The world's most-read Scottish politics website

Wings Over Scotland


Don’t stand so close to me

Posted on April 12, 2013 by

Here’s Ken Macintosh MSP (Labour) on today’s Good Morning Scotland:

GARY ROBERTSON: Do you have concerns about where the funding for the Better Together campaign is coming from? There have been questions about a half-a-million donation from Ian Taylor and his background. Do you have concerns about that as someone who’s part of that campaign?

KEN MACINTOSH: I don’t… I have to say I’m not close enough to the campaign to know. I’ll go have a look at this story afterwards, but I…

GR: It’s been around for a couple of days now. Basically there are question marks about this man’s background and his business dealings in the past. Questions that have been raised at Westminster by Douglas Alexander for instance.

KM: Well, I certainly would want the Better Together campaign to make sure that the people donating to the campaign are abiding by all the laws and are properly scrutinized by it. But no inside knowledge. I’m not close enough to the campaign to be able to tell you that.

It’s a fair comment from the Labour finance spokesman.

kenblitz

After all, he’s right at the very end in this picture.

39 to “Don’t stand so close to me”

  1. Mosstrooper says:

    Heard from inside the B.T. HQ
    Affur, Affur a fur fuck sake!

    Reply
  2. Alastair says:

    Is that Maurice Golden to the front of the table at the right?  If so Better Together are in trouble in my opinion.  Former head of DUSA…. and Conservative poster boys.

    If it is not him apologies.

    Reply
  3. alexicon says:

    Its called Labour amnesia, ignore the what’s right and think bad in what everyone else’s, apart from labour, is saying.

    Reply
  4. ianbrotherhood says:

    That photie is definitely one for the scrapbook – Better Together stalls are a very great rarity.
     

    Reply
  5. FreddieThreepwood says:

    Better At A Convenient Distance

    Reply
  6. MajorBloodnok says:

    I can see the headlines in tomorrow’s MSM:
     
    “Senior Labour MSP distances himself from Scottish Separation NO campaign.”
     
    However, I do have a vivid imagination.

    Reply
  7. Yesitis says:

    Is it just me, but why is it Labour MSPs give the impression they are proud to be obnoxiously dim?
     

    Reply
  8. Cath says:

    “Better Together stalls are a very great rarity.”
     
    Well, yes. Because they have to wait until they can get a load of Westminster MPs up all in the same weekend to run their “campaign weekends”.
     
    Poor Ken does look fairly embarrassed to be there in this photo, to be fair.

    Reply
  9. Rev. Stuart Campbell says:

    I’m pinching that one, Major.

    Reply
  10. Paul Martin says:

    He’s a decent enough bloke in real life, was the year below me at school (35 years ago FFS).  Smart enough to realise that someone will take the rap for this and he doesn’t need to be in the room when that happens. Also smart enough to know Lamont will never be First Minister…as unlkiely as it sounds he probably still has political ambitions…

    Reply
  11. rabb says:

    OT But their street events only seem to appear when ConLibLab councillors can find the time in their very busy schedules of “natgirning”.

    I noticed that our local “Better No Blitz” was comprised entirely of councillors and an MP (Joe Swinson). Not a member of the public amongst them.
     
    I reckon if we mount a sustained program of complaining about the potholes in the roads and dog shit in the parks we can keep them busy and off the streets for the entire duration of the campaign.
     
    Thoughts?

    Reply
  12. alexicon says:

    Is Ken the look out for the police?

    Reply
  13. Rod Mac says:

    O/T anyone from on here going to WMD Demo tomorrow?

    Reply
  14. Angus McLellan says:

    @Alastair: Well if it’s not Maurice Golden, whoever it is can get a job as a lookalike.
    I don’t want to draw any conclusions in haste, but I can’t help noticing that Better Together chose to show their campaign at work (well, not really) on the mean streets of Giffnock. Well done folks. It must have take a lot of thought to come up with somewhere so bobo that even middle-class me cringes inside when I step through the door.

