Cracking up
Jim Murphy’s practiced air of nonchalant bonhomie was coming apart at the seams all over today’s “Good Morning Scotland” (from 2h 10m). Pressed hard by presenter Bill Whiteford, the beleaguered Scottish Labour branch manager spluttered and blustered and interrupted constantly in a desperate attempt to stop Whiteford from even finishing any questions, never mind getting answers to them.
Murphy tried determinedly and repeatedly to punt the hopelessly-discredited line about the biggest party forming the government, on the sole basis that it had always been the case before, seemingly unaware that the election wasn’t being held in the past. He even tried to use the recent catastrophic Ashcroft polls to Labour’s advantage.
You can marvel at the entire nine-minute trainwreck by clicking the link below. But let’s just pull out that one argument and take a closer look at it.
Two minutes into our clip, Murphy says this:
“An opinion poll yesterday showed that Labour and Tory are tied at 272 seats each. Now that’s figuring in the opinion polls in Scotland, which I accept are bloody awful for the Scottish Labour Party and really pretty brilliant for David Cameron, because at 272 vs 272, every single Scot has the future of Britain in their hands, and each and every seat that Labour can win in Scotland gives us a chance of being the biggest party, forming a government [blah blah blah]“
The problem, obviously, is that that’s a shedful of drivel. If that particular poll does indeed turn out to be accurate then the Conservatives have already lost, because it gave the SNP 56 seats in Scotland, and we already know that the SNP won’t under any circumstances help a Tory government into power.
272 Labour plus 272 Tory plus 56 SNP is exactly 600 seats. That leaves only 50 in the 650-seat House Of Commons, which would mean the MOST votes the Tories would be able to muster arithmetically would be 322 – not enough to win a confidence vote and take power with Labour and the SNP opposed.
(And they have no chance of getting even that close anyway, because some of the remaining 50 will be Plaid Cymru, Green, SDLP, absentee Sinn Fein and so on.)
So even in Murphy’s ultimate nightmare scenario, where Scottish Labour are almost completely wiped out, Labour would be the only party that could possibly form a government. With 272 seats and support on a confidence-and-supply basis from 56 SNP MPs, Ed Miliband would be able to command 328 votes – a narrow majority, even without any kind of backing from the Lib Dems or any of the left parties.
Realistically, of course, the SNP aren’t going to get 56 seats. Two-thirds of that figure would be an astonishingly good result for the Nats. But even if they do, it still wouldn’t let the Tories in on the results Murphy cited this morning. Only Labour could win.
It’s a funny definition of “really pretty brilliant for David Cameron”. But with Scottish Labour currently tripping over their own feet left, right and centre as they stumble and stutter and spin and backtrack and U-turn on an almost daily basis, we suppose we’d be a bit befuddled if we were Jim Murphy too
The real thing that worries them is that they’ll ACTUALLY have to listen to arguments and debates rather than simply shove through their doctrinaire edicts.
Poor wee souls. Suddenly having to EARN their money.
*CRASH*
Oh my dearie me will you look at that … someone has had a car crash.
Shall we call an ambulance? 😉
Nah!
I think the driver is past it poor wee donkey I think it will better to call the vet and put him out of his misery. 😀
Gisela’s idea of Labour/Tory coalition was a throw away comment … apparently! 😛
Stand by your beds folks … Scottish L:abour have a plan! 🙂
At 5:20 – If David Cameron cuts UK spending on health it has a massive effect on Scotland.
Now that is just amazing revelation. Why didn’t we silly Nationalists not become aware of that weeks and weeks ago.
Oh, we did! Ach well, good to know that Jim can catch up eventually.
“the Scottish Labour branch manager”
Suggested edit: UK Labour’s Scottish branch manager
Just to play devil’s advocate; what if it were 273 seats for Tories, 272 for Labour and 56 SNP?
I love this. Politicos and journos think Jim is this brilliant politician, a man of the people and so on, but the reality is as soon as he finds himself being challenged on something, he totally loses it.
Anyone who witnessed any of the videos of his wee tour during the referendum knows this, because he was losing his temper and shouting at folk all over the place, so you have to be pretty blinkered not to see it.
(Oh, so that’ll be the MSM then…)
“Just to play devil’s advocate; what if it were 273 seats for Tories, 272 for Labour and 56 SNP?”
Um, then absolutely nothing would change. Labour plus SNP would still have 328 and be able to vote down any Tory attempt to form a government.
Might have listened to GMS if I’d known I wouldn’t have to hear Louise White or Kay with an e.
Poor old Jimmuck and Kez didn’t help much on QT last night either 🙂
That’s awful.
Everyone knows by now it’s the biggest alliance that can form a government in a hung parliament situation.
Trying to fool people isn’t going to win back any votes.
It just makes him look completely dishonest.
I really fancy a fish supper now, with mushy peas & ketchup.
O/T: Labour leader in Scotland Murphy has been repeatedly urged to sever his links with the controversial think tank which is accused of pushing an anti-Muslim agenda. Human rights lawyer, advocate Niall McCluskey, said Murphy should “consider his position” with the HJS. The Spinwatch group, SNP and Greens also called on Murphy to quit the right-wing outfit.link to caltonjock.com
Boy he really does NOT like getting questions he actually has to ANSWER with FACTS does he? 😀
Well there you have it folks Jim “I’ll take one election at a time and tell my constituents first” Murphy in all his blunderbus blustering finery. Never did a politician bluster his way through an interview more disastously than oor Murph the Smurph in that interview. 😛
I think Labour are resigning themselves to the fact that England will tactically vote to (a) keep Miliband out of Downing St. and (b) ensure they get their EU in/out referendum in 2yrs time (or sooner).
If the mainstream press’s universally hostile reaction to the prospect of a Labour minority government (backed by the SNP on a confidence-and-supply basis) is anything to go by, I really can’t see anything other than another 5yrs of Cameron, possibly in coalition with (an albeit diminished) Lib Dems and possibly the DUP to top them up.
That said, I wonder if some in the SNP secretly want a Tory victory, knowing that while it’ll be a short-term disaster, in the medium to long term it’s a gift that will keep on giving over the next 5yrs… and possibly the final catalyst for a majority support for independence??
We shall see…
Wow!
Do you think he actually believes that drivel?
Anyone with a modicum of intelligence can see him
for the absolute embarrassment he is.
… Unless Labour let the Tories run as a minority Conservative government, if the Tories end up as the largest party. Implausible? Well, crazier things have happened. As I have observed before, Labour might do that because they do not want to be beholden to the SNP any more than much of the Conservative establishment want to be beholden to UKIP; because coalitions, as Jim Callaghan put it, are like mules – “No pride of ancestry and no hope of posterity”; and because /any/ English party seen to be beholden to the SNP knows it will get it from its own voters.
Actually, any minority government after the next election could see us back at the Westminster polls in twelve months.
Wow! Heard it was bad but that was downright embarrassing. Same old mantra, absolutely nothing new to say and complete refusal to deviate from the usual pish spouted by the Slabbers.
And that’s why they’re haemorrhaging votes on a daily basis.
Red or blue tory, either way its hardcore emotional blackmail now and all of it based on a pack of lies too.
link to facebook.com Rancid Guardian interview today
85 seconds in and “Nicola Sturgeon you’ve effectively dismantled the British left and any hope of a left wing government”
Fair enough Graun is just one more bunch of rather nasty UKOK hypocrites but its still ball achingly awful to watch them in action. Guardian voted LIbDem last time and campaigned against the most unpopular Prime Minister in teamGB history. Lovely bunch.
@ Donald MacKenzie, 2:34pm
blockquote>At 5:20 – If David Cameron cuts UK spending on health it has a massive effect on Scotland.
That’s not what he shouted from his irn bru crate!
After a conversation with a lady who carefully guided him through an NHS Yes leaflet about the effect on Scottish NHS funding of Westminster cuts on NHS spending in England, eventually agreeing with her that they would cause funding reductions, he said to her that the Scottish Government would just have to raise taxes to pay for the NHS.
He then got up on his crate, and shouted through his megaphone that the leaflet was “all lies”.
Oh, oil was also running out and companies wouldn’t want the oil west of Shetland because it was too difficult to extract. Aye, well, he’s a wee bit confused trying to remember just who he is talking at.
@Donald MacKenzie
Now if only someone could find a statement from either Murphy or another Labour politician stating during the referendum that spending on the NHS in England had no effect on the NHS in Scotland as it was devolved, then have that back to back with Murphy’s utterance on GMS at 5m20s
That would be gold!
All during the referendum campaign the unionists were barracking that ‘as the NHS in Scotland is devolved, it was not affected by spending on the NHS in England’
Fact is, and now admitted by Murphy IT IS!
“At 5:20 – If David Cameron cuts UK spending on health it has a massive effect on Scotland.
Now that is just amazing revelation. Why didn’t we silly Nationalists not become aware of that weeks and weeks ago.”
