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Archive for the ‘reference’


Full text of the Deputy First Minister’s ministerial statement on EU membership 6

Posted on December 15, 2012 by

It’s possible to watch video footage of Nicola Sturgeon’s speech to the Holyrood chamber on Thursday (and the debate following it) online, but it’s rather difficult to find the text in searchable form. The only place we were able to locate it took some advanced-level Googling to find and was behind a paywall, so we’ve reprinted it below for reference, because we’re about to cite it in another article.

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Scottish Constitutional Jamwatch 51

Posted on August 20, 2012 by

In case you hadn’t noticed, “Devo Max” is dead. Since the turn of the year, the current Prime Minister and the last one have both issued clear declarations that the idea of full fiscal autonomy for Scotland within the UK is simply a non-starter.

Even while Scottish labour “leader” Johann Lamont umms and aahs and coyly refuses to reveal which additional powers she might or might not want devolved to the Scottish Parliament in future, Ruth Davidson of the Scottish Tories hops from one position to another according to whether the London party have told her what she believes that day or not, and Willie Rennie’s increasingly-laughable Scottish Lib Dems put their faith in what we think is the party’s 57th Home Rule talking shop, David Cameron and Gordon Brown have unceremoniously slammed the door on the notion. So what’s left?

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Weekend: Sovereignty for dummies 48

Posted on August 04, 2012 by

We’re delighted to welcome another new voice to Wings Over Scotland, this time in the shape of Peter Thomson of the Tarff Advertiser.

The most fundamental concept of Scottish constitutional practice is the right of the people of Scotland to remove their sovereign. It is a right which has been exercised on at least two famous historical occasions: the forced abdication of Mary, Queen of Scots, which brought about her flight to England, and the removal of James VII from the Scottish crown, based on evidence of James’ attempts to usurp the Scottish people’s sovereign power to the crown alone, in line with his belief that he was king by God’s will and right.

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How politicians are licenced to lie 24

Posted on August 03, 2012 by

After we wrote this morning’s piece on party membership figures, we thought it might be interesting to look into what we’d initially intended as a throwaway last-line joke. Disturbingly, what we found out was that even in a society so tightly regulated that you can be fined thousands of pounds for using the word “summer” in the wrong place or threatened with imprisonment for making rude comments on Twitter, it’s apparently completely legal for our politicians to tell us outright lies.

We’re not talking about matters of opinion or interpretation or spin here. We mean that as far as we can establish, our politicians can openly lie to us about empirical, measurable facts, and there isn’t a thing we can do about it.

The thing that sparked our inquiry was Scottish Labour’s assertion on its Twitter page that it’s “Scotland’s largest political party”.

Now, as far as we can make out, that statement isn’t true in any meaningful sense whatsoever. In so far as it’s possible to establish, Scottish Labour has thousands fewer members than the SNP, collected 300,000 fewer votes in the last Scottish election, has fewer MSPs and fewer councillors than the SNP, and generates much less money. But that’s not really the point.

One reader suggested to us that the basis for the party’s claim is that it has more elected representatives than any other if you include Westminster MPs as well as Holyrood ones. While it’s stretching grammar to its breaking point to suggest that that constitutes being the “largest political party” in any sense that an average person would interpret the term, we can see how there’s just about a semantic defence.

But the point is that even if there wasn’t, there isn’t anything we could do about it.

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Scottish football decides 53

Posted on July 04, 2012 by

The current positions of all 41 professional football clubs in Scotland (plus Queen’s Park FC) on the future status of the club currently registered as Sevco Scotland. Where possible, direct links to the official club website are provided for verification, otherwise the most helpful news report is linked. Updated as the situation develops.

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Wee Blue Links 3

Posted on August 14, 2011 by

[1] Wikipedia: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook1

[2] House Of Commons Library: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook2

[3] Wikipedia: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook3

[4] Wikipedia: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook4

[5] Financial Times: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook5

[6] The Herald: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook6

[7] The Independent: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook7

[8] UK government: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook8

[9] Professor Brian Ashcroft: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook9

[10] Wikipedia: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook10

[11] Hansard/YouTube: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook11a

[12] Hansard: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook12a

[13] Scottish Government: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook13a

[14] Financial Times: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook14a

[15] Reuters: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook15

[16] “Better Together”: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook16

[17] Scottish Government: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook17

[18] BBC Radio Scotland: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook18

[19] New Statesman: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook19

[20] Business For Scotland: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook20

[21] Money Week: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook21a

[22] Investors Chronicle: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook22a

[23] Adam Smith Institute: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook23

