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Wings Over Scotland


Call The Midwife

Posted on April 10, 2016 by

The Scottish press and opposition’s incandescent and somewhat vague fury at the Scottish Government working to bring billions of pounds in investment to Scotland has continued undiminished in this weekend’s newspapers. Scottish Labour in particular are getting themselves very worked up about today’s Sunday Times.

mcchina

“Incredible”? Sounds exciting. Let’s find out more.

Here’s the key passage from the article. It’s buried some way down the page:

souterdeal

Oh. So what McDougall calls the “incredible” detail of “Souter’s involvement” in the agreement – according to the exact article McDougall references – is that he had no involvment whatsoever in it. He passed on a phone number to someone that could have been found by Googling, the end.

Scottish Labour’s press office hyped up the “revelation” one louder:

scotlabpresschina

That’s not bad, except that Souter wasn’t the go-between, there’s been no deal and it wasn’t a secret. It’s true in the same sense that if someone asked us what Kezia Dugdale’s website address was and we told them, we’d be the “go-between” in any subsequent discussions she had with them.

But the Sunday Times is so desperate to inflate what it admits itself is an entirely fabricated claim that it reports it in no fewer than FOUR separate articles:

china1

That’s four times as many as it devotes to the news that half of Edinburgh’s schools have been closed down for safety reasons after being built – rather shoddily, it appears – under PFI deals conceived and signed by Labour. The single piece on the subject studiously avoids mentioning the party at all, except at the very end in a quote from Green candidate Andy Wightman which we’ve highlighted below.

slabschools

But the best line on the China story, undoubtedly, is from the ST’s reliably brainless columnist Gillian Bowditch, who’s rarely found wanting when “SNP BAD!” is called for:

“It didn’t help that the arrangement only came to light a week after the memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed when SinoFortone mentioned it on its website alongside a quote from Brian Souter, businessman and SNP donor, who played midwife to the agreement.”

Now, we must admit that we don’t keep closely up to date with the finer points of hospital procedure, but if a midwife’s duties these days involve simply giving pregnant women the phone number of a doctor and then buggering off for the day, we suspect they’re being paid too much.

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yesindyref2

What’s really appalling is that none of the so-called Scottish media has even started addressing what £10 billion of properly due diligenced, audited and piblicly overseen, investment from Chines companies, could do for the economy of Scotland.

A whole heap of good (from the MOU) “in a number of important areas, such as Affordable Housing, Communities, Clean Energy, Industry and Business Parks and Transportation Infrastructure.”.

Plus that £10 billion spending itself, in the Scottish economy.

The media are a load of bastards, who don’t give a shit about the ordinary working people of Scotland who will benefit.

Sassenach

Well, we knew things were going to get scary before this election, with SNP Baad going into overdrive – but this is as ridiculous as you say, Rev.

We must keep hammering the PFI schools debacle.

john

I did notice that all the news reports last night referred tot he schools as “recently built”. I thought that this was a particularly mischievous wording to use.

David

Bloody lazy midwives

Keith Hynd

The smell of desperation of yoons and supporting media is now becoming a stench.

Here’s an idea! Try some thought through policies.

“THOUGHT THROUGH”???? Yep that could be a bit of a struggle right enough.

jim watson

It is a real shame that SinoFortone don’t use offshore accounts because then we would be able to say it is a private matter and the press wouldn’t touch it with a bargepole…

Another great piece Rev…keep up the good work

Sinky

BBC Politics Scotland does a repeat of Cameron’s tax problems which was discussed adnuseam just 45 minutes previously rasther than discuss Labour’s PFI / PPP problems

muttley79

Two main things I take from the MSM’s coverage of the China deal and the PFI story:

1) They and unionists in Scotland really, really hate for the SG/SNP to deal with foreign governments, if it is a large and powerful one (China) then that makes them even madder. It is the Scottish cringe in all its in glory.

2) There is almost no lengths the MSM will not go to in order to protect the still main unionist/British nationalist party in Scotland, which is Scottish Labour.

Neither of these things of course are new, but it is very amusing seeing this in action. The bias is so blatant, so in your face, that it is destroying the MSM/unionists credibility.

Calum McKay

PFI was gordon brown’s flagship policy!

Most commentators thought it was a problem in incubation financially and costs of upkeep when buildings were given over to public control in 30 after their commission, was thought to be high risk as the up keep of buildings would be problematic and costs would be high, i.e. What is the motivation to upkeep a building you are handing on to another to maintain?

Seems commentators were wrong, labour couldn’t even guarantee gone buildings were built to a reasonable standard. Good old or is it new labour!?

But as we live in this cherished union, it will be the SNP who get the blame.

The SNP need to be highlighting to parents why their children may be off school on Monday and whom they have to thank!

A clue – he once saved the world!

McDuff

More great stuff from the Rev highlighting once again the determination of the Unionist MSM to undermine at every chance the democratically elected government of this country with stories laced with lies and distortions in a deliberate attempt to mislead the electorate.
Once again the Sunday Herald eagerly participates, with the pathetic National never attempting to defend the Scottish government when it is falsely accused.
Stop buying these Newspapers as they do NOT support independence and are merely printed Trojan horses.

R-type Grunt

Scotland is an occupied country.

Arbroath1320

Hmm … when someone I know becomes pregnant I must remember NOT, under any circumstances, to pass on the phone number of the local doctor to her. I would hate to become the newsworthy intermediary that caused the birth of her child to be delayed because she could not get hold of the doctor due to a busy line! 😀

Just in case someone is interested, I know that this is highly unlikely because we all LOVE the Labour party ever so much, here is an article with links to a list of PFI projects and their resulting costs. 🙂

link to archive.is

heedtracker

Meanwhile and back in the real world, no mention of UKOK Gordon Browm, Darling, Bomber Blair, Labour, PFI tax evasion but

link to archive.is

NO school tomorrow

These include 17 schools – 10 primaries, five secondaries and two additional support needs schools – and the Goodtrees Neighbourhood Centre.

The schools affected are Braidburn School, Broomhouse Primary, Castleview Primary, Craigour Park Primary, Craigmount High, Craigroyston Primary, Drummond Community High, Firrhill High, Forthview Primary, Gracemount High, Oxgangs Primary School, Pirniehill Primary, Rowanfield, Royal High, St David’s Primary, St Joseph’s Primary and St Peters RC Primary.

yesindyref2

From the MOU:
“That the potential program of opportunities will be wide ranging and could include;
a) creating and improving trade relationships between Scotland and China in both directions;
b) creating employment in Scotland;
c) securing investment into communities across Scotland.”,

From the Export Statisics 2014
link to gov.scot

China was 13th in the country table (including EU countries) with £530 million at 1.9% of all international exports. That’s £530 million of exports the desperate, disgusting, anti-SNP so-called journalists don’t give a stuff about. And it’s growing, the food and drink sector is looking to grow exports by from memory, 80% this year. Last figure I saw the figure for was £85 million.

Ah right, I’m an anti-SNP journalist, who cares about all those jobs and money in the Scottish economy? I hate the SNP and that’s more important than all those ordinary people.

From “State of the Economy – December 2015”
link to gov.scot

Finally, the external environment remains key to the outlook in 2016 for Scotland both in terms of global demand (in particular China) and the impact of monetary tightening in the US on wider global economic sentiment.

In a tight market you have to work harder just to keep up the level, but you can increase your percentage share. China has 1.4 billion population, 20% of the world. But fuck that I hate the SNP so fuck their money, fuck the jobs in Scotland, and fuck the Scottish people.

“I’m an ignorant arsehole anti-SNP journalist and I’m more important”.

Sharny Dubs

Cameron’s on the ropes…..

Oh! Look! A squirrel!!!