Agree. That’s huge. If someone can produce one of those compare and contrast quotes jpegs with Murphy’s quote from today against a quote from Murphy (if there is one) or from another choice Slabber from the indyref campaign then that’s another stark unmasking of their duplicity.
I cannot listen to that “pish”
Its weird how they cant do the simple math.
Never seem to have any problems when juggling expense figures!
Donald MacKenzie says:
“At 5:20 – If David Cameron cuts UK spending on health it has a massive effect on Scotland.”
YES, I heard that one this morning. All of BT spent months denying that changes in NHS spending at WM could effect Scitland, because it was devolved.
Now, Murphy trots it out as a matter of fact.
Of course they knew and understood all along. They also knew a fair chunk of the population didn’t understand so used it as a callous opportunity to lie.
As for the post GE setup, there only two probable outcomes.
1) A Labour government backed loosely by the SNP
2) A Lab / Con government to maintain austerity, keep Trident, and stop separatists interfering in the ‘smooth operation’ of WM.
Either way, despite what Murphy says, Labour will be part of the government.
Jim Murphy and Scottish Labour; yer tea`s oot!
Ian Murray MP was spouting the same ‘biggest party wins’ bollox on R4 about 7 this morning. Fairly put me off my toast.
I always thought that once Jim Murphy had been in post for a while and started having to face up to responsibility and a little media scrutiny things would start to fall apart – including his phoney “slow and soft spoken” persona. I was right.
o/t Stu
Just heard evidence is being examined that 250billion pounds has been nicked by the UK Guv since the discovery of oil and gas in the North Sea
A report is said to contain evidence that fake companies were set up and this money never went into the coffers but was in fact divvied up on a personal level between Ministers and others
You’ve got more know how than me?
Lesley Anne
I heard him say that about Giselas idea. He also said that she “didn’t mean ” to say it.
Does that mean anything a Labour MP backtracks on it’s ok if they didn’t mean to say it ?
“If David Cameron cuts UK government spending even deeper it has a massive effect on Scotland because of the way in which the funding system works.”
Is this not pretty much the opposite of what Murphy and co were saying throughout the referendum?
Warning – beware!!!!!!
Murphy about to deploy his hidden 20,000 party members to save the day.
Your constituencies are going to be awash with Labour activists.
Gings crivens help ma bob
If anyone was concerned for the health of oor wee Jimmy boy then perhaps they should be. I think it must have been Murph the Smurph who stuck this poster up. 😀
link to twitter.com
Labour voted for £30bn more austerity with the Tories. He is also been credited with saying Labour should match the Tory spending cuts.
It certainly helps explain how Murphy could spend NINE years at University and then leave without a qualification.
Dear Dim Jim
It is so easy to be wise!
“Think of something stupid to say and then DON’T say it”.
You need to work on the second part.
As long as he can deliver his punch line –
“every single Scot has the future of Britain in their hands, and each and every seat that Labour can win in Scotland gives us a chance of being the biggest party, forming a government”
Q. How many over 65’s are able to figure out why that statement is untrue –
Murphy will say anything – because his target audience
are not exactly sharp as tacks, and don’t work things out
by checking what Murphy says.
Meanwhile, as we head to the Job Centre….
link to scottcreighton.co.uk
Talk about desperate,broken record Jim!
What is really pissing me off about Labours stance now is when he says:”Every single Scot has the future of Britain in their hands”.So if Labour loses the election it wont be Jim or Eds fault,it will be Scotlands fault!
So much for coming together after the Referendum,sounds like blackmail to me and Labour are getting more and more desperate by the day.
No party would try to form a government without a working majority that would allow the opposition to vote down their proposals until a vote of confidence would force another election.
If as we are told, both labour and the Tories get 272 seats then external agreement or support would be required to form a working Government.
Both Labour and the Tories represent the wealthy for the purpose of funding to allow them to stay in the game. Leaving the majority of people without meaningful representation. That is what is biting the main parties at the moment and why they are getting stuffed.
Let me state the b….. obvious
“Ill tell my constituents first ” — but he isn’t
He is taking them for a ride.
Why does he keep threatening Cameron and Tory Austerity, when Labour have promised to continue austerity???
Seems little difference to me….Never mind the details of his bluster…whatever way Murphy juggles his balls in the air, its another Balls that would set the budget…if Labour win, so as usual if Scotland votes for any of the big 3 predominately English parties, we get the same result!
It seems therefore logical to vote for the SNP as an alternative!
@ Dr Jim says:
“Just heard evidence is being examined that 250billion pounds has been nicked by the UK Guv since the discovery of oil and gas in the North Sea”
Clever Tories! They set up an Oil Fund after all.
But the way they did it, it’s called embezzlment.
Adam-I’m certain ex-FM McConnell was “outraged” and denying any NHS knock on effect in the final days.
Sounds like a re-run of Hailey Miller’s interview with him not long before the vote last year.
Whit in the name of goad has univeral adult sufferage goat tae dey wie it. Jims debating skills showing as a result of 9 years at university.
@Dr Jim
I think Nana broke that story yesterday and gave a link too.
Meanwhile John Major and I Davidson get pelters.
link to derekbateman.co.uk
Question: Who in the labour party will tell dim Jim and Kezia break Dugdale to SHUT UP! Nobody I hope.
Last month Jim couldn’t help saying how easy it is to expose SNP policies. Aye right!
Shut up!
Jay R – You got it! Jim Murphy liked to play the smart arse when he was shouting from sidelines.
Now he has some responsibility. His lack of intelligence is breathtaking. He is not very bright unfortunatley.
Tom Thumb says:
Lesley Anne
I heard him say that about Giselas idea. He also said that she “didn’t mean ” to say it.
Does that mean anything a Labour MP backtracks on it’s ok if they didn’t mean to say it ?
I think that’s what HE thinks TT but as we all know Scotland, the sleeping giant of British politics was awoken from its slumber last September and will no longer accept such an excuse from any politician particularly a LABOUR one. 😀
Clootie says:
it certainly helps explain how Murphy could spend NINE years at University and then leave without a qualification.
Dear Dim Jim
It is so easy to be wise!
“Think of something stupid to say and then DON’T say it”.
You need to work on the second part.
No, no, NO clootie. You havegot it wrong. He must keep doing what he isdoing. He isdoing a wonderful job. Wait until after May 2016 THEN start to work on the second part. 😛
Jim tells us in part of this interview that if Cameron cuts the NHS budget in England then there will be a knock on effect to the NHS funding in Scotland and that only by voting labour can we protect the NHS.
So why tell us the NHS didn’t need protecting during Indyref? He and the rest constantly assured us the NHS was devolved and therefore safe in a NO vote.
Agggggghhhhhh im going mental, im so frustrated at the lies. Im either going to have to go for a run to calm down or get a bottled of red wine down my neck.
And this is the man who, allegedly, wants to be First Minister.
The Tories had 305 last time, including David Mundell. If they are projected to take only 272 seats they have indeed already lost.
The 59 MPs from Scotland, or 58, if we exclude Mundell, could easily support Labour also on 272 to form a government of 330. 325 being the magic number. And that’s without factoring in the Greens, Plaid, and the SDLP.
So the 58 could be made up of whatever non-Tory composition. And that might as well be the SNP who would fight much better for Scotland.
@Dr Jim
Nana’s link from yesterday.
link to atrueindependentscotland.com
Maybe instead of an explicit Lab/Con agreement in the event of the SNP holding the balance of power, there would be an agreement behind closed doors to result in a ‘minority’ government of whatever shade of blue to stagger on, somehow mysteriously supported by an unusual number of ‘rebels’ from the other party, to continue with Trident, privatisation, austerity for the poor etc and to ensure that the SNP are denied influence.
In either case it will be blatantly obvious that Scotland is shut out of the system.
“Just to play devil’s advocate; what if it were 273 seats for Tories, 272 for Labour and 56 SNP?”
I think that’s the Scenario that Labour and Unionists fear the most. Under no circumstances do they ever want to be seen by Middle England to have put the party that the Electorate of England didn’t vote for into power!! Despite us getting the Government Scotland votes for less than half the time (‘It’s just part of being within the UK’) The Right Wing media down here in London will not accept English voters not getting the party it voted for (despite it also being part of something bigger).
I hope it pans out that way. Although perhaps my thinking is wrong and I aint seeing the bigger picture. I did have a pretty big lunch!
Thanks for posting this, Rev. Much as I detest the sound of his voice, I did smile at the panic and unravelling, he’s like a bloody parrot with about 3 phrases.
Well done that interviewer, that is proper pursuance, and I would expect it to apply to all politicians.
Radio 4 around 14:00 Bayonet Davison still ranting on about cyber nats like a stuck record for those old enough to remember a record. For the young readers. Aske your grand parents.
I repeat – oh, the irony! – it doesn’t matter what drivel Murphy and his raggle-taggle band say, they know they only need repeat the key lie enough times for a good section of society to believe it.
