The world's most-read Scottish politics website

Wings Over Scotland


Game for a laugh

Posted on April 17, 2021 by

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

348 to “Game for a laugh”

  1. Brian Doonthetoon
    Ignored
    says:

    “INDYWANG!”

    I like it!

  2. kapelmeister
    Ignored
    says:

    You can always tell when Sturgeon’s lying about the indyref. There’s movement where her lips used to be.

  3. Dave M
    Ignored
    says:

    Brilliant

  4. Baxter
    Ignored
    says:

    Absolute belter, Chris.

  5. The Isolator
    Ignored
    says:

    Ha ha the 12th of never of course it is.

  6. Davie Oga
    Ignored
    says:

    This is the election where I quit Scotland.

    When people who should know better re-elect criminals because they are too impotent and subjugated to do anything but.

    This is the election where I start identifying as Irish. Fuck it, I have the passport. So does my daughter.

    This is the election when I join the world and never look back.

    Best of Luck Scotland

    You could have been a contender.

  7. Frank Gillougley
    Ignored
    says:

    Everything Davie says. A farce. Just as the cartoon shows. Indywang! Indeed.

  8. Astonished
    Ignored
    says:

    fantastic cartoon .

    I hope she feels such shame at fooling us all. But I know she wont.

  9. Dan
    Ignored
    says:

    Somewhere over the rainbow.

  10. auld highlander
    Ignored
    says:

    They must have a never ending supply of barge poles to keep pushing it back.

  11. MaggieC
    Ignored
    says:

    Excellent once again Chris .

  12. Kiwilassie
    Ignored
    says:

    This is a must read by everybody wanting Independence. It was written by the same guy who drew up the Edinburgh agreement.
    It needs to passed on to as many Yes Indy sites as possible before your election. It’s a long read but woth the time spent reading it. Don’t let WM undermine you, know what they plan to do & maybe can do.
    https://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2021-04/Scotland_Referendum_final.pdf

  13. X_Sticks
    Ignored
    says:

    @Kiwilassie

    This link to a Guardian article has a links to the Keiran Martin report from Blavatnik and the report from Cambridge University’s Bennett Institute for Public Policy as well, both wel worth a read as you say. https://archive.is/w6agn

  14. Harry mcaye
    Ignored
    says:

    Excuse my ignorance, who is that?

  15. winifred mccartney
    Ignored
    says:

    Excuse my ignorance but what is ‘indywang’ and who is the women in the front.

  16. Dan
    Ignored
    says:

    @ winifred

    Indywang i presume is a play on Numberwang.
    Sketch from Mitchell and Webb Show. Basically just number gibberish.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZH-cXBhkl-E

  17. Leitmotif
    Ignored
    says:

    @Davie Oga cheerio then. Don’t let the door it your arse on the way out.

  18. Mac
    Ignored
    says:

    There is a wee note to Robert Webb in the bottom right.

    Numberwang but…wow, that was lost far down the memory hole… until I just youtubed it. Oh yeah!

  19. Terry
    Ignored
    says:

    Mandy Rhodes is on the case. She’s an excellent journalist. Challenges everyone! Check what the Greens are up to re abolishing sex on birth certificates and the serious legal implications that arise from that

    https://www.holyrood.com/news/view,fears-raised-over-green-manifesto-call-for-sex-and-gender-to-removed-from-birth-certificate

  20. Tinto Chiel
    Ignored
    says:

    WHAT DO WE WANT?

    INDEPENDENCE!

    WHEN DO WE WANT IT?

    Eh, any time you see fit……

  21. Baxter1967
    Ignored
    says:

    A leader inspiring The Scottish people to Independence would have in place robust policies on currency, trade, borders and promoting economic growth. Instead the SNP has been trying to out do the Greens on nonsensical identity politics. All that time and effort. What an utter fraud.

  22. Alison Ross
    Ignored
    says:

    Ha! INDYWANG love it Chris.

  23. Andy
    Ignored
    says:

    And there are actually people on this very website advocating that we vote Sturgeon and are criminal accomplices back into power, to fulfill the task of putting all their perverted policies into law.

    And Chris, you do realise that you are now on the “list” of the conspiracy theorists, Mia, Ruby, Al Stuart, Brian Bucket, AYRSHIRE NOB, Breeks and all the rest of the Sturgeon Ultras, who DEMAND we all vote SNP 1 or they are going to tell the teacher that you’re one of “THEM”.

    May God have mercy on your soul.

  24. Ottomanboi
    Ignored
    says:

    This from the heading Colonialism in the Stanford Encyclopaedia of Philosophy.

    «Although the English word imperialism was not commonly used before the nineteenth century, Elizabethans already described the United Kingdom as “the British Empire.” As Britain began to acquire overseas dependencies, the concept of empire was employed more frequently.»

    Why Scotland needs an assertive, articulate independent voice.
    There can be no faintheart measures from nationalist leaders.

  25. katherine hamilton
    Ignored
    says:

    This election does have an end of the pier feel about it. She’s going to win. Independence is lost for a good while. The only thing that might change anything is the Evans court case. Christ, I’m sick of court cases. Even then she’ll brass it out, I think.

    The one downside to ALBA is it has taken the heat off her. What an irony.

  26. Effigy
    Ignored
    says:

    The Daily Hail the Hitler supporting propaganda pamphlet
    has a seat by seat account of who best to vote for in order
    to stop the nasty Scots having any human rights.

    All of the seats they list today suggest Labour 1 Tory 2.

    How strange the change for right wing extremists telling the plebs
    to vote Labour.

    The reason given is that Sarwar will not permit another referendum as
    Instructed by his London HQ.

  27. Proadge
    Ignored
    says:

    They have been well and truly rumbled.

  28. Andy
    Ignored
    says:

    Effigy 9.52

    So that’ll mean only Alex Salmond is the only leader who is in favour of Scottish IIndependence?

    Because I can’t see any other who is in favour of it.

    I’ll be campaiagning for Sarwar to take the seat of the demented Sturgeon in Glasgow Southside and ALBA for my list vote.

    We need to drain the swamp before we even think of Scotland becoming an independent nation.

    LET’S DRIAN THE SWAMP
    DON’T VOTE FOR THE SNP,,, EVER AGAIN!!!

  29. dramfineday
    Ignored
    says:

    Nice one Chris – as usual

  30. Meg merrilees
    Ignored
    says:

    Effigy @ 9.52

    Re the Daily Mail recommendation for voting Lab.1 Tory2 – is that a strategy to try and increase the Tory seat tally since Labour is in third overall position.

    Agreed, they know that Sarwar/Starmer will never vote for Indy but perhaps they sense the unease that a lot of folks feel about the SNP and know that many Scots and former SNP voters would never vote Tory.

    A ‘wee nudge’ from the paper suggesting homely ‘old labour’ like in the old days, as ‘yir faither’ voted might just be enough to take votes away from the SNP and possibly let the Tories slip through in more marginal constituencies.

  31. Mark Boyle
    Ignored
    says:

    @Effigy says: 17 April, 2021 at 9:52 am

    The Daily Hail the Hitler supporting propaganda pamphlet
    has a seat by seat account of who best to vote for in order
    to stop the nasty Scots having any human rights.

    All of the seats they list today suggest Labour 1 Tory 2.

    How strange the change for right wing extremists telling the plebs to vote Labour.

    Do you really think your average Daily Mail or Daily Express reader is going to vote for a party led by a Sarwar just because their preferred rag says so?

  32. Lollysmum
    Ignored
    says:

    No email notification again Stu- 2nd consecutive Saturday & no email telling me there’s another toon from Chris Cairns to make me smile.

    Had assumed he was off golfing given the wonderfully glorious weather Scotland is having.

  33. Jontoscots20
    Ignored
    says:

    Ha ha indywang! This just encapsulates the ephemeral nature of the SNP’s commitment to independence. I am sure the Sturgeon Oompa Loompas will be scratching their heads. To get them fuming please keep the head and the heart happy and keep the heat on Sturgeon by voting SNP constituency and Alba for the list.

  34. Sian Laidlaw
    Ignored
    says:

    https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/rape-suspects-can-choose-to-self-identify-as-female-vfl678tg6?shareToken=5eadce91ef31a05788677b702b8af025

    Why does anybody want to be voting for independence at this time when you are voting for policies like these. Scotland deserves better! I’ll not be voting at all this election. If it’s worth having, it’s worth waiting for and now is definitely not the time for an independent Scotland. Now is the time to clear out the crap!

  35. Republicofscotland
    Ignored
    says:

    That’s a belter Chris.

    Meanwhile the wee shit Neil Oliver that called Scottish independence a cancer, and cost the NTS a shit load of members, has now joined the nest of vipers at the ultra BritNat GB news, which is anchored by Brillo, aka die-hard unionist and house jock Andrew Neil.

  36. Effigy
    Ignored
    says:

    Hi Mark,

    I put nothing past blind unionists.

    I do believe the Mail gives the blind a white stick to navigate
    the path to English suppression.

  37. Ottomanboi
    Ignored
    says:

    See ourselves as others see us…
    Seeing your country as reflected back by outside observers is chastening.
    The equivalent of a reboot or good kick up the backside.
    There can be too much mutual admiration navel or anal gazing, to very little effect.
    Just get on with it you «leaders».
    The equipment is there, use it.

  38. Anna
    Ignored
    says:

    They don’t have the ability or the courage, they are procrastinating. Using any reason to divert. Making their own hay like Boris Johnson and his clique.

  39. Luigi
    Ignored
    says:

    If Alba establish a bridgehead at Holyrood it will create big problems for the BritNat MSM. Two targets more difficult to focus on. If this unfolds as planned, expect the media to label the Indy movement as “SNP-Alba” despite the huge differences in policy, urgency etc. Ye see – they have to keep us together to label us and silence us effectively. A diverse indy community is the stuff of Yoon nightmares. 🙂

  40. TheSNPLeftMe
    Ignored
    says:

    But send us more money anyway!

    “We guarentee men in dresses first though.”

  41. Republicofscotland
    Ignored
    says:

    So a whole plethora of countries around the globe are queuing up to interview Alex Salmond due to the new kid on the block the ALBA party, from Colombia to Vietnam, to Qatar, have all sat down and interview Big Eck on the ALBA party, yet the supposedly unbiased BBC continues to snub Salmond and the ALBA party.

    Its pretty obvious that the English state broadcaster is running scared from Alex Salmond and the ALBA party because they know in Alex and the ALBA party that he/it is a real contender for Scottish independence.

    The BBC and ITV/STV for that matter are enemies of Scotland and both companies will do their utmost to hinder Scottish independence in any way they can.

    ITV and the BBC will continue to snub the ALBA party, but come May 6th when the ALBA party returns a surprising amount of MSPs to Holyrood things will be different.

    Remember vote ALBA to protect women’s rights and remove the Greens who support unpopular genderwoowoo policies that impinge on women’s rights.

  42. Luigi
    Ignored
    says:

    Alba barely 3 weeks old and the MSM are already having to ease off the SNP (not quite able to label them together yet). Imagine their dilemma if Alba gain a foothold in Holyrood. Get yer popcorn while ye can!

  43. akenaton
    Ignored
    says:

    Katherine Hamilton is correct, we should have gone for the jugular when she was at her most vulnerable just after the committee submitted its report.
    Politicians are ALL self-serving even those with whom we agree and most are unwilling to put their political future on the line.
    In Alex’s case, this fiasco could finish his career anyway and he could spend the rest of his days pontificating on RT.

    Better to take the enemy on face to face, as they are more vicious and politically astute than we, with our “outmoded ideas on how society should work”.

  44. PacMan
    Ignored
    says:

    Mark Boyle says: 17 April, 2021 at 10:19 am

    @Effigy says: 17 April, 2021 at 9:52 am

    The Daily Hail the Hitler supporting propaganda pamphlet
    has a seat by seat account of who best to vote for in order
    to stop the nasty Scots having any human rights.

    All of the seats they list today suggest Labour 1 Tory 2.

    How strange the change for right wing extremists telling the plebs to vote Labour.

    Do you really think your average Daily Mail or Daily Express reader is going to vote for a party led by a Sarwar just because their preferred rag says so?

    The Tories are gaming the system as they have always done.

    They are also hypocritical for accusing independence supporters of doing the same thing as doing something wrong.

    Judging by the BTL comments on here, the depressing thing is that indy supporters are unwilling to do it because they can’t see the big picture that by voting SNP 1 and Alba 2 they will get both a super majority to deliver independence and a real opposition to check the ultra-woke SNP in check.

  45. Alastair Bryan
    Ignored
    says:

    Thank God for ALBA.
    I am sick and tired of being lead up the hill to be let down by the SNP.I dont want to be part of a rotten to the core UK.
    I dont want corrupt Westminster politcs and I dont want their Brexit. Let’s get out of spitfire Britain while we can.

  46. Republicofscotland
    Ignored
    says:

    The ALBA party are hosting a conference today in preparation for their manifesto next week, items being discussed are women’s rights, a written Scottish constitution, the economy, education, renewables, pensions, a Scottish currency, and a independence strategy and a several other topics.

    The ALBA party are now the Scottish party of independence, that’s working for the good of the Scottish people.

  47. Daisy Walker
    Ignored
    says:

    Great Cartoon Chris, damned shame its so accurate.

    I remember when your cartoons ripped the proverbial out of the lieing unionists… oh wait.

    @ Kiwilassie re that document.

    Wow – what an interesting read. He doesn’t mince his words.

    England has a choice – allow Scotland a democratic means by which it can obtain Indy, or rule by Force.