DerekM

Oh dear the yoons are in a right tizzy over this Chinese non deal talks about having talks about possible future investment in Scotland ,i wonder if its got anything to do with trying to cover up one of the biggest scandels ever perpetrated by the criminal yoons in the Labour party you know like building a load of over priced debt ridden PFI(pubic fleecing instituation)schools that fall down in wee breeze.

Must be a full moon tonight they are out howling already.

Helena Brown

Strangely enough yesterday on returning to our old stamping ground in Dunfermline and walking the dog, we were commenting on the demise of the former Hyundai/unused Motorola Factory which we used to look onto. Now a building site but I seem to remember a deal entered into by which ever party was in power in Westminster at the time. This I believe was built using public money, and when the bottom fell out of the chip market Hyundai ran away from it and therefore it wasn’t used. Subsequently it was sold to Shepherd who stripped out everything sellable. demolished it got planning permission for houses, and small industial/business units and presently Belway are building on it. I bet I won’t here a word from Labour about this, presently they are THE COUNCIL, but hey ho maybe not in 2017.

ScottishPsyche

17 schools so far. How many more?

Quick fix, ill thought out schemes and deals done which have crippled Local Authorities with debt.

Shoddy template buildings with problems from the outset that teachers and architects objected to at the time but were overruled.

Children’s lives put at risk.

Yet the SNP government’s attempts to create inward investment and address housing shortages amongst other areas is relentlessly and vindictively scrutinised for fault. On something which is not even a deal yet.

But, But, Brian Souter!

And nothing from BBC Scotland.

John McCall

“He passed on a phone number to someone that could have been found by Googling …”

… except in China, which has the Great Firewall. Presumably that’s why they had to ask Souter 🙂

arthur thomson

I think a major part of the unionist grievance with the SNP trying to get international investment lies in their sense of outrage that the Scottish government should have any international involvement or relationships at all. It will be interesting to see how the electorate react to this smear campaign.

With regard to the PFI schools, it is appalling that the unionists and their media are yet again so disinterested in the welfare of children.

Surely all unionists cannot be so lacking in morality? Surely some of them must be ashamed/embarrassed? Surely some of them are going to break ranks at some point and refuse to be party to this awful behaviour?

I live in hope but sadly I’m not holding my breath.

Ruby

muttley79 says:
10 April, 2016 at 12:11 pm

The bias is so blatant, so in your face, that it is destroying the MSM/unionists credibility.

Ruby replies

They can’t even get the ‘Black Art of Media Manipulation’ right!

If they were magicians their rabbit would be jumping all over the table!

link to tinyurl.com

Effijy

I just watched the EBC Sunday Politics “Scotland” show,
where in order to completely obliterate the main PFI Political story in Scotland, repeated the same Cameron Shit that their English master broadcast a few minutes earlier.

We do need to monitor UK OK Media,but it is 100% established that every single outlet is dedicated
to keeping the UK Elite, and their political pawns,
in power to ensure another 50 years of stretching
the gap between rich and poor.

IMO the Sunday Herald and the National are tokens similar
to those given by the EBC.
They will invite the SNP in for comments but merely to
disrupt, distort and deviate away from their message, before ending in SNP Bad.

Legitimate democracy does not exist in the UK!
It is not just about being able to vote people in or out,
it is also essential that level playing fields are laid out where the parties can present their policies and defend past practices without bias.

This fundamental information has to be put to the electorate without editing, misinterpretation and with equal exposure for all.

If you want to know about the latest scare stories or how you are too stupid to think for yourself, watch EBC or buy a paper, any paper.

stonefree

As pointed out in the article, It says contact , not contract, these bunch of fannies are supposedly journalists not merely to have slept with on!! They should have a good command of english and with that the ability to read.
Brian Soulter may have done an introduction,like so many people have done and then walked away, it’s then got absolutely nothing to do with him,as the article says.
The Fat Boy should just shut his face
That said, Is it not about time the SNP grew a pair, and took action against , these half wits.
With that borderline rant , I appreciate it’s nearing an election and like the last Scottish one I worry that the SNP don’t do as well as predicted,that is illogical but
If after, they win the SNP really need to start shoving this crap back at them big time

The Rough Bounds.

I discovered a word in my Scots Dictionary today that I hadn’t seen before. It’s the word ‘Snool’.

It describes a Snool as ”A person who submits tamely to oppression.”

I have now begun to put this word into the comments sections in Facebook etc wherever I see a Yoon spouting his/her guff.

I just type in ‘Snool Alert!’

I will be nice if it catches on. Good old Scots language.

jimnarlene

They (unionist media and SLab) really are getting desperate.
Staring political irrelevance in the face, they don’t like what they see.

The fault lies at their own door, start working for Scotland’s benefit, and not the party, then their fortunes may change.

I doubt they will, as their unrelenting hatred of the SNP has clouded their vision.

Bill

Nobody gonna mention the small arms ammo we sell to China & Qatar?

gordoz

The stench of that tripe above from the Imperial Master presscore to the Dominion of the Northern Territory rebels.

Really think we need to get a full investigation into the filth that represents itself as the ‘free’press and does no more than supplant Westminster / Whitehall views for Brits in the North.

Lets investigate the financial probity and morals of the so called press barons to the fullest degree. Squeaky clean ??

Bio hazard suit, Mask & gloves required methinks ?

yesindyref2

“We want to invest £10 billion in your country, the equivalent of £120 billion in the UK as a whole, and use our contacts in China to help your country’s exports to China”.

Anti-SNP journalist: “No, bog off, we hate the SNP”.

gordoz

PFI = Piss from Inception.

Did anybody hear Gerry Hassan this morning commenting on Labour supporting friends now opting to vote Tory for second vote ?

Suspect this will be an even bigger factor towards Labours demise than most politicos thought. Blairites coming back to bite Slab – and show true colours – cue Gordie oh wait what about PFI ??

Says plenty about the state of Labour.

Ruby

ScottishPsyche says:
10 April, 2016 at 12:34 pm

17 schools so far. How many more?

Quick fix, ill thought out schemes and deals done which have crippled Local Authorities with debt.

Shoddy template buildings with problems from the outset that teachers and architects objected to at the time but were overruled.

Children’s lives put at risk.

Ruby replies

How did they get away with it?

Do you think if we didn’t have a corrupt media things would have been different?

At the time the PFI deals were being done was there some other distraction like this ‘China Deal’?

Iraq war?

panda paws

“Snool’.

It describes a Snool as ”A person who submits tamely to oppression.”

Keeping it and using it, thanks for bringing it to our attention!

I wonder if Libby Brooks article in the Graun about school closures which doesn’t mention Labour (other than the quote from Andy Wightman)and has a picture of Nicola Sturgeon will be opened for comments?

[…] Wings Over Scotland Call The Midwife The Scottish press and opposition’s incandescent and somewhat vague fury at the […]

Susan

Only The Labour Party could make investment and jobs in Scotland a dirty action!
This is because £10bn investment in infrastructure would be a huge boost to Scottish economy and that would negate all of the Yoon arguments currently being made against independence. It is hardly surprising that SLab would oppose anything that is likely to lead to significant economic growth. “Sic a parcel…”

Ian Brotherhood

This book review is 13 years old, but provides a useful reminder of what the political landscape was like when PFI was being bedded-in:

link to weeklyworker.co.uk

Dr Jim

It’s unimportant who’s fault it is, the trick for the media is to phone each other up and work out ways to implicate the SNP and then co-ordinate the stories so as to appear in the press and on telly at roughly the same time

Tomorrow I’ll put money on at least one newspaper having a picture of the FM beside this story making it appear as though an SNP failure, because their target audience never reads past the headline so job done

(See that SNPee agayn never oot the paper that STURGIN fiddlin or gettin everthing wrang) Ah hink it’s time tae gae that other wummin a chance, eh, whits er name agayn? aye hur!

