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Duncan Vs. Reality

Posted on February 27, 2019 by

Lordy, is it that time again already?

Let’s leave aside the most toweringly and obviously cretinous aspect of that insanely illogical claim for a moment – namely, if the McCrone Report was such a smoking gun proving independence would be bad, why did the UK government suppress it for 30 years rather than sending a copy to every home in Scotland and shouting it from the rooftops every single day? – and just quickly look at what it actually said.

God, he’s right. Huge surpluses, lower prices, higher wages, regeneration of cities, a more stable economy less prone to boom and bust (not just for Scotland but for our neighbours and friends in the rest of the former UK too), full employment, better and cheaper housing, a much stronger voice in Europe. It sounds dreadful.

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  1. 27 02 19 17:56

    Duncan Vs. Reality | speymouth
    Ignored

593 to “Duncan Vs. Reality”

  1. dunks
    Ignored
    says:

    As my old Dad used to say, “Scotland, the only country in the world to discover oil and get poorer.” Says it all really.

  2. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    Whoever this guy is he’s a bit of an idiot!

    Recognise the name barely, no idea what he is. Blogger?

  3. sandy
    Ignored
    says:

    Get leaflets, A4, printed post haste, & put through every letterbox in Scotland. Hang the expense.

  4. Truth
    Ignored
    says:

    I think he meant to say bad for Brits.

    In all seriousness. Duncan is a fraud. Nothing could ever convince him of the merits of Scottish independence. It is a level of intellectual dishonesty that’s better left ignored.

    With Duncan, the best thing we can do is win independence. We can then see his reaction face and compare it to 2014. That alone will be worth it.

  5. Alison Brown
    Ignored
    says:

    Duncan is a feartie Britnat just giving his pathetic knee jerk reaction to anything that makes Scottish independence more likely. He deserves our pity.

  6. defo
    Ignored
    says:

    He’s always good for a laugh. (At, not with)
    Bullied at school?
    It’s your fault Stu, you’ve driven him mad with your ‘facts’ & logic.

  7. Capella
    Ignored
    says:

    …then he woke with a start. The media is blaring out BREXIT news non stop. Everything in Scotland is broken. The hospitals, the schools, the police, the trains, the government. All broken. Scotland is rubbish and the oil is running out.

    Westminster’s broad shoulders engulf us in their warm embrace.

  8. dakk
    Ignored
    says:

    The dopey knob obviously hasn’t been able to bring himself to even read the report.

    In denial,like all britnats are about their cheating,lying, warmongering ‘country’.

    Human filth I am again moved to say.

  9. blackhack
    Ignored
    says:

    Bit, Bit, We’re to poor and Stupid to run our own affairs….Aye Right!!!

  10. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    Is he a Tory councillor? Friend of Kevin H***e? Brain Spanner?

  11. Luigi
    Ignored
    says:

    Oh Dear, not a happy chappie. He is trying very hard to spin something pro-union out of this. Not sure what it is exactly, but he spins and spins away. I mean this must really hurt the poor fella. My heart bleeds. 🙂

    Sounds like he studied at the Jenny Marra Ministry of Truth. 🙂

  12. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    Duncan Hothersall – British nationalist gaslighter extraordinaire. He’s certainly done wonders in terms of re-imagining Stalinist totalitarianism.

  13. The Tree of Liberty
    Ignored
    says:

    That has to be one of the most ridiculous tweets, ever.

  14. Hugh
    Ignored
    says:

    Hothersall is a deluded arse, he equates Scotland going independent to his parents breaking up, one from England and one from Scotland.
    So no matter how golden Scotland’s future could be he will still trash it.
    I’m going to call him a name, the one he called me a few years ago. PRICK

  15. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    Ah! He’s a gaslighter! Is he employed by Rees-Mogg to light the oil street lights Rees-Mogg is taking us all back to? Or would they push him up chimneys to sweep them?

    I’m all agog.

  16. mogabee
    Ignored
    says:

    Duncan who?

    Is he someone of import? Thought not!

    Reading that McCrone report again has me in a terrible quandry. I mean, all that prosperity and who could we blame when it all goes ‘horribly’ wrong.

    Oh, you’d have thought that Dunkie Dogbiscuit would be encouraging Scots to be independently minded and take all those struggling due to Westminster cuts/austerity out of their misery.

    But Labour have no care for that, not one thinks that we could do things better.

    So fuck Labour and every receptacle they travel in…

  17. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    Family background plays a fundamental role in shaping personal psychology and, subsequently, an individual’s ability to interact with reality. Just saying.

  18. Hamish100
    Ignored
    says:

    Best people to govern Scotland Duncan? Rees hyphen Mogg, Corbyn, May, Johnson, Gove or ourselves?

  19. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    OT alrady
    MacCrone and The National got mentioned in the Herald, albeit in a different way, but it has the good quotes in the article:

    https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/17462813.mccrone-reacts-as-famous-scottish-independence-oil-report-published-in-newspaper/

  20. Peter Macbeastie
    Ignored
    says:

    Hothersall could spin his way around a corkscrew.

    I haven’t read the full report yet, I’ll get to it tonight. But I confidently predict what Hothersall is trying to portray it as won’t last more than a couple of minutes to anyone open minded about what they’re reading.

  21. Ian R Murray
    Ignored
    says:

    Does he think it is something in the Scottish DNA that gives him this belief?
    If Norway can do it why not Scotland, which has a wider range of resources

    Or is it because he sees everything through Labour goggles
    Because if they were in power, he might be right

  22. Robert Peffers
    Ignored
    says:

    @defo says: 27 February, 2019 at 4:53 pm:

    ” … It’s your fault Stu, you’ve driven him mad with your ‘facts’ & logic.”

    Yoons don’t do facts & logic , defo. If they did they wouldn’t be Yoons.

  23. Footsoldier
    Ignored
    says:

    4:48 pm sandy says:
    27 February, 2019 at

    “Get leaflets, A4, printed post haste, & put through every letterbox in Scotland. Hang the expense”.

    Could not agree more – now is the time to do this crowdfund if necessary. Leaflets, buses, bill hoarding. Home printing, deliver locally. Every Yes organisation get the message out nationally on every medium possible. Don’t leave it to the SNP as it needs to be done now not next year or some time in the future – lots of slogans but we need someone or some group to co-ordinate.

    The fact that neither the BBC or STV have chosen to mention it tells us all we need to know. The media will continue to suppress this, we know that, so let’s get moving.

  24. Ghillie
    Ignored
    says:

    One day, it the not too distant future, that remarkable attitude will the subject of Higher History questions.

  25. Macart
    Ignored
    says:

    Oh good grief! That tweet is a belter. 😀 LOLMAGEDDON

    I’d say most folk in Scotland could do with a bit of that ‘bad’ about now personally. I don’t think we could stand much more of the broad shouldered pooling and sharing thing.

  26. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    @Peter Macbeastie

    If The National is sold out, you can read the McCrone Report online and the paywall is down specially for it:

    https://www.thenational.scot/news/17461406.this-is-what-westminster-doesnt-want-you-to-read-the-mccrone-report-in-full/?ref=mr&lp=1

  27. SilverDarling
    Ignored
    says:

    What role does Duncan have any more? He moved from Edinburgh to the Borders so presumably, he is no longer active in the party in the same way. He did have a very high opinion of his role in BT and in Edinburgh Labour.

    I remember his grief when Kezia Dugdale resigned and then when she went into the jungle, it was as if she had personally betrayed him. I suppose Scottish people just always disappoint him, his own standards being so high…we must deserve everything we get.

  28. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    @Duncan Hothersall
    It’s your reactionary British nationalism that prevents you from respecting the spirit of international law, and supporting the principle of universal human rights. You are a danger to democracy in Scotland.

    What is the Right to Development?

    “The right to development is an inalienable human right by virtue of which every human person and all peoples are entitled to participate in, contribute to, and enjoy economic, social, cultural and political development, in which all human rights and fundamental freedoms can be fully realized.” (Article 1.1, Declaration on the Right to Development)

    “The human right to development also implies the full realization of the right of peoples to self-determination, which includes, subject to the relevant provisions of both International Covenants on Human Rights, the exercise of their inalienable right to full sovereignty over all their natural wealth and resources.” (Article 1.2)

    Sources for the Right to Development

    The right to development was proclaimed in the Declaration on the Right to Development, adopted in 1986 by the United Nations General Assembly (GA) in its resolution 41/128. This right is also recognized in the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the Arab Charter on Human Rights and re-affirmed in several instruments including the 1992 Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, the 1993 Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, the Millennium Declaration, the 2002 Monterrey Consensus, the 2005 World Summit Outcome Document and the 2007 Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

    Duty bearers for the Right to Development

    Under the Declaration, “States have the primary responsibility for the creation of national and international conditions favourable to the realization of the right to development” (Article 3). According to the high-level task force on the implementation of the right to development “the responsibility for the creation of this enabling environment encompasses three main levels: (a) States acting collectively in global and regional partnerships (second preambular paragraph and Article 3); (b) States acting individually as they adopt and implement policies that affect persons not strictly within their jurisdiction (Article 4); and [c] States acting individually as they formulate national development policies and programmes affecting persons within their jurisdiction (Article 2).”1

    http://www.un.org/en/events/righttodevelopment/pdf/rtd_at_a_glance.pdf

  29. Ghillie
    Ignored
    says:

    In the mean time I am looking forward to the waking of even more folk to the true potential of Scotland’s resources =)

    The McCrone Report was hiden from view. The oil wealth lied about.

    So how much more has been lied about and hidden from the people of Scotland?

    Independence will bring much to light 🙂

  30. Bill McGlen
    Ignored
    says:

    And still, they Peddle the lie, Duplicity Corruption And theft on a Grand scale Never seen before But hey, Westminster at It’s fines Chin chin old Chap 🙂

  31. HandandShrimp
    Ignored
    says:

    To be Labour is to lie (and hate Jews, allegedly).

  32. defo
    Ignored
    says:

    Robert. It’s not even a case of Duncy having to dig deep into McCrones report to get the gist of it, when GM is using adjectives like “chronic” and “embarrassing” (who?) when describing the potential surplus.

    Didn’t Healey admit to the cover up?

  33. Ghillie
    Ignored
    says:

    Peter Macbeastie and Yesindyref2

    If the National is selling out then maybe the National could reprint the McCrone Report again and again until it’s contents are wide and common knowledge 🙂

  34. Bob Mack
    Ignored
    says:

    Duncan is the master of semantics coupled with irrational thought.

    Hatred does that to people, sadly.

  35. Ghillie
    Ignored
    says:

    Cameron B Brodie @ 5.27 pm

    Really well said 🙂

    Interesting links! As usual =)

  36. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    Well, courtsey of Kevin Average:

    bit.ly/2Ozy8QK (hits paywall I’m afraid) – what oil means for the UK

    and an old one I found:

    http://archive.is/qvDbQ what is could have meant for Scotland

    Both from the unoinist Telegraph.

    Maybe that guy in the article should have read them.

  37. Robert J. Sutherland
    Ignored
    says:

    After that tweet, I have serious concerns over Dunc’s mental wellbeing.

    That goes well beyond Goebbels’ Big Lie, it’s a serious disconnect from reality.

    It sounds like he’s been locked away for way too long with only old NorthBritLab flyers for reading/company. That could dislocate anyone, I should think.

    Has anyone checked with him lately…?

  38. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    @Ghillie
    Perhaps they could creat a wee colour supplement with the Report, and pictures of the current state of Scotland’s oil, rigs, maps an’ that. plus a screenshot of the current Brent Crude price, and do that for a week / month 🙂

  39. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    Ghillie
    It would be a Herculean task to re-edumicate that one but hope springs eternal. 😉

  40. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    @RJS “It sounds like he’s been locked away for way too long with only old NorthBritLab flyers for reading/company.

    or

    “It sounds like he’s been locked away for way too long with only Kevin Average, Jenny Marra and David Mundell for company.”

  41. Fairliered
    Ignored
    says:

    Thanks Stuart. It’s a while since we have had a Bothersall thread to live us a laugh.

  42. Socrates MacSporran
    Ignored
    says:

    Just think, Dunky Dugbiscuit wasn’t even stupid enough to make it onto the Slab benches at Holyrood.

    This demonstrates just how thick the likes of Jenny Marra, James Kelly, Ian Gray and, of course, their esteemed leader, Wee Dick Leonard must be.

  43. Robert J. Sutherland
    Ignored
    says:

    Interesting to note that The National today fingers the late Frank McElhone, Under-Secretary of State “for” Scotland in the then Labour UKGov, as the instigator of suppression, having left his insidious handwritten recommendation on the margins.

    Back then, recently with Smith, and today with Dunc(e), not a thing has changed. You can absolutely rely on NorthBritLab to stab Scotland in the back.

    Political quack doctors intent on keeping themselves in business by keeping their patient sick.

    Well, we have broken free of that vile dependency culture now.

    Dunc(e) has become merely a laughing-stock. Puir sowel.

  44. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    Even the BBC way back was a bit of a different animal to the current shower of apocalyptic Brit-Borgs, at least on its website, though articles get to the website that never appear on the news:

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4303750.stm

  45. Simon Curran
    Ignored
    says:

    Scotland – could have had massive Sovereign Wealth fund instead got massive share of UK debt. Not sure I’m following Duncan’s logic there.

  46. Geoff Huijer
    Ignored
    says:

    Poor wee Duncan is a walking stereotype of a full-on British Nationalist; myopic, bitter, resentful and full of self importance and entitlement at the same time.

    He is a great example of what people should aspire to not being.

  47. Oor Steve
    Ignored
    says:

    Nice to see Duncan use a bit of his logic and let us know what his sensory function actually consists of. Looks like it starts with a result and then he works back from that, trying to convince himself that his thought processes are correct, even though he deliberately misinterprets the facts. Cognitive dissonance is such a burden. I hope he gets some help!

  48. Robert Louis
    Ignored
    says:

    I do find Hothersall and his british Nationalist ilk quite odd. It is clear that what he has written is demonstrably untrue, yet still he argues the case. It is a very strange thing, almost like he has become very blinkered in his thoughts to the extent, that even when faced with hard,cold facts, he derives an opposite meaning from them.

    This seems to be the case with many/most unionists, an inability to accept reality. Sometimes I do wonder when I see unionists and british nationalists state complete falsehoods about Scottish independence, do they actually know the truth, or does their brain truly distort anything to meaning independence is bad. It is a very odd thing.

    I think independence would be good for Scotland, but in the run up to indyref in 2014, I decided to read some anti independence comment and websites, to truly challenge my understanding. Since I criticised unionists for not accepting reality, I wanted to know, was I just as blinkered. I genuinely read unionist brochures and info, with as open a mind as possible, really analyzing what they said. What I found was that the minute I started checking almost ANY unionist claim or assertion, I found it not be true, or certainly a clear distortion of actual facts (which I by myself checked via several, not necessarily pro indy sources).

    Honestly, having done that and realising the unionist claims are just baloney, I genuinely cannot fathom why some people, despite being given hard facts, still carry on thinking it is all just ‘made up’ by some ‘nasty nationalists.

    It takes a certain special kind of Scotland-hating delusion to believe that a small country like Scotland did better by giving its oil away to England instead of having the revenues to invest itself. Their is even a clear example, Norway discovered oil around the same time, similar population, yet now Norway is one of the wealthiest countries in the world. They didn’t give their oil revenue to England.

    Today the oil wealth os worth trillions, with their oil fund owning large chunks of the highest value property in central london, and around the world.

    In central London alone, these are just some of their investment portfolio;

    2 King Edward Street, London, United Kingdom
    355-361 Oxford Street, London W1, United Kingdom
    73-89 Oxford Street, London, United Kingdom
    Queensberry House, 2-9 Old Burlington Street, London, United Kingdom
    Sixty London, 60 Holborn Viaduct, London, United Kingdom
    West One Shopping Centre and 75 Davies Street, London W1, United Kingdom

    And that is just a tiny, tiny sample of their investments, with massive holding all over the world, including some prime properties in central Manhatten.

    Here is the live link to the Norwegian oil fund

    https://www.nbim.no/en/

    Oh, and the real killer, Norway’s oil reserves are smaller than those of Scotland. Yet unionists still happily wave away all that wealth from Scotland. It is very odd.

  49. Scot Finlayson
    Ignored
    says:

    Duncan to Dugdale on the Waterfront,

    You was my leader,Kezzie, you shoulda looked out for me a little bit.

    You shoulda taken care of me just a little bit so I wouldn’t have to talk so much crap for the short-end money.

    You don’t understand. I coulda had class.

    I coulda been a contender.

    I coulda been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am, let’s face it. It was you, Kezzie.

  50. Robert Louis
    Ignored
    says:

    Just want to correct my last post. Scotland of course, did not give its oil away to England. England stole the oil, lied about its true value to make it seem worthless, and then called Scots ‘subsidy junkies’.

  51. Marie Clark
    Ignored
    says:

    Oh dear, poor wee Dunkie, more to be pitied than laughed at.

    Where in the name of goodness does the accounting unit find these eejits?

  52. Petra
    Ignored
    says:

    And just to send Mr Hothersall right over the top does anyone have the link to the recent article posted on here by Stu that outlined that our oil revenue will protect the whole of the UK (England) from the worst affects of Brexit. Posted by Stu. Written by some journalist or other … Chrichton? If you do have access to it could you post it on here. Thanks.

  53. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    re. cognitive dissonance. This is what the BBC in Scotland aims to create in the minds of those living in Scotland.

    An introduction to cognitive dissonance theory and an overview of current perspectives on the theory

    Abstract
    A little more than 40 years ago, Leon Festinger published A Theory of Cognitive Dissonance (1957). Festinger’s theory of cognitive dissonance has been one of the most influential theories in social psychology. It has generated hundreds and hundreds of studies, from which much has been learned about the determinants of attitudes and beliefs, the internalization of values, the consequences of decisions, the effects of disagreement among persons, and other important psychological processes.

    This chapter presents an introduction to cognitive dissonance theory, followed by an overview of current perspectives and research on the theory. Topics discussed include: research paradigms in dissonance research (free-choice paradigm, belief-disconfirmation paradigm, effort-justification paradigm, induced-compliance paradigm); and alternative accounts of dissonance phenomena (alternatives to dissonance theory, revisions of dissonance theory). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)

    https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232494818_An_introduction_to_cognitive_dissonance_theory_and_an_overview_of_current_perspectives_on_the_theory

    Cognitive Dissonance Theory: Collective Actions and Individual Reactions
    https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4612-4634-3_3

    A Theory of Predictive Dissonance: Predictive Processing Presents a New Take on Cognitive Dissonance
    https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02218/full

  54. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    So basically speaking, page 7 of

    https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/740258/Statistics_of_government_revenues_from_UK_oil_and_gas_production__Sept_2018_.pdf

    MacCrone and his buddies stole a large portion of £180 billion in cash terms, but more like £300 – £400 billion in real terms at today’s prices, from 1975 to the present. It would need some sort of time series.

    The current production of oil is way over 90% in Scottish waters, but don’t forget in early days the proprotion was less as the fields straddled the median line.

    As for that median line, a strict cost accounting would ahve to take account of the “proper” medial line, not the 6,000 miles of stolen seas border line sneaked in in 1998.

    Now, doing a historical share of debt since 1975, our per capita share of £1.8 trillion would be around £150 billion, so offset, say £240 billion and we would take on a share of debt of, oh wait a minute, we would be owed £60 billion.

    This would be a relatively simple taks for a big 4 or 5 accouuntancy to do, probably jsut £1 or 2 Million. Me and the boys and girls will do it for a cool quarter mill 🙂

    On the other hand, the SNP ahd already done that backwards accounting before Indy Ref 1, so might not need the services of yesindyref2 and sons and daughters. Damn.

    Damn again, I forgot about interest ot be paid in that amount, plus interest charged on a non-existent deficit.

    Just give us £150 billion and we’ll call it quits (plus a share of the other assets of course).

    And some arseholes think we’ll be struggling with a deficit? No chance.

  55. Ian Brotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    Would anyone bet against Dunc being a spook? He certainly behaves like one. (Not a very good one mibbe, but that’s not the point…)

  56. Padoir
    Ignored
    says:

    I agree with Sandy. This needs to be printed and put through as many doors as possible. It’s staggering hours many people still haven’t even heard of the McCrone report. Even taking the eye – watering figures aside, it shows we’ve been lied to for years and the truth deliberately withheld from us.

  57. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    Ian Brotherhood
    Nah he’s simply a delusional fannybawz.

  58. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    “we would be owed £60 billion”

    Flaming £90 billion, not 60.

  59. Patrick Roden
    Ignored
    says:

    Duncan making this extraordinary illogical leap of faith, should not surprise anyone.

    How can a Unionist continue to believe in the UK when they discover that it is genuinely bad for Scotland or that Scotland would be far better of both financially as well as building a society that reflects Scottish peoples way of seeing the world?

    They can either start supporting self determination for Scotland.

    Or, they can pretend that what they are seeing before their very eyes isn’t true, as Duncan is doing, and therefore they can continue to cling to belief in the stinking cesspit of corruption and cruel treatment of the weakest citizens that is the UK.

    Duncan they are killing the weakest in our society, they are doing so while giving huge tax cuts to the richest in our society, don’t you think we can do better than this in Scotland?

    No! as a socialist I believe we must have solidarity between those dying in Dundee and those dying in Durham (or whatever other clever soundbite) allows me to turn a blind eye to reality.

    This is the reality of who Duncan Hothersall is. An odious little maggot who has done well out of his position in Labour, and who only wants to see one kind of change in Scotland… that which would give more power to the Blairite wing of Labour, thereby giving him the chance to yet again start climbing up the greasy pole while sticking his snout in the trough, as Labour consider is their right in Scotland.

  60. Footsoldier
    Ignored
    says:

    I do hope John Swinney is fully briefed on the McCrone report for tonight’s Debate show on channel 9 including McCrone’s latest response and this article https://bellacaledonia.org.uk/2019/02/27/a-positive-vision-for-scotland/

    If the question is not raised Swinney should introduce it. Tell Twitter and Facebook if you are on it which I am not.

  61. Abulhaq
    Ignored
    says:

    Duncan Hothersall ?@dhothersall
    Moved to the Borders after years in Edinburgh. Gay husband. Small businessman. Labour centrist. Pro-EU and pro-UK. Editor of @labourhame. Used to win elections!!!
    Why the Borders? Convenient for a quick getaway perhaps?

  62. Iain mhor
    Ignored
    says:

    I have a confession
    Though I’ve been around Wings, what, 6 or 7 years now, I have no idea who Duncan Hothersall is. I always assumed he was just “some arsehole” and/or a pet troll to ridicule, but I wasn’t getting the in-joke – but I never bothered to enlighten myself.
    So I actually for the first time decided to do a search…
    Yup, just “some arsehole” I’m assuming there is a reason for the talking head’s column inches and why his opinion is of great import, but it escapes me.

  63. Mad Unionist
    Ignored
    says:

    It is British Oil and you have a large proportion of spongers. Voting for independence does not mean that RUk can be stripped of its share.

  64. fillofficer
    Ignored
    says:

    is borders dunc now fluffys’ fluffer, i wonder

  65. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    The clue is in the phrase “Continental shelf”, and “Exclusive Economic Zone”

    https://stats.oecd.org/glossary/detail.asp?ID=884

    Definition:
    An Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is a concept adopted at the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea (1982), whereby a coastal State assumes jurisdiction over the exploration and exploitation of marine resources in its adjacent section of the continental shelf, taken to be a band extending 200 miles from the shore.

    Context:
    The Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) comprises an area which extends either from the coast, or in federal systems from the seaward boundaries of the constituent states (3 to 12 nautical miles, in most cases) to 200 nautical miles (370 kilometres) off the coast. Within this area, nations claim and exercise sovereign rights and exclusive fishery management authority over all fish and all Continental Shelf fishery resources. (Review of Fisheries in OECD Countries: Glossary, February 1998).

    Mad indeed 🙂

  66. Old Pete
    Ignored
    says:

    Mad unionist? Well can’t disagree, must be mad to be a unionist:)

  67. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    Ah, RIGHT“. That explains this which puzzled me in the McCrone report:

    Can one be certain that the oil is without doubt a Scottish asset or, even if it is, that these substantial revenues and balance of payments advantages would indeed accrue to an independent Scotland? Clearly these questions raise complicated issues in international law . . .

    McCrone in 1975 was before UNCLOS The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) in 1982 (the UK is signed and ratified and even quoted it very recently). I wondered what McCrone was on about, now I know. As he says, things have changed since then. Indeed they have, it really is our oil, unchallengeably 🙂

  68. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    Which raises another interesting question. If the Devo Ref in 1979 hadn’t been rigged to a 40% of electorate in spite of 51.4% voting YES to Devo, and Indy looking dead in the water with just 2 SNP MPs elected back to Westminster, wouldl the UK have singed UNCLOS in 1982 without alterations to protect its interests in the case of separation / dissolution / secession?

    I kind of doubt it.

  69. Tinto Chiel
    Ignored
    says:

    Old Horsefeathers’ delusional stuff reminds me of when a dalek’s computer system couldn’t process one of the Doctor’s logical propositions and its head would simply explode.

    Or another analogy, for older readers:

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBAijg5Betw

    It’s incredible that Britnats continue to argue black is white.

  70. ElGordo
    Ignored
    says:

    Hows about a WOS crowd funded Wee Black Gold Green Book containing the facts on:
    1. McCrone Report
    2. Norway Revenues, Sovereign Wealth Fund Comparison
    3. Norway investment industrial growth comparison, shipbuilding, services
    4. Latest Explorations\Discoveries & Potential – Atlantic, Clair Ridge, West coast etc
    5. Scotland Renewables, Projects (tidal, hydro, wind, current turbine) and potential

    As a forerunner to the all new indyref2 Big Blue Book.

    Just to get things going as everyone is a bit frustrated at all the waiting around just now and feels the need to do something.

    Could be done as an addition to the annual WOS fund raiser.

    Separate crowd funder running in parallel.

  71. Effijy
    Ignored
    says:

    Pedigree Chump must be on Ketamine !

    With his logic opposite to reality, he will be struck
    By a bus the next time he crosses the road.

    Hope the bus will be alright as we have no shortage
    Of barking mad buffoons !

  72. Hamish100
    Ignored
    says:

    Mad Unionist says:
    27 February, 2019 at 6:40 pm
    It is British Oil and you have a large proportion of spongers. Voting for independence does not mean that RUk can be stripped of its share.

    Not all Unionists are mad but they are arrogant and greedy

  73. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    @ElGordo
    Must include UNCLOS 1982 and its significance.

  74. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    Some Unionists are mad as a box of frogs, and some aren’t, but ALL UK Governments have been as slimy and sneaky as a box of snakes.

  75. Jimmy
    Ignored
    says:

    Old Snoters’nall never ceases to amaze.

  76. Iain 2
    Ignored
    says:

    Poor old Scotland cursed with all this oil and apparently we have the same amount in Scottish waters as has been pumped out so far.
    We had better let our southern neighbours run our affairs as we are too poor and stupid.

  77. cynicalHighlander
    Ignored
    says:

    Abulhaq says:
    27 February, 2019 at 6:36 pm

    Duncan Hothersall ?@dhothersall
    Editor of @labourhame. Used to win elections!!!
    Why the Borders?

    Tory homeland so Red Tory goes amongst his friends, same arse different cheek.

  78. Thepnr
    Ignored
    says:

    O/T but worth pointing out. Labour are supporting the SNP amendment that calls for the UK not to leave the EU without a deal under any circumstances.

    A bit of a turn up as Labour usually abstain on SNP amendments. Result expected in the next 10 mins and might be interesting.

  79. Petra
    Ignored
    says:

    We”ll have some BritNats tell us, “oh well that was then. There is nothing like that now.”

    We have to remind them (and others) that OUR oil is still a major asset to the Scottish economy.

    The name that I was searching for earlier was “Critchlow.” He states on Twitter, last November 2018, that, “North Sea oil is Britain’s thin read line against a hard Brexit.” Includes his full article.

    https://mobile.twitter.com/baldersdale/status/1060793317078847488?lang=en

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Critchlow

  80. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    One for MSP Jenny Marra. She could perhaps pass it on to Duncy when she has familiarised herself with it’s content.

    Developing the ‘Ethical Competence’ of Public Officials –
    A Capacity-building Approach

    https://www.oecd.org/cleangovbiz/Integrity-Forum-16-Howard-Whitton.pdf

  81. Cag-does-thinking
    Ignored
    says:

    Not emntirely removed from the topic of suppression of good news, I should draw the attention of my fellow wingers to a little known or reported development in the world of radio.

    As we all know we are blessed with much print and television media to tell us all about the world through the shortbread channel run from London but in the meantime in the world of radio gradually two major grops have gobbled up all of the radio stations in the mainland UK which used to be referred to as “local radio”.