    Westminster can overrule any and all Holyrood laws, at any time. Westminster parliamentary sovereignty is all.

    The one thing he carfully avoided – was talk of a plebiscite indy GE. Reading between the lines however, I think he would argue the majority vote would have to be throughout the whole of the parliament, not just the Scottish seats.

    With regards May election if its for a majority – he advises re-running the referendum, however, its clear that if no majority is reached in May, he expects Westminster to legislate to make a re-run of this issue at Holyrood illegal. And he is quite clear they have the power to do so.

  48. kapelmeister
    Ignored
    says:

    Ironically Robert Webb was one of the 200 prominent people who in August 2014 stated in the Guardian that they didn’t wish to see Scotland independent. So you shouldn’t have bothered with the apology Chris.

  49. Ruby
    Ignored
    says:

    Vote Green if you want everyone to be gender queer!

    Fed up being called a woman/a man then vote Green.

    Fed up being referred to as she/he and would prefer other pronouns like it then vote Green.

    Fed up with these birth announcements celebrating the birth of a baby girl/boy then vote Green.

    Fed up hearing that ‘Trans Women are women’/Trans men are men’ and would prefer to see the term women/men eradicated from our vocabulary then vote Green.

    No sure as yet what the Greens propose doing about male/female names. Obviously if you are called Patrick it might suggest ‘it’ might be a baby with dangly bits.

    Perhaps the solution would be if the baby just had a gender neutral number.

    Genderwang?

  50. Robert Graham
    Ignored
    says:

    A great cartoon and confirmation of what most of us know to be true

    The lurkers from WGD this cartoon is aimed specifically at you people does it ring a bell does it make you question what princess Nicola has in store for everyone because it’s certainly not Indy ref2 never has been never will be while she and her circle are in charge that’s .GUARANTEED

  51. Graf Midgehunter
    Ignored
    says:

    Kiwilassie posted this report and I strongly recommend that everyone reads it.

    The summary from page 5 onwards is basically all you need, to understand the whole report.

    MIA – keep going with your posts. The labour/concern trolls were pushing hard yesterday, such is their fear of the new situation that ALBA has created.

    The yoonionists are looking at decimation straight in the face and boy are they really scared.. 🙂

  52. Daisy Walker
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Mark Boyle re, ‘Do you really think your average Daily Mail or Daily Express reader is going to vote for a party led by a Sarwar just because their preferred rag says so?’

    Yes, if they can do it in ‘red’ Morningside they can do it anywhere, plus there not hellish much difference between Stamers labour and the tories, is there.

  53. gus1940
    Ignored
    says:

    Last night’s PPB was on behalf of something called The Family Party.

    Can we now assume that we will be getting a PPB on behalf of ALBA?

  54. 100%Yes
    Ignored
    says:

    It’d be funny if it wasn’t true. I had every intention of not voting for the SNP, then my wife said why not vote for the SNP and give Sturgeon the majority and let her hang her self after all this is whats Alex Salmonds telling us to do because he knows her better than anyone else, how many people are going to stick with the SNP when all they do is promise you Independence or a referendum and never deliver it.

  55. kapelmeister
    Ignored
    says:

    What’s that other game Sturgeon likes to take part in?

    Oh aye, Injunctionwang.

  56. Liz
    Ignored
    says:

    Accurate as all hell.
    The Sturgeon faithful won’t believe it.

  57. Red
    Ignored
    says:

    kapelmeister says:
    17 April, 2021 at 10:58 am
    Ironically Robert Webb was one of the 200 prominent people who in August 2014 stated in the Guardian that they didn’t wish to see Scotland independent.

    Open letters are the literary equivalent of Woody Allen having sex with someone he loves – i.e. masturbation.

    Nevertheless, the Guardian Celebrity Yoon epistle was tame stuff by the standards of the genre:

    The decision on whether to leave our shared country is, of course, absolutely yours alone. Nevertheless, that decision will have a huge effect on all of us in the rest of the United Kingdom. We want to let you know how very much we value our bonds of citizenship with you, and to express our hope that you will vote to renew them. What unites us is much greater than what divides us. Let’s stay together.

    Some of the names on there suggest they were doing Sleb Archeology to dig up people you probably haven’t thought about since 1991:

    Kriss Akabusi
    Cilla Black
    Gyles Brandreth
    Sir Bruce Forsyth
    Bamber Gascoigne
    Esther Rantzen

    My headcanon is that they raided Alan Partridge’s rolodex.

  58. Ruby
    Ignored
    says:

    Graf Midgehunter says:
    17 April, 2021 at 11:04 am
    Here’s the report

    https://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2021-04/Scotland_Referendum_final.pdf

    Reply

    Would you be able to summarise what it says in one short post?

    ie. Does it say Scotland can be a successful independent country?

  59. Andy
    Ignored
    says:

    Pacman. 10.46am

    Can you tell me which part of this “big picture” do I not see.

    Because from where I am standing, I see it quite clearly,,,and I see a Perverts Charter.

    Led by a Pervert in Sturgeon, and backed up by her equally perverted gang of Crooks.

    I will never vote for the SNP ever again.

    Sturgeon will never meet Salmond to discuss Independence,,,and those who vote for her and her Party are complicit in all she does to the people of Scotland.

    Only perverts vote for the SNP.

    Deluded perverts at that.

  60. Cenchos
    Ignored
    says:

    Today would be a good day to bury, um, bad news.

  61. Red
    Ignored
    says:

    gus1940 says:
    17 April, 2021 at 11:03 am
    Last night’s PPB was on behalf of something called The Family Party.

    I thought they were one of The Artist Formerly and Then Presently and Now Formerly Known As Prince’s side projects, having released Nothing Compares 2 U to little fanfare before Sinead O’Connor shaved her head and knocked it out of the park with her magnificently emotional cover version.

  62. PacMan
    Ignored
    says:

    Andy, when’s your heavy mob appearing?

  63. Effigy
    Ignored
    says:

    Do you remember Question Time of old
    and the Liberals were the 3rd largest party?

    The Libs had a representative on most shows.
    Just as soon as SNP took 3rd spot their place
    in the show was given to one of their favourite
    right wing journalists.

    I guarantee that even if Alba can gather more votes
    or seats than the Fib Dems or Greens, they won’t be
    given their seat in any TV debate.

    If ever he did appear he will be diluted by having a sea
    of right wing MDs and Churnalists all targeting him without answer.

    Indy ref 1 was exactly the same.
    Begin with the Unionist reporter hinting SNP bad then
    Tory MP accusing, then Lib accusing, then Alex answering during contact interruptions
    and being cut of short so some Labour guy can attack again without reply.

    Finish with a wee unbiased crone like Smith to summarise Alex, SNP and Independence bad.

    One of the great Jewell’s in the independence crown will be to remove this poisonous media
    from our shores!

  64. Luigi
    Ignored
    says:

    Sigh – yet another unsubstantiated claim. Andy are you Nicola Sturgeon? Because if not then don’t claim that she will never speak to Alex Salmond again. How the heck would you know? This is politics – loads of stupid things are said but what happens after May 6th very much depends on what happens on May 6th. But of course you know that don’t you?

  65. kapelmeister
    Ignored
    says:

    Republicofscotland @10:26

    I see that Oliver is going to present a weekly current affairs and interview show on this GB News. Which promises to talk to people “who make Britain great”. Andrew Neil and Neil Oliver pathetically trying to prop up the union.

    I suggest an apt title for the show… Neil Desperandum.

  66. Fred
    Ignored
    says:

    kapelmeister says:
    “ you shouldn’t have bothered with the apology Chris.”

    C’mon kapelmeister, that’s a bit of misrepresentation and a bit harsh.
    Seriously? The cast of Peep Show are now the enemy because they both signed a non aggressive letter to the Scottish people requesting us to not break away from the rest of the UK?
    Ok, you win- my six series box-set is now in the bin.

  67. Ruby
    Ignored
    says:

    I’ve decided to edit this bit from my earlier post

    Not sure as yet what the Greens propose doing about male/female names. Obviously if it is called Patrick it might suggest ‘it’ might be a baby with a wang! 🙂

    Wang! the word of the day?

  68. Luigi
    Ignored
    says:

    I remember senior SNP politicians assuring us that Scotland will never be taken out of Europe. How did that go? “We will never speak to Alex Salmond blah blah blah!”………. AYE RIGHT

  69. Luigi
    Ignored
    says:

    Neil Oliver & George Galloway. Two individuals I may have had some respect for in the past but now that the masks are off revealing a couple of rabid yoons all I can say is: Wow. British nationalism certainly brings out the worst in some folk. 🙂

  70. kapelmeister
    Ignored
    says:

    Fred @11:31

    OK Fred. I like Mitchell & Webb, especially Peep Show. That open letter was still stupid and patronising.

  71. Alan Thoms
    Ignored
    says:

    Independence is one thing. It’s a noble ambition ,but very hard questions have to be addressed. What currency? If it’s Sterling then the Bank of England will control interest rates. What about Scotland’s share of the National Debt? What about the immediate deficit when the Barnet subsidy is removed? What about the cost to Scotland of a defence force and the NHS? Will Scotland be allowed into the EU,and if so will it have to adopt the Euro, and who will control Scottish fishing waters? If Scotland does rejoin the EU what effect will an immediate hard border with England have on Scottish trade and business with the rest of UK. Rember 60% of Scottish goods go to England. The English can find other markets to replace Scottish imports. What about Faslane and the jobs it creates. Who will finance Scotland’s Massive Public Sector once UK funding is removed. What sort of Covid vaccine rollout would Scotland have produced if it had been independent?
    These crucial questions and many more are NOT being addressed by Nationalists. I can see the arguments that revolve around self determination and they do have a moral justification. My worry is that achieving independence could literally bankrupt Scotland in the short and medium term.We were told by thevSNP that getting out of the EU would be massively complicated because we had been tied into the Block for over 40 years. Well we have been in the Union for over 300 years. Leaving it will make Brexit look like a walk in the park.

  72. Graf Midgehunter
    Ignored
    says:

    Ruby says: 11:11 am

    Graf Midgehunter says: at 11:04 am
    Here’s the report

    https://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2021-04/Scotland_Referendum_final.pdf

    Reply

    1. Would you be able to summarise what it says in one short post?

    2. ie. Does it say Scotland can be a successful independent country?
    ————————-
    I posted the report a couple of minutes later – but it’s good to keep repeating it.

    1. The summary says everything you need to know, it doesn’t need my layman’s help.

    2. That’s not what the report is about, it’s about a part the process of getting to be independent.

    That Scotland can be a successful independent country, I have no doubts about that at all. 🙂

  73. wullie
    Ignored
    says:

    Alan Thoms says:
    All that you ask has been answered thousands and thousands of times try to keep up.

  74. PacMan
    Ignored
    says:

    Alan Thoms has a point.

    The SNP could have answered these questions and they would have been put to bed ages ago.

    The questions haven’t been answered and that is the greatest fault of Nicola Sturgeons leadership of both the SNP and the Scottish government.

  75. kapelmeister
    Ignored
    says:

    Alan Thoms @11:41

    “What about Faslane and the jobs it creates?”

    Ah, you mean all the scientists monitoring the area for radioactive pollution.

  76. Prasad
    Ignored
    says:

    Rev Stu if you read this.
    I have written to NHS Blood Donations website about this
    https://www.nhsbt.nhs.uk/who-we-are/our-staff/lgbtplus-network/donation-if-you-are-lgbtplus/
    which you tweeted about.

    The only thing that makes sense to me is that they don’t understand how the words trans man and women are generally understood and they have them mixed up.

    It is possible that they mean to write
    ‘The deferral for men who have sex with men applies to men only, regardless of whether you are cis man [i.e male] or trans woman [i.e male]. It would not apply to you if you are a transgender man [i.e female] or if you are a person of another gender or no gender [i.e female].’

    Further down page
    ‘We therefore ask you to provide your assigned [sic] sex at birth during the confidential health check which all donors have before every donation’

    [To me male trans and female trans are the only terms which make sense or ‘trans f to m’ and ‘trans m to f’]

  77. Captain Yossarian
    Ignored
    says:

    @Wullie – ‘All that you ask has been answered thousands and thousands of times’.

    I don’t think any of these questions have been answered, Wullie. Have they?

    There are plenty of folk in Scotland willing to vote for independence, but you’ll never get above 40-50% without confronting this.

  78. Daisy Walker
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Alan Thoms

    re, ‘The English can find other markets to replace Scottish imports.’

    One of the biggest imports England appropriates from Scotland – is energy – elctric, gas and oil.

    What they gonna do, sit round a candle.

    Anyway, nice try. You’re 7 years late for nearly every one of your points, which have been evidenced to death fairly comprenehsively on this and other sites.

    In the interests of being polite, can I direct you to Business For Scotland – Believe In Scotland – they’ve got a handy wee book that sets out the more accurate realities of Scotland’s wealth.

    But in the meant time, this election, is not about converting No voters to Yes… That will be for round 2.

    This is about ensuring the existing Indy vote, becomes the Alba vote on the List. Max the Yes.

  79. Bartleby64
    Ignored
    says:

    Republicofscotland @10.37
    It has been apparent to me for a long time that the BBC hates almost everybody. Scotland, Wales, NI, rural people, the ‘lower orders’ (as they would probably describe them), posh people, business people, Tories, Liberals, old Labour. Even the people they seem to approve of they also patronise and despise.
    Who do they like? The urban elite, Blairites, selected wokey scary people, some remainers (but not all), and themselves. The cloud of smug hanging over the BBC is revolting.
    As for STV/ITV I wouldn’t know, I avoid them like the plague as they seem to be much like the BBC but with adverts.