Success!! And what’s worse some of them live in my street

thomaspotter2014

Aye the gloves are coming off the Establishment Attack brigades,remember,they’re all in it Together.

We’re gonna get the kitchen sink thrown at us as any semblance of integrity,honesty or decency has been lost forever.

RUK need the scales from their eyes and frankly if they can’t see what’s going on now they never will.

And BitterTogether been told- no prisoners.

We’re now down to Establishment v Independence.

Co-ordinated Corpmedia attacks and smears never really stopped since Indyref1 and the Defcon level is now 27 and rising.Anything goes.We’re getting to hand to hand status, the decider.

Strange how they cannot seem to see it’s hastening Indyref2 nicely.

And this gift of Panama and Eu ref timing has them stretched to breaking point.

By which time another VOW will be produced, a few days before voting day.

But it isn’t going to save them.

NOT LONG NOW.

Almannysbunnet

PFI invented by the tories and championed by labour. The current estimate is that £3000 is owed by every man, woman and child in the UK to pay off PFI contracts. Attached is an unusually informative article from the Sunday Post (I know I know but read it before you beat me up).
Don’t hesitate to remind everyone that it was the SNP who scrapped PFI when it came to power in 2007.It was replaced with the not for profit futures trust.
link to archive.is

Thepnr

What is the point of Newspapers when all they print is just garbage. The Sunday Times though has outdone the rest with 4 articles about absolutely nothing.

It does amuse me though, the belief that if you keep printing tripe then those intending to vote SNP twice at this coming election will be persuaded to change their mind. It’s the multi-millionaire that supports the SNP can’t you thick left leaning Jocks see that?

You should vote Labour, we don’t have any multi-millionaires supporting us, in fact we only have a few millionaires in the shadow cabinet though none are multi-millionaires.

We represent the working class, got to be working though. We prefer not to have anything to do with those, you know, benefit scroungers and spoungers! especially the greedy, grasping Jocks.

ED Miliband has the richest Labour top table ever, with at least seven millionaires in the shadow cabinet and a further 13 who are close advisers and senior backers.

Yet just last week he attacked David Cameron’s “rich Tories” for not understanding working Brits’ struggles. Ed himself is a multi-millionaire. He lives in a £2.3million North London home and got a hefty inheritance from his Marxist writer dad, Ralph.

The probe was carried out by this quarter’s edition of Spectator Life magazine

ED’S MILLIONAIRES: Harriet Harman, Ed Balls, Yvette Cooper, Liam Byrne, Hilary Benn, Emily Thornberry, Chuka Umunna, Jon Cruddas, Tom Baldwin, Sir Charles Allen, Neil Kinnock, Glenys Kinnock, Roland Rudd, Margaret Hodge, Shaun Woodward, Michael Meacher, John Mills, Assem Allam, Andrew Rosenfeld and Tristram Hunt.

Apologies for the link, even to an archive copy of The S** link to archive.is

Croompenstein

Fat Bliar and the Slabbers cannae understand any kind of negotiations that don’t involve big brown envelopes nudge nudge wink wink.. Corrupt fuckers

yesindyref2

Re-reading my first posting I didn’t make it clear that that’s £10 billion that could be spent on all those projects which is good in iteslf, but it’s also £10 billion, much, most, of which would be spent in Scotland, and therefore in the economy.

It also occurs to me, to counter the Unionists shouting about Scottish Steel, that we have 2 saved specialist steel plants in Scotland that could benefit.

Capella

They could have asked Sir Danny Alexander for the phone number. After all, he is Vice President of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. UK is a founding member. Maybe the Sunday Times disapproves of this too?

link to en.wikipedia.org

Michael Cavanagh

unfortunately people do read this sort of shite and believe it and then at some point you have to talk to them, correct their deluded, ill-informed thinking and put them in a kendo nagasaki headlock. Sleep easy moronic readers of yoonyist arserags for I do not yet have the power of smite.

Robert Louis

As already outlined by others, what really irks the ‘Scottish’ unionist cabal, and their London masters, is that the Scottish Government are behaving as an actual REAL government. Unionists believe that important decisions can only be made by our superiors in London, therefore what the Scottish Government does can only ever be bad.

It is truly shocking the way in which labourites and their assorted unionista collaborators continually want to knock down and belittle Scotland.

I do like that snoo word. It sums up the pathetic ‘Scottish’ unionist cringing, subservient mindset in one word.

Gary45%

This morning I had a wee shit, I asked it what its opinion was of the Scottish governments dealings with bringing investments in from China.
I was met with silence, but it still made more sense than Blair McDougall.
SNPx2

Ruby

link to archive.is

The great PFI swindle

When I archived this article I was told it had been archived 13 hours ago.

Perhaps loads of people are researching PFI.

Brian Powell suggested yesterday that it would be a good idea to compile all these PFI articles into one PDF.

I could do that and upload it to my Dropbox account but I don’t have a Dropbox account that allows loads of traffic so if I did that it would only be available for download for a very short space of time. 1/2 an hour.

Perhaps someone else could then upload the file to their Dropbox account/website/blog.

The other question I have is about the legality of doing this. I’m presuming it’s OK

Last question: Can you upload a PDF to Twitter?

HandandShrimp

Even the blind man in the windowless coal cellar looking for the black cat that isn’t there can see that the real story, nay scandal this weekend is the shoddy Labour PFI deals.

As for Sinofortone, as already discussed in previous threads, they are a well established feature in development plans in the UK. They are OK for Kent or London but not Scotland? Is that Better Together Blair?

🙂

mealer

They hate the very idea of Scotland speaking for herself to the Chinese or anyone else.

David Mills

Four article is it a quite news week?
I am guessing nothing else nothing else of note happen this week to warrant those colum inches.
So what give
Editorial policy bias
Lazy hacks that could be bother
There are story afoot ST would rather no shine a light on.

In a week where an economist estimated that between 10% and 30% of funds generated by the global economy are masked from visibility to taxation leaving a massive blackhole to fill.

In that same week the PM admits having money in one of these immoral schemes. These showing that all thought he may have not broken the law he has not operated with in it spirit either.

No no other stores pour the column inch in to tarnishing the SNP, their leader and one business man.

liz

@panda paws – it’s typical of the Guardian to have no comments on articles they know will be pulled apart.

You can, however, tweet to Libby Brooks directly @libby_brooks and ask her about the photo of Nicola.

Jet Jockey

If you live in the constituencies of Ruth, Kes, Jackie, and some others, and you have had a leaflet in your letter box, with no political party name

Muscleguy

And the Guardian’s belated story on the schools has a picture of Nicola Sturgeon just so those who only see the headline think it is her fault.

Why aren’t the media doorstepping Gordon Brown and McConnel and asking why they were behind the scheme that has failed?

it’s a trope in British politics that Labour get elected to fix the neglect from Tory Governments. Well it seems that it is up to the SNP here in Scotland to fix the neglect and mistakes of Labour.

If I was chapping doors in the election I would ask Labour voters why they were still that when such incompetence in office is plain.

David Sillars

Shame, the Guardian article on the school closures only points to Labour involvement through the Green candidate for Lothian. Else it is the SNP who are responsible for the mess.

Tam Jardine

Was not surprised to see Libby Brooks Edinburgh Schools PFI scandal piece almost completely exclude mention of labour culpability (mentioned once in a quote by Andy Wightman but pursued no further).

