Contempt of justice
We’ve had another letter from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.
And slowly, painfully, we’re starting to get at least some answers.
The reply maintains the snippy, condescending tone of the previous one, and you can read it in full here:
So let’s strip out the waffle and see what we’ve been told.
“However, contrary to what you assert, that safeguard does not in any way prevent or prohibit the Law Officers from being accountable to the Scottish Government. In that regard you may wish to consider section 48 of the Scotland Act 1995 in its entirety rather than just the subsection you were referred to. In particular I would specifically draw your attention to section 48(1) which states:
“It is for the First Minister to recommend to Her Majesty the appointment or removal of a person as Lord Advocate or Solicitor General for Scotland; but he shall not do so without the agreement of the Parliament.”
An interesting use of “he” there, by the way. But none of the above constitutes “being accountable to the Scottish Government”. The Scottish Government and the Scottish Parliament are not the same thing, and being able to recommend someone be removed is not the same thing as having the power to do so.
For example, the First Minister could recommend to the Queen that her government conduct a second independence referendum, but that’s not the same as being able to make it happen.
“Further, and perhaps more importantly in this regard, section 48(2) is in the following terms:
“The Lord Advocate and the Solicitor General for Scotland may at any time resign and shall do so if the parliament resolves that the Scottish Government no longer enjoys the confidence of the Parliament.”
Finally in this regard I would also suggest that you refer to section 44 of the Scotland Act 1995 which makes it clear that both Law Officers are members of the Scottish Government, and as such Scottish Ministers.“
What that says is that if the Scottish Government loses a vote of confidence, the Lord Advocate and Solicitor General would be booted out with them. That, staggeringly obviously, is not even remotely the same thing as being able to sack just those two people if they fail to do their jobs properly.
“I trust that this will assist to clear up the apparent confusion.”
And of course it does absolutely no such thing. The Lord Advocate is either a normal minister – and as such answerable to and sackable by the First Minister – or he isn’t, and we’ve just been told that he isn’t, because the FM can’t even recommend his resignation to the Queen without the approval of the whole of Parliament.
So we’re no further forward there. The next passage was a little more fruitful, though.
“The next issue you raise is to question why COPFS deals with complaints about the service it provides. In my previous letter I referred you to the COPFS complaints procedure on the COPFS website, and I would respectfully do so again.”
Since all of my letters have been sent to the COPFS complaints address, I’m not sure what else Ms Miller thinks our correspondence represents, but she continues:
“If you look at the procedure you will see that it makes it clear that if after receiving our final decision on your complaint you remain dissatisfied with our decision or the way we have handled your complaint, you can ask the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) to consider it.
It is by no means uncommon for public services to have a complaints procedure which will look to resolve complaints in the first instance as is the case in COPFS. Indeed it is my understanding that SPSO will ordinarily expect a complainer to have exhausted the public service’s own complaints procedure before they will consider it, but you may wish to check that position with SPSO.“
No definition is given of “final” or “exhausted”. But in any event we already know that the SPSO is a purely advisory body with no actual power to do anything.
In my letter of 11 August I’d asked this question:
“Is it really the case, as these responses would suggest, that COPFS is simply and quite literally a law unto itself, in all meaningful and practical senses answerable to no-one?”
So now we do appear to have a definitive if reluctant answer to that, and the answer is “Yes it is”. If nobody has the power to “change or overturn” your decisions, then you are answerable and accountable to no-one.
This may explain the otherwise scarcely-believable situation that the head of COPFS, the Lord Advocate James Wolffe QC, is still in his post at the time of writing despite recently admitting to personal responsibility for several “malicious” prosecutions in the wake of the collapse and death of Rangers FC in 2012.
The story has been covered in the press, but with remarkably little prominence given that astoundingly, in addition to the injustices suffered by several individuals, the fiasco stands to cost the Scottish taxpayer up to £40 million in damages alone.
Wolffe is also ultimately responsible for the failed prosecution of Alex Salmond, a huge operation which got as far as the High Court and will undoubtedly have wasted untold millions more. Yet as the head of COPFS he feels no apparent inclination to offer his resignation for such extraordinary catastrophes – for Scotland’s prosecution service not to merely have gotten things wrong, but to have done so out of malice – and the government shows no sign of having sought it.
(We are, of course, yet to officially discover whether the prosecution of Mr Salmond was also a malicious one as well as a fiasco, and who else may have been driving it, but in any event the buck stops at Mr Wolffe’s desk.)
The rest of the letter is yet another blunt evasion of COPFS’ responsibility to protect the anonymity of complainers:
“Specifically in relation to contempt of court it is not accurate for you to say that COPFS is the sole authority which makes decision. It is the court who makes all decisions on such matters. Whilst COPFS can refer allegations of contempt of court to the Court for it to consider, the Court can initiate such proceedings of its own volition or indeed on the application of any interested party.”
What that says is that if you ask COPFS for guidance on whether something you’re about to write might identify anyone protected by a court order, their answer is that they don’t care. They simply won’t tell you if they’d refer you to the judge for it (and therefore for prosecution) or not, and they have no interest in protecting the witness by preventing it, only with punishing anyone who does it after the event – and only then if they hold certain kinds of political views.
(They note that the court can act without their recommendation, but there’s no official way to contact individual judges and alert them to possible breaches. It apparently relies on every judge in Scotland being a regular reader of Wings Over Scotland.)
The above makes for a horrifying and frightening case in any supposed democracy. It speaks of an arrogant organisation that has the power to ruin people’s lives but is literally beyond the law and doesn’t care that you know it.
It speaks of public servants who don’t consider the confessedly malicious wasting of tens of millions of pounds of public money to be a resigning matter, because they know that there’s nobody who can MAKE them resign unless they can also take down the entire government to do it.
That, of course, is also the reason Leslie Evans is still in a job, having also wasted a fortune of public money on a biased and illegal persecution of Mr Salmond. And the common thread linking the continued employment of Ms Evans and Mr Wolffe is that their highly-paid positions are at least notionally in the gift of the First Minister.
We can only invite readers to speculate as to why, at such astronomical cost to both the public purse and to the reputation of some of Scotland’s most distinguished and important institutions, Nicola Sturgeon is so desperate to keep them both in place.
Following this very closely Rev.
Keep up the good fight, and I will be only too willing to contribute to any crowdfund if it is ever needed.
Sturgeon, the FM who maintains flaw and ordure.
And if that wasn’t bad enough, they’re about to take two more ‘arguably’ malicious prosecutions too… Craig Murray and Mike Hirst.
…. You begin to realise why populists revolutions historically seek revenge on the Bourgeoisie which kept them oppressed.
This is a real can of worms,
I’m hoping you will continue to pursue the truth of this or have you reached the proverbial brick wall?
Very few areas of “public service” operates without effective oversight.
Regardless of the background of this story COPFS has huge power and really should be under the scrutiny of an oversight body.
The COPFS and the court system is in need of reform it is very inefficient and costly.
Most importantly is the need to review decisions to prosecute or fail to prosecute, they must be required to explain such decisions.
Great mischief, Wolffe, such a dirty look for Scotland.
Good work, Stu.
And the malicious prosecution and incarceration of Manny Singh.
Or the justified dawn raid on the home of Sean Clerkin last Friday for the crime displaying a protest banner in the vicinity of the public concourse outside Edinburgh airport.
Salmond, Murray and Hirst are not the only recipients of the blunt instrument of suppression that Police Scotland and the COPFS have become. The apparatus of state are now weapons that are being widely used to destroy political opponents.
Gulag Scotland under commissar Sturgeon and the rest of the politburo.
Even in England should court cases like the Rangers one fall apart and be admitted to be malicious by the state there would I believe be far more outcry for heads of those responsible to roll. That there isn’t here, despite the controversy and the money it will cost, tells us a lot.
Is it that there’s no wish to further undermine our judicial system in case it gives Westminster more rope to hang it by interference or overrule/overlay with English law or is avoidance of addressing this failure being used as a means to allow them to do so? Or are the people concerned so important they can’t be let go. I’d always heard Wolfe was very clever and I was shocked when I read he had kept pushing ahead with this and I’m curious about Carloway’s role and motivation too last October.
i recall the lambasters questioning your journalistic credentials, rev
your recent work shows them up for the sycophants & presstitutes that they are
this exposee would never see the light of day in a ‘serious’ broadsheet
keep it up
I’m going to read up on quantum mechanics. It’s easier to understand.
We live in ‘Occupied Scotland’ – COPFS is a disgrace and I believe an honourable man in wolffe’s position would have resigned long before now.
The first minister must act and, at the very least, say she has lost confidence in wolffe. I do not have any confidence that the justice minister will do the right thing.
If only we had a media who would report this.
Taken together with this…
link to gordondangerfield.com
…there’s more than enough evidence that the legal establishment in this country is not fit for purpose (if the purpose is, indeed, ‘justice’).
The prosecution of Craig Murray and Mark Hirst must be stopped – does anyone have the power to do that?
Major restructuring required of COPFS by the looks of things….good work.
I’m also interested in the wording around the sentence to do with initiation of Contempt of court –
“or indeed on the application of any interested party”.
So presumably if the Alphabet women complained they would be considered an interested party and could trigger action, but what of Alex Salmond? He has an interest too. Could he initiate Court action against (say) K Wark or indeed the Alphabet women for their contempt of Court both of the jury and the due process?