[24] Institute for Economic Affairs: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook24

[25] BBC1 Scotland: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook25

[26] The Guardian: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook26

[27] Financial Times: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook27

[28] House Of Commons Library: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook28

[29] Wikipedia: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook29

[30] Great Ormond Street Hospital: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook30

[31] The Courier: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook31

[32] NHS Blood & Transplant: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook32

[33] Marcus Chown: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook33

[34] The Guardian: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook34

[35] The Independent: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook35

[36] BBC Scotland: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook36

[37] NHS England: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook37

[38] Wikipedia: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook38

[39] Wikipedia: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook39

[40] BBC Scotland: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook40

[41] The Herald: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook41

[42] Hansard/YouTube: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook42

[43] The Scotsman: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook43

[44] DWP: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook44

[45] Prospect: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook45

[46] Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook46

[47] Daily Mail: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook47

[48] The Guardian: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook48

[49] Money Observer: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook49

[50] National Pensioners’ Convention: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook50

[51] Various: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook51

[52] The Sunday Times: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook52

[53] The Sunday Times: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook53

[54] “Better Together” http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook54

[55] The Telegraph: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook55

[56] The Sunday Post: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook56

[57] The Scotsman: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook57

[58] Wikipedia: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook58

[59] Fletcher Tufts: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook59

[60] Wikipedia: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook60

[61] BBC: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook61

[62] Wikipedia: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook62

[63] Wikipedia: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook63

[64] Wikipedia: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook64

[65] Wikipedia: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook65

[66] Portsmouth News: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook66

[67] BBC: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook67

[68] The Guardian: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook68

[69] The Guardian: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook69

[70] BBC: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook70

[71] The Spectator: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook71

[72] The World Bank: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook72

[73] BBC: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook73

[74] STV News: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook74

[75] The Guardian: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook75

[76] The Huffington Post: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook76

[77] Scottish Parliament: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook77

[78] The Guardian: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook78

[79] The Scottish Sun: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook79

[80] European Commission: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook80

[81] The Herald: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook81

[82] The Guardian: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook82

[83] Iraq Coalition Casualty Count: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook83

[84] Wikipedia: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook84

[85] The Guardian: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook85

[86] The Guardian: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook86

[87] Royal Society of Edinburgh: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook87

[88] Research Councils UK: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook88

[89] The Herald: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook89

[90] BBC: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook90

[91] RTE: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook91

[92] Wings Over Scotland: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook92

[93] Holyrood Magazine: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook93

[94] The Northern Echo: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook94

[95] Daily Record: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook95a

[96] BBC Scotland: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook96a

[97] Scottish Labour: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook97

[98] BBC: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook98

[99] BBC: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook99

[100] Eric Joyce MP: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook100

[101] House Of Commons Library: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook101

[102] The Scotsman: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook102

[103] BBC: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook103

[104] BBC: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook104

[105] The Scotsman: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook105

[106] The Scotsman: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook106

[107] Alyn Smith MEP: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook107

[108] Scottish Daily Express: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook108

[109] EU Treaty Of Accession: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook109

[110] Radio Prague: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook110

[111] European Commission: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook111

[112] Wings Over Scotland: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook112

[113] The Herald: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook113

[114] BBC: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook114

[115] UK government “Scotland Analysis”: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook115

[116] National Registry Office: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook116

[117] The Herald: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook117

[118] Wikipedia: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook118

[119] Wikipedia: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook119

[120] Wikipedia: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook120

[121] Wikipedia: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook121

[122] Wings Over Scotland: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook122

[123] The New York Times: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook123

[124] Ploughshares Fund: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook124

[125] Wings Over Scotland: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook125

[126] UK government: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook126

[127] Wings Over Scotland: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook127

[128] Eric Joyce MP: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook128

[129] European Commission: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook129

[130] Wikipedia: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook130

[131] YouTube: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook131

[132] United Nations: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook132

[133] The Telegraph: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook133

[134] BBC: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook134

[135] Financial Times: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook135

[136] Economic & Social Research Council: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook136