The pic of Nicola under the headline is classic Guardian- if only they weren’t so bleedin predictable. Honestly – I think the Guardian is becoming the most anti-SNP of all the press. The depths they go to to smear the SNP and protect labour are staggering, pathetic, surreal, pointless, boring and unprofessional all rolled into one.

link to archive.is

Also note- no comments as they know they would deservedly be crucified below the line for such dishonest propaganda.

Legerwood

Much is being made in this China story of the fact that the Ethics Committee of the Norwegian Pension Fund had recommended the exclusion of the CRG company because of its involvement in corruption. The Fund sold it’s shares in the company because of this.

When did decisions made by Pension Funds, any pension funds, dictate what decisions a Government makes? Thesame Ethics Committee had Siemens AG on an observation list for 5 years because of corruption concerns about the Company. When you look at the current list of excluded companies you will find, under different headings, Wall Mart, Lockheed Martin, Boeing and Serco. Are we supposed to stop any dealings with those companies?

Certainly the the concerns about CRG should be carefully investigated and it would now appear that Sinofortone also needs to be looked at more closely. It’s web site seems to be under construction and details of who is involved in the company are sketchy. Claims of the extent of its investments in projects in the UK may also be questionable.

If a preliminary investigation was carried out by the SG in the lead up to signing the MOU then maybe it should have been more thorough if it did not find this info about CRG. But surely that is what the next stage of the process following on from the MOU will includ – a more thorough investigation of both companies.

The MOU allows any of the parties to withdraw from the agreement if they produce reasonable cause. Not being what they claim is reasonable cause.

As to the various news articles etc and their claims about a deal – perhaps everyone should post a copy of the MOU on their Facebook page because it is for sure the media is going to continue to misrepresent it.

Robert Louis

O/T,

Having read bella today, and been looking at Rise, it is becoming very clear what is being perpetrated.

Supposedly pro indy people showing their true colours in Bella today. Pretty obvious chicanery going on.

How to prevent an SNP majority? split the pro indy vote. Divide and conquer, call it what you will.

You can have as much ‘open debate’, differing political opinions and pluralism you like, but if you do not have an SNP majority after the election, then you simply will not get another chance at independence, unless you are planning to ‘storm the GPO’.

2 votes SNP, or we might as well all go home. (which, it is clear, is what some people are hoping to achieve.)

Oh, and for the record, I’m a socialist, and would vote for such a party, BUT ONLY ONCE WE SECURE INDEPENDENCE.

yesindyref2

@Robert Louis
If the Unionists can push both Green, as the Sunday Herald is doing, and Rise, while hacking at the SNP yes, it splits the vote.

To see what it can do, the latest Survation poll of 52% for the SNP in the constituencies gives 67 constituency seats. But looking at the detail (I have a per seat spreadsheet), there’s one of those seats Orkney Islands which I have for SNP within a small margin of staying LibDem, and there’s another few that could slip away from SNP.

But there’s also two seats that could suffer because of the in-fighting in North Lanark, and with those 2 and the Orkney one, that gives the SNP 64 seats, even on current polling.

Without the list seats then, there’s no overall majority, no majority party mandate for Indy Ref 2, kiss bye bye to it and Independence. Or any more powers devolved.

Jet Jockey

If you have had a leaflet through your letter-box or handed to you, with no link to any party, and you live in the constituency of any of the following Ruth Davidson, Jackie Bailey, Kezie Dugdale, and some of the other “notables”, Take note of what the leaflet says, It queries why the Border of the North Sea was realigned putting 6000 square miles and 6 oilfields into English waters. And the MacRone Report was kept secret from the Scots for 30 years.
When politicians/canvassers knock on your door ask why and who was responsible for the aforementioned the answer from some could be very interesting, why not post the response on WOS.

Ben

Dont know how the Rev can read this shit day in day out. Painful and a bit scary

jcd

Robert Louis 1.46

Rise and the Greens are unionist collaborators.

Davy

Are those China companies any good at building schools ???

We may have a job for them.

galamcennalath

yesindyref2 says:

“no overall majority, no majority party mandate for Indy Ref 2, kiss bye bye to it and Independence. Or any more powers devolved.”

Exactly! I have no doubt this is the Unionist strategy. Try to hold a few seats and split the Indy vote on the list. The intention is to prevent an overall majority.

That will put us all back in box. Lid locked, glued shut, nailed down and secured by chains for a long time!

Chic McGregor

Use PFI and you will certainly PFI as in ‘Tak heed, ye’ll PFI’.

‘Snool’ great find. Can it be adjectival as well as in ‘Snooly Cringer’?

Dr Jim

The Scottish parliament was set up in such a way as to never allow total control by any party (other than Labour of course coz they thought that would always be the case)

It doesn’t really take all that much to dilute the power of the SNP reducing their ability to push for Independence

As has been said before reducing the vote for the SNP gives the Unionists the ammo they want but that doesn’t seem to matter to supposed Indy parties who I’m not even going to name because Bella Caledonia and others who are punting this shit know exactly what they’re doing

If you don’t want Independence that’s fine it’s up to you, but if you do certainly don’t fall for the divide and conquer shit of these so called Parties all it will achieve is more votes for nobody and less votes and power for Scotland

BTW The Greens are on no ones side but the Greens, and that’s OK too if you want to vote for their issues, but they’re not Independence motivated

I wasn’t going to say it but here goes

Rise!!… Over my rotting corpse!! Unless somebody can tell me the point of them other than “Jist gonnae gaes yer votes” We’ll have the Monkey party next claiming to support Independence and I bet they’d get votes too Jeeez!!

Hell of a easy for all these people to spout what they would do if they got elected when they know perfectly well they will never have the chance to actually govern, so just like the Unionist parties it’s a criticism of the Party who got us here

SNPx2 If I had ten votes they’d all go the same way until I get to stand in George Square with MY flag in MY country Free to choose whatever I want along with everybody else
That’s real democracy, let these other parties stand then and start earning the right and not trying to steal it

Mr ANGRY and Pissed off Bishopbriggs
I might have pissed off a few others but I’m Scotland first Politics second

Truth

Scotland doesn’t have journalists. Scotland has conjournalists.

First they take an innocuous story about the Scottish Govt/SNP and conjour up some twisted angle with which to declare SNP bad.

All the while this sleight of hand distracts from a damaging unionist story they don’t want us to see.

Conjournalists indeed.

ronnie anderson

BBC working over time in not reporting Camerons Panama involvement

Father of Justine Welby distraction
now Archive footage of Kim Philby oh how they spin & practice to deceive.

The Rough Bounds.

Robert Louis @ 1.24.

It’s not ‘snoo’ Robert, it’s Snool, or Snuil. :¬)

yesindyref2

@galamcennalath
Yes, that’s it.

And if Bella thinks Loki is on the side of Independence, in my opinion they should think again.

Loki is on the side of Loki.

Chic McGregor

Maybe it should be ‘Snoolly’.

Effijy

If indeed Brian Souter was kind enough to give the Scottish Government’s contact details, then I am eternally grateful to him.

Should the Chinese have approached Malcolm Rifkin, Tory, or Jack Straw, Labour, they would have had to pay their standard £5,00o.00 fee for an introductory letter.

When these 3 clowns were caught in the act, they claim that they had first taken care of their parliamentary duties by lunch time, and then used there free time for a “little” extra cash.

It just shows you how quickly you can fill your parliamentary pockets and run the economy into the ground.

SNP X 2

heedtracker

Rancid The Graun blames Sturgeon for so many schools dropping to bits, which is a new, new, NEW low for that shower of shy tories. Hope to god there’s not more waiting to fall down safety wise.

Interesting reading round online yoon culture, this toryboy yoon in particular, as it would great to get some Kevrage graphs going on just how many Crash Gordon PFI deals were made by SLabour alone in their Scotland region and the actual cost, but from Kevrage, absolutely nothing. LibDem’s simply lie out right, they opposed PFI now.

link to twitter.com

Toryboy’s in their Scotland region are a strange crew.

