Finding sense to make it work
Posted on
September 08, 2014 by
Rev. Stuart Campbell
The alert readers of this site have encountered currency trader Alpesh Patel of equity company Praefinium Partners before. We were more than a little bit scathing about a previous appearance of his on the BBC News channel back in February, on which it seems fair to say that he nailed his Unionist colours very firmly indeed to the mast.
So this clip from the same channel this morning was interesting.
We don’t think his words need any comment from us, save perhaps that we commend Mr Patel for having learned from his previous errors when it comes to assessing the attitude of businesses to the prospect of Scottish independence. Anyone can make a mistake. The key is to not keep repeating it when the evidence proves you wrong.
Amen!
Yes, I watched this and thought he was remarkably unwilling to say anything bad (even pointing out that it was a trend since July) – especially with his rush to make his closing remark.
I feel that the stories about RBS Lloyds Weir Group and Standard Life going down in the market would be getting presented rather differently, were it not for the 1% fall in the Pound Sterling this morning…which argues that it is more about the UK’s perilous future if Scotland goes independent, rather than Scotland’s.
Let’s face it, the markets are saying “if Scotland leaves the UK without a currency union, sterling is fucked.”
Who’s to blink first?
So the markets are shorting sterling why? Ditching a scrounger region like Scotland must raise sterling price, shurely. Decade after decade of you’re all bums on the take and look at them now.
Sterling dropped 7.7% last March 2013 to a 3 year low at the time. Suddenly, a 2 percent drop is conveniently news
bit.ly/13uN7lb
Notice that the currency being trashed on the markets is the Pound Sterling, that is the currency of the RUK, which an independent Scotland WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO USE NO WAY!!!
In a way, a big dip would be good because Carney would step in to give assurance on CU and spank Gideon’s arse.
Every time unionist MPs say no currency union they look idiots
Aye, I saw this too & my feelings at the time are
echoed by Doug Daniel above.
Ok so I kinda called this sterling movement Friday. the Markets are using the poll result to re-align the $ and euro to the £.
However I was horrified that a Money advisor in Inverness on BBC lunchdrive (whatever) was advising his clients to move their money out of Scotland down south and into Sterling to protect it. Geesh!
Well that interview won’t be going on constant loop.
Clearly the financial world will choose to do what’s best for itself. As will the component parts of the UK.
iScotland has already put on the table an amazing offer to rUK …. Not only are we willing give you the GDP, exports and asset value input to a shared currency, but we are being astonishingly generous by offering to pay off a percentage of the UK debt. What decent folks we Scots are. It’s an offer they just can’t refuse. It’s a no-brainier.
Tucked away in a Financial Times report last week was the the giveaway. “Currency investors” would apparently be “particularly concerned by the UK’s persistent current account deficit if this were no longer offset by North Sea oil revenues.”
This is something of an understatement. The UK has run a deficit on its trade in goods every single year since 1983. We have imported more goods than we have exported every year for three decades. Including services and overseas earnings (the “current account”), the UK has run a deficit since the mid-1990s. Today, that deficit is close to record levels, at 4.4% of GDP.
UK has an economy that has been extremely effective at covering for its deficit by borrowing from the rest of the world. Today, the UK holds the world’s second-largest external debt, behind only the US. The UK, collectively, owes 406% of its GDP to its overseas creditors.
This deficit has been sustained, so far, because we have an extraordinarily large financial sector, a key part of the global financial system. The City depends on a high value pound for its own operations. Financial assets (and property) denominated in pound sterling are much more appealing when the value of the pound is high, and stable. (Never mind, of course, the consequences for those seeking to export.)
One result of this is that the UK has the largest financial sector liabilities of any developed economy, relative to its size, at an extraordinary 1,634% of GDP.
http://www.neweconomics.org/blog/entry/scottish-independence-uk-dependency
They will have to stop their scare mongering stories about currency union or they will spook the market. Project Fear is backfiring on them quite spectacularly.
So…Money talks!
Refreshing to hear an unbiased view of what Money IS actually saying.
Unionists be warned. Or else they will be left holding more than one baby.
Nice to see such a person confirming that the traders are merely panicky sheep who have no sense of responsibility for the effects of their stupid decisions on the rest of us
Why do people continue to respect these people as if they had some special knowledge or insight into what is happening
They are greedy charlatans, and that is all they are. What a pity the whole of the western world has put them in charge rather than upholding democracy over plutocracy.
‘No’ are jumping all over ‘instability’. You just couldn’t write the Project Fear script.
This short video puts it all to bed.
Going to be a long 10 days.
The £ has been falling against the Norwegian kroner since early August when No was reported to be well ahead, so I don’t think this is linked to the opinion polls.
The Labour Big beast Gordon Brown is on the prowl again. Some reminders of his previous form
Gordon Brown Launches in Scotland-Helped by JK Rowling
http://caltonjock.com/2014/09/02/the-referendum-gordon-brown-jk-rowling/
Gordon Brown I am the Labour Party
http://caltonjock.com/2014/09/02/gordon-brown-labour-party/
Gordon Brown & George Robertson Give the UK Defence Away
http://caltonjock.com/2014/09/02/464/
http://caltonjock.com/2014/09/01/1997-gordon-brown-sets-bank-of-england-free-from-control/
1997: Gordon Brown Sets Bank of England free From Control
Remember the PFI Scandals, (Blair & Brown)
http://caltonjock.com/2014/08/30/remember-the-pfi-scandals-blair-brown/
Gordon Brown Yer Pensions Are Safer with Labour
http://caltonjock.com/2014/08/28/gordon-brown-launches-in-scotland/
There will be no more lottery
http://caltonjock.com/2014/09/02/the-lottery/
So, Mr Patel is saying there is no reason why, from an economic perspective, independence couldn’t work. With the Pound sliding it has to be Osborne’s statements and the lack of ‘contingency plans’ that is surely causing the slide and not independence per se? Like Osborne I don’t have any grasp on economics so any help will be appreciated.
Philip Inman Guardian today.
Scottish independence is expected to knock up to 10% off the value of sterling, taking it back to levels last seen when Britain was in recession.
Nervous traders have already begun to sell the pound in response to narrowing polls. The currency suffered its worst week in more than a year last week. Analysts said on Sunday that a lead for the yes campaign was only going to accelerate the slide.
Howard Archer, chief economist at the consultancy IHS Global Insight, said: “Sterling will highly likely remain vulnerable now until the referendum on 18 September. Just how difficult the pound’s coming week will be depends on what polls show over the coming days.”
Fears that not only Scotland but also England, Wales and Northern Ireland will suffer from several years of uncertainty have surfaced in recent weeks in response to narrowing polls.
Negotiations over a split, with the focus on Scotland’s use of the pound, are expected to take several years and lead to much uncertainty in the business community on both sides of the border.
Further details from the chancellor George Osborne on the extra tax and spending powers of a Scottish parliament following a no vote could steady the currency, though only if the polls show “devo max” has the potential to wins back votes from the yes campaign.
For much of July the pound traded higher than $1.70, but it has since fallen back to nearer $1.63. Another 10-cent fall is expected if a yes vote becomes likely.
Rob Wood, chief UK economist at Berenberg bank, said that like many in the City he was confident a deal could be reached in the event of a yes vote, but the pain for both sides could be considerable.
Referring to comments by Standard Life and Royal Bank of Scotland bosses, he said: “Some financial firms may move headquarters and parts of their business south.