    These are Bauer (huge players in Scotland as they have Radios Clyde, Forth, Northsound, radio Borders and Westsound or West FM as it is these days) of which more anon and Global who’s brands in Scotland are best known as Capital, Smooth and Heart as well as Classic FM. Gradually both big groups have consolidated their operations to an alarming degree. Hear a song on CLyde and you’re actually hearing the same song nationwide, on Forth, Clyde West etc through the wonders of technology we have but one playlist and ultimately one DJ across several stations.

    Now Global have indicated their intention to rebrand themselves more as “National” stations competing (they think) with the BBC so they have been given the blessing of the radio authority who regulate such things to quietly rip up commitments to local content so we will lose the local presenters on Capital and Smooth and Heart and they’ll be replaced for instance by a network breakfast show from London and the stations will be allowed to play network content for 21 hours a day, except bizarrely in Wales where due to local language content requirements they will have to have more local programmes than they will here in Scotland.

    Bauer already have a networked national station in their portfolio Absolute, the former Virgin brnaded station and there is no suggestion that they would consolidate similarly although the rules are changed for them too and they could run a network that was London based to replace our “Scottish” radio programming at any point of their choosing subject to the sop of three hours of local content. This could leave Scotland with just three Scottish radio presenters on the Bauer network which is a frightening prospect. (source Radio Today)

  82. Jack collatin
    Ignored
    says:

    The trend is well established now.
    The Brit Nat strategy is just to lie in print, in the secure knowledge that our MSM will let them get away with it.
    The nonsense tonight on distorting Scotland that by repairing the Forties pipeline will secure its use into the middle of the Century is good news for Brexit because it will create all these loverly jobs sums up the madness and boneheadedness of the Jackie Birds and Glenn Campbells of the Scotia Propaganda wing of the Brit Iron Heel Oligarchy.
    We are to lose 100,000 jobs yet BBC Pacific Quay broadcast this junk.
    We voted Remain, but does BBC Pacific Quay reflect this?
    Not a bit of it.
    Give us your money and shut the fuck up, is their USP?
    We go for their throats every time they lie.
    I don’t know who Douglas Hothersal is but I know what he is.
    An enemy of the people of Scotland.
    How anyone can read McCrone and come up with this drivel is evil on stilts.

  83. Robert Peffers
    Ignored
    says:

    Here’s another wee reminder that some of us have been telling the true story for a very long time. This man should have had far bigger audiences than he ever got. We all owe John a great debt:_

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG8uLTaicIY

  84. Petra
    Ignored
    says:

    @ ElGordo at 7:04pm ……..”Two crowdfunders.”

    I’m up for that ElGordo and we should include the Critchlow article, IMO. If we sent out the oil, etc, book now … soon …. it would give people time to mull over the data before being hit with even more facts. Stu would just have to outline how much, minimum, he wants to raise in each crowdfunder and no matter what, how high, he’ll get it. That’s if he’s willing to do it. Pretty please Stu X

    ……………..

    @ Cag-does-thinking at 7:32pm ….. “Radio takeover.”

    Thanks for the info CDT. This site is a wealth of information.

  85. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    ‘Scotland subsidising rest of UK’ October 2010
    by World Renowned Economist Andrew Hughes Hallett

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbUZkKD-jrY

  86. john boy
    Ignored
    says:

    The SNP are what is known as “mixin it” with their calls for a 2nd EU vote.

    SNP MPs want independence as much as you and I. They know a No Deal Brexit will guarantee that.

    All other ideas and options put forward by the SNP can be taken with a pinch of salt.

  87. inkypic
    Ignored
    says:

    Maybe Question Time could table the McCrone Report & we could watch the balanced debate.

  88. ScottieDog
    Ignored
    says:

    Marra and hotherstall can make these outrageous claims becase they know the press have their back.

  89. Liz g
    Ignored
    says:

    Petra @ 7.54
    If Stu doesn’t think it’s possible to do!
    Then we could always petition the National to include a wee supplement in the main paper reprinting it.
    To do it in the final week’s of the Campaign and to print extra copies,then we (the Yes Campaign) could buy and distribute while we are out and about campaigning.
    It’s my understanding that it’s in the final week’s that those who don’t normally bother with politics look for information.
    If this would be against the rules (purda) then it could be done earlier as a push for voter registration?

  90. Meg merrilees
    Ignored
    says:

    The SNP amendment which was trying to rule out a ‘No deal’ at any cost has been defeated.
    – shafted by abstainers.

    For the want of 19 votes which would have ascertained the relative safety of the entire UK, 5 conservatives and 11 Labour MP’s have abstained. All credit to Ken Clarke who voted against his party and the WM Government to support the horrendous SNP which Mundell and others have been accusing of deliberately wrecking Brexit for their own ends. In fact Mundell advised us to get behind cancelling a ‘No deal’

    So do we know how the the Scottish Tories voted on this. If they voted it down then they are voting against Scotland and against this amendment.
    The SNP amendment (k) which insisted the UK should not leave the EU in any circumstances without a deal “regardless of any exit date” was defeated by 324 votes to 288.

    Conservative MP Ken Clarke voted against the government in favour of this amendment preventing no-deal.

    Seven Labour MPs rebelled and voted against the amendment; Kevin Barron, Jim Fitzpatrick, Caroline Flint, Stephen Hepburn, Kate Hoey, John Mann and Graham Stringer.

    Five Conservative MPs abstained from the vote; Guto Bebb, Justine Greening, Dominic Grieve, Sam Gyimah and Phillip Lee.

    Eleven Labour MPs also abstained from the vote.

  91. Sharny Dubs
    Ignored
    says:

    Went to the corner shop as usual to pick up (today only folks!) my two copies of the National and they had sold out. My drinking hole was suitably disappointed, they should do a re print.

    As for Dunc! Obvious strategy, say black is white and out of those who are too lazy to read you will surely get a percentage who will ether doubt or conclusion that there really is nothing to it. Every little helps, drip drip, or do I smell panic?

  92. SilverDarling
    Ignored
    says:

    @Cag-does-thinking

    Is this the media version of stamping a Union Jack on everything?

    The voices of the constituent countries of the UK are being eradicated in every way possible. It does seem as if there is a centralised campaign to eliminate anything resembling even regional identity in every way possible.

    We cannot criticize Churchill. We are told Cumberland should be commemorated with a street over the graves of those he killed. Hothersall is telling us wealth from our own resources would have been terrible. Unionists of every flavour are telling us we cannot possibly do a better job than the shitstorm being performed by Theresa May so we must stay with them no matter what. We are being fed a diet of British Imperialism day and night and in Westminster, they are simply arguing about who will dispense it.

    You WILL be ‘British. It is almost like a version of Mao’s Cultural Revolution with the ensuing economic disaster and cultural erosion that brought.

  93. Republicofscotland
    Ignored
    says:

    Christ Hothersall’s kind go on about the 300 odd old year union, and that’s why we should remain in it. The 45 year old McCrone Report is unveiled as British chicanary, and he’s bitching about why bring up the past.

    That’s unionist mentality for you.

    Meanwhile both unionist news channels, the BBC and STV news carried and gave plenty of airtime to the INEOS story on the day the McCrone report was published in full in the only newspaper that backs independence. Coincidence?

  94. Abulhaq
    Ignored
    says:

    the time for the great Scots walk-out from Westminster comes closer. May it be sooner than soon. We’ve all had quite ENOUGH! La commedia è finita!

  95. ronnie anderson
    Ignored
    says:

    Fek saky that Oils ah plague on all or houses ah wisht the plague of Locusts hurries up cause we’ll need aw that nutrition cum brexit.

    Ah hear there tasty deep fried .

  96. Legerwood
    Ignored
    says:

    Petra says:
    27 February, 2019 at 7:28 pm
    We”ll have some BritNats tell us, “oh well that was then. There is nothing like that now.”

    ………..

    Ah but Reporting Scotland tonight let the cat out of the bag when reporting the Ineos story. The upgraded pipeline will be operational until the middle of this century.

    I am sure that has come as a surprise to those who thought, based on previous reports, that the oil was going to run out next year.

    Also an admission from one of the oil industry reps that new fields opening up would keep the oil flowing.

    See give them enough rope and they hang themselves.

  97. Albert Herring
    Ignored
    says:

    @yesindyref2

    The UK would defo have singed UNCLOS, rather than signing it!

  98. scunner
    Ignored
    says:

    “It’s British Oil”

    I had to bite my tongue pre-Christmas as a work colleague “explained” Brexit to a couple of departing foreign colleagues. He somehow ended up soapboxing it about 2014, doing a round of Yoon Bingo with all the usual cliches (nae currency etc.).

    The Oil one was a classic. As the UK had invested all this money over the past few decades it was theirs, perversely at the same time belonging to the Oil companies who’d paid Westmister for the rights or somesuch.
    The guy was ex-army so a lost cause. I’m still angry at the ignorant prick filling these interested colleagues’ heads with a slew of pure keech.

    I’ve always regarded Hothersall as a contrarian of the 1st order. He’ll talk himself into a corner but come out of it having convinced himself it’s all your fault, make comments with double meanings but when called out whine that’s not what the actual words say. Always tries to be oh-so-clever and get the last word in too – basically a royal pain in the arse.

    He’s by no means my most disliked of the ultra yoons, that would be reserved for Jeremy Chilcott and his infuriating habit of barging into Twitter timelines with a “Lol” and a link to some bullshit graph, Better Together blog or Right-Wing thinktank article, all designed to demonstrate that Independence-minded folk are economically illiterate scroungers while Unionists are our intellectual superiors.

    For an example of his recent nonsense you only need to look at The National’s McCrone Report tweet of yesterday. Over and over answering positive comments with a double-barrel of bullshit graph and link to Better Together video from 2014.

    These and more just grind my gears – I just can’t fathom the (closed) mindset of the vocal Unionist.

  99. PacMan
    Ignored
    says:

    Had watched the INEOS clip on STV earlier on.

    Not sure if I had picked it up incorrectly but part of the near £1 Billion investment was to the North Sea oilfield pipeline infrastructure to extends its lifetime for another 20 or so years. I did a quick google and surprisingly the BBC has news that confirms this.

    So much for the oil running out LOL.

  100. Mad Unionist
    Ignored
    says:

    The British taxpayer has paid billions in tax towards exploration therefore the British own the oil not Scotland.

  101. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    British nationalism is intrinsically bound up with Tory ideology and philosophy. Undoing Britain will cause irrepressible harm to the Tory psyche and the integrity of the party. So why does British Labour not support Scottish independence, if not out of an ideological commitment to blood-and-soil British nationalism? They do support the racist, apartheid, state of Israel.

    “Scotland has been shafted . . . ” Ian Hamilton QC
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9lYu1Vv1M0

  102. defo
    Ignored
    says:

    Maybe i’m being para, but did the National sell out tout de suite today where you are?
    I was in McColls, the Co-op and Tesco, and not a copy to be seen anywhere.
    Our enemies were warned well in advance what was coming, and even the hard of thinking, such as DH, really know the McCrone stuff is dynamite…

  103. cynicalHighlander
    Ignored
    says:

    Hey according to DH it was not hidden at all, the guy is nuts to the nth degree!

  104. sandy
    Ignored
    says:

    Robert P. @ 7.42 pm

    My sentiments entirely. A great loss to the cause.
    .

  105. Adrian B
    Ignored
    says:

    It was Labour that gave the oil away according to the late John Jappy, who was a Civil Servant in London at the time.

    http://www.thescottishstandard.scot/independence/john-jappy-scotland-s-oil

  106. Clootie
    Ignored
    says:

    I’ll go with the first post of this thread – Duncs dad nailed it’

  107. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    What do you call someone who professes to understand stuff they clear don’t. A self-identifying eejit! That’s Duncy, that is.

    Postmodernism, Ideology and Rationality
    https://www.cairn.info/revue-internationale-de-philosophie-2010-1-page-79.htm

    Foucault, Gramsci and Critical Theory – Remarks on their Relationship
    http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/cperc/docs/CR-Demirovic-Foucault.pdf

    Educating Reason: Critical Thinking, Informal logic, and the Philosophy of Education
    Part Two: Philosophical Questions Underlying Education for Critical Thinking

    https://ojs.uwindsor.ca/index.php/informal_logic/article/download/2706/2147/0

  108. stewartb
    Ignored
    says:

    Following up on the oil theme of tonight’s thread.

    The trade body Oil & Gas UK commented today on the Ineos investment: “Investment of this scale in the Forties pipeline system is a vote of confidence in the future potential of the UK North Sea. The rejuvenation of this critical infrastructure, embedded at the heart of industry for nearly 40 years, strengthens our aim to add another generation of productive life to the basin outlined in Vision 2035.”

    It adds: “The modernisation programme will provide operators with a greater degree of certainty when making investment decisions about the future development plans for their assets.”

    Remember, in this context ‘North Sea’ is likely to mean just that, not including the future development potential located in the East Atlantic Margin basins. That’s another (good) story.

    And also from Oil & Gas UK: “Oil & Gas UK today (Monday, February 25) welcomed the news that that RockRose Energy has acquired Marathon Oil’s UK business in a £107million deal.”

    “This news is a further signal of confidence in the industry – new entrants bring fresh ambition for investment, reinvigorating activity in existing fields and pursuing new opportunities.”

    And on the same investment: “As our Economic Report showed, reduced costs, competitive fiscal terms, improved operational performance and more stable oil and gas prices have generated improved investment conditions. RockRose Energy’s acquisition shows the potential they see for growth, .…”

    Finally on 25 February, the industry body reported this: “The 2017 EITI (UK Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative) report shows that extractive industries added £22 billion in value to the UK economy, the vast proportion of which was delivered by the activities of the UK’s oil and gas industry. Even during the depth of the downturn, the report found that industry contributed £847 million in direct taxes to the Exchequer, adding to the £350 billion (in today’s money) already contributed over the last five decades.”

    Source for all of the above: https://oilandgasuk.co.uk/index/

  109. ScottieDog
    Ignored
    says:

    @scunner
    I blocked the chilcot (Thomas the tank engine) avatar one ages ago.
    Don’t waste time on trolls like that.

    I would have reminded your army colleague that in terms of international law it is not British oil and that the benefits of that oil went Into tax havens rather than to benefit citizens in Devon or Dundee.

    You could also have reminded him that the U.K. treasury are welcome to fund the decommissioning of the oil platforms in order to meet our climate objectives.

    You could also ask what REAL assets rUK has brought to the table?

    There is so much more that can be thrown at these clowns

  110. SilverDarling
    Ignored
    says:

    OT

    Mundell in contortions as to why he could not support the SNP amendment tonight. His explanation of what the SNP are REALLY doing is quite something.

    https://twitter.com/ITVBorderRB/status/1100857222177775616

  111. john boy
    Ignored
    says:

    This is were your licence fee goes, if you still pay it.

    BBC 4,,,

    England (wummin) 0
    Brazil (wummin) 1

    Latest…

    Or you could tune into Five Live and listen to commentary on a game of football (England only).

    The Great British TV licence fee. Where you are kept right up to date with all things English.

  112. Annalise
    Ignored
    says:

    Good evening to all.
    I just wanted to let you know that I bought the very last National this afternoon in North Berwick. At Tesco. I would have bought all remaining copies if necessary in order to redistribute, but, honestly, I bought the very last one at about 4 pm. From a very long time lurker, who has never posted anything before but who appreciates everything I learn from all of you.

  113. Lenny Hartley
    Ignored
    says:

    Defo, re National at my first port of call none left at 10:00 am, next shop two left, there normally plently left when i go in after walking the dug at lunchtime in both shops. I dont necessary think it was soft no’s or undecided buying them as first shop
    I was in said it it was the normal purchasers taking two or three copies, hopefully to pass them onto undecideds.

  114. defo
    Ignored
    says:

    Mad bastard.
    The oil co’s pay for infrastructure, exploration, and extraction rights ya dobber.

  115. Robert Peffers
    Ignored
    says:

    @Mad Unionist says: 27 February, 2019 at 9:06 pm:

    ” … The British taxpayer has paid billions in tax towards exploration therefore the British own the oil not Scotland.”

    Yes and everyone knows that those Scots don’t pay any tax as Scotland is not part of the United Kingdom, even if the Scottish per capita GDP is normally higher than that of any other United Kingdom country.

    Not only that but the Scottish taxpayers don’t contribute to the English taxpayers money that makes up the Scottish block grant from the United Kingdom or a meringue?

  116. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    @Albert Herring
    Yes, I noticed that after I’d posted it. Very appropriate!

  117. defo
    Ignored
    says:

    Ta Lenny. Let’s hope the message went far and wide.

  118. Dr Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    What is this country of Britain they all speak of, show me a British flag, there’s a Scottish flag a Welsh flag an Irish flag and an English flag, so what does this British flag look like I’ve never seen one, because as none of the thick British Nationalists seem to understand the Union flag is a political construct just in exactly the same way as the European Union flag is, so how can you call Britain a country when it has no flag to represent it

  119. Robert Peffers
    Ignored
    says:

    @SilverDarling says: 27 February, 2019 at 9:43 pm:

    ” … Mundell in contortions as to why he could not support the SNP amendment tonight.

    I get the distinct impression Mundell is very, very close to a mental breakdown. His every move gives the impression he is living on the very edge.

  120. Dr Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    If Catalonians hadn’t existed we wouldn’t have had to bludgeon them says Rajoy…..Paraphrasing more or less a little bit

  121. Golfnut
    Ignored
    says:

    The British taxpayer has paid not one penny towards exploration costs, if you want to find out the true story of how the oil industry was financed I suggest you visit the old HQ of the Bank of Scotland at the top of the Mound in Edinburgh. The full story is there.

  122. Craig P
    Ignored
    says:

    When Davie Hutchison discovered the McCrone report it was a like a mine being detonated under my reluctant support of the union. I’d previously supported independence but around the time John Swinney was leader of the SNP I came round to thinking that maybe everyone in the media was right and the union made financial sense.

    Discovering how Scotland had its future witheld – and Labour and Tory politicians, who knew otherwise, deliberately lied about it – made me furious. I have ever since viewed Westminster governments as working only against Scotland’s interests.

    It’s not so much the fact we lost out – that’s past. It is the fact we know in our hearts they’d do it all over again.

    I always thought that publicising McCrone was essential to winning in 2014. It was telling that so many unionists hadn’t – still haven’t – read or understood it.

  123. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    You can tell just by looking at Mundell’s facial expressions that he doesn’t even believe himself. The Secretary of State for Scotland seams determined that Scotland will follow England down the path of far-right, xenophobic, blood-and-soil, English nationalism. His mendacity will most probably result in the premature and avoidable death of vulnerable individual. He lacks morality and needs punting out of office.

  124. scunner
    Ignored
    says:

    @ScottieDog

    In theory my workplace has a strict “no politics” policy which this ignoramus openly flouted. A wee toady rocked up beside him to affirmatively echo his nonsense. I continue to be civil with these guys but they showed their true colours and ignorance and are somewhat diminished in my eyes.

    I have a yoon-heavy office, many highly-paid types, kids in private schools, risk-averse lovers of the status quo. They are definitely not a paycheck from poverty or May’s “JAMs”. I believe many of them were genuinely shocked by the Brexit result, but I guess would still vote No. They aren’t political anoraks like us.

    I’m not going to argue with yoons in my office, particularly ones who feel “British” before “Scottish”. I have some sympathy for the point of view that someone has grown up and spent their whole life feeling “British” and proud of the UK, but it’s the only real argument they have, all the 2014 ones are shot to shit.

  125. stewartb
    Ignored
    says:

    I know that Tory governments may not tax big companies enough but the idea that successive UK governments – using our taxes- have PAID for oil & gas exploration and production on the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) (and therefore for this reason the UK owns it) is just so daft it must be a wind up – surely?

    Data on private sector capital and operating expenditure associated with production; private sector payments to acquire exploration licences; and private sector investment in mergers and acquisitions of companies with UKCS assets are all well documented. Companies will have made a good return in terms of profits after tax over the years but the public purse – that one held by HM Treasury and the Westminster government – has been a colossal net financial beneficiary.

  126. Mad Unionist
    Ignored
    says:

    The thing is scunner you are more likely to be of Irish decent unlike me who is Scottish and British.

  127. Gary
    Ignored
    says:

    It’s difficult to decide whether he’s just stupid for not understanding what it says, or whether he’s stupid for being unable to ACCEPT what it says.

    My guess is that he’s never read it and he’s gambling on a TL;DR response from those who read his brand of bollocks and that he can tell them anything cos they won’t know any different.

    Not that he’s calculating, just stupid with a bit of criminal cunning thrown in. Criminal in that he’s robbing people of the opportunity to change their point of view due to the weight of evidence from a source that would be expected to say how POOR Scotland was/is.

    I take the same point of view when I see politicians doing things that seem stupid too. I used to (mistakenly) think they had some kind of plan up their sleeves, that they were perhaps sacrificing a pawn to take the entire game later in some stunning, clever move that I couldn’t see coming. No, they’re just plain stupid…

  128. Mad Unionist
    Ignored
    says:

    At least 24 billion in British taxpayers money to decommission.

  129. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    Mad Unionist
    Do you respect the spirit of international law and support the principle of universal human rights?

  130. Ian Brotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    Aw, help, ma sides…

    🙂 🙂 🙂

    Duncan is now tweeting that Wings has been ‘mob-raising’ against him. ‘Abuse!’ he cries.

    Wee sowel, bless, people are calling him names…

    🙁

  131. scunner
    Ignored
    says:

    Sorry, Teuchter born and bred.

    Irish descent might have got me an EU passport but no such luck.

  132. Cherry
    Ignored
    says:

    @Petra
    I think this is the item you’re looking for 🙂
    https://mobile.twitter.com/pjwoodside/status/1084741154669821952

  133. defo
    Ignored
    says:

    I think he’s here Ian.
    Aptly monikered new ‘contributor’ !

  134. Cubby
    Ignored
    says:

    There is no such thing as a mad unionist. They are all just people who have been conditioned. House Scot/ Stockholm syndrome whatever. They need help. They have been sold a false identity.

  135. Cubby
    Ignored
    says:

    Duncan vs Reality

    Another example that all the Britnats have left are lies. Britnats lie and they lie all the time about nearly everything.

  136. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    Cubby
    Spot on.

    Epiphanies, Revelations and Transformations
    Some people make major transformations after believing new truths about life.

    https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/our-emotional-footprint/201603/epiphanies-revelations-and-transformations

  137. ScottieDog
    Ignored
    says:

    @scunner
    I feel your pain, sounds very similar to my workplace.
    I didn’t initiate anything prior to indyref1 but did wade in when people made derogatory comments about YES voters, pulling apart their arguments. It did make for an uncomfortable time as I became the gossip topic. I was finally engaged by one of the managers (in front of a room full of britnat people) about my choices.

    He told me the company wouldn’t do business in an independent Scotland. I informed him that his boss’s boss had already confirmed in public that the company would most certainly be doing business in Scotland!

    I’m s bit more astute these days. I don’t argue, I just ask lots of questions and people end up tying themselves in knots.

  138. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    Mad Unionist
    Unable or unwilling to answer my question?

  139. William Wallace
    Ignored
    says:

    @ IanB

    Then proceeds to call you a “prick” unprovoked 🙂

  140. Meg merrilees
    Ignored
    says:

    Silver darling @9.43

    Just watched the Mundell response re his vote tonight. The Secretary of State Against Scotland strikes again.

    This man is a loathsome worm.

    He was crying out last week that the SNP should get behind cancelling a ‘No Deal’ and he has agreed that a No Deal Brexit will be catastrophic for Scotland yet he – and Stephen Kerr and doubtless the other 11 Judas’ – have voted against it. Couldn’t even bring himself to abstain, had to actually stick the knife in Scotland and give it another quarter turn.

    Have you noticed when he’s stressed his eyes bulge and he stares… and he NEVER blinks!!!!
    Maybe he’s an Android!

    and another irritating thing is his qualifying the use of the word …
    … so everything they ( the SNP ) actually do, generally…..

    I think he’s definitely getting worried now.

  141. ScottieDog
    Ignored
    says:

    “At least 24 billion in British taxpayers money to decommission”

    Should read..

    At least 24 billion in state issued money to decommission

  142. Ian Brotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    @Wiliam Wallace –

    He’s gone full-flounce and blocked me.

    😉

  143. William Wallace
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Ian

    Hahahahaha. 🙂

  144. William Wallace
    Ignored
    says:

    He’s only gone and blocked me as well. 🙂 🙂 🙂 I was in need of cheering up and Demented Dunc has truly delivered.

  145. shug
    Ignored
    says:

    Unionists are united by their hatred for everything around them, foreigners, Muslims, Jews, Catholics, coloreds, Polish, oh and Scots the list is endless

    Anyone really

    I just don’t understand the constant hatred

    Why are Unionists such a hateful mob

  146. scunner
    Ignored
    says:

    @CameronB Brodie

    Doubt MU understood the question.

    I’ve been wondering whether it’s actually GWC moonlighting from Scot Goes Pop’s Blog.

    I guess if it starts questioning our sexual proclivities that might confirm it…

  147. Ian Brotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    @William Wallace –

    WTF did he block you for?!?

    FFS, total drama queen, he’ll be sitting there, tears and snot all over the place, hitting the block button in-between blowing his nose.

    🙂 🙂 🙂

  148. Fireproofjim
    Ignored
    says:

    It is the oil companies who benefitted from the production of the oil who are reponsible for the decommissioning of the platforms. It will cost taxpayers exactly zero.
    Similarly Mad Unionist seems to think that the U.K. taxpayer developed the oil industry and so the U.K. owns the rights to all the oil.
    Completely wrong. The U.K. sold the operating licences to the oil companies but did nothing else except extract about a Trillion pounds from taxation on their production.
    Note that not a penny of that tax was allocated to Scotland.

  149. Golfnut
    Ignored
    says:

    @Scottie Dog.
    Or should read £24 billion in Corporation tax not collected if indeed the UK gov ever actually footed the bill. The oil companies sign up to the decommissioning costs when they buy the licence, and the UK gov has been rather generous in non collection of tax due. Of course that is one way of hiding revenue generation.

  150. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    scunner
    Really? Sounds like a bit of a weirdo. 🙂

  151. john boy
    Ignored
    says:

    Sky News leading with some shite about Trump,,,does anybody give a toss about Trump???

    I could have sworn that there was something a bit closer to home that mattered to us than what Donald Trump was getting up to.

  152. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    Johnboy show a complete lack of awareness re. international relations and the significance of turning a racist gangster out of office.

    Top show Johnboy.

  153. Dr Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    The new debate show on the new BBC channel was civilised

    Now what were the odds of that

  154. Tackety Beets
    Ignored
    says:

    I cast my self back to the 1979 Ref, I am 99% sure I was aware of Gavin McCrone report being hidden. I was aware of the phrases like “embarrasingly rich” and so on. I cannot for the life of me recall how or where I got the info?
    As expressed previously my parents had the P&J deliverd since the 50s & I continued to read it even after leaving home. My wife bought the Sun in those days & I religiously watched QT. Beyond that I have no recollection.

    I am curious where or how I gathered the info.

    I am very curious to know if other long time indy folk on here like Robert Peffers or others also knew in the 70s ?

    I do feel that regardless of the oil & the report contents, the people of Scotland should be really REALLY F******G angry that WM has made every attempt to deny Scotland the truth & as noted by others, what else have they hidden from us.

    I must say this site is great for little bits of “NEW” info.

    OT , Watching John Swinney tonight, I felt he failed to reply to the ” In 2014 an iScotland would fall off a cliff” jeezo he should have a slap down answer ready by now ?

  155. Old Pete
    Ignored
    says:

    Enjoyed the debate on BBC Scotland, even mentioned my old school St. Convals and a brilliant school it was. Audience if anything seemed very balenced, if even slightly more pro independance reflecting where we are at in Scotland today.

  156. Fireproofjim
    Ignored
    says:

    I watched the new Scottish Question programme tonight.
    Very even handed and,if anything, John Swinney got the bulk of the time to answer and did well and calmly.
    Surprise number two. The audience were probably Independence biased, judging by the applause. Most of which went to John.

  157. Famous15
    Ignored
    says:

    All I wish to state is that if Duncan is gaslighting by denying reality ,whatever happened to the more accurate and clearer term “lying bastard” or will that raise the tone of the site too much?

  158. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    Perhaps the BBC executives have realised their institutional racism has been rumbled. One swallow doesn’t make a summer though.

  159. William Wallace
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Ian 🙂 🙂 🙂

    I have absolutely no idea. I think he is just windmilling wildly at this juncture. 😉

  160. ronnie anderson
    Ignored
    says:

    O/T.

    Gorse on Salisbury Crags is on fire

  161. cynicalHighlander
    Ignored
    says:

    CameronB Brodie

    Ditto mind I havent listened to there garbarge for 13 years as life is far to short and getting shorter by the day.