And what if a jury member decided to chip in, fed up by having their integrity traduced by virulent parties, would the Court action on that?
Mmmm, I could have a very good guess at the answers .
Not at all surprised but getting extremely angry at the continuous squandering of tax payers money by the cabal that are playing their ‘fiddles’ as Scotland burns.
It’s fortunate for us that you are able and willing to uncover their foul trickery.
Sturgeon and friends have to go.
Dramfineday,
That was the same sentence that had me thinking too.
If you think this list of accused is long, just wait until Sturgeon pushes through her Hate Crime Bill.
She is one nasty lady.
Do the clowns (apologies if I do a disservice to clowns…) realise that over 670,000 people a month read this blog!!! That’s a lot of people. COPFS would be a laughing stock if not so serious. Just shows how arrogant they can be with the ‘stenographers to power’ (© Craig Murray) so firmly under the thumb.
dCOPFS sending you down the rabbit hole again!
Sorry, COPFS no d!
To the best of my recollection, after reading through a number of Acts over the weekend, The Lord Advocate can only be removed with the approval of the Parliament of Westminster – Scotland Act 1998.
“the Court can initiate such proceedings of its own volition or indeed on the application of any interested party.”
Forgive my ignorance in this matter but can you not make an application to the court directly to investigate the journalists? I don’t understand the bit about needing to contact judges individually.
How can you test for something when you do not know what you’re testing for.
link to off-guardian.org
It does not stop the social engineers from re-forming humanity.
link to off-guardian.org
STURGEON & crew’s lack of enthusiasm for pro-active measures re independence suggests they’re part of this. Who needs nation states, democracy…..?
Enabling useful idiots all.
The weirdo english health minister blames people of my generation for the spread of covid….
Just like some horror movie! Get the flame throwers the kids are on the block!
Two quotes from your article (my bold)
“The Lord Advocate, James Wolfe QC, admitted in court this morning that two administrators of the liquidated Rangers FC had been the victims of malicious prosecution by the Crown”
“the current Lord Advocate continued to fight the current cases even after documentary evidence showed that the prosecution was wrong”
an extract from the COPFS letter (my bold)
“constitutional safeguards which ensures that prosecutors can make decisions independently of any other persons on the basis of a professional assessment of the evidence”
Is this statement from the COPFS an example of satire? In no way, shape or form does prosecuting a person when there is no evidence of criminal wrongdoing constitute professional action or behaviour. The correct noun for this type of action is persecution not prosecution. The public knows about this wrongdoing because the defendants had the resources to take action. What happens to people without the money? Is the Scottish public safe when such officials have the freedom to act so unprofessionally? Will the First Minister or Justice Minister take remedial action?
You are obviously getting to them Stuart. Be careful. What would we do if you met with an “accident”. I don’t think that’s being melodramatic the way things are going.
This guy “Lord Advocate James Wolffe QC”, am I right in thinking he is the one who has represented the Scottish Government in the UK Supreme Court on a number of occasions?
If it is him he was crap.
So we do know that no one is allowed to question
Absurd rulings and there is no limit on how much
Public money they can waste.
We also know the weave a web so complicated and
Lengthy that the ordinary citizen they are suppose to
Serve has no chance of understanding anything they do.
The whole system stinks from top to bottom and we obviously
Do not have accountability, transparency or justice in our legal system.
Who is due to appear before the ‘harassment’ committee tomorrow?
The more of us watching, the better. No single one of us can catch everything or work out what’s being omitted.
I think Ms Miller may be mistaken. If the Scottish Parliament passed a vote of no confidence specifically against Wolffe then his position would be untenable. This is precisely what was attempted last month with Swinney. If the FM stepped in to save Wolffe then her jaiket would be on the proverbial shooglie peg.
Anyone else remember the days when the something like this would be leapt upon by the Scottish press so they could batter the SNP?
That they’re not tells a story…
The ‘Problem’ of the Lord Advocate has been exercising legals for a couple of decades now, certainly since devolution, so take some heart about that. You may well be exasperated, but they’ve been tryin for reform longer – though perhaps with less, umm urgency?
The Office of the Lord Advocate’ and its (his) abilty to pursue and stick his neb into legal cases with impunity, remains an irritant to the profession (as was highlighted during the Miller case) but perhaps it’s high time it became an irritant to the general public as well.
In saying that, reform of the office of the Lord Advocate falls into the same mire as achieving Independence, or getting an S30 – it’s the same circus of ‘competencies’ and (as @GH Graham mentioned) gets you a front row for the Scotland Act and Westminsters Parliamentary Sovereignty.
So yeah, we could push for reform, but we’d be as well just trying for Indy and holding the office of the Lord Advocate (and reform of COPFS?) up as yet another reason.
I’ll ask him his personnal thoughts on the matter, if he trots round with my winning Tesco hamper.
That was a decent, time consuming and well thought out reply by COPFS. Looks like this is going to be another malicious prosecution case for the SPSO to wriggle and squirm over.
I wonder of the Lord Advocate sleeps soundly in his bed at night.
He’s clearly a man who thinks he can do malice. Maybe he thinks he is invincible or untouchable.
We play fast an loose when we disregard the rule of law in favour of blunt political suppression.
Something that has been intiguing me for some time.
If a MSP, perhaps standing down at the next election,were to make a speech naming the Alphabet women in the Scottish Parliament, would he or she be guilty of Contempt of Court, or be protected by Parliamentary Privilege?
I imagine that the Speaker would jump in pretty sharply, but the cat would be out of the bag.
People have been named in Westminster, and the MP has claimed immunity because of P P. anyone know if this would be the same for H R?
nice little blog you’ve got there……..shame if it were to get…..broken 🙁
some of my best friends are lord advocates…..
“We can only invite readers to speculate as to why, at such astronomical cost to both the public purse and to the reputation of some of Scotland’s most distinguished and important institutions, Nicola Sturgeon is so desperate to keep them both in place.”
Probably because they’re compliant, Craig Murray estimates that in the Alex Salmond fit up, which had 22 police officers searching for 4 years on dirt on Salmond, even up until July this year, along with civil servants costs and judicial review costs, lawyers costs, high court costs, court of session costs, parliamentary inquiry costs, British security services cost, and the £500,000 already awarded to Salmond due to the tainted process by Leslie Evans, and he reckons it will be close to a £10 million pounds bill for the taxpayer.
Wolffe and Evans, and several more have failed Scotland miserably in their respective roles, and there should be a way of removing these people once and for all.
leither/Cubby
Is one of your best friends called Cubby???
He was another Sturgeon fanatic like yourself.
Or will we just call you Cubby for short???
leither @ 15:37
‘nice little blog you’ve got there……..shame if it were to get…..broken’
Tough talk. Might even be grounds for dismissal.
“The above makes for a horrifying and frightening case in any supposed democracy. It speaks of an arrogant organisation that has the power to ruin people’s lives but is literally beyond the law and doesn’t care that you know it.”
This gets to the nub of the matter. The crucial term being “supposed democracy” because we don’t have one.
We have ‘Her Majesty’s Advocate’, Her Majesty’s Government’ and ‘Her Majesty’s Ministers’. The real power in this kingdom is the residual feudal power of the Chief Landowner of the realm. All exucutive power exercised is at the ‘pleasure’ of Mrs Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. It is a family racket – a mafia if you like.
Recall that we address the bewigged balloons and buffoons operating the Windsor family racket as “my Lord/Lady”. These are residual feudal functions. The system is deliberately constructed and maintained precisely to PREVENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILTY.
BECAUSE ITS PURPOSE IS THE OPERATION OF STATE POWER – INCLUDING, INDEED ESPECIALLY THE COERCIVE POWER OF THE STATE AND ITS RESERVATION TO ITSELF THE MONOPOLY OF VIOLENCE – INCLUDING THAT OF INCARCERATION/
You continue:
“It speaks of public servants who don’t consider the confessedly malicious wasting of tens of millions of pounds of public money to be a resigning matter, because they know that there’s nobody who can MAKE them resign unless they can also take down the entire government to do it.”
Of course, they are NOT ‘public servants’ – they are Crown servants – supervised by Her Majesty’s civil service.
And the whole government is appointed at “Her Majesty’s pleasure” – and she can dismiss any of them at any time she wishes (subject to ‘advice’ from the Prime Buffoon and the Privy Council – named very appropriatly after Her “Majesty’s” cludgie – where the whole stinking system belongs.
Thanks Stuart. It’s a very worrying situation, and I’m not sure what the best next step might be. We can’t just pretend we don’t know there’s a big problem (which may have been around for a long time), but we may have to wait till we’re at the stage of discussing and adopting a national constitution.
I know that’s no consolation to anyone on the receiving end of a malicious prosecution, now or in the past (I wonder how many there have been). A genuinely professional attitude would lead to Crown Office staff not acting as if they are the law and answerable to no-one. The least we can ask for is that the government, or the governing party, or even an opposition party, admits there is a problem.
That would be a good first step.
O/T
Just a wee observation regarding ITV, BBC and Sky News.
Have you noticed how reporting of the Covid19 cases has changed?
At the start of the crisis the four individual Nations fugures were reported as separate figures?
And now the infection fugures are going through the roof, we seem to be getting all lumped in together.
They now report it as “across the UK” figures.