Gary45%

O/T (light humour on a heavy day)
Anyone got one of these new carpet shops which has on its sign, “Bring us any quote and we’ll beat it” ?
The wife suggested “‘Twas brillig and the slythy toves did gyre and gimble in the wabe” was a pretty unbeatable quote – any other suggestions ?
We might get a free carpet !!!!
(Jabberwocky rules OK).
SNP x 2

The Rough Bounds.

Chic McGregor @2.39

‘Snooly cringer?’: I suppose it can Chic. My ancient Collins’ Dictionary gives ‘Snool’-one whose spirit is broken with oppressive slavery. The Concise Scots Dictionary gives it as ‘Snuil.’ noun. A cringing, spiritless, abject or cowardly person.

Below that it gives: verb.vt. Subdue, keep in subjection, submit tamely, act meanly, deceitfully or spiritlessly.

It is indeed a wonderful word.

The Rough Bounds.

Gary45%

Laws grind the poor, and rich men rule the law. (Goldsmith: The Traveller.)

heedtracker

link to twitter.com

And more complete PFI silence from this ultra unionist man/doc too. Just going after Sturgeon and Black.

Its nice to yoons back BetterTogether campaigning again, Dr Scott fury directed maybe less at Panama leaks and more at Sturgeon not going to 50% tax hikes, despite SLabour dudes like Crash Gordon and the Flipper never once hiking tax to 50%, in their UKOK glory years.

If Crash Gordon or The Flipper are ever actually asked to comment just the once oh his colossal PFI disaster by the present crew of UKOK media gimps like The Graun or BBC, you’ll know Scotland’s become an independent nation state.

Proud Cybernat

They STILL are not learning, are they? They STILL do not get how this interwebby thing works, do they? STILL they have no clue about the ‘New Media’ in Scotland and how it unravels the BritNat media rubbish in seconds and is netcast to hundreds of thousands of readers almost instantly.

We see their spin. We see their hyperbole. We their their desperate attempts to blacken the name of the Scottish (SNP) Government by any means possible, fair and foul (but mostly foul).

The BritNat corporate media in this country must think no one is looking, no one is watching. No one can see through their pish. They must think we will just swallow it all unquestioningly, unthinkingly, uncritically.

“Knock, knock McFly!”

We’re here. We’re watching every move you make, every breath you take. And we are NOT fooled – not one single bit.

Come May all unionist parties and their lapdog print and broadcast media (including the Pedo Broadcasting Corporation) will receive yet another black eye from the people of Scotland with the message, loud and clear.

“Scotland is not for turning, you reprobates!”

The triumvarite fooled us for long enough. No more. This May, as in ast May, let’s give the lot of them another Glasgow kiss. Let’s show them their number’s up, their tea is oot. They are finished in Scotland.

SNP x 2

Lollysmum

@Dr Jim
Save your money Jim-the Guardian has beaten you to it courtesy of Libby Brooks. Complete with photo of Nicola. Oh & no comments allowed so we can’t even correct her article online. Had to make do with twitter instead 🙂

link to archive.is

Kenny

I have the greatest respect for what RIC during indyref1. I support many of the Greens policies more than the SNP. Post-indy I will probably vote Solidarity.

But until then I am voting SNP and I will be working flat out to secure an SNP majority in Holyrood. That is the only way to get an indyref2. The alternative is unthinkable… and the unionists would not only reverse all good SNP policies, but would asset-strip the country at the behest of their political masters (and probably move the sea border at the Solway Firth north as well to boot!).

Does anyone have any evidence from canvassing of the Greens or RISE making inroads in the List vote? I personally have not, I have found the SNP vote to be rock solid, thankfully. Now is the time for the SNP to mobilise its 100+ K membership to explain the importance of an SNP majority, especially in order to hold an indyref2 when the time is right (following Brexit, UK derivatives collapse, currency crisis, whatever).

As for the PFI initiative, I think we all knew from the start that this was a bloodsucking scheme (the fact alone that it was championed by Broon the Loon tells you all you need to know). I hope all PFI contracts will be declared null and void by an independent Scottish state… and let’s be jailing anyone responsible for shoddy work in public buildings, such as schools or hospitals.

Tackety Beets

My anger management now working 24/7 and yet my blood is boiling !

I always thought the PFI schemes were a financial disaster. I don’t think you need to be the brightest light on the tree to see how bad value it is.

I can never be “arsed” reading papers any more and thankfully Rev does remind me of the crap they print.
This weeks headlines should be about “Cam-sham” and the 17 closed Schools.

ref the schools ,I’m not affected but for everyone who is it must be an absolute nightmare. I get the impression that the “build flaws” are not restricted to missing wall ties. Building inspectors are finding other issues hence this is much more serious situation.
I suspect there may be more to unfold next week ?

I’m not defending Lab , but there are tradesmen in our midst who were involved and no self respecting bricky would build without wall ties ……. Unless there were other circumstances . TBH wall ties do not add much to cost so why ?

Full explanation in the investigating BUM shortly , aye ok .

IMHO the SNP Gvt have shown without doubt to be the Best Gvt we could ever have. You may not agree with everything they do. I’d bet my last dollar folk would agree with the SNP a lot more than any other of the Parties !

SNP X 2 You know you should .

Thanks RB , “Snool” like you it’s a nyoo een t me ana !

Marcia

I see that Nicola Sturgeon has published her full tax return and not a summary. SNP Ministers have given back £250,000 from their earnings to the General Fund of Holyrood since 2007. I cannot see Westminster Ministers giving a penny to the Exchequer.

heedtracker

Nothing but usual monstering SNP Scots.gov from my Slovene girlfriend. Certainly nothing on PFI horror legacy of letting another country run Scotland.

But future Lord Tomkinski does have a plan for his Scotland region

link to notesfromnorthbritain.wordpress.com

I have savaged any and all devo as hard and as loud as BBC vote Scotland will let me but its not working so…

“For if the United Kingdom is to hold together, to thrive and to prosper in the longer term, we need to think about our territorial constitution also in terms of shared rule.”

My cunning plan for reforming my Scotland region, pump money into an all and exciting super powerful Scottish Office in Whitehall, maybe let the Welsh in too. That’ll fix them

“In particular, the tiny Scotland and Wales Offices are now too small and too weak, and need to be rebooted.

I suggest ways in which this should happen–by rolling them up into a single, powerful, department for the constitution sitting at the heart of Government. Much of this needs to be placed on a formal, statutory (that is, legal) footing”

Arise Lord Adam, saviour of teamGB.

galamcennalath

Obviously the Unionists are going to say, “you have lots of powers in your wee parliament, so why don’t you go away and play with them for a decade or three.” You expect them to take that line, even if it’s wishful thinking.

However, there are others says, “let’s all play politics in Holyrood, we can play all sorts of interesting games.” Makes you wonder about their motivation, eh? Closet Unionists or eye stupidly on a wee ball instead of the big one?

Significant changes come from a successful economy and Holyrood just doesn’t have the levers to control that. As far as I’m concerned the objective should be to keep things moving forward slowly with modest improvements until Indy is achieved. Which could happen anytime.

WM, and especially the Tories, are going to seriously fck up sooner or later in their dealings with Scotland. When that happens opinion will shift suddenly and sufficiently. We then part ways.

Until then, I think we should all think carefully about who proposes what and exactly why they are doing so.

K1

Remember it was Alex Salmond who ensured that all the new voters who came out for Yes in the indy vote, who had remained off the electoral register because of poll tax arrears, would have their arrears ‘wiped’, after Labour councils started issuing proceedings to ‘chase’ these arrears.