Personally, I can only hope enough people hear dullards and dissemblers at work and shy away from them come election day.
Heh heh after last night’s QT disaster for Kezia then listening to Jumbo bumble his way through this, I do wonder what garbage will come out of Slab HQ next! It’s essentially ‘just keep talking if we don’t hear a question we don’t have to answer..just keep saying Mansion tax..nurses..mansion tax…nurses…esssennnpeeeebaaad.’
07.30 (Real people) you,ve voted fur us noo fuck off,listen to that interview a couple of times people, the cunts overdozed on Waffles.
@ Mark, 3:04pm
Yes, except when he thought no one else was listening in!
Snake oil salesman comes to mind.
Whispering, creepy Jimba. Scotland can never supply a majority in WESTMINSTER so we are totally and permanently well and truly F****d we have no purpose other than doing what TORIES/SLAB tell us. Aye they really love us and need us as cannon fodder.
Don’t vote for who you want to run the country vote to keep out SLABS partners in crime so that SLAB can rip us off in place of the tollies. Mmm let me think about that Jimba.
The good SLAB voters of E Renfrewshire are voting for who and for how long if they vote for creepy Jim. Whispering sleekit creepy Jim is just using the good people of E Renf. For his own personal benefit, then they can F*** off as well.
The old SLAB battle him comes to mind.
THE WORKING CLASS CAN KISS MY A*** I’VE GOT AN MP’s JOB AT LAST.
Hawd on a wee sec folks.
I’ve just realised why we are all in such a good mood today and having so much fun at Liebor’s expense.
It is POET’S day today. 😀
(P*** Off Early Tomorrow’s Saturday!)
Murph the Smurph and the crew have all collectively decided to send their solitary brain cell in for it’s weekly service a day early that’s all. Normal service will resume on Monday again. 😛
Surely the people of Eastwood will reject troughers Jim, when he is clearly hedging his bets by standing as an MP, and desperately trying to milk it for another 5 years.
Surely they won’t vote this money grabber back in?????
@ Wrinkleyreborn
Nailed it Wrinkly.
Since Thatcher, MP’s have become more and more associated
with wealthy businessmen, and less and less with their constituents.
Any MP with monetary ambitions, upon being presented with
the choice of representing either the wealthy or the working class,
is going to turn toward the wealthy.
My dog has that worked out already.
What’s new however, is the amounts of money on offer.
To many wealthy businessmen, an MP’s salary
is but a penny on the pavement.
The rewards these men are able to put in the way
of helpful MP’s, is considerable,
dwarfing their Westminster wages.
Greed takes care of the rest.
The other thing is dear voters in East Renfrewshire is that dim Jim going to jump ship (if elected) after a year and go on the Holyrood list system (along with Keiza, who I had forgotten about yesterday) in the Scottish elections.
They will both reappear in the opposition benches as MSPs, a bit like that mould on the bathroom shower tiles.
Remedy is HG spray from home base (for the tiles not for labour MSPs) 🙂
@Ronnie: Waffles? Am I missing something?
WARNING. A&E crisis looms. Dippity Dug car crash on QT followed by Murphy train crash on GMS
Re. a Conservative minority government – surely that can only go forward if Cameron gets the backing of the House for his Queens speech? We can be certain that whatever the number a hopefully large block of SNP MP’s will vote against this. If Lab either vote for or abstain on a Conservative Queens speech then they will be seen to have delivered a further period of Conservative rule.
Ooft!
Looks like Jim’s crumped his moped.
Good on Bill Whiteford though.
link to economist.com
“Gordon Bowden is an ex RAF officer who has spent the last 13 years uncovering detailed and forensic evidence of massive corruption within the British establishment that involves Lords, Politicians and the Monarchy.
The evidence that he is witnessed and recorded handing into the BBC to do their own full investigation, is set to reveal the biggest political corruption scandal in British history, that included the setup of a colossal 250,000 “shell virtual oil and gas companies” registered from a few house addresses in Finchley Rd London, and linked to the most prominent people at the core of the British establishment. These companies were deliberately set up to steal and rob BILLIONS UPON BILLIONS of pounds from the public and asset strip the whole country!”
“The BBC must investigate this”
Reminds me of the paedophile file which was handed to Leon Brittan and which then disappeared.
I remember Smurph on his Irn Bru tour:
link to scottcreighton.co.uk
Murphy really doesnt stand up to scrutiny does he. He spent too long in the Westminster bubble and has forgotten that Scots can spot a fake a mile off.
I listened to this car crash of an interview with growing disbelief at how thick Jim Murphy really is, does he honestly think he can go on shouting down everyone who tells him some home truths. He’s an ignoramus, and will hopefully no longer be here after the GE!
In addition to all the comments above, there is a positive side to his interview.
He has actually confirmed publicly that what Nicola has been saying about EVEL & about SNP MP’s voting on rUK’s budget even though it is not directly a Scottish matter is absolutely correct. As rUK’s health budget reduces so will Scotland’s.
In effect, he has confirmed that SNP have been telling the truth whilst unionists have been lying about it to date.
Do you think Ed M is regretting sending Dim Jim up to Scotland yet? The car crashes are happening every day now 🙂
Long may it continue 😉
@call me dave
Many thanks for that link
Don’t know how i missed that”
Is the most likely outcome of the election not a Labour minority government doing deals with the SNP when the SNP can make them deal and deals with the Tories when they feel they have to, eg on defence?
They’d not do deals with Tories on austerity budgets without running the risks of losing their own support or even MPs? or the SNP threatening to bring them down. (Actually they might do deals with the Tories on austerity because they seem not to care about their core vote.) That threat to bring down a Labour government would be a risk to the SNP too, because they might have to carry it out..
.
There is just something about Murphy. I don’t know what it is, but he creeps me out the same way as Mandy used to.
Definitely something of the night about him.
Can’t listen to this man’s waffle and lies anymore…When Labour made him leader in Scotland they did the right thing, he’s an idiot…but a dangerous one…he’s Sleekit!!!!!
RED Ed alert!
RED Ed alert!
RED Ed is deigning to *ahem* honour us with his presence tomorrow … apparently. No serioously folks it’s true … would I ever lie to you? 😀
link to commonspace.scot
ED Miliband will visit Edinburgh tomorrow [Saturday 7 March] to address the dispirited Labour party faithful in Scotland. This follows a number of recent set backs that suggest Labour is heading to its worst Scottish General Election performance in living memory.
I didn’t know there were that many dispirited wee souls left in Scotland. I know what though … after wee Kezia’s *cough* amazing display last night and Murph the Smurph’s *cough* spectacular display this morning will there be anyone left to turn up to wee RED Ed’s tete a tete tomorrow? 😉
Listening to him now and my skin is crawling.
He makes me sick
That interview was such a car crash I had to listen to it more than once. Am still laughing. What a muppet.
O/T, broadcasters say they are going ahead with 3 debates.
Head to head between Tories and Labour, just before polling day would be outrageous.
There is no way this should be broadcast in Scotland without equal billing for SNP.
@ Donald MacKenzie says:
“At 5:20 – If David Cameron cuts UK spending on health it has a massive effect on Scotland.
Now that is just amazing revelation. Why didn’t we silly Nationalists not become aware of that weeks and weeks ago.
Oh, we did! Ach well, good to know that Jim can catch up eventually.”
Yeah, funny that. That’s not what they were saying during the referendum. “SNP scaremongering,” they called it. Fancy that!
nice image stu 😉
Despite the fact that we all know that during the referendum the Unionist were lying on just about every subject, we accepted what they said and we are now testing it to expose their lies and watching them squirm, which is delightful.
Over and above that we are destroying the current labour party in Scotland in the hope the genuine labour people reclaim their party as a Scottish entity. I have absolute faith in our current SNP party but like the idea of effective opposition as well.
Sad as it is, Slabber is neither fit for government nor opposition but still manage to give us winging Scots a bad name.
Sorry but I had to give up.
You deserve a medal Rev for listening to that charlatan on our behalf
Does Murphy not realise by now(apparently not) that a large proportion of the electorate in Scotland, particularly younger voters detest the Labour Party more than they do the Conservatives. 😳
This mantra of a vote for the SNP is a vote for the tories hogwash just doesn’t matter because ultimately Labour are equally as bad if not worse than the Tories.
A vote for the SNP is a vote for Scotland. 😀
Both Jim Murphy and Kezia Dugdale must know what their exit strategy will be and both will have written their speeches in their heads while lying awake at 6 in the morning.
Jim’s will be something like – ‘Well, i tried, i really tried my best, but unfortunately due to the tragic car accident, (which failed its mot) i now need to spend more time with my family after having given my all to this proud country and that it’d really be best for someone else to takeover the reins of this proud Scottish and socialist Labour Party.
Kezia – My dad just told me, ‘best chuck it, hen,’ he said.
