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Wings Over Scotland


Faces Of Shame

Posted on April 25, 2017 by

This is the Conservative MSP group at Holyrood today, at the end of an unusually powerful speech from Kezia Dugdale during the rape clause “debate”. Click the picture to enlarge it if you want to find out what people gazing into the hideous abyss of their own souls and not liking what they see looks like.

We put the word “debate” in quotemarks because every single Tory MSP who spoke was too cowardly to allow any interventions from the other parties. We can’t say we’re surprised. We’d find it hard to look anyone in the eye if we were them too.

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joannie

The Tories don’t have souls. I’ve just seen Theresa May on the news pledging to lead the world in the fight against “terrorism and separatism.”

Yes folks, she actually did lump the SNP in with terrorists who the world needs to fight.

Artyhetty

No fan of Kezia, but good to know she has some principals.

No words for these disgusting, excuses for human beings. As for May she is really attempting to stoke up hatred towards Scotland, she is a very dangerous cog in the extremist tory machine. Hope they rot in hell the lot of them!

Quentin Quale

I loathe everything about the Tory party. I always have. But today, even by their own standards, they have reached an all-time low and my hatred of all they stand for now knows no bounds. This photo should haunt every one of the despicable creatures. It is the only image of themselves they will see as I doubt they will have the stomach to ever look at themselves in a mirror again.

wee folding bike

Murdo doodling?

izzie

Ruth repeated the mantra ‘if the SNP do not like the additional children clause they have the means to alleviate it’ OMG does she not think thank women in the RUK are also the victims of rape? The Tories seem to have begun believing theeir own propoganda and think they are untouchable.

winifred mccartney

I just cannot comprehend how anyone can vote for these tories – I listened to some of the debate and it was excruciating listening to them trying to defend this policy, and this is only the start.

Anyone of us could be in the firing line for their terrible policies, wether it is zero hours contracts, poverty wages or being in work and still having to depend on food banks. It only takes an accident, a divorce or losing your job to be on the receiving end of their heinous policies.

And to think it was the bankers who caused all this austerity in the first place and they are still paid their bonuses and pay rises. The sheer hypocrisy of ruth davidson on a mobility aid is so awful I cannot bear it.

They say we get the government we deserve but I don’t think anyone deserves this tory government.

Arbroath1320

Tories … the party who are:

Heartless

Soulless

Moralless

COWARDS

EVIL

DESPISING

DESPERATE

DISRESPECTFUL

HATEFUL

DISGUSTING

DESPICABLE

GREEDY

DISINGENUOUS

LIARS

HYPOCRITES

XENOPHOBIC

WARMONGERS

… but apart from that … 😀

Ken500

Bring back FPTP and get rid of the lot of the useless troughers. Absolutely useless, greedy liars. The Tories. Unseless Corbyn and the rest of the useless cruel unionists voted through every unnecessary cut to vulnerable people.

Wasting public money on a host of useless grotesque projects to benefit the unionists and their associates. Embezzling public money. Total corruption of the highest order. Killing, maiming and starving vulnerable people the world over. Illegally using public funds and covering it up under the Official Secrets Act. They are despicable in every way. Disgusting cretins. The despicable unionists backing up one another. Along with the pathetic useless Greens, who renege and enable them, as well.

The Tories committing electoral fraud in 31 constituencies. Lying and holding an illegal EU Referendum. Then holding another GE to cover up their criminality. Most of them should be put in jail. Lying sychophants. They are corrupt in every way. Cutting funds for essential services and wasting and borrowing £Billions of money spent on useless non mandated grotesque projects. The funds that have been embezzled and wasted. Against the majority wishes and the public interest.

Iain

If they were genuinely Scottish Conservatives, they would feel able to voice disagreement with the inclusion of the clause.

But as Michael Fry writes in the National today, they go along with what the Tories in England want. Why? For the sake of their political careers, the material advantages deriving from the connections, and the inevitable honours at the end. Arise, Sir Murdo Fraser! Yes, it’s laughable, but no less so than the knighthoods given to other willing plodders in the service of the establishment. I’d bet on it.

Brian Powell

Speeches are fine but the Westminster Tories run the show and Scottish Labour will still stick us with them.

Macart

Much like Yesindyref2 in the previous thread, I’ve always considered myself a fairly moderate and inclusive type where politics is concerned.

I never wanted Labour, the Libdems or the Tories excised from Scottish politics. I had hopes that in an independent Scotland they could rediscover a sense of unique identity and politics suited to the needs of the Scottish electorate. I may never have agreed with their ideologies and individual policies, but I felt that a breadth of opinion and representation was essential for a healthy democracy.

Today? Believe me when I say nothing would give me greater pleasure, or a greater sense of relief than to see the last Tory pack their bags and leave our parliament.

I didn’t think it was possible for me to hold them in any greater contempt than their actions warranted throughout our indyref, but I was wrong.

It appears there’s always another level possible where the Tories are concerned and their actions since June last year have confirmed that theory.

#toriesout

The Tree of Liberty

Macart, I’m in your gang!

Graham

The filename of the image says it all.

Black Joan

Kezia Dugdale has always come across as embarrassingly inept.

Who is this Dugdale who turns out to be capable of such an outstanding speech?

It looks as if she becomes a different person when speaking about something she actually believes in.

Time to wake up, Kez. If you feel so passionately about what these poisonous Tories are doing, acknowledge that they are only able to do this in Scotland because your party, Labour, stood shoulder to shoulder with them in their wretched Better Together campaign.

And that means Labour has played a significant part in bringing about the abomination that is the rape clause.

Stop helping them and start helping Scotland instead.

Old Dotch

Does anyone know where we can watch this debate? It doesn’t appear to be on iplayer.

ScottishPsyche

They could not defend any of the policy so they used the time to campaign for the GE. They are corrupt, amoral and completely cynical in their pursuit of a one party state.

What was interesting was the poor quality of the professor’s argument – he is a terrible speaker. Ruth Davidson spoke in a detached manner as if to distance herself from what she was actually saying. Rachael Hamilton seems a real throwback to that breed of arrogant Tory woman who have re-emerged in the UK parliament. Horrible, horrible people.

HandandShrimp

The Tories know this is a millstone and it is one of their own making. Hell mend them.

TheStrach

The Tories are once again over reaching themselves. They simply can’t help but go too far.

It may take a while but they’ll eventually be found out by others who haven’t yet seen them for what they have always been.

In the meantime we all need to keep hammering them on their abysmal record since cheating their way into majority government.

David Graham

That’s a great speech by the Dug – finally delivered with conviction, against the party who she should naturally be opposing, rather than the usual half-hearted SNP bad whine.
What a powerful anti Tory alliance we could have, and with it the only hope for resurrecting Scottish Labour – an independent Scotland

Valerie

Watched most of it, and even though the speeches were very good apart from the Tories, I found it painful and shameful we have arrived at this pass.

Imagine if we had voted the right way in 2014? All the energy being put into building this country, no Brexit, no rape clause.

There are days, and this is one, when I feel a rising panic, a foreboding, and its the dread of what is still to come, the damage yet to be done.

Discussing and watching this debate is not normal in a civilised society.

Cactus

Who holds that middleish empty-looking seat in the picture?

Is it a two foot Tory?

Or did the subject in question abstain from attending “debate”.

The Scottish Tories – Servants to their London Tory rule masters.

Forever.

Matt Seattle

@ Old Dotch – link to bbc.co.uk
and scroll back to around 3 pm if still available

jimnarlene

Every last one of them has my never ending contempt, may their god condemn them.

mike cassidy

If you are approached by any tory campaigner in the next few weeks,just say –

“Oh its R*peclause Ruth and The Foodbank Party”

“GTF” is optional.

yesindyref2

I don’t know which is the better description of the Tories in Scotland (and the UK) – the Nasty Party, or Ross Greer’s the Cruel Party.

Neil Findaly did well, as did Labour and the LibDems (and Greens of course).

#stopthetories

Robert Lamb

Surely to goodness after watching this debate no Labour voter with a conscience would even contemplate voting tactically for that shower of rat droppings.
Hope Ian Murray was watching and felt utter ashamed of himself.

Brian McHugh

Artyhetty, It is easy to have morals, when you have practically nothing left to lose.
Kezias’ Labour had no morals under Blairs’ war years.

E Russell

Not that this should in any way be considered a point in their favour, but look at their body language. A fair few of them, mainly men, have their hands covering their mouths – almost as if they are trying to hide from the dehumanising words coming from their London masters. Are they ashamed but too scared to show dissent?

Robert Louis

I often rip the pan out of Kezia, but I must say, what a speech. Well done Kezia.

But I do have a question for Kezia, why oh why oh why do you still think Scotland is better being run by the London Tories than becoming independent and running its own affairs. Just think what a better place Scotland would be.

But, bravo Kezia.

As for rape clause Ruth, I better not say, for fear of offending people.

yesindyref2

@Macart
It’s sad. I used to enjoy our blethers end of threads on the Grun back in 2012, where we were setting Independent Scotland to rights in terms of parties and democracy. Changed days.

Is #toriesout the one to use, rather than #stopthetories ?

[…] Wings Over Scotland Faces Of Shame This is the Conservative MSP group at Holyrood today, at the end of an unusually […]

Faltdubh

Beautiful stuff, Macart.

For a while, I naively disliked Labour more than the Tories. You know it was post-Blair, Iraq, total failure of improving social equality and justice, constant SNP bad when the real enemy got off lightly.

And The Tories -at the time- were weak, a laughing stock, and even some of them seemed light-hearted and dare I say it, even likeable. I grew up just after Thatcher so I missed the evil Tory experience, but I knew and read and heard all about especially being a Scot.

Brexit and their majority in 2015 has shown exactly that the Tory party were not the ‘financial conservative, socially liberal’ message that Cameron and so on tried to paint.
I’m not surprised, and we all knew they were capable of going far-right, but it’s unbelievable how quick it came around, and the actions of their MSPs today just show what a horrible lot they are.

I still dislike Labour. They are spineless, gutless, and lack conviction. They are overly obsessed with the SNP – a party they have more in common with than against, but they are a bit slow. And their constant ‘SNPBAD’ has and will seem get hammered in both May and June, although it’ll be across the whole of the UK and not just Scotland – as it has for the past few years.

I don’t feel any sympathy for Labour. They constantly belittled us, they teamed up with the Tories for the sack of their union, and when they large numbers of their support to the SNP, rather than try and win these people back by attractive and cordial relations with left and centre parties they decided they still had to go with their decades old ‘SNP bad’ message. They are not an independent party, and they’ll do what their masters in London say.

So whilst I don’t care to see Labour anywhere near office in Scotland, or feel any more of sympathy at their demise. If there is an iScotland, I think a Socialist-Democratic Party where many ex Labour members would naturally align to would be a great addition to politics, that is not the present.

I’m havering, but the key is, today is the today that it dawned on me that Labour were never really the enemy. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely loved beating them in 07, 11, 12,15, it wasn’t until the Holyrood elections of 16 when Tories took second place that I started to focus elsewhere, its always been the Tories and we have to hammer them in June.

Margaret Paterson

I am not a fan of Kezia but its good to know that she stood up for women against the worst legislation that the dreadful excuse of a Prime Minister could ever dream up .May has morals or dignity

Thepnr

Very happy to see Wings attacking despicable Tory policies as well as despicable Tory politicians.