Now the SNP health department must be listening to the same news I listen to, so can you please tell me why the hell don’t they protest against the use of the way these figures are reported?
This just doesn’t happen regarding Covid19, this happens right across the board, without hearing a peep of protest from our incompetent SNP government.
Incompetence seems to be rife within this SNP administration.
You’re getting to the heart of things Stu – well done!
here was me just wanting an independent Scotland (all my life) and now wondering what sort of characters are lining up behind Sturgeon…. masters and mistresses of the dark arts for sure.
I am no longer SNP and will never rejoin but will join a local YES group if there is one in my area – how do we find out about where our local Yes groups have formed?
I know a lot of folk don’t care for polls…but.
link to thenational.scot
Outright lies from the Union Jack suit loving British nationalist Ian Murray, and here’s me thinking the Tories are a lying bunch of bar stewards.
“SCOTLAND’s only Labour MP said that London should ask for its “money back” when campaigning against Scottish independence, it has emerged.”
link to thenational.scot
So much on here today to stir the blood. Like many others will feel, this goes further than the immediate goal of independence. There has to be a day of reckoning when the crimes (and they are crimes!) of Woolfe, Evans, the alphabet women, and others are investigated and put before a court in the new Scotland.
There must be justice for all those who have suffered from these corrupt toadies, even if it has to wait a little longer. Revenge, as they say, is a dish best served cold.
Achnababan (4.58): Use the Indy App.
link to nationalyesregistry.scot
@Ronald Fraser
UK Gov web site gives daily figures.
Hmmmmm! But not today which makes me suspicious.
Menu on the left lets you keep tabs on all the figures.
Anyhoo!
link to coronavirus.data.gov.uk
Also worth keeping in mind
This is the Kafkaesque legal system that will be responsible for prosecuting people if the Hate Bill becomes law
TBQH It appears we are NOT living in the 21st century we have NEVER left the 17th century , only our goods and technology has advanced but our place in society has never progressed , we are still just worker bees beholden and at the bidding of our own queen bee
We are at the lower order of society who can be ignored or manipulated according to the whims of our betters and ANY individual bee that tries to question or challenge the ruling entity the soldier bees will be sent out to protect and destroy the miscreant
So is this the BETTER FAIRER SCOTLAND that we were all looking forward to bequeathing to our future generations
Is this current omnishambles of corruption and lies in Scotland worse than what has governed us for 300+ years , my answer is unfortunately yes , because they nurtured a belief in our hearts and minds that putting our TRUST in them would energise and stimulate their endeavours to deliver and build a more socially responsible, caring and equal society where the rich resources our country is blessed with will be utilised for the benefit of our nation
Instead all we have is welcome to the new boss’s graft , corruption,lies and inequality , Same as the old boss’s graft,corruption,lies and inequality
Callmedave 5.46pm
The point I was making was our national News bulletins Only tell us of UK figures now.
Before it used to give you the individual figures for each nation.
My point being, they don’t want to show the England Only figures because they are so bad.
And by the way,,,had a look at your graphs and can’t make head not tale of them lol
@Ronald Fraser
I agree with your general point that UK figs are pushed on he new & radio. I was posting the figures daily but stopped when WM told the NHSE to apply new rules and then they got the heave.
PS: You can click on the graph columns etc for a breakdown 🙂
PS:
Scotland play Czechs later:
Here is a link: link to hesgoal.com
Choose your game: I’m going to watch our lot again. 🙂
Mind their EU clocks are an hour ahead so don’t be late.
I see that Susan Aitken is “only human”.
Nothing to do with the fact she’s SNP and not an Aberdeen footballer…
So Glasgow and some surrounding areas – now extended – must observe social distancing, but the leader of Glasgow City Council can do what the fuck she wants?
Just finished “The right to know” by Clive Pointing Re the sinking of the General Belgrano. Reading the letter from the prosecution service was like reading the book all over again. Politics, lies and more lies.
I am amazed that Peat Worrier has been so depressingly silent on all of this. There was a time, he’d be the first place we’d all have gone. A sorry, volume-speaking silence.
Ian Brotherhood @ 2.49 pm
Get the popcorn out for tomorrow’s committee meeting as it’s Leslie Evans and The Lord Advocate James Wolfe and it starts at 10.15 am .
Here’s the link to the information ,
link to parliament.scot
And to the Public information and Agenda for tomorrow ,
link to parliament.scot
It’s makes for Interesting reading .
£40m?
FFS!
I’ll knock you up a couple of swanky new primary schools, community hubs & all weather pitches included, and still have £ spare.
Rev Stuart Campbell ,
Do you need a crowdfunder for a bigger shovel because it looks a though there’s a hell of a lot more digging to be done over this ? . LOL
The Lord Advocate strikes me as being a legal official who is more than happy to place his politics above the law. This is what pretty much the entire British political order is want to do, and are encouraged to do so by our lack of a written constitution.
Over 40 human right organisations not even allowed to view Assanges trial, as judge throws out defences plea for an extension to January. This isn’t happening in some tinpot dictatorship, no its happening in the UK today.
link to consortiumnews.com
Republicofscotland @ 6.50
This is happening in a tinpot dictatorship. How else would you describe the political cesspit in which we are forced to live?
You would think that the opposition would be all over this.
Alex Cole-Hamilton reads this blog and he is also a member of the committee questioning Evans and Wollfe tomorrow. Given his skill at histrionics will Cole cause fireworks?
This is quite entertaining I think.
link to twitter.com
This is very concerning indeed. It seems that Scotland inhabits a sort of grey zone in which the rule of law does not apply or the laws are so badly made as to amount to the same thing.
I wonder if this is deliberate? To try and reduce Scotland to similar grey zones, such as Transdinistria, the east Ukrainian breakaway republics?
If we become independent, this will still remain in place. That is why I have personally always advocated for us holding a referendum in which we choose which country to be in union with: England or Norway? Not really practical, of course, but I actually do think we need to automatically enter under the auspices of a Scandinavian country for a period of 5-10 years, so that the laws of a modern European democracy can function. Scotland by itself, under its own Scots law, is simply not fit for purpose.
It should be noted that Nicola Sturgeon is a lawyer. Surely this would be top of her list to sort out after being in power since 2014. The mind boggles. It is actually very depressing.
Top marks for Stu for pursuing this. I really think he should hold a separate crowdfunder on this matter, both for future research and a reward for exposing and entering into such bile.
AND
Wolffe QC is directly responsible for all the delaying actions on the Martin Keatings sec30 case – the case brought by the Scottish government, and the Scottish Parliament – are him – it’s him that is running interference. They’ll be trying to get it to eat up money – like they are doing to Craig Murray – to ensure justice isn’t done, and to keep delaying it because… Why? I’ve yet to hear a plausible excuse from their side (‘now is not the time’ isn’t plausible). Meanwhile the uk government is scrabbling around trying to change the laws (affecting ours too apparently) so people don’t have access to judicial review. Nope, can’t imagine why our pal Mr Wolffe would be trying to delay things.
I would have thought the unionists and MSM would have leapt on these news stories – it’s the Scottish government that’s haemorrhaging money after all, and it’s their favourite sport to blame everything on the SNP (government) – surely this is a slam dunk? Can’t imagine why they are so quiet about it.
PS I have just remembered that, historically, citizens of Scotland were also automatically citizens of France and Norway. Now, I believe the French thing was annulled around the time of the signing of the Entente, possibly in 1903… but Norway was not actually independent back then… is there a loophole? Can it be that we are still de jure citizens of Norway?!
“This is happening in a tinpot dictatorship. How else would you describe the political cesspit in which we are forced to live?”
Elmac.
That’s the point I’m making between the two.
@MaggieC (6.40) –
Cheers aplenty. Appreciated.
😉
You could ask the CPS whether they are legally bound to act upon an upheld complaint to the SPSO.
If the answer is no, then they are clearly accountable to no one.
I think it would be more accurate to describe the FM as a solicitor, rather than a lawyer.
The Legal Doctrines of the Rule of Law and the Legal State (Rechtsstaat)
link to link.springer.com
It is such a pity that those trained in Scots law, and allegedly at the top of Scotland’s legal profession, would not seek to secure and maintain Scotland’s civic society.
The rule of law beyond the state: Failures,
promises, and theory
link to academic.oup.com
Kenny says:
7 September, 2020 at 7:27 pm
This is very concerning indeed. It seems that Scotland inhabits a sort of grey zone in which the rule of law does not apply or the laws are so badly made as to amount to the same thing.
I wonder if this is deliberate? To try and reduce Scotland to similar grey zones, such as Transdinistria, the east Ukrainian breakaway republics?
I think the entire UK is a complete grey zone, because anything laid down in explicit terms which tries to be definitive falls foul of the two distinct Constitutional entities which were once the separate Kingdoms of Scotland and England, mysteriously merged into one without anyone taking the trouble to address their fundamental and unalterable incompatibility.
There is no written UK Constitution because the UK is a total fudge, and needs innumerable ‘conventions’, workarounds, and impenetrable sophistry to obscure the realty and perpetuate the 300 year illusion.
Scotland getting a raw deal yet again!
The vast majority of banana republics get decent weather. Why not Scotland?
Piss-wet through in Glasgow today yet Caracas, for example, basks in 30° heat in light winds from the east.
Bah humbug! Off to dry my socks over a candle…
The SNP of 2012 is completely unrecognisable to the SNP of 2020.