PS:
This is a bye line on my shares portfolio online!
My shares are going down but I’ll get by. They are much higher though than they were in October last year 2013
Oh the uncertainty. Hey! Osborne get finger out.
🙂
It’s a case of who will blink first.
Heard the Ken Bruce show on the radio – not me but hubby likes it – news break, first item, ”the £ is falling and SCOTTISH companies are seeing their shares fall due to uncertainty”.
They had a brief interview clip from Nicola where she sounded a bit out of breath talking about the failure of Gideon to have talks on a CU causing the uncertainty.
Now I don’t know if that was a recent interview or a clip from an earlier one.
BTW hasn’t Gideon lost a lot of weight – he put his job squarely on the line yesterday in the Andrew Marr show, perhaps he’ll have to go back to his previous job as a towel folder.
After the 19th and a Yes vote, the pound will start to slide further and may be have a wee bit of a run. Then Osborne and Cameron will anounce that a CU is afterall viable because it is the only way to save Sterling in the short term.
Save them some face as well.
On the Scottish Parliamentary mace are inscribed
the words: JUSTICE, INTEGRITY, WISDOM, COMPASSION.
While more than a few at Holyrood might reflect on those words to Scotland’s benefit,
the mace would, I suggest, be completely out of place at Westminster.
http://tinyurl.com/npvtcoq
Senior executives in financial services companies conclude that outstanding issues such as the Scots’ choice of currency and EU membership would quickly be resolved because they would have to be; that business would soon return to normal; that they would not be affected either way by a separate Scotland.
Oh and Treasury mandarin says 100 new jobs would be created in Treasury!
Colin
they won’t be thanked for doing it after the 19th.
they should do it right now, today, concede to CU being on the table.
Only a few days to go until he eats his hat 😉
Sinky
That’s a great link, thanks, I’ve posted your quote and a link on my fb page, but the final paragraph is also a killer…
“It is not due to Scotland leaving that a “sterling crisis” may threaten. It is due to the UK’s economic problems. Cumulatively, between falling incomes and rising debts, these mean we are already “one shock away from a further crisis.” Whether it was Eurozone stagnation, Scottish independence, or own property bubble collapsing, this is an economy almost designed to fail – at some point, and from some cause.”
Colin ps
they may be waiting for the next poll mind.
So its true.
Bears do shit in the woods and the city will have its say on government policy.
Who knew? 🙂
Of course there is uncertainty, in an effort to scare-monger Darling, Alexander and Osborne have done all in their power to create uncertainty. Unfortunately, the wrong people are believing them.
🙂
@Sinky
Very interesting.
Ive always reckoned one of the Establishments biggest fears is having to open up the books and show the true state of the nation.
If RBS moves to rUK I wonder what it will call itself.
After all it won’t want to be associated with the country it has left will it?
Robert Peston just said the £ is down because Indy would mean a huge increase in rUK deficit.
Actually said it on the BBC! (Radio 4)
If sterling keeps dropping Scotland won’t want a currency union with rUK because it will no longer be in their interest.
Westminster will need to steady the boat before Scotland gets on because a currency union won’t happen if it no longer benefits both parties.
They may need to make an announcement about it before the 18th although they will try to stall it until after.
If I was a money dealer, the real sterling price is not now but in a years time with the costs of no CU really hitting rUK industry. They’re acting like they can take a hit like denying Scotland CU but the effects are more than capable of kicking in another very deep recession.
Then we have a Farage UKIP threat to EU membership for rUK and thats the big one. Sell sell sell sterling, now!
Caroline Corfield
yes, certainly is a lot of other stuff going on in the uk’s collapsing, overgeared economy.
castles made of sand, collapse into the sea eventually.
saying it wasn’t me guv, looking for a scapegoat.
it’s all scotlands fault.
So what happens if sterling continues to fall, is that not bad for Scotland too in the short term?
Also bbc news pointing out that several Scottish based businesses have taken a hit. Like Standard Life, Babcock and Weir Group. Is this not a problem?
Sorry not too clued up on the markets.
Would add that this clip should be sent to better together head office!
Oh, I see we’re an INSURGENCY now. Thanks for that Tessa Jowell. Just another lurve bomb.
As a Yes vote becomes more imaginable to the public it will become more likely behind teh scenes to those previously NO.
We must be due a major defection soon from NO to YES…..
@ Meindevon, Bank of England can up interests rates to try and boost sterling, which is probably what money dealers are shorting on.
A lot of projectfearing this week on Scots mortgage costs going up in Scotland with a Yes but in fact, its in England that they will really bite hard in such a super heated property market.
I am not British but have lived in London for nearly 30 years. Westminster is panicking because if Scotland vote for independent England is going to be worse off, I know that if you vote for independence I among others will pay the price. However, why should you give up your right to self-determination; for many years you have have shown solidarity with the rest of Britain, your wealth have been use for cutting taxes and propping a financial sector that is the cause the UK is in debt. Yes oil is a dwindling resource but this is not a good reason to vote no is the best possible reason to vote YES!! no matter how much or how little the revenue for oil will be at the very least you would have the chance of investing this revenue in creating other sources of future income for example renewal energy. Thus when the oil finally finishes you would have the means to have a prosperous society with better social values.
Don’t believe that the NHS is in safe hands because is not, already in London the are closing hospitals and leaving us without vital A&E services. The local schools find very difficult to find experience teachers because accommodation in London is prohibiting. Most teachers on my son school have to travel around 3 hours per day to come to work and back.
Don’t be persuaded by promises of extra power, look to what happen to Parnell and Ireland, Westminster promised extra powers but them the house of Commons voted against the proposal and it is a very strong likelihood the the package would be put to the vote of the whole of UK the more powers they agreed in principle to give you the most likely that the UK population in a referendum would vote against. Also remember the referendum regarding proportional representation in 2011 the LibDem sold their souls for it, renegading on their manifesto in regards to tuition fees. The Tories gave them their promised referendum but the Tory party quickly campaigned for a no vote the students that voted for the LibDem enraged at their betrayal didn’t bother to vote. Result the LibDem loose the referendum and with it, the change to proportional representation. I fear that the same would happen to Scotland, the only way of making a better and fairer Scotland is to vote YES. This is the time to be BRAVE Scotland and size the moment
Exact same crisis heading England’s way as in the Major/Lamont ERM crash
http://www.theguardian.com/business/2012/sep/13/black-wednesday-20-years-pound-erm
Houses near me in Aberdeen now going for over £2m, sold back then for £70k, if you could get a buyer.
I am about to offer the UK government, and the anti independence campaign some desperately needed advice.
If you are running a political campaign, then the first priority, is to make sure each of your positioning statements or ‘arguments’ is effective. Often that requires punting to see if it will run. Focus groups can only tell you so much.
It is now clear, that the ‘we winnae let you huv a currency union, nar, nar, ne nar nar’ argument is and has been ineffective. The anti independence campaign have been hammering away at it for more than a year now, and it is at the point where people mentioning it are laughed at (did BT actually watch the second debate?). It just doesn’t work. The only people who take it seriously appear to be the unionist media and Westminster’s propagandist outfit, the BBC.
My honest opinion is that the UK Government and the anti independence campaign are running with it merely because Mr.Darling has insisted it will work, and as a failed ex chancellor living in Scotland he should know, right?