Between now and the next referendum one of our goals has to be to show Unionist ex-Labour voters who have switched support to the Tories because of their support for the Union is that they have truly made an horrendous mistake.

Personally I am shocked that so many Labour voters in Scotland could do such a thing. We need to shame them into abandoning Tories. The Ruth Davidson Party rubbish will run out of steam.

Let’s get stuck into the Tories any Labour voter still with them is probably of the McTernan or Hothersall variety. Any that are not might just come over to the Yes side all by themselves.

Destroy the Tory vote now, it IS Scotland v Tories nothing else.

ScottishPsyche

Today showed that when there is an issue worth fighting for (or against) even Kezia Dugdale can swallow her antiSNP bile.

Or is it that when she truly believes in something that she is believable?

I can give her credit today but that makes her BT alliance with the Tories even harder to bear.

galamcennalath

Despicable bunch of apologies for human beings.

What a superb speech from Kezia, well said that woman.

Now, Kezia, can you attack the Tories like that more often? You might save your party! And think about this, Kezia, you have the power to ensure your country is forever free from WM Tories, use it.

John H

I thought vampires couldn’t be photographed…or is that just mirrors?

yesindyref2

Oh yes, BBC covered the debate. Showed Davidson saying how the SNP had the power to reverse the cuts, and that was that. Didn’t even give the vote – 91 to 31.

Dave McEwan Hill

Always remember that James Connolly led the Labour Party in Ireland (a division of the UK Labour Party)into the GPO in Dublin in 1916.

What has happened now in Scotland is that Labour supporters are now in the right place politically but the remains of their party is not.

Socrates MacSporran

Ruth the Mooth and her Gang are forever trying to paint the SNP as: “a cult”, “running a one-party state” and “Quashing dissent – it’s toe the party line or else”.

Yet, when it coms to a debate on an issue as disgusting as the “Ruth Clause” – NOT ONE SINGLE TORY MSP BREAKS RANKS TO VOTE AGAINST THIS OBSCENITY.

Aye, the Toerags don’t do irony.

geeo

11 of them covering their mouths as they sit there.

Apparently this is a sign of discomfort caused by hearing something they do not like hearing.

Who knew huh !

Fairliered

Looking at the gender balance on the Tory benches, it appears that they are the party of the rapists, not the raped (both economically and medically).

Fran

Got a ruthie no surrender leaflet through today, doesn’t even say which election its for its just all standing up to the snp and everyone else is too weak.

I’m going to pop it into an envelope and send it back to 67 Northumberland st edinburgh

jfngw

I hope all those Labour supporters that intend to vote Tory at the GE have a good look at themselves in the mirror before heading off to the polling booth, and consider whether they really see the Tories as reflecting their values.

Valerie

It was abhorrent watching the debate, despite some eloquent speakers.

How does a supposedly civilised country come to this?

Imagine a parallel universe where we had voted Yes, and you could just weep, that Scotland is brought to this.

Worse to come as well.

Gighagirl

The body language is very interesting ….putting their hands up to hide their shock at themselves or to gag themselves from suddenly shouting out “I’ve made a terrible mistake”

yesindyref2

@Fran

Err, cough

FREEPOST RSHZ-LLJT-UCEJ
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
67 Northumberland Street
EDINBURGH
EH3 6JG

Don’t include some recycled junk mail to go with it, whatever you do, it might weigh too much.

Arbroath1320

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Members … S.C.U.M. for short!

Legerwood

yesindyref2 says:
25 April, 2017 at 7:08 pm
“”Oh yes, BBC covered the debate. Showed Davidson saying how the SNP had the power to reverse the cuts, and that was that. Didn’t even give the vote – 91 to 31.””
………

I think the reporter gave the result of the vote in his piece to camera at the end of the BBC’s report on this. Must say I was surprised at just how much of the debate the BBC reported. But Ms Davidson, and her strategic placing of the few female Tory MSPS behind her, was chilling in her lack of emotion.

It is the most despicable policy imaginable both in intent and execution.

All power to Ms Thewlis MP picking up on this in the 2015 budget and fighting it all the way for the past 21 months or so.

Robert Graham

The short clip i watched – had the mongrel leader going on about the economy ! , is that what it comes down to ? yah scabby excuse for a human being , leading a repulsive gang of crooks & Liars .

I guess that wee bit of profanity wont endear me to many Union supporting voters but i really dont give a toss about them right now .

Fran

@ yesindyref2

Thumbs up

yesindyref2

@Legerwood
Yes, I should have said the highlight at the beginning and end of the news, sorry.

Truth

They look genuinely perturbed.

I like to think that’s how a lot of no voters felt.

I only hope the no voters have an ounce of decency that is clearly lacking from these bastards, and change their minds.

Bob Mack

Shame ? Shame you say ? From a party who deports citizens who have lived here for years with businesses. From a party who are shrinking civil liberties ?. From a party who promote racism and xenophobia ?
From a party who deny the sick and invalid their entitlements?

From a party who apply bedroom tax to the young and are about to attack pensioner rights, whilst giving tax breaks to the super rich?

No shame there I am afraid. Business as normal actually.

Macart

@Yesindyref2

Either works for me Dads. 🙂

Back in 2012 we had some hopes for our political class fer sure. So many great ideas discussed and that was still when CiF had a pretty decent standard of debate from all quarters. Some excellent arguments rolled back and forth and for insomniacs like us some great chilled convos in the wee sma hours afterwards.

It only took relentless application of hatred and projection on the part of the political class and their pet meeja to change my attitude to mainstream engagement. I don’t miss my subscriptions, but I do miss a good few names from those threads. Come across them now and again on indy sites, folk like dorice and maisie.

Personally, these days I’m done with the conciliatory, reasonable attitude where parties, members or journos are concerned. I save that for the folk who need it, those who want a second chance to set the record straight in their own minds and are looking for a welcome, not recriminations.

My hand is always out for new friends. 😉

Ian Foulds

Joanne at 5.41 pm

‘Terrorism and Separatism’ should be the headlines in The National tomorrow!!!

Welsh Sion

Just thought I’d share with you that right-thinking Welshy politicians agree with you.

link to www2.partyof.wales

link to bbc.co.uk

link to theguardian.com

Meg merrilees

Just listening to the debate.

Nicola great,.

Kezia on fire – well said that lassie for once – Wow! What a powerful letter she read out.

tRuthless – treats this Parliament with disdain. Would not accept any interventions and I can’t believe that she actually tried to defend this clause. Left in no doubt what her colleagues think of her. What a shower of spineless people. Just look at their face throughout the debate – all except Murdo Fraser who looks like he was doodling throughout.

Ms Harrison wittering on about how the WM government has increased employment, resulting in fewer people needing benefit and fewer children in poverty.

Hmm – thought I read yesterday that there are now 240,000 children living in poverty in Scotland – a large increase.

Glad I live in Scotland with some MSP’s who actually still have principles.

Cactus

Ever feel like you’re living in a Tory dome:

link to youtube.com

Spring has sprung, now here comes summer Scotland.

9 days till vote time again.

Robert Peffers

@Old Dotch says:25 April, 2017 at 6:23 pm:

“Does anyone know where we can watch this debate? It doesn’t appear to be on iplayer.”

Hi, Old Dotch.

The debate should be available here :-

link to scottishparliament.tv

If it isn’t there already it should come up shortly.

Haven’t seen you posts before? Welcome if you are a new commenter.

Brian Doonthetoon

Hi Old Dotch.

The link below is to the home page of the web site that has the videos of what goes on at Holyrood.

http://www.scottishparliament.tv

They are, usually, also available at:-

link to youtube.com

Sometimes, they appear on YouTube before the other; sometimes the ‘official’ web site has them before the YouTube channel. It’s worth bookmarking both sites.

Arbroath1320

Just met oor prospective SNP candidate who is gonna kick Scruffy Fluffy’s earse tae HELL … and back again just for fun! 😀

Nae names the noo but watch this space … as they say. 😉

Brian Doonthetoon

O/T…

Hi Robert Peffers.

Did you receive your gold badge from the 2016 fundraiser?

Robert Peffers

@jimnarlene says: 25 April, 2017 at 6:38 pm:

“Every last one of them has my never ending contempt, may their god condemn them.”

Tories have many Gods and there is a hierarchy of Tory Gods but the supreme Tory God is, “MONEY”, and money’s right hand demi-God is power, any kind of power from political and class to weapons of mass destruction.

Robert J. Sutherland

There’s something wrong with that photo of the Tories in Holyrood. It’s lacking all the strings on the muppets that are being pulled by Mayhem. But Thunderbirds are definitely looking glum. No wonder some of them are already looking to head for the silken threads of Westminster.

Blow me down, Labour could finally bring themselves to vote with the SNP and against the Tories. Well, it’s a start of sorts, I suppose.

But we also have the spectacle of their Brexit collaborator-in-chief Starmer trying his “we’ll also do Brexit but we’ll be gentle and it won’t hurt, honest” line that he hopes will appease both sides but actually will fail to convince either. Especially in Wales, it seems. After all, if you’re besotted by blame-the-foreigner, why vote for the dancing monkey when you can vote for the organ-grinder?

Thank goodness we still have at least two parties here in Scotland who are aiming for the higher ground and not the swamp.

Iain

They look like naughty boys and girls, every last one of them, who have been caught red-handed with their mits in the cookie jar when they thought teacher’s back was turned.

Dr Jim

Dugdale had nothing to lose on this and everything to gain but don’t be too misled by Dugdales approach, if it were a choice between the Union or the kids Dugdale would pick the Union every time and damn the kids
Dugdale is no different to Davidson she just whines louder about it

Dugdale will now go round the doors insisting that if the SNP don’t mitigate this in the way she’d like then Nicola Sturgeon will be as bad as the Tories

Theresa May is going around linking the SNP with terrorists now in her wee closed door speeches to the faithful
Mrs May is repeating everywhere she goes that the UK must fight against separatists and terrorists from taking over her government
It’s crap and we know it’s crap even the TV people know it’s crap but they’re filming it and putting it on the 24 hour rolling news for the digestion of the bewildered and the stupid to gobble up and believe

Theresa May is being advised by a dangerous head case Lynton Crosbie who couldn’t give a monkeys about any country or it’s people, he’s about to remove Boris Johnson from the wee secret group, this guy only cares about how much he’s getting paid to win so he can move on to his next wrecking job which will likely be how to destroy Nicola Sturgeon and Scotland
Mrs May won’t stand for another woman in her kitchen

Lynton Crosbie is John McTernan with a brain and even less
humanity

Get ready for a full attack on Scotland

yesindyref2

@Macart
dorice is still on the go, well was last July at any rate on a savetheroyalnavy thread. Don’t want to give his name, what’s on one forum doesn’t belong on another kind of thing, and he did used to post on the Herald. Maisiedotts I think she did post on the Herald but could have been someone else.

We are more in the end game though, still a ways to run. Could have done it first time but even though I used to post 75% YES, 25% NO that was more a rallying cry – and the Devo result in 1997 near enough. But it’s coming for a’ that.

Dugdale got my heartstrings a wee bit a couple of months back, a plaintive “I did vote with you 12 times out of 13 on the EU” in Holyrood to Sturgeon, and there have been other issues Labour have been onside. Just they still hate the SNP and that’s their undoing, they should turn it onto Westminster – even if they don’t still support Indy. Ah well!

Have looked at the Grun a few times and there’s still plenty of good pro-indy posters there, some from way back then, and they get upvote support.