Cue tumbleweed, stage left.
And they’re gone.
Out of interest, if I went down the High Street and stood on an auld Irn Bru crate with a megaphone shouting at the public about how everything Jim Murphy says is a lie I wonder how long it’d be before I was lifted for BoTP? And how did Murphy get away with it…?
They are going to “empty chair” David Cameron.
The debates will go ahead and we anticipate millions of viewers will find them valuable as they did in 2010. Our invitations will remain open to all the invited leaders right up to broadcast. We’ll set no deadlines for final responses. We very much hope all the leaders will participate.
“..The Heads of News of all four broadcasters would welcome the opportunity to meet Mr Cameron, or his representative, to discuss the debates”.
Yours sincerely,
Sue Inglish (BBC)
Michael Jermey (ITV)
Dorothy Byrne (Channel 4)
Jonathan Levy (Sky)
link to order-order.com
Re QT – am I the only one out there with a grudging respect for Ruth Davidson sticking up for what she believes in. I disagree with every fibre in my body with what the Tories stand for but at least you know where you stand with them. I have no idea what SLAB stand for now as they flip flop from one car crash idea to the next. It wouldnt surprise me if the main opposition to the SNP after May become the Blue Tories as opposed to the Red ones
Put it down to my years of disappointments supporting Scottish sports teams & the SNP, but I am VERY uncomfortable with all this hypothesising going on about the number of seats, the balance of power & deals to be done. Some of that is due to the teams themselves eg Murrayfield last weekend, some of it due the politics … but often the people of Scotland drive me to despair … one of the low points of my life being 19th September 2014.
So I’m sorry, but I think all this stuff needs to stop – we should be saying, Vote SNP for Scotland. We’re not interested in who is Prime Minister in Westminster – we want Home Rule, full fiscal autonomy & we’ll pay our share of (non-Trident) Defence. We want the Bank of England renamed the Bank of the United Kingdom (that should ruffle a few more Daily Mail feathers!). I don’t expect to get either on offer but it would be true to our principles & no grubby power-dealing behind closed doors like the Lib Dums last time.
Going forward, we will look at each item on the Commons agenda through one spectrum … is it good or bad for Scotland … & vote on it accordingly full stop.
Murphy accused of plagiarism.
link to archive.today
@ronnie
Sorry I just got it (waffles) 🙂
I’m hopeless at anagrams too…
@John Meek
I have been following wings for some time now and totally agree with you on just vote for SNP.
Get Red and Blue Tories out of Scotland.
[…] Cracking up […]
“But with Scottish Labour currently tripping over their own feet left, right and centre as they stumble and stutter and spin and backtrack and U-turn on an almost daily basis, we suppose we’d be a bit befuddled if we were Jim Murphy too.”
Brilliant Stu, any newbies, first-timers or passers-by can get aw get the info on the ‘stumble, stutter, spin and backtrack’ in one fell swoop, should they bother their arse to click the links! Love it…
That interview was hilarious. Jim and Kezia are sounding like broken records.
@John Meek
HEAR! HEAR!
@ Dr Jim
Also Youtube video interview (audio only) with Gordon Bowden who is said to have handed over evidence to the BBC (of all organisations!).
link to youtube.com
Panic mode now up a couple of notches as BBC London 24 realise
The possiblility of a Labour wipeout inScotland (Ashcroft polls)
Propaganda narrative now from them advising Ed Milliband “to rule
Out any deal with SNP”
Is the BBC now starting to formulate the policy/strategy for London
Labour?? Looks like start of propaganda re run of last September
Between now and the Scottish Council Elections in 2017,
may Scotland prepare itself for it’s own future,
by rejecting each of the Unionist parties
who stood side by side, arms locked together,
in the Referendum.
Red, Blue and Yellow Tories built a roadblock
across Scotland’s path to a fairer
and more prosperous future.
Now is the time to begin dismantling the Unionist roadblock.
Time to remove, one by one, every Unionist MP, MSP
and Councillor in Scotland.
For each and everyone of them is an obstacle in our path.
All of them, are, ultimately, controlled from London;
from the headquarters of the British Unionist Establishment,
The Houses of Parliament at Westminster.
At this time, if not already, may Scotland resolve
never to allow such a roadblock to be built again.
May Scotland resolve therefore,
TO VOTE ALWAYS FOR SCOTLAND.
Would’nt it be fun if SNP didn’t allow either of them to form a Government, Labour and Tory would be forced into a coalition. What fun
Longer skype interview with Gordon Bowden with visuals here – about 16 minutes on.
link to youtube.com
O/T kinda. Just had a quick look at teletex BBC nonsense.
After their piece about John Major wanting Labour to rule out SNP propping them up, it then goes on to say that SNP are suggesting that Trident may not be an issue to stop support for Labour.
Blimey, whit next. Any truth in this, anyone know the answer.
@John Meek. I agree. Trouble is it’s the unionist media which will continue to peddle gossip on possible coalitions.
Difficult to ignore if it’s rammed down people’s throats every night on the BBC.
Heard the smurph this morning, and have to say Bill Whiteford was better than I expected, he seemed to unsettle smurph.
It’s still the BBC though and I will never trust them again.
Do you think the Labour election strategy consists ,
sitting Deputy Dug in the corner of a room and shouting words at her, to gauge the reaction, if she wags her tail she gets a Bonio, eg SNP….Bad… have a pat on the head, good duggy,
Gary
@John Meek, couldn’t agree more.
This afternoon we were treated to a statement from Big Nancy Davidson, who took time off from the bayoneting to rule out any hypothetical Westminster deal with the SNP. He’s very unlikely to actually be there in person mind ye.
Some Wounded!
Here is another HUGE problem for the Unionist Parties
link to atrueindependentscotland.com
Add that to the shell company fraud, you could have a revolution! Wow!
Ha ha ha ha hee hee hee oops tenalady moment. Murphy is a class clown.
Good on the interviewer there, he was not for standing for it. Murphy tried to patronise his way out of trouble, which is a strange tack to take when you are definitely talking mince.
The answer to this may be ‘no’ but I have been wondering in the past couple of days whether many in East Renfrewshire who have voted for Jim Murphy in the past are only truly in a position to assess his capability now.
What I mean is that he kept relatively quiet before last year but his exposure has been through the roof and I am not convinced it’s done him any favours even on his home turf. Before, if he popped up every now and then to win an election, he might have sounded plausible to some but this is surely ebbing away now?
I`ve been playing about with the numbers suggested first by Ashcroft:- a 272 draw. (Surely no one thought Eastwood`s “Yellow Streak” managed to come up with that himself.)
Tory ……272
Lab ……272
LibDem….. 19
NorIre….. 18
Ukip ….. 4
Green ….. 2
Plaid ….. 4
V S …… 59 (Vile Separatists)
Should little ED want to go up the Mall to Betty`s hoose to get the spare key to No. 10,
I reckon the first condition he must agree to is the election of a new Speaker.
Alexander Salmond Speaker of the House. It has rather a nice ring to it.
English NHS collapses under pressure of Tory heart attacks.
@Capella
Many thanks for that
@al urquhar
Defence or Foreign Sec…He He He
If their fridge broke down, so Labour going to fix them!
Labour is now trying to lay a guilt trip on the public!
Only for hard working families, Jim Mitchell. The lazy scroungers on the broo can whistle for the fridge to keep their insulin in
Party political broadcast for Ian Davidson to attack
the SNP ( no right of reply) on BBC news24 1740
al urqhar
think the speaker can’t vote on stuff
“The Speaker does not take part in debate nor vote (except to break ties; and even then, the convention is that the speaker casts the tie-breaking vote in favour of the governing party).”
link to en.wikipedia.org
though the thought is certainly flavoursome
@neil
I think most folk quite like the “Babe” she’s wrong but speaks up for her side which at least does her credit
Even though she’s still wrong but likeably wrong
When did his proposed £8 p/hr living wage become £8 p/hr national minimum wage?
His comment about it doesn’t mater about after the election its whats important to get elected really sums him up.
They will promise the earth and deliver a doad o mouldy cheese.
And as for the mansion tax, does he not get it that we don’t want their money, we just want our own back.
Quality stuff Jimbob, keep it coming
All credit to Bill Whiteford.
But Murph is “touching cloth” as my dear old granny used to say.
Good.
‘Scottish’ Labour were warned how massive a mistake it was to make a right-wing Blairite like Murphy leader and they simply did not listen. If they somehow didn’t understand the Ashcroft polling in their seats then they should listen to this as the reason Murphy is on the ropes and Labour are gonig from bad to worse is that Murphy’s own position and arguments are so utterly ludicrous and unconvincing to the scottish public.
The interviewer wasn’t particularly cutting, all he did was his job when you are handed a disaster on a plate and Murphy is that disaster. Something which we always knew he would be.
Now things are far, far, worse for SLAB than when Lamont was leader.