The dynamics of this appear to be that Darling staked his wafer thin credibility on this currency stuff, and even though it is now openly laughed at, no doubt he is not likely to voluntarily phone his boss, David Cameron, to actually tell him, yeah sorry gov, but the currency thing I made promises about, well, hmmm it didnae work, oops. It is Darling’s pet idea. A lack of any other convincing arguments in favour of the union, means the currency rubbish is pretty much all they have to use.
However, given the currency union nonsense hasn’t worked, there is further difficulty. With Gideon (whose hairline really should be checked for the number 666, going by his very odd demeanour when interviewed yesterday) Osborne, stating yet again he won’t have a currency union etc..the markets WILL take advantage. This is a dangerous game to play. The hedging will take on a life of its own.
In essence, the currency bluff by Darling and Osborne involves running risks to the UK economy, with no perceptible benefit – which is a remarkably stupid thing to do, given the UK’s atrocious debt to GDP ratio.
I fully expect the currency union bluff to end before the 18th.
Sorry for my ignorance here. (Village idiot speak for I don’t know any better. 😉 ) When the pound falls, as it is currently doing, does that not make our products CHEAPER in overseas markets and therefore BETTER for our exports? 😉
I am also wondering, as no doubt many others are about this pound falling thingy, is this not an attempt by the money market men and women to force George Osborne to open his eyes, see sense and AGREE to a currency union?
The folks in the money markets must be doing something similar to what we all do whenever Darling opens his mouth … screaming blue murder and throwing stuff at their screens shouting for Osborne to calm the markets by agreeing a currency union.
If the pound continues, as I think it will, to fall right up to and beyond the 19th then we could very well be in a position for Alex Salmond to come out and say that he offered a currency union but George Osborne refused to have one and as a result the money markets are far too volatile for an independent Scotland to consider a currency union so we’ll keep the pound and go our own seperate way. Just watch Osborne squirm at that one! 😛
Latest odds.
Yes now 2/1 pretty much right across the board. Looks like the bookies are listening to one another rather than the ‘regular’ sources who’ve been feeding them shite for so long…
http://www.oddschecker.com/politics/british-politics/scottish-independence/referendum-outcome
Tessa Jowell describes the yes campaign as an Insurgency on Daily Politics show.
Where do you think they are going with that?
I’ve just done a quick tour of the usual suspects home sites. Its finger pointing carnage out there. Sun, Record, Herald, Mail, Mirror, Express, Guardian you name it, you’d think a meteor was on its way.
They don’t know whether they’re punched, bored or countersunk.
Fascinating morning. Went into Musselburgh for a haircut and was speaking to the hairdresser, a 47 year old, Labour voting woman from Prestonpans. I asked how she was voting.
“Ah dinnae ken, it’s so hard to get the facts, why won’t they gie me the facts?”
We never actually got to the bottom of who ‘they’ were who wouldn’t give her the facts. I said,
“Well, don’t you think that the BBC would give you the facts if they thought they would favour the No side?”
“Tha’ Alex Salmond got battered in the first debate wi’ Darling, but he never came out in the second one and told us the facts!”
“Well, why don’t you go and look for the facts? Have you read the leaflets through the door?”
“Ah havenae had any leaflets through the door.”
What, none at all?”
“No’ until recently.”
“Well, have you heard about the Wee Blue Book?”
“No.”
I asked her if she had internet access to which she replied that of course a person like her didn’t have enough money for fancy stuff like that (which was odd as I’ve seen her checking her smartphone on many occasions). I told her that if she nipped round the corner on a Saturday morning she could get one from the Yes East Lothian stall.
“What Ah want is for somebody to come to my door and explain it all to me!”
I mentioned that Nicola Sturgeon had held a meeting in Prestonpans a few weeks ago and spent two hours answering people’s questions. Her reply was that she didn’t know that it had taken place (despite the fact that there were posters all over the place advertising it).
“Anyway, Ah can’t stand that Alex Salmond, fat, greasy, do nothing, goes intae that place and does nothing at all and collects a fat wage for doin’ it.”
“So you think he goes into the Parliament building and sits at his desk all day just smoking cigars?
“Widnae surprise me! after a’ look at how he wasted all tha’ public money on a jaunt tae Chicago! And another thing, Ah read aboot some wean whose parents are on benefits bein’ sent for some laser treatment that cost £64,000. How are we gaun tae pay for tha’?”
I replied that there was obviously a magic money tree in London as plainly it didn’t come from our taxes. She looked at me a bit suspiciously then and launched onto another torrent of gibberish. By now, I’d lost the will to live.
It was a startling insight into the mind of a Labour voter. She’d been spoon-fed her ideas for so long that she’d lost any ability to carry out critical thought. As long as ‘Scottish’ Labour can keep the voters asleep in the pods they’re OK. The trouble starts when someone gives them the Red Pill and they wake up.
I left, feeling like a newly shorn lamb and somewhat confused in my head and strolled up the High Street. There seemed to be a bit of a commotion going on and someone in the small crowd was holding a Saltire and a Union flag. As I got closer, all was explained, it was Marvellous Murphy and his Irn Bru crates (Can A G Barr sue him for the damage to their reputation I wonder?). He was addressing a small group of No activists, the press, die-hard Tories from Inveresk and ‘Lord’ George Robertson.
twitter.com/andrewgmorton/status/508949109202771968
Bearing in mind Alex Salmond’s advice I walked past and went on with my messages, which is what most of the rest of those who were abroad this sunny morning were doing. The occupants of the tables outside Costa Coffee were looking somewhat disgruntled. One woman said,
“Ye come oot for a quiet coffee and you end up being shooted at!”
On my way back along, ten minutes later, he was still pumping out the lies at high decibels. Well, I suppose when your job is on the line, you do what you have to.
RBS Lloyds Weir Group and Standard Life going down in the market
Aret these all compaies that are planing to reduce their Scottish position?
How are Scottish based, Scottish oriented companies doing?
Try https://twitter.com/andrewgmorton/status/508949109202771968
To those who are having their ivory towers rattled we must seem like an insurgency.
We are a tsunami of democracy, get your snorkel out Theresa.
The only way the “currency union bluff” will end on the 19th, is if Cameron, Darling etc resign. This will open the door to a fresh look at the issue and a new person to show leadership. Tbh, I don’t want a currency union, I want a Scottish £ pegged to Sterling and underpinned by oil and gas and exports. Tick, tock DC, Tick tock!
Out delivering the latest YES leaflet mostly good reception and WBB’S handed out then she appeared, with the leaflet in hand “take this back, I’m tired of getting YES material through my door” are you said I, thank you. ” AND ” she shouted “I’m more Scottish than you” Funny that says me, only the brit noes say that.
Grinning I went off to deliver more leaflets
Brian Powell says:
Tessa Jowell describes the yes campaign as an Insurgency on Daily Politics show.
Where do you think they are going with that?
That would be the same Tessa Jowell who when putting her case to the warmonger Blair for the London Olympics used the cost of the BARCELONA Olympics for her argument, and we all know what happened to THAT cost (London Olympics)… it went up … and up … and up … and … 😀
Jowell the woman who was awarded a Damehood for her inability to count! 😛
It seems Brian Wilson has upset George Monbiot. Wilson invented a quote and attributed it to Monbiot. Surely not, Brian?
We had better win this.Now that we have been named as an insurgency, added to the fact that Westminster has been humiliated across the world for all to see.If there were to be a No vote they wouldn’t hold back with their vengence.