Auld Rock

Is it true that the rats are fleeing the sewers?

Auld Rock

Gary45%

Faces of shame? more like faeces of shame.(No shit Sherlock)
This is the Ruth Harrison LYING RAPE CLAUSE Party we are talking about.
They have no shame.
Looks like Murdo “the queens fart” is thumbing through “gimp suit weekly” for some leisure attire.

Jack Collatin

I look forward to seeing the 174 Unionist GE Hopefuls who will stand shoulder to shoulder with Mundell Murray and Born Again Carmichael, doubtless fresh faced kids, zealots, who are determined to smash the Bad EssEnnPee in June.
Or has Treeza, Jeremy, and Tim devolved electioneering to the Branch Office leaders Up Here?
What must Mundell think when he sees Davidson’s face plastered over their campaign literature?
Isn’t that his job?
Frank the Pieman must be mightily relieved that the LA elections have been dwarfed by the June GE announcement.
Worry not, LA Unionists. It will be ‘vote ’til you boak’ next week.
Where are the Unionist going to dig up 174 GE credible candidates?
Is Davidson standing?

Al Dossary

I really am at a loss for words to describe the monstrosity that is Ruth Davidson and the Tory party. How any sane person in the Scotland could even consider voting for these bastards is beyond me!

And as for the refusal of these sponging bastards that are the Tory MSP’s to refuse to take any interventions – I can see an easy way to take care of that. Put it into the rule book that any party leader must be forced to take at least a couple of interventions. I am sure that there would be only 31 numpty’s who would vote against it – and do it at the earliest opportunity !

These despicable people who claim that their job is to “Hold the Scottish Government to account” must in turn be able to be held to account for their own evils.

mike d

One at the back fourth from the right,looks bored out his skull.

jfngw

We need to fight separatist and terrorist say EU separatist May. Of course Brexit in their eyes is ‘good separatist’ compared to the Bad type in Scotland. Unfortunately it looks like a large number of people are going to fall for this bullshit.

Davidson is destined to lead May’s Scottish punishment section prior to taking her place in a safe Tory seat or the Hol’s. Because unless we vote to leave the Tories intend to punish for not falling into line.

Thepnr

@jfngw

Yes good point. What is May if not a sepratist? In her determination to drag us out of the EU. A hypocrite is what she is.

Andy-B

One could imagine what a barren wasteland Scotland would be if the Tories were in government in Scotland, along with their Westminster cronies.

Mike

Because of the list system we cant get cunts like Tomkins and Carlaw out of the Parliament by voting.
How sickening is that?

Graeme

I hear Kezia made quite a speech today I haven’t listened to it and I don’t intend to, any more than 10 seconds of listening to that woman is enough to make me want to gouge my eyes out with a kitchen knife.

As far as I’m concerned Kezia Dugdale is no better than any of these scumbags on that photo

she actively supports them in denying us our right to self determination and inflicting their will on our country, she is a liar and a hypocrite and every bit as responsible for the rape clause as Ruth Davidson

This is not just about those children conceived from rape, this is about all our children and their right to live and grow up in a prosperous, socially just and caring country and Kezia is happy to deny them that for no other reason than to further her own political career.

She may have made a notable & impassioned speech today but in my view she is nonetheless a deceitful, lying,hypocritical, repugnant excuse for a human being.

Legerwood

O/T

I have noticed, as have several posters, Mrs May’s linking of terrorist and separatists in just about every public utterance.

Two things about this: Will Ms Davidson follow suit?

Secondly, does the reference to separatists include Sinn Fein? Or has that thought and all its possible ramifications not crossed Mrs May’s mind?

Mrs May has taken a very cavalier attitude to NI in calling this election when NI still does not have a government. Something that does not seem to have excited much attention from the MSP commentaries.

K1

Powerful and ah huv tae say ‘heartfelt’ from Dugdale…ah think I’ve made it plain what ah feel about the possibility of even one Tory MP from Scotland getting a seat on the green benches, the thing that I’m solid on is if that happens it will be precisely because the branch office of Labour in Scotland have abandoned any sense of perspective and are enncouraging their voters to vote Tory.

They, Labour will have supported and enabled the Tories in their ‘phoney revival’ because of their ingrained hatred of the SNP. Dugdale’s conviction politics on this one issue pales in comparison to the over arching support that they have given the Tories throughout the referendum campaign and the hand in glove fit of both Tories and Labour remains resolutely anti independence in the face of what is coming after the GE17.

You can never trust a Tory, you must never trust Labour again in Scotland for it is they who will ensure that the Tories make any gains come June 8th. They are a shower of absolute asterisks. 😉

Mike

If the people of the UK accessed the information the average Wings contributor accesses they would never vote Tory or Labour again.
That’s a fact. We ask why people vote Tory or Labour and its because they don’t even try to access the level of information and reality we take the time to access and to digest.
Its that simple. They stay ignorant and vote through ignorance.

jfngw

@Thepnr

If separatist is defined as wanting to be governed by the party that wins the majority of votes in your nation, then I am a proud separatist. I really don’t care what they call me, it’s the outcome that’s important. They are trying to instil guilt, but why should I feel guilty about wanting democracy.

Smallaxe

Yesindyref2:

When you posted this address:
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
67 Northumberland Street
EDINBURGH
EH3 6JG
You forgot something
Here it is
0131 524 0039
There is a lovely young man chewing the mouthpiece off the phone as he has run out of fingernails as I phone him often, very often to ask him if he would tell Ms Davidson that Scotland does want another referendum.

I am always very polite, so if anyone else decides to give him a call, be nice, I think he may be on the verge of a breakdown and this latest R88e clause just might be the last straw.
😎

Peace Always

Legerwood

Post at 8.39 should end ‘MSM commentariat’

On topic.

I try not to make personal comments about politicians but for Ms Davidson on this issue I shall make an exception.

Dictionary definition: ruth, a noun, meaning: a feeling of pity, distress, or grief.

If ever a person was mis-named it was Ms Davidson and this was underlined by her performance today in the Scottish Parliament

Macart

@Yesindyref2

Good to know Dads. Missionary work is a calling. 😀

dakk

@The Pnr’
A hypocrite is what she is’

It’s the defining British trait,so it’s a given that the Alan Partridge lookalike Prime Minister should have it in spades.

Pity she’s not funny with it.

Mike

Not one Tory voted their conscience today. Which means either none of them have a conscience or they value their party more than they value their own morality.
despicable either way.

Robert Peffers

@Brian Doonthetoon says: 25 April, 2017 at 7:50 pm:

“Hi Robert Peffers.
Did you receive your gold badge from the 2016 fundraiser

I know nothing about it, Brian Doonthetoon.

However, I was rewiring my mains electrics some time ago. I’m disabled and I had to get a friend help me in the tight corners. When he was under the floorboards he found a card from the postie saying a package could not be delivered and could be collected from the Local P.O. depot. The card had somehow fallen under the floorboards when previous rewiring was on the go and the floorboards up.

Unfortunately I had aggravated my neck & spinal injuries while doing rewiring. In any case, it was found a long after the date on the PO card. I enquired from my family etc. and no one had sent me anything and I was housebound.

I did ask on Wings and other on-line places I use and no one said they had sent me anything. By the time I was back on my feet I had forgotten all about it and was busy trying to catch up with all the things that needed seen to while flat on my back.

I doubt that the PO. depot would keep anything that long anyway. Now I’m again confined to the house with yet another neck dislocation. It’s the sixth time since Indyref1 voting night.

I get treatment but it takes forever and it is difficult to drive with a neck brace on so and so I get stuck in the house alone for long periods.

This is just par for the course for me over recent years. It’s been one long drawn out struggle. Hopefully this time I can stay un-dislocated long enough to properly heal.

The Rough Bounds

Powerful delivery indeed, and commendable, but did not Ms. Dugdale disapprove of the Scottish Government’s introduction of the ‘Baby Boxes?’

Does she not support the British Union which is responsible for legislation like this ‘Rape Clause’ being drawn up?

I don’t trust her, and I don’t trust her Party to be consistent when it comes to the Tories. Were it not for this ‘Rape Clause’ she would be in tow today with the Tory Unionists in more attacks on the SNP and the concept of Scottish self-government.

Rock

Thirty Tory MSPs too many in the Scottish parliament.

To think that so many Scottish voters vote for the Tories.

Who are they?

The vast majority of the selfish middle classes, the British nationalist elderly, the thugs and the English.

If we want to win next time, don’t waste a second or a penny trying to convince them.

Every second and every penny is better spent elsewhere.

Arbroath1320

I’ll just leave this here for anyone who didn’t hear Kezia Dugdale’s speech today.

Like many on here I don’t usually give her much if any credit. That said I openly admit to congratulating her today. In my view this really was a powerful speech from a Labour MSP.

link to scontent-lht6-1.xx.fbcdn.net

Ken500

For goodness sake. Is there nobody nearby that could go around to Mr Peffers and give him some help and company. Some SNP members or wingers? Someone must have the where with all. It would not take a pseudo sleuth to find a way or location.

Indyref2 managed it recently. To follow up a tip, find a connection and make a visit. It was much appreciated by all accounts.

Arbroath1320

Wee update … full Rape Clause debate can be seen here.

link to youtube.com

Rock

Dugdale might have for once embarassed the Tories but do not be fooled by her.

She has no principles – she only did it for political advantage.

Don’t forget they will always be “Better Together”.

Tam Fae Somewhere

O/T

The Tories are sending out council election flyers that in reality look more like general election flyers.

Is this how they are getting round general election spending restrictions in Scotland?

boris
Ed t head

The leader of brexit hates separatists so it must be a bit confused to be a speech writer “Scotland must be part of the union as we leave”. It doesn’t mean they are totally insane but it must help, I just hope people see what the election has become, I wonder how it goes down over the border. As for the MSP puppets will they get respect if they go out campaigning.

Ken500

Voters in Scotland don’t vote for them. Unionist screwed the electoral system in Scotland. To let the useless cretins in. There is a quota – D’Hoult system. Ist preference votes are put in the bin. To let 3rd rejects in. The list system is just a corruption of any political choice. Especially since the unionist/greens could then gang up to stop any SNP majority.

Same with STV – Council elections – only worse. A quota lets the cretins in. It is almost impossible to vote them out. A useless troughing job for life. Bring politics into contempt. The reason why many do not vote. Their vote does not count. The ‘psycho bastards’ just regurgitate again and again.

The unionists brought these systems in to illegally and cynically consolidate their positions. Totally illegally without any mandate. The majority support FPTP because there is more chance of useless losers being voted out. The majority get the candidate/party they want. Non quota.

Mike

The problem is recognising your real enemy. It isn’t actually the Tory party or Labour its the media.
Neither the Tories nor Labour can be successful without a compliant media circus promoting their efforts as substantial.
The media are working for the forces that drain the majority in order to sustain and strengthen the minority.
The media keep the majority ignorant to their true nemesis.
Deliberately deflect us to concentrate our frustration in the wrong direction.
We are in a war where ignorance is the ammo and we’re losing badly because we don’t understand the battleground.

Robert Peffers

@Ken500 says: 25 April, 2017 at 9:22 pm:

“For goodness sake. Is there nobody nearby that could go around to Mr Peffers and give him some help and company.”

It’s o.k. Ken500, I’m just about managing and I have a step-son up in the village. He couldn’t help for a while as he had developed cataracts and was waiting for operations.

After he, (recently), had the ops he had great difficulty in judging distances so he was unable to help.

