased for £100 million pounds from a hidden ownership company registered in the Cayman Islands .
@FairFerfochen
Yes I missed it the time, just saw it a day or so ago.
I guess my comment might have been like “Good news is bad news to the Unionists”.
@Croompenstein says:
4 April, 2016 at 10:54 pm
>Dear ah fuckin dear..
..
This ‘Loki’ guy seems to be the unionist’s favourite useful idiot. I frequently see the usual Yoon journos retreating his rants when he has a go at the SNP.
The ‘radical’ left always seems to fall into the Divide and Rule trap. Usually it is amongst themselves, as the various egos get in the way of a united voice.
At the end of the day, the SNP is the only realistic path for independence – on the constituency vote at least. Promoting an abstention because they aren’t ‘radical’ enough is just idiotic when the alternative is long spells of remote Tory rule from London!
And in the meantime, it really progressive to push for a higher top rate of tax than England if it is estimated we could end up with less revenues? At least until we have full control of taxes here to help prevent avoidance.
How radical is it to have less money to spend on services?
He just seems like an attention seeking clown who refuses to think more than one step ahead.
If that is the attitude of a typical RISE supporter then it would be an utter disaster to depend on their votes for a pro-indy majority. #NoVotesRISE
SNP x2
A reflective and moving report by Mark Mardell on Radio 4 The World This Weekend Sunday 3rd April which starts at 06:00 until 18:00 about the closure of Ravenscraig Steelworks in 1992 and the devastating impact on the community.Ravenscraig was situated in one of Labour’s so called heartlands and is now a wasteland and the biggest brownfield site in Europe.
We got rid of the Tories and are wising up again by dispatching Labour.
We now know that independence is our destiny.We also know this is why the Unionistas have got the heebie jeebies writ large.We are on our way.
What stephen upthread is referring to, re Pacific Quay:
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2016/04/disgraceful-bbc-panorama-propaganda-hides-grim-truth-about-britain/
@BDTT
Yeah, clocked that.
Some folk are who they are. Loki’s life experience dictates his choice. The SNP aren’t a party or a movement of protest. Their radicalism stems from their desire to return true democratic choice and sovereignty to the people of Scotland. At the end of the day they are a pragmatic and competent party of government, no question.
As a party of government they must govern for ALL of the people across ALL of society. That would be from the poorest and least advantaged to, yes, the most fortunate and well heeled. If they can’t speak, care or govern for all then they’re not a party who should govern. We’ve seen what they look like. In short yes, I do expect them to deal with the rich, the corporations, even the simply well off. It’s part of the day job.
They’re not going to please everyone on every policy. They’re not going to move fast enough or be radical enough for some. They’re not going to ease suffering quickly enough, or be aggressive enough or loud enough for others. They will only do what they can do and sometimes that will mean disappointing folk who think this isn’t what I’d hoped for.
IMO they still form the most capable legislature in the UK and the only thing standing between the Scottish public and the full force of austerity ideology. No mean feat.
I know which parties have absolutely no problem with alienating and marginalizing whole sections of our society. Parties who actively participated in this current economic and ideological nightmare and for as long as I live they’ll never see my vote again.
Loki, ah yes, the guy with the Mistletoe from Odin himself using it to bring down the Gods. Who knew?
“I now harbour a nagging fear”
Or on the other hand as he said in Bella: “This is not about SNPbad. I’ve been voting SNP for years – this is about the freedom to scrutinise all forms of political power wherever that scrutiny may lead.”
or even before that in the article:
“You intend to vote SNP twice next year because you love democracy. You call the First Minister Nicola. You think Braveheart is a documentary.”
No agenda there then.
I have this awful thought that the Unionist parties do not want to win at this time because things are so tough.
They wish to let the SNP win and hope and cheer their downfall.They insult the Scottish people who begin to grasp their stupid game.they are playing!