    Reply
  15. Dunphail says:

    The problem with closed minded people like Ken, is that they never know the benefit of a closed mouth 

    Reply
  16. pabroon74 says:

    You’ve got it wrong, Ken was out for some organic couscous and got caught up in what he thought was a table sale. He’s asking his wife, who is just out shot where the buns are.

    Reply
  17. ianbrotherhood says:

    Hand on heart, I’ve never seen a BT stall, badge, poster, balloon, graffiti, lamp-post stickers, notices of meetings, or anything else bearing their insignia, anywhere, ever.
     
    No literature has ever come through the door.
     
    I don’t have a mobile, so missed their Spam campaign. 
     
    If I didn’t visit this and other pro-Indy sites, and watch the ‘news’/FMQs occasionally, I wouldn’t know they existed.
     
    Seriously.

    Reply
  18. Rev. Stuart Campbell says:

    “Hand on heart, I’ve never seen a BT stall, badge, poster, balloon, graffiti, lamp-post stickers, notices of meetings, or anything else bearing their insignia, anywhere, ever.
     
    No literature has ever come through the door.”

    THEY KNOW.

    Reply
  19. EvelynSezAye says:

    This looks  like Giffnock to me? Jackson Carlaw country, and to be honest, it’s probably the biggest better together crowd that you’re likely to see….

    Reply
  20. Seasick Dave says:

    GARY ROBERTSON: Do you have concerns about where the funding for the Better Together campaign is coming from? There have been questions about a half-a-million donation from Ian Taylor and his background. Do you have concerns about that as someone who’s part of that campaign?

    KEN MACINTOSH: I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU MEAN.

    Reply
  21. pabroon74 says:

    @MajorBloodnok
     
    Soon newspaper headlines in Scotland will be provided by George Laird. I never visit his blog (however potty it gets) but I see his titles on Rantin’ Rab’s blog which I still have book marked.
     
    They are hilarious.

    Reply
  22. MajorBloodnok says:

    @Seasick Dave
     
    lol

    Reply
  23.  
     
    12 April, 2013 at 5:52 pm
    ianbrotherhood says:
    Hand on heart, I’ve never seen a BT stall,
     
    Actually, I’ve seen BT stall quite often – usual just before providing the positive case for the union. 🙂

    Reply
  24. crisiscult says:

    Giffnock, formerly safe Tory seat till Barrheed was appended? Alan Stewart with a pick-axe? Average age of voters, 70?
     
    Did GR not want to know why KMac not interested/bothered? GR normally quite tenacious – doesn’t normally let SNP representatives get a word in edge ways

    Reply
  25. Bobby Mckail says:

    Ken Mcackintosh looks like he wants to be somewhere else in this photo. The rest like like they have their desperate please don’t sack me please Westminster smiles on!

    Reply
  26. Albamac says:

    O/T
    A large-scale brute force attack against WordPress sites is currently under way.
    This is a global attack, not targetting particular sites or web hosts.
    Google “brute force attack wordpress”, or similar, for further information and instructions on strengthening site security.

    Reply
  27. Bobby Mckail says:

    Sorry about the Mack mistake Rev!

    Reply
  28. Angus McLellan says:

    @Evelyn: It’s absolutely, definitely Giffnock, Apart from there being just one of that chain of shops in Glasgow, you can see the silly metal knot street art thingy just peeping into the corner of the photo next to Know-nothing Ken. Here’s the same spot on Google Streetview from a different angle
    I have never seen BT out campaigning here or anywhere else for that matter. I know Yes are out and about because I keep getting invites to come and canvass or leaflet with the stalwarts of the ground campaign. (I haven’t gone yet, but I promise I’ll be out there in the summer.)

    Reply
  29. Boorach says:

    Are you sure that’s Ken MacKintosh? I had Mr Bean down as their newest convert! 🙂

    Reply
  30. DMW42 says:

    I’m telling you Jim, he’ll never get all that cash stuffed up his jumper.