My friend who helps me with the jobs about the house and garden was abroad but is due home in a few days and the spinal & neck thing should be a bit better soon as it will get peace to heal now. These are old injuries but like all bone injuries Arthritis sets in. It is the Arthritis causing the dislocations,

The disks between the damaged vertebrae cause them to dislocate and have difficulty going back in again. They inject stuff between the vertebrae but it contains steroids so they have to spread the treatment over a long time to prevent Steroid overdose. It is also quite painful for around a fortnight per injection.

My problem was that I didn’t have any help for a while and thus had no option but go out for vital things and thus was aggravating things before the injections had time to do their job.

It won’t cure the old spinal injuries but I long ago learned how to cope and have an adapted campervan with a hoist to handle my electric buggy. The van can be plugged into the mains to charge the van’s two batteries and the buggy batteries too. So under normal times I manage fine.

Things just had not been normal. In any case Wingers have more important things to do at the present time. Mind you I’m always here and neither me or the wee Papillon bite.

I’m expecting to be able to get about again soon and I’ll get time to do so now my step-son can see properly again. He came down a couple of afternoons ago and mowed the grass for me. So I’m on the road to recovery — again.

Effijy

There is no Scottish in the rogue band of Westminster troubadours that mascaraed as caring politicians.

They have no lead, no vison, no self determination.
They just follow Westminster instructions no matter how immoral or negative an impact against Scotland.

This latest horror story should be referred to as
“Ruth’s Rape Claws”

After their party particular, and Westminster in general raping Scotland every which way possible, they have no emotions left for a few raped women and condemned children.

Ken500

Thank goodness. Mr Peffers. Maybe there are still folk nearby who could help out. Hope so. Soon. Thanks for all your efforts in any case. You are an inspiration. The way you manage is exceptional.

Nana too.

John T

No amount of cajolery, and no attempts at ethical or social seduction, can eradicate from my heart a deep burning hatred for the Tory Party. So far as I am concerned they are lower than vermin. Aneurin Bevan
No (longer) a fan of Labour but this kinda says it all.

clan rossy

The above picture says it all evil staring you right in the face no morals no conscience no compassion just a bunch
of evil demented twisted souls .

lucifer himself wouldnt take them they are that toxic
they are nothing but twisted bastirts and that goes for everyone that supports them as well.

graeme @ 8.36
very well said but you used the word human but in my eyes
anyone who supports or stands side by side with those scumbags
aint human in fact there is no word in the dictionary that
can describe them .

Thats how much i despise them.

Polscot

These “separatists” that May, Harrison and the BBC liggers are banging on about, are these like the separatists that voted to leave the European Union, or are they a different type of separatist?

Isn’t a Brexit separatist in reality more of a patriotic Great British Separathon-ist and not in any way similar to a dangerous “now is not the time” separatist? A Great British Separathon-ist is good, a NINTT separatist is bad, really bad. Have I got this right? I can only hope that Kuenssberg, Robinson, Dimblebum and Fromage will clarify on the next Question Time or R4 Toady propaganda broadcast.

louis.b.argyll

yesindyref2… 7:08 pm
Oh yes, BBC covered the debate. Showed Davidson saying how the SNP had the power to reverse the cuts, and that was that. Didn’t even give the vote – 91 to 31.

Just in..not surprised, maybe anyone with even a passing interest in women’s issues, will have..

NOTICED BBC SCOTLAND’S DOWNPLAYING TACTIC

louis.b.argyll

..Will have noticed bbc Scotland’s downplaying tactic..

..AND WONDERED WHY?

Sinky

Another BBC National TV 10 pm news black out of the third largest party at Westminster. London bubble and right wing press determine the BBC’s priorities.

BBC Scotland Tells Lies

Tomorrow’s National front page:

comment image

BBC Scotland Tells Lies

Tomorrow’s “National” twitter pages:

link to twitter.com

Camz

Is Carlaw actually blushing?

Robert Louis

It has been an odd day. Dugdale makes an impassioned speech against the Tories, and for that well done. But, here’s the thing, people like Kezia Dugdale, would still prefer Scotland to be run by those evil Tories, than have Scotland run its own affairs.

For the life of me, I cannot fathom why Labour cling to this unionist stance. It has done them no good. Even worse, they want to help the Tories prevent a Scottish independence referendum.

The speech by Dugdale was good, but it lacks credibility, because Kezia and the Labour party in Scotland still prefer Tory rule to independence – even though that independence might very well lead Labour to a renaissance in Scotland.

I just cannot understand the Labour stance. I really don’t get it. With one breath they tell us the Tories are evil, yet with the next tell us they would prefer that evil Tory rule with rape clauses, benefit cuts and austerity, to independence.

I really, really wish Labour would sniff the proverbial coffee, and wake the f*** up. I just genuinely don’t get it, I really don’t.

Terry

Kezia. Outstanding. And kezia, ask yourself why we have to put up with this? If we were Indy we wouldn’t have to. England is Tory. Scotland is socialist. But in the uk we are outnumbered ten to one. That was passion on display. Come over and save labour in an Indy scotland.

As for Ruth and her rabble? Their faces said it all. Shame on the lot of them.

Mark Potter-Irwin

Is that headline faces or faeces of shame?

ScottishPsyche

Scotland Tonight – how does Tomkins know how many children are born of non-consensual s**? How can he say it is incredibly rare?

Is he confusing violent stranger attacks which are relatively rare with the coercive persistent attacks that occurs within an abusive relationship? In an abusive relationship many of the children could born out of coercion.

He is talking utter nonsense.

louis.b.argyll

Robert, have you tried, if it’s not too personal, any alternative remedies?
Or can you recommend what not to try.

I know that prescribed ‘stabilisers’ aren’t too clever long term..

Calum McKay

Ruth and Murdo are looking at their phones!

Compassion, decency and responsibility are words that tories avoid!

Bill Hume

Well, well well. “The Dug” showed her teeth……….good for her. She just needs to take that passion to it’s obvious conclusion and accept that the only practical way to stop further Tory austerity (at least in Scotland) is to come out for Scottish independence.

Graeme McCormick

Just heard Adam Tomkins on Scotland Tonight saying the Scottish Government could mitigate the effects of the Rape Clause and sounding as if the Tories may support it.

What sort of Unionist is he which treats children and mothers in the rest of the UK in their extremity with such callousness?

Still Positive

I have often praised Kezia on her speeches on a subject she is passionate about such as the debate today. She also did well in the debates before the EU Referendum.

She just doesn’t speak passionately about the Labour Party.

Before the Easter recess at FMQs she very reluctantly dragged herself up to speak.

Time to either jump ship or come out for her party to support independence?

DebzoHighland

Smallaxe 8.51

He has been very polite to me too!
Poor bugger.

Lochside

Why does anyone get taken in by Dugdale?….her ‘heartfelt’ speech is a desperate attempt to grab any credibility back before SLAB disappear finally into oblivion in the Local Elections.

She is a sociopathic liar…a pretty face version/ a mirror image of ugly mug Harrison. Check out her expression on the group photo outside Hollyrood against the R*pe Clause…she looks as passionate as a wet weekend in Portobello..thunder stolen perhaps? and attempt to regain the spotlight with her ‘speech’…wise up she’s a heartless opportunist better together groupie!

Meanwhile the Tompkins twin…the one with two jobs…visiting spy/professor at Glasgow Uni and waste of space rentagob in Hollyrood is quoted on Glen Campbell’s report on rising foodbank use in Scotland as ‘80% of foodbank users ONLY USE them once’….so that’s alright then you freeloading nematode!….I wish this parasite would find another host for his disgusting shrivelled soul to suck on….mind you the Scottish tories are the perfect rotting, stinking carcase for him to remain feeding on.

Let’s fumigate the Scottish body politic of these vermin at the both the local and the General Elections.

galamcennalath

How can SLab persist with the view that Scotland is best in the Union?

There is only one UK, one Union, and one governing party for the foreseeable future. It’s horrendous and getting worse by the day. Why does SLab seem completely blind to that?

How can Kezia show such passion against Tory policy and yet not grasp the obvious solution to the ‘Tory problem’?

If Kezia had backed her Tory chums, or even obstained, I wouldn’t really have been surprised. Yet no, she stands up for what is clearly right on this occasion. Why not stand up on every occasion?

SLab is a very strange beast these days,

Phronesis

The UK signed up to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)…’ to be applied holistically in early childhood, taking account of the principle of the universality, indivisibility and interdependence of all human rights’ and has advertised itself as a country with an admirable human rights record. This Treaty has shaped our child welfare legislation through common strands in UK law and adaptations for legislation in Scotland.

The UN revisited this declaration in 2006 and focused on the particular challenges that apply to very young children ‘To emphasize the vulnerability of young children to poverty, discrimination,family breakdown and multiple other adversities that violate their rights and undermine their well-being’

It is well understood that family support must be explicit and widely disseminated through political and economic institutions, if purposeful interventions are to take into account the complexity of the vulnerable child and translate into improving family functioning. This requires a coordinated government commitment to the ‘formulation and promotion of comprehensive policies, laws, programmes, practices, professional training and research specifically focused on rights in early childhood’.

This means that political institutions should take the lead in acknowledging the moral core that shapes the social action of all kinds oriented towards children and the policies that they are willing to endorse. Today we witnessed a Conservative party that has lost its moral core, their words are fundamentally flawed and they lack understanding about the important role of politics and the state in improving the lives of our youngest citizens.

The Conservatives appear to represent a version of the UK (Scotland is excluding itself from that pernicious relationship) that is now denying universal child rights and turning its back on decades of child welfare reform. Are these the values of the new Alt- Christianity? What will that do to the UKs standing in the international community? A great deal of damage one would suspect.

The early child welfare reformers Lord Shaftsbury, Reverend Staite, Burdett-Coutts, Dr Barnardo, Cardinal Manning would be appalled if they could see the One Nation Conservative’s interpretation of universal child rights –statutory hypocrisy writ large by a party that knows no shame.

link to www2.ohchr.org.

Robert Peffers

@Mike says: 25 April, 2017 at 9:48 pm:

“The problem is recognising your real enemy. It isn’t actually the Tory party or Labour its the media.
Neither the Tories nor Labour can be successful without a compliant media circus promoting their efforts as substantial.”

No Mike, you are missing the real truth but you are on the right track.

The real enemy has been the same enemy we have fought since, believe it or not, the Romans invaded South Britain.

The Romans built an empire that they ran in a certain way. They Romanised the existing rulers of the places they invaded and had them do the running of the Kingdoms/Empires/Dictatorships under Roman Rule.

The Romans ran their whole Empire by taxing everyone in the Empire and by operating a customs & Excise system in each part of the Empire much like states still do today.

Londinium was a Customs & Excise port. This Customs & Excise thing was the real reason for Roman Walls and these walls were right round the whole Roman Empire and not to just to keep the Northern Britons out of South Briton. Those walls were mainly customs barriers to prevent smuggling. Rome took a cut from all imports and exports throughout the Empire.

When the Romans left, (they were in Britain from AD 43-AD 410,= 367 years), the South Britons had then no military experience as Romans Centurions were the military. They were also rather short of real leaders as the Romans were in charge.

The south Britons invited the Germanic Tribes to come to Britain by promising them free land. The Anglo-Saxons came but they also took over running South Britain.

So south Britain just replaced one ruling elite who enslaved them with another ruling elite who enslaved them. And who was it the South Britons were wanting protected from? The North Britons of course.

