Here’s the Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron, speaking to BBC News this morning and giving a striking illustration of the term “dancing on the head of a pin”.
Comically, his excuse for demanding another referendum on leaving the EU while opposing a second Scottish independence referendum is that his new EU vote would be a completely different question – he’d be asking voters if they wanted to accept the Brexit deal and exit from the EU (which one might reasonably summarise on the ballot paper as “Leave”), or to refuse to approve the deal and stay in the EU (or put another way, “Remain”).
Glad we cleared that up, then. But then it got weirder.
We joke, of course. The Spanish government has made this position abundantly plain several times over a number of years, and it still doesn’t stop idiot Yoons (and media pundits who should know better) from spouting it.
But this time, in the flesh, it’s really quite hard to spin a way out of.
It’s important to note, firstly, that the version of Sadiq Khan’s speech to the Scottish Labour conference he tweeted on Saturday morning simply flat-out said that Scottish nationalists were the same as racists and sectarian bigots. Its meaning was as clear as crystal to the Daily Record, a newspaper which is hardly hostile to Khan’s party.
“No difference” is a stark and unambiguous phrase. The speech did not contain the hastily-added qualifiers about “in this respect” and “of course I’m not saying the SNP are racist” which suddenly appeared when he read it out onstage that afternoon.
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Alf Baird on Still Time To Save Her: “As Prof John Mearsheimer stated: “The primary goal of states is to survive and this drives and structures its actions”.…” Oct 10, 11:32
Bea on Still Time To Save Her: “Looks as if others have also had this, although maybe not accidentally followed a link. While of course possible we…” Oct 10, 11:16
robertkknight on Still Time To Save Her: “It’s straightforward really. If, to preserve their anonymity, a covert agent or source attached to a state agency must engage…” Oct 10, 09:21
Mike on Still Time To Save Her: “Even if Murrell is forced to pay the money back, he’s entitled to 50% of that house. Plus he has…” Oct 10, 08:51
PhilM on Still Time To Save Her: “We’re talking about different things by the sound of it. So what are YOU saying exactly with the words ‘would…” Oct 10, 03:31
robertkknight on Still Time To Save Her: “cont. The wording of the Act is as follows: 84. In respect of Scotland, national security is a reserved matter,…” Oct 10, 00:53
robertkknight on Still Time To Save Her: “You’re wrong, sorry… “Because national security and core intelligence powers are reserved, the UK legislation still takes effect in Scotland…” Oct 10, 00:25
Alan Scott on Still Time To Save Her: “Where’s Franz Fanon when you need him? We could achieve true liberation through revolutionary decolonisation if he was amongst us…” Oct 10, 00:25
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PhilM on Still Time To Save Her: “No. A few people on this forum in the last few years have misunderstood this bill and its application to…” Oct 9, 23:24
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Southernbystander on There May Be Justice: “Hm, I think the general opinion is that Burnham’s victory was not decisive enough to warrant an early GE. Despite…” Oct 9, 22:38
Bea on Still Time To Save Her: “Cntd (in case of use) … From browsing history, links seem to have been to (or redirected through): goldfishouncereburial dot…” Oct 9, 22:22
Bea on Still Time To Save Her: “Apologies if someone has already commented and for being off-topic, but wings main page seems to be hacked/hijacked in some…” Oct 9, 21:32
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Alf Baird on Still Time To Save Her: ““It’s Shite living in a Colony !” Hopefully mony mair Scots are starting to realise the fact that colonialism is…” Oct 9, 20:32
David G on Still Time To Save Her: “I hope Stu is suitably appreciative that he is being blown off and given the runaround by a CCA Accredited…” Oct 9, 20:05
Willie on Still Time To Save Her: “Just more of the toilet that is Police Scotland and the COPFS. Scotland’s arms of the state is rotten and…” Oct 9, 19:43
robertkknight on Still Time To Save Her: “Perhaps due consideration should be directed towards… Covert Human Intelligence Sources (Criminal Conduct) Act 2021 “The Covert Human Intelligence Sources…” Oct 9, 19:27
Dan on Still Time To Save Her: “Aye, and folk should also remember that a remarkably similar modus of dubious activities and procedures by certain organs of…” Oct 9, 19:23
BigJay on Still Time To Save Her: “Something that has always piqued my interest was the resignation of then Chief Constable of Police Scotland, Sir Iain Livingstone.…” Oct 9, 19:08
sarah on Still Time To Save Her: “Rev, is there any idea from your legal team as to the likely timescale for the Protected Costs procedure? It…” Oct 9, 18:43
Anna on Still Time To Save Her: “This will probably do more damage to the police , Sturgeon is being protected. The police are being undermined ,…” Oct 9, 18:27
James Barr Gardner on Still Time To Save Her: “Scotland has not just got a political deficit, it also has a Justice deficit ! It’s Shite living in a…” Oct 9, 18:01
Skip_NC on Still Time To Save Her: “I’ve wondered that about Murrell too. I gather he was brought up in Edinburgh. Sturgeon is from Ayrshire. It has…” Oct 9, 17:01
Andy Wiltshire on Still Time To Save Her: “Anonymous again. You’ve got them on the run.” Oct 9, 16:49
Hatey McHateface on Still Time To Save Her: ““unless everyone gets very active and starts demanding things” If enough Scots cared they’d be out on the streets every…” Oct 9, 16:22