New powers, Devo Max,I don’t think so.I have always believed that we would win convincingly.We just have to work even harder now to ensure our victory.
Funny that you had that experience Mosstrooper my partner had a similar experience last week. In fact the woman in question went so far as to say that if her husband was still alive we’d all have been shot then she proceeded to call us all ("Tractor" - Ed)s! 😛
Speaking of business, got an email late last night asking if I could help with a Business for Yes campaign coming imminently…the end-games afoot.
Extremists? I’d shoot the lot of them.
Erm, that’s a wee mid-afternoon quip in case anybody thinks otherwise.
Indeed Desimond, I’ve heard that something major is coming.
Exciting times is an understatement!
LA,
It’s good for Scotland which is a net exporter, although oil is traded in dollars and so fuel prices could rise.
It’s very bad for rUK, as they have a massive trade deficit and are not self sufficient in food, fuel or even water (not that they pay for our water properly).
I hope his hat is tasty. Would you like it boiled or fried, Sir?
a wee bit off topic (just re BBC and interviewing)
I’ve noticed a couple of times that the BBC put a politician up against a celeb. Politicians are well versed of policies, media savvy responses, fact, figures etc. Yet the Celeb is asked to answer the same political questions. How can they respond in any way, that has any impact on a politically minded response?
Just that Alan Cumming is a guest on Scotland 2014 with Ed Balls (I’ve still not watched it.. can’t bring myself to do it.)
Alan Cumming can’t respond in any way that has an impact on party policy, he can only respond in a personal capacity.
Is this a ploy being used by the BBC. I’ve yet to see a No Celeb being put up against Salmond, Sturgeon, Harvey etc..
Just a thought.
O/T There’s a poll here. Yes in the lead so far….
http://www.pirateparty.org.uk/poll/should-scotland-be-independent-country
Thanks for that cearc. So basically we want the pound to keep falling cause that will in effect bankrupt wee George Osborne’s rUK. 😛
I have noticed a dramatic increase in the use of the word “separatists” over the last week or so by no side. BT and WM politicians are also using other words associated with terrorism like insurgents, insurgency and extremist more regularly in the MSM.
Completely uncalled for and a sign of desperation methinks.
Referendum addiction has gripped the nation, I am unable to concentrate on anything else and work is certainly suffering! Jeezo!! It is only gonna get more intense over the coming days and I have a blooomin’ deadline, heeeelp :-)… It matters now
All I ever wanted was a chance to have my say
A chance to make a difference in some truly meaningful way
That opportunity never came along, i’ve always felt denied
The lesser of two evils, now that’s hardly any prize!
I very nearly gave up caring, resigned never to try again
this chance then came along to use the mighty power of the pen
A cross is all I have to make to let my feelings be known
To add my voice unto the list that daily has been growing
So ask yourself the question, think hard on what to do
This time your vote will really count and that could answer the question for you
Oil boss backs North Sea ‘game changer’
Mon, 08/09/2014 – 14:21
Fergus Ewing MSP, who is Scotland’s Energy Minister, has welcomed comments from the former President of the Wood Group in the Americas, Derek Blackwood, who has highlighted the potential for Scotland of developing offshore unconventional oil and gas as set out in a new report by the business organisation N-56 – which shows that there are at least 21 billion barrels of unconventional oil and gas under the North Sea.
As reported in today’s Scottish Sun Mr Blackwood said:
“The information provided appears to me to be impressive. I fully expect that as we drill more wells we will increase our projections of recoverable hydrocarbons similar to the USA and I think the term “game changer” is likely to be very appropriate to the UK North Sea story.”
Commenting Mr Ewing said:
“These comments from a very senior industry figure shows the strong enthusiasm and possibilities which remain for Scotland’s oil and gas sector.
“Scotland has decades of oil and gas reserves remaining, massive resources which will be developed by an industry which is world leading, and we are hearing of huge new potential both west of Shetland and in terms of offshore unconventional oil and gas.
“As with all such developments we have to ensure that the appropriate environmental regulation is in place and Scotland is rightly taking a cautious, considered and evidenced-based approach to onshore unconventional oil and gas.
“What is crucial is that Scotland has the powers of independence to ensure that it is the people of Scotland that benefit from the riches of the North Sea – not the Westminster Treasury that squanders them.”
@Donald Anderson
That is just wonderful!
Found this wee poll thingy over on my partner’s facebook page and just voted. 😉
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/ed-miliband-process-giving-more-4180098
To BrianW – yes but the celeb can say to the politician how much expenses have you claimed fraudulently.
Lesley-Anne
it says 89% are clever people.
Interesting, this very nice lady was fishing on a previous business/markets report around 9am, looking for negative comments and trying to blame the Scottish referendum for the run on sterling. Still trying I see.
No metion of the Scots pound performing better in the Hong Kong markets, hmmm…
Stinky said.
This deficit has been sustained, so far, because we have an extraordinarily large financial sector, a key part of the global financial system. The City depends on a high value pound for its own operations. Financial assets (and property) denominated in pound sterling are much more appealing when the value of the pound is high, and stable. (Never mind, of course, the consequences for those seeking to export.)
Tha value of the Sterling has been kept atrificially high through the constriction of land for housing development, with the result of tunring housing into an investment and keeping ‘the urban unwashed out of the Home Counties’.
Why Britain’s housing crisis risks turning into catastrophe
As I explain in the book I have just co-authored, nothing short of radical reform will improve housing affordability. But radical reform, like intelligently loosening restrictions on Greenbelt building, is frightening. Even excellent reforms will only make a real difference over a period longer than five years. But if people were convinced that prices of land and housing were going to behave as they do in Germany in the future, not as they have in England, there could be a step change in prices relative to incomes, because expectations are built into current prices.
http://www.lse.ac.uk/newsAndMedia/commentAndOpinion/2014/06/housingcrisis.aspx
http://www.lse.ac.uk/geographyandenvironment/whoswho/profiles/pcheshire@lseacuk.aspx
HaHa
Priceless
Klingon – sure Scotland can give them a sub – maybe – if they are very nice. Do they deserve it? Non. Well for old times sake.
Like Vile lying Thatcher, secretly stealing every asset from Scotland. All for King George of England’s new £2Million coach, while people are being sanctioned and walking to food banks. Disgusting.
First they lie and laugh. Then you will.
Then you win
WARNING
Anyone intending to visit Gretna be warned. The YES South Annandale Away team will be back in Gretna on Saturday. Ve have vays of making you YES! 😛
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=928409060509270&set=a.886762931340550.1073741833.100000205538757&type=1&theater
O/T
Craig Murray= The Stolen seas.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfbfldSrJ-0&feature=youtu.be
@BrianW
It’s a well known YES strategy, better together can’t quite get their head round us using celeb’s or normal people with a little bit of fame (Elaine C Smith) it’s all part and parcel of showing people, it isn’t about any one person, but about the movement and the spirit.
Sound like a priest, anyway, how did Cumming get on?
Cheeky Jowell. Whose man was on the take. She should know about insurgencies. The illegal war in Iraqi. They should be on trial at the Hague.
Hague destroyed the Westminster report about MP’s abusing children. Thatcher turned a blind eye to crime. The biggest lying criminals on the planet. They should be in jail. They want to abolish the membership of the Human rights court at the Hague. So they can abuse people.
Nana Smith
excellent post.
graig murray rightly points out it was done in bad faith, never forget that!