  162. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    The BBC institutionally racist? Their royal charter compels them to discriminate against no-British nationalist identities. That means at least half of Scotland’s electorate are not afforded stakeholder status in Britain, even though they fund the service.

    Implicit racial bias and the anatomy of institutional racism
    https://www.crimeandjustice.org.uk/publications/cjm/article/implicit-racial-bias-and-anatomy-institutional-racism

  163. cynicalHighlander
    Ignored
    says:

    or should that of been concur, shrug.

  164. Tackety Beets
    Ignored
    says:

    Agreed Debate Night was fair. Gordon MK did express that Steven Jardine & Martin Giesler were “good guys”. I’m still not sure if he was implying they were actually fairly neutral or saw things like we do…..time will tell but so far SJ , MG and James Cook have been fair, IMHO.

    Regarding the oil, as above my understanding is the UK sells a license which is money to UK. The said Co hire the rig etc and lifts the oil which they sell, & in turn pay UK tax on their profit.

    Within the License agreement is the decommisioning clause being the responsibility of said Co. however, as always the “Big business” will do anything to get out of this.
    I think there was a stooshie a few years ago where an Oil Co. wanted to just leave structure in the sea to rot ? It was noted that UK Gvt didnt bother to challenge, it was environmental bodies that objected.
    More evidence of Gvt corruption needed?

  165. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    cynicalHighlander
    I knew what you meant. 😉

  166. cynicalHighlander
    Ignored
    says:

    CameronB Brodie

    Pweh Ta

  167. Liz g
    Ignored
    says:

    Tackety Beets @ 11.54
    My understanding of it is the the report came into the public domain by a cleverly worded Freedom of Information Request.
    Authored by a sympathetic retired civil servant.
    If that recollection is right…. Then it couldn’t have been known about back in the 70s,it had to be after the Freedom of Information Act passed!
    Wi ma memory I couldn’t argue it though…

  168. Dr Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    One audience member did comment on Murdo Frasers *Queens 11* Tweeting in regards to sectarianism and there was a funny micro second edity blip and it was gone

    Maybe the BBC were doing that ten second live delay transmitting thingy

  169. chicmac
    Ignored
    says:

    If I have one criticism of the Rev. it is that he has a tendency to over-swat the political midges. IMV, once a midge has been swatted, ignoring any post-swat twitches it manages saves energy.

  170. mr thms
    Ignored
    says:

    Regarding the White Paper Scotland’s Future and Article 50.

    The White Paper suggested Scotland would be able to remain in the EU under Article 48 of the TEU but Better Together and the EU were both of the view during the Scottish referendum, that Scotland would need to apply under Article 49.

    Lord Kerr wrote Article 50 in 2002-2003, the third part says

    “The Treaties shall cease to apply to the State in question from the date of entry into force of the withdrawal agreement or, failing that, two years after the notification referred to in paragraph 2, unless the European Council, in agreement with the Member State concerned, unanimously decides to extend this period.”

    The extension looks likely to happen now and that would mean the UK taking part in elections to European Parliament in May.

    Chances parts four and five will also be used.

    The fifth part says..

    “If a State which has withdrawn from the Union asks to rejoin, its request shall be subject to the procedure referred to in Article 49.”

    That one is definitely there for Scotland’s benefit.

  171. Robert J. Sutherland
    Ignored
    says:

    Ian Brotherhood @ 22:44,

    I’m personally affronted. I was expressing concern at his state of mind. Now I’m even more worried.

    Toom Tabard with his pop eyes and quivery voice also appears to be suffering from some kind of mental crisis.

    Supporting British Nationalism is definitely not good for the psyche of PSBs these days.

  172. Chris Kilby
    Ignored
    says:

    Who is this A-h*le?

    (Who cares?)

  173. Col
    Ignored
    says:

    Outstanding stuff that the so called Scottish media can ignore such a headline when it usually doesn’t shy away from the other pro union sensasanalist ones day in and day out. Fart noise!

  174. Breeks
    Ignored
    says:

    OT… Dangerous precedents being set for the Irish Backstop and potential recognition of Scotland’s lawful, Constitutional Sovereignty…

    https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2019/02/uk-rejects-international-court-of-justice-opinion-on-the-chagos-islands/

    The U.K. is a rogue Nation in the making, and the signs are not good. It would seem Westminster isn’t just wearied by the encumbrance of EU laws, but it would appear International laws too…

    This is no longer about Brexit. For Scotland, these Constitutional matters are now fully existential.

  175. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    HMG stopped pretending to comply with the international rule-of-law under Thatcher. Britain came into existence as a proto-fascist state and will end as a neo-fascist state. It is the nature of the beast.

    Compliance With International Law
    http://oxfordre.com/internationalstudies/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780190846626.001.0001/acrefore-9780190846626-e-81

    COMPLIANCE WITH INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS
    https://scholar.harvard.edu/files/bsimmons/files/Simmons1998.pdf

    The Interfaces between the National and International Rule of Law: A Framework Paper
    https://www.kcl.ac.uk/law/tli/events/methods-lab-pdf-kanetake.pdf

  176. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    Britain, sorry, England is exceptional.

    The English School’s approach to international law

    One of the defining features of the English school is the emphasis it places on normative rules, and in particular the rules of international law. Yet the position of the English school on international law has nowhere been properly set out. The first purpose of this chapter is to provide a fairly detailed account of the English school’s position on international law. I do this with reference to those members of the ‘classic’ English school who have been most concerned to explore the nature of international law and its place in international society: C. A. W. Manning; Hedley Bull; and Alan James.

    I then look at the criticisms that are typically made of the school’s approach and set out the main lines of reply, including those of certain ‘modern’ members, namely Terry Nardin and Robert Jackson, who have sought to strengthen the methodological foundations of the approach. I then identify some of the limitations of the school’s approach which its modern adherents will need to address if its relevance is to be sustained in the twenty-first century. I conclude with some reflections on method.

    eprints.lse.ac.uk/21433/1/The_English_Schools_Approach_to_International_Law_(LSERO).pdf

    Enforcing International Law
    https://www.asil.org/insights/volume/1/issue/1/enforcing-international-law

    Brexit and the International Law Prohibitions on the Loss of eu Citizenship
    https://brill.com/view/journals/iolr/15/2/article-p341_341.xml

  177. Giving Goose
    Ignored
    says:

    Re Shug

    They have to have someone to blame for the decline of the UK.
    It’s always someone else’s fault.
    They cannot accept the truth that the UK has diminished because the UK fundamentally doesn’t work.
    They should channel anger at Westminster!

  178. Nana
    Ignored
    says:

    Tory plan for no-deal medical shortages is staggeringly negligent
    http://archive.is/2HLD1

    Staggering how the UK media have simply decided to ignore massive story about The Integrity Initiative, a UK government funded intelligence-linked network meddling in UK + foreign affairs. Here my recent report on it.
    https://twitter.com/pablonav1/status/1100694773965426688

    https://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2019/02/27/brexit-mps-sink-to-a-new-collective-low-of-incompetent-acquiescence/

    https://www.politico.eu/article/macron-we-need-a-clear-reason-to-grant-brexit-extension/

  179. Nana
    Ignored
    says:

    https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2019/02/27/as-theresa-may-loses-control-over-brexit-her-lawyer-admits-the-eu-referendum-was-illegal/

    Conversation with Tony Connelly
    https://esharp.eu/podcasts/irelands-handling-of-brexit

    Former Downing Street aide jailed for raping second woman
    http://archive.is/hPNpo

    Brexit: Contract for shipping NHS supplies given to firm behind KFC chicken shortage
    http://archive.is/fQuCP

  180. Nana
    Ignored
    says:

    Outrage as help-to-buy boosts Persimmon profits to £1bn
    http://archive.is/LgSeU

    Hospital admissions for ‘Victorian diseases’ soar
    http://archive.is/VPARN

    Will not archive
    https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/rickets-symptoms-and-treatment_uk_5c751e8ae4b0bf16620310a8

    WATCH how the Leave campaigns were out of control as they lied, cheated and broke electoral LAWS to procure their wrongful referendum result. Actions which we now know are being embraced by May’s government and our acquiescent parliament whilst the judiciary turns a blind eye.
    https://twitter.com/brexit_sham/status/1100455375491555334

  181. Nana
    Ignored
    says:

    Electoral Commission figures released today show that the Scottish Unionist Association Trust at the heart of a #darkmoney row, donated another £12,424.72 to the Scottish Conservatives in the last quarter of last year.
    https://twitter.com/andrewlearmonth/status/1100781206231306241

    https://www.opendemocracy.net/uk/brexitinc/james-cusick/mp-accuses-former-tory-official-of-being-fraudster-and-cowboy-who-exploite

    https://publiclawforeveryone.com/2019/02/26/the-healthcare-bill-a-case-study-in-the-implications-and-dangers-of-legislating-for-brexit/

    Government has now accepted in writing this case may need to be determined before 29 March 2019. This is because it may render unlawful a key part of Government’s No Deal planning.
    https://twitter.com/JolyonMaugham/status/1100733096276754437

  182. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    @CBB
    From that asil article: “The enforcement mechanism most in the news in recent years is the United Nations Security Council, acting under Chapter VII of the UN Charter.

    yes, but there is also a political consideration, a soft power one. If for instance the UK uses its veto as it has done on occasions, quite common with Russia and China, it puts itself in a bit of an international spotlight, and can lose soft power.

    In the case of Chagos for instance, all it needs is for the US to “go soft” on Diego Garcia, which these days has deabtable military value for it, but a considerable cost with Trump probably being lukewarm on it too, and the UK is doomed – whatever the Foreign Minister has said about not accepting the recent ICJ ruling.

    The UK is a lot of bluster, and a decreasing amount of substance.

  183. Phronesis
    Ignored
    says:

    If there had been political vision and an ethical approach to the long term investment of the proceeds of a vast natural resource underpinned by tenets of good governance – prudence, respect, integrity, merit and excellence the UK at large would be sitting with a similar fund to the Government Pension Fund Global of Norway. WM is incapable of adapting intelligently to evolving economic and environmental challenges- the big issue seems to be car parking charges- chaining us all to the industrial military complex.

    http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/20-companies-profiting-the-most-from-war/ar-AAmTAzm

    Scotland should no longer be shackled to this failed political institution, it will reject WM and follow its own vision for economic growth and sustainability, climate justice, human rights, its place in Europe.

    ‘The burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas for electricity, heat, and transportation is the primary source of human-generated emissions. A second major source is deforestation, which releases sequestered carbon into the air…The responsibility to reverse this worrying trend lies with us. At least 97 percent of actively publishing climate scientists endorse the consensus position that humans are the lead drivers of climate change…Tackling global climate change is a Herculean task, one that depends on international consensus and the efforts of communities, companies, and individuals alike’

    http://www.nrdc.org/stories/global-climate-change-what-you-need-know

    ‘Through the agreement on climate policy in the Storting, Norwegian politicians have adopted goals for climate policy and measures for how we will reach the goals. The agreements are a result of the broad political consensus that Norway shall take a responsibility for a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions through an active national policy’

    http://www.regjeringen.no/en/topics/climate-and-environment/climate/id1307/

    ‘The 100+ financial institutions restricting coal lending includes 40% of the top 40 global banks and as of last week, at least 20 globally significant insurers with more than $6 trillion of investments – 20% of the industry’s global assets – who are excluding coal from their portfolios…increasingly aware that coal industry forecasts are increasingly dour.”
    The unexpected US$18bn collapse into bankruptcy of Peabody Energy in 2016 and more recently the US$150bn collapse in value of General Electric shows the magnitude of capital destruction for investors who continue to ignore the energy system transformation’

    http://ieefa.org/ieefa-report-every-two-weeks-a-bank-insurer-or-lender-announces-new-coal-restrictions/

    ‘There is increasing concern that food shortages and other challenges caused by climate change could lead to civil unrest. In fact, the United Nations Food Programme last year said high food prices led to unrest in Morocco, Bangladesh, Tunisia, and Indonesia. Large defense companies, including Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and United Technologies, would indirectly profit if tensions escalated into armed conflicts, and many of those same companies are involved in carrying out the delivery of humanitarian aid.
    Moreover, climate change is often cited as a contributing factor to the refugee crisis in Syria and other parts of the Middle East. Continued mass migration could mean a greater need for border surveillance and security forces, which would also benefit security and defense firms’

    https://www.wisebread.com/8-industries-that-could-benefit-from-climate-change

  184. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    Mmm, interesting. Scouting around comes up with this:

    https://electricscotland.com/history/articles/scotlandsoil.htm

    which has this:

    “How Whitehall moved to block march of nationalism: The Herald (Dec 29)
    Lucy Bannerman & Tom Gordon” (December 29 2005 in the Herald)

    which you can find on nuzhound at the bottom of the page

    http://www.nuzhound.com/archive/nijan06.php

    but the link to the Herald article times out.

  185. john boy
    Ignored
    says:

    Breeks

    The English Brexiteers have big plans, like turning England into a low tax haven and home for every dirty bit of money that is out there.

    England has nothing else to offer the world,,,nothing.

    After Brexit, watch their public services nosedive.

    The money will not be there to fund them.

    Thank god we have an escape plan.

  186. Robert Peffers
    Ignored
    says:

    @Liz g says: 28 February, 2019 at 12:52 am:

    ” … My understanding of it is the the report came into the public domain by a cleverly worded Freedom of Information Request.
    Authored by a sympathetic retired civil servant.”

    Let’s be clear about a few facts, Liz g. It didn’t matter a damn if the actual report was in the public domain or not because the facts the report contained were in the public domain and Gavin McCrone was not the only person with the capability to see the big picture these facts painted.

    One such person, who was even better placed and much better qualified than Prof McCrone to know the facts and know the resulting bigger picture was none other than a certain Alex Salmond who, at that time, was working with the Royal Bank of Scotland. After graduation from St Andrews University, Salmond served briefly in the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland as an assistant economist but later moved to work for the Royal Bank of Scotland where he served as their top oil economist. He set up and edited a publication that still serves the oil & gas industry.

    Make no mistake the SNP knew the true facts about the North Sea far better than did Prof Gavin McCrone. I posted a YouTube link yesterday and it featured McCrone speaking about, “The McCrone Report”. The very first point he makes is that the facts contained in his report were well enough known.

    Now I’m no oil & gas expert but have been an SNP supporter long before the beginning of oil & gas exploration began and I knew everything the McCrone report contained and that the report existed. I also knew why I couldn’t read it.

    As I said before the existence of the report and the facts it contained were known – even it the report itself was not in the public domain, the facts were.

  187. Macart
    Ignored
    says:

    @Nana

    On Mr Mundell?

    The answer would be YES. Yes he is.

    His one and only position regarding the SNP is that whatever they propose or vote for? His position will be the exact opposite of that because…mumble, mumble, mumble. Until he’s told otherwise by his betters and then… mumble, mumble, mumble.

  188. Breeks
    Ignored
    says:

    I can’t shake the feeling we are missing a big trick here.

    Can you imagine the pressure May would come under if all the doom and gloom surrounding the Tory’s No Deal Brexit actually had a definitive option in between May’s Withdrawal Agreement, and a cliff edge No Deal Brexit? It’s what Europe is aching to hear. Suppose there was another option to present; the option to actually support Scotland’s emancipation from the United Kingdom in its current form, in lieu of sovereign recognition equal to and enabling the Nation of Scotland to remain an EU Member State.

    The “price” Scotland would pay for these Westminster “concessions” to oil the wheels of Scotland’s sovereign recognition, (and simultaneously provide new options on the Irish Backstop), would be for Scotland’s economy to function as a buffer / transitional State between England and the EU.

    England wouldn’t get a Free Trade Deal with the EU, but could cite the traditional cross border trade between Scotland and England as due and appropriate cause to agree a bespoke bilateral Trade Agreement between Non-EU England, and fully affiliated EU Scotland.

    England might thus secure indirect access to Europe via Scotland, while the EU would be relying on Scotland to “filter” its trade with England to make sure traded goods bound for Europe were fully compliant with EU standards and underwritten by Scotland,

    Yes, I know, I wouldn’t especially trust England to be honest with us, but with Scotland in the EU and under ECJ jurisdiction, Scotland would be the Sovereign Authority of the transitional arrangement. We could readily turn inferior goods away at our border, or even close our border. We would be in a very strong position,

    England gets the freedom to indulge its nostalgic colonial fantasy without actually going to war with anybody, gun running to dark places, or starving its own people; the EU holds on to English Trade filtered through a rigorous transitional buffer state, but simultaneously gets rid of “rude-boy” Eton politics and disruption forever. Scotland gets accelerated and uncontested sovereign recognition, and celebrates Independence with a massive capital injection of funding from England and Europe to turn Leith and Grangemouth into Dover and Folkstone and for once make Scotland’s transport infrastructure the envy of England.

    It wouldn’t be all trade of course, just the high tariff stuff. Maybe passenger transport too, since England wouldn’t embrace Free Movement. But suppose “British” became a joint nationality, not unlike Northern Ireland where people can be both British and Irish. Just imagine the irony if being “British” might be your ticket to a Scottish passport and through transport to Europe. Not so much as passport as a port pass to travel on to Europe, and of course, all Europeans are free to come to Scotland,

    Withdrawal Agreement Brexit? Cliff Edge Brexit? How about a lynchpin Scotland Exit? What says you Theresa? Actually delivering what the people voted for, not just bumping your gums about it,

    Yes, I know Westminster wouldn’t go for it. The lie of Scotland’s worth to the UK is beyond measure, both the lie and the worth. But that’s their problem. Let us play the hand regardless. If nothing else, it will carry news of Scotland’s Constitutional Sovereignty to headline prominence far and wide all over the world, and paint the perfidy of Westminster in stark silhouette for all to see, and canniness of the Scots in fixing the world to rights.

  189. Baldeagle58
    Ignored
    says:

    Good Morning Nana.

    My goodness, you’ve been busy as always. Two coffee morning to get through these links.

    Thank you again. 🙂

  190. Petra
    Ignored
    says:

    Thanks for the links Nana. The democracy myth burst, AGAIN, right enough!

    ..”Meanwhile, not content with trying to bribe MPs, May is ignoring legal rulings that ought to have seen the referendum declared null and void. Her collusion in this merely succeeds in exposing the myth that Britain has a working democracy.”

    http://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2019/02/27/as-theresa-may-loses-control-over-brexit-her-lawyer-admits-the-eu-referendum-was-illegal/

    ………………………..

    One wonders why Westminster ever felt that pulling out of the EU was a good idea when the country, England, was already in some mess. A ”mess” that they couldn’t blame the EU for.

    ”The NHS Digital data, analysed by the Press Association, shows that children under the age of nine were among those admitted to English hospitals for malnutrition and rickets.

    http://archive.is/VPARN#selection-935.0-935.175

    …………………………….

    The Scottish Tories still at it? Is the BBC and STV going to report this? Better still question Jackson Carlaw, mate of Robin Cook, or hunt down Dirty Money Davidson and see what she has to say.

    ”Electoral Commission figures released today show that the Scottish Unionist Association Trust at the heart of a #darkmoney row, donated another £12,424.72 to the Scottish Conservatives in the last quarter of last year.”

    https://twitter.com/andrewlearmonth/status/1100781206231306241

    https://theferret.scot/richard-cook-brexit-donor/

    …………………………….

    @ Liz g says at 8:19 pm … Petra – If Stu doesn’t think it’s possible to do! Then we could always petition the National to include a wee supplement in the main paper reprinting it. To do it in the final week’s of the Campaign and to print extra copies, then we (the Yes Campaign) could buy and distribute while we are out and about campaigning.”

    Great idea Liz. We could also just ask them to reprint thousands of copies of the oil article only with groups / individuals buying them to deliver along with whatever else we have to post. And while we’re on the subject I (and no doubt you too Liz / others) would like to thank the National for doing something that no other newspaper in Scotland has done since this information was released in 2005.

    ………………………….

    @ Cherry at 10:52 pm – Petra – I think this is the item you’re looking for ?”

    https://mobile.twitter.com/pjwoodside/status/1084741154669821952

    That’s it Cherry, proof that our oil is still worth a fortune. Thanks for digging it out.

    ……………………………

    @ Legerwood says at 8:54 pm – ”Petra says – We”ll have some BritNats tell us, “oh well that was then. There is nothing like that now.”

    Legerwood says,”Ah but Reporting Scotland tonight let the cat out of the bag when reporting the Ineos story. The upgraded pipeline will be operational until the middle of this century. I am sure that has come as a surprise to those who thought, based on previous reports, that the oil was going to run out next year. Also an admission from one of the oil industry reps that new fields opening up would keep the oil flowing. See give them enough rope and they hang themselves.”

    I posted something, yesterday, along the same lines myself Legerwood at 1:44 pm – ”BBC Scotland reporting again on the Ratcliffe investment in the “UK” oil and chemical sector …. in Scotland. The presenter mentioned the quota (forgotten how much but loads) of barrels of oil being transported each day by the Ineos pipeline. Confusing don’t you think for those sitting at home who have been led to believe that there was no oil left?”

    However my point being that the news yesterday could be a one off, one day wonder, with many people not seeing / hearing about it at all. I reckon, therefore, that although the McCrone Report findings are damning we still need to back it up with current facts highlighting that we still have loads of oil and are still being ripped off by Westminster. The Chrichtlow article posted by Cherry is ideal, imo. Short and sweet. This could also be appended to the National’s report on the McCrone carry-on if we take on-board Liz g’s suggestion of posting the info through letterboxes all over the country. An eyeopener for many to say the least, I would think.

  191. Breeks
    Ignored
    says:

    Last point too… Given a choice, I know Westminster wouldn’t bite. But if Scottish Sovereignty was the inevitable writing on the wall… You know. Just sayin’.

  192. Ken500
    Ignored
    says:

    Decommissioning £24Billion over 20+ years. £1Billion a year? Decommissioning is tax free. It creates a lot of jobs. Dundee etc.

    The Oil facts were known but the unionists always denied them. Alex Salmond made the facts known but the unionists denied them. They kept on claiming Scotland was subsidised. A total lie. The Oil money was used to fund London S/E.

    Thatcher came to the Church assembly and claimed ‘the English were generous to the Scots’. A total lie. ‘The sermon on the mound’. Unemployment was always higher in Scotland 15%. The only place unemployment was under 10% was London S/E. Funding bankers, building Canary Wharf and Tilbury Docks. Docks around the UK were closed. Transport was centralised around London. That is why there is so much congestion. Unemployment was 20% NI. 15% in Scotland. Interest rates 15%. Inflation up to 25%. The riots and violence. The miners strike and the Poll tax.

    HS2 and Hickley Point a total waste of money. The Tory slush fund.

    Illegal wars, financial fraud and tax evasion has cost Scotland. May lies all the time, especially about Scotland.

  193. Scot Finlayson
    Ignored
    says:

    Threat of nuclear war between India and Pakistan,

    another fine mess the malignant Brutish Empire spawned on the world,

    Brutish values.

  194. Ottomanboi
    Ignored
    says:

    Duncan, Ruth, Kezia, and Ross take your partners for the Gay Unionists!

  195. Valerie
    Ignored
    says:

    Breeks @ 5.20am

    I’ve used the term rogue state, upteen times about UK, the signs are all there. The UN findings against UK disability and poverty, have been ridiculed.

    I was watching HoC, when Labour raised the Chagos decision,,and the revolting Alan Duncan was up to answer. He was derisory, dismissive and sneering.

    UK will make a deliberate decision to remain in the international arenas, to just fuck them up, act exceptional, because they won’t be there to honour any values.

  196. Scot Finlayson
    Ignored
    says:

    @Nana,

    very good read on the weaponization of anti semitism and anti zionism,

    https://mondoweiss.net/2019/02/western-malevolently-
    antisemitism/

    https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/asa-winstanley/israel-lobby-funders-back-breakaway-british-mps

    feels like even using the `J` word in any context can open you up to malevolent attacks of anti semitism,

    all orchestrated by state sponsored astroturfing companies.

  197. Capella
    Ignored
    says:

    Lies, lies, lies. I see the Scottish Daily Mail, or was it the Express, has a huge front page screamer quoting Theresa May. She accused the SNP of betraying the Scottish people by introducing a workplace parking levy. Also, by making everyone earning over 27,000 pay more tax.

    It would be “unparliamentary” to call her a liar in the HoC. The media can spread her lies because they are merely quoting her.

    What the people of Scotland need is their own parliament with full powers, their own regulated media reporting honestly and representing a range of views and the power to get rid of lying politicians.

    There is probably a word for that.

  198. Breeks
    Ignored
    says:


    Valerie says:
    28 February, 2019 at 9:36 am
    Breeks @ 5.20am

    I’ve used the term rogue state, upteen times about UK, the signs are all there. The UN findings against UK disability and poverty, have been ridiculed.

    I hear you loud and clear Valerie. But rogue status is a bit like Sovereignty in some respects, it’s all about who recognises it…

  199. Abulhaq
    Ignored
    says:

    @ScotFinlayson
    Kashmir ‘belongs’ to neither. A plague on both. Kashmir is the forgotten hotspot. British trained military with the anglicised, haughty, pukkah ‘raj’ mentality square up to one another. Independent Kashmir is the solution, but the people of the region have no effective international voice. Sound a little familiar?

  200. Peter McCulloch
    Ignored
    says:

    While the faces of the British nationalists may change, over time, they still peddle the same old claptrap against Scottish independence.

    There is simply no case or evidence which can be made or provided,they would accept, confirming Scotland could be a wealthy and prosperous independent nation.

    We would simply see them doing what they could to not only undermine the case for Scottish independence, but also the confidence of the people of Scotland.

  201. Iain mhor
    Ignored
    says:

    @Cameron b brodie 5:32am
    Interesting links ta. If I might be indulged a precis of the areas I was particularly interested in – The sections on (non)compliance mirrors the 2014 Ref/ Indyref2 position:

    “…These principles—that governments should not comply when it is no longer in their interest or when conditions change—have carried forward to more recent writings. Indeed, they form the modern legal principle of rebus sic stantibus (“things thus standing”), whereby treaties may become inapplicable if there is a fundamental change of circumstances… (of Machiavelli) If humans were honest and kept their promises, then the Prince should do the same. But they do not, and therefore the Prince would be foolish to abide by his commitments—indeed, he would receive the sucker’s payoff”

    The shift in perceptions and the driver behind Independence dialogue (amongst wider Brexit arguments) may well stem from both the fact, that certain International Laws and agreements (Human rights etc) and others with a moral base, having become normalised, are seen to be reneged and/or contravened – the legal principle of pacta sunt servanda (“agreements are to be observed”) applies equally to the “people” observing its (non)compliance. This may lead to direct challenges to Government:

    “Important sources of enforcement (of IL) lie inside the state …Independent domestic judiciaries are thought to aid in the enforcement of IL because they…empower citizens to challenge government (in)action legally…Adverse rulings rarely lead to full/automatic compliance, but they make it more difficult for governments to continue reneging…even if litigation is unsuccessful, it can empower people to think, talk, and struggle over rights that become part of the national dialogue and political change in the future”

    Though I have argued elsewhere (and that your linked articles elsewhere tend to bear out) that domestic courts, far less international ones, are not to be looked to for a positive judgement on Independence or related ‘treaty’ claims – the various challenges, though probably failing, can drive dialogue and possibly a paradigm shift in thought.
    A point I have not previously acknowledged and probably should have.

  202. Macart
    Ignored
    says:

    @Capella

    Heh! Yes Ms May is fibbing and yes, the meeja are helping her spread those fibs.

    Folk might want to take note though, and there’s no getting round this point. This is the same party of government and the same media elements who have led them to where we are today. Mibbies they should start asking themselves if this is the Scotland and the UK they thought they were going to get a few years back?

    Might be some are perfectly happy with the way things have gone. Y’know, maybe they’re happy being lied to, misled and such. Just so long as they feel safe in their world view and the worst stuff is all happening to someone else, but not them.

    Mainly because….reasons and this is just a constitutional and economic speed bump in their world. It’ll all surely come good in the end in their world, so it’s ok to fib about those awful essenpee types. Any excuse will do to salve the conscience. As I’ve already mentioned though, same party of government and the same media.

    People can/will only stick their head in the sand for so long. Maybe it’ll occur to them, (hopefully sooner rather than later), that if such a government and media are willing to lie to the extent that they are driving economies and societies to their knees. If they are willing to lie to crush opposition, hide their own ineptitude, their own criminal actions. Do they really think that someday that same practice of politics and media won’t be turned on them?

    They might want to think about that.

  203. Socrates MacSporran
    Ignored
    says:

    breeks @ 8.58am

    Great post. Aye, your right, a way out for England, but, as you and I both know – be behlden to the Sweaties, the English will NEVER go for that, even when it’s in their own best interests.