    Reply
  31. themadmurph says:

    I hate to say, I got one of their text messages!  I felt dirty!

    Reply
  32. Restlessnative says:

    link to 3meninablog.wordpress.com
    Apologies if posted.

    Reply
  33. Albert Herring says:

    Jim’s saying “Right Ken, you stand shotty in case a member o the public comes along”

    Reply
  34. Craig M says:

    Is he the one in the blue at the end with matching blue bag? He suits blue, being the Tory that he is.

    Reply
  35. MajorBloodnok says:

    @Rev Stu said: I’m pinching that one, Major.
     
    Great minds think alike:
     
    link to snp.org

    Reply
  36. Les Wilson says:

    Boorach,
    Yes, McIntosh could be taken for Mr Bean, especially when he screws his face up, but you did not notice the other comedian next to him, yes it’s Jim Murphy, AKA the rev Jolly! After A Yes vote,the  Next Morecome and Wise? 

    Reply
  37. Macart says:

    Oh dang!
     
    This is going to leave a mark. Spookily I don’t think the major is going to be far wrong with how this will play out. You get the feeling some bods are already trying to create a little distance.

    Reply
  38. The Taylor money was/is immoral for the Conservatives? really never thought that,but good enough for the Bitter together mob, Seems to me it just goes to help prove that there is no Labour party, No Conservative Party and no Lib-Dem party,they are all divisions or names used by the Westminster party. Of course it depends on what they are forcing through,what name they will use.They wont hand the “donation” back but will do favours later like give him some control over Scottish Oil.

    Reply
  39. Graham Ennis says:

    Now we know, it’s foreign oil companies that are behind the NO campaign. (60% 0f the cash is outside Scotland.) In some countries, this would be considered Treason.
    These people have no loyalty to Scotland. They are interested in nothing and nobody but themselves.
     

    Reply


Comment - please read this page for comment rules. HTML tags like <i> and <b> are permitted. Use paragraph breaks in long comments. DO NOT SIGN YOUR COMMENTS, either with a name or a slogan. If your comment does not appear immediately, DO NOT REPOST IT. Ignore these rules and I WILL KILL YOU WITH HAMMERS.


  • About

    Wings Over Scotland is a thing that exists.