  80. Andy
    Ignored
    says:

    Luigi. 11.28

    You wouldn’t be one of those “SNP 1” deluded perverts would you???

    What does it for you Luigi,,,is it the chicks with dicks???

  81. Graf Midgehunter
    Ignored
    says:

    Alan Thoms says: at 11:41 am

    “Independence is one thing. It’s a noble ambition ,but very hard questions have to be addressed. What currency?”
    ——————–
    Oh dear, you were just getting started and then you dropped your yoon knickers..!?

  82. Dan
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Daisy

    Alan Thoms will be interested to see that England is currently importing over 10% of the leccy it needs from the Euro connections in France and Belgium. (scroll to right of page to view all gauges).
    I don’t recall such concerns being aired during the EU leave / remain vote, and whether energy transfers would be included or tariffs applied in future trade deals.

    https://www.gridwatch.templar.co.uk/

  83. Andy
    Ignored
    says:

    Daisy Walker. 11.52

    “But in the meant time, this election, is not about converting No voters to Yes… That will be for round 2.

    This is about ensuring that “perverts get access to female only changing rooms”

    There,,,fixed that for you Daisy.

    ONLY PERVERTS VOTE FOR THE SNP!!!

    LET’S DRAIN THE SWAMP!!!

  84. Dan
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Andy

    You spend an awfy lot of time on here and have been punting this line for weeks now, to the point of saturation where anybody reading btl commentary can’t have missed it.
    Heads up, all readers don’t live in Glasgow Southside.
    You may actually have more chance of influencing your preferred outcome if you actually got of yer arse and went round the constituency doors.

  85. Andy
    Ignored
    says:

    Is there anyone left in Scotland who would actually admit to being a member of the SNP???

    Or worse still,,,is there anyone left in Scotland who would actually wear their SNP badge with pride???

    Because what you are actually telling the world is,,,

    “LOOK AT ME,,, I’M A FUCKIN PERVERT”.

  86. Red
    Ignored
    says:

    Dan says:
    17 April, 2021 at 12:02 pm
    @ Daisy

    Alan Thoms will be interested to see that England is currently importing over 10% of the leccy it needs from the Euro connections in France and Belgium. (scroll to right of page to view all gauges).
    I don’t recall such concerns being aired during the EU leave / remain vote, and whether energy transfers would be included or tariffs applied in future trade deals.

    They were aired, but there was so much fear and doubt being thrown around at the time of the referendum it was easy to miss:

    https://www.euractiv.com/section/energy/news/uk-energy-links-to-europe-at-risk-from-brexit-analysts-warn/

    The problem is, Westminster, Brussels and Holyrood all agree that electricity should be very expensive. The goal of climate policy is to make the working classes a lot poorer.

  87. Andy
    Ignored
    says:

    Dan. 12.12

    So you want me to Weeshit for Indy Dan?

    You don’t want Sturgeon’s stinkin knickers washed on a public forum.

    Are you also going to tell the teacher on me Dan?

    I’ll make it a bit clearer for you Dan.

    GLASGOW SOUTHSIDE VOTE

    SARWAR 1 AND ALBA 2

    LET’S DRAIN THE SWAMP

    NEVER VOTE FOR THE SNP,,, EVER AGAIN!!!

    And just for you Dan,,,

    “THIS TACTIC CAN BE USED THROUGHOUT SCOTLAND”.

    ONLY PERVERTS VOTE FOR THE SNP.

  88. Heaver
    Ignored
    says:

    @Cenchos says: Today would be a good day to bury, um, bad news.

    Good one.
    .

    @Alan Thoms. Just read the WeeBlueBook ffs.

  89. akenaton
    Ignored
    says:

    Additionally, Suppose we do achieve a reasonable majority with the help of the incumbent criminals, and then try to fight a referendum on independence, what are the Unionist parties going to do to us? Come on be honest, we will be bracketed with Sturgeon and all the loony perverts who have been funded and encouraged by her administration. They won’t give Alex any credit for his fight against the junta, he will in their propaganda, have sold out and all the rightful indignation in these pages will prove to Unionism that we are self-serving hypocrites.

    Remove the scum first!

  90. Dan
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Red

    My badly made point was that issues like importing energy from a Union / Single Market weren’t deemed as show stoppers in convincing folk that the UK couldn’t manage without or negotiate a trade deal once we were out of said Union / Single Market.

    I’m sure you will know Scotland has a diverse range of valuable resources and a very healthy resource to population ratio, unlike England. (caveat old figures)

    Scotland has only 8.3% of the UK’s population. 8.3%! Remember this important figure… 8.3%But we DO have…32% of the land area.
    61% of the sea area.
    90% of the fresh water.
    65% of the natural gas production.
    96.5% of the crude oil production.
    47% of the open cast coal production
    81% of the untapped coal reserves
    62% of the timber production
    46% of the total forest area
    92% of the hydro electric production
    40% of the wind wave and solar energy production
    60% of the fish landings
    30% of the beef herd
    20% of the sheep herd
    9% of the dairy herd
    10% of the pig herd
    15% if the cereal holdings
    20% of the potato holdings
    70% of UK Gin production
    …obviously 100% of the Scotch Whisky industry.

    The real question is, how would England survive if Independent…

    https://twitter.com/freethinker2030/status/1224038013409419265

  91. Dan
    Ignored
    says:

    Andy says: at 12:21 pm

    So you want me to Weeshit for Indy Dan?

    You’re already effectively weeshting for Indy yourself, because if you want rid of the roadblock to Indy that is Nicola Sturgeon you would have more reach and voice to influence that happening if you went round the doors of those in the constituency she is actually standing in.
    Andy, you’re shouting at tea in here.

  92. Kiwilassie
    Ignored
    says:

    Daisy Walker says:
    17 April, 2021 at 10:58

    @ Kiwilassie re that document.

    Wow – what an interesting read. He doesn’t mince his words.

    Reply .
    Please Daisy and everyone else here, post that document throughout Scotland. I’m in New Zealand & don’t carry the same clout as yourselves do in Scotland.
    Get the word out before the 6th May. Max the yes votes SNP ALBA2.
    https://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2021-04/Scotland_Referendum_final.pdf

  93. Shocked
    Ignored
    says:

    Just seen today the Greens have effectively abolished women and sex will not be recorded on birth certificates, won’t be long till the SNP sign up to this as well.

    Hope the SNP1 crowd are proud of themselves today, when we get the SNP/green coalition and the handful of Alba msps carp irrelevantly from the sidelines.

    How anyone who cares about Scotland and it’s people could vote SNP1 is beyond me, they must love the party more than anything else.

  94. Andy
    Ignored
    says:

    Dan

    I bet you wear your SNP badge with such pride,,, you know what they say about those SNP members now,,, don’t you???

  95. Mark Boyle
    Ignored
    says:

    Effigy says: 17 April, 2021 at 10:26 am

    Hi Mark, I put nothing past blind unionists. I do believe the Mail gives the blind a white stick to navigate the path to English suppression.

    All they did was cut and pasted Tiddles Galloway’s Workers Party of Britain/All4Unity/Club For Utterly Sad Bastards With A Problem With Jews (whatever it is called now) “dummy sheet” which he lifted from any one of a dozen voting analysis websites about which party got the second most votes in seats. It’s an easy space filler, which in a slow news week was welcome. There’s only so much they could write about Prince Phillip.

    PacMan says: 17 April, 2021 at 10:46 am

    The Tories are gaming the system as they have always done.

    They are also hypocritical for accusing independence supporters of doing the same thing as doing something wrong.

    By the same token, indy supporters are equally hypocritical for pouting over two newspaper articles doing a lazy cut and paste job. It’s all rather wee waens screaming “yous is cheating” at each other in the playground.

    If it can be done and isn’t illegal, it’s in the rules. What’s happening this time out is par for the course and if any of you out there think the SNP and Greens don’t get up to the same dirty tricks as the Tories, Labour and Lib Dems (either directly or via their “deniable assets”), you’ve never spent time out on the stump during elections.

    Politicians at election time have about as much scruples as people in showbiz.

  96. Kiwilassie
    Ignored
    says:

    Aketon say:
    Politicians are ALL self-serving even those with whom we agree and most are unwilling to put their political future on the line.
    In Alex’s case, this fiasco could finish his career anyway and he could spend the rest of his days pontificating on RT.

    Reply
    I think Scotands Independence is more important to him than his career. Alex has been in politics all these years for one reason only. Scotlands Independence. He won’t give up till his last breath. He’s a true son of Scotland. 🙂

  97. Scozzie
    Ignored
    says:

    Anyone will two functioning neurons knows that NS / SNP have no desire nor competence to deliver independence. Her party is filled with gender nutters, carpetbaggers, troughers and just plain morons.

    I hope that those who plan to vote Alba get the word out. It needs the grassroots getting back their mojo.

    Alba is up against major MSM pile ons – constantly demanding AS apologies to women whose allegations he was acquitted.
    – Where are the MSM questions to NS on the 600k?
    – Where are the MSM questions to NS on no-one being held to account for the harassment policy cock up?
    – Where are the questions on her “I can’t recall or remember answers to the inquiry? (Afterall if they can dredge up the trial to AS why not dredge up the inquiry to NS?)
    – Where are the questions on throwing women’s rights under the bus with self ID?
    ….AND ON, AND ON, AND ON

    If anyone can’t believe that the MSM are soft-soaping the SNP / Greens then you’re kool-aid is over-flowing.

    This is not a fair election. Grassroots – speak to people, inform, and show the real truth. Alba is counting on grassroots to be active participants in this election not passive bystanders.

  98. Liz g
    Ignored
    says:

    Dan @ 12.34
    Well said Dan, exactly that ….
    And you know what they say, about people who say, ” you know what they say ” 🙂

  99. Breeks
    Ignored
    says:

    PacMan says:
    17 April, 2021 at 11:49 am
    Alan Thoms has a point.

    The SNP could have answered these questions and they would have been put to bed ages ago.

    The questions haven’t been answered and that is the greatest fault of Nicola Sturgeons leadership of both the SNP and the Scottish government.

    I’m not disagreeing, but it’s more complicated.

    People (unionists mainly), assume and Indy Scotland will struggle because they’re just feeding the existing data into the existing number crunching machine, ignore all the evidence that paints a positive future, and frequently deploy tricks in accountancy to distort the figures.

    A famous distortion was Scotland allegedly having a GDP similar to Peru or somewhere, but the figures were ridiculously skewed. For example, when they’d “assessed” Scottish oil, they’d looked upon oil as a UK resource to which Scotland would only inherit a population share of 10%. It overlooked the fact that 96% of the oil would be Scottish, not 10%.

    You probably can’t produce a definitive version of the Scottish economy after Independence. There are too many variables which are bound to change, and perhaps change several times. You might have a general idea of where you want to be, but there might be a whole number of course corrections required to get there.

    It thus follows that if you cannot predict the benefits with any reliable certainty, then equally, you cannot predict doom and despair with any reliable certainty for all the same reasons.

    All you can do is look at the raw resources and balance of trade which an Independent Scottish economy would have, (which tends to mark Scotland as being rich in resources), and whether the future of an Independent Scotland is to be buoyant or gloomy largely depends on whether we have a good Independent Government which develops the advantages and steers clear of the pitfalls.

    This whole economic argument continually rears it’s head as an Anti-Independence shtick because the UK is an existing economic scenario, and even though the GERS figures are unreliable, they are still figures produced. It is thus easy for Unionists to present Scotland’s place in the Union as a “known” and “safe” scenario, whereas the figures for an Independent Scotland represents a risky leap into the great unknown. But ask yourself this, if the figures really were so gloomy for Scotland, why doesn’t the UK Government release the raw economic data it uses to produce the “manipulated” figures in GERS?

    The other “device” in this which masquerades as an argument, is that whenever anybody does postulate of how a Scottish Economy might actually perform, the same unpredictable nature of the predictive arguments is suddenly adopted by the Unionists, and used to discredit the ‘possible’ economic model by saying it’s based on Mickey Mouse fantastical numbers. The whole argument is rigged so nobody can see a level playing field.

    Debt is another distortion of reality. How will Scotland manage it’s share of UK debt? Well, UK debt is not Scotland’s debt, so Scotland could simply shrug it’s shoulders and say it isn’t our problem, but I don’t think that’s the best option.

    I think Scotland would actually want to shoulder some of the UK debt, because if Scotland takes on some of the debt, then straight away, it tremendously strengthens Scotland’s hand and leverage when it comes to apportioning Scotland’s rightful share of UK assets. (An argument that cuts both ways, – weakening our hand if Scotland refused to take on some debt).

    But debt is not necessarily a bad thing, because as predicted way back in the McCrone Report, a Scottish economy buoyed up by oil, productive manufacturing like food and drink, massive strategic resources like fishing grounds, and massive Renewables potential, such a healthy economy could make Scotland’s currency a very hard currency, and while Scotland would be a very wealthy country, our export industries would be hammered because our strong currency makes our goods very expensive for other countries to afford.

    To prevent Scotland’s currency skyrocketing and killing our exports, a judicious use of debt could be an extremely necessary, indeed vital component in our toolbox when trying to keep Scotland Export markets stable and affordable, without necessarily injuring the Scottish economy.

    This scaremongering argument that was often re-hashed as a terrible world of pint costing £8 in Norway. £8 a pint is readily affordable to the Norwegians and their Krona. It’s only extortionate if you’re buying your pint with Sterling.