  204. Ian Brotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    @Liz g –

    re McCrone report being ‘secret’, I do remember, late 70s, hearing about a report. What I heard was that it was being kept secret because it showed how little oil was left – revelation of this would cause economic panic.

    That’s the pretty obvious spin any unionist would have to put on it. I don’t have anything to back this up, just vague memories of various depressing post-referendum arguments.

  205. mr thms
    Ignored
    says:

    I notice First Minister’s Question Time
    (at noon) will now be shown in HD on the new BBC Scotland channel, instead of BBC2 Scotland in SD.

  206. McDuff
    Ignored
    says:

    To make a statement like that this man must trully hate Scotland.

  207. Petra
    Ignored
    says:

    In moderation. I’ll try splitting it up.

    Thanks for the links Nana. The democracy myth burst, AGAIN, right enough!

    ..”Meanwhile, not content with trying to bribe MPs, May is ignoring legal rulings that ought to have seen the referendum declared null and void. Her collusion in this merely succeeds in exposing the myth that Britain has a working democracy.”

    http://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2019/02/27/as-theresa-may-loses-control-over-brexit-her-lawyer-admits-the-eu-referendum-was-illegal/

    ………………………..

    One wonders why Westminster ever felt that pulling out of the EU was a good idea when the country, England, was already in some mess. A ”mess” that they couldn’t blame the EU for.

    ”The NHS Digital data, analysed by the Press Association, shows that children under the age of nine were among those admitted to English hospitals for malnutrition and rickets.

    http://archive.is/VPARN#selection-935.0-935.175

    …………………………….

    The Scottish Tories still at it? Is the BBC and STV going to report this? Better still question Jackson Carlaw, mate of Robin Cook, or hunt down Dirty Money Davidson and see what she has to say.

    ”Electoral Commission figures released today show that the Scottish Unionist Association Trust at the heart of a #darkmoney row, donated another £12,424.72 to the Scottish Conservatives in the last quarter of last year.”

    https://twitter.com/andrewlearmonth/status/1100781206231306241

    https://theferret.scot/richard-cook-brexit-donor/

  208. Petra
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Liz g says at 8:19 pm … Petra – If Stu doesn’t think it’s possible to do! Then we could always petition the National to include a wee supplement in the main paper reprinting it. To do it in the final week’s of the Campaign and to print extra copies, then we (the Yes Campaign) could buy and distribute while we are out and about campaigning.”

    Great idea Liz. We could also just ask them to reprint thousands of copies of the oil article only with groups / individuals buying them to deliver along with whatever else we have to post. And while we’re on the subject I (and no doubt you too Liz / others) would like to thank the National for doing something that no other newspaper in Scotland has done since this information was released in 2005.

    ………………………….

    @ Cherry at 10:52 pm – Petra – I think this is the item you’re looking for ?”

    https://mobile.twitter.com/pjwoodside/status/1084741154669821952

    That’s it Cherry, proof that our oil is still worth a fortune. Thanks for digging it out.

    ……………………………

    @ Legerwood says at 8:54 pm – ”Petra says – We”ll have some BritNats tell us, “oh well that was then. There is nothing like that now.”

    Legerwood says,”Ah but Reporting Scotland tonight let the cat out of the bag when reporting the Ineos story. The upgraded pipeline will be operational until the middle of this century. I am sure that has come as a surprise to those who thought, based on previous reports, that the oil was going to run out next year. Also an admission from one of the oil industry reps that new fields opening up would keep the oil flowing. See give them enough rope and they hang themselves.”

    I posted something, yesterday, along the same lines myself Legerwood at 1:44 pm – ”BBC Scotland reporting again on the Ratcliffe investment in the “UK” oil and chemical sector …. in Scotland. The presenter mentioned the quota (forgotten how much but loads) of barrels of oil being transported each day by the Ineos pipeline. Confusing don’t you think for those sitting at home who have been led to believe that there was no oil left?”

    However my point being that the news yesterday could be a one off, one day wonder, with many people not seeing / hearing about it at all. I reckon, therefore, that although the McCrone Report findings are damning we still need to back it up with current facts highlighting that we still have loads of oil and are still being ripped off by Westminster. The Chrichtlow article posted by Cherry is ideal, imo. Short and sweet. This could also be appended to the National’s report on the McCrone carry-on if we take on-board Liz g’s suggestion of posting the info through letterboxes all over the country. An eyeopener for many to say the least, I would think.

  209. ronnie anderson
    Ignored
    says:

    Liz g my recollection’s on the of the 1st Oil coming onshore was it was worthless , the talk doing the rounds at that time it was the worst Oil of any country that drilled for Oil & was so useless that even Singers sowing machine’s couldn’t even use it . Didn’t stop them putting up more Drilling Rigs & increasing employment Ravensgraig/Clydsdale/Imperial/Calder steel works were upgraded to handle the tubing needed .

    The biggest con hidden in plain sight but on Independence there will be a reckoning for those thefts .

  210. Breeks
    Ignored
    says:


    Socrates MacSporran says:
    28 February, 2019 at 10:40 am
    breeks @ 8.58am

    “….be beholden to the Sweaties, the English will NEVER go for that, even when it’s in their own best interests.”

    Agreed, but just imagine if Nicola and Michel Barnier outlined a formal proposal… And presented a possible end to the deadlock, a way to avoid a cliff edge No Deal, a practical solution to the Irish Backstop without any border in Ireland, not merely a Withdrawal Agreement but a constructive provisional framework for permanent trade relations…

    I can just hear a bellicose May saying how no British Prime Minister would countenance the break up of the UK, … but just suppose that breakup was thoroughly inevitable already, and a formal dispute over UK Parliamentary Sovereignty was about to be brought before either the ECJ or the ICHR…

    To come near full circle, the EU might revert back to the principle first mooted all the way back in 2016… Holding pen status… Orderly transitional holding pen status, but not for a Scotland on its way in to Europe, but for an England on its way out.

  211. Dorothy Devine
    Ignored
    says:

    OT I love the idea of Chris Cairns cartoons being , indeed I suggested it way back.

    Now I’m thinking some WANTED/ UNWANTED posters might be effective too.

    By the way who is the silly , non reading chappie of whom the Rev writes? Is he important to anyone or anything?

  212. Breeks
    Ignored
    says:

    Imagine too the imperative the EU might recognise in seeing Scotland as a formal interlocutor….

  213. admiral
    Ignored
    says:

    ronnie anderson says:
    28 February, 2019 at 11:31 am
    Liz g my recollection’s on the of the 1st Oil coming onshore was it was worthless , the talk doing the rounds at that time it was the worst Oil of any country that drilled for Oil & was so useless that even Singers sowing machine’s couldn’t even use it . Didn’t stop them putting up more Drilling Rigs & increasing employment Ravensgraig/Clydsdale/Imperial/Calder steel works were upgraded to handle the tubing needed .
    The biggest con hidden in plain sight but on Independence there will be a reckoning for those thefts .

    My recollection, too. In addition, it would last “5 years at most” (a mantra that was repeated every 5 years or so whenever the SNP vote went up).

  214. TheBuchanLoony
    Ignored
    says:

    Congratulations to BBC Scotland…never thought I would be saying that on here but I thought Debate Night was a good balanced first programme. My criticisms first would be that the venue was too small giving poor camera shots of the guests. The set was poor being just a few flats with little programme identity on them. You must give the guests a ‘Question Time’ type desk for them to have notes on etc. but more importantly, it is not fair for any ladies in skirts to be on an open raised platform in front of cameras and an audience. They must be able to concentrate on the subject matter at hand and not how they are sitting. The good points were the audience seemed balanced and what it should be like from a Scottish audience. There were a few obvious unionists wanting to get their dig into John Swinney but I though they were genuine unionists and I have to accept they have their (misguided) opinion. The presenter was fair and gave all the politicians an equally hard time at various points. I thought John Swinney was head and shoulders above all the rest of the guests and made his points in a calm convincing manner. Monica Lennon was poor and came over a bit babbling at times. Murdo Fraser seemed terrified that he was exposed in such a fair questioning debate. The poet lady was ok but didn’t really contribute much. Tom Hunter was good and I thought an obvious No voter who is seriously fighting his No inner devils because he can see that independence is the only way to leave behind the chaos and the politicians that he said ‘have let the people down’. I think I was pleasantly surprised by Debate Night because it was what a political debate programme in Scotland should always have been and we’re just not used to that! I hope this continues.

  215. Sarah
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Dorothy Devine: Led by Donkeys billboard posters are being a huge success in raising funding and media attention in England. I agree with you that Greg’s cartoons plastered all over in Scotland would do a fantastic job. I have mentioned it several times to all levels of SNP that I contact, including Progress Scotland, but had no specific response.

    As many on here have said, I’d donate to a crowdfunder like a shot.

    I asked Chris if I could submit his “Safer together” cartoon [May 2013 – John Bull and Hamish on a branch of a tree, the tree being the EU, John Bull sawing through the branch with a saw labelled UKIP, saying “Didn’t I tell you we are safer together”] – to my local paper and he agreed plus sent a jpeg. He also said people usually do it w/o asking so there’s not a copyright issue!

    So if we can’t yet do billboards perhaps try sending the cartoons to the papers. My paper was happy to print it without charge.

  216. HandandShrimp
    Ignored
    says:

    Lonely caught a bit of one of the Scottish Nine shows (HIV pills and Iceland report) It seemed OK and far better than Reporting Scotland. The Yoons seem to be unhappy though. I guess that might suggest there is a lot more balance. Long may it continue.

  217. defo
    Ignored
    says:

    Just in case you weren’t sure…

    https://dorseteye.com/who-is-funding-tom-watson/?fbclid=IwAR3zKkMJOEnUG9shjdvAqXMvLnKD1FakTE-DCGzq4rqbLVbfo8Syj1ljFlM

    The cheerleader of the Big lie certainly isn’t working in your interests.

  218. Legerwood
    Ignored
    says:

    Petra @ 11.30 am

    Apologies. I did not see your earlier post but ‘great minds’ eh.

  219. Baldeagle58
    Ignored
    says:

    mr thms says:

    28 February, 2019 at 11:19 am

    I notice First Minister’s Question Time
    (at noon) will now be shown in HD on the new BBC Scotland channel, instead of BBC2 Scotland in SD

    Call me cynical Mr Thms, but this could be a deliberate move on the part of the British State Broadcaster to reduce the potential viewing audience by moving it from ‘Terrestrial’ TV to the Digital platform.
    It’s quite possible that a lot of older BBC2 viewers don’t have access to Digital TV.

    The same goes for the comment from HandandShrimp at 12.12.
    The Nine might be ‘more balanced’, but that won’t bother the Yoons too much if it’s a smaller audience.

  220. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    Johnboy

    “The English Brexiteers ”

    Brexit is an English disease, there is no need to stress the Brexitieers are “English”. Doing so suggests you have something against English people. Do you?

  221. Thepnr
    Ignored
    says:

    @Baldeagle58

    All TV broadcasting in the UK is now digital, analogue was finally switched off in 2012.

    In the United Kingdom, the terrestrial switchover started on 17 October 2007 and was completed on 24 October 2012. Each group of transmitters within each TV region had its analogue broadcasts switched off at a certain point between those dates.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_switchover_dates_in_the_United_Kingdom

  222. Petra
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Legerwood says at 12:33 pm …. ”Petra – Apologies. I did not see your earlier post but ‘great minds’ eh.”

    No need for an apology Legerwood. I often find it quite difficult trying to keep up on here, as in I’m constantly running at the coo’s tail. ”Great minds, eh.” Aye wha’s like us Legerwood? I think we’re (and everyone else on here) pure dead brilliant. That’s me shaking off the cringe factor, lol.

  223. Nana
    Ignored
    says:

    Apologies to anyone I’ve not replied to the last few days, very busy early starts. Just wanted to let you know I am NOT deliberately ignoring anyone!

    Also I’ve seen a few folk bringing up billboards, the cost is very high and I’m sure Cadogan or Simon would be able to tell us the price. But remember every window, door and garden wall is a billboard and we have put ours to good use over the years without any bother or damage done.

    I did some time ago suggest the Yes movement procure a vehicle and use it as a moving billboard. There was no uptake.

  224. Robert Pollock
    Ignored
    says:

    Duncan talking Hothersalls again.

  225. Dr Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    I remember well the first flowing of the oil that was useless to Scotland but a boon for all mankind everywhere else

    It was too thick, it was too thin, it was every kind of wrong oil that had ever been discovered anywhere even though HM the Queen of England loved the stuff and all the broadcasters in England loved the stuff, in Scotland the broadcasting information was the complete and total opposite

    The oil was a terrible thing for Scotland but we were forced to dig it out of the ground for the benefit of everybody else in the world and it was just unfortunate for us that it was as useless at that time as the Queensferry bridge was when the SNP built that vanity project opposed by everybody because it was useless to Scotland

    Today we can see with our own eyes our bridge works, back then we weren’t allowed to see anything because our great Scottish media colluded with London in blindfolding us

    Our great Scottish media and Union of England politicians are Bastirts to the last man/woman and there’s no use defending any of these devoid of morals homunculi by saying there are some good ones but they don’t want to lose their jobs by speaking up, those people are accomplices, just because they didn’t stick the knife into Scotland they stood by and watched others do it, if that had been a murder they would have been jailed as accessories to commit those crimes, but they did it to impoverish a nation and stood back knowing what they had done and still do

    For money

    When governments of other countries treat their citizens like this those same *journalists* crow about how wonderful Great *British* fairness is and how it could never happen here and isn’t it awful how they could rob their own people until those people get sick to the back teeth and rebel then the Great *British* media label those people terrorists

    That’s the Great *British* cabal in action, vile to the last man/woman

  226. Sarah
    Ignored
    says:

    @Nana: a moving billboard is a good idea of yours, Nana. I wonder if SIF would help with funding?

    I was looking briefly on-line about billboard costs as led by Donkeys have been so successful – they said about £1000 for a month. I found quotes of £600+ – I suppose it depends on how good the position of the board.

    That kind of figure looks eminently do-able. I don’t know the Central belt or any big cities e.g. Aberdeen but can imagine there must be sites that are seen by thousands every day. Just imagine Chris and Colin’s cartoons and data put up for all to see. It would drive the MSM and Unionists nuts!

  227. Nana
    Ignored
    says:

    While I’m thinking back, Smallaxe had a really good idea re billboards.

    https://outdoormobilebillboards.com/bicycle-billboard-trailer/

    Get on your bike wingers!

  228. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    THIS is a good enough reason on its own for voting YES:

    https://twitter.com/ScottishTUC/status/1100742764671782912

    and of course, having truly Scottish Unions representing Scottish Workers, rather than Westminster anti-SNP politics.

    Imagine that eh, Unions, businesses and the government, all working together for the benefit of us all. Like Germany, basically.

  229. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    Remembering the 70s, it definitely was the wrong tye of oil, it was too thick, you couldn’t just drive up to an oil rig and put the nozzle in your tank (along with the tiger of course).

    Useless stuff, I used petrol instead.

  230. Cubby
    Ignored
    says:

    TheBuchanLoony@11.49am

    “…..I hope this continues.”

    I also hope it continues but history suggests otherwise.

  231. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    Not only that, but rigs didn’t give green shield stamps so you could pester everyone to save up theirs and give them to you so you could get sets of ring-ended, open-ended and mixed AF spanners to fiddle with your engine and make the car go faster.

    Useless.

  232. Baldeagle58
    Ignored
    says:

    Thepnr says:

    28 February, 2019 at 1:05 pm

    @Baldeagle58

    All TV broadcasting in the UK is now digital, analogue was finally switched off in 2012.

    In the United Kingdom, the terrestrial switchover started on 17 October 2007 and was completed on 24 October 2012. Each group of transmitters within each TV region had its analogue broadcasts switched off at a certain point between those dates.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_switchover_dates_in_the_United_Kingdom

    Hi Thepnr.
    Of course it was! Thanks for correcting my mistake. 🙁

  233. Nana
    Ignored
    says:

    A few lunchtime links

    Scottish government wins Donald Trump wind power legal costs
    http://archive.is/6ZCgi

    Conservative councillor Brian Small resigns with attack on his own party
    http://archive.is/2nLlx

    https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2019/02/28/tory-minister-baffles-a-nation-with-incredible-doublespeak-outside-parliament/

  234. William Wallace
    Ignored
    says:

    On the subject of billboards: We had a conversation a while back on off topic about this if I remember correctly.

    I suggested some of these new LED type portable projectors as a great method for conveying information. They are very cheap, can operate where ever you choose to be on 12v and can broadcast on to a surface area of around 80″ from 2.5 metres away.

    You could aim them from your windows at surrounding buildings, go outside and project them onto currently unused white space billboards, onto supermarkets, the sides of vans or pretty much anywhere there is a reasonable space to project onto.

    Granted they will only really be effective in the evenings but they could be a really good way of getting the message out there.

    This is the sort of thing I am talking about and is priced at £75. There are a whole range of these types of devices out there, some even cheaper. They would certainly be far cheaper than conventional advertising and could also be used for private screening nights etc as an added bonus.

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/TUREWELL-H3-Projector-Headphone-Compatible-White/dp/B07MMWFXFN/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1551363986&sr=1-5&keywords=TUREWELL+H3+Projector+Video+Projector+3600+Lumens

  235. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    William Wallace
    I’m not sure but there may well be some law prohibiting such protest art. However, I think we’re definitely in the zone where peaceful civil disobedience is justified.

  236. Ian Brotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    Duncan threw a tantrum last night, blocked me and others, so I can’t see what he’s been up to today – is he sticking to his guns or what?

  237. gus1940
    Ignored
    says:

    Re ‘The 9’

    I am pleasantly surprised at the absence (so far) of the usual Misreporting Scotland deluge of SNPbad stories and use of Britnat inspired FOI nonsense.

    There is a worrying sense of weegieism throughout this and the rest of the channel’s output together with the old Old Firm crap.

    I have a feeling that a whole hour is probably too long.

    The Debate was OK for an initial prog and Jardine was fine in the chair. Swinney and Hunter were good, Lennon pathetic and Murdo the Turdo seemed to be walking on eggs.

    As stated above I would prefer if they were seated behind a desk.

    PQ are boasting about the 700k viewers on opening night but I would like to know what the figure would have been if Still Game was not broadcast.

  238. William Wallace
    Ignored
    says:

    @ CamB

    I’m not sure what laws are available to counter it other than potential copyright issues. It’s no being broadcast for financial reward either so I’m not sure exactly what the powers that be can or would do.

    I agree that we are most certainly in the zone for civil disobedience at this stage though.

    @Ian

    Didn’t he delete all them tweets?

  239. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    William Wallace
    It looks like you know more about it than I do.

  240. Big Jock
    Ignored
    says:

    he claims as it was 45 years ago, it’s of no relevance. Well the Act Of Union was 300 years ago, so that’s no longer relevant.

    It misses the point that the oil is still being pumped, and Scotland still gets zero revenues from it. Even if there is only a quarter of what was pumped already. I want this for Scotland not to prop up England.

    Simple maths. Oil revenues split amongst 64 million ,are of more value when split amongst 5.4 million. In other words they make a small nation rich and a big nation stay afloat.

    Duncan believes that because he is English he has to talk down the country he has moved to. It’s what the colonists have always done.

  241. Sarah
    Ignored
    says:

    O/T: talking about what we could do with a crowdfunder, 6th March 2018 a youthful optimist aka the Rev launched a crowdfunder with the words:

    “One way or another this is probably the last time we’re going to ask you to put your hands in your pockets, so let’s make this one count, folks.”

    Well I suppose he is covered – he did say “probably”!!

    I can’t wait for the campaign to start for real and to see the new Wee Book.

  242. TheBuchanLoony
    Ignored
    says:

    Cubby@1.41
    “but history suggests otherwise”
    Aye but unionism is soon to be history!
    I am tentatively optimistic with the new BBC Scotland channel. They seem to be quite aware of the very poor reputation their BBC1 Reporting Scotland has. It will be interesting to see if the new channel sticks to the journalistsic principals of fairness to all or it gets trampled into the dictat of its masters in London as is BBC1 RS. So far the new channel is treading a fine line pretty well but the network bosses will not want them to overstep the mark and(as these bosses see it) encourage a Scottish Independence monster that they know are inevitably, sometime soon, going to lose control of.

  243. Capella
    Ignored
    says:

    @ defo 12.24 – that Dorset Eye article on Tom Watson’s financial backers is enlightening. How corrupt the Westminster system is. Although, technically, he has declared his funding sources, most of the public will be completely unaware of this and are denied vital information when the media broadcast his attacks on Jeremy Corbyn. The media are complicit in failing to report the facts.
    Shameful.

    https://dorseteye.com/who-is-funding-tom-watson/?fbclid=IwAR3zKkMJOEnUG9shjdvAqXMvLnKD1FakTE-DCGzq4rqbLVbfo8Syj1ljFlM

  244. Ian Brotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    @William Wallace –

    Dunno.

    Seeing as he blocked us both we’ll have to rely on others to update us.

  245. defo
    Ignored
    says:

    Capella
    Shameful indeed, but when you consider who’s controlling the MSM are the same lot who are pulling the politicians strings…
    It’s worldwide, and until the masses wake up and switch off Eastenders there’s not much can be done bar educating.
    Separation of the powers, where the judiciary , the media owners, big business and politicians hold each other to account, rather than collude needs to be written into a nations constitution.
    If our Independence turns out to be the same old same old, i’d rather be out of it tbh.

  246. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    The composition of contemporary global media ownership is a cause for concern, but only if you value democracy and human rights. So not really a bother for HMG or the BBC.

    Who Owns the Media?

    The authors examine patterns of media ownership in 97 countries around the world. They find that almost universally the largest media firms are controlled by the government or by private families. Government ownership is more pervasive in broadcasting than in the printed media. Government ownership is generally associated with less press freedom, fewer political and economic rights, inferior governance, and, most conspicuously, inferior social outcomes in education and health. The adverse effects of government ownership on political and economic freedom are stronger for newspapers than for television. The adverse effects of government ownership of the media do not appear to be restricted solely to instances of government monopoly.

    The authors present a range of evidence on the adverse consequences of state ownership of the media. State ownership of the media is often argued to be justified on behalf of the social needs of the disadvantaged. But if their findings are correct, increasing private ownership of the media–through privatization or by encouraging the entry of privately owned media–can advance a variety of political and economic goals, especially those of meeting the social needs of the poor.

    https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/19605

  247. Liz g
    Ignored
    says:

    Ian Brotherhood @ 13
    Has he blocked the Rev?
    Because in Duncky world he’s the one who started it!

  248. Hamish100
    Ignored
    says:

    Immigration continues to be higher than the EU. As it was when May was Home Secretary.
    Who is to blame for this? The UN? How about leaving planet earth to retain control of our borders.

  249. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    See on Rev’s twitter Jamie Green who criticised Sturgeon for her jaunts is off to the Caribbean – as an election observer. Story in the Herald “Tory MSP who criticised Sturgeon trips goes on Caribbean jaunt”.

    I’ll be delighted if the Herald is getting back to its old self – criticise the lot of them! Defo will be pleased as will I 🙂

  250. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    Oh yeah, that article by none other than Tom Gordon.

  251. Referendum1707
    Ignored
    says:

    What a worthless, moronic sack of crap Hothersall is. He really should just do the decent thing and go take a running jump, preferably over the nearest cliff.

    Go on Duncy, you know you want to.

  252. Blair Paterson
    Ignored
    says:

    Is it anti Semitic to condem the Jews for murdering the Palastinians and stealing their land ??? Imagine if we had adopted the same attitude towards Nazi Germany where would the Jewish people be today ???

  253. Lou Nisbet
    Ignored
    says:

    It speaks to the skills of unionist propagandists that due principally to the BBC MSPs cannot even pronounce the name of their parliament correctly.

    The clue is in the spelling Holy Rood and the history of Edinburgh. It seems the BBC decided to pronounce it Holly Rood and ever since the stupid, abysmally ignorant MSP’s of Scotland slavishly followed suit. After all what benefit is received by this mispronunciation?

  254. Heart of Galloway
    Ignored
    says:

    This motion has just been passed by Dumfries and Galloway Council today. The reference to Fluffy and “any influence he has” says it all.

    NOTICE OF MOTION FOR FULL COUNCIL, 28TH FEBRUARY 2019

    The UK will exit the EU on 30th March 2019 and consequently, EU citizens wishing to continue living in Dumfries and Galloway will be required to apply to the UK Home Office for Settled Status.

    We recognise the hurt that having to apply for Settled Status may cause EU citizens living in our region, many of whom have lived here for many years, paid taxes, raised families and contributed significantly to our region’s cultural, social and economic wellbeing and are essential to the running of public services, including our NHS.

    There is evidence that EU citizens living and working in our region feel unwelcome and are worried about their future here as 30th March approaches, particularly as the subsequent implications for them and their families are as yet unclear, and wholly dependent on the outcome of UK negotiations with the EU – or indeed, the much greater uncertainty of a no-deal Brexit.

    Dumfries and Galloway Council very much regrets the impact of Brexit on our EU citizens and the protracted period of worry and uncertainty that it has created.

    Our communities have benefitted significantly from their choice to live in Dumfries and Galloway and our local economy relies on EU employees in a wide range of sectors, including farming, fishing, food production, health and social care, tourism and hospitality.

    Our Council notes that recruitment to critical roles such as doctors, nurses and carers is a long-standing challenge in Dumfries and Galloway and many EU citizens have been recruited to work in these fields.

    The cessation of freedom of movement has the potential to exacerbate the challenges of recruitment and retention of key personnel necessary to support, in particular, our rural communities, and undermines our ability to respond to the challenges of a rapidly declining and ageing population.

    The £30k salary threshold will result in skilled workers being unable to move to the UK to take up vital posts in our region’s private and public sectors, including the NHS.

    Dumfries and Galloway Council resolves to work closely with all agencies in our region including the Citizen Advice Service to ensure that support and guidance is available to EU citizens, and their employers before and after the UK exits the European Union on 30th March 2019.

    Dumfries and Galloway Council believes that it is in the region’s best interest to remove the £30k salary threshold and agrees to lobby David Mundell, MP for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale and, Secretary of State for Scotland to utilise any influence he may have with the UK Government to protect our region’s already fragile economy from the unnecessary consequences of Brexit.

    The invaluable contribution of EU citizens to our region cannot be overstated, therefore Dumfries and Galloway Council will endeavour to ensure that EU citizens living and working here continue to be made welcome and we state unequivocally that we want them to stay and continue to contribute to the future cultural, social and economic wellbeing of Dumfries and Galloway.

    Moved: Cllr Dougie Campbell, Dee and Glenkens (SNP).

    Seconded: Cllr Archie Dryburgh, Annandale East and Eskdale (Labour).

    The council has a joint SNP-Labour administration.

  255. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    @Lou Nisbet
    Fair point (about Holy Rood).

  256. William Wallace
    Ignored
    says:

    @Ian

    When I checked back on that particular twitter thread all his comments appeared to have been deleted. This was not long after he was abusive to you.

    I always thought there was a message saying tweet unavailable if there was a tweet in a thread from a person you were blocking or being blocked by. I could see no reference to the missing tweets at all.

    I thought he’d completely lost the plot and was trying to delete the internet 🙂 🙂 🙂

  257. heraldnomore
    Ignored
    says:

    Nice wee Panelbase survey – looks like a familiar hand behind it…

  258. Grace Sutherland
    Ignored
    says:

    Anyone who thinks of himself as “progressive,centrist Labour” has serious credibility problems. Talk about cognitive dissonance. Ha Ha!

  259. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    Mmm, unionist: “Will a 44 year old report that has been freely available for years change minds…?”

    person in the street: “44 year old? How come I never heard of it before now?”.

  260. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    How many of Scotland’s doctors and clinicians practicing in rural Scotland, are EU nationals? How will healthcare provision in rural Scotland be affected by Brexit? Did HMG give any consideration to the unintended consequences of Brexit? No, so Brexit would appear to stand opposed to a conservative approach to governance. It certainly can not be described as reasoned pragmatism.

  261. Robert Louis
    Ignored
    says:

    Have to agree with other posting above regarding Scotland’s oil. In the 70’s, it was regarded as ‘common knowledge’, that the oil from Scotland, was generally very poor quality, pretty useless to anybody and not really worth very much. To make matters worse for us poor Scots, the oil was ‘running out’.

    All of those lies were fed via the media and London serving politicians, over and over again. To the extent that people generally laughed out loud if anybody dared suggest the oil could be valuable. That is what the SNP had to fight against in the 70’s. I do not doubt their may still be older folk in Scotland, who do not know the truth, and still think Scotland’s oil is rubbish and not worth very much.

    That is what decades of lying by Westminster and their london-serving stooges in Scotland achieved, aided and abetted by the unionist media, especially their paid liar chums in the blatantly biased propaganda outfit called the BBC.

    I can even remember being told at school that Scotland’s oil was rubbish.