So then came other invaders from around the same Germanic regions, (not Modern Germany), but Scandinavia. Vikings and Norsemen. Followed by Normans and guess what? Normans is a corruption of, “Norsemen”, who were invited to settle in that part of Europe they gave their name to – Normandy.

Now the Normans brought with them the Feudal System and the British Royals and Aristocracy are the direct descendants of the Normans and some such hereditary peers still sit in the HOL today.

Now consider this – Westminster is just the more visible face of the Westminster Establishment for it begins with Her Majesty, her family and the Dukes and other aristocrats that originally got their power as reward from the Royals, Right down to the Lords of the Manor who also had serfs and villeins as slaves but also a few freemen who were usually skilled tradespeople, (often weapons makers), and blacksmiths etc.

The Establishment also includes, (in the Lords), Church of England Archbishops, and those granted Life Peerages from Her Majesty. Who, by the way also has the Privy Council.

But it doesn’t stop there – The armed forces, police forces, Security Services, the higher Education system and the Civil Service, Then of course there is the Westminster funded BBC and the commercial MSM/broadcasters who belong to those very rich people in the Financial sector and the State owned Bank of England.

Are you getting the big picture now. Mike?

These are all parts of the same old elite rulers that have been running South Britain since Roman Times. i.e. “The Westminster Establishment”. They are all parts of the same Enemy of North Briton and North Briton, “Scotland”, has been the main enemy they couldn’t hold by military might even in Roman times.

It’s not conspiracy theory, Mike, it is conspiracy fact.

It is thus a grave mistake to only see one facet of The Establishment as, “The Enemy”. BTW: All unionist parties have always been part of the Establishment and have always stood together against any foe of the Establishment. (and that foe means us).

Sinky

O/T from Rev’s Twitter feed

Mhairi Hunter? @MhairiHunter 46m46 minutes ago
More
Ha ha – look at the proportions on this bar chart. Sheer Lib Demery from the Tories.

Looks like one of Kevin Hague’s graphs.

Dorothy Bruce

Let’s hope we get the chance of another referendum.

The way things are going at present it looks as if Ruth Davidson”s job is to destroy theScottish Parliament while May and her cohorts pass legislation to stop us ever holding another referendum. We could find ourselves out of the EU and with a Holyrood whose powers are being siphoned off.

Dictators expect compliance and submissiveness.

John de Soulis

A post by a John Macmillan on the Herald…

“Scottish Conservative and Unionist Members= S.C.U.M.”

I couldn’t agree more.

Capella

Powerful speech by Kezia Dugdale. It’s surprising how effective she is in attacking the Tories. It’s as if she found her genuine voice at last.

Iain

Shouldn’t the Tories be telling us their local government plans for schools, housing, streets, parks, etc. (the day job), instead of using the local giovernment elections exclusively as a referendum about not having a referendum?

velofello

Tomkins, repeats what his tank commander Ruthie says, ” the Scottish government has the authority to block the Rape Clause in Scotland. It would only cost £20 million in the first year”

And the women in England and Wales, and Northern Ireland, they are not Tomkins and Davidson’s concern? And of course, as ever with tories, money…”it would only cost £20 million”.

Tories know the cost of everything and the value of nothing. They are, by their actions and words, despicable.

I know I have moaned about the D’Hondt voting system on here more than once but really, it has given these Matrix-type Tories seats in our parliament. The Scottish government should change the voting system. Permission to change? From where?

Still Positive

Iain @ 11.36

Absolutely.

What does it say about them that they have absolutely no plans for Scotland, in local authorities or otherwise.

I will ‘vote til I boak’ next week and I can safely say that will not include the one ‘paper’ Tory in my ward.

Chick McGregor

OT interesting move by Le Pen to resign leadership and disassociate herself from the National Front in the face of disastrous round two polling.

Of course, she is doing so because of the polling, but what is the reasoning?

Is it she suspects any political party is now a liability? Maybe that is so.

After all, Macron has already done virtually the same thing.

Are we entering a post party politics era?

Swami Backverandah

You wonder how any decent person could use rape as an attempt at political advantage.
It’s what they do in war zones. Use rape as a weapon.

And as a method of torture. To torture victims.

Horrific.
On a par with the brutes.

Liz g

One thing I didn’t hear in the debate was that the benefit system itself is designed to leave the claimant with absolutely no privacy.

The Council want to know how much you get and where from,they want the award letter and a bank statement showing the benefit going into the account.
This is for ALL benifits even the one’s that don’t get included in the figure’s ……EG mobility….Is what’s called an income disregard,but you still have to show and tell the council that you get it.
Otherwise no help with council tax.

The Dentist and opticians forms are or were the same.
As were the form’s for the School clothing grant,handled by the school.

If this hasn’t changed then the young mum recipient of an amount of tax credits demonstrably for three children no matter what the reason will have her privacy compromised regularly.

To access most services you are required to show and tell which benift you get and how much, even the bank or the post office staff will know that you get more tax credits than most others,as will anyone who happens to see your bank statement.
Like when the post goes wrong and your nosy neighbour gets it!

George

Am I being stupid? I thought there were only 1 maybe 2 Tory Mps in Scotland? Yet the picture has 30(at my count!) Tory’s?
1 or 2 or 30, too many for my liking but what is going o here?

Dr Jim

Alic Sammin said it would only ever be once in a generation of a whole lifetime of ever and that meant never ever again and he meant it and the Yoons all heard it coz a generation means forever and ever even if the Tories piddle all over us and hit us with spoons the result stands, the end! and no surrender as well!

Every time I hear that dribbled out unreasonable crap which is designed to end all discourse or questioning of the matter my patience ends abruptly because my shirt begins to burst open and my trousers split I begin to turn green followed by guttural throat noises as my body mass increases then my only words become Hulk SMASH!

Y’know it must be the hardest job in the entire Yooniverse being a SNP politician putting up with this shit every hour of every day from every opposition and every media

I’m gonnae send oor First Minister Sweeties fur a present to say Ta very much and thanks tae yer Ma n Da

Cadogan Enright

Maybe Kezia will finally twig that real anger against the Tories will get her more votes than made up dross about the SNP or Greens

Probably not too late to swing back Labour BBC-believing voters from the Tories

ian murray

I have not researched this topic fully
However it is interesting to look at what Germany does with regards to child Benefits.

I believe there has been a 2 Euro increase to these numbers

You will receive a monthly payment of EUR 190 per child for the first two children, EUR 196 for the third child and EUR 221 for every subsequent child.

ian murray

Norway has a maximum of 600 Euro for 3 or more children

Meg merrilees

Managed to see Reporting Scotland this evening.

Can’t believe how the BBC twists the truth.

They gave a fairly good representation of the debate at Holyrood today but after the snippets, summed it up from the point of view of the poor Conservatives who had had a difficult afternoon and said that Nicola Sturgeon was politicising it.
Wrong.
At least say that all the parties at Holyrood are politicising it not just the SNP.

They did give out the vote 91:31 but failed to explain its significance.

We’re supposed to agree that the two child cap is actually quite a sensible clause and that it’s only the tripe clause that is causing an unnecessary quarrel.

That’s ok then, Job done, lies told
Next item:

Labour says that their manifesto will pledge that after Brexit, powers over e.g. fishing and agriculture will return to Edinburgh. The tories say only some powers will be returned and some will be taken over by WM but we don’t know which ones yet.

So now we’ve to think that the Labour Party is going to be our saviour.
Wrong
Nobody pointing out that ‘powers devolved are powers retained’ and that it is unarguable as a result of the Scotland Act that WM has already signed an agreement that powers over fishing and agriculture must be returned to Scotland.

The real tragedy in all of this is the lies and omissions of the Scottish media in reporting the truth.

Ian Murray actually wants Tories to vote for him- wonder what he thinks about the tripe clause.

How can any women back this clause? – Do they not realise that this can happen to Tory women as well as Labour and SNP women and being well off (or LBGT) isn’t protection.

You know, in a funny way the tories are right because this clause is twisting the debate. Just think about what the Tories are actually proposing:

If you are poor you shouldn’t have more than two children.

So where will that line of thinking stop:

If you’re poor you shouldn’t live in a house if you can’t afford it;
If you’re poor and old you shouldn’t have a warm house unless you can afford it.
If you’re disabled you shouldn’t be able to travel to and from work unless you can afford your own vehicle.
If you’re ill you shouldn’t have that necessary operation unless you can afford it.
If you’re poor you shouldn’t have a good education unless you can afford it.

Money can buy a lot of things but it can’t buy freedom and it will never buy those of us who believe in a better future for all.

Meg merrilees

Chick

My understanding is that Le Pen – the darling of the BBC- said that she realises the President of France has to represent all the people of France.
As she is now a candidate for the Presidency she has resigned to demonstrate she is now representing all the people of France.

D’ya think she realises that the far right might be a toxic title?

Meg merrilees

Just been looking at Joanna Cherry’s twitter feed. Seems she, and Alison Thewliss, raised questions about the R*pe clause in WM today. Basically ridiculed by the Tory mister’s reply.

The Justice Minister accused them of misunderstanding the clause.
Apparently it’s specifically to protect women who have been r*ped and this is a government that has done more than anyone to protect women in this situation. So there!

Go to Ms. Cherry’s twitter account and hear the obnoxious man for yourself; plus link there to the” hashtag r*pe clause” account. Some excellent remarks on that feed.

Point also being made that for women in N. Ireland it’s a double whammy as they don’t have access to abortion.

joannie

Meg Merriless – good point. Women in NI aren’t entitled to abortions on the NHS even when they travel to GB to terminate a pregnancy. They have to pay private fees on top of travel expenses, and any attempt to access abortion pills for use in NI leaves them open to a prison sentence of up to 14 years if they get caught.

A pregnant rape victim in that situation is in such a desperate position that I could see it leading to desperate measures. The state piling in on top and making them jump through hoops or lose benefits could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back and leads some poor woman to suicide.

geeo

Regarding dugdales speech.

While it was quite the emotional speech and for once, well delivered, it is worth remembering the content (of the letter) were NOT the words of Kezia Dugdale.

On the 4th of May and 8th of June, dugdale and davidson will join forces against Scottish voters to try pervert the will of the Scottish people.

She is a Scumbag.

Tam the Bam

Until the electorate find someone to vote for who will govern the country for the benefit of everyone equally…we are all going to Hell in a hand basket…social justice demands it but working class halfwits still vote for the tories…who don’t even bother to hide the fact that they don’t govern for the benefit of the people but they do govern for the benefit of big corporations and banks…

ian murray

Labour won’t fight Tory plans to limit benefit to 2 children says Harriet Harman

The labour party are going to pick their spots is basically what she said (we can’t fight everything)

Labour will not stand up to the Tory bullies
Coming soon, an increase in VAT, more tax breaks for the rich and the usual hammering of the working man/woman
Labour are the jellyfish of politics

Gerry

Powerful words, well delivered by Kezia and all due respect to her for that. The test which confirms any integrity behind these words is the political will to do the right thing by those she claims to represent, and we all know what that is.
If Kez cannot put her people and her country before her WM party and take appropriate steps, then well delivered and powerful as this speech was, it remains only rhetoric.
Remember that Kez has the ability to do this, and as encouraging as this speech is, she needs to find the political integrity to match the rhetoric.

geeo

Theresa May apparently wants to “end tourism”…har de har…!!

