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Parliamentarianism revisited 182

Posted on December 30, 2020 by

Drew Hendry won a lot of praise from Yes supporters a few days ago when he seized the Mace in the Commons. It’s not easy to speak in the chamber at any time and doing so in the face of hostility from the Speaker is challenging indeed.

The institution of Parliament is, by its very design, geared towards control by the British establishment. Not only are all sides uniformly hostile, but even the staff and officials, usually so polite and deferential, turn on you. So it was an intimidatory atmosphere in which he acted and it can’t have been easy.

But the idea that Scottish MPs should routinely require to suffer the scorn and derision poured upon their nation and their people is long past its sell-by date. Much of the vitriol shouted wouldn’t be countenanced elsewhere and just because it’s supposedly Honourable Members who act in that manner doesn’t justify it. There comes a time when words aren’t enough.

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And telling you it’s raining 236

Posted on December 28, 2020 by

If this site seems to spend most of its time being angry at the SNP these days, that’s because we are. And a large part of that is because there’s very little that hacks us off more than people insulting our intelligence.

Smith’s tweet is just a crassly offensive flat-out lie. This week’s vote is NOT about “EU membership”. The United Kingdom hasn’t been a member of the EU since 31 January. We’ve already left and there’s no going back. The vote is about whether we leave with a sliver of a trade deal slightly reducing the self-inflicted harm, or the total catastrophe of no deal at all, and it’s just crushingly embarrassing for all concerned that Smith thinks so little of his own supporters as to believe he can “frame” it otherwise.

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Standing on the shoulders of pygmies 109

Posted on December 27, 2020 by

There is no good position for the opposition parties in the House Of Commons to take on the impending Brexit deal vote this coming week.

It’s a terrible deal, and voting for it – as Labour will do – makes you look like an idiot, especially when it completely fails the “six tests” you swore never to vote for it without. On the other hand, time is absolutely up and were it to be somehow defeated the only alternative left to the deal would be a no-deal exit, which is the only thing worse.

Which makes this look simply pathetic.

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Panto season 159

Posted on December 27, 2020 by

(Yeah, we lost track of the days and forgot yesterday was Saturday, shut up.)

Back in the days 400

Posted on December 21, 2020 by

There was a time, readers, when we’d have bothered ourselves to dig out the whole series of headlines and links for this.

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Sick and tired 256

Posted on December 20, 2020 by

Oh just shut up you useless waste of space.

He DOESN’T CARE WHAT YOU THINK. You can bleat at him for a thousand years and he won’t listen. You gave him his election and he has a majority and England has chosen its fate and there’s not a damn thing we can do to stop them dragging us down with them because you’ve wasted the last four years whining about it instead of doing the thing we elected you to do, which is put us in charge of our own future forever.

Now either get off your worthless coward’s arse and do the only thing that’s actually in your power – a plebiscitary election – instead of grandstanding around the world stage achieving absolutely sod-all except getting your face in the press again, or get out of our damn way and let someone who can do the job take over.

(PS that also includes the job of handling the pandemic, which you’re making a pig’s arse of too, but gosh, doesn’t everyone love how telegenically you’re presenting the thousands of needless deaths? New Zealand has had just TWENTY-FIVE with near enough the same population, because their leader had the courage to make the tough calls you failed to because the Selfie Queen can’t bear to be unpopular.)

And no, we haven’t been drinking. Not a drop. We’ve just had enough.

Time to grasp the thistle 360

Posted on December 19, 2020 by

The Glorious Failures 240

Posted on December 13, 2020 by

Twitter yesterday was full of SNP MPs crowing about having been elected exactly one year ago, something achieved on the back of a pledge to “STOP BREXIT” and put Scotland’s future in its own hands. But curiously, none of the pics any of them posted with their tweets depicted the party’s main campaign slogan.

Which, y’know, is pretty understandable.