    If people are getting angry because they have now found out about London’s wilful mendacious lying to Scotland about the oil for the past 45 years, then that is a very good thing.

    The National newspaper publishing the secret McCRone report, and letting Scots know how successive Labour and Tory government have deliberately lied to Scots about the oil’s value, is a very good thing.

    I do not doubt for one second, that when indyref is called, their will be all the usual cringing, London-worshipping, Scotland-hating suspects (looking at you, BBC liars), lining up to once again remind Scots how little oil is left and how it really isn’t worth very much.

  262. Bobp
    Ignored
    says:

    If the SNP said tomorrow is fri, mundell and co would say it was Saturday.

  263. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    OK, time for some proper Political Theory and a bit of Social Anthropology re Brexit.

    The Contradictory Political Philosophy of Brexit

    Legitimacy crisis

    Initial analysis of the vote showed that 75 per cent of Conservative-held parliamentary constituencies and 70 per cent of Labour ones had a majority for leave. Not for nothing did Nigel Farage, the then leader of the UK Independence Party (Ukip) whose success was a catalyst for holding the vote, declare the result a victory ‘for real people, ordinary people, decent people’. This folksy rhetoric points to the very real fault line revealed by the Brexit vote.

    What the campaign waged by the Leave side tapped into so successfully was a general sentiment that the people are no longer sovereign. To reprise the language of Abraham Lincoln, opponents of the EU made hay with the notion that government in the UK is not by and of the people or even for the people. Direct democracy was thus invoked – in the land where parliamentary sovereignty is deemed sacred – to remedy the perceived pathology of how representative democracy managed the UK’s relationship with the EU.

    https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2041905817702735

    Rousseau’s Revenge: The Political Philosophy of Brexit
    https://www.researchgate.net/publication/310493043_Rousseau%27s_Revenge_The_Political_Philosophy_of_Brexit

    Brexit, boundaries and imperial identities: A comparative view
    https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1469605316686875

  264. Sarah
    Ignored
    says:

    @heraldnomore – I can’t find any recent Panelbase survey on Google. Can you tell us where/what it is, please?

  265. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    @Robert Louis
    I never placed much importance on McCrone during Indy Ref 1 and neither did the SNP or official YES, and I think that was probably right. The emphasis was positive, and a lot to take in for most of the population who’d considered Independence as the realm of nutters and who had to be carefully brought around to thinking it was a normal state.

    If anything “suppression” of the McCrone report would have helped convinced them we were still nutters.

    Well, Indy is mainstream after Indy Ref 1, and perhaps McCrone is the thing of the moment, right for Indy Ref 2 when it comes. I hope the National prints it again, and again.

  266. Bobp
    Ignored
    says:

    I can never get my head around the idea why anyone would so despise their own country. Where is their sense of pride? How can you walk and talk among other nations peoples and not feel a sense of shame in the fact that you are a 2nd class citizen in the disunited UK.

  267. heraldnomore
    Ignored
    says:

    Sarah, I was just asked by Panelbase to complete. Guess it’ll be a little while before results are released, in what I expect to be Stu’s usual fashion.

  268. Sarah
    Ignored
    says:

    @heraldnomore: Thank you. Looking forward to the results being released idc! 🙂

  269. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    @BBC in Scotland
    Is there any reason other than institutional racism that prevents you from giving the Scottish public a balanced perspective of Brexit? Here’s some Social Anthropology, Game Theory and a bit more Political Theory, to get you started.

    Brexit: Where once was an empire

    ….Since the 1950s the big question has been ‘What will become of the United Kingdom?’ For those who envisaged this as an opportunity for progress, the answer has so far been rather disappointing. There always seems to be an excuse for not coming to grips with historical reality: imperial bag-carrier to the US (‘the special relationship’, a role now taken by France); English as the world language, thanks to the American internet; xenophobic delusions; a series of world leaders in sport.

    Because of its longevity and historical prominence, the United Kingdom has a reputation for being stable. I wish to remind readers of its revolutionary origins and to suggest that the unravelling of the UK after empire – despite the anodyne message of the daily television news – makes Britain potentially one of the most unstable polities in the world.

    Recent events linked to Brexit have set in train unforeseeable concatenations that could end up as the break-up of the UK. We have been witnessing a constitutional crisis composed of many elements, any combination of which could be catalytic of profound change. This is not just about the UK’s place in the European Union (EU). It is a whole series of institutional conflicts with roots in a country no longer held together by the glue of empire and global industrial leadership. Here is a short list of problems. Any three of these would combine to place the United Kingdom under severe strain….

    https://perspectivesinanthropology.com/2017/03/01/brexit-where-once-was-an-empire/

    The politics and economics of Brexit
    https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13501763.2018.1467957

    The Game Theory of Brexit
    https://www.politics.co.uk/comment-analysis/2017/03/15/the-game-theory-of-brexit

  270. manandboy
    Ignored
    says:

    Immediately after Independence, Scotland will need an audit of the inventory of all oil and gas rigs, wells, production platforms, in fact, of all installations in Scottish waters.

    So why not do it right now?

    The McCrone Report needs to be updated urgently.

  271. Tom Busza
    Ignored
    says:

    Isn’t it interesting that all that rubbish oil from the Scottish North Sea is now the benchmark in world oil trading? I’m thinking “Brent Crude”, described as a light (low vsicosity) sweet (low sulphur content) oil, eminently suitable for all manner of uses.
    Brent is the leading global price benchmark for Atlantic basin crude oils. It is used to price two thirds of the world’s internationally traded crude oil supplies. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brent_Crude)

  272. manandboy
    Ignored
    says:

    OT. The Winner of The Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician for 2019, is 21 years old Benedict Morris, from Airdrie, and he plays the fiddle.

    And how!
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p06z8gyz
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p06zb6f4

  273. Cubby
    Ignored
    says:

    Robert Louis@5.13pm

    Yes and that’s why I say and have said for a long time that British Nationalists lie and they lie all the time about nearly everything. The oil and gas around Scotland’s shoreline is no exception. They have lied from the moment they realised its potential value. Due to the conditioning so many Scots have experienced from birth the majority believed the lies they have been told.

    Times are changing thanks mainly to the internet where it does not need much effort to debunk the lies. It is however staggering that since the 70s when Britnats would say the oil would run out in the mid eighties there are still people who believe the lies they are told. A lot of people are afraid and embarrassed to confront the truth.

    The value of the oil has been underplayed since the beginning.

  274. Nana
    Ignored
    says:

    Starting in approx 40minutes

    In the final part of a series on how #Brexit is viewed from Brussels, this week’s edition of the #AlexSalmondShow features interviews with Europe’s most experienced parliamentarian Elmar Brok and leading columnist James Wilson. They discuss how Brexit is transforming the perceptions of #Scotland’s place in #Europe.

    Stands Scotland where it did, in Europe?
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYyM2yjxUcg&feature=youtu.be

    Also available on: https://www.fb.com/AlexSalmond/videos

  275. Sarah
    Ignored
    says:

    @manandboy: Thank you for linking to Benedict Morris – what an incredible fiddle player he is. How did he get so good at only 21 years old? Amazing.

  276. geeo
    Ignored
    says:

    Shocked !!!

    STV news actually mentioned OBFA being introduced by Scotsgov but repealed by Opposition parties getting together to repeal it, which is perhaps why none of them wanted to talk about it at FMQ’s today….

    Clearly repealing was seen as a license to be sectarian as they liked.

    ALL the opposition are in the dock over this.

    With police saying they cannot just arrest their way out of this behaviour, then it is time to hammer the clubs whose fans indulge in this behaviour.

    Now, with the biggest 2 clubs, and historically the worse offenders, it is not enough to just ban supporters for x amount of games, as the clubs mostly have fans money already, and unless fans stop buying ST’s there is no actual punishment.

    Points deductions are the language they will understand, ultimately.

    Or automatic relegation after, say, a 3 strike rule is invoked.

    Folk say that cannot be done as it ruins football, but Scottish football thrived with the absence of one half of the bigot brothers from the top flight.

    It also really harmed them being in lower leagues, as witnessed by how long it is taking them to even raise a half hearted challenge back in the SPL.

    There are sectarian elements all over Scottish football, and these sanctions suggested should apply to ALL of the clubs.

    I highlight the 2 big Glasgow clubs as it is fear of sanctioning THEM which the Football authorities have run scared of, over sectarian behaviour.

    We had the OBFA and the opposition repealed it, now we have the possibility of COUNCILS using licensing laws to deal with it, but my concern over that idea is consistency of application.

  277. geeo
    Ignored
    says:

    Meanwhile on BBC news….

    No mention of OBFA, certainly no mention of who repealed it at Holyrood.

    Nah….Sally Mag says football has said GOVERNMENT must do more to stop sectarianism!

    Surely now Sally will mention the *(cough)* OBFA *(cough)*….nah, dont be daft.

  278. ronnie anderson
    Ignored
    says:

    British athletics this weekend in Glasgow Bbc biging it as there are 9 Scots in the british team & Kyle Learmouth is El Capitan no mention of 2nd class Scots.

    Leave your Saltires at the door or like the Commonwealth Games you’ll be ejected , cant have they sweaties showing their Scottish Flags in Scotland on the Bbc .

  279. Lenny Hartley
    Ignored
    says:

    Re panelbase poll, strange im on the panelbase panel and they have not sent to me, maybe i should have said i was a yoon.

  280. Breeks
    Ignored
    says:

    The thing about the McCrone Report is that you could write a very similar report today about the same potential Scotland has to profit and prosper from renewable energy. It will be Scotland’s new golden goose that just keeps giving, long after oil has expired.

  281. Tinto Chiel
    Ignored
    says:

    @geeo: you make some very good points. Ever since the repeal of OBFA, there has been an increase in sectarian and yob behaviour (e.g. coin-throwing). Who would have imagined such shenanigans 😛 ? James “Share-a-Brain” Kelly MSP?

    Sadly, most Scottish clubs seem to oppose Strict Liability, no doubt under legal advice, but the only way to curb such behaviour imo is to dock points from the worst offenders, and who would they be? For this reason, points-docking will never be sanctioned by the arch-conservative SFA.

    There has also been a rise in outright racist behaviour, e.g. my diddy team’s African American winger abused by Hearts fans recently.

    I understand few on here attend or care about Scottish football, but it’s bleedin’ obvious what the effects of the football repeal are for those who follow unfashionable teams.

    The bigots and the middle-class “civil liberties” advocates (Greens: has Patrick Harvie ever gone to a match?) have a lot to answer for.

  282. Cubby
    Ignored
    says:

    BBC Reporting Scotland Tonight

    A THIRD report on offensive behaviour at football matches after more problems last night at matches and for the THIRD time not a word about the OBF legislation being removed by the Britnat parties and the greens last year. Not a word that it was forecast that trouble would increase if the legislation was removed. The viewer is left with the thought why is there nothing being done about this by the Scottish government.

    Propaganda at its best (or worse).

    Reporting Scotland is as big a stain on Scottish society as sectarian thuggery. Both need to be removed.

  283. Petra
    Ignored
    says:

    @ geeo says at 6:26 pm ”Shocked !!! STV news actually mentioned OBFA being introduced by Scotsgov but repealed by Opposition parties getting together to repeal it, which is perhaps why none of them wanted to talk about it at FMQ’s today….”…

    STV covered that well geeo and it made some impact when Deputy Chief Constable Will Kerr, previously from Northern Ireland, commented at length on the situation, saying for example, “I’m surprised at the level of sectarianism on display and I say that having policed in Northern Ireland for nearly 30 years.”..

    Repeated in the article below.

    http://www.scotland.police.uk/about-us/police-scotland/executive-team/deputy-chief-constable-local-policing

    …………………………………..

    ‘Senior officer warns of rising sectarianism and police abuse at football.’

    …“But what I’ve been surprised at over the last six months, particularly when it comes to behaviour at football matches, has been two things.

    “One has been that level of sectarianism on display and I say that having policed in Northern Ireland for nearly 30 years.

    “I’ve been surprised at how much it is seen as normal… It feels almost visceral in a way I haven’t experienced for quite a while.”

    I’ve been surprised that the consistently thuggish behaviour of a very small number of fans is considered normal. This is not normal. It is a sport.

    Mr Kerr added: “I’ve also been surprised just at the level of disorder on display at the some of the football matches and we have been concerned, particularly over the last 12 months, that there has been a rise in both disorder, that type of offensive behaviour and the levels of aggression to police officers.

    “We’ve had officers pulled off horses, spat at, attacked – very aggressive behaviour towards them.

    “We had a police horse which had pyrotechnic flare thrown at it a couple of weeks ago and was injured to the extent it had to go to the vet.

    “Again, I’ve been surprised that the consistently thuggish behaviour of a very small number of fans is considered normal. This is not normal. It is a sport.

    “On both fronts there is a responsibility and a need for everybody, including the police service, to collectively challenge ourselves about how much that’s considered normal and what we can actually do to address it.”…

    http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/uk/senior-officer-warns-of-rising-sectarianism-and-police-abuse-at-football-37865136.html

    …………………………………

    And from Wings Twitter.

    ”WHAT AN INCREDIBLE UNEXPECTED SURPRISE THAT NOBODY COULD EVER HAVE PREDICTED.”

    https://twitter.com/WingsScotland/status/1101183920849256449?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

  284. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    @BBC in Scotland
    I thought these might help you escape your implicit bias towards British nationalism and England’s Euroskepticism pseudo-religion.

    The postcolonial perspective: an introduction

    Abstract

    In this article I consider what it means to theorise international politics from a postcolonial perspective, understood not as a unified body of thought or a new ‘-ism’ for IR, but as a ‘situated perspective’, where the particular of subjective, embodied experiences are foregrounded rather than erased in the theorising. What the postcolonial has to offer are ex-centred, post-Eurocentric sites for practices of situated critique. This casts a different light upon the makings of international orders and key epistemological schemes with which these have been studied in international relations (IR), such as ‘norms’. In this perspective colonisation appears as a foundational shaper of these orders, to a degree and with effects still under-appraised in the discipline.

    The postcolonial perspective is thus deeply historical, or rather genealogical, in its dual concerns with, first, the genesis of norms, or the processes by which particular behaviours come to be taken to be ‘normal’. Second, it is centrally concerned with the power relations implicated in the (re)drawing of boundaries between the normal and the strange or the unacceptable. Together, these concerns effectively shift the analysis of the ideational processes underpinning international orders from ‘norms’ to the dynamic and power-laden mechanisms of ‘normalisation’. In addition, I show how theorising international politics from a postcolonial perspective has implications for IR’s conceptions of time, identity, and its relationship to difference, as well as agency.

    https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/international-theory/article/postcolonial-perspective-an-introduction/F735476A4C7514DC621770517E130AC1

    Brexit, Trump, and ‘methodological whiteness’: on the misrecognition of race and class
    https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1468-4446.12317

    SPACE & POLITY
    SPECIAL ISSUE: BREXIT GEOGRAPHIES

    https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/media/livacuk/publicpolicypractice/Space,and,polity,-,Brexit.pdf

  285. Dr Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    It’s no me it’s the rest of them:

    Demands being made on the Scottish government again to fix the sectarian problem created by the British government only to find when they attempt to fix those problems the British political parties get rid of the laws the Scottish government attempt to introduce to fix the problem created by the British government

    See how that works, and round and round we go until people realise where there is no British government in the British isles there’s no sectarianism because in England they’ve managed to get the people to hate whoever the next minority group they might be targeting is

    Republic of Ireland no sectarianism, there may indeed be some who behave in this way but not actually in the Republic because they come to Scotland to engage in it because this is where they’re welcomed into a large like minded arena for a nominal fee to get the bigotry going and on the other side of the city the Northern Irish turn up for the same festivities, it’s a good deal for them to pay their bigot fee to their chosen enablers and let loose the dogma of war

    Hate and division by any other name created by the British for the purpose of division and control using historical faith dogma as the lever to do it

    As long as we’re stuck with football clubs who charge people an entry fee to engage freely in it we’re not going to stop it, in just the same way as the normalisation of the position in society of the Orange Lodge and their followers is thought to be acceptable behaviour

    It’s not is it

    Do away with everything that’s British from your country and the bigots will have no choice but to take it to another country that allows it, until they run out of countries and money

    If a Disco club had fights and bad behaviour every week in it the police would use their licensing powers to close it without a seconds thought

  286. Fionan
    Ignored
    says:

    Tackety Beets @ 11.54 Like you, I have known about the McCrone report for decades, probably since the seventies, but also like you, I have no idea where the knowledge came from. I also got the pnj, but I have a feeling McCrone was known about via word of mouth among SNP supporters and activists at that time. It led fuel to the cry ‘it’s Scotlands oil’. I dont recall knowing much of the exact wording, more the gist of what was contained in the report. I clearly remember bringing it up in discussion at that time with people who were convinced of the ‘too wee, too poor’ mantra.

  287. Petra
    Ignored
    says:

    Note that Chief Constable Will Kerr stated, “I’ve also been surprised just at the level of disorder on display at the some of the football matches and we have been concerned, particularly over the last 12 months, that there has been a rise in both disorder, that type of offensive behaviour and the levels of aggression to police officers.”

    So what happened 12 months ago, folks?

    ………………

    Ross Greer Green MSP:-

    ”Was proud to put OBFA repeal in the @scotgp manifesto. Proud to vote for that repeal today. #RepealTheOBAct” – 15 Mar 2018.

    https://twitter.com/ross_greer/status/974330076513914881

    …………………………..

    VIDEO – James Kelly Labour MSP:-

    ”My Bill to repeal the Football Act passed Stage 2 this morning, meaning that it’s now only a matter of weeks before this discredited law is taken off the books.” – 27 Feb 2018.

    https://twitter.com/jameskellylab/status/968466163679350785

  288. frogesque
    Ignored
    says:

    @Fionan and Tackety Beets

    Yep, there was always talk about the oil riches and how it was impossible to get a number on it because of secrecy and duplicity. Remember the times well enough from the folk clubs etc.

    The Queen was in the parlour
    Eating bread and honey
    The Duke was in the Counting House

    (Everyone)

    Fiddling Scotland’s money!

  289. Marie Clark
    Ignored
    says:

    Well, well, quelle surprise. Bad and offensive behaviour at the fitba. If only somebody would dae sumthin aboot it eh.

    Well, I seem to remember a lot of people saying that this would happen once the OBFA was repealed by those Britnats in Holyrood. Shame on the greens for colluding with them. I notice that they’ve gone very quiet about it now. That SNP should dae sumthin. Why, they already did and you chose to do away with it. That lame brain Kelly proposed it and you all jumped on the bandwagon to give the SNP a kicking. Och well.

    The problem really is for that other useless shower the SFA to sort it out. That always seems beyond them, cause they’re feart to stand up against one set of eejits in particular.

    They should heavily fine the clubs involved, make them play behind closed doors for more than just one or two games, and, more importantly, dock them serious points. I guarantee you that that will get their attention. But, will the SFA do any of this? Naw because they are exactly that SFA.

  290. Graeme J McAllan
    Ignored
    says:

    Dakk, your comment is an insult to all of us “dopey knobs” 🙁

  291. Golfnut
    Ignored
    says:

    Golfing.

    ‘re OBFA.

    Let’s not forget just how complicit the media was in the repeal of this ACT. Despite the barrage of anti OBFA propaganda, across almost every demographic, age, sex, football clubs, not interested in football, 62% were against the repeal.

  292. stu mac
    Ignored
    says:

    @Petra
    28 February, 2019 at 7:31 pm
    @ geeo says at 6:26 pm ”Shocked !!! STV news actually mentioned OBFA being introduced by Scotsgov but repealed by Opposition parties getting together to repeal it, which is perhaps why none of them wanted to talk about it at FMQ’s today….”…

    ===========================

    As folk have said here, repealing the OBFA sent a message to the thugs that their behaviour was OK. I’m sure Mr. Brodie can direct us to psychiatric discussion on “reinforcement”. It’s why racists, for instance, tell each other racist jokes. It’s a way of normalising a behaviour (which deep down they must know is wrong) and indeed encouraging it. Creating a bubble as it were where racism is OK. One such bubble exists among the large Ibrox support where the chants and expressions of hate normalise and encourage expressions of that hate in violent behaviour. Lesser bubbles exist with teams like Hearts, Celtic, Hibs in the main.

    Smaller clubs have the bigots and thugs but in small doses that are mostly individual outbreaks; if there is encouragement it’s the more general society and not the club – though the smaller clubs can take some blame as a group (individually they can’t stand up to the big clubs, especially the big two). The “Show Racism the Red Card” campaign which often makes announcements at clubs before games, includes a statement about bigotry too with the club promising to act against this. I know my own small team have (very) occasionally thrown out and banned guys for racist or bigoted actions.

    However when one of the big two comes calling (especially one of them) the ground is resounding to the sound of bigoted hate-chants. Action by the home club? Nothing, as if nothing was heard (and a couple of years back I distinctly remember a new chant by them – “We hate catholics, we hate ..” as infinitum. I presume the TV coverage blurs the sound at their games. To get back to my original point, the weakness of the clubs, the complaisance of the MSM, especially the TV companies covering OF games, and the hypocrisy of so many of our politicians is creating a climate where religious bigotry (and associated violence) is becoming normalised. The SNP should act on this now wherever they can, if not by a new act then by consulting with police and lawyers to see what can be done under present laws.

    Another area where action is needed is of course the Orange marches – we saw last year how disgusting some of their hangers on can be. And the Orange lodges are to blame as they deliberately march past catholic churches. The SNP council in Glasgow should insist no march past any churches and also fewer and more limited marches. No organisation has a right to march whenever and wherever they like. It is time they were treated just like anyone else.

  293. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    re. the “reinforcement” of social norms and human behaviour.

    The essential role of ritual in the transmission and reinforcement of social norms.

    Abstract

    Social norms are communally agreed upon, morally significant behavioral standards that are, at least in part, responsible for uniquely human forms of cooperation and social organization. This article summarizes evidence demonstrating that ritual and ritualized behaviors are essential to the transmission and reinforcement of social norms. Ritualized behaviors reliably signal an intentional mental state giving credibility to verbal expressions while emotionally binding people to each other and group-based values. Early ritualized infant-caregiver interactions and the family routines and rituals that emerge from them are primary mechanisms for transmitting social norms vertically from parent to offspring, while adult community rituals are a primary mechanism by which norms are reinforced horizontally within the community.

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22289109

    Social norms and social influence
    http://www.columbia.edu/~rim2114/publications/2015-McDonald-Crandall.pdf

    The essential role of ritual in the transmission and reinforcement of social norms.
    https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2012-02605-001

  294. Robert Peffers
    Ignored
    says:

    @Fionan says: 28 February, 2019 at 7:48 pm:

    … Tackety Beets @ 11.54 Like you, I have known about the McCrone report for decades, probably since the seventies, but also like you, I have no idea where the knowledge came from. I also got the pnj, but I have a feeling McCrone was known about via word of mouth among SNP supporters and activists at that time.”

    You are 100% correct, Fionan, party members knew about it back in the 1970s. If memory serves they did know about the McCrone Report too. I’m sure I did anyway.

    However, the party was quite small back then and we were regarded my many people as dangerous potential terrorists or at least as the lunatic fringe. A lot of hard work has been done since those days and more needs done yet.

  295. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    I doubled up on one there.

    Why Even Terrible Social Norms Are Hard to Change
    https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/im-only-human/201802/why-even-terrible-social-norms-are-hard-change

  296. Ian Brotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    It seems that Peter Bell has decided to take some time out. Many of us have met the man, or heard him speak, if not in person then via various podcasts. By any measure he’s a pretty significant figure in the Yes movement and most will hope to see him back as soon as possible.

    Thinking about him today, I was wondering how many talented, passionate characters have fallen away from Yes and/or the SNP over the past five years or so. So many different reasons. Have done it meself, scunnered, then come back later. No-one can keep at-it full-time. It perhaps help explain why there are sporadic outbursts of anger and frustration, as happened today on Twitter with Mhairi/Mr Malky. It’s dispiriting, but understandable.

    Anyway, please forgive the length of this comment, but I wanted to mention an incident which happened many years ago but pops into my head from time to time…

    My neighbours were working away and had arranged for a cleaning company to do the carpeting in their hallway and staircase. I was to let the workers in and lock up after they were done. They arrived very early and were at it all day, I could hear them through the wall. Late afternoon the guy came to tell me he was finished. Turns out it was just this one guy, a teenager, who’d been left to do it all himself.

    He had all his gear outside the door and a colleague was parked across the road. I went out with the keys, started to lock-up, and he said ‘Do you want to see it?’ I said okay, opened the door, saw the staircase, said ‘That looks great.’ He appeared reluctant to leave. ‘You don’t want to check up the stairs?’ ‘No,’ I said, ‘I’m sure it’s fine.’ He seemed disappointed, then started gathering his gear. (Crossed my mind that he was perhaps hoping for a tip but I was skint and wasn’t sure if that was the ‘done thing’ in any case.)

    I didn’t want to go inside, take my shoes off to go upstairs cause it was probably damp etc, and I was doing my own stuff anyway, just wanted to get the place locked. It wasn’t until later – years later – that I realised the lad probably just wanted someone, anyone, to witness what he’d spent so long doing all on his tod, and tell him he had done a good job. That was all. He was probably working for buttons, perhaps an apprentice, but had spent at least six hours at it.

    Every now and then I remember that lad and feel shame that I hadn’t the gumption to see what was going on. It would’ve taken no more than five minutes to walk upstairs and let him point out the tricky parts, where the stains had been particulraly stubborn etc.

    The moral of this story?!

    We should be giving each other as much encouragement as possible, as often as possible. Fuck knows we don’t get it from msm, even from those pundits who are ‘on our side’. We’ve come a long way in the lifetime of this site and it’s hard to evaluate how much has been achieved. But make no mistake – if we don’t help each other, no-one else will.

  297. call me dave
    Ignored
    says:

    Jings! Is it no the time yet! Auntie wie a kilt reports.

    https://archive.is/LJlE2

  298. Macart
    Ignored
    says:

    @Ian Brotherhood

    Well said.

  299. Scotspatriot
    Ignored
    says:

    Ian Brotherhood…. so true.
    We must pace ourselves…….letting rip ……from time to time…!
    It’ll come soon…of that I am certain.

  300. Dr Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    The new BBC channel reports that number ten will refuse a request for a section 30 order but they were told secretly says Nick Eardley

    Hate to tell you Nick son we already knew that

  301. Nana
    Ignored
    says:

    Senior figures in @theSNP and in the UK Government expect @NicolaSturgeon to call for the power to hold another referendum in the next few weeks

    Several sources close to Downing Street say the answer will be no

    https://twitter.com/nickeardleybbc/status/1101228921952133120

    article archived
    http://archive.is/LJlE2

  302. Dr Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    Professor Poultice, sorry, Sir Professor Poultice says there are the same amount of people going over to NO as joining YES
    and of course all the polls (which are where?) say there’s no appetite for Independence

    They love that phrase don’t they *No Appetite*

  303. Dan
    Ignored
    says:

    Breeks says:
    28 February, 2019 at 7:18 pm

    “The thing about the McCrone Report is that you could write a very similar report today about the same potential Scotland has to profit and prosper from renewable energy. It will be Scotland’s new golden goose that just keeps giving, long after oil has expired.”

    That is absolutely correct Breeks. This point really needs to be promoted more.

    Plus a growing renewable energy industry would create practical engineering jobs and hopefully apprenticeships too.
    It would be grand if we could train some of the younger generation to actually use spanners again. You can’t build an engine or a gearbox with a Playstation handset or swiping across an iphone screen…
    It’s all very well having a load of super highly qualified academic people, but from my view as someone who regularly gets asked to repair or services things, these days a large amount of the population can’t even do the most basic practical tasks such as repairing a puncture on a pushbike.

  304. Nana
    Ignored
    says:

    Ain’t it strange how there appears to be so many ‘anonymous sources’

    https://twitter.com/nickeardleybbc/status/1101228151269658627

  305. Dr Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    @Nana 9:37pm

    Does it sound like they’re trying to head us off at the pass before we get to the pass
    Or at least getting Yoonworld vociferously objecting to something that hasn’t happened yet because Yoonworld has diminished so much in size there’s hardly any of them left to object vociferously

    When King size Yoons like Sir Tom Hunter can’t think of at least a silly reasonable objection to Independence I’d say their world is crumbling

  306. cynicalHighlander
    Ignored
    says:

    Ian Brotherhood

    More power to your keyboard.

  307. Dr Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    If Theresa May and number 10 really believed there was *no appetite* for Independence they’d be all for it loaded with clauses against future referendums

    They know Scotland is sure this time and it terrifies them

  308. Jockanese Wind Talker
    Ignored
    says:

    CameronB Brodie and William Wallace say on the subject of projectors

    “…there may well be some law prohibiting such protest art.”