It’s as if it has been over run by evil demons from another planet (england for instance), and is ruled by a Cult leader called Sturgeon.
She seems to have brainwashed the remaining cult members into believing she alone will lead them to the new world.
Pretty embarrassing for Scotlands footballers getting down on one knee for the Marxists………Czech republic didn’t……they know communism when they see it.
robertknight 7.48pm
Socks???
You snobs sicken me.
Can I assure readers that any rise in support for Scottish Independence is NOT because of any recent campaigning by Nicola Sturgeon or Daisy Walker.
I can assure you all that Boris Johnson and his English Tory Party and Brexit are the sole reason for any rise in the Polls.
Any other reasons given are absolute out and out lies.
“….getting down on one knee for the Marxists……”
I do enjoy the occasional bit of blt prejudice, if only to point and laugh at.
Communication, Culture and Critique, Volume 12, Issue 1, March 2019, Pages 147–165
The Populism of Online Communities: Constructing the Boundary Between “Blameless” People and “Culpable” Others
link to academic.oup.com
When people speak of “the establishment” in political contexts, this is a prime example.
‘Republicofscotland says:
7 September, 2020 at 7:21 pm
This is quite entertaining I think.
link to twitter.com‘
Didn’t need the hyperbolic yank voiceover, though I do get the fact that that stupid voice is the main one you will hear in cinema ads. Makes it look as if America is pro-independence. Which, as we know from Obama’s wanky, Cameron-induced anti-indy whining on the subject, is absolutely not the case. Need someplace to park their worthless Trident missiles, after all.
The Scottish football team and the Scottish rugby team and Sir Andy Murray are nothing but play things for bbc Scotland.
It keeps the House Jocks and ProudScotButs happy.
It lets them think they are “real Scots” for a short while.
The patronising Yoons at BBC Scotland exploit this for all it’s worth.
I couldn’t give two hoots about any of them.
Last week I heard Johnny Beattie interview a woman from “them to us” pressure group which is a front for conservatives promoting children going back to school and not wearing masks. It struck me as odd at the time that Johnny Beattie would interview, on prime time 5-6 pm. Such a person! It was only when I followed up the organisation and realised what it was that I was shocked.
Today I see the BBC interviewing people promoting non mask wearing.
Why I thought would the BBC take such a stand against a clear public health message.
I then heard the BBC new on the radio saying in Scotland there is a big surge in Covid (I think 150 was mentioned). At the same time England is reporting 2900.
With ten ties our population England should have 1500 so they are clearly in a worse position.
This all came on top of “why is Scotland Wales and Ireland taking a different approach to foreign holidays and people returning?
Is the BBC now actively reporting miss-information to sow confusion?
Do they have a policy of spreading confusion up here to make the Scottish figures as bad as down south
Is anyone else picking up on the “having different responses around the UK is bad and confusing
And actually, that is something worth considering. What would be the USA’s worthless opinion/position on Independence? Would it have shifted since Obama’s neggy dross? Would Trump just want to build more ecosystem-destroying golf courses here to retire to, bafflingly babbling aboot his ‘seriously Scotch’ mother? Would the country get involved in Scotland-undermining subterfuge, as have they have in so many other locales round the world? Would they stop selling us rubbish superhero films and put loads of the populace through withdrawal symptoms because of it? Would they put narcotics or laxatives in their shit fast food they sell us and poison us all? Would Beyonce refuse to play here, making every Scottish female newspaper columnist weep? Chuckling here, but it’s not really funny.
It’s hilarious.
link to bbc.co.uk
Latest letter from John Swinney to Harrasment Complaints Committee , this has only been added in the last hour or so .
link to parliament.scot
The latest tweet from Mark Hirst , “ It’s becoming increasingly apparent the Holyrood inquiry into the unlawful biased complaints process against Alex Salmond is not going to get to the full
truth “ etc .
link to mobile.twitter.com
The whole thing stinks and gets worse as every day goes by just the same as Rev Stuart trying to get information from them .
Nicola sturgeon said today that the Scottish economy needs to “step up” to stop the supposed spread of the virus. I wonder if it has ever occurred to nicola that this is a highly infectious virus and there is only so much that can be done, we don’t all live in perfect little islands where you have no contact with other human beings. You have as much chance of stopping this virus with government policy as you do with stopping the tide with chicken wire. This is now been shown across the world by countries that have imposed severe lockdowns but are still dealing with the virus. Indeed the only countries in Europe that aren’t dealing with this alleged “second wave” are coutries like sweden which didn’t impose a lockdown, just light voluntary measures.
Another curious aspect of this “second wave” is that nobody is dying. Nicola says its only a matter of time before the deaths “catch up”, but she has been banging on about this “second wave” for more than a month now, how long do we need to wait before we can say she is wrong. The only thing this alleged “second wave” is actually doing is causing the IFR to plummet.
It now seems to be widely accepted that this virus is no more lethal than swine flu, so now the narrative has moved onto the assumed unknown longterm affects of covid. Its is such a transparent attempt at scare mongering, it is just like the switch from the daily death count to the daily number of “cases”. I can’t believe people buy into it so easily.
One thing that is certain is that nicola is planning on unleashing a second wave of economic devastation onto the people of Scotland. We haven’t recovered from the first lockdown, the second one will be fatal to sectors like the hospitality industry. She will of course blame it all on westminister for not providing an endless stream of free cash, its nothing to do with her restrictions of course! I don’t know how anyone could think that a politican that is this dithering and risk averse could lead a nation to independence.
Setting aside whether the Lord Advocate would need to prosecute himself for high treason (or risk resigning his fate to a more or less competent deputy), one upside of Salmond’s prosecution being deemed malicious might be that the malicious prosecution of a former FM would necessarily constitute a fundamental breach of the mutual respect clause (article 30) in the Edinburgh Agreement thus rendering further S30 agreement definitively redundant.. 🙂
That said, inclined to agree with Ian Mhor earlier that COPFS reform just became another selling point for indy but, before all that, the question arises whether the ambiguity in the chain of command allows Lord Wolffe sufficient leeway to restore some dignity to the respective offices by prosecuting his UK counterpart (& why not also for high treason) in light of the appalling treatment of Julian Assange for publishing undisputed truth..
Scotland’s football team are playing a Czech reserve team just
Cobbled together this week as the first team are in isolation.
We trailed them 1-0 in the first 20 minutes as they adopted SNP tactics-
No attack and No defence.
They appear to have made some savings?
The old 1-2 passing game is now just 1.
We have drawn level but the reserve team seem to have better tactics, ball control
and passing technique.
Still my team and still living in hope!
I wish folk who lack competent understanding of public health management and due legal procedure, would stop using btl to promote their unhealthy political agenda.
Precautionary Environmental Protection and Human Rights
link to juridicainternational.eu
Go the Scotland! 2- 1
Folks, it’s right-wing arseholery that has wrecked Britain’s democracy and economy. So do you feel lucky with regards maintaining your biological integrity, living under a constitution defined through populist, right-wing, English nationalism?
MANUAL
ON HUMAN RIGHTS
AND THE ENVIRONMENT
link to echr.coe.int
Bread n circuses.
Sturgeon has picked up her techniques of how to stitch up a public enquiry from the way the English Establishment run all their enquiries.
Just waffle and obfuscate,,, works all the time.
Name any english enquiry into anything and tell us of anyone who ever got hung as a result of being found guilty of anything?
Sturgeon has been advised to do the exact same in Scotland.
Great work, thank you.
Well done Scotland. A much needed victory and some hope. Andy Robertson my favourite player.
Craig Burley, commentator’s assistant, there on the link showering the Scots with less than faint praise.
When I was playing etc etc. 🙁
A win is a win. 2-1 🙂
But nothing to write home to your mother about.
Good news: Israel 1 V Slovakia 1
Scotland top the group…. FGS nose bleed.
English think.
They told us that the Scottish economy would collapse after Independence.
But tell us that the English economy will only have a few bumps in the road after Brexit.
The shear hypocrisy of the English is mind blowing.
Thank God Scotland’s national football team didn’t come up against the Czech Republic’s first team, we’d have been hammered that’s for sure.
Maybe we can formulate a plan to play B teams from now on.
I remember the mighty Tartan Army totally disowned the Yes Movement during the 2014 Indy Campaign.
Justice? It seems to me that it’s only for people that are very well connected and have very deep pockets.
That’s Maureen Watt another SNP Msp who has announced that she’s standing down , so that’s now fourteen Snp Msps standing down .
Why would they stand down when Independence is supposed to be so close , you would think that they would want to be part of the Scottish Government that delivered that Yes vote and for the ones that are saying they are close to or over retirement age surely they wouldn’t be serving another five years as there would need to be new elections as we couldn’t have the English registered Tory’s , Labour and Libdems in an independent Scottish Parliament .
Interestingly enough she is also on the Harrasment Complaints Committee same as is Linda Fabiani who is also standing down . They either know that the Snp have no intention of holding a referendum anytime soon or they know exactly what is going on within the party and don’t want to be a part of it .
L P
Exactly.
@bipod, 8.35
I don’t understand why is the FM talking about a second wave. SARS-CoV-2 is a coronavirus and so the epidemic follows a Farr’s curve “Farr showed that epidemics rise and fall in roughly a bell-shaped curve (a normal distribution) shape – see link to cebm.net. Whether countries shut down or not, their statistics show a Farr’s curve. The UK peak happened just before the shutdown.