Disgraceful on the part of Labour to take advantage and attempt to hound people who made a principled stance against a regressive and unfair tax. What’s new.

I too would expect the PFI contracts to be ‘wiped’ in Scotland after Independence and am absolutely sure we would go after the real culprits too.

I wish May was done already, the propaganda that is in full hysterical def con ‘let’s destroy the SNP’ mode, is just infuriating me…

SNP x 2 EU In…or we’re fucked.

Effijy

Of course the non dom press owners and the propaganda channel are angry with having to bury the outrageous scandal that is Neo Liberal PFI disaster.

The Scottish Government may get major infrastructure projects financed with low Chinese interest rates, which would highlight the daylight robbery rates that are Westminster PFI.

What will these millionaires send to their Tax Havens if we stop them robbing us?

I’d like to see all SNP officials interviewed on the run up
to the election in May use the statement “I cannot comment on that as we are too busy trying to establish how we can overcome the Labour/ Liberal PFI Scandal which sees THOUSANDS of Pupils and teachers at risk and who through them have nowhere safe to work.
We then need to add the cost of these new measures to the 600% interest rates that these parties have committed Scotland to over the next 20 years”.

This is the only way the non social media voters can find out what really happened to them.

John

I demand that Jackie Baillie demands an enquiry into all PPI dealings , finds out who thought it was a great idea , who started it , which councils were first to use it .Then she can go on to the Chinese dealings , why did the SNP think it was a good idea to look for further investment in our country , what were they up to . Go on Jackie you have been very quiet on these issues , your normally first in there, we know you can do it or have the MSM not been getting in touch for a comment , they usually do .

Nana

O/T

We do not have a free press. Murdoch has his stooges sitting in the cabinet. Since this story broke two weeks ago there has not been a whiff in the press or on tv.

Today James Cusick former journalist with the Independent has written more on the Whittingdale scandal for byline.

link to byline.com

link to byline.com

call me dave

GREEN behind the ears? Please do not RISE to the bait!

Having a party that puts Scotland’s interests first is the main priority and it is not a given that the vote is in the bag folks.

Independence first then sort out what we do then to tweak the politics.

SNP X 2.

———————————————————–
PS:
The PFI fiasco is an SNP vote winner and it should be hammered home at very opportunity that it was all down to the labour way of doing business.

But the ‘poor building quality’ which is an huge safety issue in it’s own right could have happened under which ever way the building projects were funded. It’s down to people doing their job correctly at the end of the day and that hasn’t been done.

That is the only thing that the SG has to act on at the moment.

Crying foul on PFI is all well and good but the reason for the way the building has been constructed and who did it is the main priority.

The SG resilience committee has already had a meeting and called all councils to survey the buildings involved and report back.

Experts will be called in and reports made and the way the contracts are written will be the next concern and, I’m sure, will reflect badly on the labour councils who were involved.

Manna from heaven for Sturgeon but maybe will be expensive in all sorts of ways for the public purse.

I’m sure that the SG will do a good job in fixing the problem and they will, in spite of the BUM, be seen, to most voters, as a safe pair of hands. No brainer!

SNP X 2.

………………………………………………
PPS:
YEAAH! Leicester

Spurs up now: link to myp2p.ec I’m off… 🙂

Luigi

PUBLIC HEALTH WARNING

If the SNP fail to secure another majority at Holyrood in May, the yoons will quickly move a motion to legislate against another Scottish referendum for the foreseeable future, possibly forever. Make no mistake, they will do everything they can to prevent IndyRef 2. Hopefully an SNP majority will be achieved, but if the second vote allows the yoons to regain control, a motion against another ref will be the first thing they do. You can kiss independence goodbye. I kid you not.

SNP x 2 (just to make sure, eh). 🙂

ronnie anderson

O/T I wonder if Mrs Hinds & Co will abandon they,re Trams fiasco extention, they cant be trusted with Public finances.

Bill Halliday

Every cloud etc. I’ve lost count now of the number of family friends and aquaintances then friends of theirs who now regularly comment about media bias and the absolute lies in newspapers.

It’s not just the headlines now, people have become aware, almost sub-conciously of what Owsen Jones describes as the elitist mindset of commentators, those who would ‘guide’ us.

So good on the press, keep it up you are doing a grand job.

Ruby

Ruby says:
10 April, 2016 at 4:04 pm

Tackety Beets says:
10 April, 2016 at 3:39 pm

I’m not defending Lab , but there are tradesmen in our midst who were involved and no self respecting bricky would build without wall ties ……. Unless there were other circumstances . TBH wall ties do not add much to cost so why ?

Ruby replies

Perhaps all the builders who may have raised health & safety issues had been blacklisted!

Would a biased press have printed a story had one of the builders gone to them with a story?

I posted this yesterday:
I was going to suggest that it was weird that there were no ‘whistle blowers’ amongst the constuction workers at these schools but then I remembered this story.

link to archive.is

link to archive.is

Workers were primarily on the blacklist because of their trade union membership, their political beliefs or because they had raised health and safety issues.”

The full list of companies that supported and used The Consulting Association includes

Miller Construction Limited

sandycraig

Dr Jim 2.45

Am wi you big style. Any dilution of SNP votes to other parties does not and never will help get independence. Wasted votes IMO.
SNP X 2

Legerwood

Lollysum @ 3.29

Just been on the Guardian site and was able to comment on an article about the Edinburgh schools closures. Did not pay attention to who wrote it but it had a picture of Ms Sturgeon at the top of the article.

Arbroath1320

Just a wee O/T moment here.

If anyone is at a lose end after reading Porky’s Pro E.U. leaflet that they receive shortly then they could, I suppose, always return it to him to be re-used a second time. 😀

link to facebook.com

In fact if you are really bored why not leave a few *cough* instructional comments in the margins first. 😀

Phronesis

Blatant news management to ensure the timing, location and presentation of events cause maximum damage to SG- except it’s backfiring in part because of the efforts of this site and a readership that can critically look beyond the headlines of an MSM which exists to control the information flow by regulating and repressing the truth.

The turbulent media landscape is challenging a profession that will not engage with critical, independent journalism and this is obvious from the persistent negative comments on the performance of SG – the tension between the Machiavellian relationship between a political elite serving the powerful, controlling the narrative and and those whose duty is to relay the message is becoming untenable.

Jake Appelbaum of the Tor project (www.torproject.org) comments that ‘You are the bad people to someone somewhere’- this applies to the approach of the MSM to Scotland’s government and any aspiration for autonomy- but it’s becoming a caricature of their hyperbolic negative response to Scotland ‘good’ and is now quite rightly met with derision.

Ruby

link to archive.is

McConnell accused of council ‘bribe’

Thepnr

I’ve been a member of the SSP since the referendum. I’ll be voting SNP x 2.

Independence is more important than anything else for me. The politics can take a back seat for now.

Just want to say this though, the divide and rule rhetoric of the BUM appears to be working with some at least.

United we stand…

Kenny

O/T Launch of “Full Scottish” from the Yes Bar with participation of one of our best MPs, Dr Philippa Whitford:

link to broadcastingscotland.net

Donald Anderson

Wong again.

yesindyref2

THIS is the problem with the Green party, if they share power with the SNP:

“The Scottish public should be given the power to propose a second independence referendum rather than having one imposed upon them by a political party, according to Scottish Green co-convener Patrick Harvie. “

Herald, 10 Oct 2015.

The Greens want it to come by petition with an undecided threshold, with the danger that there could be a counter petition by the Unionists. So it’s nowhere near certain they would support the SNP if the SNP proposed to hold another Referendum on Independence.

boris
Nana

Peter A Bell writes

link to indyref2.scot

yesindyref2

Yeah, I support Independence.