@ Lesley-Anne
So basically we want the pound to keep falling cause that will in effect bankrupt wee George Osborne’s rUK.
I realise this is tongue in cheek but remember that others may not
In fact we do NOT want to bankrupt the rUK because they are our biggest trading partner. We are not able to stop them damaging their economy, (and ours) which they have been busily doing in spades for 3 decades) but we do not benefit from it in or out of the union.
Be careful what you wish for.
https://www.google.co.uk/?gws_rd=ssl#q=referendum+count+scotland
Link to:-
Chief Counting Officer Designate for the Scottish
Independence Referendum
Timing of the Count and Declaration of Result for the
Scottish Independence Referendum
An Issues Paper / Consultation
The referendum from the perspective of Mary Pitcaithly OBE
Chief Counting Officer Designate.
Worth a read.
@James Caithness
This is true. Here’s hoping oo’r Alan Cumming is not shy in asking Mr Balls about his House Flipping and other sundry expenses, such as children’s travel expenses.
All with a Broadway Flourish..lol
Sorry Fiona didn’t mean to upset you it was said in jest not wishful thinking. 🙁
I think this ignorant and incompetent Jowell person has finally found her way to the letter “I” in the dictionary and come across the word insurgent. What other possible reason could there be for her using it to describe those of use wanting independence? What a First class MUPPET! 😛
Oh and the fact that Mr Cumming is quite personable and funny.. Maybe get an Air Scotia joke in there somewhere..
Found this wee gem on Yes Scottish Borders facebook page. I get the feeling this guy is a YES voter. See what you think.
http://www.youtu.be/i7qXYaepKPA
Apologies this is the link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7qXYaepKPA
I used to deeply respect Duncan Hothersall, until I realised he was a twat.
Im sure Allan Cumming will do just fine.
He’s always been on the ball, even way back in the days of collecting for Striking Miners outside Hillhead station and being spat about by a West-End toff.
Have any of you noticed the flap is about the £/$ exchange rate? The pound is losing to the dollar. It’s been a long time since the £/$ exchange rate mattered that much to us – what is far more important is the £/€ exchange rate – because we do vastly more trading with the €-zone than we do with the US.
But er, since oil is priced in dollars which seem to be doing better than pounds for the minute, doesn’t that mean the oil is getting more valuable when translated into pounds? Indeed it does. Nasty volatile stuff that it is.
What’s coming home to roost here is just what a house of cards the UK economy is under the aegis of the WM clique. Let’s finish this and get out before the whole disaster comes tumbling down around WM’s ears.
As for CU – there’s a good chance that we won’t want the pound long before Independence day – it won’t be worth having. It’s already been hugely devalued (ca. 20%) by the WM clique since the 2008 crash (printing money = QE), impoverishing many of us (import costs). I never did understand why it’s been made out to be a holy cow – the strength and security of being deliberately devalued. Smacks of the strength and security of only losing 80% of our shipbuilding jobs under the Union. Let’s finish this and get out. Before it’s too late.
@ LA
I think this was one of those slips which betrays the underlying truth. All the mainstream westminster politicians believe in parliamentary sovereignty and their unquestioned right to tell us all what to do. You will observe their obsession with “leadership” – a curious one in people who are supposed to be representatives
Given that background she has shown what they truly believe: we have no right to challenge their authority and this kind of democracy is, to them, exactly that: it is insurgency and it is an affront to their conception of themselves
Wondered how long it would take for the terrorist card to be
played, although I thought it would be in the form of the country
being more vulnerable to terrorism due to independence, not that
we would be considered the terrorists. Shameful.
Tessa Jowell describes the yes campaign as an Insurgency on Daily Politics show.
I’d audit HSBC, to check they haven’t been enabling a huge increase in egg sales to Scotland. After all, HSBC are the center of the world’s illicit trade in guns and narcotics, aren’t they? 🙁
Sorry for going O/T here although it could possibly be stretched to actually being ON topic. 😛
Here is a wee video of someone reading a letter that she is *ahem* sending to George Osborne. 😀
http://tinyurl.com/ppvd85v
James Caithness
yes, the artist taxi driver.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbxovwJy_10 intreviews tommy.
Dear, dear, dear.. this wee ‘terrible’ burden of a nation to the rest of the UK is actually affecting the Pound Sterling because.. we aren’t that wee and terrible and have nothing to offer! Strange that.
I’m loving sitting back and watching them squirm like worms in bleach! Without Scotland rUK is quite simply f*cked!!
For once us wee Scots are getting the better of the Establishment.. isn’t it great!
Pure dead brilliant!!
Also.. f*ck the pound, call their bluff and let them keep it (and all the debt they have rattled up).. it won’t be worth bugger all soon anyway.
Unicorns or Bawbee’s anyone??? 🙂
Just catching up on last nights Mr Whicher…nice quote
‘If you ride roughshot over everything that matters to people, one day theyre going to fight back!’
I tell you what folks, I’d hate to be the doctor who has the Artist Taxi Driver as patient. 😛
Who ever is the doctor to the ATD had better not make any comment about his blood pressure that’s for sure. I can never understand how he gets through each “broadcast” he does cause I keep expecting him to keel over. His blood pressure must be through the roof. 😉
Honesty from a unionist! And a currency trader at that.
Hell’s teeth. What else will turn up in the next 10 days?
We’ve been treated like shit for ages and classed as second rate subsidised scroungers but here we are still being decent and offering to share a currency, help keep the rUK GDP up and be a decent neighbour..
In a Margaret Thatcher stylee.. ‘Us Scots are a very generous nation to you English’ 🙂
I can’t wait for the newspaper reviews tonight. Monday night usually has Andrew Pierce and Kevin Maguire on. I think it is going to be unbelievable no matter what the headlines say. 😛
Please sign this petition.
https://www.change.org/p/gordon-blackstock-we-the-undersigned-hereby-condemn-the-article-by-gordon-blackstock-linking-isis-killings-to-the-independence-referendum
Heading in Severin Carrells latest column in the Guardian
Billions of pounds wiped from value of Scottish firms after yes vote leads poll
Lloyds Banking Group worst hit falling £1.7bn in value as stock and currency markets get jitters over shock YouGov poll.
The Lloyds Banking Group’s headquarters are at – 25 Gresham Street, London, UK,
Scotland will need to build the foundations of its economy on solid rock, not the sand that the UK economy seems to be built on. Why should the UK be in such a vulnerable position that the pound drops due to some unaccountable, unelected currency traders deciding Scottish independence would interrupt their world?
Having met some traders of derivatives and currency, they are the ultimate snake oil salesmen, to put it politely. Don’t be put off by this scaremongering, they need a kick in the rear end to shake up what is often unethical trading.
…paving the way for a currency union announcement? 😛
http://tinyurl.com/npvtcoq
Article in London Evening Standard…
Senior executives in financial services companies conclude that outstanding issues such as the Scots’ choice of currency and EU membership would quickly be resolved because they would have to be; that business would soon return to normal; that they would not be affected either way by a separate Scotland.
Oh and Treasury mandarin says 100 new jobs would be created in Treasury!
cuts, what cuts, i see no cuts, only big cuts!
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/09/06/thousands-turn-out-for-the-nhs-on-london-leg-of-peoples-march_n_5777588.html?utm_hp_ref=tw
That Loyds group is now a Scottish company comes from three UKOK propagandists not just Severin Carrell, Graeme Wearden and Patrick Wintour. Panic panic panic.