    I’d like to think it’ll be treated the same way as folk who project Christmassy stuff onto the outside of their houses in December.

    Only one way to find out though….

    😉

  309. gus1940
    Ignored
    says:

    I used to think that Prof. Poultice was relatively unbiased and straight.

    However, there is no doubt that he is now a dedicated Britnat and must be regarded with the same respect that we show to Unionist politicians and their media fan club.

  310. Jockanese Wind Talker
    Ignored
    says:

    “How many of Scotland’s doctors and clinicians practicing in rural Scotland, are EU nationals? How will healthcare provision in rural Scotland be affected by Brexit?” says @CameronB Brodie says at 5:10 pm

    Change “doctors and clinicians” to VETS and now imagine agriculture sector and abattoir monitoring for food standards.

  311. Nana
    Ignored
    says:

    @Dr Jim

    Without a doubt, their yoonworld is crumbling to dust around their feet and I reckon they have polls showing we are ready for the off in big style.

    I mean if they are so sure there is no appetite why be feart of a referendum.

  312. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    You already know how Westminster feel entitled to pilfer Scotland wealth. Well here’s another consideration re. Scotland’s natural resource. England is very short of drinking water. Climate change and fraking will only make this shortage extreme in the not too distant future.

  313. Tom Busza
    Ignored
    says:

    Re. TM expected to say NO

    Interesting point mentionesd in that Beeb srticle –

    “There is an interesting sub-plot to this. Some Scottish Tories are urging the prime minister, if she ever does say yes to another referendum, to keep hold of all the cards. One MP said control over the date, question and franchise should be set by London.”

    Bloody arrogance of the Scot Tories.

  314. Tackety Beets
    Ignored
    says:

    My sanity has returned.

    Thank you to those confirming the MaCrone Report was known about.
    I was sure I had discussed it with folk prior to ’79 Ref.

  315. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    I fingered Prof. Poultice as a Britnat back in 2013. It was apparent from the occasional slip in his choice of pronouns.

    @Fabian Society
    Critical Discourse Analysis is a bugger, eh?

  316. Jockanese Wind Talker
    Ignored
    says:

    Thing is though everyone Indy Supporter and British Nationalists KNOW that “No 10 will refuse a request for a Section 30 Order”.

    Scottish Government will already have a plan for this outcome, so this may be BritNat fishing for clues as so far the FM (and SNP) have proved leak proof on dates/plan.

    Additionally if Westminster remove Scotland from the EU against the wishes of the Sovereign People of Scotland we may not even need a Referendum as the UK Union will legally end as a result.

    It would just need recognised by the UN International Court of Justice.

  317. john boy
    Ignored
    says:

    English government minister tells Scotland, if we are going down, then you are going down with us.

    Sorry old chap, too young to die, I think I’ll hang around for a while, if it’s all the same with you.

  318. dakk
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Graeme J McAllan says:
    28 February, 2019 at 8:26 pm
    Dakk, your comment is an insult to all of us “dopey knobs” ?

    No offence intended.

    Glaikit prick may have been nearer the mark,but it felt bit close to home 🙂

  319. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    English UK government minister tells Scotland…

  320. Ian Brotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    Looks like the Saturday gathering in Glasgow is going to be something special.

    Dows Bar, Dundas Street, right at Queen St Station. Some of us will be there mid-afternoon to set up. We’ve got quite a few pledges for raffle prizes but could use more. The upstairs function room will be ours until closing time. Jock Scot (yea, he of YouChoob fame) will be DJing, we’ve got sausage rolls sorted and folk are bringing all sorts of other grub.

    Good chance this will be the last Friends of WOS gathering before Brexit, so please make it along, if only for a swift one to say hello and wish one another well for the months ahead.

    😉

  321. Ian Brotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    @Cameron B –

    You fingered Sir Curtice?

    Blimey!

    No wonder he always looks like he’s just had a fright.

    😉

  322. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    re. sectarianism in Scotland. Brexit certainly won’t help as it is driven by a desire to exclude the Other. British nationalism also undermines the biopsychosocial basis of Scotland’s psychological and, subsequently, physical health.

    Advisory Group on Tackling Sectarianism in Scotland
    Independent Advice to Scottish Ministers and Report on Activity 9 August 2012 – 15 November 2013

    ….Scotland is a country of many cultures and diversity must be respected. But expressions of diversity which are not inclusive and which seek to create barriers and emphasise „in and out? groupings are harmful to society. We are certainly not advocating a homogenised society where culture and identity cannot be expressed and would strongly oppose any such moves, but we do need to move away from expressions which fuel the kinds of bitterness and resentment that lead to the marginalisation of others.

    The only barrier we have to tackling sectarianism is our own reluctance to become involved. Sectarianism is not someone else?s problem; it is our problem, a problem we all share and a problem that can only be resolved by working together. Our work over the last year has made it clear to us that speaking openly and honestly about sectarianism is nothing to be feared if we approach such discussions with open hearts and generous spirits. Everyone who has made Scotland their home is part of Scottish society and it is up to all of us to make that society a better place for all of Scotland?s people.

    http://www.gov.scot/resource/0044/00440386.pdf

    I SEE! Scotland: Tackling Sectarianism and Promoting Community Psychosocial Health
    scholarcommons.usf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1556&context=jss

    Tackling Sectarianism – Toolkit
    https://www.community-relations.org.uk/sites/crc/files/media-files/csrec_tackling_sectarianism_toolkit_2016_v2%201%20%281%29.pdf

  323. Robert Peffers
    Ignored
    says:

    Don’t these idiots get it yet?

    Nicola is banking on Theresa attempting to prevent an indyref2.

    Not only that but Westminster doesn’t have the power to prevent indyref2 being held. The much vaunted order the numpties believe is permission from Westminster is nothing of the sort.

    It was simply an agreement between Alex Salmond and David Cameron that both parties would not only agree to abide by the result of indyref1 but would also agree as to the wording of the question on the voting paper.

    In point of fact Alex conned Cameron into believing he had won an important victory in that wording when it was what Alex wanted all along.

    The truth is that there is no law under either the independent Scottish or the independent English legal system and there is no such thing as a United Kingdom Rule of Law. Westminster legislates under the English Rule of Law and adds wee bits onto the end of Westminster Acts to accommodate differences in the two kingdom’s legal systems.

    Holding a referendum is not illegal. It is Westminster propaganda that has fooled these media idiots into believing Westminster has the powers to grant or refuse anyone to hold a referendum.

    Face it, newspapers and local councils hold them all the time. What the hell do you think the many opinion polls are?

    They are referring a question to a group of people a.k.a. referendums. So there you go – I’ll leave it to the reader to make their own mind up if what I have just posted has the ring of truth about it or whether the MSM and broadcasters are attempting to brainwash you – we will soon find out who is telling the truth.

    Anyway, Nicola. or rather the SG, for Nicola never acts like a dictator, will gain if Theresa attempts to prevent a referendum for it will only serve to put Scottish backs up. Scots have long been know to be, “Thrawart.

    For those who do not speak Lowland Scots – thrawart = forward, perverse, adverse, cross-grained, stubborn, obstinate, distorted, intractable, pig-headed, reluctant, self-willed, twisted, wry. (Like many Scots words there really is no one word direct English equivalent but a Scots speaker knows exactly what, “Thrawn or Thrawart”, means).

  324. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    Ian Brotherhood
    Finger like white puddins. 🙂

  325. Thepnr
    Ignored
    says:

    @Nana

    Thanks for the link to tomorrows National front page. So pleased to see that the SNP would push for a Scottish currency within the life of an Independent Scotland’s first parliament.

    That is really good news.

  326. Ian Brotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    @Cam B –

    Okay, we’d probably best just leave it at that…

    🙁

  327. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    Sorry bud.

  328. Phronesis
    Ignored
    says:

    There is no appetite for independence in Scotland- there is a burning desire for independence in Scotland that’s now present in all communities throughout Scotland.Partly fueled by disdain for a WM cartel that has historically lacked political vision and ethical approach to long term investing of the proceeds of a vast natural resource underpinned by tenets of good governance – prudence, respect, integrity, merit and excellence. If it had, the UK at large would be sitting with a similar fund to the Government Pension Fund Global of Norway. WM lacks any credible vision for Scotland and is incapable of adapting to evolving economic and environmental challenges- it fixates on car parking charges- as it lurches from one disastrous scenario to another. There is no respect for Scotland, there is no care or compassion or fairness towards Scotland or for many other communities in rUK- it is time for Scotland to defend her institutions, seat of democracy, society, economy, her place in Europe.
    ‘Many years of dedicated austerity-related policies—of budget cuts, of privatization and deregulation—have not led to a revitalization of the economy, to better development and faster growth…Poor and marginalized people in particular have suffered from the cuts in benefits in the name of activation and greater self-responsibility. Austerity is class-based and contains a class character, revealed by its propensity to increase inequality…The most visible result of the complicity of labor in neoliberal transformation projects has been the decline of the vote of traditional socialist and social-democratic parties. If leaders of such neo-corporatist experiments consider their projects successful, success has come at the expense of the political organization in many countries…A longterm and holistic alternative to austerity must therefore feature, at its core, an alternative vision of how investment can occur—controlled by, and in the interests of, the masses of society, rather than the wealthy few’

    http://www.socialeurope.eu/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Austerity-Print.pdf

  329. schrodingers cat
    Ignored
    says:

    blocking indyref2 is not without dangers for the unionists

    the entire idea of the route to indy via a referendum is a self imposed idea. if westminster pull the carpet on it then we can rightly, going forward, start to call all elections indy elections

    getting 45% of the vote may not win us indy but it will keep the snp in power in scotland and it wont stop or stall the campaign as there will be 2 elections every year.

    the snp got 49.5% of the vote in 2015 ge, but not on an indy manifesto.

    what if they got 52% on an indy manifesto in a ge in autum or next year?

    it would be difficult for anyone to argue that there was no appitite for indy, indeed, it would be difficult to argue that there is any need for an indyref either, what would be the point?

  330. Socrates MacSporran
    Ignored
    says:

    I know I shouldn’t, it’s bad for my blood pressure, but, I am currently watching BBC QT. A member of the audience has just mentioned: “the three main parties,” and been critical of all three.

    He was referring to the Lib-Dems as the “third party,” again ranking the SNP as a “Regional Party.”

    However, NONE of the parties represented in the House of Commons is, in a UK context, a truly “NATIONAL” party. Because none of them puts up candidates in each of the four countries represented in the United Kingdom Parliament.

    Neither the Conservative, Labour or Lib-Dem parties field candidates in elections in Northern Ireland; therefore, they are in reality regional parties.

    I see too, rumours that Theresa has ruled out a Section 30 order, and has said we cannot have our INdependence referendum. AYE RIGHT!!

  331. Sarah
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Phronesis – hear, hear.

    [But look out for hammers from the Rev due to absence of para breaks!]

  332. SilverDarling
    Ignored
    says:

    A bit dispiriting on social media tonight.Those who consider themselves the acceptable face of Indy basically disowning and encouraging others to disown anyone who they consider shames the cause.

    If people don’t behave, the swithering No voters won’t change their minds or something. Maybe Theresa May won’t ‘give us’ a referendum if we don’t play nicely.

    ‘Behave for Indy’ must be the new mantra.

  333. Dr Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    Anybody who knows anything about human behaviour, and even those who don’t know that much can see and hear every time Professor Poultice speaks he qualifies and certifies his own statements by continually using the phrase *the truth is* which is his way of positionally emphasising and convincing the listener of his educational superiority and veracity as a trusted person, supported of course by his constructed image of a man of education and not that of a politically minded servant of an ideology

    Glasgow people are particularly adept at picking up on this behavioural trait and indeed have their own phrase for the users of this technique and they refer to it in this way

    *Yer patter’s shite ya dick*

    Inciteful people the Glaswegians

  334. john boy
    Ignored
    says:

    I have that much faith in Nicola that I am willing to blindly trust her judgement regarding IndyRef2.

    Her and her advisors surely know something we don’t.

    And for that reason alone, I am 100% behind the SNP government.

  335. Robert Peffers
    Ignored
    says:

    @Thepnr says: 28 February, 2019 at 10:39 pm:

    ” … That is really good news.”

    What’s good about it? Scotland has had a distinct Scottish Pound since 1 May 1707. It says so in the Treaty of Union. Scots banks have legal right to print their own bank notes and they have done so since 1 May 1707.

    That is not the problem and it never has been. The problem is does Scotland tie the Scottish pound to the Bank of England Pound and bear in mind that Scotland owns part of the Bank of England.

    The Bank of England is not English. It was nationalised in 1946 by the United Kingdom Parliament and last time I looked the United Kingdom was still a united kingdom of two, equally sovereign, partner kingdoms. It was thus in 1946 and it still is today. However it will not remain so when the Kingdom of Scotland ends the Union.

    Big problem for the Kingdom of England if their next door neighbour has a stake and a say in their central bank. Not to mention they will have to return the entire value of the Scottish banknotes in circulation as they hold the value of all Scottish banknotes in a special deposit account.

  336. john boy
    Ignored
    says:

    Question Time,,,

    “Right, that’s enough about Brexit, let’s talk about the Jews and Jeremy Corbyn”

    FFS

    BBC doing their bit for the Tory Party

  337. Davie Oga
    Ignored
    says:

    Britjock Barry Gardiner, Labour, just on Question Time talking about a mythical thousand years of parliamentary history, Still another 30 minutes for someone to get in a best in, envy of, or first in the world. It’s a sad indictment of the voters that any of these delusional, arrogant clowns have any influence in society.

  338. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    Yeah, saw that National SNP currency thing. First reaction disappointment of course, why couldn’t the SNP be brave enough to go for our own currency straight away?

    But the key thing is to win the Indy Ref, and it’s more likely safe sterlingisation will win than “risky” own currency with all the stupid unionist central bank arguments “Denmark has foreign reserves of £55 billion, where are you going to get that from?” (we don’t need anywhere near that much, Denmark maintained an extra-tight peg against the euro – 0.13 – and was forced to keep issuing currency and buy euros to keep the krone down).

    The “going for own currency in first term of parliament is a good one, countering the SGC dismal maybe 10 years thing.

    But here’s the thing, after a YES vote, hopefully a high one, the SNP will effectively be interim and there’s likely to be a cross-party set up to do the negotiations, AND how Scotland starts off.

    I could visualise any of the unionist parties wanting to put their stamp on Indy Scotland and going for our own currency from day 1 and the SNP “reluctantly” agreeing.

    The other thing to look at is the velvet divorce of Slovakie and the Cxech Republic, where fully sharing a currency lasted less than 6 weeks, with the full split just 6 months later, sticking a stamp on the notes – a problem we don’t really have as we have our own banknotes.

    So if the rUK went t*ts up and the currency dropped, we could simply move over within weeks.

    So yeah, clever move from the SNP (sob).

  339. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    @cat
    Elections isn’t the way, takes too long and we’re long out the EU by then. And Russell, many others and more carefully Sturgeon have said they won’t allow Scotland to be wrenched out of the EU against our will. So I don’t think somehow their secret plan is about elections. Just my opinion of course.

  340. Dr Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    Just think, they’d be forced to negotiate with Mike Russell
    I’m laughing and laughing

  341. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    “British nationalism also undermines the biopsychosocial basis of Scotland’s psychological and, subsequently, physical health.”

    Constraints on human agency undermine an individual’s sense of self (moral identity), so are detrimental to human health. Scotland’s lack of political agency is already problematic. Brexit will only intensify the harm this causes to Scotland’s social psychology.

  342. sandy
    Ignored
    says:

    Sorry, late, been out.

    Is it possible to find out how many so-called fans of Celtic & Rangers have been banned from their respective grounds.

    We hear of “fans” of other clubs being banned for life by their clubs.. I can’t recall same of Celtic/Rangers “fans”.

    Maybe they are banned by the courts for a short while & spend the time in Barlinnie!!

  343. Capella
    Ignored
    says:

    @ manandboy – thx for the link to Benedict Morris, young traditional musician of the year. He is certainly one accomplished fiddle player. Brilliant.

  344. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    Mike Russell has really come into his own. Cometh the hour, cometh the man. Nothing sexist meant by that by the way 🙂

  345. Thepnr
    Ignored
    says:

    @Robert Peffers

    You ask “What’s good about it?”

    Well Robert, what’s good about it is that it is a departure from the recommendation made by the Growth Commission:

    The Commission recommends that the currency of an independent Scotland should remain the pound sterling for a possibly extended transition period.

    How long a transition period? An undefined period and no doubt subject to Bank of England decisions. This is not good.

    We recognise that this means that the Scottish Government would not secure monetary policy autonomy in the initial period following an independence vote. Our view is that the advantages of stability from retaining Sterling outweigh the benefits of introducing a new Scottish currency, at least in this initial period in the short to medium term.

    This is the main change in policy by the SNP as they appear to no longer agree with this statement from the Growth Commission and have instead decided that Scotland would aim for an Independent currency within the first parliament of an Independent government.

    I’ll repeat, anything that loosens artificial ties between Westminster and an Independent Scotland IS A GOOD THING.

    We don’t need the “stability” of the English pound and a Scottish pound from day one of Independence will do for me.

  346. ronnie anderson
    Ignored
    says:

    Its being taken for granted that Nicola will ask for a section 30 order . Tereza & the Britnats might be surprised when Nicola issues the edict ie subject to the Treaty of Union 1707 we the Sovereign People of Scotland herby serve notice of our withdrawal of said treaty .

    Byeeee
    Or words to that effect .

  347. Cubby
    Ignored
    says:

    Phronesis@10.51pm

    High fog index. Are you a lawyer? Paragraph breaks are not a nicety.

  348. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    Did the Growth Commission view economic growth as being culturally driven and take account of the semiotic theory of space and place? Doubt it somehow.

  349. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    Anyways, I think May will be falling over herself not just agreeing to grant the S30, but pushing it through the UK Parliament as fast as a runner can take the various stages back and forth between HoC, Committee, Hoc, Hol, HoC and off to the Queen who’ll be staying up all might to sign it on the spot.

    Why? Well, wouldn’t the Unionists like to know! 😎

    Seems to me it might all be too close now to give the game away.

  350. Cubby
    Ignored
    says:

    Dr Jim @11.09pm

    A classic post.

  351. Thepnr
    Ignored
    says:

    @ronnie anderson

    Best ignored, just another stirring of the porridge by Nick Eardly of the BBC.

    So what if he’s spoken to members of the UK government and the SNP in the last couple of weeks. Everything he has to report is simply hearsay most likely from numb skulls who have not much better an idea of what might happen than anyone on Wings might have.

    You can be certain of this, Nicola Sturgeon didn’t talk to him and neither did any other senior cabinet member. All guesswork and most likely will ultimately prove to be the same old bullshit that we’ve come to expect from the BBC.

  352. Thepnr
    Ignored
    says:

    Nick Eardly trying again to be the news rather than reporting the news.

    That’s how propaganda works, you just make shit up and watch it grow. The more outrageous the story, the better to take hold.

  353. Petra
    Ignored
    says:

    Oh well and dearie me. Question Time is as biased and boring as usual with their anti-Semitic Corbyn obsession. Absolutely pathetic. One member of the audience along with Barry Gardiner tried to discuss the racists on the right and that was blocked. Another member of the audience attempted to point out the Brexit lies and fraud and was shouted down. Fiona Bruce must know that this has been proven in court but said nought. Fiona Bruce then, most disgracefully, asked people in the audience to raise their hands if they agreed with anything that Barry Gardiner had said. One hand went up. No ask for a show of hands on who supports Brexit or not. Move on to climate change and you’ve got Lionel Shriver, journalist, getting into Gardiner’s ribs about CC targets not being met (nothing said to the Tory on the panel) and complaining about the level of traffic in Mombai. She’s from the US. Nobody asked her what she thinks about the level of traffic, Trump’s CC policy, etc, etc, there. And just to add that this has been the most lacklustre QT ever. Getting Fiona Bruce on board has been a BIG mistake.

    And then the biased BBC This Week programme with Andrew Neil. First up Chuka Umunna promoting his “party.” Corbyn is a threat to National security. Discussion moves on to Corbyn and anti-Semitism. Time to switch off and go read a real good ‘escapism’ book.

  354. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    Media, Politics and Democracy: A Critical Perspective

    Abstract

    This article, mostly through a theoretical background, focuses on general debates of democracy, media and politics. Giving insights regarding overall perspectives of democracy, media-democracy and politics relationship, the study tries to demonstrate the view of this interaction and how media should function in a democratic development. At the end, again to have a clearer point of view, this article tackles construction of the news stories as being matter of structuring agenda building, public opinion and political perspectives through the news media.

    Here particularly media and democracy relationship will be tried to be examined giving the importance of the media courses for democracy to function in a proper way. While examining the press and politics linkage as being the main actors to set up the daily agenda and a social consensus; the role of the media in shaping the public opinion and the ideology both through external or/and internal (institutional) motives have been tried to be discussed to better debate the media problems and examine their relationship with the politics especially in Turkey.

    Keywords: Media, Democracy, Politics, Turkey, Agenda Setting.

    dergipark.gov.tr/download/article-file/516432

    Media Freedom Indexes in Democracies: A Critical Perspective Through the Cases of Poland and Chile
    https://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/viewFile/3679/1551

    From Critical Perspectives to Media Reform: A Review of Three Books
    https://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/viewFile/5652/1871

  355. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    Petra
    The Prime-minister had the brass neck to attack JC today, over his alleged anti-Semitic racism. This from the MP most responsible for enabling open racism in England. The woman is a danger to democracy in Britain.

  356. Dr Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    @Thepnr

    Don’t report the news, be the news

    Sounds about right for Nick, promotion to milk monitor maybe allowed into the big boys reporter club with Nick Robinson, of course he didn’t do too well from inventing news eh, got caught

  357. North chiel
    Ignored
    says:

    More Britnat propaganda from Nick Eardley as usual trying to ingratiate himself
    with his Britnat employers following his “ promotion” to network “ correspondent” ( now resident at Westminster ). Just another “ bought& sold” propagandist working for the Britnat state. I suppose his “ mentor” Jackie must be so proud of her protégée , with his promotion to the “ grown up world” of politics at Westminster , following his apprenticeship at the PQ “ branch office” with Mum.

  358. Dr Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    I never understand these anti semitic people
    why hate Mrs Bloom or Mr Goldberg down the street because a government in another country does something you don’t like

    That would be like the world hating Scottish people because of well every prime minister of the UK ever

  359. Dr Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    Paraphrasing Nicola Sturgeons words on Theresa May preventing a section 30 order

    The FM said *She can try*

  360. chicmac
    Ignored
    says:

    To Sir Curtice.

    The truth is that straightforward Yes/No opinion polls on independence for several years after the Scottish Parliament was reconvened showed a fairly consistent 54% for Yes (ignoring DKs)

    Yet you, throughout that period, claimed support for independence was never much more than 30%.

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/h119tzp6z68ds49/Page2.jpg?dl=0

  361. defo
    Ignored
    says:

    Nick Eardley must think we all zip up the back.
    Fake news, from top to bottom.
    Not one named source.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-47406529

    All from Nickys febrile imagination, or his MI5 handler.

    From the top.

    “cabinet sources… ”
    “Senior figures…”
    “One source close to the prime minister…”
    “Another told me…”
    “A cabinet minister said…”
    “One minister said…”
    “Senior figures say…”
    “In the words of a senior SNP figure…”
    “a source said….”
    “Several SNP MPs have said…”
    “One MP said…”
    ” Another senior MP said…”
    “Some Scottish Tories…”
    “One MP said…”
    “Some have warned…”
    “But there are some in cabinet…”
    “One source warned…”
    “They added…”

    Laughable.

  362. K1
    Ignored
    says:

    chicmac do you have any other docs or information showing any polling stats on the indy proposition from 2006 to 2014?

    Just wondering whether Curtice’s claims of circa 30% are consistent with that period of time?

    It certainly has been since 2014 the narrative that we ‘climbed’ to the 45% outcome from a position of early 20’s to 30 percentage point and therefore made gains, but the leaflet you just posted totally contradicts that narrative and in fact seems to suggest that we actually ‘dropped’ nearly average of 10 percentage points by the time the outcome came? That 8 year gap of polling information is really key to understanding whether support dropped significantly to the ‘claimed’ 30% by Curtice, bizarrely during the entire period where the SNP came into power at Holyrood, which really doesn’t make sense at all?

  363. Breeks
    Ignored
    says:

    Dr Jim says:
    1 March, 2019 at 1:41 am
    Paraphrasing Nicola Sturgeons words on Theresa May preventing a section 30 order

    The FM said *She can try”

    More and more I find the syntax around Brexit and Indy confusing.

    I don’t understand what is meant by “ruling out a No Deal Brexit” when having No Deal is the inevitable and unavoidable condition reached if securing a deal fails. It’s the equivalent of saying death is the inevitable and unavoidable condition reached when somebody fails to keep living. It’s just not possible to rule the option out. It’s the guaranteed conclusion if and when the conditions are met.

    I don’t understand the syntax surrounding Section 30 either. As I understand it, it is neither permission required nor authority granted for a referendum to be held, but an incidental bilateral agreement between parties to respect the result and stand by it. Refusal to agree a Section 30 Order doesn’t void the result of the said Referendum, it simply prevents its automatic recognition, – not the recognition but the “automatic” part of it. Now is not the time??? That’s the answer to a different question.

    I’d love to throw the last 3 years of politics into a big jam pot and boil it all down until all the bullshit evaporates and all that’s left is honesty and the literal meaning of words. There few politicians who would survive the procedure.

  364. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    Today is March 1st, Happy St David’s Day.

    And in 4 weeks time, just 28 days, if nothing else happens we’re crashing out of the EU with no prospect of nothing at all. Does anyone have plans for what they’re going to do at 11pm on 29th March?

    Mines’s simple, I’m going to put my head between my knees and kiss my arse goodbye. Then get my Irish passport tout suite Rodders and get the Hell out of Dodge.

  365. Breeks
    Ignored
    says:

    I wonder too whether James Kelly and Labour’s repeal of the Offensive Behaviour and the apparent spike in sectarianism that followed, and the suspicious agitation to strike action when it seems counterintuitive is evidence of a deliberate and orchestrated campaign to disrupt the peace and orderly activities of our country.
    Add in the BBC supplying the megaphone…

    This isn’t politics. It has crossed a line surely. At what point do we call this out these activities and have them investigated as agitation and sedition against the common interests of Scotland?

    The Tories and their Dark Money and electoral jiggery pokery should be under formal investigation too. Not by the UK’s Electoral Commission but a team of criminal investigators. Scotland needs its own MI5, FBI, or homeland security department.

    These unwholesome activities currently have free reign to run all over Scotland unchecked by any security body designed to keep Scotland’s interests safe from subversion. If we think it stinks… what would a team of professional investigators find?

    We have nothing. No Defense. Scotland is the kid in the classroom with no vaccinations. It the online PC with no anti-virus software…

  366. Breeks
    Ignored
    says:

    And Nicola’s to be revealed in the next few weeks… is that week 1,2,3, or 4?

  367. Robert Louis
    Ignored
    says:

    What the BBC liars are up to with the made up ‘story’ about the UK government saying it will reject indyref call from the Scottish Government, is they are working to help Theresa May. She wants to get ahead of the agenda, when the call comes. So, by getting her paid liars at the BBC to release the wholly fabricated story now, they think that when the calls come, everybody will say, ‘ahhh, but the UK government has already said no..’.

    That is the whole intention behind it.

    Also note the way the story is written, the BBC liars refer to the ‘UK Government’, rather than Theresa May, yet refer NOT to the Scottish Government, but instead to Sturgeon. They don’t even call her the First Minister.

    Propaganda 1.01, courtesy of the paid liars, spooks and general scum class at the Propagandist BBC.

    In addition, the New channel in Scotland, is NOT because they like Scotland and want to offer a bespoke service for Scotland (dream on, if you think it is), it is pure and simple a dedicated channel that will be used by the liars at the BBC to fight independence. Right now, they are trying to get it accepted, by playing even handed. As soon as indyref is called, it will become EXACTLY the same as during the indyref five years ago, with blatant anti independence bias.

    London pays the BBC wages. He who pays the piper, calls the tune. It is that simple.

    Anyway, aside from all that, for the hard of understanding within the yoonatic media, let’s be clear, a section 30 order is NOT ‘permission’ to hold a referendum. If journalists want to be taken even slightly seriously, they need to stop saying that it is. Holding a referendum for self determination is a fundamental human right. Otherwise England could hold Scotland against its wishes for ever, as in ‘we’re not letting you go’.