The ‘scottish’ Labour MPs with the sharpest elbows are, right now, desperately trying to get the lions share of the meagre Labour resources and activists there are in scotland to try to save their own skins.
Murphy will make himself first in the queue and grab most of the cash and help to try and be absolutely certain he has a Plan B just in case he has yet another change of mind and doesn’t stand for Holyrood in 2016. He sure didn’t sound convincing on the subject here so it would take a spectacularly gullible scottish Labour MP or MSP to believe him if he can’t even sound klike he was telling the truth when asked an easy direct question on the matter.
An ultra-Blairite like Murphy would obviously much prefer the cosy westminster benches to another pasting in 2016.
Of course he would still need to win his own seat first and he’s made himself a very visible and very tempting target because a tiny 1% lead is just margin of error stuff. SNP activists will be very keen to see Murphy wave bye-bye to his westmisnter expenses and easy life as a red tory seatwarmer.
In fact Murphy made himself so notorious during the first Indy referendum there will be plenty of Yes supporting activists alongside the SNP keen to see the Eggman fall flat on his smug face. Some of them might even show up at the ‘scottish’ Labour conference tomorrow at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.
Who knows? 😉
If you’re a SNP member you’ll have gotten an email from Nicola today if not i’ll share the gist
Previous Labour supporters coming over and joining the SNP including former office bearers more and more daily
No new figures yet but i have a feeling there’s an announcement due on this because we know the membership is still rising and i think there’s going to be another punch in the snoot for the Establishment coming
After watching Scotland 2015 with Sarah Smith and John Curtice the other night, and now hearing Whiteford pressing Murphy here, is there a sense that some of the BBC Scotland Labourites are beginning to distance themselves from SLAB, just that little bit?
@North chiel says:
“Propaganda narrative now from them advising Ed Milliband “to rule Out any deal with SNP”
A lot of this is Tories trying to lead Labour into a trap.
Paint them into a corner.
Say the Tories end up ahead by a few seats.. They will try to hold Labour to their word.
That said, I think Labour is stupid enough to fall for it.
NO-ONE would believe them, and it will just make them look even more untrustworthy.
Who honestly thinks Miliband would let down his party, and hand another 5 years to the Tories, because he wouldn’t make a few concessions to Scotland !!
That’s why it isn’t wise to make Trident a red-line issue for a deal – that would be an excuse to let the Tories run a minority government.
Souldn’t be too long now before something like this appears from SLAB:
link to scottcreighton.co.uk
Fill in the blanks.
@Brian
You can only spin reality so much.
There is no other way to read the polling and Murphy’s tenure as leader other than an unmitigated catastrophe for ‘scottish’ Labour. Those polls are jawdroppingly bad for ‘scottish’ Labour. You can’t spin that away by whining about the tories without sounding incredibly stupid, complacent and out of touch.
That being the case it’s not as if any of the usual suspects could jump on TV and pretend otherwise without being laughed at. The scottish public knows fine well what the situation is. It’s the scottish public being polled after all!
You could be right though and there is always an undignified scramble to get away from an unfolding calamity. Why would some of their previous lapdogs continue to prostrate themselves to a toxic ‘scottish’ Labour party that, at the very least, is clearly heading for one of it’s worst results ever and perhaps even one of THE most remarkable results ever seen in scotland during a general election.
I’ll bet a gid few of the ‘scottish’ labour establishment and their hingers on have been gettin the deaf ear lately from those who used to be their ‘pals’. 😉
@John Meek
“..So I’m sorry, but I think all this stuff needs to stop – we should be saying, Vote SNP for Scotland. We’re not interested in who is Prime Minister in Westminster – we want Home Rule, full fiscal autonomy & we’ll pay our share of (non-Trident) Defence..”
I agree.
The constitution is in danger of getting sidelined, with all the talk of anti-austerity, and potential deals.
We have 45% of people who voted YES.
And the SNP has a chance to get a good chunk of the NO voters, who genuinely do want more powers for Scotland.
We need to keep up the message about giving Scotland power.
Labour/Tories can’t be trusted to deliver even the feeble Smith commission powers.
Just received more Labour Party bumph through the door in Douglas Alexander’s constituency, courtesy of the Royal Mail.
It must be costing a wee fortune to get all these leaflets delivered via Royal Mail. This is the second within a couple of weeks.
In the pack it went heavy on saving the Scottish NHS, 1000 extra nurses etc…it also included that piece by nurse Suzanne from Clackmannanshire, including THAT picture of her with her NHS uniform on.
I thought that she had been disciplined for wearing the uniform while campaigning for Labour. She is still doing it.
I wonder if our man on the inside, Del from Livestream, is going to the conference tomorrow.. 🙂
John Meek @ 4:35 pm.
With the impending fraud investigation into the ‘Bank of England’, I’m happy for them to keep that name.
@Les Wilson
Would this explain why they were so intent on going into Iraq.
The disbelief at not finding those WMDs and the very suspect and sad death of Dr David Kelly and thousands of innocent Iraqis and soldiers.
Could the bombs have found their way to Syria? Was Assad next? Then ISIS sort of stuffed up their plans.
Who is playing ‘pass the parcel’ with nuclear bombs and in the process dicing with the lives of the people on the planet. Where do I sign to leave this mad world? This is once again about who wields the power and has all the wealth!
There’s an old Sinatra song A Hundred Years From Now, the gist is who will care in 100 years as we will be gone…what is wrong with these people I’m at a loss to understand the WHY of it all or is it just me..
Car crash!!!
I’m almost starting to feel sorry for Jim. He really can’t hold up when his pish is challenged. I suspect the unionist media knows this, hence the softball ride he’s been given so far.
Figuratively, it’s simple economics. If you have a good product, and you can reach your customers, it’ll sell. Labour have been on the shelf for too long, and rebranded in the 90s as some kind of Tory lite™ to sell to middle England and have forgotten what they were about in the first place. You can’t expect the working class to keep buying something that does nothing for them, except out of brand loyalty from those of a nostalgic bent (and they won’t be here forever). The worst thing you can do in business is take your customers for granted. Soon enough, you won’t have many.
Will the last Labour MP in Scotland turn out the (branch office) lights?
Brian 6.04pm
“…is there a sense that some of the BBC Scotland Labourites are beginning to distance themselves from SLAB, just that little bit?”
No.
I wouldn’t trust a BBC Scotland employee as far as I could through them.
“throw” even.
@ call me dave 4.38 Wake up that manny, stand strait shooders back,nae mair slackin or your gittin reported tae the Heidy,an he,ll take yer Alert badge away.
Ivan McKee, Anniesland Parish Church
On at 7.00pm
Ed’s own side will knife him – and sooner if he slides further in the pre-election polls – because he will not win this election.
So we have a ConLab grand coalition. Or an SNP Lab arrangement but without Ed. CallMeDave cannot win a majority, because they failed to get the boundaries fixed after Cleggie took the huff. The Libs are going to be hammered pretty much everywhere.
There are only two possible outcomes. A Con Lab arrangement or a Lab SNP arrangement.
The main difference is really how long after either arrangement that Scotland secedes.
If Labour go with the Con Lab then I expect that to be the end of them in Scotland. If they don’t go with the SNP the economy will be on the mend by 2020 and they may have another Thatcher in power for a generation. So really their fate is in their own hands. Provided We all vote SNP.
Independence is coming. Its just a matter of how soon now.
Nita Clarke, who came to know Murphy during her time working in Blair’s Downing Street, thought he had a touch of stardust, reminding her of Matt Santos, the fictional young congressman in the final episodes of The West Wing who retires in frustration with politics, only to be persuaded to make a successful bid for the presidency.
“I thought Jim was our Matt Santos because he is both fiercely intelligent and hugely personable,”
link to theguardian.com Pars 17/18
Health Warning: this article may cause you to pish yourself laughing.
Welcome Wilma 4.41pm
“Get Red and Blue Tories out of Scotland.”
This election in May will go a long way to doing just that!
@ronnie anderson
I’m rigid Ronnie honest! 🙂
PS:
If these two bombshell stories are even half right well.. my flabber is gasted…and the end is nigh for the union and high heid yins too.
Footie & rugby link here: lots to choose from eg: QoS v Bairns
link to myp2p.ec
I didn’t hear Murphy today but I did hear Davidson on radio 4 news. It was hate filled anti snp & vile, abusive cybernats who are evil Marxists. (it was quite a rant)
Neil says:
6 March, 2015 at 4:35 pm
Re QT – am I the only one out there with a grudging respect for Ruth Davidson sticking up for what she believes in. I disagree with every fibre in my body with what the Tories stand for but at least you know where you stand with them.
I agree with you Neil, I was very impressed with Ruth Davidson’s performance and that is despite hating all that she stands for, even when she put in a swift kick tae the nuts about the NHS, the fact she had good grace to acknowledge the work the SNP have done and also the fact they have increased the spending on the NHS, albeit, she would have preferred that it was done 6 years ago.