‘Lead the world in preventing tourism’: Theresa May makes embarrassing campaign trail gaffe (VIDEO) link to rt.com

Tough on tourism…tough on the causes of radicalised tourism…!!!

Iain

The faces of rape clause Ruth and her squirming band of troughers say it all.
The union is doomed.

Sharney Dubs

Embarrassing to have them sitting in those seats

Ken500

Dugdale is reading from a script. Totally in hock to Unionists who fund her. It is criminal how much public funds have been wasted on illegal wars, financial fraud and tax evasion by the Labour/Unionists parasites. Blair and Brown should be in jail. Along with the ‘pycho bastards’ in Westminster, Thry have been taking £20Billion out of Scotland a year with their total illegal mismanagement. Public funds which could have been saved or better spent. It is an absolute disgrace.

Along with the parasite unionists in Holyrood. Still at it. Robbing the public purse in every way. They should not even be there. They screwed the Electoral system in Scotland to ensure they mucked up Holyrood and the Council elections. They are nothing but cheeky, lying offensive parasites. Along with anyone who joins their criminal, horrible Parties.

The Unionists Parties are above the Law stealing from the people at every opportunity. Killing and maiming innocent vulnerable people the world over. They are truly despicable. If Scotland doesn’t vote for Independence to break their power, Scotland is finished. Scotland has never had an opportunity like it has now. Grab it with both hands.

The SNP Scottish Gov will not only protect the people in Scotland but Scotland will have a chance to bloom, grow and prosper like never before. It has the resources, talent, ability and good people to overthrow the tyranny of the Westminster crooks and thrive as an Independent in the EU. Looking after all the children and people at peace with the world. Respecting others like most democratic countries in the world. Except the UK/US.

The Union costs Scotland £1Trident, £1Billion+ on ‘loss leading’ drink, £3Billion in tax evasion, HMRC not fit for purpose. £4Billion on loan repayment on money not borrowed or spent in Scotland. Lost at least £4Billion a year in Oil tax revenues because of Tory illegal high taxes on the sector. £13Billion. Lose of EU Grants because of Westminster (deliberate indecision) £Billions. Scotland can’t borrow £6Billion. = £20Billion++. Lost to Westminster illegal ignorance.

Westminster criminality.Kept secret under the Official Secrets Act for years. Evil beyond belief.

£533Billion is raised in taxes in the UK. Pro rata Scotland raises more £54Billion. (1/12) The Tories are borrowing and spending £100Billion in the rest of the UK. (pro rata £9Billion more than Scotland)

Tories are trying to cut £20Billion over five years from the NHS. £4Billion a year. They have cut Education spending £3Billion a year. Since 2010. They are cutting £18Billion from welfare benefits

The Tories are spending £Billions on Hinkley by the sea, HS2, Heathrow and Trident. All a total waste of money. With cheaper more credible alternatives. All totally unnecessary vanity projects. They are borrowing and spending £500Billion on these. While cutting education/NHS and vitally necessary welfare benefits. To stop vulnerable people from starving. They are cutting essential services while wasting money on unnecessary dangerous, wasteful, vanity projects.

The Westminster Tory/Unionists have the totally wrong priorities.Killing, maiming and starving vulnerable people the world over. They are despicable. Coming out of the EU is an Act of massive self harm, They cannot even do it. They will not achieve it. They are cheating and lying blaming others for their inadequency and criminal abuse. They have caused to millions of people worldwide.

Morgatron

Why are we so eager to praise Dugdale here. If she couldn’t give an impassioned speech regarding this clause , what could she talk passionately about. Let us not forget about this and dealings the red tories have done with the blue tories in recent years and still are doing today.Tactical voting , they are both enemies of the Scottish people and she still thick as mince , in my opinion.

Macart

Y’know in China when the ‘one child’ was introduced back in the late seventies or early eighties, they were deemed evil and oppressive. I think they only phased it out a couple of years back, but for all of that period, they took a fair old bit of stick on human rights abuse.

Be in no doubt, the two child cap is just what it says on the tin. A cap on the size of your family. You have a third child that benefits cap comes down like a wall. So what if you’re a family on the edge of poverty? What if the appalling ‘R’ clause applies? What if you are poor or under educated and have no idea of the politics or policies of the day?

A third child, for whatever reason, is added to your family and the state denies all responsibility for a member of its population? That IS what they’re saying, yes? Yet if that child manages to survive Austerity UK and reaches adulthood, the state expects and demands… a new tax payer, worker, loyalty and their vote. The same state which cut them loose as a new born because the rich need to get richer and the rest of us don’t matter.

Do we see yet, where all of this is heading regards a GRB and British Bill of Rights?

Three ballots will end this before it truly begins to hurt. Three votes to rid ourselves of ‘strength through unity, unity through faith’.

Local election – General election – Referendum

Hamish100

Morgatron it’s not that people are “eager” to praise Dugdale but it was a good speech and caught the mood of the Parliament. Watching the Tories squirm over their corrupt morals was not uncomfortable to me.
Of course I am still going to vote SNP and will still criticise Dugdale when she tries to justify continued rule under the London Tories to the detriment to to the people of Scotland. That is also morally indefensible.

Nana

EU tightens Brexit demands on residence, banks: document
link to archive.is

How the British elections could speed up Scottish independence
link to archive.is

Nestlé set to cut 300 UK jobs and move production of Blue Riband bars to Poland
link to archive.is

Guess who?
link to indyref2.scot

McBoxheid

John H says:
25 April, 2017 at 7:07 pm

I thought vampires couldn’t be photographed…or is that just mirrors?
——————-
Mirrors apparently, thats why the tories use so much smoke and mirrors. They hope they won’t reflect their own personalities.

It sickens me than none of them oppose thisRape Clause and that none of them will opposethe Westminster policies that harm Scotland and her peoples.

A Scottish politician should put Scotland first, not dance to anti Scottish tune coming from May and the tory parties in Westminster. These unionists know that Brexit will harm Scotland, but they won’t vote against it.

Only when it gets as disgusting as the Rape Clause, do the other Scotland harming unionists call foul.

The tories are beyond the pale, as are any other party whose policies harm Scotland.

Out of interest, I looked up the meaning of

Beyond the pale
This is what the dictionary came up with

adj not allowed, permitted

Synonyms:
banned
outlawed
prohibited
unthinkable

anathema
disapproved
forbidden
proscribed

reserved
restricted
unmentionable
frowned on

illegal
off limits
out of bounds
ruled out

unacceptable

I think I choose wisely

Robert Louis

O/T

So, here’s a thing done by the BBC last night, which somebody pointed out to me. Now, if this was an incident in isolation, it would seem like I was paranoid, but given the blatant bbc bias against Scotland, and pro Britannia bias, I’m not sure it is.

On bake of creme de la creme (I know!) last night, their were several teams competing. One team was from Wales, and as they were introduced, we saw shots of Welsh flags fluttering, and a choir singing “land of my father’, and we were told they were from Wales.

Their was also a team from Scotland. Not once was the word ‘Scotland’ used. They were continually referred to as being from “up North”. No Scotland flags, no Scottish music. Indeed the only time they mentioned
Scottish was when describing ‘Scottish shortbread’ as an ingredient.

This is how the BBC does it. SSSh don’t mention the ‘S’ word. They are not from Scotland, they are from ‘up North’ or Aberdeen.

I truly despise the blatantly biased propagandist anti Scotland BBC.

Like I say, in isolation, this is not important, but it is just one small part of a long shameful biased pattern by the BBC.

Macart

@Nana

Mornin’ Nana. 🙂

Smallaxe asked me to pass on a message. He’s drifting in and out just now so don’t be worried if he doesn’t make his usual appearance.

Oh, and by the by. The pair of us are hoping you haven’t come back from your own recent illness too soon. So at yer own pace, yes?

Right. Now I’ve got that passed on, it’s kettle time.

Smallaxe

Nana, Good Morning, it’s a beautiful day.Thank You, for the lovely links. Kettle’s on!
🙂 🙂

Peace Always

Smallaxe

Macart, Good Morning, my Friend, I just managed to make it after all. Thank You.
🙂

Peace Always

Nana

@Smallaxe & Macart

Good morning, I posted a further 8 links. Perhaps they will appear later, I’d best not double post. Hammers can leave an awful dent in the psyche.

Hamish100

5 posts in a row with nothing to do with the subject at hand.

Still have a nice morning.

That’s now six

Ken500

Chinese one child policy was cruel. Chinese has the most growth of any country in the world. The Chinese are devoted to family and children. In fact in China there is still rural poverty but most children do not go hungry. Quite the opposite. Parents obsession is their and their children. In common with most others. People do not like to see other people struggling. It makes them frustrated angry and annoyed. Often outraged.

There is now a population imbalance in China, which affects the economy. More men than women. It cud have been avoided. If the Chinese authorities had just encouraged people with the means to control fertility. E.g. Free contraceptives and the Pill etc. Medical care. The Chinese population growth would have reduced. Albeit more slowly but would have reduced. The purpose of the excercise. Many people in the (West) world, unless for economic reasons want two children – one of each. Only one or increasingly none at all.

In most industrial democracies the population is falling. In most European countries and others the population, without migration, is falling. The world population is likely to peak and fall. It is reckoned by 13 years time absolute poverty in the world will be elevated. What changed the world was medical science. The Pill etc. Changed the structure of people’s lives.

Millions have been killed maimed and displaced in the Middle East etc by illegal actions. US/UK illegally supporting absolute despot monarchies and apartheid States. So absolutely corrupt politicans can line their and their associates greedy pockets.

Sinky

It’s time SNP spokespeople nailed Labour claims that £1500 million has been removed from local government budgets.

Despite continued cuts from Westminster, the Scottish Government has treated local government very fairly. Taking into account 2016/17 funding, councils have experienced a real-terms reduction in funding of 8.4 per cent since 2010/11. This reduction in funding is approximately the same as the reduction in the Scottish Government’s total budget from Westminster over the same period.

Some of the “council cuts” relate to the transfer of local policing to Police Scotland and integration of health and social work thus relieving councils of some of their expenditure.

Councils were given £400 million EXTRA money this year but eight Labour councils have refused to increase council tax.

Social care for eldery being discussed on BBC Radio Scotland Morning Call at 9 a.m.
Contact details
• Phone
0500 92 95 00
• Sms
80295
• Email
morningcallscotland@bbc.co.uk
• Facebook and Twitter

Les Wilson

GMS onto their anti SNP agenda, quickly this morning labour moaning about lack of funding to councils and social care.
Labour gimp, we are very clear,very very clear,ad nausium.

The only thing they are very very clear about is their anti SNP rhetoric and desperation to keep their job, aided by the corrupt BBC, as always.

Kezia did make a good speech yesterday,but it was all written down, by some spin doctor.
However that new “compassion ” will not prevent her real feelings to hold hands with the Tories just as they did in 2014.

She is a really bitter wee woman now, a nice fit for a Tory follower. She is a disgrace to Scotland just like her Unionist friends including the disgraceful Ruth the Mooth.

Macart

Oh, here we go.

link to twitter.com

Who knew?

Ken500

Hans Grosling – Swedish academic and statistician – died recently. Views on world population, poverty etc.

Ken500

Hans Grosling – Swedish academic and statistician – died recently – views on world population and poverty.

BJ

I couldn’t believe my ears when I listened to Kezia Dugdale speech. What a change from the usual Labour rhetoric. I think all the adjectives have been heard before regarding the Tories but KD really put them to good use yesterday.