You can tell reading that letter that a multitude of establishment brains paced rooms getting the wording right before the reply was sent.
We live in a truly bizarre phase in the freeing of Scotland.
There are going to be casualties along the way as ‘the parcel o’ rogues’ MkII brigade lash out in all directions before they’re exposed for all to see.
I’m just wondering how long it can go on in the meantime.
One thing that is for certain as far as I can see.
There’s going to be no Happy Clappy #indyref2 that mirrors our wasted opportunity of 6 years ago.
Which is a shame because in many ways it was, despite the result one of the happiest experiences of my life. We need to prepare for the same but expect something very different to get over the finish line.
Who knows we might even have to play dirty?
The vacate rate for Holyrood SNP members keeps scooting up. It’s like it’s no fun in the SNP no more…..unless yer a wokie.
And briefly, can all you obvious troll tossers just fuck the fuck off!
Your as obvious as a nun at a Larkhall Lodge meeting
We got lock-down because Whitehall civil servants were most probably ignored, by Tories who are ideologically opposed to the “Precautionary Principle”, which is part of international law.
The precautionary principle:
protecting public health, the environment
and the future of our children
link to euro.who.int
Stan Broadwood-liar
Kapelmeister-bullshitter
Ahundredthidiot- site idiot
I know there’s heaps more but fuck the lotta ye
Muerte a Brigade 77
Tartanpigsy
You make mention in your 10:51 pm of unionists lashing out in all directions. Which is something you appear fond of doing also.
Stan Broadwood says:
7 September, 2020 at 10:15 pm
I remember the mighty Tartan Army totally disowned the Yes Movement during the 2014 Indy Campaign.
——–
Oh ffs .In the name o the wee man.
Robbo, I can categorically say this is untrue as UK Gov had security in Dortmund the last match before indyref1 in the stadium taking Yes flags off the Tartan Army.
I know because I supplied the flags. G4S were in the stadium confiscating them and threatening those who had them with eviction
Kapelmeister-bullshitter you know who you are and who you represent
Sturgeon has ordered a Troll invasion.
She sent her troops in early.
They are never usually drunk enough to attack until after midnight.
But anyway,,,a big Wings welcome to you all.
Nicola will be pleased…
You done good chaps,,,you done good.
Tartan Pig Sty
Are you another Sturgeonista.
A fully paid up member of the SNP…
AKA
The Spineless Numpties Party.
Your a bit of a stranger round these parts Mr Pig Sty are you not???
Here’s one that folk can safely ignore, as Westminster considers itself above international law, including international human rights law. Westminster is, subsequently, an accountable legislature.
Sustainable Development Law & Policy Volume 2 Issue 2 Spring/Summer 2002 Article 7
The Precautionary Principle in the International
Arena
link to digitalcommons.wcl.american.edu
Rev – I was reading John Pilger’s report on the start of the show trial of Julian Assange and came across this section.
“Freedom of the press now rests with the honorable few: the exceptions, the dissidents on the internet who belong to no club, who are neither rich nor laden with Pulitzers, but produce fine, disobedient, moral journalism – those like Julian Assange.”
Fine, disobedient, moral journalism – a good description of your work.
Mair weel kent than you’ll ever be Stan 77 Fat twig, agent bawbag heid numero zilcho skwat
As we pass the 25th anniversary of the release of that Mel Gibson film
Here’s a 2015 interview with a real Scottish braveheart who died last year
“Independence will come, whether it comes now or in 20 years. It’s like the tide you cannot hold it back, it’s going to happen.
link to archive.is
Tartanpigsy says:
7 September, 2020 at 11:21 pm
Robbo, I can categorically say this is untrue
—-
I know Tartanpigsy.
Stan the bam thinks he’s DT across the watter. Rinse,repeat utter dribble on a daily basis.
Bedtime story
The Tory MP for Kensington
wherein stood the Grenfell tower block
has voted against implementing the fire safety recommendations of the Grenfell Inquiry
link to twitter.com
Pleasant dreams.
robbonut
Tartan Pig Sty
Thanks for your well informed contribution tonight.
It was worth waiting on.
See you at the same time tomorrow night chaps
Your input was priceless.
Nicola will be soooooooo pleased.
Grant Costello, Digital Manager for the SNP putting himself forward to replace Linda Fabiani’s East Kilbride seat. He’s an SNP suit so guaranteed the slot. I live in East Kilbride for years until 2016 and never heard of him.
Neil Gray, MP for Aidrie & Shotts, putting himself forward for the MSP slot. Wonder what Joanna Cherry thinks of that. A few on Twitter asking the same question. He’s said he will resign Westminster seat around March if selected. Wonder where he fits into the Sturgeon clique.
Anyone know of other candidates?
Thanks for the love Stan, unfortunately it’s unlikely I’ll be here tomorrow night as I’ve real employees in the real world that take precedence over twats like you that I need to look out for. No doubt you’ll be waiting to prove what a wonderful yesser you are when I can be bothered
robbo and the guy Tartan puget
The two of you launched an unprovoked attack on other contributors to Wings tonight.
There was absolutely no need for what you done.
If this is your only reason for posting on Wings, then quite frankly you two thugs don’t deserve to be on Wings.
The two of you ought to be ashamed of yourselves.
I have heard there is a site called the Wee Ginger Dug… that might suit your Political views more than Wings does
The two of you should drop in on them.
So before I head off to bed I can safely add Ronald Fraser to the ("Tractor" - Ed)ous clique, cheers Ron, you fud
Is that me also in your “hit list” me Tartan?
Not a very pleasant chap, are you Mr Pig?
Let’s hope we never see you again, no place for your types on Wings.
Peace and Love everyone.
Let’s all prey.
Love thy neighbour.
The Cross is mightier than the sword.
re. the Grenfell tower block. I doubt the inquiry will examine the political roots of the disaster. English Torydum’s ‘morality’ does not accommodate the concept of “environmental justice”, and Britain’s social fabric has been under sustained attack from the radical right, for some time now.
Capitalism, Nature, Socialism Volume 29, 2018 – Issue 2
Global Capitalism, Reactionary Neoliberalism, and the Deepening of Environmental Injustices
link to tandfonline.com
Remember now, I’m not stroking my ego in public.
link to tandfonline.com
Last comment for the 77 Brigadistas.
I’m such a bad person I employ Unionists, and Tories, and they actually fuckin like me!….and laugh at and with me.
A world you will never know, the real world.
Adios bendejos
Beaker 12.14 am
This is a list from Bbc showing what Msps are standing down and has been updated tonight since
Maureen Watt announced that she is standing down .
link to bbc.co.uk
I remember reading this at the time that where an Snp Msp is standing down that it would have to be only women who could be put forward for selection as a candidate for the Snp ?
link to archive.vn
@LeggyPeggy says:
8 September, 2020 at 1:34 am
“I remember reading this at the time that where an Snp Msp is standing down that it would have to be only women who could be put forward for selection as a candidate for the Snp ?”
Perhaps it will be altered to allow the appropriate candidates an opportunity. Costello worries me a bit. He is an activist and apparently is the digital “guru” for the SNP. Does that mean he is the technical architect or simply the content manager. “Digital” is an overused term these days.
His Twitter feed is predictable. He’s pure SNP machine. He’s also a product of the Scottish Youth Parliament.
Does the Scottish Youth Parliament endorse the GRA amendments? I get the fact that heteronormativity is a problem, but it wont be solved by subordinating the rights of biological women and demising their safe access to the public realm. Expanding the social realm of men in order to conform with the psychologically disordered is simply not rational, nor coherent or compatible with existing legal doctrine. It also completely lacks any sense of legal proportionality and is simply the embodiment of misogyny
You won’t destroy sexism by pandering to sexist stereotypes. Biology maters, as it is the source of all law, which articulates the moral consciousness of a shared bio-social identity. Or culture in other words.
DOING JUSTICE TO
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
INTEGRATING THE RULE OF LAW INTO
THE POST-2015 DEVELOPMENT AGENDA
link to idlo.int
sorry….by subordinating the rights of biological women and diminishing their safe access to the public realm.
Journal of Comparative Urban Law and Policy Volume 1 Issue 1 Study Space IX Cape Town, South Africa Article 6 2017
The Concept of Sustainable Development in the European Union
Policy and Law
link to readingroom.law.gsu.edu
Interesting to see the ignorance displayed tonight by certain newbies, in respect of Tartanpigsy.
His contributions to the Yes movement, both in 2014 and last year are well documented. I’d suggest he has more right than some here to question the motives of a certain element btl.
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/10-000-flags-for-yes–11#/
link to gofundme.com
(Click on the “Read more”s to get the full story.)
link to newsnet.scot
Brian Doonthetoon @ 3. 58
Every right Brian and then some….. but as you say interesting…. there were a few wee gems in there too, a turn of phrase and the odd double tap of the same kind that makes it seem like someone answering themselves.
Mibbi they’ll mess up and double post again….noo that wiz hilarious .
Aye, LizG. You develop a realisation of a repetitive “style” of some contributors, iye?
Onnyhoo, I’ve been having a disturbed sleep sequence, hence my commenting at this ungodly hour.
Just read this at The National. QI.