Here’s Wee Ginger Dug nailing the real corrupt bastards, syphoning off their wealth to avoid paying such fantastical amounts of ‘tax’ that would have wiped out the deficit and debt if they had done so.
https://weegingerdug.wordpress.com/2016/04/03/the-jerry-springer-guest-of-europe/
An excerpt:
‘If you’re rich you can set up an offshore company in Panama or a British overseas territory and avoid paying your dues. You can create an opaque network of holding companies through the Cayman Islands or Jersey and make it impossible for the authorities to track down your money. You can play the shell game with shell companies and cheat your way into even greater wealth. Then you can lobby right wing governments demanding that the rich need to be incentivised to create wealth, which is the euphemism they use for creaming off the cash created by the people who do the real work and then stashing it in an overseas tax haven.
And then the rich close down the manufacturing companies claiming it’s a rationalisation measure and rationalise thousands out of work. Making the little people poor helps to pay for another luxury yacht, another Highland estate, another penthouse pad in London. Davie Cameron’s pals can go on another shopping spree in a Caribbean estate agents. Doesn’t that make you feel better as you lie awake at night worrying about how you’re going to pay your electricity bill?’
@Yesindyref2
Yeah, not the most diplomatic or insightful of articles fer sure. 😀
The fella did over egg the pudding on pigeonholing, not to mention pissing off a fair old dose of the pro yes camp.
A thought does occur to me as it does every time there’s a blue moon, and it involved China, infrastructure projects like rail, steel, and the need for steel.
Now I wonder if …
The Herald articulates the SNP China deal is bad with Rennie and Deputy Deadwood getting a free shot at a smear.
A disgrace of course but that’s all they have left in the tank!
https://archive.is/sQ41K
The Hootsman joins in.
https://archive.is/Ay9vu
SNP x 2 May 5th. 🙂
Just reading “Grouse Beaters” 1.10 pm link.
Has there ever been an Irish terrorist bombing in Scotland?
Loki
The SNP never offered him reverential status or acknowledged him as anything except another person, he on the other hand has notions of a bit more importance than ordinary mortals so deserves to be taken more seriously
This is where his master plan for famoushood falls down
RISE? Feckin RISE? Ah, but Cat Boyd mibbees a wee bit more Scotland tonight and a wee bit of the National newspaper
NAH!.. I’m afraid he’s just as ordinary as the rest of us except he’s a self serving little prick who craves attention
And that wee piece of twisted logic looked at through a kaleidescope of Numptyness just proved it
#SNP no rebel anuff
The older I get, I swear
ot
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/delivery-for-indy#/
please give generously
I’m gonnae let Moss grow on my Arse so’s I can feed the poor wae it
Djae think that’ll be radical enuff MAN
Or mibbees jist turn ma central heatin doon a notch n save the planit..rite on man
With apologies to anyone who’s actually done that
re loki
heavy dose of poverty porn, blood pouring out of my keyboard, almost suicidal until near the end, some quick tenious link to tax and hey presto
snp bad.
had he said slab bad, snp1 rise2, it might have worked
What always gives me a laugh is the anti-snp mob are so intent on misinterpreting and misrepresenting things to try to make something look serious, they totally overlook the minor things that they could have a legitimate complaint about.
That’s funny 🙂
This Chinese steal is old news.
Before the forth road bridge started to fail Kezia while deputy under Jim Murphy has a go at SNP for using Chinese steal until someone pointed out we’d be using Scottish steal if the thatcher government hadn’t closed ravenscraig.
This is just garbage again. Pure junk designed to smear.
This is all these fools have left. No ideas, no policies just cheap gossiping smear.
Good riddance to labour in May.
Labour and the LibDems are doing their very best to show, with their attacks, that they’re really not even very good in opposition.
However, as a word of caution, 3 months before the 2011 Holyrood election Labour had a good lead over the SNP and then proceeded to make a totally negative anti-SNP campaign which made the result obviously going to be an SNP win even before the election, though the overall majority was a little bit of a surprise (not a complete one, I remember hoping for the sake of the Referendum).
Attacking other people’s policies or actions is acceptable, but not if done to excess, something the SNP should watch out for in the next 4 weeks.
OT
From the National, context isn’t important, and you see a lot of similar comments:
“Step 2 is to make sure that women make up at least 50 per cent of MSPs in five years’ time.”
Why “at least”? Why not “exactly”? If it’s wrong for there to be more men than women, why is it right for there to be more women than men?
Re Loki’s story – 11.26 pm.
For a person who was brought up in such a hellish manner & suffering as he did, he appears to be articulate & well educated.
Anybody else smell a rat?