Even in her staunch defence of what she did for BT, I can’t see any of the Slab coming out with such a defence.
I also believe that Ruth Davidson is fair when she challenges the SNP in Government, she doesn’t point score for the hell of it, Nicola has acknowledged at times that Ruth does have a fair point and encourages Ruth to discuss such matters in more detail so something can be done.
I will still never ever vote Tory and I will never vote Labour again, this will be the 1st GE in my lifetime where my vote is going towards the SNP
Given that UK Labour’s Scottish Accounting Unit is holding a conference in Edinburgh tomorrow is it not logical to expect Creepy Jim to be the star of the show on Sunday’s Politics Scotland?
If he doesn’t appear I wouldn’t be surprised.
If he does I would hope that Brewer skewers him comprehensively in particular re his volte face in respect of NHS Barnett Consequentials from this morning’s car crash interview on GMS.
However, given the perfidy of PQ it wouldn’t surprise me if Brewer ‘took poorly’ at the last minute and was substituted by Bird or Bradford.
@caz-m
My vote will not be a wasted vote, I have to for the greens here to help snp.
Heard on British Broadcasters to the Colonials on the way home that John Major is so annoyed about the SNP surge that he is urging Milliband to rule out any form of coalition with them.
Great that isn’t it, you can vote for who you like up in North Britain, but we will cold shoulder you so that you are powerless. Screaming in a vacuum anyone?
I sometimes hope that happens and they run roughshod over us so that it wakes up some of the No people.
Aside from that, it would be a “wormhole or hyperspace” to Independence with the outrage it would bring.
That interview was pretty hilarious after all the wait……
BUT nobody has donated to Dr Lisa Cameron (@lisacameronsnp)’s crowdfunder since last night.
Not good enough Wingers (however amazing you all are).
I’m getting Arbroath to get yous all telt as soon as I’m finished my rant.
There are Labour MP’s and there’s Michael McCann, MP for East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow, just last week his EK councillors said they wouldn’t campaign for him, you might think our job is now easier. It won’t be.
This is a man who has wrung every personal benefit possible out of public office, and will fight tooth and nail to retain everything that entails.
Our candidate Dr Lisa Cameron is one of the unsung heroes of the new batch of SNP candidates, a proper Yesser, a party newbie, and someone with a wealth of real life experience within the Scottish NHS, our court system and as a Unite representative. Exactly the kind of candidate and representative people need to take the fight to Westminster.
Come on folks, help our fundraiser and make the Polls become reality!!!!
link to crowdfunder.co.uk
I got a Lib Dem leaflet through the door delivered by Royal Mail. So I scored my name out, popped it into and envelope without a stamp and posted to the address on the leaflet where it said if undelivered return to sender.
I think it costs £1.20 to get an unstamped letter from the Royal Mail.
@Brian 6.04pm
there are some BBC journalists who occasionally stray beyond the Unionist BBC line and actually do their job and ask some sensible questions for a change. I expect they will be pulled up by management via their Labour friends and spouses to not do it again.
There are others who will never stray beyond the Biased BBC line.
A trend – I don’t think so.
But good to see how Murphy bombs when he is asked some simple questions. All through the Indy campaign and the GE campaign he has never appeared on any debate or radio or TV program where he has faced any difficult or open questioning.
When he does he will come seriously unstuck.
I am really looking forward to when he comes up against Nicola in the debates. It will be comedy gold – he will either implode or explode – Boom.
On BBC bias, I chanced across the following by accident (and emergency – I’ll get my coat) on the main BBC Heatth site…
End ‘fixation’ with A&E waiting time target, say experts
link to bbc.co.uk
I wonder why BBC Scotland have not picked up on this and added it to their extensive articles on the Scottish A&E crisis?
Very Strange?
Perhaps Eleanor needs a transfer to NHS England or NHS Wales.
@ manandboy
“Q. How many over 65’s are able to figure out why that statement is untrue –
Murphy will say anything – because his target audience
are not exactly sharp as tacks”
Well excuuuuse me! I’m over 65 so piss off. Something to think about, I’m computer literate, how could that be? I bought my first PC, Amstrad thingy with a whole 10mb hard drive and a great big floppy, that was 1984 and I was 35. I went on the internet for the first time in 1993 using Netscape as my browser, I was 45. We need to stop all this ageist crap. I voted yes, joined the SNP on the 19th Sept in absolute shock at what I had just witnessed. There are plenty of blunt tacks under 65, Murphy being a prime example. PC’s and the internet didn’t come out yesterday so there are plenty of “old folk” more than able to shoogle their google. 🙂
Ouch, what a car crash of a interview. Tory 272 v Labour 272 puts Cameron back in place…eehhh no it doesn’t We have 7 more weeks of this.
Attention every interview, get your facts on these lies before you interview Murphy, you will tie him in knots and your listening ratings will go through the roof.
Liar! I need to stop listening to JM- he makes me angry
And I prefer not to be.
‘What are Labour going to do about it?
It’s complicated..
1000 new nurses.. blah..
But look,..
But look,..
Every seat that labour can win in Scotland is a seat closer to David Cameron ”
Creepy tory und der kezdug making Scotland better together.
I reckon Ruth Davidson is a good politician, she has certainly developed a lot in the last few years. I detest Tory ideology, but she appears to be a decent person.
I had a chat with friends during the aftermath of the referendum that labour for independence could have a genuine opportunity to fill the void left by labour in Scotland when the current implosion we are witnessing, happened in the run to 2015.
Labour as they are now, could find themselves out of favour for a long time, what better time for a labour for indy party (Progressive Scottish labour Party?)to fill the current gap in the political scene for old labour values but fighting for Scotland as well as the other non unionist parties ?
Neil says:
Re QT – am I the only one out there with a grudging respect for Ruth Davidson sticking up for what she believes in. I disagree with every fibre in my body with what the Tories stand for but at least you know where you stand with them. I have no idea what SLAB stand for now as they flip flop from one car crash idea to the next. It wouldnt surprise me if the main opposition to the SNP after May become the Blue Tories as opposed to the Red ones
You are not alone Neil, I too have a grusging respect for wee Ruthie, not just last night but at FMQ’s as well. I have for the most part found her exchanges with the F.M., current and previous, both coutreous and at times humerous. You can NEVER say that about Dugdale or her predicessor.
So it is expected that the Labour party might take advice on their policy from tories? Curious.
Supposing that Labour decides to take that advice, on the basis that any arrangement with the SNP is politically impossible given the MSM hatefest we have witnessed.
What happens then?
Imagine that the latest Ashcroft poll is correct and the tories and labour each get 272 seats. Neither has a majority. If an arrangement with the SNP is out of the question, I would have thought a “grand coalition” was even less acceptable. Judging from comment columns in the MSM the majority in the rUK still believe there is a substantive difference between the two main parties, and their supporters are fairly venomous about each other.
I can’t see the arithmetic which would allow either party to command a majority through coalitions with other parties.
So this “most important general election” since forever, will presumably have to be re-run fairly quickly
The interesting question then is what will the effect be on voters in the different parts of the UK.
Clearly Labour will go with “SNP are irrelevant now” as per the gentleman on QT last night. Might work. Or it might just anger scots enough to reinforce their support for the SNP, given how unreasonable such an outcome would appear to be.
Tories might secure a majority if people in rUK are annoyed enough about having to have a second election so soon. Or Labour might gain from their tough stance if they are seen to have sacrificed power for the principle of ensuring the Scots do not rule in england, as this is being portrayed.
I really can’t guess.
On the other hand, I am far from convinced that Ed Milliband will refuse Downing street on any terms. Unless he thinks that makes him Nick Clegg, of course.
Interesting times
the hysterical stuff about Stalinists and Marxists is astounding. Owen Jones in his book The Establishment details how since 1979 the UK political narrative has been deliberately shifted rightwards by thinktanks, politicians and the media and the window of acceptable political views has been narrowed to the ludicrous extent that free prescriptions and education for all is branded as Marxist.
For gods sake UK, wake up. Only 40 years ago we lived in a country where the consensus was that utilities and major industries were owned by the nation and run for the greater good.
These are some of the comments made by Labour before the referendum, courtesy of the SNP site:
Scottish Labour ?@scottishlabour 16 September 2014
Our NHS is stronger as part of the UK. Tomorrow lets not put that at risk. #LabourNo #indyref
Scottish Labour ?@scottishlabour 17 September 2014
Worried about the future of the NHS? It’s safe with a No vote. #indyref #LabourNo link to instagram.com
Johann Lamont ?@JohannLamont 18 September 2014
Polls close in two hours. Still time to vote No to protect our NHS. #indyref #LabourNo
The Labour Party ?@UKLabour 18 September 2014
I won’t risk our NHS. I’m voting No. Retweet if you are too.