“Scottish independence is neither childish nor a fantasy”
link to archive.is
@lizg
some of my friends are wee gems….. 🙂
Hi leither.
Why is it that none of your comments have eff-all to do with what is being discussed?
You’re a bot, iye?
Once in a generation
Alex Salmond marvelously dribbles his way to the goal of independence,
smashes the ball at the corner of the goal,
and the britnat goalkeeper punches it out with the narrowest of margin,
the game is on,
Nicola Sturgeon is on the run, the ball rolls in front of her feet,
the goal is open and the keeper is in a heap beside it, brexiting,
people is ecstatic, the hole stadium is on its feet, ready to go ballistic,
and she picks up the ball and run away from the goal
six years strait, hurting every independence player she can get at as she goes.
Northman – Are you saying Nicola is the Harold Brattbakk of the independence movement! LOL
Lawyers, a lawyer’s own assessment of the type.
link to thoughtcatalog.com
Get yourself a good plain Scotch lawyer….they’re the finest.
As we well know.
The legal mind operates under textbook constraint of imagination.
Imagination is the essence of productive politics.
Politics and lawyers, like oil and water an unstable emulsion.
Another well presented article Rev, thank you. Off to tweet it to Sturgeon & Co just in case nobody else has bothered. Not that they’d lower themselves to read such factualness but worth a try.
Dear Wings, it would be great if you could look at all this and investigate it from a ministerial code standpoint where I think you’ll find the contouring is much better defined.
I never ever believed they were simply out to scupper Cherry’s chances in Edinburgh. Everything suggests their concerns went well beyond that… I suspect they were concerned about bigger fish getting fried.
Everything is awesome.
As Scotland is got ready for more suppression ie repression of that deathly virion.
Should the suppressors tire, a few more viral toys to play around with.
link to livescience.com
To which Scotavirus sturgeoni might be added.
Stay safe, stay in, stay inert!
robbo
Tartan Pig Sty
What a horrible pair of thugs those two nasty chaps were.
Wings Over Scotland is better than that.
The last thing Wings needs is bully boys coming on here and lowering the whole tone of the place.
I personally think they don’t like their Nicola being exposed as a fraud, which she certainly is.
So my advice to them would be to frequent places like Wee Ginger Dug, who holds the First Minister dear to his heart.
Hopefully these thugs will never be seen on Wings again.
O/T: Trial of Julian Assange continues and UK Justice is as corrupt as we all thought. read repots from Craig Murray, Bridges for Media Freedom, and on Twitter by Kevin Gosztola (@kgosztola).
We are most definitely in a Racist/Totalitarian state rivaling Russia for its control of the Media and information “acceptable” for the Establishment for us ordinary plebs to hear or read about.
Is it this morning Leslie evans is back deflecting questions at the salmond inquiry?
Keep hoping in vain for “something” to break which escalates into blowing this whole carry on wide open and toppling the rogues one after another. I don’t think it will be on her watch. No remorse or guilt to betray her teflon veneer.
It’s a wee bit troubling that some folks are losing faith in the inquiry. I don’t know enough to comment, but Gordon Dangerfield’s comments seemed to be asking the right questions…
But for all of that, I have this wee clock in my head which keeps reminding me about December, and that losing the protection of the EU’s Transition Umbrella will be upon us in no time…
Why is it Independence these days seems so linear… We move from point to point, delay to delay, obstacle to obstacle. Back in 2014, it felt like we were progressing down 100 paths all at once, and delay or obstruction on one path was lost and rendered insignificant by the progress made in other places.
I’m sincere in asking the question. It may be that progress is slower because the events we are waiting on to happen will be more profound… namely Martin Keatings, and the conclusions of the Salmond Inquiry…
But putting on my SNPbad cap on, the veracity of a Section 30 Agreement and the Smear Conspiracy against Alex Salmond are issues which are only on the radar because of the SNP’s enigmatic actions. These issues by themselves are not Independece issues. There is currently NO direct action to furthering Scottish Independence.
As Kenny MacAskill said, we need some new initiative to keep Independence on the boil… My hope is for something urgent, something ’emergency’, and something Constitutional, – like a legal challenge to Scotland’s subjugation which puts the UK Union under constitutional scrutiny at the UN.
I know, I know, I know, the Rogue UK will just flick ‘V’s for Victory at the UN, but if the UN was even to recognise a constitutional dispute in Westminster’s Parliamentary Sovereignty, I don’t think Europe could sign off on any Brexit deal… We would be in limbo pending settlement of the constitutional dispute which in all probability would leave the UK Union untenable.
Tony Little 09:11
‘We are most definitely in a Racist/Totalitarian state rivaling Russia for its control of the Media and information “acceptable” for the Establishment for us ordinary plebs to hear or read about.’
That’s a bit harsh Tony, in Russia, if you refuse to pay for the pleasure of having the State pump their heinous propaganda into your home – you can actually get banged up for non payment!
Oh shit, no, that’s ‘great’ britain I’m thinking about, sorry…
I wish Assange would have more than a snowballs chance in hell, but he doesn’t.
We bring shame on our forefathers who fought fascism.
Ronald Fraser says:
8 September, 2020 at 9:10 am
robbo
Tartan Pig Sty
Dude, Tartan Pigsy supplied half the saltires, probably more, you see on all those YES and AUOB marches… He is one of the good guys who’s intentions are sound and legit.
Just generally, can we all try to be a little less trigger happy with the abuse?
As obvious as a nun at a Larkhall Lodge meeting!
Love it. Can I borrow it?
Only for Stan and any other idiots?
Independence is normal, thinking a nun at a Larkhall Lodge meeting is normal is abnormal . Perhaps you are not familiar with our kultur?
Breeks @9:21.
What we lack is a focal point. In 2014 we had Alex, he was not the only one but he was the main one, now we have a mish mash of “could be’s” but no single reference point.
@9:34
Totally agree, why is it these days everyone has to be “outraged” or “triggered“ what ever happened to live and let live without all the angst and aggression?
Come on guys we are better than that!
Breeks “ Keep hoping in vain for “something” to break which escalates into blowing this whole carry on wide open and toppling the rogues one after another. I don’t think it will be on her watch.“
We don’t know what will wash up on those shores, but the signs are good. The best indicator that someone has something to hide is that they don’t let you see all the “evidence”.
Why did they throw in the towel at the first trial?
But, but, but …. if the Lord Anvocate were not independent, who would you have him answerable to?
The First Minister? Be careful what you wish for.
What we have may not be good, but I believe it’s the least worst solution. If the FM could over-rule the Lord Advocate, he/she becomes an all-powerful dictator.
Breeks
Tartan pig Sty is a cheeky, ill mannered bully.
I don’t care what he done in the past.
He wants to learn how to communicate with people better.
I have never heard of him, and will hopefully never hear of him ever again.
He is one of these Sturgeon fanatics who are lashing out at anyone who exposes Sturgeon as a Fraud.
In the days of my long gone youth, there was probably a more refined comprehension amongst at least, some sections of the working-class regarding the inherent corruption of the State and, by extension, its servants. That newspapers lied, that cops “had to be watched” and that dissidents weren’t shot, but starved to death in this country, seemed to be common-knowledge. Everything changes but fuck all changes, could be added to my wee list, too.
Notable victory for Scotland yesterday evening.
I refer of course to the hapless yoon Dross being interviewed on STV’s Scotland Tonight. Now I see why he fell over the ball which was coming towards him (check the video). He has, as we say in the trade, two left feet.
Unfortunately, just as he was unable to avoid the football, he failed to avoid looking like a prize numpty against the eloquent logic of Mike Russell.
O/T I’m seeing utube about the BBC licence being decriminalise by the end of the year, then the intention to “restructure” financing within the constructs of the existing financial cycle.
Anyone hear anything?
Breaks
It’s Leslie Evans and the Lord Advocate James Wolfe and it’s starting now .
@ MaggieC
Do you have a link please
Population trends.
link to gov.scot
What might the cultural implications of this rUK immigration be?
Scotland’s indigenous cultures are ‘at high risk’. Unfortunately, culture is the ‘macular degenerative condition’ of modern Scottish nationalism. Culture is the backbone of national identity. Weaken it at your peril.
Ireland, ought not to be the model.
@cynicalHighlander says:
8 September, 2020 at 10:20 am
@ MaggieC
“Do you have a link please”
It’s on BBC News website.
Holyroood enquiry.
link to scottishparliament.tv
“I remember reading this at the time that where an Snp Msp is standing down that it would have to be only women who could be put forward for selection as a candidate for the Snp ?”
As Campbell Gunn said ‘logic, what logic?’ about NEC decisions on all women shortlists in Aberdeen Donside not held by SNP. No logical reason given for their choices. Not much logic for anything it seems.
‘Why did they throw in the towel at the first trial?’
Indeed. Wasn’t there also meant to be someone called to give evidence then just before the towel was thrown?
Many thanks guys
A bit o/t
Anyone watching this pantomime referred to as The Inquiry into harassment complaints
If anyone is can you describe what f/n language is being used because I haven’t a f/n clue what the government witnesses are talking about
Brilliant job. Keep up the good work, and mind, if you need a crowdfunder, we’ll be happy to oblige.
CynicalHighlander @ 10.20 am
Sorry I missed you asking for the link , thanks to the others posting it .