  100. Luigi
    Ignored
    says:

    Andy how exactly does voting Alba 2 make one an SNP-Green pervert? Resorting to insults is a sure sign you’re losing the argument lol.

  101. willie
    Ignored
    says:

    Ah well the postal votes are now and people in receipt of a postal ballot do what they do, and complete the ballot and return the votes near immediately – thereby locking in their vote early doors.

    Not difficult to see therefore why there has been a media blockade on Alba save for negative commenting.

    Not difficult to see either how Nicola Sturgeon who has for some considerable time been repeatedly plugging SNP 1 and SNP 2 wrote to supporters some four weeks back to encourage people to secure postal votes

    Getting people to lock in their votes before ALBA are allowed to get their message out is absolutely undemocratic. Some 35% of votes have now been issued as postal votes!

    And so on visiting two older friend in their 70s today who support independence I was told triumphantly that – ” that’s both votes SNP in the envelope ready to post ”

    However, when I explained how the voting system worked last time, how in our region we secured no SNP despite 43% of the vote, and how there was now an ALBA option that would secure seats, the immediate response was ” we’ll steam open the envelopes and change the votes ” No need to says I you’re both fit enough to vote in person just do that instead.

    But how many other votes will go out mislead by censorship and the deliberate attempts to encourage early doors postal voting.

    Such is the ways of totalitarian undemocratic parties the world over. And Nicola Sturgeon is the example of that.

    Postal vote malfeasance is very real in 2021 Scotland.

  102. WeeChid
    Ignored
    says:

    PacMan says:
    17 April, 2021 at 10:46 am

    “Judging by the BTL comments on here, the depressing thing is that indy supporters are unwilling to do it because they can’t see the big picture that by voting SNP 1 and Alba 2 ”

    Maybe some of us do see it but don’t want to endorse SNP policies.

  103. WeeChid
    Ignored
    says:

    willie says:
    17 April, 2021 at 1:04 pm
    “Ah well the postal votes are now and people in receipt of a postal ballot do what they do, and complete the ballot and return the votes near immediately – thereby locking in their vote early doors.”

    Mine gets handed into the the polling station, on the day, and as late as possible in the day so that it goes to the count at the same time as the ballot box.

  104. Captain Yossarian
    Ignored
    says:

    ‘To prevent Scotland’s currency skyrocketing’ – why do we currently need a Barnett formula and, even with that, run a large deficit?

    The other two possible scenarios involving oil is 1) that the oil isn’t even extracted and 2) Shetland stakes a claim to it and it elects to stay within the UK.

    Neither of these two scenarios are that unlikely, are they?

  105. sarah
    Ignored
    says:

    @ willie and Wee Chid:

    I hope you are right that one can vote at polling station even if a postal vote has been issued. That has been the case previously BUT the Highland council guidance suggests that this time if a postal vote has been issued then that is the only way one is allowed to vote.

    My husband and I decided not to apply for a postal vote for that reason – we aren’t happy nowadays with the safety of the postal vote system so prefer to go to the polling station but knowing we could use the postal one as a back-up if unwell was handy. But we read the HCouncil guidance and, as I said, we understood it to say that if you had been issued with a postal vote then you had to use it.

  106. INDEPENDENT
    Ignored
    says:

    Kiwilassie
    What happened to the expose you threatened STV with.

    I know you can’t put it up in the UK so not on Stu’s Blog.

    But a wee skiffy to a site in say New Zealand would I am sure open a few eyes!

  107. MaggieC
    Ignored
    says:

    Gus1940 @ 11.03 am

    The Alba Party have a PBB on Weds 21st at 18.55 pm on Bbc 1 , all the other parties have broadcasts next week as well .

  108. Dan
    Ignored
    says:

    Andy says: at 12:46 pm

    I bet you wear your SNP badge with such pride,,, you know what they say about those SNP members now,,, don’t you???

    And yet again you prove yourself to be utterly ignorant in your presumptuous utterings of who I am and what I am about.
    For someone that spends quite so much time on here you have really struggled to take on board the views and positions held by all the folk you choose to interact with.

    I wonder if Wings has a supply of Un-Alert Reader badges that can be shipped to those that show a perpetual habit of being a prize winning dullard.
    If not then maybe a tin of spam and a couple of AA batteries could be sent to you to be installed as a brain upgrade.

  109. Ottomanboi
    Ignored
    says:

    The media love death stats.
    How about giving the Grim Reaper a helping hand.
    https://off-guardian.org/2021/04/16/three-things-most-people-dont-know-about-physician-assisted-death/
    Scotland has the kind of «right on» socially «concerned» political class to attempt clearing the way for this. When puritanical countries loosen their moral corsets expect the dear old things to go ape.
    In ex Catholic Belgium doctors can «euthanise» at year one.
    What the nazi eugenicists were rightly condemned for the caring EU is set to replicate.
    This is another old «conspiracy theory» proven to be anything but.

  110. Jack McArthur
    Ignored
    says:

    Dan, Only somebody at the end of their tether, in short desperate dan.

  111. Jack McArthur
    Ignored
    says:

    Dan, Only somebody at the end of their tether? in short desperate dan.

  112. Red
    Ignored
    says:


    Dan says:
    17 April, 2021 at 12:28 pm
    @ Red

    My badly made point was that issues like importing energy from a Union / Single Market weren’t deemed as show stoppers in convincing folk that the UK couldn’t manage without or negotiate a trade deal once we were out of said Union / Single Market.

    True, it was and is all bullshit. Literally nothing stopping us from leaving the Union except vested interests and lack of imagination.

    The real question is, how would England survive if Independent…

    I think that if we assume the regime in Westminster gives a single flying fornication about the wellbeing, or even the continued existence, of a people called the English, we’d be mistaken.

    The English are almost completely disenfranchised in their own country. Nobody in power gives a shit about them. The kleptocracy cares about “Global Britain”, i.e. money and pretending to be a world power as Washington DC’s daft wee sidekick.

    Independence for England!

  113. Effigy
    Ignored
    says:

    Shetland is a part of Scotland.
    It is not a country.
    It will not be opened to offers of bribery as to its belonging.

    They like Scotland itself would be enormously wealthy if
    it could keep all its own revenue.

    I’ll be wanting the 6,000 square miles of Scottish waters stolen by
    England returned the day after independence too.

  114. Brian Doonthetoon
    Ignored
    says:

    Hi Alan Thoms.

    http://www.theweebluebook.com/

    And try the online quiz at this link:-

    https://www.businessforscotland.com/

  115. WhoRattledYourCage
    Ignored
    says:

    Some desperado drunk dads are just beyond the pale. Daddy was a bank robber…

    https://whorattledyourcage.blogspot.com/2021/04/daddy-was-bank-robber.html?m=1

  116. Dan
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Red

    Aye, that’s the thing. The dissolution of the UK and resultant political transition could offer a huge number of currently disenfranchised folk in England an opportunity to have better systems of political representation, as like us, they aren’t well served by the current setup.

    @ Effigy

    Re. The moving of sea border.
    Here are links to a couple of articles on Craig Murray’s site.

    https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2012/01/scotlandengland-maritime-boundaries/

    https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2014/09/the-stolen-seas/

  117. willie
    Ignored
    says:

    Sarah @1.48

    Just checked the electoral commission and there should be a procedure for re-issuing spoiled ( or missing ) postal ballot papers up to 10.00pm on the day of the election.

    I undernote an extract from the EC and would suggest that folks who wish to change their spoiled papers read this and check with their local election board.

    Procedure for re-issuing spoilt postal votes

    If a person spoils their postal ballot paper(s) and/or postal voting statement, it is possible for them to obtain a replacement postal ballot pack. Replacements can be issued up until 10pm on polling day
    .
    60 If the request for a replacement postal ballot pack is made between 5pm on the day before polling day and 10pm on polling day itself, the replacement postal vote may only be issued to the elector if the spoilt documents are returned by hand

    61. In such cases, the issue of a replacement can also only be made by hand. You must put in place systems to enable you to issue replacements up to 10pm on polling day. Particular consideration will need to be given to this where the issue of postal votes has been outsourced.
    ?

    You should consider whether or not particular arrangements need to be put in place for disabled electors when making arrangements to reissue spoilt ballot papers, as there may be some electors who are unable to attend the elections office due to disability.
    Before a replacement can be issued, the spoilt postal ballot paper(s) or spoilt postal voting statement must be returned to you, along with the remaining ballot paper(s) or postal voting statement, return envelope ‘B’ and ballot paper envelope ‘A’, regardless of whether or not these have been spoilt
    62.
    A new postal ballot pack can then be issued to the elector.
    The legislation requires that any returned spoilt ballot papers and
    postal voting statements have to be cancelled and sealed in a packet
    for spoilt postal ballot papers, even if only one of them has actually been spoiled

    63.The elector’s name and electoral number must be added to the list of spoilt postal ballot papers to show that the spoilt ballot postal vote has been cancelled. The name must not, however, be added if the elector is registered anonymously

    64. The ballot paper numbers of the replacement ballot papers must also be added to the list. In the case of a postal proxy, the name and address of the proxy must be added to
    the list alongside the other details

    65. You must also add the details of any spoilt ballot papers which have been cancelled to the list of all cancelled postal ballot papers (see paragraph 5.39).A flowchart summarising the procedure for re-issuing spoilt postal votes is available for you to use to support this process

  118. WhoRattledYourCage
    Ignored
    says:

    SNP candidate in Falkirk East is Michelle Thomson. Seem to recall her getting hard done by from the party.

  119. Republicofscotland
    Ignored
    says:

    So the branch manager of the Lib/Dems in Scotland Willie Rennie, has taken up SLABs mantle on federalism. Rennie wants to see a federal UK, most likely to thwart Scottish independence, however that plan is as we all know a non-starter.

    Infact Rennie is a bit of a joke figure, his latest escapade, in front of the BritNat paparazzi sees Rennie toss hotdogs in the air at a staged barbecue. The Lib/Dems are just at Holyrood to make up the numbers like the trans obsessed Greens, they can promise the earth knowing fine well that they never need to deliver anything, as they’ll never actually be in government.

    Speaking of governments the English Tory one, wans to project Union Jack flags over multiple building in Glasgow, during the COP26 conference, to show the world just how British we really are…I’ll say no more.

    https://www.thenational.scot/news/19240450.cop26-tories-looking-projecting-union-flag-onto-glasgow-landmarks/

  120. Ebok
    Ignored
    says:

    @Red 2.34pm
    “I think that if we assume the regime in Westminster gives a single flying fornication about the wellbeing, or even the continued existence, of a people called the English, we’d be mistaken”

    As someone who is nowhere near as informed as you and others, I tend to apply the ‘walk like a duck’ principle. It seems to me that what’s going down here (and south of the border) has been a long time in the making.
    Maybe it was the events of 1917 that put frighteners on lineages who had amassed incalculable wealth during 300 years of plunder. The thought that peasants might rise and take it all away must have been a bit concerning. What was the logical course of action? Collaboration with other invisible, unelected lineages, and do whatever was necessary to ensure it could not happen in the West.

    Since then, anything and everything of any influence has been infiltrated and subsequently controlled. Everything has been bought and paid for: political parties, institutions, money supply, unions, MSM, education, WMD to name just a few. Add in fear, lies, bribery, blackmail, divide and rule, and garnish it with 1984 and you realise what we are up against.
    Conspiracy theory? Probably. But when you try to figure out the reason for every voting option being abhorrent, and you wonder why no one represents you, you know there are bad guys out there, and they are winning.
    There is a glimmer of hope: our leader is back, we’ve got Alba, we’ve got a chance, but there are no quick fixes, and it’s going to be a long, hard, up-hill struggle.

    I said this previously in a scathing attack on the system.
    All Vegetarians are Nazis 30/12/20
    The People of Scotland – Part 3
    31 December, 2020 at 1:56 pm

  121. Republicofscotland
    Ignored
    says:

    One wonders just how much its costing the taxpayer with regards to the current charade, which is passing as Phil the Greeks funeral. I see the BBC are offering their staff counselling, who just can’t come to terms with the passing of the sponging royal consort Phil the Greek.

    I wonder how many of the BBC’s staff will step forward and say I just can’t cope now Old Phil has transcended to that royal trough in the sky.

  122. Republicofscotland
    Ignored
    says:

    Kapelmeister @11.30am.

    Neil Oliver is the male equivalent of that other BritNat/house jock, Susan Calman, who are never off the BritNat tv now, because they nailed their unionist colours to the mast during the 2014 indyref.

  123. Lochside
    Ignored
    says:

    There must be a panic on at 77 Brigade H.Q. with the frenetic trolling that is going on in this site. Capt. Yossarian; John Macnab etc. The O.C. at Denison Barracks who dished out those nom de plumes to the ‘intelligence’ redcoats must have had a sense of humour and some literary knowledge, unlike the low level abusers attempting to hound real nationalists off the site.

    Add in the low level guttersnipes such as the entity’Andy’ playing the ‘pervert’ card to death supposedly in protection of women and children, whilst verbally abusing female contributors..nice one private! or in his case ‘privates’ might be more appropriate. Plus the occasional self proclaimed’PHD’ who is a grade one spy..I’m wonder how long it will take him to resign from ALBA when his handlers order him it’s time, and display the ripped up membership card? His minders at St. Andrews will be very please with his progress..but still needs to work on his Scoticisms…’winding your neck in’ nah..definite giveaway..’roasters’?…old hat I’m afraid old bean.