A lot of it’s all down to characters like Graun’s Steve Bell, Libby Carrell etc endlessly monstering Scotland running Scotland and eventually no one believes a bloody word they say. Wonder if they have the self awareness to understand just how little Scotland trusts them.
The next Scottish polls are being eagerly awaited to see if they will confirm the shift to yes recorded in the YouGov one for the Sunday Times, or if they will show it was just a blip.
However, the Guardian’s Ewen MacAskill has been told there is little relief on the horizon for Alistair Darling and the no campaign: that the next poll to be published on Tuesday will confirm the trend.
How will the markets react to that?
Boom, boom shake the room… 😀 😀
I left school at 15 and always worked in accounts and even I can work out that the Money Men have only allowed the treasury to build up a £1.5+ trillion debt because it was backed by oil. Now that there is a danger of the tap being turned off they are bound to panic. Osborne should recognise that AS is taking the rUK economy into account when he proposes CU and would not want to bring it down, thereby harming all those “friend & neighbours” who love us. But hey, I don’t have the benefit of a Public School/Oxbridge education.
O/T
Over in the Guarniad, Charlie Brooker, is in fine form lampooning the UK attempts to bribe Scotland to stay. Here’s a taster,
“The Sunday Times’s shock poll plunged Westminster into panic mode. The first rule of panic mode is that you don’t talk about panic mode: thus Alistair Darling could quickly be found on the airwaves denying there was any panic at all, adding that his voice only cracks like that when he’s feeling especially confident and what’s more, he always defecates in his own trousers during interview”
Source : http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/sep/08/scottish-independence-david-cameron-no-campaign-windows-8
This much anticipated ‘New Powers timeline’ outlined by Gordon Brown is truly pathetic.
Baseless, soulless, uninspiring nothingness.
That will in no way convince an undecided to vote No.
Hints about tonight’s poll from the Graun.
‘3.53pm BST
The next Scottish polls are being eagerly awaited to see if they will confirm the shift to yes recorded in the YouGov one for the Sunday Times, or if they will show it was just a blip.
However, the Guardian’s Ewen MacAskill has been told there is little relief on the horizon for Alistair Darling and the no campaign: that the next poll to be published on Tuesday will confirm the trend.
How will the markets react to that?’
http://tinyurl.com/m7b9zqd
If we kick teamGB into touch, we could have the next one like this giant built here, in Scotland for Scots oil
http://www.kvaerner.com/toolsmenu/Media/Feature-articles1/Jackets–a-closer-look/
Foodbanks in Glasgow and Inverness wouldn’t exist if these incredible platforms were built in the Highlands, trades, investment, jobs, a future for everyone or we vote No and wait for the Jim Murphy miracle Milliband government. Labour’s had 70 years to get it so wrong for Scotland.
For what we are about may we be truly thankful. As a wee precursor to the visit to Glasgow later this week I thought folks would like a wee insight to the sort of thing that is likely to happen, courtesy of conservativehome.com 😛
http://tinyurl.com/p6vxvtg
Gosh they’re falling over themselves to see who can tell the biggest lie. Is there a prize?
http://www.northern-times.co.uk/News/Yes-vote-will-damage-health-services-in-north-says-NHS-chief-08092014.htm
@Iain
Did you not see my post above?
Lesley-Anne
old macdonald.
wow, he is really out of his depth in social situations.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgJrXNMZXCk on why she is voting yes.
it’s wonderful.
🙂
It’s looking like it’s time for us to tell them to ram their pound and create our own Scottish currency.
We should make sure we call it the “groat” just to rub that little insult back in their faces.
@muttley79
Sorry, must have been tweeking my formatting while you were posting. You can’t have too much of a good thing though!
Apparently the new poll out tonight is meant to be a “sensation”. I wonder what that means.
Gordon’s Alive!
Apparently, according to the Telegraph anyway, Gordon Brown is the unionists *ahem* trump card! 😀 Jeez! If he is their trump card then they really are in the s***e a lot deeper than even any of us thought they were. 😛
http://tinyurl.com/ke3v7n8
Triangular Ears
I would love to tell them the same and would pay good money for a front row seat. Unfortunately that would be in nobody’s best interest, apart from the money speculators, IMO.
It is a bit like teaching a child to ride a bike. We will need to stabilise the rUK’s economy until they are ready to go it alone. Then we can set off and do our own thing. 🙂
Mike Smithson tweet.
Good IndyRef polling news. I’m told that the face-to-face TNS survey should be out overnight – a day earlier than expected
“Quite simply, Scottish voters deserve to know to the fullest extent possible about how new powers as ambitious as possible will be delivered as soon as possible within the UK. And so we are demanding a tight-timetable with tough deadlines and streamlined procedures.” – Gordon Brown
What are those new powers? Nobody knows!
We have a timetable ….. and that is all we have.
@Nana Smith – Kevin Pringle has just retweeted Mike Smithson’s tweet. Usually a sign of positive new for Yes
Thanks Nana! Seemingly there is another poll out tonight at 12.
gillie says:
Apparently the new poll out tonight is meant to be a “sensation”. I wonder what that means.
Well if I read it right Gillie, and I usually don’t read these things right by the way 😀 , then we are looking at a YES lead BIGGER than that from the Sunday Times poll. 😛
As I hinted at earlier, it is Andrew Pierce and Kevin Maguire who do the papers review on SKY news on a Monday night. Tonight is going to be amazing for so many reasons I think.
1. Andrew Pierce is a pro Royal family
2. Kevin Maguire is anti Royal family
With the new Royal baby apparently on its way stand by for fireworks from this pair over that. 😉
3. If there is a new opinion poll coming out tonight with an INCREASED lead for YES then expect both Pierce and Maguire to go into meltdown overload. 😛
But but but why is the pound falling and Westminster in turmoil if the latest poll shows they stupid scrounging subsidy junky Scots are leaving?
Answers on a postcard to the rUK electorate.
😀 😀
Could mean sterlingisation unattractive too. Pound could be down there with cowrie shells this time next week. Eedjits.
Lesley-Anne
Kevin Mcguires piece in the mirror today is a shocker,I nearly cried reading it, because of the misinformation of 1000,s of readers,from a supposedly respectable journalist
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/kevin-maguire-take-labour-love-4180511
bateman almost describes scurrying directionless rats, their cover having been blown, and without leadership.
http://derekbateman.co.uk/2014/09/07/panic-attack/
To be fair bookie, I do actually enjoy watching Kevin Maguire and Andrew Pierce on the Monday night papers review. They can be quite entertaining, just not so much so whenever they talk down Scotland though. Still I suppose they both know what is really happening in the REAL world North of Watford Gap and are both doing “their bit” to help save the broken union that is the (dis)United Kingdom. 😛
@Donald Anderson
Blimey looks like another late night waiting for the poll results. Not good losing this much beauty sleep you know.
Ok if Kev’s retweeted it’s good news 🙂
And, Ewen MacAskill on Twitter (Guardian US reporter)
Ewen MacAskillVerified account ?@ewenmacaskill
Bad news for no campaign in Scottish referendum. YouGov poll not a blip. Next batch of polling expected to confirm shift to independence.
A falling pound isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Good for exports and tourism.
Some countries deliberately try to undervalue their currency.
Ian Jones (whoever he is) tweeted that this TNS poll is ‘sensational’
Didn’t No have a 15% or so lead with the last one? I doubt we’ll be ahead, but must have caught up a huge amount on them?