Vote for Independence instead of being governed by greedy tax evaders who can’t get enough.The Royals got wealthy be tax evading. Osbourne/Cameron and most of Westminster are tax evaders. They are transferring £Billions of public money to HS2 £70Billion (double it) and Hinkley Point £25Billion (double it) = £95Billion. The deficit. A total waste of public money so their family and associates can benefit. Bankers and corruption.
Scotland doesn’t need to put up taxes but cut spending £1Billion on Trident/illegal wars. A tax on ‘loss leading’ drink. £1Billion. Not spending £4Billion on money it doesn’t borrow or spend. Scotland has lost £4Billion+ a year because of Osbourne’s 60/80% tax on the Oil sector when prices had fallen 75%. Scotland loses £3Billion? In tax evasion. HMRC is it fit for purpose. UK tax laws are not enforced by Westminster. Scotland raises £54Billion in taxes. Add £9Billion = £63Billion + 1/6 of borrowing (same pro rata as rest of the U.K) = £10Billion = £73Billion.
Why would Scotland allow tax evaders from elsewhere decide it’s budget? Or sanction people and starve the vulnerable.
Thatcher founded the illegal tax havens.
Northern Ireland (2million) raises £28Billion and gets 50% more £14Billion = £42Billion. Norwegian levels. To support illegal bigotry, sectarianism and murder for Unionist votes at Westminster.
In NI people can be put in jail for abortion. UK Law is not upheld. A Law unto themselves.
For what it’s worth, I think this ‘Loki’ character is just another attention seeker suffering (sic) delusions of adequacy.
As there is untold numbers using these Tax havens across the world, I take it that those cheating, those in government doing nothing to close it, and the Global companies who refuse to pay Tax, all think it worthwhile
to let terrorist groups use these self same facilities.
Panama apparently allowed the Brinks Mathie Bullion theft
from Heathrow to move through their hands, so it is unlikely that they will refuse anyone making them money.
I have been a member of a building society for decades and yet I was made to jump through hoops to prove my identity before I could open an ISA with a small sum of cash??
The evidence is undeniable. Politicians and the global elite are as corrupt as any Mafia dang.
They don’t give a damn about anyone or anything, if they are making money out of it.
I implore everyone in the UK never to vote Tory. Labour, or Lib Dem for the rest of their lives.
Their old boy network keeps corruption as a first priority.
Loki in mythology was a God who would sometimes assist the Nordic Gods, but more usually went out of his way to create mischief for them. Two faces in effect.
Interesting he chooses this avatar. I have seen some of his work,claiming to support independence,but rubbishing the only vehicle capable at the moment of providing it. He tends to be self absorbed,and in fact has appeared on TV a couple of times to air his views. He would be a natural selection for anti independence agendas. You know — SNP bad.
This probably suits his need for any forum to take him seriously,probably in an attempt to establish a career much like Rev Stu has done with Wings.
Sorry Loki, but you are a bit too self absorbed to allow your readers to have any empathy..Keep trying though. We need to remind ourselves constantly of the type of narrow mindset which has controlled or diminished our progress as a Nation for generation after generation.
I have read some shit in my time but this Darren McGarvey or Loki has topped the lot.
I actually wasn’t going to read as I thought it would be a waste of time, given the comments from those I trust here.
He started explaining how his mothers loss had affected him, I wasn’t to realise how that opening would explain so much about him.
His story started with his mothers accident, or was it, because people, said? Then we had the vivid description of his home complete with how it tasted? And the number of spiders in the ash trays, I actually didn’t know spiders loved ash but there you go? The frequency of dog shit into carpet was also mentioned, amazing insight!
He seems to have done a creative writing class? Then we had rare vintage vinyl and tapes, so obviously a rich family? No? By the way dampness usually starts at the top and works down, a wee tip for the future Loki.
He then took us on a journey into a group of people on the margins of society who were not just alcoholic but grotesquely malformed, children like dogs fighting for scraps, and all drunks seemed to be child abusers, carefully scripted that?
Can’t seem to work out if his mummy was a alcoholic or drug addict? He mentions drug dealers once, as a warning to the reader, “don’t get me started”. I am just going to put this out there, frightened of the Loki! No wanting to name names, Christ man it was your mother!