    When I read commentators on here recommending voting for the aristocratic millionaire Sarwar, son of the Governor of Punjab, winner of then Spirit of Britain ‘(sic) award, the man who had the privilege of having the first constituent to be ejected by bailiffs for the imposition of the bedroom tax in Scotland..and did SFA while on a lecture tour in India; the man who wants to pardon the Aberdeen councillors who were in coalition with the tories; who wants more nuclear weapons dumped 30 x miles nearest our greatest population.. a unionist dictator refusing Scots the right to a Referendum, then I know we’ve got the Brits worried.

    BTW Yossarian..the Clair Ridge oil field which the Brit State is trying desperately and covertly to drain through its proxy licences to International oil companies..is bigger than the North Sea Bonanza ever was. And Shetland cannot make itself independent despite you and every stinking Unionist attempts to divide and conquer..no more than Borders can secede from Scotland. This has been explained many times on this site , long before you and your faux comrades were parachuted into here to undermine us at the moment of truth. Try doing your homework before clocking in on your next shift.

  124. Republicofscotland
    Ignored
    says:

    Lochside ‘13.38pm

    We must imagine that Denison and GCHQ have folk commenting and monitoring this site, for this site is in their eyes, is a danger to the status quo, ie the union.

    As for Westminster and division that’s the game they’ve placed for centuries, the partition of India in which Westminster played a significant role saw thousand die in the process. Then of course the partitions in the ME and Africa caused ethnic violence that continues to this day.

  125. Red
    Ignored
    says:

    Ebok – the English have been under the thumb since William the Bastard and his mates stole their country in 1066. Much of English history, from the 1381 Peasants Revolt to the Chartists to the 20th century Labour movement to the Brexit referendum(s), is the story of ordinary people trying to get a better deal from the sociopathic oligarchy that sneeringly rules over them, and mostly being defeated and ground down by TPTB for their trouble.

    Serfs you were and serfs you are; you shall remain in bondage, not such as you have hitherto been subject to, but incomparably viler. – King Dick II

    Most, or possibly all, of the crimes of the British Empire were first perfected on the English, from the theft of land to the suppression of language and identity, to the serfification of the peasants (who would later become the working class, “free” to lose an arm working for pennies in a factory and then die in a ditch).

    There’s been a lot of mostly ignorant blather recently about the British role in slavery and whatnot. Well, of course the ruling class were beastly to foreigners. They treated their own people like dirt for centuries and happily threw them under a bus as soon as cheaper sources of labour became available.

    Perversely, this is now used as a cultural bludgeon against average English people whose great-grandparents probably had to share an outdoor toilet, by the descendants of toffs or nouveau riche twats who’ve never had to put in a day’s hard graft in their pampered lives. The Guardian – the in-house magazine of the institutional class – is full of millionaires raging at how frightfully backwards and bigoted ordinary English people allegedly are.

  126. Captain Yossarian
    Ignored
    says:

    @Lochside – 2No posts in a day isn’t frenetic trolling by any stretch of the imagination.

  127. Colin Alexander
    Ignored
    says:

    A voter was asking me what do I know about the candidates in the South of Scotland.

    I told them Joan McAlpine likes cock.

    They responded using the words of the late Bobby Ball:

    “That’s good enough for me, cock. What else do you know about Joan McAlpine? the voter asked.

    I told them Nicola Sturgeon hates her guts cos Joan McAlpine disnae believe putting on a dress makes a man a woman.

    “That’s all I know I need to know, the voter said. I’ll vote for her in the constituency and Alba on the Regional List”.

  128. sarah
    Ignored
    says:

    @ willie at 2.59: “Replacement of spoilt postal votes…:

    Excellent information, thank you. So if a postal voter changes their mind before posting it, they can spoil their ballot paper and get another one.

    But this shows what a ridiculous system we now have – the postal votes are sent out far too early, before the campaign has got going and the manifestos read and understood by the electorate.

  129. crazycat
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Willie at 1.04 and 2.59, Wee Chid at 1.0and Sarah at 1.48 and 4.13

    As you have said, someone who has spoiled a postal vote can get a replacement.

    Postal votes can also be handed in to the polling station on May 6.

    But, someone who is registered as a postal voter CANNOT vote in person on the day. The polling station staff will not issue a ballot paper, because that person will be marked on the register as a postal voter. (Someone who has appointed a proxy can vote in person, provided the proxy has not already done so.)

  130. crazycat
    Ignored
    says:

    @ me – made a mess of my time references there – Wee Chid at 1.06 is what it should say.

  131. Effigy
    Ignored
    says:

    Wee Willie Rennie, the master of retrospectively I wouldn’t have done that.

    No you wouldn’t Willie because you and your party have never achieved anything for Scotland.

    You just whine in the wings about the obvious and pledge you would have done better
    Safe in the knowledge your party has never had a majority in over 100 years.

    The parasite Party praying for a minority government desperate for their few seats to gain power.

    Are we in awe of Cyril Smith, his confidant David Steel, Clegg, Fanny Alexander, Joke Swinson,
    Tim Fallon and I don’t even know the name of the latest nonentity leader.

    Another London Party with just enough clout to give Wee Willie a Lordship when he turns 60.

  132. crazycat
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Sarah at 4.13

    I agree that the system has its ridiculous aspects, but no-one is obliged to return a postal vote straight away.

    Not waiting for the manifestos etc is a choice; an understandable one because the postal service is not necessarily reliable, plus it gets the task over and done with, but a choice nevertheless. Perhaps we need to encourage voters to wait – though they would then need to remember to vote!

    I also don’t know how many people change their minds over the course of a “normal” campaign – which this one very much isn’t.

  133. Boudicca
    Ignored
    says:

    My SNP MP was on Twitter encouraging people to get their postal votes off as soon possible – hashtag ‘both votes SNP’. ?

  134. Al-Stuart
    Ignored
    says:

    .
    Great cartoon thanks Chris.

    Sadly, the BTL comments polluted by ANDY-WANG.

    Wang-Pot, the official writer of drivel.

    ——————————————————–

    As Stuart Campbell wrote in a recent thread. “The SNP don’t care what you think”. This is particularly apposite to Andy-Wang.

    Thicko-Wang keeps hitting out at every Winger in a very dimmented way.

    In summary, Andy-Wang says Alex Salmond is a pro-Sturgeonite.

    If anyone has doubts that Andy-Wang is a Zoomer squirrel nutkins who has lost all of his marbles, a troll on this website who fails to understand the forensic logic, the best rejoinder is simply to vote this way on 6th May 2021…

    SNP1
    Alba2

    Andy-Wanger fails to have any intellectual understanding of why we are having to vote SNP even though most of us will feel physically disgusted in so doing.

    Andy-Wang, site thicko-troll this is for you…

    Voting SNP1 sickens most of us BUT it may be a price worth paying to D’hondt to see the Right Honourable Alex Salmond MSP with a phalanx of ALBA MSPs lawfully in the Scottish Parliament actually holding Sturgeon to account where the rest of us cannot

    Andy-Wang, if you had a functional intelect, you would understand this.

    What have you to offer except feckless insults, weak barbs and dissonant, illogical diatribes?

    Andy-Pandy-Wang’s perversion with being such a Sarwar promoting stalker and advocate, ramming Sarwar1 down everyone’s throat here shows how scared and frightened he is of seeing Alex Salmond elected as an MSP and actually delivering IndyRef2.

    All that is left to the site Wanger is to abuse everyone and anyone who disagrees with he/she or it. What a pathetic waste of skin from Andy-No-Mates.

  135. Daisy Walker
    Ignored
    says:

    Is there something going on with ‘come to ghana’ twitter account, and Craig Murray’s? I log on but get nothing but the icon for the twitter, nothing else.

    Other twitter accounts appear to be working fine.

  136. sarah
    Ignored
    says:

    @ crazycat at 4.28 re postal voters NOT being allowed to vote in person. Thank you for confirming this is the case. It is very useful to know that a change of mind is possible though – spoil your paper and ask for a replacement.

    Your 4.37 post: I think it is best to frame the system to allow for human frailties! So don’t issue the papers too early, don’t open them before 10.00 p.m. on polling day, and allow a few more days for them to be received. Also revert to the old qualifying rules – only a postal vote if abroad or housebound.

    Whilst on the subject of reforming our systems… NO “career politicians” – allow one or two terms maximum. That would cut down the opportunities for cronyism and corruption.

  137. Mutters
    Ignored
    says:

    Cant help but think the gradualism is really about demographics but they cannot admit it so dress it up with so many baseless excuses. Unforgivable if so. Along with all those who continue to suffer under austerity and those whose businesses are now going to the wall due to Brexit, they would throw old people including stalwart indy campaigners under the bus. Hope I’m wrong.

  138. Beaker
    Ignored
    says:

    @Daisy Walker says:
    17 April, 2021 at 5:07 pm
    “Is there something going on with ‘come to ghana’ twitter account, and Craig Murray’s? I log on but get nothing but the icon for the twitter, nothing else.
    Other twitter accounts appear to be working fine.”

    Twitter’s had multiple issues all day. No doubt this will the number 1 trend…if you can get on 🙂

  139. Daisy Walker
    Ignored
    says:

    Re twitter, working now.

  140. Scozzie
    Ignored
    says:

    Daisy Walker @ 5.07pm
    Had similar problem trying to get onto Denise Findley and Iain Lawson twitter (I don’t do twitter, but do check out twitter posts).

    OT (I know I’ve banged on about this before but…)
    Brand awareness in the next 3 weeks is essential. On polling day peeps need that recall of recognising the brand name.

    Get the word out peeps don’t just rely on social media (it’s too easy to corrupt who sees your posts into an echo chamber). Windae posters, banners, stickers, fly post the bejesus out your towns and cities.

    Local visibility is key now that folks are getting out and about. If you’ve not got official campaign materials get chalking like the women’s rights campaigners…a bit of political graffiti is good for the soul! Just get the Alba name recognised bloody everywhere.

  141. Wee Willie
    Ignored
    says:

    “ Sturgeon goes on spending spree with UK credit card “ the Spectator.

  142. Skip_NC
    Ignored
    says:

    Alan Thoms, I am amazed that you feel it necessary to ask such questions but here goes:

    Currency: We will use grains of sand, pine cones and sheep coat clippings. The internal exchange rate will fluctuate with the season.

    Share of UK National Debt: Timing is crucial here. In the summer, there will be special buckets at tourist beaches for donations of sand. A couple of decent summers and we should have enough to pay it off. The excess that we get back from deposits at the Bank of England can be used on the roads in the event that we have a harsh winter immediately after independence.

    Barnett subsidy: Lord Barnett passed away in 2014 so we don’t subsidize him any more.

    Defence Force: Our main threat, according to a random Tory MP, is attacks from outer space. A small battery of missiles on top of Ben Nevis will suffice.

    NHS: I believe it is customary for costs such as universal health care to be paid from general taxation. Pretty much every civilised country does that, except the USA. Over here we prefer that people go bankrupt if they need a stay in hospital. It’s a wonderful system that requires minimal government expenditure on health care. Such expenditure is shifted to other social programmes, but at least we don’t have socialized medicine which, as we all know is responsible for 102% of all deaths in other countries.

    EU: Whether we are allowed in is not the point. It’s whether we want to join. I refer you to Groucho Marx.

    Euro: Trust me, after a couple of years the Euro Zone will be begging us to trade in pine cones. Some countries will not, principally Sweden, who have managed to fail the requirements for joining the Euro for about 25 years. you’d think the Swedes would be a bit more organized wouldn’t you? Either that or they are being very Foulkesian about it.

    Control of Scottish Fishing Waters: That will be handed over to Botswana, of course. I thought everyone knew that. Clearly, they have superior knowledge of deep sea fishing and we will need someone to help us with that sort of knowledge once England is no longer advising us.

    Hard Border with England: We will save money on the NHS by having a hard border and keeping out the chlorinated chicken. Trust me. I know all too well the effect that has on one’s constitution (no, not that constitution – the other sort. Look downwards at yourself.) Our score on the Happiness Index will also be positively impacted. Chlorine in the stomach tends to make one look like a right torn-face.

    Jobs at Faslane: The way the number of people allegedly employed at Faslane dropped during the 2014 campaign, I wouldn’t be surprised if it was in negative numbers by now. If we close Faslane we would actually gain workers.

    Funding Public Sector: This is where I have a revolutionary idea. No, not the Cuban sort. This is an idea that will, in time, become international best practice. Best of all, I offer it, here and now, for free. I expect no royalties or other recognition, although a word of thanks wouldn’t go amiss. The Scottish people could simply agree on the general areas that are better paid from a pooled fund, instead of leaving it to private individuals. This radical idea could fund hospitals and schools. It could provide benefits for those who, through no fault of their own, cannot find gainful employment. How about paying people who are too old to work? It doesn’t have to be much. We could give them a monthly payment that covers groceries, rent, utilities and a wee bit extra so that they can enjoy their last few years on this earth.

    Ah, you might say. How will we get that money. I propose that we look at who has benefited from the Scottish economy and require them to make a small contribution. Those who benefit more, contribute more. Some people, who don’t earn very much, might be exempt from paying anything, although I would hope that the benefits of economic activity will be shared more fairly than hitherto. Now, you might think that this is a bit of an imposition, but if we do it in such a way as to make collection cheap and convenient, it will not seem so bad. Now that I think of it, that might be quite a good name for this idea. We can call it the National Impost, unless someone else has a snappier name for it.

    COVID Vaccine Rollout: I daresay it would be much the same as now, which is better than a lot of countries.

    Brexit as a walk in the park: I gather walks in the park have been fraught with danger and uncertainty the last year or so, with a potential loss of liberty or a lighter bank account. Surely independence will be better than that?