  368. Nana
    Ignored
    says:

    David Allen Green writes
    https://www.preiskel.com/eight-observations-on-a-delay-to-brexit/

    MPs to get inflation-busting pay rise of more than £2,000 this April
    http://archive.is/QnYWD

    @AlanRMacLeod debunks mainstream media’s claims on Venezuela
    video
    https://twitter.com/Underground_RT/status/1101092562817953792

    NHS bosses have urged ministers to scrap controversial legislation that has led to the widespread privatisation of healthcare as part of a major revamp of the health service.
    http://archive.is/pAVEc

  369. Nana
    Ignored
    says:

    ‘Spending even more public funds on TV ads to scare the public’ – No-deal Brexit adverts to air
    http://archive.is/0cO6P

    http://chrisgreybrexitblog.blogspot.com/2019/02/remainers-should-get-ready-for-what.html

    https://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2019/02/27/customs-clearances-will-cost-250-million-a-week-in-the-case-of-no-deal/

    Gaza protest deaths: Israel may have committed war crimes – UN
    http://archive.is/guhG4

  370. ScottieDog
    Ignored
    says:

    @yesindyref2
    Setting up currency and central bank during transition is very doable in my opinion. Rocket science it ain’t. Andrew Wilson still hoodwinking us on how we should run our banks though – being an ex banker. He can GTF on that score.

    As for switching over, the two currencies would run in parallel for a while anyway.

  371. frogesque
    Ignored
    says:

    Every article on BBC Scotch Region website has comments turned off. Now I wonder why that could be?

  372. Breeks
    Ignored
    says:


    yesindyref2 says:
    1 March, 2019 at 7:00 am
    Today is March 1st, Happy St David’s Day.

    ……Does anyone have plans for what they’re going to do at 11pm on 29th March?

    Can I sit on my arse and tell you when I know all the details?

  373. Tom Busza
    Ignored
    says:

    frogesque

    Actually there are 2 articles with comments still open.

    Snow melting in warm weather (wtf)
    Tom Hunter’s appearance and comments on the debate show other night with the usual anti-snp unionist thickoes posting.

  374. Nana
    Ignored
    says:

    The European Commission has rejected a call for the UK and EU to make a joint commitment to safeguard citizens’ rights ahead of a possible no-deal Brexit.
    http://archive.is/m4vH7

    FT has an article on trade with the US after Brexit. It’s behind a paywall but this from J Maugham gives an idea of what to expect

    To get a trade deal with the US we’ll have to lower food standards – and let it make our foreign policy too
    https://twitter.com/JolyonMaugham/status/1101362544177004545

    Liam Fox blows £100,000 on ‘vanity project’ podcast heard by just 8,400 people
    http://archive.is/HLuFg

    https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/politics/it-is-not-normal-that-oblivion-remains-on-the-governments-policy-agenda

  375. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    “Scotland needs its own MI5”

    Scotland needs DEFENDED FROM MI5, who’s job is to protect the British Crown!

  376. DerekM
    Ignored
    says:

    Haha a legend in his own mind.

    Go easy on him Rev poor Dunk has watched his precious Labour party be torn asunder by evil vile nats and their wicked ways of compiling factual information and spreading it around.

  377. frogesque
    Ignored
    says:

    @Tom Buzsa: 8.33

    Hadn’t seen the Tom Hunter item but, ” snow melts in warm weather” ( what the actual f***!) had comments closed when I looked.

    It’s almost add if they don’t want us to have any say in our affairs, especially wrt an Indy vote.

  378. ScotsRenewables
    Ignored
    says:

    UK will reject Indyref2 calls, according to PQPC (Pacific Quay Propaganda Centre) this morning.

    This in spite of the Scottish people having given the government a mandate to hold one in precisely the circumstances we find ourselves, and in spite of Westminster’s reaffirmation last year of the Sovereignty of the Scottish people.

    This should play well. A prolonged bout of stroppiness from the Maybot will for sure add the 5% the polls say we need.

    At the moment the movement is awash with criticism of the FM for not making her move sooner. Now all the blame and the fury can be justifiably transferred to the Tories. Prime territory for using any forthcoming Westminster election as a proxy referendum with Indy the only issue.

    May has tipped her hand and Nicola has nothing to lose by waiting until March 30 then asking for a Section 30 order in the certainty that it will be refused and so ratchet up support for independence.

    Game on.

  379. Tom Busza
    Ignored
    says:

    frogesque

    My apologies, I missed the “comments closed” note.
    Tom Hunter under Politics tab.

    Always been the same with HYS. If it’s not something to do with FM or SNP then it’s some inane item e.g. snow melting etc.

  380. stu mac
    Ignored
    says:

    @sandy says:
    28 February, 2019 at 11:30 pm
    Sorry, late, been out.
    Is it possible to find out how many so-called fans of Celtic & Rangers have been banned from their respective grounds.

    Couldn’t say the number but I remember there have been several. However, how are they banned? Only way is if they are season ticket holders and that is rescinded and I’ve heard of their photo or description being distributed so can be blocked if try to pay at the gate. You’ll see the flaw in the latter obviously as even if that was likely to be remotely effective, a simple bit of disguise would get them in as no turnstile operator (or in many clubs, seller in ticket boxes outside ground – many clubs have automated turnstiles) is going to give more than a brief glance at buyers. Even then, a mate could buy them a ticket so though the club can make a statement about their behaviour by banning them, in practice they will usually be able to get into matches (though at small clubs have to keep their heads down so not to be noticed).

    @CameronB Brodie

    Thanks for links: not only erudite but look to be very much to the point. As you pointed out, not only relevant to bigotry here but to all extremist attitudes world-wide.

  381. Abulhaq
    Ignored
    says:

    Old 20th century nationalists used to call the BBC the Anglosaxophone as it was essentially the Voice of England with occasional parts for the ‘Celtic bits’. Nothing has changed in century 21.
    It is all about England, likewise British politics. The Brexit show makes that point in flashing neon.
    The poet Hugh MacDiarmid listed ‘anglophobia’ in his Who’s Who entry. Anglophobia is fear/wariness of, not hatred of the English. He was right, you can’t trust them. Colonial history reveals duplicity, hubris and intimidation in equal measure. For us all that is wrapped up in the flag of Unionism.
    No matter how it looks across the border I do expect the SNP leadership will soon grasp that particular nettle and stop being so mealy mouthed about our antagonists. It’s England stupid, was, is, and will be til we seize the key of the cage.

  382. stu mac
    Ignored
    says:

    Quoted him before: honestly critical of Venzuala government while condemning US actions (and history of subverting SA countries).
    https://www.thenational.scot/news/17467947.david-pratt-back-to-the-future-why-us-moves-in-venezuela-bode-ill-for-latin-america/

  383. Robert Peffers
    Ignored
    says:

    @Thepnr says: 28 February, 2019 at 11:42 pm:

    ” … You ask “What’s good about it?”
    Well Robert, what’s good about it is that it is a departure from the recommendation made by the Growth Commission:”

    Can you not read? Where did I say anything about the Growth Commission?

    ” … The Commission recommends that the currency of an independent Scotland should remain the pound sterling for a possibly extended transition period.”

    First of all the Pound Sterling is not the currency of the Kingdom of England – it is the currency of the United Kingdom and that means it is as much that of the Kingdom of Scotland as it is the currency of the Kingdom of England as is the Bank of England – and that is the thing so many people are blind to.

    The break up of the United Kingdom is not the country of Scotland leaving the rUnited Kingdom it is two equally sovereign kingdoms ending a bipartite union and this is where you have got it all wrong. The kingdom with the problems will not be Scotland it will be England.

    This is because the Kingdom of England doesn’t own either the pound Sterling nor the Bank of England. The Pound sterling was agreed as both kingdom’s currency by the Treaty of Union and it was the United Kingdom, not the Kingdom of England that nationalised the Bank of England – it is called the Bank of England but England does not own it and on the union ending there is no rUnited Kingdom left.

    So what the real legal situation will be is the Bank of England will belong to both former United Kingdom partners and who says the settlement has to be on current population ratios? The Kingdom of England thus has a problem if it wants the Bank of England exclusively it has to buy out the Kingdom of Scotland’s negotiated share of it or the Bank of England has to have a Scottish seat on the board and Scotland’s representative will have a veto on that board.

    Not to mention that the B of E holds the full value of the currency belonging to the Scottish Banks that is in circulation and they will have to pay that out on demand from the Scottish Banks.

    So, as I said, Scotland’s decision is do they, or do they not, tie the Scottish Pound Sterling to the English Pound Sterling?

    But wait! The Kingdom of England also has the same problem do they tie the English pound Sterling to the Scottish Pound Sterling and, with the oil, gas and renewable electric power the independent Scotland has and the Kingdom of England needs the Scottish pound sterling will very rapidly harden.

    It won’t be Scotland that has problems it will be England with a weaker currency and with a Scottish place on the board of the Bank of England. You make the mistake of mentally accepting the Westminster propaganda that (a) Scotland is leaving the United Kingdom and (b) that the Bank of England belongs to the Kingdom of England.

    Legally, upon the United Kingdom ending, Scotland has the whip hand and legally there can be no united kingdom when only the kingdoms of Scotland and England are the Status Quo Ante after the union ends.

    How long a transition period? An undefined period and no doubt subject to Bank of England decisions. This is not good.”

    Don’t you understand what I wrote,
    We recognise that this means that the Scottish Government would not secure monetary policy autonomy in the initial period following an independence vote. Our view is that the advantages of stability from retaining Sterling outweigh the benefits of introducing a new Scottish currency, at least in this initial period in the short to medium term.
    This is the main change in policy by the SNP as they appear to no longer agree with this statement from the Growth Commission and have instead decided that Scotland would aim for an Independent currency within the first parliament of an Independent government.
    I’ll repeat, anything that loosens artificial ties between Westminster and an Independent Scotland IS A GOOD THING.
    We don’t need the “stability” of the English pound and a Scottish pound from day one of Independence will do for me.

  384. Scot Finlayson
    Ignored
    says:

    Could someone explain `gaslighters` or `gaslighting`,

    seems to be the new buzz word now that gammon,unicorn and snowflake has just about had their day.

  385. Macart
    Ignored
    says:

    @Nana

    Ayup! The launch of SNIB, the option to place a Scottish currency before delegates at the Spring conference and the roll-out of new benefits.

    You can see why UK gov and the Beeb have their pants in a panic. Oh, and still with the permissions bollox t’boot. 🙂

    Seems UK gov doesn’t like Scotgov’s actions. They’re just about out of road to kick that can down and a decision has to be taken. So up pops the usual ‘sources’ to deliver a message/prompt a move.

    My thought from the beginning was that the whole shebang is going to follow process and measured legal response (unknowable events notwithstanding). I’d have reckoned the appropriate ‘response’ could have been enacted last June, then October, then December and most recently January. (shrugs)

    Hopefully not much longer.

  386. frogesque
    Ignored
    says:

    @Scot Findlayson: 9.14

    Nearest I can get to it is it’s a form of grooming whereby one person, group or organisation dominates another in order to impose their will.

    Its the, too wee, too poor, too stupid Westminster knows best narrative.

    The actual term comes from the title of a film.

  387. DerekM
    Ignored
    says:

    Patience yes movement me must let it happen no matter how distasteful because until it has happened then it has not happened.

    No point getting ourselves caught out by using a mandate before the circumstances the mandate is for happens.

    Tories are all over the place they would just love us to give them a loophole,no mandate they would screech and probably do a brexit u-turn so they could play the EU card and if you think that is not possible or could never happen then think tories.

  388. Nana
    Ignored
    says:

    Morning Macart

    “You can see why UK gov and the Beeb have their pants in a panic. Oh, and still with the permissions bollox t’boot.”

    Aye and Amen to “Hopefully not much longer”

    I was reminded by Peter Grant MP

    What if that other voice we all know so well responds by saying,
    “We say no, and we are the state”?

    Well we say yes – and we are the people.

    Canon Kenyon Wright’s words, almost exactly 30 years ago, are about to come true again.
    https://twitter.com/PeterGrantMP/status/1101257544952107009

  389. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    stu mac
    You’re welcome.

    One of my key aims is to highlight the BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL model of health.

    Human health is fundamentally shaped by our AGENCY, or lack of. The ability to turn thought in to action, a.k.a. our state of liberty, a.k.a. our state of freedom, determiners both our life and health potentials.

    Westminster’s anti-democratic and authoritarian stance towards Scotland, damages the mental and physical health of those living in Scotland (see Brexit).

    Contemporary British nationalism poses a serious threat to Scotland’s public health!

  390. Macart
    Ignored
    says:

    @Nana

    Pretty much. 😉

  391. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    From Nana’s link to ccc “The Expert Advisory Group on Migration and Population, . . . and including CCC colleague Professor David Bell of the University of Stirling

    I wonder what David Bell’s views will be during Indy Ref 2? Will he be a YES this time around?

  392. winifred mccartney
    Ignored
    says:

    Anonymous sources tell me that Nick Eardley made up the segment regarding next indy ref.

  393. Nana
    Ignored
    says:

    @winifred mccartney

    lol, name and shame your sources Winifred 🙂

  394. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    @Breeks “Can I sit on my arse and tell you when I know all the details?

    🙂

  395. Bob Mack
    Ignored
    says:

    @Scott Finlayson,

    Gaslighting. To make one doubt oneself by actions which contradict what you believe. In a word brainwashing.

    Stewart Granger played the lead in the film and used deception to drive his wife to extreme self doubt whilst he searched their house attic for hidden jewels.

  396. Dr Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    Today Yoons be all *We’re not going to allow* *Democracy is what we say it is* followed by the usual insults to Scottish heritage and intelligence

    The other equal partner in the United Kingdom says Scotland isn’t equal, Scotland is inferior to England, then they tell us Scotland is valued

    I have a hoover that I value greatly on its usefulness to clean doormats and floors
    Even a Hoover requires attention or it breaks

  397. Dave McEwan Hill
    Ignored
    says:

    If they thought we wouldn’t win a referendum they would happily give us one.

    Nicola will now dare them to refuse one.

    (It’s the Section 30 they can refuse of course,not a referendum.)

    Forcing them to refuse what is our right under international law damages the union more than anything we can do.

    Let me put forward this circumstance again.

    In 2012 it was 30% for independence, 50% against independence and 20% “don’t know”.

    In 2019 it is 50% for independence, 30% against independence and 20% “don’t know”.

    “Against” needs ALL the 20% “don’t know” to win.
    No chance. At the very least half of them won’t vote.

    At this moment we will win any referendum. That is why they will try to block one.

  398. Thepnr
    Ignored
    says:

    @Robert Peffers

    Can you not read? Where did I say anything about the Growth Commission?

    I can read and the story Nana linked too was the front page of the National and was about the Growth Commission.

    https://twitter.com/ScotNational/status/1101237791294394369

    The SNP WILL propose a new currency for an independent Scotland

    Today we reveal that the party leadership want to adopt the vast majority of Growth Commission’s recommendations – but will ask spring conference to back a quicker transition to a Scottish pound – with a vote during the lifetime of the first independent parliament.

    As I said in my original post I think that’s a good thing.

  399. ronnie anderson
    Ignored
    says:

    Nana that piece on Alberto Costa seeking a urgent meeting with Donald Tusk is laughable . Stephen Gethings went over the top in his praise of that wee naff ( anti Scot ) Englander MP , are they now all going to troop over to Brussel’s to demand their individual settlements .

    As i said Laughable .

  400. Nana
    Ignored
    says:

    Jason Michael / Jeggit says

    Last night I was interviewed by the police in Scotland under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act. When did democratic political activism become so dangerous to the British state?

    https://randompublicjournal.com/2019/03/01/treating-independentistas-as-suspected-terrorists/

  401. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    re. the biopsychosocial model of health.

    The Biopsychosocial Model 25 Years Later: Principles, Practice, and Scientific Inquiry

    Abstract

    The biopsychosocial model is both a philosophy of clinical care and a practical clinical guide. Philosophically, it is a way of understanding how suffering, disease, and illness are affected by multiple levels of organization, from the societal to the molecular. At the practical level, it is a way of understanding the patient’s subjective experience as an essential contributor to accurate diagnosis, health outcomes, and humane care.

    In this article, we defend the biopsychosocial model as a necessary contribution to the scientific clinical method, while suggesting 3 clarifications: (1) the relationship between mental and physical aspects of health is complex—subjective experience depends on but is not reducible to laws of physiology; (2) models of circular causality must be tempered by linear approximations when considering treatment options; and (3) promoting a more participatory clinician-patient relationship is in keeping with current Western cultural tendencies, but may not be universally accepted.

    We propose a biopsychosocial-oriented clinical practice whose pillars include (1) self-awareness; (2) active cultivation of trust; (3) an emotional style characterized by empathic curiosity; (4) self-calibration as a way to reduce bias; (5) educating the emotions to assist with diagnosis and forming therapeutic relationships; (6) using informed intuition; and (7) communicating clinical evidence to foster dialogue, not just the mechanical application of protocol. In conclusion, the value of the biopsychosocial model has not been in the discovery of new scientific laws, as the term “new paradigm” would suggest, but rather in guiding parsimonious application of medical knowledge to the needs of each patient.

    Keywords: Biopsychosocial model, clinical practice patterns, personal autonomy, empathy, communication, education

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1466742/

    The Biopsycho-ecological Paradigm: A Foundational Theory for Medicine
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3071421/

    SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY AND HEALTH
    SECOND EDITION

    https://www.mheducation.co.uk/openup/chapters/0335199216.pdf

  402. Nana
    Ignored
    says:

    Morning Ronnie,

    I have emailed Alberto to ask if he requires some help with his packing. I could do with a break and a good belly laugh 🙂

    a few more links

    Congratulations to @JCWI_UK as English High Court rules @theresa_may #HostileEnvironment #racist #immigration policies breach #ECHR. During the passage of bill @theSNP & others warned of this
    https://twitter.com/joannaccherry/status/1101430845670338560

    https://www.thenational.scot/news/17467982.40-years-on-never-forget-how-scotland-was-cheated-out-of-devolution/

    NI and Scottish children have highest reading skills in UK
    http://archive.is/MKkp6

  403. Dr Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    Nick Eardley now says the Scottish referendum that we’re not being allowed to have Tories now say that the UK must have the authority to set the terms question and conditions of the Scottish referendum that’s not going to happen

    Either Nick Eardley desperately want’s to keep himself as the news or if this latest nonsense is in any way credible that someone said such a stupid thing then the UK is without question bonkers

    Bit of both I think

    And I think we’ll just have Scottish votes for Scottish laws thanks, we might even call it SVSL, who knows

  404. Nana
    Ignored
    says:

    This is just outrageous. We were right to object to this shocking attitude to public money. What else are they wasting our cash on at the altar of brexit? Government pays Eurotunnel £33m over Brexit ferry case.
    https://twitter.com/AlynSmith/status/1101437264670920705

    Government pays Eurotunnel £33m over Brexit ferry case
    http://archive.is/RpIg3

  405. ronnie anderson
    Ignored
    says:

    Nana thanks for that Jeggit link I’ll need to be carefull who I give my phone number to LoL & who i have a drink with, the polis already have my number . I had a call from Police liaison officer the other week enquiring as to whether WoS would be organising a demonstration re the Brexit & same with Auob ( whit am ah a information service lol ) .

    I politely told Yanny to contact Stuart Campbell re demonstration but WoS was a Internet Blog Site & weren’t involved in organising demonstrations , re Auob to get their intelligence up to date I have no involvement with Auob .

    I invited her & her husband to the night out , we cant have our Scottish police Intelligence Unit being accused of ignorance lol.

  406. admiral
    Ignored
    says:

    Nana says:
    1 March, 2019 at 11:07 am
    Government pays Eurotunnel £33m over Brexit ferry case.
    https://twitter.com/AlynSmith/status/1101437264670920705
    Government pays Eurotunnel £33m over Brexit ferry case
    http://archive.is/RpIg3

    Imagine the yoons screeching, howling outrage if the Scottish government had acted like this.

    Grayling also the subject of a report into the Probation Service which he presided over as Justice Secretary, where his “reforms” (i.e.privatisation) will cost the taxpayer at least £171 million to buy out the contracts.

    Imagine the screeching, howling outrage amplified if the Scottish government had acted like this.

  407. Nana
    Ignored
    says:

    Managed to get the FT article on US/UK trade talks

    US takes tough line with UK on post-Brexit trade talks
    http://archive.is/zNbpN

    “Theresa May wanted to tighten every single screw she could find on the immigration system”
    video
    https://twitter.com/BBCNewsnight/status/1101254587309121537

    https://www.eureporter.co/frontpage/2019/03/01/hospital-pharmacists-raise-concerns-about-free-movement-and-availability-of-medicines-after-brexit/

    Offline: UK citizens are losing the right to health—who cares?
    http://archive.is/d3bT6

    @Ronnie ” ( whit am ah a information service lol )”

    just like myself 🙂

  408. ronnie anderson
    Ignored
    says:

    Dr Jim aye Nick Eardley dont only report the news they want to make it also . Westminster’s under pressure & no easy way out for Tereza’s withdrawal .

  409. starlaw
    Ignored
    says:

    Just heard SNP have announced a Separate currency for Scotland. cant find out any more yet.

  410. manandboy
    Ignored
    says:

    Can anyone please tell me where in Scotland I can buy a 3’x 2′ Saltire in authentic pale blue. I already have a selection of 5’x 3”s for the AUOB marches, but these are too big for my garden.

  411. ronnie anderson
    Ignored
    says:

    Nana U’ll be oan the same lists as me , thats the rewards of sticking yer heid above the parapet Whas like us gie Many , remember Wingers You’s are aw oan ah list revel in it cause Independence isnae won by being silent .

  412. galamcennalath
    Ignored
    says:

    Alyn Smith’s weekly EU update …

    https://www.alynsmith.eu/scotland_in_europe_update_1st_march_2019

    If there is another EU election (which I doubt will happen) we need to get two SNP MEPs elected.

    We must not have a farce like last time where some far right eejit gets in because they get excessive and disproportionate media coverage!

    IMO Alyn definitely should be reselected.

  413. Tom Busza
    Ignored
    says:

    manandboy 11.44 am

    Not in Scotland but you could try:

    https://www.midland-flags.co.uk/St-Andrews-light-blue-Flag

    Various sizes available and in stock according to the site

  414. mike cassidy
    Ignored
    says:

    Nana + Ronnie

    If I get stopped by the police

    I shall just quote them Abraham Cowley (1656)

    Let Nature, and let Art do what they please,
    When all’s done, Life is an Incurable Disease.

    I’m sure they’ll be charmed by my erudition!

  415. mike cassidy
    Ignored
    says:

    I’ll even try to remember the link!

    http://archive.is/B3O5i

  416. Nana
    Ignored
    says:

    Scotland has to have its own currency on day one of independence: nothing less would do
    https://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2019/03/01/44425/

    That’s all for today

  417. Dr Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    It’s Yoon go mental day

  418. William Wallace
    Ignored
    says:

    @manandboy

    Ebay seller. He is not based in Scotland but, the flag meets your requirements.

    £4.50 1 remaining.

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3ft-x-2ft-100d-Light-Blue-Scottish-Saltire-St-Andrew-Scotland-National-Flag/142562397179?hash=item2131618bfb:g:yTAAAOSwR6RZ-0Cd:rk:25:pf:0

  419. ben madigan
    Ignored
    says:

    @Bob Mack and
    @Scott Finlayson,

    Gaslighting – see more information about it in the UK and Scottish context here

    https://eurofree3.wordpress.com/2018/09/06/gaslighting-time-to-light-out/

  420. Dave McEwan Hill
    Ignored
    says:

    manandboy at 11.44

    Forward Shop 186 Argyll Street, Dunoon, PA23 7HA £3 (P&P paid)

  421. Golfnut
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Dr Jim.

    Remember the FM said that she would seek permission from the Scottish Parliament to agree terms on a Section 30 order for a ref that we won’t be allowed to hold. Yet Westminster have their media mouth pieces float terms for a ref that we won’t be allowed to hold, eh!

  422. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    Shall we continue Duncy’s re-edumication with some Democratic Theory?

    A tale of two independence movements: how do citizens encounter issues of international law and democratic theory?

    Abstract

    Foreign policy events, including secessionism and independence movements, become objectified for most citizens through media coverage. Accordingly, I look at the coverage of Kosovo’s and Scotland’s bids for independence in the two top national newspapers, The New York Times and The Washington Post.

    Scholarship in international law, democratic theory, and comparative politics might have valuable insights on independence processes, but it is the media frames inspired by these strands of theoretical literature that shape public opinion and/or reflect policy-makers’ preferences (and biases) in the foreign policy arena. I find that print media can engage in theoretically sophisticated coverage of secessionist movements, which often echoes scholarly insights derived from the relevant academic literature.

    The two European case studies show consistent application of tropes and frames that one would find in the academic publications on the subject. Yet these cases also illustrate profound differences in media framing not reducible to objective legal and political differences between the two events. US foreign policy considerations also appear to play a role in explaining variance in media frames.

    Keywords: independence movements, secessionist referenda, international law, democratic theory, media framing, Scotland, Kosovo

    https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00905992.2017.1299121

  423. Hamish100
    Ignored
    says:

    Curtice is a Knight of the realm, worked in his early days with Dimbleby. He is partial and a brit nat.

  424. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    More Democratic Theory perspectives on Brexit and a bit of Constitutional Theory.

    Brexit, as a democratic exercise, prompts the need for a normative theory of political disintegration
    https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/brexit/2018/03/28/brexit-as-a-democratic-exercise-prompts-the-need-for-a-normative-theory-of-disintegration/

    Brexit: The Democratic Catastrophe of the National State
    https://discoversociety.org/2018/01/09/brexit-the-democratic-catastrophe-of-the-national-state/

    Philip Allott: The Problem of Direct Democracy: Brexit and the Tyranny of the Majority
    https://ukconstitutionallaw.org/2019/01/10/philip-allott-the-problem-of-direct-democracy-brexit-and-the-tyranny-of-the-majority/

  425. Dr Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    I really don’t understand why Yoonworld is so upset, they keep screeching at us that we’ll lose any referendum while at the same time demanding we shouldn’t be allowed to have one

    Is it just referendums they’re afraid of, like a fear of heights phobia or something, see you can cure that, you take a couple of steps up a ladder then down again, and repeat till very soon you can go all the way up the ladder without fear

    Maybe it’s like a fear of eh, what’s that word again, oh it’ll come to me, oh aye Democracy, that’ll be it, the fear of people being allowed to choose in case they choose something different from you

    We used to choose governments every four years then Tory democracy changed that to every five years then Theresa May and her little Tory rascals changed that to *whenever we think we might win something* I didn’t hear all the little Yoony rascals complaining about all those changes, that incidentally nobody voted for

    No, it just looks like Scottish democracy is the problem here and the Loony Yoonys think we shouldn’t have any of that stuff at all and that would be better together democracy

  426. mountain shadow
    Ignored
    says:

    Good news on the Scottish currency announcement. At the time of the referendum I always felt that the policy of sharing Sterling was wrong.

    Scot guv need to get on with the preparations for Scottish central bank so all is ready to go.

  427. Dr Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    Damn Scots insisting on being Scottish, they’ll be wanting to speak their own language next, dear God what’ll happen if they decide to drive on the wrong side of the road or do *all* their counting in centimetres

    Yoon wummin/manny goes into a shop and says can I have 3LBS of Ayrshire potatoes please, the assistant says *It’s aw Kilos noo* Yoon wummin/manny says OK 3LBS of Kilos then

    It’s the future

  428. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    Seeing as how folk tend not to click links.

    Brexit: The Democratic Catastrophe of the National State

    ….The ruling Conservative Party in the United Kingdom not only misunderstood how far the kingdom is already integrated into the EU. It also disregarded the consequential changes to its own constitution and passed an unconstitutional referendum law which enabled 37% of those entitled to vote to alter its own constitution in the core domain of its citizen rights.

    When the Supreme Court effectively charged it with high treason and declared the referendum null and void, the government and parliament were required to make the decision to secede dependent on an ultimate act of the legislature – and that is in the Kingdom merely the people acting as parliament.

    The ruling party which, like the north American Republicans, more and more resembles a Kantian people of devils, held together only by the possessive individualism of its leadership cliques, initially fell into confusion and then scrambled itself together for fear of its own collapse into a divided government in which every member concealed a dagger….

    ….The mere act of Brexit was a regressive dismantling of emancipatory achievements and a massive restriction of political self-determination. The damage to democracy and democratic rights was exacerbated by the undemocratic implementation and undiscussed implementation of an irremediably fake referendum. Here the blame lies solely with the Conservative Party.

    https://discoversociety.org/2018/01/09/brexit-the-democratic-catastrophe-of-the-national-state/

  429. sassenach
    Ignored
    says:

    O/T
    Today has been a good day for me, so far, because

    1) The National tells me that Scotland is likely to have it’s own currency, which will help campaigning

    and (possibly more importantly??)

    2) I was able to buy, for the first time in a year, Morrisons jam doughnuts – since they are in Saltire boxes today, not the usual Butcher’s Apron.