Then after that decent into hell we get, well what? SNP bad, but no alternative?
Loki should have said I wish a named person could have been available! SNP good Loki.
Loved the juxtaposition with the saintly Nicola and the helicopter STV, so funny!
So this is how it goes in the defensive of the realm, some nutter, you don’t mind me calling you that Loki, isn’t that what you call yourself? No you’re not a nutter Loki your much, much worse. Son? Nah, sons don’t do what you do, hate mummy for leaving you, that you’re excuse, hate the woman not the illness.
The final insult to his dear mom, having her die in agony! That doesn’t happen either, palliative care is not a new invention Loki.
I never thought I would see the day when this would be acceptable in main stream journalists cannon. A Question should be asked in the board room of STV, is this acceptable now?
If so god help us all!
Dear Loki, while I am sad to read your story about you and your Mother’s upbringing may I point out that your Mum died during a time when both Scotland and the UK as a whole were governed by a labour administration.
You say she was 36 so that means during her formative years the UK was under the control of a Tory Government lead by Margaret Thatcher!
The story did move me so whoever is pulling your strings were successful on that part but you are tilting at windmills as far as Nicola Surgeon and the SNP are concerned.
Certainly by using your hellish upbringing against the thought of your Country ever pulling itself out of this quagmire imposed on us by hundreds of years of foreign rule you are helping those that kept your family in a cycle of alcoholism and poverty.
Anent Loki.
It is only a matter of time before the Indian Independence meme is trotted out.
I quote a Keralese PhD communist I met in Canada way back in the sixties.
“We have only replaced the British Raj with Congress Party Raj”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jawaharlal_Nehru
Prime minister of India 1947 to 1964.
So the SNP shall dominate an independent Scotland for “generations”. SNPBad!
SNP SNP EU
Just read the Wee Black Book. Brilliant! Especially liked the masterstroke at the end, giving the last word to Michael Gove.
Who benefits most from our policies?
We all do. SNP 2016.
That is what most free thinking Scots want. All of us to benefit in an independent Scotland.
Loki your thinly disguised SNP bad is fooling nobody. You don’t want a pragmatic party, much better to have a rabid right wing fighting a rabid left wing with the people of Scotland caught in the middle getting barely a mention. Kept down, servile, not involved. Too late son. Away and bile yer heid!
OT but I am having a snigger at the stamp story in the Herald online – Shakespeare celebrated with ,
“Love is a smoke made with a fume ..” – nae room for the pertinent part!
Growing up in the Eighties we didn’t have much but Mum always made sure we were fed, clothed and warm even putting herself in debt to provide us with Birthday and Christmas presents.
Dad liked a drink but was not alcoholic, I guess we were lucky on that score.
No strangers were allowed to traipse through the house interfering with the children as they lay in their beds.
A house which was conspicuous by the absence of ground in dogshit and the aroma of stale pish and cigarettes.
You know what though, I still wanted better, I still wanted my Country to aspire to greater things so thank you Nicola, keep that dream alive.
Does anyone know of a small, overseas territory where I can pay my tax? I don’t pay a lot of tax but obviously I’d be better off if I paid less, or even none.
Somebody else can pay for services like health and education. I could probably afford to go private if I didn’t pay tax.
Way to go.
Capella
You could ask HMRC if you too could use a small island to register your house as they do with theirs.
I noticed coots bank were on the list, talking of small countries, is there not a queen of one who banks with them, he purred!
The BVI is the largest source of property holding in England. But Dominic Grieve thinks it would be unfair to punish overseas territories. Tax is a competitive environment and if people wish to relocate because there is a competitive advantage that is legitimate. Just as we have a fair settlement with Scotland and must honour that.
So if we don’t want people to register in the BVI then we shouldn’t tax them here.
BBC Good morning interview at 2 hours 10 – 20 mins.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b075pszy
@ Andrew Maclean – will ring HMRC today!
Andrew McLean, you don’t sound very sympathetic.
Loki thinks rapping in a Scottish accent is the solution; I think it’s part of the problem.
That’s all I have to say on the subject of Loki.
Andrew Maclean, I’m sure I saw an article about a small village, in Wales I think, but might have been south west England, which had changed its status and all the local businesses to become a taxhaven or something like that. I’ll have a dig around and see if I can find it.