I wonder if Blair McDougall in Better whatsit Towers has heard this great news yet Faltdubh? Oh wait a minute, I’m getting reports of a man leaping from the top of Better whatsit towers, I think he may have just seen the polling results. 😛
“Join us to celebrate Scotland’s future, outside the Senedd in Cardiff Bay at 2pm on Saturday 13 September. There will be speakers from a cross section of society including Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood, and Labour councillor Ray Davies as well as members from other parties and groups. Everyone is welcome; we look forward to seeing you there.”
http://walesforyes.org/
There will be a TNS poll published tonight but as quoted at Scot goes Pop James Kelly said…
“It’s likely to show a relatively substantial No lead simply because TNS have a No-friendly methodology, and because their fieldwork will be much more out of date than the recent polls from other firms.”
So, best not get too excited, folks.
@LA – sent you an e-mail m’dear 🙂
In terms of polling results, be careful what you wish for.
If the Yes polls begin to show a significant lead, that is likely to drive the (normally reluctant) no voters to turn out on the 18th.
Better to adopt the “nothing to see here, move along” tactic 😉
The BBC Scotland is struggling to get a handle on the YES poll.
Gordon is getting touted big time with his timetable on new jam tomorrow after the referendum if it’s a NO.
How high will they lift their skirts?
We can already see their ankles, Gordon’s about to show us his arse and still it can’t beat a YES vote to take all the powers we need.
Losers!
Rather a good pro Scotland piece in the Guardian by Suzanne Moore, and the comments in the main are in our favour and sensible. Still some subsidy junkies ones and some clown asking, when is this Referendum thing?’ which is rather sad, but it is worth a look. Best article I’ve read for a while.
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/sep/08/england-love-bombing-scotland-no-vote-westminster
Thanks Jim, I’ve just replied.
If Macart turns up here he might be better placed to help you out as he’s from over that part of the country. 😉
O/T
Who needs polls, YES Scotland now has the support of these two fine gents at Air Scotia, from Alan Cumming.
http://twitter.com/Alancumming/status/507575290806411264/photo/1
🙂
Did Prof Curtice actually just say something sensible for once. In his latest blog, he notes that all this Devo posturing may be pointless.
“The No side do not simply have to prove that they will deliver more devolution, but persuade voters that more devolution is actually a more attractive prospect than the one now being put before them by the Yes campaign.”
i.e who gives a monkey’s about your timetable, show me why this undefined deloution offering is better than independence. Meanwhile GBrown says vote No and trust the Tories to deliver. Err, I don’t think so.
So is this the minute for the first minister to step up in statesman mode, regret deeply the attack on sterling, re-emphasise Scotland’s offer of a currency union, and say that the moment he hears from his counterpart in Westminster he is prepared to enter into discussions to halt any run on the pound ‘which would be deeply damaging to both economies’?
(I guess he’ll give it a day or two…if you have someone’s balls in your hands, you don’t squeeze right away, you let them anticipate the pain for a while first)
Meanwhile, there must be any number of city people trying to get hold of the Treasury….hello, hello…anyone there? We need you to act – now.
Conning yer Granny and bribing Pollsters hasnae worked. Mocking Scotland will not work.
Interesting wee set of comments from James Cook.
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152741904332074
Those nice bookies are shortening the odds again.
Bet365 & Ladbrokes now under 2/1 and Willie Hill watching to see which way to go. most of the rest at 2/1
http://www.oddschecker.com/politics/british-politics/scottish-independence/referendum-outcome/bet-history/scotland-to-vote-yes-to-independence-in-2014/today#all-history
Lesley-Anne
Thanks for that. Good find, who knew Gordon is an ex-prime minister now in cahoots with Lamont. The new ‘Dale Arden’ naw!
On a gentler front. At the Troon Yes stall today, I had a chat with a lady who was a “very soft yes” (for want of a better description) and as I chatted to her she was gradually convincing herself that she was pretty much a solid yes.
The thing is, the way that just chatting about the issues, with no arguing the toss, had a positive effect and I could see her light getting brighter. I could swear that she walked a wee bit taller when she departed.
Strange thing was that currency really wasn’t an issue for her, even in the face of all the media hoo-ha today. I think she just needed to know that she wasn’t alone with her allegiance to yes.
still pretty good odds for over 55% at 9/2.
Odds for below 40% now out at 8/1 so the bookie range is between 40 and 55% at the moment. Will be interesting to see what it is by next Monday !
Don’t you just love it when their plan comes together CMD? Oh wait a minute it hasn’t come together has it, it’s falling apart at the seams! 😛
Architects for YES
Lesley_Anne
Just voted on the record poll – 90/10 In getting powers ha ha hah hahah . Nobody believes them any more. And watching the BBC/STV etc the panic is controlled but only just. melt down by friday.
I heard the news that the Countess of Strathearn is expecting. How does she know it is hers?
Is it me or are there a awful lot more folk on Wings these last few weeks ???
Welcome they are and any “lurkers” come on aboard the godd ship W.O.S.
No voters ……………. you get a free ticket to the SS Titanic leaving 10pm 18th Sept.
Back from shops , pissed off canny find a NO voter anywhere , but i know they are out there cos the BBC telt me.
oops GODD should be GOOD.
@Jim,
That’s a perception we all need to have at the top of our minds….there are still a lot of scared people out there who want to vote Yes but don’t quite dare. Everyone they meet who is a confident Yes, every house they see with Yes posters – every car – every T shirt – all of these help reassure them that they are not alone…
Kininvie
Yeah I agree mate. I’d urge as many people as possible to put Yes posters up etc.
I live in a very popular Yes area (know from recent canvassing) but there are hardly anyone with Yes stuff displayed. When people see them up around them they are more likely to follow suit and also show the Undecideds that the support is there.
Get them up!!! 🙂
They have talked themselves into the financial black hole.
Let them get themselves out.
I agree with you YESGUY. If anyone ever wanted to know what the definition of PANIC is all they have to do is watch BBC/ITV/SKY news. There is one hell of a lot of squeaky bums out there, and all of them being controlled from London. 😛
Suggestion by Nick Robinson on BBC’s evening news that Gordon Brown is being front and centre for the no campaign as he is seen to be ‘trusted’ by Scottish electorate
As I think, ‘why correct the enemy, when making an arse of themselves’!
This is what happens when you put Dracula in charge of the Blood Bank & Collection Services PLC.
I wonder who told him that Gordon “clunking fist” Brown was *ahem* trusted by anyone up here in Scotland Edward. 😛
I sincerely hope that it is part of the plan, when the anti-Scotland parties decide they DO want a currency union after all, to tell them…”sorry…we’ve changed our minds”. Then up the ante with additional demands. Why not ? After all, they’ve been lying through their teeth all along on EVERY SINGLE ISSUE.
Time to stick it to them.
http://www.itv.com/news/update/2014-09-08/uk-could-hold-referendum-on-scotland-currency-union/
Interesting tweet.
https://twitter.com/tmlbk/status/509033643365658624
New poll
http://scotgoespop.blogspot.co.uk/
WOW!