There have been many other things beside this disgusting clause that she should be passionate about as well regarding the Tories in the SG. I hope she continues in her CONdemation of other policies. She even managed to sound like opposing leader.

O/T I read about Nestle moving jobs to Poland. Gives a new meaning to “foreigners taking our jobs” The Leavers should be saying the “foreigners are taking the jobs and companies”

Hell mend the Brexiteers. Goodbye England, Hello Poland.

Ken500

£20Billion+ a year is being illegally removed from Scotland by Westminster, which could be saved or better spent. Unionist illegal, crooks and liars. £300Billion+ The Unionists are having a laugh. Keeping it hidden under the Official Secrets Act since 1928. No more.

Don’t mention Councils. ACC £1.2Billion in debt. Illegally sold on the stock exchange by millionaire Willy Young and the Green. Flaunting all the majority of the public wishes. In a display of absolute vandalism of the City Centre and the local economy. Wasting £Million of public money. It is obscene what Labour/Unionists have done. To the City and beyond. A complete disgrace. Destroying the local economy with vanity projects of no value. Totally against the majority and public interest.

schrodingers cat

26/4/17
Confectionery giant Nestle plans to cut almost 300 jobs, mainly in York and Newcastle, and move production of the Blue Riband chocolate biscuit to one of its factories in Poland.
link to bbc.co.uk

21/3/17
MORGAN STANLEY: We will ‘certainly’ move people out of London before Brexit happens
link to uk.businessinsider.com

32/3/17
1,160 Ford workers will go from its Bridgend plant by 2021
link to itv.com

28/02/17
BMW e mini will not be built in england
link to telegraph.co.uk

15 /2/17
link to ft.com
lloyds of london relocate
John Nelson, Lloyd’s chairman, said the market had decided it needed to act sooner rather than later to protect the 11 per cent of its revenues coming from Europe.

16/2/17
link to thelondoneconomic.com
Billionaire Sir James Dyson who campaigned for Brexit on the grounds that it would “make us richer” has just announced he is creating hundreds of jobs – in Asia.

gordoz

Must be a typo ?

Faeces surely ?

schrodingers cat

nice speech from kez

t0o bad she couldnt convince ian murry and the other labour mps to vote against this welfare bill

they abstained

Macart

@BJ

I don’t think it’s a option that crossed their minds BJ. The fact that furriners also brought jobs and investment to the UK. When the UK no longer becomes an economically viable option or ‘circumstances change’ a multinational business is going to do what is in its own best interests.

It took ministerial intervention at the highest levels to cut a deal with Nissan. You can bet your bottom wossiname the cost will have been high t’boot.

Nestle is the tip of the iceberg and you can bet there will be more to follow. When you boil it down they are ALL wage packets.

‘Course then there is the other side of the equation, the tax paying furriners. The ones who do everything from pick fruit and veg all the way up to brain surgeons and high end, high tech university research. Over 3 million people of EU continental origin UK wide. Some 190k in Scotland? People who pay taxes, mortgages, rents, shop in the high street and so on.

That is a lot of contribution to the coffers right there.

What happens to the economy of these islands when they are told they are no longer welcome? That their visas and residency are revoked?

Let’s not forget what damage this is doing to the UKs overseas relations either. The UK has just told the world’s biggest trading block to take a hike and demanded preferential treatment on the back of it. Our society in the aftermath of the Brexit vote has behaved appallingly toward anything that even looks furren. Hate crime across these islands has risen exponentially in the past year and a side of the UKs society has been made very public that really can’t be impressing those looking on.

If folk think that companies upping sticks and moving their operations and wages is the worst that will happen to the UKs economy over Brexit, they really haven’t thought the process through to its conclusion.

The poop is only just beginning to hit the proverbial.

Legerwood

schrodingers cat says:
26 April, 2017 at 9:10 am
nice speech from kez

“”t0o bad she couldnt convince ian murry and the other labour mps to vote against this welfare bill

they abstained””
…….

The cap on child tax credits with its rape clause exemption was buried in George Osborne’s 2015 Budget. Despite Alison Thewlis’ best efforts over the course of almost 2 years it was never debated or voted on in the House of Commons but was signed into law by the use of a statutory instrument thus by-passing UK Parliament.

But you are right in one sense, Labour in the House of Commons did little if anything to stop this or even highlight it.

ScottieDog

Don’t want to put KD down necessarily but surely this was a bit of a non-jeopardy line. Think it’s a bit easier to wax lyrical about your principles when you know most are likely to agree.

One_Scot

I really for the life of me cannot understand why there are still some people in Scotland who are happy for the Tories to rule over us, rather than Scotland being Independent.

Orri

Other than the obvious crass blundering insensitivity of a form filling exercise to show your child was not planned the problem the Tories have is that they’ve probably contravened international human rights charters.

The way it works is that you can’t, if you claim to be civilised, find someone guilty of something they did before it was against the law. The opposite is not true. You can retrospectively clear someone even though what they did was illegal at the time. Unless you’re an authoritarian regime and forcing people to beg forgiveness for something no longer a crime is your bag.

Basically even if someone does something despicable but within the law the best you can do is tighten the law so if they do it again but you can’t punish them for that specific thing.

What it all boils down to is, if I read this correctly, the Law only came into force this month with no real publicity from the Government in the last 9 months and no delay in when you will suffer a withholding of funding if you admit consenting to the conception. Such withholding being more detrimental to the less well off.

In effect you suffer for an act that took place prior to the change in legislation that penalised that act.

galamcennalath

Kezia back to normal in the Hootsmon…

“Threatening to walk away from the EU without a deal is no better than Nicola Sturgeon’s threat to walk away from the UK with independence.”

Firstly it has to be said the use of English is odd – is she complaining about the threats or the actual fulfilment of those threats?

We’ll assume she is comparing two outcomes.

Perhaps it’s a matter of opinion which is riskiest. Of course I would say hard Brexit. But surely the point is, we need to have that discussion and then a referendum to choose?

No doubt Kezia is still trying to grasp straws that there is a third way to a land of Union with soft Brexit. Nicola’s been on that job for months and got nowhere. Kezia needs to realise there are only going to be two options, hard Brexit or Indy.

When the penny drops, will she and her party go with the Tories, again?

link to archive.is

Breeks

Call me paranoid, call me alarmist, but these forthcoming local elections and General Election fill me with trepidation.

For a start, the Tories are playing the local elections as an indirect referendum on independence, specifically on whether a ScotRef will be legitimate. That sets the Tory agenda, and we can fully expect the BBC to promote that narrative.

Next we have the bizarre General Election, which appears to duck out the issue of election fraud, and further undermine the case for another Independence referendum, and at the same time squander important negotiating time for Brexit.

Surely now is the time, right here and now when we need to have neutral observers from the UN and EU to monitor what is going on here, and how the democratic process is being abused and propaganda increasingly replaces news.

I don’t believe compromised results for the local elections and General Elections can or will derail the momentum for Independence, but if the Tory Unionists and the BBC get away with their shite for a further two elections before ScotRef, then we can hardly expect anything better when the ScotRef finally happens.

Better still, if we can demonstrate bias, propaganda, and electoral fraud as salient issues, then we have a year to eighteen months to attempt to circumvent the BBC’s monopoly on broadcasting by instigating some alternative news service backed by the UN or EU.

We need this to be happening now. We need help. We are fools to try defeating this media cartel on our own.

Yes we have a creditable library of bias and distortion of the news, and of course the London Calling programme, but we also need impartial witnesses prepared to speak up for justice in real time, to prevent miscarriages of justice BEFORE they happen.

Are we ready for all of this? The UN has expert election monitors, why aren’t they here, watching and listening to what is already happening in Scotland? Can’t we extend a formal invitation to the Robert Schuman Foundation to come and analyse Scotland’s electoral processes at work? A case study of democratic peaceful revolution?

To quote:

The Foundation’s independence enables it to address all topical European issues in depth and objectively. Its studies and analyses provide European decision makers with information, arguments and ideas which are appreciated for their use and scientific quality.

I hope we never have to contest the results of our ScotRef when it happens, but these devious bastards will surely con us and confound our democracy in every possible way to secure their interests over ours. Please, please, please, let us not be so confident or sure of ourselves that we leave these issues to chance.

Who is Scotland’s Minister for broadcasting? Is Fiona Hyslop Minister for Culture the closest we come to an actual Minister for broadcasting? Then let us deluge Fiona Hyslop with demands for neutral monitors on electoral broadcasting. For the love of God, let us do something..

Ian McCubbin

Say the debate on U Tube this morning. Wow Kez Key if you have such passion and honest to Scotland you could be a powerful politician.
But backing UK Labour is your undoing.
See sense and bring your party on board an Independence ticket.

Fred

The old adage that “The only good Tory’s a deid Tory!” still as true today!

Proud Cybernat

Every one of those Tory faces in that image are faces that TOTALLY KNOW this policy is utterly wrong and vile. They KNOW IT. But they simply ignore it and do as their London master tells them. Afterall – there’s ermine at the end of it. Evil bastirts.

BJ

Macart@925

I don’t think the Tories realise that the world is watching them, or if they do realise maybe they still have on their Empire bunnet “nobody will defy us”. I can’t understand on any level what makes people in Scotland vote Tory!

It’s the absolute disrespect for the electorate of Scotland that shows up in the media and is tolerated especially by the BBC in their support of Unionism.

Two statements recently from folk I have known for years. Can’t quite get my head round the second one.

“Och BJ you know me I couldn’t vote for independence I’m a Rangers man”

“I would love to have said yes in 2014 but Alex Salmond said we would ruled by Catholic priests after independence and I couldn’t have that”!! She read it in the Guardian.

flux_capacitor

Willie Young, Aberdeens millionaire labour cooncillor has found himself in some hot water. Not content with parking in disabled spaces without a blue badge, tax payers now hit with £200,000 bill to fix his boundary wall.

It said on local radio this morning he is “awaiting legal advice” before commenting.

link to pressandjournal.co.uk

link to twitter.com

North chiel

Agree entirely with ” Breeks” at 1001 am . Decency and fair play
might be naively expected by our own political leaders, however it certainly won’t be forthcoming
from the Westminster Tory cabal and ” their” broadcasting and print media.Quite simply the
“Establishment mantra” will be ” to cynically win at all costs” . Fair play is for the ” amateurs” , the
Westminster ruling elite are ” professional mercenaries” when it comes to money& power. Even the so-called ” referees” ( electoral commission, media regulators etc. ) are ” in their pay”.
Breeks is right , let’s ask for some genuine ” neutral observers”.

Robert Peffers

@Breeks says: 26 April, 2017 at 10:01 am:

“Call me paranoid, call me alarmist, but these forthcoming local elections and General Election fill me with trepidation.”

O.k. Yer paranoid and yer alarmist.

Joking aside, Breeks, some years ago I spent a long time searching through the web looking for just the same sort of thing you now suggest.

What engendered my search was a fleeting memory of seeing an on-line article about state propaganda by means of state owned publications & broadcast stations. It had ended with contact details to call upon an international organisation that fought this form of Human Rights abuse at government level.

Trouble was that I could not remember under what banner this organisation operated. EU? EC? Council of Europe? UN? … Who knows where I had read the article?

I found myself being directed down many wynds, vennels and back streets and eventually gave up.

I have a niggling suspicion now that it was The Council of Europe the group were under.

If my vague memory is right this group put a team into the suspect area and investigated the issues raised and took appropriate action in the international courts.