The Labour Party ?@UKLabour 18 September 2014
Our NHS needs a “No” vote. #VoteNo to help make it happen. #LabourNo
During the referendum, Gordon Brown stated “the final decision about what we spend on the NHS is not going to be made by anyone outside Scotland, it is a matter for the Scottish people themselves, with the powers we already have, without having to go for a separate state.” link to huffingtonpost.co.uk…
Jim Murphy promised London Labour 40+ Labour MP`s from Scotland if they gave him the Leadership of the North British Labour branch.
I think London Labour will soon be in talks with SNP about setting up a workable Government.
And they will not be happy with Jim Murphy who is mainly to blame for Labour losing all the Scottish seats.
tartanpigsy says:
That interview was pretty hilarious after all the wait……
BUT nobody has donated to Dr Lisa Cameron (@lisacameronsnp)’s crowdfunder since last night.
Not good enough Wingers (however amazing you all are).
I’m getting Arbroath to get yous all telt as soon as I’m finished my rant.
Right you miserable lot listen up! 😉
As requested by TP I’m here to give you lot a real head’s on Arbroath style telling off.
You’re all telt off, understand! 😀
One person that will have been delighted with Smurph’s performance on the radio this morning is Bez (ex-Happy Mondays – standing for the “We are the Reality Party” in Salford). Smurph makes Bez sound like a rocket scientist.
Perhaps SLab should think about inviting Bez to consider replacing the Smurph (but only after Holyrood Elections in 2016) !!!!
Gary
He comes across as a real shite. Lot of havers and insecurity there
Magnus Gardham: Herald.
THE SNP will “call the tune” at Westminster after the next election, Alex Salmond will tell supporters at a meeting to confirm his candidacy in Gordon.
The former First Minister will demand “progress” towards reducing austerity, scrapping nuclear weapons and delivering new powers for Holyrood as his party’s price for supporting a Labour government.
He is expected to tell activists at his adoption meeting in Insch: “It is now clear that neither Tory or Labour will win an overall majority. Neither are fit to govern.
“It is also clear that Scotland is swinging behind SNP candidates the length and breadth of the country. In that situation Scotland can call the tune in the next Westminster Parliament.”
He will add: “We cannot give any support formal or informal to the Tories because of their track record of hostility to Scottish interests and the total bad faith of David Cameron towards the Scottish people the day after the referendum.
“However, support for any other administration comes with the condition of progress for Scotland.
“This is an exciting moment for Scotland – an opportunity of real change for the better. In conjunction with our allies in Wales and in the English Greens we can form a progressive alliance to shake Westminster to its foundations, to rumble up the House of Common and to make real progress for Scotland.”
————————————————–
Just home from a few refreshments after work but my better half informs me that STV News this evening gave substantial coverage to the Labour candidate or leading supporter in East Kilbride without equal coverage for the main contender the SNP.
Can anyone clarify the position as broadcasters must be reminded at ALL TIMES of impartiality rules over the next few weeks.
Och, Sinky. They don’t have to be even handed on the same day: so when they cover the SNP candidate on Saturday at 2 am, the job will have been done. 😉
Marie clark says:
O/T kinda. Just had a quick look at teletex BBC nonsense.
After their piece about John Major wanting Labour to rule out SNP propping them up, it then goes on to say that SNP are suggesting that Trident may not be an issue to stop support for Labour.
Blimey, whit next. Any truth in this, anyone know the answer.
The Guardian ran their version of the Trident story here Marie.
link to archive.today
Just for DimJim nae singing in the cheap seats.
link to youtube.com
“Jim Jim Jim Jiiiiiiimmmmmmmmmmmmmmm I’m Confused ? “
What worries me is that while we are being distracted by Sleekit Jim and the sideDug what are McTernan and MacDougall up to. They seem very quiet at the moment.
I hope we’re not being outflanked again..
@manandboy
You tell em sir i also am an over 65 and i just about get by
(that was sarcasm) some of these youngsters are not listening
and BTW it seems an awful lot of us older boys and girls are doing quite a lot of the footwork too
Now i’ll away and put on my Horlicks for Baw Baws and soak my teeth or whatever us near dead are supposed to be doing
more sarcasm
anyway must go i’ve got a gig
@ Lesley Anne Donation made to Dr Lisa Cameron fund as per request
@Lesley Anne
Half an answer to half a question
typical BBC
Question; Will the renewal of Trident be a red line issue to working with Labour
Answer; No
Conclusion; Nicola Sturgeon Supports Trident
Makes you dribble down your chin and bare your teeth does’nt it
Graham 6.51
Great link, Im still laughin.
So he dodged conscription in SA but feels quite ok about sending someone elses son to fight in foreign lands.
I think that just sums him up perfectly.
Thanks Lesley Anne and Dr Jim.It certainly makes me bare my teeth.
I know I’m getting on a bit, but I don’t think I’m dribbling yet.
Mistah Murphy…,, he dead.
Lesley-Anne
your from the South West Scotland have you read the local paper Annandale Herald/ Observer.
P17 Full page ad
Scotland’s Changing
“More powers coming to Scottish Parliament making it one of the most devolved parliments in the world”.
“At the same time we keep the three Ps,The UK Pound,UK Pensions and UK Passports”.( Should that not be the three Us,)
“A Stronger Parliament.A united future.Built to last”
Issued By HM Government
Don’t know if this is in any other Scottish regional papers or if Fluffy Bun Bun’s arse arting to twitch
@ X_Sticks
Distancing themselves more like.
What – another Dr!
Dr Lisa Cameron – SNP
Dr Paul Monaghan – SNP
Dr Philippa Whitford – SNP
Dr Eilidh Whiteford – MP SNP.
What a novelty – future MPs who went to University and actually get a degree or two (in less than nine years) instead of None.
Vote SNP – Get Doctors.
Vote Labour – get Numpties.
Can anyone find out if Murphy is going to/has accepted T Blairs £1,000 per consituancy (Labours ofcourse) fighting fund?!.
Disgusting blood money.
Manandboy
You are so right about 2117 Scottish Council Elections, now that the genie is out of the bottle. The only recourse for the elite is to reduce Scotland to a state that independence does not serve our interests.
Our task has to be ever vigilant and challenge every matter that would deliver their goal. How many other matters have been withheld from us beyond the McCrone report and alterations to our maritime boundries. I’m sure that there will be more.
The unionists will have to step up or take what is coming with the rest of us.
Just noticed this about Tony Blair giving money to constituencies. £1000? Rly? Stingy, mingy bastard
I actually can’t see Labour and Tory in a tie with 272 seats each.
I don’t think Milliband can match Cameron at a General Election and I don’t think the press will allow him to.
I certainly don’t want the SNP in any formal arrangement that saves Labour either so I am in a quandry.
For the past two decades the SNP has steadily been replacing Labour in the so-called “Labour Heartlands” but this has taken a number of years to work its way through the elected old Labour guard. On 7th May the Labour party,actually dead for some years in Scotland, may be consigned to history.
The calibre of elected Labour members is actually appalling at Holyrood, at Westminster and in local councils.
Has Scotland woken up to this?
Does the SNP actually have to appear generous towards Labour. I don’t think so. I have never experienced such a level of disgust of any political party that I experience from many ex Labour supporters to Labour
With all these Labour peers and MPs calling for a Labour/Tory grand coalition to keep Scotland out of the UK government, I don’t know why Labour aren’t coming out and saying categorically that there will be no deal with the Tories.
I mean, are they even going to consider it as an option? What do they think would happen to them? They go into an election telling voters “vote for us to stop the Tories”, and then they use those votes to put the Tories into power?
It’s hard to imagine a more profound betrayal of those who gave them power.
Do they think that those voters would ever vote for them again? They’d face a complete wipeout UK wide. So why aren’t they rejecting any notion of a grand coalition?
@garles
This looks like blatant anti-SNP electioneering by the UK government & paid for by our taxes.
Surely, this is illegal and un-democratic and should be stamped on by the Electoral Commission.
I wait the EC action…, still waiting…, still waiting….
I used to wonder why Sinn Fein used that name in their independence campaign in 1918 and onwards and now I understand.
Ourselves – Alone.
Listed to today’s The Big Debate on i-player – 42mins 50 secs in
link to bbc.co.uk
Smurphy’s intelligence quota gets a bashing, and his philosophy
of people should get nothing for nothing is dashed on the rocks.
After 9 years of tax payer funded Free education he should have had “3 Degrees” instead of Zero!
He could have become a pop tribute act after he loses his job
in the elections. If he had knuckled down!
“When will I see you again” (Never with a bit of luck)
Garles at 8.20
All SNP candidates should be pointing out in their campaign material that the Smith Commission proposals have been trashed by leading economists and the voluntary sector.
link to bellacaledonia.org.uk
plus
link to snp.org
We can’t allow the UK government propaganda machine to influence the general election in breach of election protocol by promoting policies that do not bind the next UK government.
Hello Andrew McColl
Waken up and join the SNP.