Found it, Crickhowell,
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crickhowell-welsh-town-moves-offshore-to-avoid-tax-on-local-business-a6728971.html
@Andrew McLean,
I grew up in a tenement in Glasgow circa 1950s,when deprivation was rife,and alcohol, was the numbing drug of choice. I had many mates with alcoholic parents ,but they and their siblings always filled in the gaps left by the parents,either in the domestic sense of keeping the house clean,or in the emotional sense , by being there for each other to offer support.
I remember one pal ( who was best man at my wedding) climbing onto an abandoned church roof to nick the lead. It was not for spending money,but rather to buy food for his small sisters. He is not absorbed in the memory of these times,but rather accepting of his role as provider in the absence of parental care.
He like many others in my area,was and remains a great fella.
All of this of course under Unionist governments who did not give a damn about young people or anyone else for that matter dying through poverty.
As General Wolfe said about the Scots at the storming of the Heights “If they fall,no great mischief”
Lokis venom should be directed at the Government that allowed these things to happen ,but he directs his anger and resentment at the SNP who have only held the reins of power for 9 years rather than hundreds. Go figure.
He has an agenda,but we are not blind or stupid.I have lived the life and got the T shirt long before him. I know who to blame.
O/T BBC Scotlandshire tells us that in the event of a Brexit Scotland would get more powers. I’m convinced, no not convinced the other one, I smell sh[te.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-35965518
Neoconservative pish,
Ok that was funny!
@Jim 8.48
That’s exactly the sentiment I posted on FB in response to Lokis statement.
This statement is less aggressive than his last outing on Bella, which whipped up some pretty angry responses.
As the cat says, he has rethunk his approach, and played the poverty porn card, which is not to diminish the fact that I believe that part, just that he is shamelessly using it.
I suppose he is young and more impatient, and that’s fine. But him and Cat Boyd simply don’t have a clue about strategy, positioning, or the tradecraft of good politics.
If they had any sense, they would bide their time, building their profile, and learning more about government.
They should be studying the likes of our SNP MPs, and the way they write and criticise, the attacks on Tory policy.
They should realise they join SLab by attacking SNP.
Could anyone who was not born on a burning plane piloted by alcoholic kamikaze parents please fill in a form…
I’m sure we will find some aspect of your upbringing that we can construe as abuse.
After the ‘shocking’ revelations in the news,there will shurly be some trembling hands today at the Reform Club Pall Mall and Carlton Club St James St. in the big smoke.
I can almost hear the ice rattling in the cut glass tumblers,(filled with our finest,aged,amber exports)no nothing to do with tax havens (that will be soon be forgotten chaps), an even scarier story.
Loki has been nominated (but don’t worry,it’s only a memo of understanding,he can’t hold us to it).
#jobdone
#usefulidiot
Any comment on the Herald front page story today about one of the Chinese companies who signed the MOU being up to its neck in corruption? Something to do with bribes.
The likes of Loki dont understand as long as we remain part of this broken union they will be looked on as cranks and nutters.They will influence and change nothing as many have tried in the last 307 years bigger and smarter than them.They are and always will be background noise as long as we remain in the UK but should that change maybe then more would listen to what they have to say.
Willie Rennie, on Call Not Kaye, was magnificent.
I could listen to him all day…
The Austrian Empire vigorously repressed nationalist sentiment growing on the Italian peninsula, as well as in the other parts of Habsburg domains. The Austrian diplomat Klemens von Metternich, an influential diplomat at the Congress of Vienna, stated that the word Italy was nothing more than “a geographic expression”.
Sound familiar?
(Astarita, Tommaso (2000). Between Salt Water And Holy Water: A History Of Southern Italy. p. 264.)
Rennie gives me heartburn 😐
I’m guessing he wasn’t raised in the Gorbals by a drunken gang of paedophiles. I bet he didn’t get up for breakfast as a child only to find that resident spiders had pawned his teeth.
No wonder that he is so out of touch.
Bob, I feel you gently wonder if I understand Loki,
I was brought up in Coatbridge tenement in the seventies. My next door neighbours were drunks, she took in men, a rag on the windowsill was the sign, I saw poverty first hand, I saw the labour councillors feathering their own nest, I saw a whole block of new council houses going to one extended family of a labour council, across from bank street social club.