    Stats: 6,931 Posts, 1,244,758 Comments

  • Recent Posts

  • Archives

  • Categories

  • Tags

  • Recent Comments

    • Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on Response Level Upgrade: “The grave issue raised here is way beyond any mundane account of high-profile independence proponents not getting on with each…Jun 14, 20:10
    • sam on Response Level Upgrade: “Well said, Dan. Let’s look at how little Ireland fares against the might of the UK as an example of…Jun 14, 20:03
    • Dan on Response Level Upgrade: “Well of course folk would think that if you listened to and gave any credence to Unionist and Devolutionist Scot’s…Jun 14, 19:21
    • Hatey McHateface on Response Level Upgrade: “It’s a straw man right enough. By remaining dogmatically determined that Scotland’s place is as an unimportant Brussels-administered colony on…Jun 14, 19:19
    • BigJay on Response Level Upgrade: “Usually, I can’t stand Euan McColm’s writings in the Scotsman. However, today he has written a decent article about how…Jun 14, 19:07
    • twathater on Response Level Upgrade: ““an independent, free, prosperous and peaceful Scotland remains out of reach.” Because accepting and embracing the denigration and derision handed…Jun 14, 18:00
    • Hatey McHateface on Response Level Upgrade: “It’s all so simplistic it reduces the topic to a joke. Far better to ask the respondents if they think…Jun 14, 17:52
    • Hatey McHateface on Response Level Upgrade: “Scots, Irish, Basque, Sami, Roma. But not the Jews, obvs. To your typical Scots semi-professional victim, keening by the fire,…Jun 14, 17:40
    • Hatey McHateface on Response Level Upgrade: “Confused and his Spanish galleons always raises a smile. The good people of the Americas; Aztecs, Maya, etc. begged the…Jun 14, 17:32
    • Hatey McHateface on Response Level Upgrade: “Truths stick in the memory. Turds stick in the U bend. Anybody ken hoo mony short planks equals a Du…Jun 14, 17:14
    • Northcode on Response Level Upgrade: ““Edward Said, however, confirmed that colonialism had already been long since directed at European races…” Thanks for that clarification. You…Jun 14, 17:13
    • Dan on Response Level Upgrade: “It’s all gone a bit Pete Tong hasn’t it… I was just looking at the “Voices for Independence” feed and…Jun 14, 17:09
    • Mark Beggan on Response Level Upgrade: “It started badly, it tailed off a little in the middle and the less said about the end the better,…Jun 14, 15:43
    • Alf Baird on Response Level Upgrade: ““With colonialism the victims were non-Europeans, but with fascism Europeans became the victims.” Crevel’s ‘Murderous Humanitarianism’ (1932) attacked colonialism, capitalism,…Jun 14, 15:22
    • Mark Beggan on Response Level Upgrade: “Nine out of ten cats said they prefer kittekat.Jun 14, 15:19
    • Young Lochinvar on Response Level Upgrade: “AX He’ll be (ahem) servicing the cell blocks “Mr Big” and giving the Lags tutorials on embezzling..Jun 14, 15:06
    • sam on Response Level Upgrade: “https://lordashcroftpolls.com/2026/06/will-they-win-how-will-the-civil-service-react-who-should-follow-farage-my-survey-of-reform-uk-members/ “Just under four in ten Reform UK members said they would describe someone who was from an ethnic minority,…Jun 14, 14:19
    • Confused on Response Level Upgrade: “whats new? the anglos started out as pirates, then … just stuck with it; harassed by the vikings they started…Jun 14, 13:32
    • Mark Beggan on Response Level Upgrade: “From the river to the sea It’ll be years till they’re free!Jun 14, 13:06
    • Mark Beggan on Response Level Upgrade: “Alfred the Great Northy. A leader to unite the kingdom against the Danish cross dressers. Scotland needs an Eliot Ness!…Jun 14, 12:55
    • Mark Beggan on Response Level Upgrade: “@Andthetoilette. Is this the new boyfriend Sam?Jun 14, 12:37
    • Mark Beggan on Response Level Upgrade: “Allocoprophagia!Jun 14, 12:30
    • Northcode on Response Level Upgrade: “It’s laughable… except it really isn’t. The BIG news story on the BBC today is ‘some commandos boarded an unarmed…Jun 14, 12:22
    • Captain Caveman on Response Level Upgrade: “Another day, another dollar – and another demented old lefty declaring yet another thing as “fascist”, misquoting and/or misappropriating the…Jun 14, 12:04
    • Mark Beggan on Response Level Upgrade: “@Sam As clear as dirty dish water.Jun 14, 12:01
    • Andouillette on Response Level Upgrade: “Easy. ‘Their’ refers to the Deform members he polled. A bit clumsy but makes sense in that context.Jun 14, 12:00
    • sam on Response Level Upgrade: “OK. Pay attention now. Two separate polls. One with Reform supporters asking their opinions on various matters. A second poll,…Jun 14, 11:59
    • Andouillette on Response Level Upgrade: “Bloody hell! That’s shocking. How to dress a load of mince up in fancy clothes if ever there was one.…Jun 14, 11:57
    • Northcode on Response Level Upgrade: “I haven’t read any of Du Bois, Alf. But I do remember reading – truths generally stick in the memory…Jun 14, 11:34
    • Mark Beggan on Response Level Upgrade: ““A separate survey of the general population allows us to compare their views with those of the general public.” Eh?!!…Jun 14, 11:18
  • A tall tale



↑ Top