  143. Skip_NC
    Ignored
    says:

    I hit Submit too soon some might say not soon enough).

    As an alternative to my ramblings above, Alan Thoms could follow others’ suggestions and just read the Wee Blue Book. As a public service, there is a link to that on this very page.

  144. Andy
    Ignored
    says:

    “Andy, just you weeshit for Indy, and stop washing our dear leader’s Stinkin knickers out on a public forum”.

    “Don’t want the public knowing that us “SNP 1″ types are a shower of Manky Perverted Bastards”.

    Well you “SNP 1” types,,,I will not be silenced by any deluded perverts.

    When I kick Sturgeon out on May 6th, you will all be congratulating me on a job well done.

    Form an orderly queue at the back there…

  145. Skip_NC
    Ignored
    says:

    “Al-Stuart says: All that is left to the site Wanger is to abuse everyone”

    Al, don’t you have spell-check?

  146. crazycat
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Sarah at 5.10

    I definitely agree about the postal vote rules – the only time I’ve had one (1979 Westminster GE), I had to justify it, which I could, easily.

    I do realize that the relaxation of the rules was partly to try to increase turnout, but for most people it really isn’t that hard to attend a polling place once a year or less.

  147. Breeks
    Ignored
    says:

    https://twitter.com/PhantomPower14/status/1382640427845742593

    Correct in what is being attempted, but misses two critical points in his conclusion. (Perhaps he said more, I have only seen this minute long clip).

    1. It is unlawful for the Treaty of Union to be unilaterally altered in any way without the explicit consent of both signatories. It is a Bipartite Treaty between two sovereign Nations. It cannot be changed arbitrarily to suit Westminster’s ephemeral whim.

    2. It is not moving from rule by principle of consent to rule by principle of Law. It is actually quite the reverse. If the principle of Union by consensus is set aside and becomes rule by apparent law, (especially internal domestic “UK” law) then it becomes an act of unconstitutional colonial subjugation, and that is explicitly against the International rule of Law.

  148. velofello
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Captain Yossarian: If you wish to creare uncertainty in peoples’ minds about independence, be sure that your whisperings are “sound”.

    An independent Scotland may not extract the oil in her territorial waters? You’ve been listening to Wee Harvie of the Greens, haven’t you? Why don’t you blog Iran, Iraq Saudi, Kuwait, Russia, Argentina etc etc and reveal this global Greens imperative to them?

    Oil isn’t consumed just to heat your house and fuel your car, it the the base source for plastics. You likely know that.

    And Shetland likely knows that the oil reserves would be out with UK-Shetland territorial waters.You likely know that too.

  149. Republicofscotland
    Ignored
    says:

    On postal votes in my opinion they are sent out far too early, which I think leaves postal votes open to abuse.

    https://www.thenational.scot/news/18963656.observed-postal-voting-2014s-indyref-security-concerns/

    “The Postal Ballot at the Scottish Independence Referendum – Fraud?”

    https://archive.is/GUsVj#selection-343.6-343.72

    Also I think the only way that the ALBA party’s( of which I think will obtain quite a few seat come May6th) chances of not returning any seats in May’s election is if the early posted postal votes are tampered with.

    Remember Ruth Davidson had access to the postal votes, how difficult then would it be for the British states security services to gain access to the postal votes, not very in my opinion.

    This a legitimate concern even though Sturgeon doesn’t want an indyref until the twelfth of never, Boris Johnson will definitely not want an indy majority at Holyrood come May 6th postal vote tampering is a guaranteed way to stop that indy majority.

    If you think the UK government wouldn’t dare interfere in a countries voting system, well the UK has been interfering in Kenyan elections for decades.

  150. Confused
    Ignored
    says:

    intresting –
    https://dissidentvoice.org/2021/04/the-dirty-campaign-underlying-ecuadors-free-and-fair-election/
    – thank god we don’t live in a banana republic like this

  151. Skip_NC
    Ignored
    says:

    Crazycat & Sarah, here in the USA we have in-person early voting as our main method of voting other than on Election Day. In fact, it was encouraged at the Presidential Election last year. 62% of eligible voters in my county took advantage of that, including my wife and me. Early voting lasts seventeen days and includes two full weekends. It ends on the Saturday afternoon preceding election day on the Tuesday.

    You are allowed to vote at any early voting location in the county and the county elections board had an app on their website that gave real-time information on the wait at each early voting site. There was no wait when we went to vote at about 4pm on a Sunday afternoon.

    Granted, part of the reason why in-person early voting was so popular was (a) COVID-19 and (b) postal service delays. However, I continue to be bemused that nobody in the UK has seen the value of in-person early voting.

  152. Fred
    Ignored
    says:

    kapelmeister says:
    17 April, 2021 at 11:37 am
    “OK Fred. I like Mitchell & Webb, especially Peep Show. That open letter was still stupid and patronising.”

    100% agree kapelmeister – and it kind of backfired big time I remember as well. But I’m so glad we can both go back to watching Back now 🙂
    Actually, what might have made an even funnier cartoon is Sturgeon and Murrell in a “Are we the baddies?” Mitchell and Webb parody!

  153. Ottomanboi
    Ignored
    says:

    Republicofscotland. 3:28
    There are racist undertones in the usage «Phil the Greek».Rather unpleasant and not what modern Scotland is about.

  154. Skip_NC
    Ignored
    says:

    Ottomanboi, I can tell you that “Phil the Greek” is a term of endearment used by certain relatively junior members of the Royal household – or at least it was about thirty years ago.

  155. Captain Yossarian
    Ignored
    says:

    ‘And Shetland likely knows that the oil reserves would be out with UK-Shetland territorial waters’.

    No they wouldn’t, much would be inside. Same, by the way, with fishing grounds.

    The purpose of any website like this one is to examine the politics of Scotland, not the politics of Russia or KSA. These questions will be asked in the future and they should to be met with sensible answers. Trying to belittle folk for asking questions will get you no-where.

    There is no-doubt a future for oil, but there is a lot of it available in the world. That means it is the extraction costs that determines how viable it is and ours are higher than most anywhere in the world at the moment.

  156. Kcor
    Ignored
    says:

    They are laughing their heads off at the gullible voters that will vote them back in.

  157. crazycat
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Republicifscotland at 6.46

    Ruth Davidson did not “have access” to postal votes.

    As registered referendum participants, the Tories sent counting agents to the sessions where the postal ballots were removed from their envelopes so that the signatures on the declarations could be ratified.

    Those agents, like those of all other parties, will have tried to sneak a peek at the ballot papers themselves as they were being extracted from the envelopes and counted into bundles. (With only two options, that was easier than in an election with multiple candidates.)

    That is not illegal. What is illegal is reporting the impression gained from those sneaked peeks to anyone else, even if that person does not then spill the beans on TV.

    Needless to say, it’s widely done despite the illegality, and RD, like people on our side, will have known that the postal votes were mostly No. Anything else she said was speculation.

  158. Thomas
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Andy 6.21pm

    Andy , i wouldnt give Anas Sarwar or his labour party the steam off my urine.

    I hink wee nicky has one thing going for her , and thats no matter how big a muppet you try and portray her , and i couldnt gie a cac about her , her political opponents like sarwar and his party are even bigger muppets , so the public are going to vote as ever for the lesser of two evils.

    Face it Andy , yer beloved labour party have had it.

    Scotland are never going back to them , and across the uk they are despised , with mass amounts of even english lefties now leaving them because of the blairites like starmer and sarwar.

    I suspect you will be greeting over your alpen the morning after the election.

    What amazes me isnt the fact you actually hink anyone will vote sarwar and labour , its the fact you hink anyone actually takes notice of what you say on blogs like this.

    I will be voting first and foremost for scot indy as ever , and secondly to keep labout out at all costs.

    I cannae afford labour in power , im still paying their debts from the last time they were in office.

  159. Mitchell
    Ignored
    says:

    Can I put my tuppence Worth in here.

    I would Never vote for the SNP, I don’t want to be accociated with them.

  160. Stephen P
    Ignored
    says:

    Wee Willie says:
    17 April, 2021 at 5:51 pm
    “ Sturgeon goes on spending spree with UK credit card “ the Spectator.
    ———————————
    The UK economy is on life support provided directly by the Bank of England and it’s QE (Quantitative easing) money printing. The UK has debt not credit. But this is a normal state of affairs for most economies.

    Any country with a central bank can do the same. See the Fed in USA or ECB in Europe. The pandemic costs globally have been paid for by new money created by central banks. I don’t recall the UK treasury starting a crowdfunder to pay for it.

    Sturgeon has stated that part of their spending plans are based on projections of increased devolved tax receipts. That has nothing to do with the UK but is directly paid by extra taxes paid by some tax paying residents in Scotland.

    The other part is based on projections of the block Grant under the Barnett formula. This is the partial return of tax receipts received by HMRC from tax paying residents in Scotland. The rest as we know is spent in England on HS2, Trident, No 10 briefing rooms and the like.

    Whether these projections are accurate is a different question. It could well be that they are overestimated. In which case they won’t happen because devolved spending is constrained by being only able spend what is received. Any extra would actually have to be borrowed by the devolved government but these powers are extremely limited. So an analogy to a debit card would be more correct.

  161. Thomas
    Ignored
    says:

    @ capatain yossarian.

    Gies peace you ya clown. How many times have we done its shetlands oil to death?

    “The reality could scarcely be any more distant from Tavish Scott’s transparently inaccurate posturings. International maritime law (specifically the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, or UNCLOS, which is signed and ratified by the UK) is extremely clear on what the situation would be with regard to Shetland and Orkney’s ownership of North Sea Oil in the context of an independent Scotland – it wouldn’t have any.

    Under UNCLOS III, the islands would be regarded as an “enclave” residing wholly within Scotland’s “Exclusive Economic Zone” (see the paragraph “Continental shelf”), and as such would only have the right to resources within a 12-mile radius of their coastline – of which, in terms of oil, there are basically none.”

    https://wingsoverscotland.com/pity-not-hate/#more-31153

    Another unionist clown re raking over the coals of long dead arguments as you have nothing left in the ammo department.

  162. Sweep
    Ignored
    says:

    @Skip_NC 6.11pm

    A fine post, Skip but I disagree on currency. After independence our currency will be known as Unionist Tears.

    Our coinage will be called Drops and will be shaped appropriately while our notes will be named Rollers and will be carried proudly in commemorative cylindrical wallets.

    In time, our currency will be affectionately nicknamed Wee Greets and Big Greets. 🙂

  163. Juan
    Ignored
    says:

    I don’t think Andy said he was Voting Labour back into power. Infact Labour haven’t got a hope of being the governing Party in Scotland.

    I think it is because Labour are the best placed to take the seat from Sturgeon.

    So I think you were mis quoting him big time.

    Maybe a touch too much bias Thomas.

    Let’s stick to the facts Thomas.

  164. Juan
    Ignored
    says:

    Thomas

    Which part of the South of Scotland do you come from?

  165. Daisy Walker
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Breeks re Breeks says:
    17 April, 2021 at 6:37 pm

    https://twitter.com/PhantomPower14/status/1382640427845742593

    Agree with what you say, in addition were they to try and uphold the Union ‘by the Force of Law’ another fundamental principle that we have in this country, including the other parts of the UK, is that the Police, do the Policing with the consent of the public.

    I would understand his comment to be a precursor to Martial Law – which I believe, correct me if I’m wrong – would constitute a breach in the terms and conditions of the Treaty of Union. Fairly sure they had to cover up sending in the troops to Glasgow after WW1, because it was a breach.

    I didn’t catch the name of the speaker, but he is doing us a very good deed by disclosing the dare I say it ‘calmer’ mindset of what might be getting planned within Whitehall at this time.

    I’ve said it before, but it cannot be stated enough.

    England CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE SCOTLAND. Scotland’s Oil, Gas, Renewables, Food and Drinks exports, Water, and Geographical position with regards Nato – are all that is keeping little England afloat, particularly post Brexit.

    All the Yessers, we have got to win, and win quickly. If we don’t the Nicla corruption and the gender woo, woo, – as bad as they are, are going to be very small potatos to what follows.

  166. Effigy
    Ignored
    says:

    The U.K. Credit card is being used by a few thousand Tory supporters.

    Go Scotland and spend the same £10 Billion they handed out on old pals contracts.

    It seems David Cameron in more trouble for requesting NHS data base.

  167. Kcor
    Ignored
    says:

    Lochside says,

    “When I read commentators on here recommending voting for the aristocratic millionaire Sarwar, —–”

    In case you missed it, this is what the Rev. Stuart Campbell says about voting for Sarwar:

    Rev. Stuart Campbell says (Scheming on a mirage),

    “It’s much the same as the Glasgow Southside situation. You’re not choosing between Anas Sarwar and Nicola Sturgeon – Sarwar is top of the Labour list so he’s getting in no matter what happens. What you’re effectively doing with your constituency vote in Glasgow Southside is choosing between two SNP MSPs – Sturgeon or Roza Salih. If you’d prefer Salih, vote Sarwar on the constituency paper.)”

    Rev. Stuart Campbell says (Rallying to the banner),

    “If you believe Sturgeon is a block on independence it’s a very rational position.”

    My capitals:

    “IT’S A VERY RATIONAL POSITION.”

    Those are the wise words of the Rev. Stuart Campbell.

    Johann Lamont was sort of right: Scots are not genetically programmed to make rational voting decisions.

    They will re-elect Sturgeon and give the SNP a majority, and then spend the next five years moaning about what they are moaning about now.