The SNP is the party that closest represents my views but they’re not perfect and I don’t agree with some things.

But if the Greens, RISE or Solidarity were the party that were most likely to form an overall majority Government so that they can call for Indy Ref 2, I’d vote for them.

Tinto Chiel

Nice to see snool/snuil being discussed. My maternal grandmother, a kind of Scottish Bessie Braddock, used to say of anyone trying to boss her about, “She’ll no snuil me!” And believe me, she remained “unsnuilt” by anyone (rueful smile).

Bella Caledonia I find almost unreadable now. It’s sadly becoming a website for those who are too cool to be “nationalist”. The Left will always fragment and has been infiltrated for decades by those seeking to divide and rule. The siren song of political Left-wing purity must be resisted. And I, like Robert Louis, consider myself a socialist.

Any reduction in the SNP seats will be jumped upon by the MSM as proof that the desire for independence is waning. Once we have independence, we can all go our separate political ways. For just now, it has to be SNP twice.

heedtracker

Tory campaigning has expunged any clue that they are the actual tory party and no wonder too.

Future list tory MSP below says the answer to all this devo rubbish is bigger more powerful Scottish Office, with the Welsh, in Whitehall, more is better UKOK wise

link to notesfromnorthbritain.wordpress.com

UK is losing control, this is bad, we can stop it

“In particular, the tiny Scotland and Wales Offices are now too small and too weak, and need to be rebooted. I suggest ways in which this should happen–by rolling them up into a single, powerful, department for the constitution sitting at the heart of Government. Much of this needs to be placed on a formal, statutory (that is, legal) footing.

Macart

Just got back from a pleasant day or so up north, read this and decided there must be an election in the offing.

The meeja are really stuggling to find a decent SNP bad angle on this MOU, so repetition of spurious bullshit is the order of the day, Can’t help but feel there’s also a serious degree of ‘don’t look over here’ in their coverage of the PFI school debacle.

Different day, same manure.

Robert J. Sutherland

PFI – Gordie Broon’s cowardly amplification of a Tory cunning plot. Don’t get me started!

I was actually on a secondary school board when Glasgow City Council went on their PFI bender. We in unanimity tried hard to resist – the whole deal obviously stunk financially right from the start – even lobbied our local MP (one Donald Dewar) for help, who just shrugged his shoulders. We were “consulted”, then trampled over.

Now the proverbial chickens are coming home to roost. In Edinburgh it’s apparently dodgy building standards on top, but we mustn’t lose sight of the fact that its also an ongoing financial millstone for every public utility with a PFI contract, and affects more than schools.

I still remember very well the admirable academic Allyson Pollock predicting this very danger for the NHS on Newsnight Scotland at the time, and being brutally trashed by one of SLab’s ministerial heavies (Andy Kerr, possibly) for her pains. It was unforgiveable, and was one of the earliest signs for me of Labour’s now relentless decline.

And how typical is the MSM’s present collective amnesia about this whole putrid business!

G H Graham

I do deals with the Chinese all the time.

Last month I bought a new American Dell laptop; made in China. I’ve already got a Japanese laptop from Sony; made in China.

Recently I installed in my house a fibre optic broadband router from British Telecom; made in China.

Yesterday, I measured some ingredients on my Italian kitchen scales while preparing for dinner; made in China. Also yesterday, spare exhaust parts arrived for my English made Landrover delivered unsurprisingly from England; made in China.

And in a drawer in the hallway is an out of date but pretty Scottish pictorial calendar featuring some of the country’s finest views; made in China.

If doing deals with the Chinese is so repugnant, perhaps Blair McDougall, Gillian Bowditch or one of their glaikit friends might suggest an alternative?

John Thomson

Ref School buildings
very possible built using work experience / apprentices with no supervision, only reason I can think of as no bricklayer would do such shoddy work.

galamcennalath

Tinto Chiel says:

“those who are too cool to be “nationalist”. The Left will always fragment and has been infiltrated for decades by those seeking to divide and rule. The siren song of political Left-wing purity must be resisted.”

Indeed.

Always was, and probably always will be the way of the ideological left. Fragmenting into factions in pursuit of the illusion goal of purity. And, as you say, leaving themselves wide open to infiltration by those with a quite different agenda!

Pragmatism and compromise are what is needed to make real progress in politics. You don’t take the majority along with you by being divisive and fragmentary.

Their war cry is redistribution of wealth. Yes, the gap between rich and poor in the UK has got out of hand. It is among the worst in the Western world. It needs tackled. However, that needs done by economic growth, better jobs, education leading to high skill jobs, making things rather than services. Holyrood has very little power to achieve that short of Indy.

Clootie

…journalism appears to be little more than reprinting unionist party press releases or Twitter stories.

The Labour Party in particular appear to have easy access to the MSM in Scotland…However we already knew this so the day is just another mud slinging attempt.

The Internet must be driving them nuts given the lack of impact/traction that their spin stories are achieving on the voting intentions of the public.

carjamtic

Went for a wee jolly to Bella today (not recommended).

Eilie up there own Erskine ;-j

SNP x 2

Tinto Chiel

Sorry, I typed (pace BDTT) maternal when I meant paternal, unaccountably.

Galamcennalath: my iPad screen is playing up so I couldn’t cut and paste your second last paragraph, but, in our situation at the moment, it’s the only way.

Ken500

Hypocrite Tax evading Non Dom Murdoch, US citizen, was married to a Chinese woman. His second wife Ann was from Glasgow. Declan, James and Elizabeth are part Scottish. Yet all Murdoch tries to do is bring Scotland down. Murdoch is an American citizen because he would not be legible to hold business interest in the US, as he can in Britain. Now married to Jerry Hall. (an US citizen?)

Murdoch should be put in jail for bribing public officials. It is a crime in the US for a business to bribe people anywhere in the world.

Murdoch should get lost.

Brian Doonthetoon

Further info on snool/snuil from the Dictionary Of The Scots Language (Dictionar O The Scots Leid).

SNOOL, n. Only in Gordon. Apparently a mistaken form for snail, phs. from formal confusion with Snuil, q.v.

link to dsl.ac.uk

And from,
link to dsl.ac.uk

SNUIL, n., v.1, adj. Also snü(o)l, snøl(l), sn(e)ule, snull, snool; sneel, sneill; snoil.

I. n. 1. A spiritless, cringing, abject or cowardly person (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Uls. c.1840 W. Lutton Montiaghisms (1924); Kcb. 1900; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Uls. 1929; Sh., Ags. 1971); a mean, furtive or underhand person or animal (Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl., 1953 Traynor); a lazy, inactive person

2. A mean, contemptible, stupid or worthless thing.

3. A snub, an insult (Ork. 1971).

4. The act of doing something in a lazy manner

II. v. 1. tr. (1) To subdue, keep in subjection, cow, humiliate, dishearten, overawe, reprove, snub

2. intr. To submit tamely, cringe, sneak, act in a mean, underhand or spiritless manner (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Gall. 1904 E.D.D.); tr. to carry out (a purpose) furtively or deceitfully

3. To show want of energy, to loaf or idle about in a shiftless way, to move slowly and lethargically

¶III. adj. Cowed, in subjection, poss. a reduced form of snooled.

Ken500

£10Billion+ a year is what Scotland loses to the Union.

Gavin

Bill says:
10 April, 2016 at 12:45 pm
Nobody gonna mention the small arms ammo we sell to China & Qatar?

———–
Good point. The u.k. Government has a long history of flogging arms to any nation, many of them dictatorships such as Indonesia, Burma and of course China, so it’s a bit hypocritical of the Unionist press to complain about the Scottish government doing business deals with China when the Westminster government has been doing it for years.