That is yet another piece of absolutely amazing set of poll results John. 😀
I think with the 51%/49% poll lead from Yougov yesterday and this dead even poll result from TNS tonight it is perfectly clear, to me at least, that if these polls from pro NO polling companies are reporting these results then in the REAL world YES is definitively ahead., but keep it under your hats folks! 😛
Oh FFS, that Bradford woman back on her organ transplant bandwagon, again. Someone send her a WBB.
slightly off topic did anyone get anything back from Tesco , I got zilch and just read the huff post article saying prices would go down in Scotland from asda and morrisons , so I wondered if Tesco had endorsed the bt leaflet ?
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/12/12/asda-scottish-independence_n_4433722.html
link to article
Here’s the response that I received Joe.
Thank you for your email
I understand you’re concerned about the leaflet you have received.
We’ve got a great business in Scotland and our job is to create the best offer for customers whatever the outcome of the referendum.
Thank you for taking the time to contact us.
looks like a standard reply no denial in there at all, you’d think if they were being misrepresented they would come out , ah well asda for me maybe now , its nearer than morrisons.
Forget the polls folks and keep campaigning.
Aren’t they panicking! 🙂 Those leaked figures look rather good though.
If you are going to ASDA Joe then you may want to keep this in mind as wee reminder as to one reason to vote YES. 😛
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/12/12/asda-scottish-independence_n_4433722.html
thanks LA that’s the article I just read, looks like the Tesco response is a standard response they even used it word for word to yours in the huffington.
Joe,
Not sure if you saw it but Tesco original reply posted on twitter was this.
http://i.cubeupload.com/LcpDTP.jpg
thanks hood , will they be coming out with public one huff post should worry them
I really object to the Saltire being referred to as the Nationalists Flag by Peter Geoghegan. It’s not, it’s the Flag of Scotland.
When was the last time that Gordon Brown spent four months in Westminster. He’s hardly been present since Labour lost the last election, and just how is he going to convince English, Welsh and Irish MP’s to agree to more powers for Scotland and then put it through the House of Lords?
Then of course we have the little matter of the run up to the 2015 General Election.
I think that some sitting MP’s will have better things to think about, i.e. the rise and rise of the UKiP Vote.
Never going to happen.
@Ann
if you get the chance, go and see Billy Kay‘s presentation of the historical and cultural case for independence. He covers the emergence of the Saltire as an “acceptable” flag/emblem. Very, very interesting.
He did a 2 hour session in Troon, including Q&A.
He will be wandering around venues for the next week or so.
Back to the Bookies.
There are now eight of them with odds under 2/1. The rest are at 2/1.
Big slide on now.
I’ll give it until Thursday before the switch between “odds against” to “odds on”.
Jim
Sounds very interesting and would go and see one of his sessions if he popped over to Fife.
It bugs me that for months now we have had it said over and over again from Better Together, No Thanks uKOK that the markets/business don’t like uncertainty. It’s makes the Market nervous etc, etc, etc. That way we’re better together, to protect the city, propping it up with Oil Revenue.
Yet in the last 24hours we’ve been bombarded by market fears, the pound being devalued, shares crashing in value left right and center. All because a Poll put Yes on 51%
Now correct me if I’m wrong, but has the independence debate not been going on for about 2 & Half Years now. The date of the Referendum has been known for some time..
So how can this 51% lead to yes be such a shock? How much forewarning do the markets need. It doesn’t take a genius to work out a Yes, No vote can go either way. We all know there will be a CU at the end of this.
The Tories are c**ts (let’s not beat about the bush there), but would they be as stupid to watch the City suffer, with all the Health Company Shares that Tory MP’s may hold crashing.. I don’t think so.
said this back in November 2013 and January this year, probably bears repeating now:
“If you want to make some money, short Sterling for:
19 September 2014;
Scottish Independence day 2016;
and if the Tories win the rUK election in 2015, sell all the Sterling you own before 2017.”
@liz says: 8 September, 2014 at 1:36 pm:
“BTW hasn’t Gideon lost a lot of weight – he put his job squarely on the line yesterday in the Andrew Marr show, perhaps he’ll have to go back to his previous job as a towel folder.”
Aw!Cummon, Liz. Gideon was, after all, a bit more than a towel folder when he worked at Selfridges – he was actually a, part time, towel refoldrer. Not only that but he re-hung ties and other things disturbed by customers too. Oh! And BTW: he only worked a week at Selfridges. You have to admit the guys a tryer, (very trying, in fact).
Hi first time commenting.
Any comments on the link below its the first time I have heard (what arrears to be) a credible source disparage a currency union. He raises some interesting points. Still hoping for a yes. I plan on moving back to an independent Scotland in January.
http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2013/10/niall-ferguson-paul-krugman-gets-it-wrong-again-and-again-and-again-why-does-anyone-still-listen-to-him/
Wrong link sorry
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/08/opinion/paul-krugman-scots-what-the-heck.html
Doug Daniels @ 1.03pm said, ‘Let’s face it, the markets are saying “if Scotland leaves the UK without a currency union, sterling is fucked.’
There’s certainly a massive run on the currency and that reflects the risk implied by Scottish secession. But the weakness on Sterling may also be reflective of its current status as a proxy for the Scottish economy after a Yes vote. Currently the UK has a AAA credit rating, the highest there is. Market estimates for Scotland’s credit rating have been re-pitched at BBB, the same as Greece. By extension, the markets are pricing Scottish sovereign debt at 150 basis points above Sterling, that’s 1.5%. So if a loan in Sterling trades at 3%, its Scottish equivalent will trade at 4.5%. This rate differential will flow through to the interbank market.
So, if you want home loan interest rates in Scotland to jump by 50%, just go ahead and vote Yes, and tell your friends not to worry.
Who would want to buy a Scottish bank if that happens? Loan defaults may sky-rocket.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/11082976/Britain-faces-storm-as-giant-global-investors-awaken-to-break-up-dangers.html
@Ann – just had a look on his website and the last one was in Saltcoats a couple of days ago.
He did suggest that the core material for his talk would be on the website (www.billykay.co.uk/index.asp) but I couldn’t find it with a brief rummage around.
A lot of good, thought provoking material there though.
The bookies are now showing 14 of them at less than 2/1.
http://www.oddschecker.com/politics/british-politics/scottish-independence/referendum-outcome/bet-history/yes-to-independence/today
o/t
bbc just took down the yes scotland iron sky video from youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkUe9zeGVdg&index=2&list=UUnlA7etZS-QVpRJuFGqV9rg
the part that belonged to the bbc was the intro where boris johnstone says “a pound spent in croyden is better value than a pound spent in strathclyde”
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sso it is apparently unfair to criticise the no camp?
“Wrong link sorry”
You seem to have answered your own question quite well with the link you posted in error 😀
Watched a few videos tonight of Paul Krugman in action. Interesting guy and anti austerity which is a plus in my book but I hope he is wrong.
Its a bit late in the day for all Browns hypothetical promises but I fear the market shakes might swing a few back to no.
This is the first time I have had concerns. I still think Scotland has a better chance to succeed on its own maybe its only chance. But its a real indictment of the no campaign that after 2 years of campaigning that 9 days before the election someone who has watched nearly every debate has just now been given pause for thought.
Krugman believes in market equilibrium and he believes that actual money makes no difference to how things work
I don’t think he need detain you. He is a neo keynesian: which means not a keynesian at all
http://rwer.wordpress.com/2014/08/01/why-doesnt-krugman-listen-to-krugman/#more-16383
Meant to add this link above
http://rwer.wordpress.com/2014/04/28/paul-krugman-the-champion-of-inertia/