The thing was the page I was searching for had a form to complete and get signatures, much like a petition, to submit for consideration to instigate the investigation.

rog_rocks
David Caledonia

There are people in scotland who will never vote for the SNP, but they will vote for any of the others, don’t ask me why, if i new the answer to that i would be a genius, unfortunately i am juemst your normal sensible guy in the street who votes for the good of scotland and its people, if the SNP or any other governing party in the future don’t do what’s best for scotland then they will not get my vote, but i am happy with the SNP, but i would like to see strong opposition in a free independant scotland, to all the unionist out there, ask yourselves this question, why do i prefer westminster to govern me than my own people, independence is a means to an end, its not the death of the Labour, Tory or Liberal parties, it would actually be a rebirth of them, especially labour in scotland, it would have to get back to the party it was when Keir Hardie was proud to be part of it, what we see today would shame him right down to his socialist roots

Doug Scott

Slightly OT but please donate and help get our MPs re-elected on June 8th. #GE17 #IndyRef2

link to crowdfunder.co.uk

Les Wilson

Breeks says:

Ref International monitors, I have asked about that several times to the SNP. However, it seems election monitoring is a reserved issue. Who would have guessed it.
They take no chances do they?, crafted for 300 years.

Robert Peffers

Les Wilson says: 26 April, 2017 at 1:06 pm:

“Ref International monitors, I have asked about that several times to the SNP. However, it seems election monitoring is a reserved issue. Who would have guessed it.
They take no chances do they?, crafted for 300 years.”

That was my point, Les, it is extraordinarily hard to get any information but I found these this morning after a lot of searching :-

link to post-carbon-living.com

link to youtube.com

link to etheses.lse.ac.uk

ann

I hope every, auntie, sister, gran, mum, great granny, put their marks on their papers for anyone but the Tories.

After reading the claim form for Credits, I was amazed.
Ever having twins, triplets and quads immediately puts pressure on parents who already have one child.

The happiest day of a parents life totally ruined because of the new rules that came in in April.

Makes me ashamed to be alive in this country today with parties that voted these vile welfare changes through.

As I said this morning to someone, what the SNP should do is remove all help where Westminster cuts have hit ie bedroom tax, Prescription charges, bus passes and others and say, “Well this is what we protected you from” and we got no thanks.

ann

…. this actually affects my a relative who recently became guardian to her grandchildren.

Les Wilson

Breeks

having said previously that monitoring of referendums is a reserved matter, I fail to see why we cannot appoint an appropriate body such as the UN, or the organisation Craig Murray suggested some time ago.If we did that, Westminster would squeal blue murder.

However if we went over their heads what could they do about it other than trying to stop it from happening, doing that would surely show the world that they are corrupt and have things to hide.The UN unlikely to take that situation well.

Their (cough) precious reputation, if the have one, would be badly damaged. They soo, like their self importance in such matters, trying to stop the UN from doing what it should be doing, would be difficult to recover from.

Les Wilson

Robert Peffers says:

Aye Robert, there is plenty evidence out there to find, media bias is one big issue but there are others. My point is really that we should still appoint our own reputable monitors. The SNP should be taking this up, or just announce it.

That may throuw a barrow load of devious schemes into the bucket and a spanner in their works.

We are never going to get anything fair as things stand right now, we only need to go back to 2014 to see what we were up against.
It looks like it will be even worse now, that they are seriously worried for their precious union and will do literally
anything to fiddle our vote by any means they have.

Jack Murphy

Direct Archived link to Tuesday’s debate in the Chamber of the Scottish Parliament.

Child Tax Credit Cuts – Scottish Parliament. 25th April 2017.

Scottish Parliament TV:
link to tinyurl.com

Chick McGregor

Meg.
For sure Le Pen sees that advantage but with Trump “I’m not a politician” and Marcon’s ‘Movement’, has the very notion of ‘a party’ itself become toxic? i.e. has public disparagement of career politicians become so great that a party, any party, is itself a turn off?

Without checks and balances, democracies are bound to evolve towards corruption, self interest and elitism. Are we there yet?

Is it too late for something like a United Nations Declaration of Democratic Principles which would contain rules on lobbying, second jobs, post career jobs in fields related to their activities in government, penalties for lying on any public forum?

With a UN Democracy Monitoring Group which observes elections, procedures and media coverage, as well as calling politicians and parties to account for infringements of corruption and cronyism rules?

Probably it is too late to save democracy by trying something like that, even if there were any appetite for it amidst the World’s ‘elite’.

But what is the alternative?

Electing non politicians like Trump or other unkown quantities is extraordinarily dangerous because of the huge learning curve they would face. We do not want World leaders who spend the first year just learning what each new button does.

Bill McLean

Why do we appear to want to make ourselves (Scotland) a supplicant in this ongoing campaign for Independence? We are in a union of equals that implied that neither party would harm the other. The Westminster government has damaged Scotland in so many ways over these 310 years and it is time, in my opinion, that we took a tougher stance. Tell them we are leaving if we get a majority in the GE and tell them why. Also get the United Nations or the European Union involved if it becomes necessary to have another indy referendum – and who cares if Westminster “screams blue murder”. We’ve taken too much for too long and there are those determined we will take more. No! We must go for it now – there will never be another opportunity as it becomes clearer what Westminster plans for our future!

K1

Hamish100 says:
26 April, 2017 at 8:22 am
5 posts in a row with nothing to do with the subject at hand.

Still have a nice morning.

That’s now six’

Seven, including yours.

Still have a nice afternoon.

mike d

Ann 1.15pm. I agree with your post Ann. The snp should refuse to provide a safety net for draconian tory policies,reason being we cannot work miracles with the Barnet formula pocket money we have to work with.

Liz g

K1 @ 4.02
Haw you…..Ah wanted tae be 7.
Whit ir ye like K1……Ah nip lot further 5min and I got relegated tae 8
Am never plain cards wi you…….

K1

Och Liz…dinnae fash…yer actually 9th if ye include ma comment…(hahaha)…so in a ‘sense’ you win?

*thinks…can ah actually get away wi that…* 🙂

Breeks

I can’t reconcile the appointment of electoral monitors being a reserved matter subject to the approval of one side playing an active in the electoral contest. It rather defeats the purpose of having neutral observers if only one side can appoint them.

I think there is a narrow interpretation of Election monitoring, such as monitoring a domestic election for probity and voting irregularities. I can see that being reserved, however monitoring a referendum on independence is surely a whole different ball game.

I’m not in any way militant, but you don’t have to be military to ask why doesn’t the SNP push the limit? Instigate pilot schemes for broadcasting despite it being a reserved matter. Let Westminster be the one getting frustrated trying to reign in the Scottish excesses, and start laying down the law about what we can and can’t do.

Let’s use our initiative to be constructive, push our luck, and force Westminster to be proactive in trying to disrupt us.

Maybe we won’t be allowed International observers or electoral monitors, but we can surely ask first if only to be told no, rather than meekly accept the issue untested.

Song42

Robert Peffers 11.24pm
These are all parts of the same old elite rulers that have been running South Britain since Roman Times. i.e. “The Westminster Establishment”. They are all parts of the same Enemy of North Briton and North Briton, “Scotland”, has been the main enemy they couldn’t hold by military might even in Roman times.

It is thus a grave mistake to only see one facet of The Establishment as, “The Enemy”. BTW: All unionist parties have always been part of the Establishment and have always stood together against any foe of the Establishment. (and that foe means us).

Yes, exactly Robert, great post, thank you once again. We, ‘Scotland’ have always been the enemy, will always be the enemy which I imagine was your point in this historical education. I, like the thousands will always fight for freedom. My heart is already free and I will never call another man/woman ‘master’ esp’ when the Roman/Unionist’s (thinking) mind has been educated for ‘powering over’.

Always the game of ‘not good enough’. Back to Tory ploy with the debate ‘no intervention’ shit! Badly behaved Scots again. Oh…makes…my blood boil!

millie de colchon

I earnestly hope that enlargements of this picture are posted on EVERY lamppost on the way to polling stations in Scotland…….,to subtly remind people of what they should NOT be voting for……,am I being just a bit too “radical” in calling each of them ("Tractor" - Ed)s?

Ken500

Parliamentary Channel

Alex Salmond made a point of order Ref 31 constituency electoral fraud.

Dennis Skinner raises point. ‘Snap election’ to cover up the fraud.

Chair John Bercow denies responsibility.

Ken500

The are supposed to be guardianship payments for grandparents who foster grandchildren. Local authority responsibility. That should be enforced. 1/2 payment of Independent fostering.

Ken500

Nissan got £2Billion from the ConDems to develop electric cars in the NE of England. Where are they? They could have just given rebate payments to electric car purchase. Subsidised to save revenues. Electric cars are 4 times cheaper to run. An amazing asset for the economy. Osbourne now cleared off with £Millions of illegally embezzled public money.

The UK Parliament is just disgusting. Self seeking useless incompetents. Time wasting ‘psycho bastards’ who seem to think government is a joke. They are a joke. Do wonder the rest of the UK is in such a state.

If Hinkley by the sea, HS2, Heathrow and Trident were scrapped. A total waste of public money. The credible alternatives. Tribal barge at the Humber x 2. Investment in improved rail times in the north and Scotland to cut journey times throughout Britain, increased direct flights from major UK airports, space ports and other protection services including vessels to patrol the Scottish shores. Including continued EU membership for shared Defence costs. All these measures would be cheaper, cleaner and more efficient. There would be more than enough left to cut the debt and fund essential services, NHS/Education and support children and vulnerable.

Osbourne now cleared off with £Million of illegally embezzled public money.

House of Lords now debating ‘Blue badges’, when 500 mobility cars are being illegally taken away each day? How much do the HoL get each day + expenses. A cut in HoL expense could fund mobility cars/child benefit for a year.

Now North Korea using ‘London’ US/UK has been sanctioning and starving North Korea for over 50 years. The Chinese have to help them out. They certainly miss the point. Off to New York now. Threatening to sanction China now. What a joke. The Chinese hold their debt. They have them in their grasp.

Auld Lord Campbell from Pittenweem. Baroness Liddell of Coatdyke. Blasted from the past. They are definitely having a
laugh. Drug and drink test seriously required. Had enough. A total Tammy rabble.

Lord Dubbs wanting the 30,000 unaccompanied children entry. ‘Home Office should hang it’s head in shame’. Hear, hear. Baroness Trafford apologised, but 130 children being taken. Pathetic excuse. ‘4,000 taken’. 4 Million people displace in Syria by US/UK illegal interference. Court case
going on. Syria borders still vulnerable. £2.4Billion. A drop in the ocean.

Lord Rosser wants to know what provision for local authorities next financial year. 1917-18 for unaccompany refugee children. Tory reply. ‘400’. Lord Roberts wants to know, ‘are there 4,000 of unaccompanied children in local authority care’. ‘Yes’ says Tory. Battiness (mistake but appropriate) Williams of Trafford.

Lord Elton. Archbishop of Canterbury sponsored scheme.

The auld eens worry more about vulnerable children than the Tories.

State opening of Parliament 19 June. Swearing in 13th June.

No dismissal for seafarers for ‘homosexual act’. Lots more ‘Farriers’ etc. ‘Contents’ or ‘not contents’.

Absolutely no power.

UK Higher education bill. – Scotland separate education system – guaranteed under Act of Union. Viscount Younger of Leckie. Ie irrelevant.


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