I remember watching the news coverage of the tiananmen square massacre back in 1989 and just before the killings started the Chinese Air Force flew over the protesters in British made helicopters. A great advert for the u.k. Arms industry.

Ian Brotherhood

@Robert J. Sutherland –

If you see this, please accept my apology for being curt and rude to you t’other night. I

It’s no excuse, but, FWIW, I was in gloomy glass-half-empty mode, not helped by NeoconNat’s witterings.

;(

Lollysmum

GH Graham
Lol-you’ve just reminded me – one of my staff team returned from a 3 week visit to see family in Bangladesh & brought me back a souvenir of her trip. A fridge magnet depicting Scottish Castles & made in China 🙂 That’s one well travelled fridge magnet now.

Tackety Beets

Thanks Ruby , well remembered .

Hence the reality is ,the issues within these School builds will be more than missing wall ties as they are 10 a penny and add very little to the time during construction.

Still no confirmation regarding a date pupils can return.

Ref GH Graham & Lollysmum , made in China

My job often entails verification on manufacture , I often say ” Mighty thats all made in China / Fabrique en Chine , the only thing we mak here noo is bairns “

Robert J. Sutherland

Many thanks, Ian @20:14, just noticed your posting now.

No worries, we’re all on the same side!

Ian Brotherhood

@Robert J. Sutherland –

Cool.

Cheers.

🙂

Rock

McDuff,

“Once again the Sunday Herald eagerly participates, with the pathetic National never attempting to defend the Scottish government when it is falsely accused.
Stop buying these Newspapers as they do NOT support independence and are merely printed Trojan horses.”

Dave McEwan Hill, could you please reply?

Peter McCulloch

The unionist mentality is they don’t like Scotland not knowing its place and getting above its station.

They don’t accept the Scottish Government should be involved in attracting inward investment to Scotland from overseas.

That as far vas they are concerned that’s Westminster’s role.

Jack Murphy

Clootie said at 6:16pm last night:-
“The Labour Party in particular appear to have easy access to the MSM in Scotland… However we already knew this so the day is just another mud slinging attempt.”

“The Internet must be driving them nuts given the lack of impact/traction that their spin stories are achieving on the voting intentions of the public.”

Yes Clootie—-the OWNERS of these Rags must be frothing when even their compliant JOURNALISTS try every con in the book and still can’t bring home the goods!!

Thanks be that we have Wings and other sources,independent of the Newspaper Owners/Barons.
The People have stirred and are starting to THINK for themselves. 🙂


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    Wings Over Scotland is a (mainly) Scottish political media digest and monitor, which also offers its own commentary. (More)

    Stats: 6,655 Posts, 1,198,682 Comments

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    • Vivian O’Blivion on The King And Queen Of Cringe: “That first photie features:  Three Cabinet Secretaries at £97k pa.  One former First Minister on £72.2k pa. One “Professor” on…Oct 12, 13:33
    • Liz on The King And Queen Of Cringe: “It’s obvious now he’s a Brit place man and always has been He has one of those bland personalities that…Oct 12, 13:20
    • James Gardner on The King And Queen Of Cringe: “3 from Yorkshire !Oct 12, 13:17
    • Lorna Campbell on The King And Queen Of Cringe: “Nicola and company? Couldn’t give a toss. All as useless as each other. Bye, bye, Sooty. Swinney? He will sell…Oct 12, 13:15
    • Willie on The King And Queen Of Cringe: “What’s an SNP branch meeting. Two loons in a phone box. Three if you are lucky. Seriously though, the party…Oct 12, 13:07
    • Garavelli Princip on The King And Queen Of Cringe: “And will continue to do so with a smuggled mobile – if she has to – the political undead! Long…Oct 12, 13:04
    • Chic McGregor on Two Spaces: “What say you to today’s article in the National Alf? https://www.thenational.scot/news/24647236.anger-edinburgh-tab-accused-anti-scottish-bias/Oct 12, 12:30
    • Geoff Anderson on The King And Queen Of Cringe: “She isn’t hanging about…..She is instructing themOct 12, 12:18
    • PacMan on The King And Queen Of Cringe: “Sturgeon nae mates, reduced to hanging about with fellow SNP acolytes to fill the lonely nights. Swinney, nae mates, lost…Oct 12, 11:25
    • Dan on The King And Queen Of Cringe: “Well there’s currently 6 likes to the post so that’s the bones of a team of half a dozen folk.…Oct 12, 11:07
    • Zander Tait on The King And Queen Of Cringe: “It’s now working fine.Oct 12, 11:04
    • Shug on The King And Queen Of Cringe: “Anyone been to an SNP branch meeting recently and can report in the sort if numbers attendinOct 12, 10:56
    • Zander Tait on The King And Queen Of Cringe: “Strange. When attempting to access the WOS home page via a DuckDuckGo search, I get “Forbidden. You do not have…Oct 12, 10:36
    • Garavelli Princip on The King And Queen Of Cringe: “Maybe Daft Pete was out on the town, on the lash. Whit a wee divil! He’ll have to get used…Oct 12, 09:27
    • Geoff Anderson on The King And Queen Of Cringe: “We know what they are….  The National Assembly, summoned at Vichy to ratify the armistice, was persuaded by Pierre Laval…Oct 12, 09:27
    • Muscleguy on Two Spaces: “I understand Murrell’s court date is around March next year. A full year before the election is due.Oct 12, 09:21
    • stuart mctavish on The King And Queen Of Cringe: “Having bit of fun imagining where we might be in doubly inverted scenario where big John thrashed it all out…Oct 12, 09:17
    • Garavelli Princip on The King And Queen Of Cringe: “Sadly, the evidence suggests the “good times” continue to roll.And why would the Brit state wish to derail its agents…Oct 12, 09:15
    • Patsy Millar on The King And Queen Of Cringe: “Would that no gie ye the dry boak?Oct 12, 09:07
    • Robert Hughes on The King And Queen Of Cringe: “The TOU will be * amended * to comply with the * Free*ports n * Green*ports n the SNP queue-up…Oct 12, 09:04
    • Robert Hughes on The King And Queen Of Cringe: “Prime example of the political neo-magic of failing upwards and being extravagantly rewarded for brave mediocrity n stunning hypocrisy .…Oct 12, 08:52
    • Tinto Chiel on The King And Queen Of Cringe: “Shouldabeen “there’s”, apologies.Oct 12, 08:45
    • Tinto Chiel on The King And Queen Of Cringe: “Dan, here’s the beginning of a PhD thesis for someome patient enough to list the number of times the ToA…Oct 12, 08:36
    • Geri on The King And Queen Of Cringe: “I’d have replied to that tweet saying Nah mate, God intended the English to pay fees while I’m enjoying it…Oct 12, 02:21
    • Geri on The King And Queen Of Cringe: “She has a twin over in the US running for president. She’s another one that can talk for an hour…Oct 12, 02:10
    • Anthem on The King And Queen Of Cringe: “Excellent point Dan. But who of influence will pick up that batton?Oct 12, 02:01
    • Anthem on The King And Queen Of Cringe: “And why is Dugdale involved? I watched her the other day on Newsnight doing a brilliant impersonation of a football…Oct 12, 01:51
    • Anthem on The King And Queen Of Cringe: “I agree. It should have been called the council of nations, period! Where England should have had the same representatives…Oct 12, 01:41
    • Young Lochinvar on The King And Queen Of Cringe: “True. Seeing the Dugdale-Gilruth composite certainly reminds you of the cover image of the film “dumb and dumber”! Sad thing…Oct 12, 01:08
    • Geri on The King And Queen Of Cringe: “Probably Kezs new pad. You know, the one she needed to deduct from her charity pledge earnings from her stint…Oct 12, 00:22
  • A tall tale



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