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An offer refused 186

Posted on December 12, 2020 by

The limits of science 240

Posted on December 05, 2020 by

We’re Number One! 134

Posted on December 03, 2020 by

New military spending plans revealed 139

Posted on November 21, 2020 by

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    • Hatey McHateface on The Love Of Big Brother: “Fourth of October 2026. Another date historians of the future (assuming they survive) will be writing about long after we…” Oct 4, 18:25
    • Lorncal on The Love Of Big Brother: “Even if we are not in a Union, James, we have acquiesced for centuries. Acquiescence can, itself, be used to…” Oct 4, 18:09
    • Northcode on The Love Of Big Brother: “Correction: “Crowdjustice automatically refunds donations if the stated target isn’t reached.” Should read: “Crowdjustice automatically refunds donations if the stated…” Oct 4, 18:08
    • Hatey McHateface on The Love Of Big Brother: ““It is factual to say Scotland has a food affordability problem” Only to the extent that every other country in…” Oct 4, 18:00
    • Lorncal on The Love Of Big Brother: “The one thing that is never, ever mentioned when drugs use is being discussed is personal responsibility and the drive…” Oct 4, 17:49
    • Northcode on The Love Of Big Brother: “Either donations made to Craig Murray’s fundraiser before the US intervention were refunded or they went to his lawyers (unlikely).…” Oct 4, 17:22
    • Lee Floyd on In The Eyes Of The Law: “English, but strangely still committed to Fair Play. So I contributed. Good luck.” Oct 4, 17:17
    • sam on The Love Of Big Brother: ““The fairest conclusion is that the policy responds to a real problem but remains unproven as a mechanism. It is…” Oct 4, 17:02
    • sarah on The Love Of Big Brother: “Salvo’s facebook post today explains why they suggest that donations to their crowdfunder be made direct to Salvoscot Ltd’s bank…” Oct 4, 16:24
    • James Che on The Love Of Big Brother: “It is of great importance wether there are two Countries parliaments in a union, in the parliament of Great Britain…” Oct 4, 16:12
    • Hatey Mchateface on The Love Of Big Brother: “Yeah, thanks for clarifying that, x. Is it possible to just send our money directly to Ir@n instead? Hack off…” Oct 4, 16:05
    • James Che on The Love Of Big Brother: “Northcode. Whereas the parliament of England was never dissolved but simply transferred under Westminsters triennial act which ended in 1708,…” Oct 4, 16:02
    • James Che on The Love Of Big Brother: “Northcode, There is one thing for sure I do like debating both sides of the coin. If the treaty of…” Oct 4, 15:46
    • Northcode on The Love Of Big Brother: “Thanks for that clarification. It’s always better to get the real story. So although Murray’s funds weren’t seized US policy…” Oct 4, 15:45
    • agentx on The Love Of Big Brother: “Craig Murray’s CrowdJustice fundraising campaign was taken down rather than literally seized by the government. The removal occurred because the…” Oct 4, 15:28
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    • Hatey McHateface on The Love Of Big Brother: “More than harsh to pick out Northy for not providing evidence when hardly anybody else does. If BTL was moderated,…” Oct 4, 15:00
    • Northcode on The Love Of Big Brother: “I don’t think Murray’s CrowdJustice funds were seized – they were, however, temporarily frozen due to some procedural uncertainty. They…” Oct 4, 14:58
    • sarah on The Love Of Big Brother: “Thanks, sam. We need some good news. I was reading some of the tribunal action the other day (can’t remember…” Oct 4, 14:52
    • sam on The Love Of Big Brother: “Sarah: “Will Sandie Peggie win her tribunal case against the RCN? I’m not holding my breath.” I’ve been following the…” Oct 4, 14:26
    • PhilM on The Love Of Big Brother: “Like most online commentators these days you’ve provided a list of assertions without any examples to back up what you…” Oct 4, 14:15
    • agentx on The Love Of Big Brother: “The UK Labour government is restricting the practice of fire and rehire through the Employment Rights Act 2025, which makes…” Oct 4, 14:14
    • Northcode on The Love Of Big Brother: “I suspect you’re right, Hatey – few, if any, are listening. However, It’s good to know that you are listening…” Oct 4, 13:57
    • sarah on The Love Of Big Brother: “O/T: Rev’s crowdfunder has reached the £30,000 target in less than 3 days. The new target is £400,000. This is…” Oct 4, 13:56
    • Hatey McHateface on The Love Of Big Brother: “I’m astonished that as far as I am aware, nobody BTL has yet commented on this story: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/oct/04/glasgow-council-workers-face-pay-cuts-in-fire-and-rehire-plan-after-union-talks-break-down” Oct 4, 13:40
    • Terry on The Love Of Big Brother: “£30,000 reached. Game on! Go get em, Stu.” Oct 4, 13:40
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    • Hatey Mchateface on The Love Of Big Brother: “Sorry, Northy, but I don’t think anybody is listening 🙂 I rely totally on my inalienable rights as a Sovereign…” Oct 4, 13:15
    • willie on In The Eyes Of The Law: “At 12.30 lunchtime today after two days the appeal has broken £30,000. Great, great stuff folks, lets keep it up.…” Oct 4, 13:09
    • James Che on The Love Of Big Brother: “Bilbo, I was not talking of using the SNP votes or any others politicians votes for that matter, I was…” Oct 4, 13:02
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