That’s why I joined the young communist league, that’s why I became branch leader, that’s why I became youth delegate to the STUC, and went on the jobs march in London.
Bob I know my enemy, I know what he’s capable off, using a fart like Loki is funny to him.
But the YCL were dreamers, the Labour Party were corrupt, that I saw first hand. The SNP were nowhere, most called them, well you know. So I concentrated on work. Joined the SNP about 15 years ago, but it didn’t inspire me.
One thing I do have, and that is the ability to read between the lines, I empathise with the writer, feel his back story, what drives him, and Bob I don’t like what I feel about Loki.
Defensive of the realm was my bag for a while, that’s when 3 minutes was the life expectancy of a combat soldier, when the red menace was real, esprit de corps, and a warning prevents further discussion, but let’s say I am no stranger to the dark side.
So confession over, what am I doing here, just hoping for a better country, a better word, and the utter destruction of my enemy.
Frustrating nonsensical bullshit foisted upon the electorate by a desperate media and terrified, triangulating spads PART 1. Or why the commentariat bubble aren’t worth the cover charge.
For the hard of thinking – Scotland is NOT a one party state because:
1. A one party state requires that only ONE PARTY IS ALLOWED TO EXIST WITHIN THAT STATE.
and
2. Thanks to a somewhat mercenary media, SCOTLAND IS NOT A SOVEREIGN STATE
Are we clear on the definition yet? Hmmm?
I note a lot of “vote for Ruth Davidson’s Scottish Conservatives” or “Ruth Davidson’s candidate for …”.
Ruthie is being promoted as a strong brand. Looks like the Tories believe her personal image is a suitably tough winning one to attract the BritNat vote.
Not really a surprise from the Tories, I suppose.
However Labour appear to be making no attempt to attract the ‘Scotland first’, pro democracy, looking for safe hands voters. And, making absolutely no attempt to get the Yes voters many of whom were Labour.
Tories, Lab and LibDems are all scratching around with the 40ish% left over voters trying to divide that among themselves.
Valerie says:
5 April, 2016 at 10:05 am
@Jim 8.48
That’s exactly the sentiment I posted on FB in response to Lokis statement.
This statement is less aggressive than his last outing on Bella, which whipped up some pretty angry responses.
As the cat says, he has rethunk his approach, and played the poverty porn card, which is not to diminish the fact that I believe that part, just that he is shamelessly using it.
I suppose he is young and more impatient, and that’s fine. But him and Cat Boyd simply don’t have a clue about strategy, positioning, or the tradecraft of good politics.
If they had any sense, they would bide their time, building their profile, and learning more about government.
They should be studying the likes of our SNP MPs, and the way they write and criticise, the attacks on Tory policy.
They should realise they join SLab by attacking SNP.
___________
Loki providing sexual excitement for the Tories and their brethren the red Tories.
He should direct his ire at his fucked up Grandparents and go see a psychiatrist to deal with these issues.
I mean for the love of fuck, dog shit on the carpets, spiders in the cat litter tray, (belonging to the cat they presumably ate because there was no money left for food).
Blood in the pan, Is that a cooking pan or the toilet pan or the cooking pan kept under the bed containing 6 pints of rancid pish?
If it’s the cooking pan, why the fuck was there blood in it, no explanation there?
Paedophile drunks interfering with your aunts and uncles?
What utter fuckwits your Grandparents were but, it could all have been prevented in this day and age if Nicola Sturgeon raised fucking income tax and did away with Named persons.
How very dare she try and make sure that more of your money is kept in your own pockets and a point of communication is opened up to ‘at risk; children in the form of a professional.
How many more young girls will have their fingers amputated by mysterious forces for the sake of another fucking tax raise
Loki, get help, you seriously need it!
Simmering nicely here…
The tradecraft of politics?
My experience of our err, domestic politicians is not the work of profession tradesmen I can assure you.
But hey, apparently I’m just a disgruntled voter with a vendetta… and a bruised forehead from banging it against a brick wall.
Silly Rennie gets a hard time from callers on call Kaye.
Loise White all but shouting at any caller with a whiff of a hard question, to, “get fucking on with it you bastards”.