[137] BBC: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook137

[138] Scottish CND: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook138

[139] Various: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook139

[140] Write To Them: http://tinyurl.com/weebluebook140

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    • Lorn on Safety First: “Brilliant, Chris. I don’t actually blame anyone in the institutions for this because it was achieved under the radar. I…Jul 26, 15:08
    • Xaracen on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: ““I have repeatedly explained and provided evidence to support the fact that the petition has been thrown out. ” No,…Jul 26, 14:37
    • McDuff on Safety First: “I quite agree Willie. I don’t like Trump but the US is an important trading partner for Scotland and it…Jul 26, 14:28
    • James Cheyne on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “Rejoin the UK? There Is no such country as the UK, at present it is a State, If Scotland left…Jul 26, 14:15
    • Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “Alf Baird above @ 26 July, 11:31 am, writes: « Fearghas, in ‘The Mither Tongue’ Billy Kay informs us of…Jul 26, 14:01
    • SilentMajority on Safety First: “Good to see the return of the weekend artwork. It is amazing, after reading some of the opinions from medical…Jul 26, 13:55
    • Peter McAvoy on Safety First: “When Trump meets Von Der Leyen,I hope he calls her irrelevant and an a power grabbing dictator and tells her…Jul 26, 13:29
    • Confused on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “the union, some helpful analogies : – a badly stitched up pantomime horse, with Scotland in the back, getting farted…Jul 26, 13:29
    • Northcode on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “I like how Billy Kay ends his book, The Mither Tongue. Scots is as essential to Scotland as her folk,…Jul 26, 13:22
    • Confused on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “Trump: Horrible migrant invasion is killing Scotland US president told Scotland ‘get your act together’ on arrival for four-day visit…Jul 26, 13:19
    • Confused on Safety First: “Trump says ANGLO IMMIGRATION IS KILLING SCOTLANDJul 26, 13:12
    • Confused on Safety First: “Scottish independence is there for the taking, lads : the cost will be – – Turnberry is back on the…Jul 26, 13:09
    • Confused on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “England has been booted out of 65 countries worldwide. – no one has ever asked them back. Some of these…Jul 26, 13:05
    • James on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: ““Re-join the UK”…Oh, ma sides. Stop it! All around the world they’re queuing up to re-join right enough! ROTFLMFAO.Jul 26, 13:02
    • David Wardrope on Safety First: “It’s beyond laughable now really. Did I read the other day that Dr Upton was offended that Nurse Peggie was…Jul 26, 13:02
    • James on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “Day off, annual leave was it?Jul 26, 12:56
    • willie on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “Interesting points Northcode but when do you recognises Gaidhlig to have come to Scotland. Gaidhlig or the Goidelic version of…Jul 26, 12:44
    • Mark Beggan on Safety First: “Foghorn Leghorn has left the building. Bye bye ( again) Mhairi.Jul 26, 12:44
    • Stuart on Safety First: “It’s funny how people who tell us to accept “climate science”, refuse to accept biological science, which is far more…Jul 26, 12:41
    • Andy Wiltshire on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “If Scotland became independent and ran its own affairs, could it then decide to re-join the UK? Would that decision…Jul 26, 12:41
    • Northcode on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: ““A pertinent hypothesis here may therefore be that the Brittonic Pictish language, coupled with other influences (travel, migration, trade etc)…Jul 26, 12:35
    • willie on Safety First: “Of course there is a huge police presence around the Donald Trum visit. He is of course the president of…Jul 26, 12:24
    • Aidan on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “@Xaracen – I have repeatedly explained and provided evidence to support the fact that the petition has been thrown out.…Jul 26, 11:54
    • Mark Beggan on Safety First: “It’s very kind of the President to spend a little time with Sticky the Stick Insect. No one else gives…Jul 26, 11:47
    • Alf Baird on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “Fearghas, in ‘The Mither Tongue’ Billy Kay informs us of the origins and natural development of what we term as…Jul 26, 11:31
    • agent x on Safety First: “Yes but once Swinney has a chat with Trump all of the World’s problems will be solved immediately.Jul 26, 11:17
    • Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “‘DECLARATION OF ARBROATH: John Duns Scotus and the Idea of Independence’ by Professor Alexander Broadie FRSE Professor Alexander Broadie is…Jul 26, 11:17
    • Chris Downie on Safety First: “Look on the bright side, it’ll be amusing to see Swinney about turn and kiss Trump’s orange arse during his…Jul 26, 11:11
    • Stuart MacKay on Safety First: “Why are police forces, and the prison service, so easily manipulated for political purposes? Is it simply that politicians have…Jul 26, 10:52
    • Xaracen on Everybody’s Normal Nowadays: “You first, Aidan! You made the original claim that Scotland’s Petition had been; ‘sent packing’, ‘rebuffed’, ‘all over’, ‘an automatic…Jul 26, 10:28
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