BtP
I think you’re right there Dr. Jim. 😉
Aye garles I have read that pile of … well I’d rather juat not go there if you don’t mind. 😀
I see you picked up there on the same thing that raised my blood pressure this morning … three P’s indeed three piles of … well I’d rather just not go there.
As far as Fluffy is concerned his earse must be well aflame by now. If it isn’t then it certainly will be by the oor candidate, Emma Harper, is finished with him that’s for sure! 😛
Dr JM Mackintosh says:
What – another Dr!
Dr Lisa Cameron – SNP
Dr Paul Monaghan – SNP
Dr Philippa Whitford – SNP
Dr Eilidh Whiteford – MP SNP.
What a novelty – future MPs who went to University and actually get a degree or two (in less than nine years) instead of None.
Vote SNP – Get Doctors.
Vote Labour – get Numpties.
I love that idea doc. it has a definite ring of trust about it. 😉
That £8 a hour minimum wage, he constantly goes on about and forgets to mention, is that the wage will come in increments and wont be fully implemented till 2020. That works out about 30 odd pence a year..
@garles
It was in the Ayrshire Post as well, really angry after seeing it.
The 3 P’s Pish, Pish and Pish
As we all know Murph the Smurph *ahem* claims that Gisels Stewart was talking nonsense when she called for a Labour Tory Grand coalition. Well according to the front page of tomorrow’s Independent this *cough* disease of talking nonsense appears to be catching. They are reporting that Lord Baker is making the SAME call.
Ooh err Missus! 😀
RE: Trident.
Various reports over the past week, in the MSM and on the web, have indicated that the SNP would not make Trident a “make or break’ of any deal proposed for the SNP to support Labour.
Indeed, a couple of quotes from one of the links above:-
“The SNP leader said that her party could comfortably vote for Labour policies on a case-by-case basis without a deal on Trident, after implying repeatedly in recent months that cancelling its £100bn replacement would be a critical issue for the party.”
“Asked explicitly if that meant the SNP could still back Labour policies without Ed Miliband promising to scrap Trident, she did not disagree, replying: “But we would not in any vote support the renewal of Trident and I can’t make that any clearer than I have already made it.””
To me, that says that the SNP could reach a deal to support Labour, without the ‘red-lining’ of Trident BUT, the SNP would vote AGAINST any proposal to renew Trident.
The result of that Trident renewal vote would determine the future of Labour, Tories and Lib-Dems in Scotland.
robert ramage says:
That £8 a hour minimum wage, he constantly goes on about and forgets to mention, is that the wage will come in increments and wont be fully implemented till 2020. That works out about 30 odd pence a year..
If my failing memory is correct I believe the S.N.P. have been calling for a £10 LIVING WAGE for some time now Robert. In my view that trumps anything Labour can shout about their £8 MINIMUM WAGE by 2020 garbagwe.
Murphy has been well coached by McTernan – repeat the same claim often enough and it becomes the truth, however much a big lie it is. Don’t underestimate the fact that the ‘big lie technique’ works – and we all know who perfected that. Truth is that you can fool some of the people all of the time. Let’s just hope the distrust the SLabs have been pushing so hard sticks for another two months in all those lovely SLab marginals … like Kirkcaldy, Glasgow South East and South West. and we can wave bye bye to Davidson, Curran and the rest of the patholigical liars.
Did I really hear in that clip Mr Murphy say: let not talk about what could happen after the election, lets talk about what Labout would do after they won. Isn’t that talking about what would happen after the election.
And if any Labour Party people read this, here is a ground breaking suggestion. Why don’t you try to win more seats in England?
Anent Ruth Davidson, she was certainly the best candidate in the Springburn election, Willie Bain was undoubtedly the worst. She has ended up party leader but what is a young lassie like her doing in a moribund outfit like the toxic Scottish Tories? they’re going nowhere apart from the queue for the undertakers, judging by their conference attendance.
Time for her to take stock, get herself a job with prospects or do a Teddy Taylor and invest in a carpet bag. She’ll end up a panto dame like Annabel Goldie if she’s not careful.
Before the referendum Labour were telling us the NHS was only safe in the Union, after the referendum they’re telling us it isn’t safe in the Union. Labour speak with forked tongue.
At
3:32
and
3:43
Murphy states that the SNP have ruled out working with Labour
At
3:32
and
3:43
Murphy states that the SNP have ruled out working with Labour
Just in case you missed Murph the Smurph’s admission here it is in all its gory glory in Scots news on line. 😉
link to scotsnewsonline.info
So Murph I have a question. Don’t worry it is not anything like as pressurised as the questions from GMS.
Did you LIE during the referendum OR did you LIE now?
@Fred
Oh no she won’t!
Whiteford exposed Murphy further for what he is – a manipulative liar.
The only disappointing part of that interview was when Murphy said:
“In 2 months time Scotland will decide whether Britain has a second term of David Cameron and a decade of austerity”
Whiteford should have asked him if that was the same austerity all the Labour troughers recently arranged with the Tories.
Murphy also states in that interview:
“So many mums and dads go to work and they can’t afford to balance the books and feed their kids, they can’t afford to put money by for a rainy day, if their fridge broke they wouldn’t be able to buy a new one”
Meanwhile, Dimbo, you and the rest of the Labour troughers attend fancy expensive dinners right under the noses of the poverty stricken.
btw, Dimbo, it was your Labour Westminster government that forced the vast majority of these people into poverty.
Red Tories introduced poverty while blue Tories extend it.
Murphy also stated:
“The biggest issue for Scots is the National Health Service”
That’s a load of crap Dimbo. The Scottish Health Service is doing just fine under the protection of the SNP. It’s not perfect but it’s in far better shape than the English Health Service.
No, Dimbo, as much as you and your friends in the rancid Unionist media want to try and make it an issue, most Scots are quite content with the Scottish Health Service.
Try and stick to Westminster issues, Dimbo, afterall that’s what the next election is all about, issues such as Trident.
Shame that radio station doesn’t have a large audience, the vast majority of folk have missed a rare treat with that interview.
Fud Smurphy is beating his Catch Phrase to death these days!
When interviewed it do you think, what will, can you tell us, etc.
When Fud hasn’t got a clue, or knows its another area he has put his foot in, we get ” I would inform my constituents first before I would tell anyone that”?
Does he really think that the so called Leader of the Scottish branch feels only obliged to explain his policies to the 10,000 or so voters he had at the last election?
He didn’t consult his constituents when he stabbed Joanne Lamont in the back, nor on taking the Leaders role, nor whether he
was going to stand as an MP until 2 months before the election?
Fud your catch phrase translated means “I just don’t have an cogent answer”!
Labour should have stuck with Joann, surely she would have done better than the “whispering Bob Harris” of the labour party. Glad they didn’t though it’s much more fun watching whispering Bob disappear up his own backside. Now we are faced with the suggestion of a Con/Lab coalition, Del boy and Rodney in charge of running the country? “lovely jubbly”.
Jim is on message from Mcternan.That’s why even when the narrative changes, he can’t follow the narrative. He just repeats,repeats.
Its the sign of a shallow limited personality. Unable to think ad-hoc,or outside the mantra. Once the orders come from McTernan to change the script,then and only then will the mantra change.
His minions like Deputy Dug, are in an even worse position. They are relying on 2nd robot in command Murphy for their orders. He has been delegated from McTernan to dispense the orders.
So this all makes sense when you listen to them speaking. There is no thought of the question being asked. You could ask him what colour the sky was and he would say:”I don’t care! If you vote SNP Cameron will be delighted.The biggest party goes into government”.
Expect more of the same. They have gone down the road, the road has forked and they have no steering wheel to follow a different road. They will eventually have to reverse but the others will have left them for another road.
Big Jock @ 11:01
Labour remind me of Talking Heads (The group fronted by David Byrne). Road to Nowhere and Psycho Killers
[…] Jim Murphy’s practiced air of nonchalant bonhomie was coming apart at the seams all over today’s “Good Morning Scotland” (from 2h 10m). Pressed hard by presenter Bill Whiteford, the beleaguered Scottish Labour branch manager spluttered and blustered and interrupted constantly in a desperate attempt to stop Whiteford from even finishing any questions, never mind getting answers to them. […]
Aye Rob and do you know Dumbarton born Byrne, came out against independence!
The largest party gets first chance at forming the Government – er yes, but that’s because the largest party usually IS the Government by definition i.e. it has at least 50% + 1 of the seats.
In 2010 however the largest party – Conservative didn’t have 50% +1 of the seats and needed the Lib dems to coalesce with. But even here the Lib dems and others were free to go to the SECOND largest party – Labour to see if they could coalesce with them.
In short, it’s whichever Party is able to muster 326 seats in coalition with a smaller Party (Parties) which forms the Government.
I would have thought someone who has been in politics as long as Mr Murphy would have known that. Is it incompetence or deliberate deceit that makes him say it over and over again?