Breeks
I think we’ll all need therapy after today! 🙂
Found this, sorry for the length.
High Society
If ye ask me “how’s the faimily?”
Well, ma brither, deid fi smack
Ma sister? Last time ah heard
She wis tryin tae gie up crack
Ma nephews they’re experimentin
Wi Wi lavvie-cleen-ogenics
Ma uncle’s smoked a billion spliffs
An thinks he’s Jimi Hendrix
Ma cousins? They’re aw alkies
Even tho they won’t admit it
But when they drap they’re livers
They willl literally ‘shit it’
Ma maws a spunge fer nicotine
Ma da’s a wurk-a-holic
Ma granda’s in the funny farm
Oan codine for his choleac
Ma grandma sells her sleepin’ pills
Tae pay the munney goad his bills
Funeral munney’s loookin’ grave
Addiction equals slave
Ma neighbourhoods a fakkin state
Where ivrayone’s an addict mate
Don’t look back jus keep gaun straight
Tae high society
Endemic is a wurd ah’d use
A national cult o self abuse
The survey sais c’mon you choose
Your high society
Across the board fi day tae day
Oor true potential wastes away…
Tick toak
Time bomb
Wherr has mine gone?
See me?
Ah’m no an angel
Ah’ve got habits o my ain
It’s wurds that ah’m addicted tae
They’re drivin’ insane
Ah’m an addict tae the adjective
Subjective tae the objective
Ah’m hooked on phraseology
Immersed in methodology
Ah need tae take a mental break
A holiday, but wait, but wait…
Ma neighbouhood’s a fakkin state
Wherr ivrayone’s an addict mate
Don’t look back
Just hud gaun straight
Tae high society
Loads ay folk huv habits tae feed
Mibbee it’s thru need, or greed
Ma mates fae schule ur maistly deid
Tae high society
Amelda Marcos bides upstair
The day she’s got her cloags oan
The pair next door dae solvents
Whils they egg thir fakkin doags oan
The boay doonstairs he’s sixty odd
Retired! He’s goat his feet up
But come the legion Sunday night
He wakes the fackin street up!
An thirs alcaholics, drugaholics
Shoap until ye drap a-holics
Folk posessed by thir wee hoabby
Vandals ootside in the lobby
Bairns oan aye pads loast in limbo
Wee auld wifies hooked on bingo
Mental patients locked inside
Ivrayone’s dissatisfied!
Ma neighbourhoods a fakkin state
Where ivrayone’s an addict mate
Don’t look back jus keep gaun straight
Tae high society
Endemic is a wurd ah’d use
A national cult o self abuse
The survey sais “c’mon you choose”
Your high society
The cat’s ur even doped-up
Wi the shite that’s in thir food
And me? Ah’ve takin aw ay it
Ah am my neighbourhood….
Cameron doesent Tax avoid via Mossack Forenca SO there says the Bbc.
Did his Mother have the shares transfered to her on the death of her husband
Was death duties payed in full,the plot thickens,but dont depend on British Meeja to report on it. Loki Loki aw thats anither story, confuddled as usual sos.
Good pic of the Icelanders protesting. They don’t sit on their arse watching Strictly and Bake Off, melting their brain.
http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2016-04-05/icelandic-pm-refuses-to-resign-over-panama-papers-leak/7298944
Onwards @ 00:14:
This ‘Loki’ guy seems to be the unionists’ favourite useful idiot.
Yes, I heartily concur. I saw him the once on BBC Scotland 2015/6, and was deeply unimpressed. Supposedly the programme’s “balance” against some yoon type, but he seemed to be completely unfocussed and basically not much in favour of anything.
The indy movement is a very broad church, but I fear he’s on his own journey entirely, alas.
I haven’t seen the Loki article, but this will be the same lad who seemed to be on Radio Shortbread regularly a few years back.
I recall the lad had a hard upbringing, and the BBC gave him radio time to voice his plight.
It seems that he is now paying back his EBC imperial masters.
I heard a bit of What the fuck is a Wullie Rennie? on shortbread this morning.
Message to shortbread, “We don’t buy your shite anymore” planted calls e.t.c.
Clyde, Banana Boat, anyone?!?!
SNP x 10