    But I very much doubt if Wings Over Scotland will still be there.

  168. Andy Ellis
    Ignored
    says:

    @Capt. Yossarian 7.04 pm

    You are in error. It is beyond any argument. As a matter of international law if Shetland elected to remain part of the UK post independence it would have the status of an exclave in the Scottish EEZ, as it would be separated from the rest of the UK by Scottish territorial waters. As such Shetland would be entitled to a 3 mile territorial limit. Trust me, there’s no oil within 3 miles of their shores.

    Even in the event Shetland decided to become independent, it’s EEZ would need to be negotiated with the countries whose EEZ’s were contiguous: in this case Norway, Denmark (for the Faroe Islands) and an independent Scotland. In that case Shetlands EEZ would be larger and *might* encompass some oil reserves, but it would be considerably less than the current UK (or Scottish) border, because the size of Shetlands EEZ is related to its relative size and area relative to its contiguous neighbours. All of this has been widely researched and is simply accepted precedent and fact under UNCLOS and international law.

    Even more galling for those like you who spout this fake news however, is the evidence (not that there is much) that >80% of inhabitants of the Northern Isles stated they would elect to remain part of Scotland if it became independent rather than remain part of the UK.

    Facts, eh?

  169. Captain Yossarian
    Ignored
    says:

    “Gies peace you ya clown. How many times have we done its shetlands oil to death?”

    ‘On this basis 53% of the oil reserves in existing discoveries “belong” to the Orkney/Shetland islands, 46% “belong” to Scotland and the remaining 1% “belong” to England.’

  170. Kcor
    Ignored
    says:

    Luigi says:
    17 April, 2021 at 1:03 pm

    “Andy how exactly does voting Alba 2 make one an SNP-Green pervert?”

    As you know perfectly well, Andy is advocating and voting ALBA 2.

    At least make an honest counter argument.

  171. Skip_NC
    Ignored
    says:

    Sweep @ 7:15pm, we may have legal issues with Big Greets. https://www.biggreets.com/

  172. Stuart
    Ignored
    says:

    Republicofscotland 3.28

    People like you could never be “Independant” of your poisonous disregard for someone who has done more for the general good in his life, than you could do in a thousand lifetimes of your sad little existence behind a key board.

    Much as I detest Nichola Sturgeon (and your views) I would not celebrate her passing, than I would any other human being, rather I’d just keep quiet and say nothing at all.

    You unfortunately are just a different side of the same arse as the Gender woohoos and assorted weirdos who bring the Independance movement in Scotland in to so much disrepute.

    And you think you could win a referendum you clown? Unfortunately for you and your fellow fantasists the majority of people in Scotland and elsewhere actually understand common human decency

  173. Gone right handed
    Ignored
    says:

    Loving the debate darlings. From south of the border down England way the whole indy debate is actually just that. A debate. You do know it isn’t actually going to happen, don’t you?

    The Scots have to get a grip. Now. Stop all this blather about what and when and what shall we do and, ‘shall we be like the Slovaks or the Danes’ sort of thing. That ain’t going to happen.

    So. Stop playing with whatever you play with and be part of the UK. It’s actually the best option. Indy isn’t going to happen. In the next Scottish parliament or the next. Believe me, a Conservative government will never allow the Union to be broken.

    So, vote for the SNP or Alba. It doesn’t actually matter.

  174. Captain Yossarian
    Ignored
    says:

    @Andy Ellis – `Scottish oil is also under attack from the North. In the clearest possible terms, Shetland has indicated that it wants nothing to do with a separately governed Scotland, be it devolved or independent. A resolution in the local council letters last week to all MPs, and a private separation bill in course of preparation, reaffirm this strong desire to stay outside “Scotland”. And, like Scotland itself, the Shetlands has not always been part of the United Kingdom. It came from Norway in 1529 as a dowry to King Malcolm.’

    I am not a sychophant of the SNP or anyone else. All I am doing is trying to contribute to a balanced arguement.

    The above article is only a few years old, by the way.

  175. Thomas
    Ignored
    says:

    Check blairite labour uk wide on these latest polls….

    YouGov
    @YouGov
    · 16 Apr
    Latest Westminster voting intention (13-14 April)

    Con 43% (+2 from 7-8 April)
    Lab 29% (-5)
    Lib Dem 8% (+2)
    Green 8% (+2)
    Reform UK 3% (n/c)
    SNP 5% (n/c)

    Labour’s lowest level since Keir Starmer took over

    https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politic

    Jesus christ starmer and his branch managers like sarwar are really taking her majesties british imperial labour party backwards.

  176. Eugene Henderson
    Ignored
    says:

    I remember a few years ago was the start of our suspicions began about how Sturgeon was taking us down a road we didn’t want to go down.

    And at the start it was only a trickle
    on Wings Over Scotland, but even those guys got hounded off of Wings for even suggesting Sturgeon was on the wrong path.

    Now those guys were proven right all along.

    Sturgeon had no Intention of fighting for Independence.

    But the same actions seem to be getting repeated, if you are not Voting SNP 1 at the next election, people are getting labelled some kind of yoon.

    But like before, I think those advising us not to vote SNP will be proved right once again.

    And the usual suspects will be proved wrong, again.

  177. John McNab
    Ignored
    says:

    Lochside at 3.38pm

    It’s ‘McNab’ not ‘Macnab’. Get it right you ridiculous little oik.

  178. Kcor
    Ignored
    says:

    It is clear that the vast majority of posters here are agreed about ALBA 2.

    But they also seem to be blindly following the SNP 1 mantra without considering the consequences of it.

    As the Rev. Stuart Campbell himself has stated, if there is an SNP-Green majority, we are doomed for at least the next five years.

    Alex Salmond cannot single out SNP candidates who we should not vote for.

    But can we not exercise our brain cells a bit instead of behaving like sheep?

    Just imagine how much easier it would be for ALBA to pursue independence if the SNP-Greens did not get a majority and the most obnoxious SNP candidates had been voted out.

    Don’t be fooled by the diehard Sturgeonists here who are strongly pushing for SNP 1, including in the Glasgow Southside constituency.

    They are not ALBA – Alex Salmond supporters, they are SNP – Sturgeon supporters in disguise.

    They are also spreading the false message that voting SNP 1 helps ALBA – it does not.

    ALBA is not affected by who wins a particular constituency in the region.

    Genuine ALBA – Alex Salmond – independence supporters, be very alert.

    You will be able to identify the wolves in sheep’s clothing by looking at the names of the posters who will attack this comment with lots of waffle and the Alex says SNP1/ALBA2 mantra, but no logic.

  179. Andy
    Ignored
    says:

    Kcor

    The Sturgeon perverts sound more like their leader as every day passes.

    They twist words to suit their own evil agenda.

    It’s what Sturgeon done to Salmond.

    She couldn’t get the evidence she needed to get him arrested, so she just made up a pack of lies.

    Very similar to the way the Sturgeon perverts operate on Wings.

    You lot are all well suited to each other.

    You can all go to hell at the same time.

    Just think of the times you will have together.

    Only perverts vote SNP.

  180. Andy Ellis
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Capt Yossarian

    No, sorry. The very limited polling evidence done specifically in the Northern Isles was last done years ago by the Aberdeen P&J. It showed >80% in favour of remaining part of Scotland. Feel free to present actual evidence suggesting that has changed.

    If the majority of Shetlanders want to remain part of the UK, or become independent, I’d happily support them. They won’t have any oil reserves tho, nor much of an EEZ. I studied this a fair bit years ago as a student of IR. Even the CURRENT Faroes/UK line of demarcation is disputed between the UK and Denmark: the UK prevailed because the UK is relatively larger, but Denmark/Faroes would ensure the demarcation line in changed circumstances was drawn to reflect the new situation, i.e The Shetlands as an exclave surrounded by larger neighbours. Existing ICJ cases on similar situation in Central America show the Shetlands would have next to zero EEZ.

    I doubt many islanders seriously want to stay in the UK post indy, nor indeed be an independent state with next to zero EEZ.

  181. Kcor
    Ignored
    says:

    Eugene Henderson says,

    “And the usual suspects will be proved wrong, again.”

    Absolutely right Eugene and they won’t even have the honesty to admit they were wrong.

  182. Republicofscotland
    Ignored
    says:

    Ottomanboi @6.56pm.

    Fair enough, Phil the Sponger it will be then. However just to be clear I meant no offence to Greek folk.

  183. Thomas
    Ignored
    says:

    I will be voting SNP 1 ALBA 2.

    Whenever i have any doubt , i simply come onto wings comments section to read the latest insane ramblings of the onionist trolls telling me not to vote SNP 1 ALBA 2 , and all faith is restored immediately .

    Hanks boys , enjoy the rest of yer shift the night.

  184. Confused
    Ignored
    says:

    whatever you think of Israel, its citizens, supporters – they ain’t dumb. That’s for sure – and if it comes down to sharp practice, they have an eye for it; the worst thing to be in Israel, so I’m told is to be s “Shlomiel” – a dumbass, a mug, a fool.

    – they had an election a little while ago and I saw this para, which I kept –

    ISRAEL has NO EARLY VOTING or ABSENTEE BALLOTS. As most Israeli adults have been vaccinated, on election day, ISRAELIS WILL LINE UP TO VOTE IN PERSON, in a socially distanced way, and place a PAPER BALLOT INSIDE AN ENVELOPE, AND PLACE THAT ENVELOPE INSIDE A SECOND. Shortly after the polls close there will be a good sense of the overall shape of the Knesset, but actual numbers won’t be sure until a day or two later when the ballots of soldiers voting on their bases are counted, and the final numbers and percentages are determined.

    – capitals are mine. The thing about the 2 envelopes is interesting; think about it, why 2? Well, if it was one envelope, someone might be able to see through it, e.g. with a coloured light; also, if you want to do some ballot stuffing, or the reverse – the extra physical effort needed to fiddle with two envelopes, all mounts up. Also, the result is known early – no time gaps, where people could get up to “shenanigans”.

  185. Andy
    Ignored
    says:

    Lochside 3.38

    Not a fan Lochside?

    It’s amazing the amount of flak you get from Complete strangers for suggesting that a vote for Sturgeon is a vote for her Perverts Charter.

  186. Republicofscotland
    Ignored
    says:

    Crazycat @7.07pm.

    Thanks for the correction.

  187. Republicofscotland
    Ignored
    says:

    Staurt @ 7.53pm.

    You’re obviously upset that Phil the Sponger is now kicking up the daisies, but do not fear, the BBC are offering counselling for folk like you who cannot get over his demise.

    Others like myself couldn’t give a toss about the expiring of the life time cosseted royal parasite. That would go for Sturgeon too.

  188. Andy
    Ignored
    says:

    The Rev is the top investigative journalist in the UK.

    So when guys like the Rev are flagging up all the perverted pitfalls in Voting the SNP back into power, then I think he needs to be listened to.

  189. Kcor
    Ignored
    says:

    Andy says,

    “It’s what Sturgeon done to Salmond.”

    What Sturgeon did to Alex Salmond is unforgivable.

    Some posters here post essays of a million words with very high principles – “No plebiscite No Vote”

    They have very high morals about not voting for Sarwar.

    Where are their high morals and principles when it comes to voting out the Criminal in Chief of Scotland Sturgeon?

    Anyone with a shred of morals and decency in Scotland would be strongly advocating a tactical vote against Sturgeon to vote her out.

    It just happens that the candidate most likely to beat her is Sarwar, who is going to get in any way.

    Unless the Labour vote collapses completely in Glasgow as one high principled poster believes.

    I agree with you about voting and campaigning for Sarwar to get Sturgeon out.

    I also want the more obnoxious SNP candidates to be defeated.

    But I would advise you to refrain from calling SNP voters perverts and from going on about draining the swamp.

    Your critics use it to discredit you, and at the same time your main point which is very valid gets laughed off.

  190. PacMan
    Ignored
    says:

    WeeChid says: 17 April, 2021 at 1:05 pm

    PacMan says:
    17 April, 2021 at 10:46 am

    “Judging by the BTL comments on here, the depressing thing is that indy supporters are unwilling to do it because they can’t see the big picture that by voting SNP 1 and Alba 2 ”

    Maybe some of us do see it but don’t want to endorse SNP policies.

    Regardless of whether you are anybody else feels the same, it is highly likely that the SNP will win most constituency seats and be the majority party at Holyrood. What is highly likely is that they won’t have enough seats to form a government.

    The only way to get the party that will be most effective to oppose the SNP policies is Alba and the only way to get them elected is to vote SNP in the constituency vote.

    Another bonus of voting SNP 1 Alba 2 is it reduces the chances of the Greens getting elected thus not allowing the SNP to form a super-woke government.

    Lets not kid ourselves that it involves risk and voting SNP 1 Alba 2 could result in a SNP/Green coalition but not voting will most likely result in it.

  191. crazycat
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Republicofscotland at 8.38

    Apologies for the typo in your name – I always think I’ve proof-read, then spot the error(s) after I’ve pressed “submit”.

  192. Andy
    Ignored
    says:

    30 feet electronic posters dotted around Glasgow city centre today, telling us how much we miss Phil the Greek.

    That must have been that Unionist led Council that approved this.

    God knows how much that cost the Council rate payers.

    Oh that’s right, Glasgow is run by an SNP administration.

    Right up the arses of the english royals, who purred like a cat when she heard the Union was saved.

    The SNP should be disbanded and charged for operating under false pretenses.

  193. cynicalHighlander
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Captain Yossarian says:
    17 April, 2021 at 7:42 pm

    “Gies peace you ya clown.