Robert Graham @ 10.50 am
It doesn’t always make a lot of sense when listening to them but later on today the written report of what was said is published and it’s sometimes easier to see it written down on paper .
It should be published later today , usually after 6.00 pm and when it’s published I’ll post a link to it here .
Back to the Pantomime
Totally irrelevant pish being discussed , the inquiry is about one case not a multitude of bloody cases , and not current circumstances ,Just one case that was Royaly f/cd up Evans happy to avoid being asked about who thought it was appropriate or more to the point Who started it all off to make changes that made sure Alex Salmond was the subject of this change,
A load of pish meant to produce enough Fog to baffle any normal persons ability to get to what actually happened , all of a sudden Evans has selective memory loss , the I know nothing defence
Dear God , How much deflection can Leslie Evans get away with here ? , She should have all the details in front of her today .
Parliamentary committees are, technically, a form of ‘court’, aren’t they?
So why on earth is Evans allowed to get away with this behaviour? Surely it is, as the title of this post refers to, a kind of contempt to be so inexcusably ignorant on matters which are of obvious relevance.
‘I don’t remember’, ‘I can’t give you that’, ‘I don’t know’ so many times now, and another raft of promises to deliver material which should’ve been at her fingertips.
It’s a fucking disgrace.
MaggieC says:
8 September, 2020 at 11:08 am
Dear God , How much deflection can Leslie Evans get away with here ? , She should have all the details in front of her today ….
Yes, very evasive. Remarkable how she can hold down a good job with such selective memory loss.
Jackie Baillie seemed to latch on to a conversation about an iteration of the complaint policy before the iteration of the policy was introduced. Remarkable coincidence? Or is “somebody” lying about who knew what, where and when?
Advice from Sturgeon to Evans this morning before Evans entered the ring:-
Waffle, Obfuscate and repeat.
Waffle, Obfuscate and repeat.
And so on…
It wins hands down every time.
‘What’s the time Mr Wolfe?’
Well don’t bother asking that stammering fanny, he doesn’t know if it’s New Year or New York.
Ian Brotherhood
Well said ,
Just thinking about Rev Stuart looking for answers from James Wolfe , maybe Stuart could send an email right now via Scottish Parliament seeing as he’s in there right now . LOL
Trying to find an answer to every bit of shit that has happened recently. Is like trying to work out how Scotland managed to beat the Czech C team last night.
Even worse than that. There are shades of Craig Levein in Steve Clark. I think we are in for a big disappointment if he thinks that was good football last night. I can see the players questioning what the feck they are doing.
Big Jock @ 11.31 am
Interesting column from Tom English on last nights game .
link to bbc.co.uk
Ronald Fraser says:
8 September, 2020 at 9:51 am
Shut up ya clown.
link to twitter.com
Hi Ron Fraser.
As you deemed it necessary to repeat your sentiments from 12:28 am at 9:10 am this morning, I will repeat my input from 3:58 am this morning.
quote
Interesting to see the ignorance displayed tonight by certain newbies, in respect of Tartanpigsy.
His contributions to the Yes movement, both in 2014 and last year are well documented. I’d suggest he has more right than some here to question the motives of a certain element btl.
link to indiegogo.com
link to gofundme.com
(Click on the “Read more”s to get the full story.)
link to newsnet.scot
unquote
Big Jock
I stand by what I said last night.
The Scottish football team, the Scottish rugby team and SIR Andy Murray are all just play things for BBC Scotland.
ProudScotButs just lap them up.
I don’t even know what the score was last night.
I treat our Scottish national football team as a wee junior football club from some wee quiet toon in remotest Scotland.
Wolfe and Evans both saying ‘this committee will get as much information as we want to give you as and when we want to give it to you and not before’ and Wolfe’s openly laughing about it.
Fabiani no happy? Tough – they don’t give a fuck and they don’t care who knows it.
Thanks MaggieC
The only reason for the Inquiry is because the Scottish Government along with the Civil Service in Scotland totally mucked up a change that was implemented for whatever ever reason most people suspect this change had only one Aim that was to Neuter Alex.
A lot of confusion around who exactly are the Scottish Government , is there a Scottish civil service and who are they answerable to, or is there a English Civil Service operating inside the Scottish Government , this is also further confused by the introduction of the legal fog we don’t release any Legal advice in fact we don’t admit asking or getting Legal advice.
All will become clear with Murdo asking probing questions , oh help me stay awake during this mind numbing load of pointless pish that is meant to hide and true answers to any Questions in other words Whitewash is too vague a description it’s a bloody Farce of Epic Proportions , whatever shade of Lipstick used on this Pig it’s still a bleedn Pig , and seeing it in print won’t change anything it’s still a load of pish , what is very entertaining is the Verbal Gymnastics in order to avoid simple Questions these people are Experts in saying absolutely hee Haw
A succession of ‘ums’ and ‘ers’ from Scotland’s Lord Advocate during his interview – not a good look.
Brian toon
I don’t give two hoots what this thug Tartan Pig Sty done.
I know he is a bully, a thug, and should be ignored.
Because you sell somebody a flag doesn’t give you a license to come on here and insult people.
Hopefully we never see this ignoramus again.
And if you condone his actions, then maybe you should join him.
Thus is not a meeting place for thugs and bullies.
Try Wee Ginger Dug, he is also a mad Sturgeon fanatic like you and this Tartan guy.
So the Lord Advocate is saying not me gov.
I expected better than this.
robbo
Are you harassing me???
This site us full of bullies and thugs.
It’s not my fault Sturgeon is getting exposed as a Fraud.
Take that up with her.
It must be frustrating being a Sturgeon Fanatic.
Your Cult leader Sturgeon is a proven liar.
Don’t take it out on me.
Wee Ginger Dug might be more sympathetic to your feelings.
Fascinating to see Evans and Wolfe trying to downplay their loss of £500k to Alex Salmond. Can’t help thinking Mr Salmond’s lawyers will see things from a different perspective….
Breeks. Exactly and the thing that sticks in my craw was the weasley smiling from yer man.
Stan – My father in law and brother and law are in the Tartan Army. Both no voters , one a Tory. I left the Tartan Army a long time ago , because of people like them singing Flower of Scotland and then voting no.
90 minute patriots the lot of them!
Ronald Fraser… bullying and thuggery.
Looked in a mirror lately?
This site is full of bullies and thugs ???this site is full of people who will not give their real names and expect us who do to take them seriously while they shout behind their brick walls mon brav
Ronald Fraser says:
8 September, 2020 at 12:12 pm
robbo
———
Shut up ya clown.You’re fooling no one.Beat it.
Big Jock 12.17pm
The Scottish Rugby supporters are the worst culprits for singing the words to Flower of Scotland, then campaign for us to remain a Colony of England.
BBC Scotland manufacture this great bitter rivalry between the home Nations.
When all along, they know this is false rivalry to let our House Jocks and ProudScotButs feel a little bit better about themselves.
They do give you that sick feeling in your stomach.
At least Jackie Baillie is trying to get some answers just now but what a lot of deflection in Evans and Wolfe’s answer .
Is Jackie Baillie the only one of the committee who hasn’t drunk bromide and tries to actually ask questions and is quite sharp..!?
Please dear God/buddha/Allah, have mercy on us and deliver indy so that we can be a normal living country again.
Big Jock
“I treat our Scottish national football team as a wee junior football club from some wee quiet toon in remotest Scotland”
Thats exactly what Westminster and the BBC want you to do. Steve Clark won’t play their game. As soon as they can the BBC will work to undermine and drive him from his post, as they did with George Burley and Gordon Strachan. It’s not by chance that our national broadcaster can’t find the money to broadcast Scotland’s games. They don’t even mention there’s a game coming up in news bulletins sports reports. Last week at 8.25am (week day) phil good lad spent 5 mins interviewing a sky broadcaster working to build support for American football in Scotland, in the last seconds at the end of the bulletin Goodlad said ” steve Clarke is holding a press conference at 12.30″ that was it 8 words and 4 digits.
Success at our national game builds moral. They don’t want that.
Brian Doonthetoon @ 12.34
He won’t do that Brian Stan looking back at him would be just too much 🙂
Dr Knute-Sturgeon deploys her forensic skills once again.
link to thenational.scot
I shall not rest until I have conquered death, whatever the cost to mental health, livelihoods, social relations, the economy, the nation, the planet, the universe (and beyond).
Time the coffin chasing media handled the big questions “how much will all this cost and who’s got richer?
Usual bullies gathering.
Usual cowards
Usual Sturgeonistas
link to twitter.com
That’s it for me tae. Can’t take anymore of Stan & Ronaldo’s pish.
You’re divorced bawheids.
‘Stan looking back at him would be just too much’
Stan and a couple of others. They’re enjoying the game too much recently, you can almost hear the laughter in what they write. Of course I’m referring to them as plural but also in strict non binary terms. 🙂
@MaggieC says:
8 September, 2020 at 11:08 am
“Dear God , How much deflection can Leslie Evans get away with here ? , She should have all the details in front of her today .”
If that had been a Westminster Select Committee they would have torn her apart. They would have been just as nice and polite, but there would have been real teeth behind the smiles.
I got bored watching it as I couldn’t fathom what the hell could be determined from the answers.
devastating hearing this morning, blood on the floor, heads will roll, the day the earth stood still, we’re doomed, entombed, marooned ah tell ye, thus far and no……zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Anyone who asks anyone else on here to reveal their real name , is working for the man. Either M15 or SNP HQ. They want to know who we are so they can cause us problems.