    I have a spring in my step – please don’t anyone spoil it (well at least for an hour or so!!).

  430. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    @Mark Stockwell (Freelance writer, editor, strategic communications consultant)

    I think you need educating as to what democracy means. Best slink away under your rock, IMHO.

  431. Ian Brotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    What happened to Jason Michael @Jeggit is really worrying and every one of us should take note.

    I’ve just asked on Twitter, and repeat it here – does anyone have chapter-and-verse on what we can/cannot do if apprehended by police in this way?

  432. jfngw
    Ignored
    says:

    I see the Tories now want English Votes for Scottish Referendums. They want to set the question and who can vote. Maybe they will even have separate Yes/No boxes (to make the sorting easier of course, don’t worry about their integrity).

  433. Golfnut
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Sassanach.

    Good news indeed. Was just in Morrison’s get the dugs grub( Tesco and Morrison’s only place that sells it now ). Nay sign of Saltire wrapped donuts, maybe they are all sold out already, or maybe hidden under the National hidden under the DR.

  434. ronnie anderson
    Ignored
    says:

    Janey telling them as it is lol.

    #BrexitShambles #janeygodleyvoiceover

  435. Petra
    Ignored
    says:

    Thanks for the links Nana …. then again maybe not, lol.

    Anyone else on here think that they might be going crazy?

    This is a resume of today’s (some of) Nana News:

    Leaving the EU was all about the UK gaining it’s sovereignty which is now going to be handed over to the US (plus other countries that Westminster has to go cap in hand to); the US is being led by a man who is totally corrupt (ignorant and insane), with many of his cohorts being sent to prison; the irrefutably RACIST Tories (and some in Labour) influenced by the Israeli Government’s “Act.IL” propaganda initiative, along with their Media trumpets such as the BBC, are calling out Corbyn for being an anti-Semite whilst the leader of Israel, Netanyahu, is set to be charged with bribery and corruption.

    Elements of the Brexit process have been deemed to be rife with illegality, by the PM’s own legal team, but not one UK politician will face any charges. Nor will the EURef result be made null and void. Meanwhile the Tories have forked out £14 million to a company with no ferries and a further £33 million to Eurotunnel for excluding them from competing for the ferry contracts; £100,000 has been spent by Fox to encourage British firms to export their goods to where?; Big T wasted £50,000 of taxpayers money last year promoting her lousy Brexit plan and is now spending even more public funds on TV ads to scare the public about a No Deal Brexit scenario; the Tories in Scotland who lord it over Remain constituencies, and who are still receiving dark money, voted against the SNP amendment to rule out a No Deal Brexit which will cost Scotland £100,000 jobs and as they complain about Nicola Sturgeon travelling to boost Scotland’s economy, Tory Jamie Green has just swanned off to the Caribbean and missed proceedings at Holyrood. Tune in tomorrow for an update on the insanity, folks.

    Off to BLAST out one of my favourite songs in an attempt to blow the cobwebs away.

    ”See a clinic full of cynics
    Who want to twist the peoples’ wrist
    They’re watching every move we make
    We’re all included on the list

    The lunatics have taken over the asylum
    The lunatics have taken over the asylum

    No nuclear the cowboy told us
    And who am I to disagree
    ‘Cause when the madman flips the switch
    The nuclear will go for me

    The lunatics have taken over the asylum
    The lunatics have taken over the asylum

    I’ve seen the faces of starvation
    But I just can not see the points
    ‘Cause there’s so much food here today
    That no one wants to take away

    The lunatics have taken over the asylum
    The lunatics have taken over the asylum

    The lunatics have taken over the asylum, take away my right to choose
    The lunatics have taken over the asylum, take away my point of view
    The lunatics have taken over the asylum
    The lunatics have taken over the asylum, take away my dignity
    Take these things away from me
    The lunatics have taken over the asylum
    The lunatics have taken over the asylum, take away my family
    Take away the right to speak
    The lunatics have taken over the asylum take away my point of view
    Take away my right to choose

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POzSXzwbwIc

  436. Iain mhor
    Ignored
    says:

    Re : Prof Curtice and the polls.

    It is generally an extrapolaton and reading the runes.
    Everything from Scottish Social Attitudes Surveys, BPC Polls (Polls Of Polls!) and Political analysis. Curtice is not neccessarily my favourite guy – his interpretations are too often manipulated as facts and he isn’t the quickest to correct that view – but he certainly isn’t an idiot.
    He called the Scottish Brexit Scenario and He and Paul Cairney pretty much called 2014. I recommend understanding the analysis behind how they did so.

    The gist of the strength of independence support lies in “valence politics” – better known perhaps as ‘perception of good government’ and that ‘good government vs Independence’ It is where support for the SNP does not directly equate to support for Independence – this we know, the why and the voter attitudes is interesting. The analyses of the likes of Curtice & Cairney are not to be taken lightly and although not gospel, their wider works should be compulsory reading.

    A couple of starter .pdf’s (well referenced and linked)
    Curtice post 2014 analysis – Scotland one year on: (his Brexit call is near the end)
    http://bit.ly/2VtFIQt

    Cairney “A crisis of the Union”
    http://bit.ly/2Vx6OXg

    Of course Prof. Curtice can be engaged with and is a regular contributor at “whatscotlandthinks” blog, which has a cornucopia of various polls and commentary.
    http://blog.whatscotlandthinks.org

  437. cirsium
    Ignored
    says:

    Scotland has to have its own currency on day one of independence: nothing less would do
    https://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2019/03/01/44425/

    Thanks for that link, Nana. Richard Murphy is right. If we don’t have our own currency from day one, we will never be free.

    Robin McAlpine/Craig Dalzell’s book how to start a new country: a practical guide for Scotland is a good how-to manual

  438. chocolass
    Ignored
    says:

    National hidden under Morning Star as usual at my local co-op!

  439. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    More Democratic Theory on Brexit.

    The Democratic Duty to Oppose Brexit

    Text of a lecture delivered to the Policy and Practice Seminar, School of Public Policy, University College London, by Albert Weale, Emeritus Professor of Political Theory and Public Policy, on Thursday 8 December 2016. This text may be reproduced in whole or in part provided the source is acknowledged.

    Introduction

    The proposition that I put to you today is that there is democratic duty to oppose Brexit. Let me be more precise. Suppose that you are a UK citizen. Suppose that you believe that it would be a serious mistake for the UK to leave the European Union, because it would do profound damage to the common good of UK society. Suppose finally that you are a convinced democrat, firmly committed to the values and the principles of democracy. Then, given these three conditions, you have a duty to oppose Brexit.

    https://www.ucl.ac.uk/political-science/news/articles/121216

  440. ronnie anderson
    Ignored
    says:

    Ian Brotherhood you have the right to remain silent anything you do say will be taken down & used in evidence , if Yanny appears on Sat I’ll ask her tae gie U ah good Friskin lol.

  441. Ian Brotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    @ronnie anderson –

    Sah!

    🙂

  442. gus1940
    Ignored
    says:

    When can we have a Scottish National Savings Bank along the lines of the old pre privatisation TSB?

    I had all my savings with The Dunfermline Savings Bank from the start of Tessas thru to Cash ISAs normally investing the max annual amount with a substantial eventual total.

    When the Great Finacial Crash courtesy of Labour occurred The DBS ran into trouble.

    Instead of saving it the Great Clunking Fist refused to save it and it was allowed to go tits up with The Nationwide in England picking up the pieces including my savings.

    This not so little bit of Scottish Asset Stripping must have totalled many millions but received very little media attention.

    It meant that the savings of many Scots disappeared overnight south of the border together with the value of mortgaged houses and payments on said mortgages.

    Additionally my annual Cash ISA investments have also since gone south.

    At least if a Scottish Savings Bank were to be created I and many others could retrieve my savings from south of the border without too much hassles.

    As for those with mortgages it would require remortgaging with another hopefully Scottish lender with the accompanying cost and hassle.

    Scotland was robbed – not for the first time.

  443. frogesque
    Ignored
    says:

    @Dr Jim: 12.55

    Have thought for a while that since roadsigns are a devolved issue we should have all our speed limit signs in km/hr or even the correct SI term m/s.

    Would really confuse the crap out of some motorhome drivers.

  444. Dr Jim
    Ignored
    says:

    @frogesque 1:56pm

    To this day I still convert everything into Pounds shillings and pence or LSD as it used to be lovingly called before the other LSD came in but I bet all the anti Scottish moaners that complain about everything have forgotten how to do that

    Basically they cannae dae auld money and they cannae dae new, wur they always slow learners at the school or did they just pick an age tae stop learnin because they thought they didnae need tae anymore

    Have you noticed how scary a Euro is to them, except when they’re on holiday to Benidorm then they know exactly how much it’s worth

    As soon as Scotland announces a different currency aw that inability tae count will kick right back in with doom laden predictions of well, Doom! it’ll be like decimalisation all over again *we cannae work it wur aw gonnae die*

  445. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    Anyone interested in the Royal Town Planning Institute’s view of the planning challenges we will face in a post-Brexit environment?

    EU Withdrawal

    Phase One

    The impact of Brexit on UK implementation of key EU legislation affecting land use

    The Government’s Withdrawal Bill is designed to carry over EU legislation into the post-Brexit period. Differing views have been expressed regarding the best direction for environmental regulation, ranging from seeing Brexit as an opportunity to reduce regulation on the one hand, to being determined to retain the current system on the other.

    It is open for debate whether a separate environmental system is in the best interests of the UK or its environment. However now it is an option, we need more information on it. We particularly need information on key problems, like how a single unified EU system will be translated into the four planning systems of the UK. And what oversight might exist to guarantee enforcement.

    The first phase of this research was carried out by Martin Nesbit and Emma Watkins at the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP). This briefing paper maps the full range of relevant directives and regulations affecting land use, and their applicability to different outcomes of the Brexit process….

    https://www.rtpi.org.uk/knowledge/research/projects/eu-withdrawal/

  446. Daisy Walker
    Ignored
    says:

    ‘@Ian Brotherhood says:
    1 March, 2019 at 1:12 pm
    What happened to Jason Michael @Jeggit is really worrying and every one of us should take note.

    I’ve just asked on Twitter, and repeat it here – does anyone have chapter-and-verse on what we can/cannot do if apprehended by police in this way?’

    Ian I’m not sure of the details of what happened to Jeggit re Police interview.

    But the following is safe advice.

    Police can speak to anyone on a voluntary basis, e.g. if its an organiser of something, they can roll up for a chat – this is to try and get legitimate information and is not accusing anyone of a crime.

    If suspected of a crime – they must be able to prove ‘reasonable cause to suspect’ in order to Arrest on Suspicion (this is the new legislation and replaced the old method of Detention) a person, and if they are taking that person into custody – there must be a legitimate reason for doing so, in order to further the enquiry. EG in order to provide you solicitor access for an interview under caution.

    You are required (you must) to provide name, date of birth, address – but thereafter you don’t have to say another word.

    You are entitled to have solicitor access, before and during interview.

    Good advice would be to get officers names and numbers, and if they have been instructed to carry out the above procedures, ask for the senior officers name, rank and number.

    Your solicitor – if they are worth their salt – should thereafter (probably at a later date) scrutinise the grounds for ‘reasonable cause to suspect’ in great detail with a view to looking at wrongful arrest.

    The Terrorism Act (for obvious reasons) has wide spreading powers. It was interesting to note the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 does not over rule, or cast aside the laws conferred by the Human Rights Act. Probably worth baring in mind.

    If being interviewed remember the onus is on the Police to prove a crime, not on you to prove your innocence (which can be done later, under less pressure, and with more resources). A good phrase to remember is ‘no comment’.

    Hope none of the above ever becomes needed.

    Kind regards

    DW

  447. Breeks
    Ignored
    says:

    Think I might be allergic to Andrea Leadsom.

  448. Ian Brotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    @Daisy Walker –

    Cheers for that.

    Have also been reading about Schedule 7 of the 2000 Terrorism Act, kindly provided via twitter by @aigwilson

    If Jason was targetted then any of us could be next. It would therefore make sense to brush-up on the legal niceties, and to commit them to memory.

  449. Scott
    Ignored
    says:

    Nick Eardley
    ?
    Verified account

    @nickeardleybbc
    Follow Follow @nickeardleybbc
    More
    Some Scottish Tories, btw, are saying if the PM is ever forced into allowing #indyref2 the UK government should set the terms; the date, the question and the franchise.

    I don’t do Twitter so cant comment but as I see it if that is the case maybe Eardley should go back to these Torries if a Peoples vote takes place should the EU set the terms and date and questions.
    I seem to remember Eardley having a spat over his reporting about Davidson sometime ago,I would like to know who these Scottish Tories are.

  450. Liz g
    Ignored
    says:

    Ian Brotherhood & Daisy Walker..
    While that’s good generic advice, it probably only applies to the generic law.
    If the Terror Laws weren’t any different, there would be no need for them!
    We should brush up on exactly what they say.
    Mibbi the CND people would be clued up on it?
    I’d want to know if we are obligated to provide the PIN number for our phones for a start!
    Because if so we’d all need a second phone!
    As to what to say or not say… well claiming that you don’t discuss politics or religion is mibbi a line to take.
    You hold that to be between you and the ballot box and you and your “priest” ( substitute as appropriate) as a belief.

  451. ronnie anderson
    Ignored
    says:

    Ian Brotherhood re Daisy’s last words No Comment cant be used against U in a court of law .

  452. gus1940
    Ignored
    says:

    Completely O/T

    We learnt this week that the manufacturers of crisps are imposing a substantial price increase on their product due to the increasing price of potatoes due to a bad harvest.

    What I would like to know is what percentage of the cost of manufacture, packaging and distribution of crisps is due to the price of potatoes?

    I bet that it is amazingly low.

  453. Ian Brotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    @Ronnie, DW & Liz g –

    The extract below is the bit that seems particularly worrying.

    https://www.libertyhumanrights.org.uk/human-rights/countering-terrorism/schedule-7

    However the powers set out in schedule 7 – while more limited in geographical terms – allow for even greater intrusion than the now discredited section 44, while raising all of the same concerns:

    Under schedule 7, officers can detain the person and question them for up to nine hours.

    They may search the person, or any of their belongings, and may retain those belongings for up to seven days.

    It is an offence if the person fails to answer questions, or obstructs the exercise of the functions under the Act.

    The person has no right to a publically-funded lawyer while detained at the port or border

    If detained at a police station, officers can take the person’s biometric data – including fingerprints and DNA.

  454. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    @Ian Brotherhood
    If I was you, just co-operate and answer their questions. If you become a “person of interest”, full co-operation would make sure you weren’t red-flagged and though you might not be removed from a list, you’d probably be marked “no further action”.

    I work at my unit during the night and out having a roll-up, a couple of times I’ve had a blether with the polis driving in and checking around. Clearly my van is registered to my hone address. Well, a few years back one unit was ram-raided, so good on them checking out my security. One time I drove back at about 4am, polis car behind, and passed my turning, Blue light, asked me where I was going: “To the ATM to get mini-statements”. And “Thanks for looking after my security”. I’d passed my turning and that raised the flag. Good is what I say, if it helps to prevent my unit being burgled, or maybe even me assaulted, so much the better.

    However, since I post about defence and they might not be experts and wonder where I get my info (it’s all on the internet), I’m somewhat disgusted I’ve not been interrogated! I do always presume they’ve followed back the IP address, know who I am, and know what I’m having for tea before I do 🙂

  455. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    Britain became a police state under that psychopath Tony Blair.

  456. Tinto Chiel
    Ignored
    says:

    O/T but a reminder of the all-pervasive state propaganda belched out by the BBC…

    Gardeners’ Question Time happened to be on while I was in the kitchen. So far, so innocent but in the introduction to a feature on Horatio’s Garden, a green space designed for patients with spinal injuries at the Glasgow QEUH (or Southern General as I still stubbornly call it), mention was made of the controversial levels of infection at the hospital.

    The only “controversy” of this kind which I am aware of is the recent (and synthetic) pigeon-dropping one at the hospital.

    Of course, maybe I’m just paranoid but it was also mentioned twice that the spinal unit is the only one in the whole of Scotland and I wondered if this was also stressed as a subtle criticism of the SHS.

    It seems The Union Never Sleeps and nor does the BBC.

  457. Golfnut
    Ignored
    says:

    I think its worth noting that as citizens it is our right as well as our duty to participate in any constitutional process.

  458. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    It’s worth remembering that Police Scotland are under the Scottish Government (arms length), and that in Independent Scotland there would still be security risks.

    Imagine this was a foodie forum in Indy Scotland, discussing Gregg’s fake veggie sausage rolls, and someone posted that we should “take direct action”, as some did against Prestos years ago. Being partial to the occasional genuine sausage roll and particualrly bridies though these seem to be off the menu at the moment, I wouldn’t be happy at the possibilty of that “direct action” spoiling my very occasional treat, to my peril.

    They can take my freedom, but they will NEVER take my food.

  459. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    OK Duncy, got your ears pinned back.

    N.B. Given Scotland’s low population density and the importance of upland farming and fishing to Scotland’s social economy, Brexit will most probably devastate the viability of many Scottish communities. Of course, Scotland has no say in the matter. That’s British nationalism, that is.

    The Economic Impacts of Brexit on the UK, its Regions, its Cities and its Sectors

    Funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, “The Economic Impacts of Brexit on the UK, its Regions, its Cities and its Sectors” project started in April 2017 and is part of a series of 25 projects funded by ESRC to support the initiative UK in a Changing Europe coordinated by Professor Anand Menon at King’s College London.

    The findings from our recent research suggest that the UK’s cities and regions which voted for Brexit are also the most economically dependent on EU markets for their prosperity and viability. This is a result of their differing sectoral and trade composition. Different impacts are likely for different sectors, and also different impacts are likely between sectors, and these relationships also differ across the country’s regions. Some sectors, some regions and some cities will be more sensitive and susceptible to any changes in UK-EU trade relations which may arise from Brexit than others and their long-run competiveness positions will be less robust and more vulnerable than others.

    This suggests that these sectoral and regional differences need to be very carefully taken into account in the context of the national UK-EU negotiations in order for the post-Brexit agreements to be politically, socially as well as economically sustainable across the country….

    https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools/business/research/research-projects/city-redi/economic-impacts-of-brexit-on-the-uk.aspx

  460. geeo
    Ignored
    says:

    Yesindyref2@7.00am

    “Does anyone have plans for what they’re going to do at 11pm on 29th March”?
    ………..

    Yup, me and 2 friends will be sitting at a few good drams at a 4 bedroom airbnb house on Islay, after visiting Bruichladdich and Kilchoman distilleries on day one of our 3 day tour of all the islands distilleries.

    Drinking whisky for 3 days seems like a solid plan to me !!!

  461. yesindyref2
    Ignored
    says:

    @geeo
    Lovely. Islay was my favourite for a time, specially the hand or finger wave when driving, but they’ve all got a distinctive character so it’s hard to choose.

  462. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    Still with are you Duncy?

    What’s next for Brexit?

    What are the likely scenarios?

    Most commentators agree that there are three broad potential scenarios for the UK’s relations with the other 27 EU countries post-Brexit:

    Similar to Norway’s relationship with the EU: The UK is still a member of the single market so can trade relatively smoothly, and its citizens are granted ?freedom of movement within the member states. Under ?this model, UK workers would be unlikely to need a visa to work in EU countries and vice versa.

    More like Canada’s relationship with the EU: The UK is outside the single market but with reductions on goods tariffs. This scenario does not include freedom of movement, but a post-Brexit visa system for EU citizens coming to work in the UK could be an extension of the current one for non-EU migrants, where there is a salary threshold and preference given to certain shortage occupations. Another option is a ‘points based’ system applied to all migrant workers, similar to Australia – again, this would mean that certain sectors would have greater access than others to EU workers.

    No deal: The UK builds unilateral relationships with EU states based on World Trade Organization terms. In theory, this means no freedom of movement for either UK workers looking to work in the EU, or EU workers coming here.

    According to reports on the government impact assessment that MPs were invited to see in February (under strict conditions: they had to hand in phones to prevent them taking pictures) Britain’s economy is likely to be worse off under any of these scenarios.

    https://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/long-reads/articles/whats-next-Brexit

  463. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    Still with us Duncy?

    Doh. 🙂

  464. Dan
    Ignored
    says:

    Friday thought…

    How could it be that when I search Norway shipbuilding and then Scotland shipbuilding, the Norway pictures are nearly all colour, whilst the Scotland pictures are approximately 50% black and white.

  465. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    @Duncan Hothersall
    Any views on the likely spatial dimension and societal impacts of Brexit? It doesn’t matter if you do as Scotland has no voice in British politics. I hope you like right-wing, English populism, as that is what you British nationalism promotes, you numbskull.

    Neoliberalization, uneven development, and Brexit: further reflections on the organic crisis of the British state and society

    Abstract

    Neoliberalization is a variegated series of processes with a core policy set that comprises: liberalization, deregulation, privatization, recommodification, internationalization, reductions in direct taxation, and decriminalization of predatory economic activities. Compared to the era of Atlantic Fordism and Spatial Keynesianism, neoliberalization promotes uneven development in the name of competitiveness and pursues policies that largely neglect its adverse economic, social, and political repercussions.

    Growing inequalities of income, wealth and life-chances have been ascending the political risk agenda and, through works such as Piketty’s Capital in the twenty-first Century, have been ‘conversationalized’. Yet little concrete action occurs to remedy the results of uneven development in societies undergoing neoliberal regime shifts.

    This contribution relates these issues to Brexit as a symptom of the organic crisis of British society, marked by manifold economic, political and social crises, and the continuing failure to address uneven development. The referendum question falsely posited that Brexiting would resolve many of these problems. However, the real issue should have been ‘in’ or ‘out’ of neoliberalism.

    Failure to deliver the anticipated benefits of Brexit will interact with the continuing crisis of British society to reinforce environmental, economic, social, and political crises and provide further grounds for right-wing populist mobilization.

    KEYWORDS: Organic crisis, Brexit, financialization, neoliberalization, uneven development, populism

    https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09654313.2018.1501469

    UNDERSTANDING BREXIT IMPACTS AT A LOCAL LEVEL
    Ceredigion case study
    >
    https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/business/rbf/workingpapers/RBF18_016.pdf

    The (Potential) Impact of Brexit on UK SMEs: Regional Evidence and Public Policy Implications
    https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/business/rbf/workingpapers/RBF18_016.pdf

  466. Tackety Beets
    Ignored
    says:

    Dan @ 5.08

    LOL, actually no its not funny one wee bit!

    We all know the answer………..not be too long until we can invest again.

  467. K1
    Ignored
    says:

    GIRUTFLOT Janey, bastards being telt….worth sharing…repeatedly..

    https://www.facebook.com/JaneyGodley/posts/10157341836144653

    Cheers Ronnie 😉

  468. Vince
    Ignored
    says:

    Dan @ 5.08
    I looked in to employment levels within shipbuilding between Scotland and Norway and conservatively 4 times the number of people are employed in shipbuilding and more likely 8 times the number. Some of it due to the advantages of Norway’s industry not being tied to the whims/generosity of n MOD

  469. Liz g
    Ignored
    says:

    Ian Brotherhood @ 3.26
    That is really worrying…
    Infact it’s reading like you would gain more right’s to actually be arrested, the right to silence and representation ect.
    Also an offence to fail to answer questions??? WTAF…
    If ye answered like a Tory and didn’t actually say anything,where are ye then…for example always giving a pin number when asked,just not the right one?
    Is the offence not answering or not telling the truth?
    Because I always thought it was the court’s that ye couldn’t lie to… Pedantic I know…But still..

  470. Robert J. Sutherland
    Ignored
    says:

    K1 @ 17:38 pm

    Oh gawd, what a refreshing change from the mealy-mouthed “one nation” dross of the state broadcaster.

    Fairly made my day!

  471. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    @Duncan Hothersall
    Do you think Scotland wants to re-imagine itself along progressive lines, or the reactionary, xenophobic, re-imagining of Brexit? Doesn’t matter, as far as Westminster appears concerned, it’s none of Scotland’s business. Just shut up and eat you porridge.

    Performing Brexit: How a post-Brexit world is imagined outside the United Kingdom

    Abstract

    Theresa May’s claim that ‘Brexit means Brexit’ demonstrates the malleability of the concept. The referendum campaign showed that ‘Brexit’ can be articulated to a variety of post-Brexit scenarios. While it is important to analyse how Brexit gives rise to contestation in the United Kingdom, Brexit is also constructed from the outside.

    Brexit signifies more than the technical complexities of the United Kingdom withdrawing from the European Union. It works both as a promise of a different future and performatively to establish a particular past. Brexit works as a frame with potential to shape perceptions in three domains. The first is identity. How does ‘Brexit’ shape national and European identities in distinct national environments? The second is how Brexit shapes understandings of geopolitical reality and influences conceptions of what is diplomatically possible. Third is the global economy. How does ‘Brexit’ work within intersubjective frames about the nature of global economic order?

    https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317611103_Performing_Brexit_How_a_post-Brexit_world_is_imagined_outside_the_United_Kingdom

    The Theatre of the Oppressed
    https://www.culturematters.org.uk/index.php/arts/theatre/item/2455-the-theatre-of-the-oppressed

    National belonging post-referendum: Britons living in other EU Member States respond to “Brexit”
    eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/131769/16/Higgins-2018-Area.pdf

    P.S. Does Scotland want it’s moral identity re-written and to be used in order to sanitises British imperialism? I hope independently minded Scots have brushed up on the acting skills, in order to perform correctly as Brexitanians.

  472. Gary45%
    Ignored
    says:

    Here’s a wee chestnut for the troops.
    Tories give £33million to a shipping company with NO BOATS.= complacent AR*EHOLES
    HS2 is in turmoil, but here is the big question.
    How much money has been given to “Tory donor” land owners so far, in this sorry “Benefit of the Nation bollocks”!!??
    Methinks CORRUPTION on an industrial scale is happening, but hey lets talk about Car Park Tax.
    Look at the Shiny Shiny.

  473. Dan
    Ignored
    says:

    Tackety Beets @ 5.23

    I thought the abundance of “retro imagery” says it all.

    I don’t really want to get back into the previous discussion about Allegros and Maxis again, but I also note that those “amazing” examples of British engineering seem rather thin on the ground these days.
    Eh, thinking that turn of phrase is actually extremely apt as they dissolved into rust powder in short order and gravity being what it is, it means they are quite literally extremely thin on the ground these days!

    And while we’re on the subject of steel. A wee tune highlighting the demise of another industry.
    Rev appears to get a name check at 1min 30secs, it’s a sign.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ssx1Davnkw

  474. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    @Duncan Hothersall
    In case I haven’t made the reality of your mind-numbing stupidity patently clear yet, then there is simply no hope of penetrating your ideologically saturated mind. If that is the case, then you’re simply not a rational human being. You’re a totalitarian, British nationalist, zombie ideologue.

  475. Confused
    Ignored
    says:

    re: scottish currency proposed, now on an earlier rather than later timescale. I like it.

    I wonder if the FM has had any discussions with US treasury or finance people while over in the US
    – we were going to use the pound, technically its ours as well, but … the english, they are going to be dicks about it
    – thinking about our own currency – probably a simple basket with dollar and euro in it
    – could you help us out with the details on this … ?

    CAN WE !!!

    Being able to walk away -completely- from the pound at negotiations, is a nice bit of leverage to have. Bravo, boss.

    I also see Lockheed Martin, JP Morgan, oil companies and the combover-president himself have a lot of “prime real estate” in our land – it is in their interest that there be no disruption, funny business, dirty tricks, harsh tactics – or attempt at a Spain-Catalan tribute act, should independence come. Remind the english at the negotiating table – one word, “suez”.

    Scotland being a member of NATO and the EU from the off should also help to calm english minds – there is an unruly sect of the UK deep state which does -really- take the empire bullshit seriously. No tanks on george square – no huns rioting. Not this time. No gunboat up the yangste, no gordon to khartoum. No taking a shit before you are thrown out the door.

    The boss is taking calm measures to make sure that victory is inevitable when the fight comes.

  476. Robert Kerr
    Ignored
    says:

    A Pun Scots would be a vote of no-confidence in the GB Pound.

  477. Scot Finlayson
    Ignored
    says:

    Gaslighting,

    would you say, British Nationalist zealot Nick Eardley,was `gaslighting` when he came out with his unsubstantiated,uncorroborated BBC news piece about various unnamed Government sources denying us a section 30.

  478. sandy
    Ignored
    says:

    Nicola:
    Dear Mrs. May,
    We will be holding an independence referendum on such & such a date. Just to let you know so that you, perhaps, can start to organise things at your end. No hanky-panky, now.

    Nicola.

    xxx

  479. Macart
    Ignored
    says:

    @ronnie anderson 1.22pm

    Janey Godley vid?

    She didn’t miss an hit the wa’. 🙂



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