Someone was posting SNP membership numbers and asking others to do so. This is so blatant , I doubt anyone fell for it.
Never give anyone your details, as the banks are always telling us!
Definition of a coward,
Somebody who is too frightened to face their enemy alone.
There are plenty of cowards coming out if the woodwork today.
Keyboard warriors.
P.S I am a 30 year member of the SNP , for any fifth columnists working on this site. We know you are on here , but guess what. We are much smarter than you give us credit for.
Well that three hour session at the committee was a total waste of our time today .
Reminds me of the words of the song ,
“ There are more questions than answers “ by Johnny Nash
There are more questions than answers
Pictures in my mind that will not show
There are more questions than answers
And the more I find out the less I know…
Reading between the lines, what are the (informed?) lines of questioning?
1) The legal advice given to the SG in preparation to fighting the Judicial Review was NOT to resist the points raised by Salmond. Wolffe is determined not to reveal legal advice.
2) The FM sat in on the preparation of the SG’s case against the JR on at least two occasions. How could someone tasked with “running the country” find the time to input to a “esoteric” legal procedure? Very odd!
3) Contrary to Evans’ assertion, Special Advisors DID contribute to preparations against the JR.
To be fair to Linda Fabiani and the members of that committee – this morning was a so-called ‘exploratory’ session, so perhaps we shouldn’t have expected any real nitty-gritty stuff (or ‘granulated’ as Evans might prefer to describe it).
It did further expose Evans in particular as a shady can-kicker so perhaps there was some value to it.
Can’t wait until it’s Big Eck’s turn.
The Lord Advocate was reckoned a very clever man, though I agree he doesn’t always come across like that. And with his unfortunate habit of seeming to do an impression of a lizard testing the air it creates an unnerving experience watching him at times.
Considering how much has been redacted, how much time has elapsed, which should have been enough to produce their documents, which they say they will go away and try to get ready, or thought had already been included, their policy is we’ll delay and delay again. Will frustrate anyone without the patience of a saint.
I got that bored with watching the enquiry I got creative with my lunch.
Omelette sandwich with ketchup and honey. No cheese.
Try it 🙂
Sturgeon has had All those appearing in front of this committee to be trained to Waffle, Obfuscate and bore
Sturgeon is a little snake in the grass.
Salmond wants to take them to court to get them to release documents they are withholding.
Go Alex.
Another remark that was singularly unconvincing was Evans texting after Alex Salmond won his damages that she’d lost the battle but would win the war. Did that mean she was “at war” with Alex Salmond?
No, no, no, she meant the war ongoing with getting her complaints policy right…
Aye. Sure you did. All those months to think up replies and that’s it???
re the ‘Harassment Committee’ – don’t let the waffle put you off. They count on that. Wolfe and Evans wouldn’t be in the jobs they have unless they were really good at it.
And they *are* very good, but it just means we have to recalibrate the way we listen. I find it helps a lot if you can watch the proceedings right from the start so that when they refer to previous answers you have a rough idea what they’re on about. And when they do the whole ‘let me first address…’ and ‘I feel I should clarify such-and-such before…’, you soon pick up on these as clear indications that they’re going to avoid the question for as long as possible, perhaps even blank it entirely.
devastating good ol’ btl wings critique. i plan to print out this thread onto leaflets and distribute them on street corners. Indy’s in the bag
Hands up if you were up partying all night after that historic Scottish football team victory in (don’t even know where they were playing)???
No,,,me neither.
Did anybody even know they were playing last night?
Does anybody care what tournament it was in?
Does anybody know who they were playing against?
The Scottish football and rugby teams are also known as the BBC Scotland play things.
If you do write back Rev.
Maybe ask what is the process by which a Lord Advocate can be removed from office if they refuse to resign?
re the Stan and one Ronnie show, love yer stuff guys
A very appropriate header ” Contempt of Justice ”
When asked to confirm that he the Lord Advocate would tell the Truth , he laughed almost as if the Pope had just been asked to confirm he was indeed a Catholic ,the light hearted manner in which he the Lord Advocate answered questions gave the impression of I am untouchable and beyond any of you small people’s contempt or indeed opinion , you don’t matter ,
Evans who I believe although she apparently represents the Civil Service inside the Scottish Government in the end is only answerable to the English Government and indeed has sat in the English cabinet has a very selective memory and should be questioned in a particular manner she is obviously a hostile witness and very selective with her answers , she should be presented with the threat of prosecution if she was party to or involved in the destruction of internal communications that so far have been withheld from the investigation , in short I wouldn’t trust her to answer her name honestly that’s how much I trust that individual,
It’s on the BBC website so must be true no laughing now , anyway it’s reported that Alex might make a return to Court to realise documents that have been withheld by the Scottish Government , who the f/k this government is who knows is it English, Scottish, SNP ,Westminster ,Tory who the f/k knows and who is being obstructive and who is calling the shots,
Eh Nicola what the f/k is going on inside your government why the secrecy why is your government through the prosecution service only pursuing anyone involved in the independence movement this really in getting into strange Machiavellian territory and the smell is overpowering in my opinion
Some of my best friends are blind faith SNP optimists…
you have “best” friends ?
@Big Jock 2020 at 8:32 am
Northman – I though it described Gordon Smith
Indeed. As opposed to all those best enemies. Now why don’t you do something useful for a change instead of playing with words?
Lesley Evans knows fine well that she can treat the Parliament committee with total and utter contempt.
And with a corrupt Police Force and COPFS as a blunt instrument to suppress political views you realise just how little functioning democracy there is.
But we know that, and like 1930s Germany we, for the most part, march haplessly into the jaws.
As for Evans, Liz Lloyd and Sturgeon they laugh at what they have done. Poor wee Alec. They certainly stopped him, put him in his box, made his life a misery. Ho, ho, Ho. And let that be a message to Craig Murray, Mark Hirst, Manny Singh too.
love yer links cameron……….
This is horrific:
link to craigmurray.org.uk
@ Ian Brotherhood
I agree what he’s describing is horrific, perhaps made even more so when written in Craig Murray’s mellifluous prose. He’s a very good writer, just a pity he has to write on present circumstances.
Makes me angry reading this.
How can our legal system have as its head someone who acts maliciously? Does malicious also mean illegal? Is our Lord Advocate acting criminally?
If he can get away with behaving in such a nasty, spiteful fashion… – well, does that mean we all can?
Why should the Lord Advocate have more rights than I?…
The latest addition to the Parliament inquiry committee is this letter from Alex Salmond’s representatives ,
link to parliament.scot
It was published on the list this morning ,
link to parliament.scot
And I see there has also been a written update from the FDA union after their evidence session on 1st September ,
link to parliament.scot
Taken from the written evidence page ,
link to parliament.scot
And the link Mark Hirst’s twitter page with some interesting comments about this mornings session .
link to mobile.twitter.com
Also the tweets from Philip Sim ,
link to mobile.twitter.com
Ian@ 2.20pm
Just like the Salmond trial Craig paints a very vivid picture, a picture of injustice and a lack of fairness by the judge and prosecution.
As usual it will come as no surprise that the hand picked compliant corporate journalists will paint a completely different picture to the one he (Craig) painted. By lining up to aid the demise of a fellow journalist Assange, these compliant journalists who care not for the truth, and only write what fits the narrative of the day, they’re effectively destroying any hope of real investigative journalism making a comeback.
It doesn’t need to be said, but I’ll say it anyway Assange is being persecuted for revealing the truth on American war crimes, nothing else.
Ian.
More on Assange’s kangaroo trial.
link to consortiumnews.com
To me, within the first few minutes of being questioned, Leslie Evans came across as the stereotypical dishonest British professional giving the stereotypical dishonest answer when asked about events under investigation:
“I don’t remember”.
That was enough for me.
@Big Jock 1:27pm
Laudable advice generally, no need to make it easy.
For BTL here though, effective only against casual arseholery and nutcases.
Unless registering with Wings, one was trying for anonymity with disposable email addys and accessing via some seriously hardened OpSec browsing – then the Spooks (their wives, all their wives friends, their families, their families servants, their families servant’s tennis partners and some chap they bumped into in the mess the other day called Bernard) already have the site database and jarsful of cookies to dip into (thanks RIPA)
That’s if they care about ID’ing anyone at all, which is probably only en-passant. Though I dare say any talk of armed insurrection, civil distubance, or threats against MP’s, would have them wiping the Doritos off their fingers – however many proxies one was hiding behind.
Security is hard.
*waves cheerily.
Watch out! Bill & Melinda are probably behind it.
link to globalresearch.ca
Gotta stretch that global reach folks.
Vaccinate to accumulate, as they say in the Valley.
Colin@ 2.43pm.
It was enough for me when Evans said this.
“We’ve lost a battle, but we will win the war”. That was how Leslie Evans, the head of the Scottish civil service, messaged a colleague in January 2019 after Alex Salmond won his victory in the Court of Session.
They set out to imprison Alex Salmond for the rest of his life, Evans should’ve been sacked on the spot after the “tainted process” which cost the taxpayer £500,000, but she wasn’t.
What does that tell you?
Alex Salmond might take Scottish ministers to court to find out the truth.
link to thenational.scot