    Look in the mirror Coco.

  194. Brian Doonthetoon
    Ignored
    says:

    Hi Rock/Kcor.

    I think most of readers here, have got the idea.

    We vote against the SNP in Perthshire North, Edinburgh Central, Dunfermline, Glasgow Southside and Glasgow Pollock to get rid of the baddies.

    Please, if you and your mates feel the need to repeat that message, could you please limit it to one comment a week, until the election?

    You are disrupting what used to be decent debates BTL, specially Andy/Ronald Fraser/Clyde or whatever. Have a wee blether in your Whatsapp group and sort it out.

  195. cynicalHighlander
    Ignored
    says:

    Twitter on the blink again.

  196. Republicofscotland
    Ignored
    says:

    Crazycat @8.33pm.

    No need to apologise I do it all the time lol.

  197. sarah
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Skip_NC at 6.50: “Early voting in USA”…

    I would prefer to have voting spread over a 2 or 3 day polling period, rather than allow early voting, because campaigning ceases on polling day – a pre-polling day vote means people haven’t got the full information.

    Mind you, an early vote a week before 18.9.2014 would have won us independence… 🙂

  198. Andy
    Ignored
    says:

    Kcor

    I didn’t realise we were on the Brian Bucket website.

    I wonder how many emails he’s sent to the teacher, telling him this is a weeshit for Indy website and washing Sturgeon’s Stinkin knickers on a public forum should be stopped at all costs.

    One to you,,,one to me.

    They were the days Mr Bucket.

  199. Fergus
    Ignored
    says:

    Mr Bucket (I like that one)

    Is it ok if I post a comment on your website?

    What would you like me to say Mr Bucket, because I don’t want to post anything that doesn’t meet with your approval.

    Also, how many times can I post tonight?

    I’m ready to post as soon as you give me the all clear.

    And what is this “one to you, one to me” all about?

    Is there something you need to tell us Mr Bucket?

  200. Gone right handed
    Ignored
    says:

    I’ll look into my scrying glass.

    I predict that the SNP will not make any gains in the election, that Alba will make gains as will the Greens at the expense of Labour. The Tories will tread water.

    The Blessed Nicola will demand indyref2 and will be refused. Westminster will steadily claw back, ever so quietly, it’s hold over Scotland, while the Azure a Saltire Argent will be flourished in the streets of Edinburgh and Glasgow in peaceful demos. Sound and fury signifying absolutely f^ck all. The Tories have it all worked out. The re-conquest of Scotland, that is.

    There are unicorns in Scotland. They are part of HMQ’s Achievement of Arms as Queen of Scotland. Scotland will not be independent of the UK while it rains or gets dark before midnight.

  201. Brian Doonthetoon
    Ignored
    says:

    Hi Andy.

    I would suggest that it may be fruitful for you to go into a corner and, bereft of an agent, handle yourself.

    Your disruption of BTL here has been on an upward trajectory over the past couple of weeks.

    I started today – but I will now scroll past comments from “ANDY” and Kcor, and their other usernames.

    The ba’s on the slaties. Retraining required…

  202. Brian Doonthetoon
    Ignored
    says:

    $h!†€¡

    I forgot about his “Fergus” persona!

  203. Andy
    Ignored
    says:

    Mr Bucket,,,(one to you,,,one to me).9.44

    Do you really really really mean that Mr Bucket?

    Well thank Fuck for that.

    Party time.

  204. willie
    Ignored
    says:

    Excellent Alba candidate launch this evening.

    Very much the ethos of hope for a reinvigorated independence movement. Like the SNP of old before trans, GRA and a hijacked NEC and emasculated membership.

    But oh, surprise surprise, how did the proprietary software Hopin have so many technical problems.

    Like the BBC and STV censorship of Alex Salmond and Alba its not difficult to see the dark hand of agents unknown causing technical difficulties. Its what they do!

  205. Juan
    Ignored
    says:

    Too many chiefs on here, and not enough Indians.

    It’s easy to see who the Sturgeon faithful are, they are the ones wanting free speech limited, or stopped altogether.

    They don’t want the truth to come out.

    Brian the toon just proved that a couple of posts ago.

    Telling someone to stop posting and even told the guy to leave this website.

    Censorship that fits into the planet Sturgeon and her followers inhabit.

    Outrageous Brian the Toon.

    Hang your head in shame

  206. Gone right handed
    Ignored
    says:

    Scotland will not be free of the UK while it might rain or get dark before midnight.

    You scots who want independence are running an errand for fools.

  207. Brian Doonthetoon
    Ignored
    says:

    Juan – You are havirin’ $h!†€.

    I am not a member of the SNP.

    What I’m fed up of is a wee group of commenters on here, repeating the same message umpteen times a day, disrupting the flow of conversation.

    You’re obviously one of those paid to come on here and sew dissent.

    Gotcha!

  208. Alf Baird
    Ignored
    says:

    Kiwilassie @ 8:21 am

    “This is a must read by everybody wanting Independence. It was written by the same guy who drew up the Edinburgh agreement.”

    This paper is arguably just more colonial-biased mystification nonsense by ex UK senior civil servants and politicians who far too often end up in cosy academic positions giving them academic status they hardly merit. It sounds (and is read out) rather more like at best a postgrad viva, which is reflected to some extent in its relatively limited scientific literature and methodological basis, and also reflected in some of Tom Devine’s comments on it (though Devine’s call for Scotland’s ‘administrative Power’ to conduct itself in “a civilised and honest manner” seems rather a forlorn hope given past experience, though probably he was joking).

    Much as we see reflected in the ALBA Party strategy, the reality of the situation is that the actual socio-political determinants of Scottish independence are considerably more than simply the matter of another dubious referendum (or any need for one as a matter of law), or in what any UK political administration or English university institute may think is the best solution for the people and territory of Scotland to be somehow or other retained (i.e. ‘held tight’) within the UK.

    Thankfully such a text does exist and can be accessed here:

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/Doun-Hauden-Socio-Political-Determinants-Scottish-Independence/dp/B086Y6MMH2/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=doun-hauden&qid=1614694322&sr=8-1

  209. Jontoscots20
    Ignored
    says:

    Willie

    like you enjoyed Alba candidates night/fundraiser. In truth it was frustratingly good despite the tech platform. I certainly would be telling Hop in to Hop it in terms of payment. I used to run a business which did corporate conferencing as part of its service. We would not have been happy with hop in. but overall it was a good night. I would have paid a lot more for the whisky than they got but there you go. Alex (as he often does) saved the day by rescuing the auction. It’s a portent!

  210. Gone right handed
    Ignored
    says:

    Scotland will not be free of the UK while it rains or gets dark before midnight.

  211. DAVID COUTTS
    Ignored
    says:

    There is no sign of a motivated SNP campaign even in Edinburgh Central and it does not surprise me.

    To make sure that ALBA become effective we must all vote SNP on the Constituency ballot.

    So let’s do it and then ram home the fact it was SNP candidates that did not endorse ALBA candidates and would prefer TORY/LABOUR members on the list.

    For anyone in the Lothians who has not so far managed to contact ALBA then i am the LOTHIANS ORGANISER and can be contacted on David@davidcoutts.scot

    I have display boards at 4ft x 2 ft available now.
    On Tuesday A3/A4 window posters and leaflets for delivery.

    Please get in contact and we can get you sorted.

  212. Kcor
    Ignored
    says:

    Brian Doonthetoon says,

    “I think most of readers here, have got the idea.”

    I don’t think you have, Brian.

    Like those shy Tories in 1992, you are a secret Sturgeon admirer who would like her to be re-elected.

    Why else would you evade answering the question about your view on the Glasgow Southside constituency?

    Brian Doonthetoon says (Women Won’t Wheesht),

    “I am not a voter in Glasgow Southside.

    It’s up to them.”

    By the way, Brian, why don’t you tell all the posters repeating the SNP 1 / ALBA 2 mantra that most readers here have got the idea?

    Sturgeonist hypocrite.

  213. Gone right handed
    Ignored
    says:

    Scotland won’t be independent while the sun rises in the east.

  214. Kcor
    Ignored
    says:

    DAVID COUTTS says,

    “To make sure that ALBA become effective we must all vote SNP on the Constituency ballot.”

    Stop lying DAVID, whether you are ALBA or not.

    ALBA will become effective if the SNP don’t get a majority.

    ALBA is not affected by who wins the constituency.

    If you want Robertson to be elected in Edinburgh Central you are part of the problem rather than part of the solution.

  215. Gone right handed
    Ignored
    says:

    What’s the point in all this chatter?

    Scotland won’t be independent until the sun rises in the west.

  216. Robert Hughes
    Ignored
    says:

    ” The woodwork creaks and out come the freaks ”

    I see the names are getting a little more exotic eg ” Juan ” , just another wan of the babbling crew , dribbling incontinently to no other end than disruption and annoyance .

    Are you all excited cause there’s no school tomorrow ? All the same , it’s almost 11pm , you should be in bed by now

  217. Kcor
    Ignored
    says:

    And if you don’t know DAVID COUTTS, SNP’s Robertson, whom you want elected in Edinburgh Central, paid a key role in trying to get Alex Salmond jailed on false charges of rape.

    If you are an ALBA official, don’t associate yourself in any way with the SNP’s corrupt lying criminals.

    Unless you want ALBA’s image to become as corrupted as the SNP’s.

  218. Robert Graham
    Ignored
    says:

    A bit late to be having a wee look in and gee wiz

    It looks like the technical difficulties have moved from the ALBA auction over to here tonight must be the same shift eh

    The amount of weird and wonderful names is mind boggling

    Maybe look in tomorrow when they have went home

    ROCK we all know it’s you so stop taking the piss

  219. Ian Brotherhood
    Ignored
    says:

    for all the trolls…

    We understand that you’re only doing your ‘job’.

    Phil yer boots.

    Our core discussions will proceed, with our without your mildly annoying interruptions.

  220. Lenny Hartley
    Ignored
    says:

    Hi bdtt, how you getting on ya auld sturgeon hypocrite? 🙂 🙂
    Cant be bothered looking back to see what you have been doing to wind up the trolls but good job Brian Mate, keep it up.
    I had almost given up reading btl here but suppose i better stick my toe in now and again.
    Anyways hope everything is good up in jute city Brian and keep winding the trolls up,
    Its getting bad when you end up pining For our pet troll Rock, the new wans are totally useless.

  221. Gone right handed
    Ignored
    says:

    While only about 45% of the population of Scotland even say they would vote yes to independence the cause is lost. The SNP know this, but they gull the electorate with promises of indyrefs while even the Blessed Nicola admits they haven’t a clue how an independent Scotland would order it’s economy. Shower of brownstuff.

    There are unicorns in Scotland.

  222. Wee Willie
    Ignored
    says:

    Perhaps the unicorns are to be found in the wee blue book.

  223. Gone right handed
    Ignored
    says:

    As an Englishman I’m amazed you guys are still talking about independence. Obsessional or what?

  224. cynicalHighlander
    Ignored
    says:

    @Gone right handed says:
    17 April, 2021 at 10:43 pm

    What’s the point in all this chatter?

    Scotland won’t be independent until the sun rises in the west.

    You’ll be a straight jacket before long so don’t worry.

  225. Gone right handed
    Ignored
    says:

    As an Englishman I’m surprised you Scots are actually still talking about independence. It won’t happen. Boris will just say no, and that’s it. end of. Zip.

    Come back in twenty or a hundred years we’ll still be a UK.

  226. Daisy Walker
    Ignored
    says:

    Gone right handed says:
    17 April, 2021 at 11:08 pm

    As an Englishman I’m amazed you guys are still talking about independence. Obsessional or what?’

    Obsessional? Could be, but then its our country, and its important. What’s your excuse.

    Interesting name by the way.

  227. Gone right handed
    Ignored
    says:

    The world is going through a pandemic. The world economy has wobbled. The UK has wobbled but it’s now righting itself. Scotland has benefited from the UK’s farsightedness in investing in a number of vaccines and has now vaccinated over half it’s population. The world is in a wobble and all the SNP can think of is an independent Scotland. Scotland has benefitted from being part of the UK and the SNP want independence. From the UK. That’s curious, and I’d like to see a coherent argument as to why Scotland would be better off outside the UK.

  228. ScotsRenewables
    Ignored
    says:

    Gone right handed says:
    17 April, 2021 at 10:26 pm
    Scotland will not be free of the UK while it rains or gets dark before midnight.

    June 21st it is then…

  229. Juan
    Ignored
    says:

    Brian Toon

    I found out what the “one to you,,,one to me” means.

    It is alleged that you and your partner in crime (not Sturgeon), used to collect all the money at the Wings Stall at big rallies.

    It is also alleged that you and some guy called Anderson, don’t know his second name, used to take these buckets full of money back to his place and you two shared out 50/50.

    Many hundreds of pounds were collected at these rallies and there were multiple events, so for a few years you two would globe trot round Scotland making a wee fortune.

    Even holidays abroad,,,all done in the name of Wings Over Scotland.

    Perra Chancers.

    Allegedly.

    Bigger crooks than Murrell and Sturgeon.

    So now we all know.

    No wonder your sidekick is too embarrassed to show his face on here.

    And from what I have heard, you should do like wise.

    What a brass neck you have sunshine.

    Now I’ll leave you alone with your memories.

    Do me a favour and scroll past me as well Mr Bucket, or whatever you are called.

  230. Gone right handed
    Ignored
    says:

    Oh-and there are unicorns in Scotland. They support the shield showing showing the Or a lion rampant Gules armed and langued Azure within a double tressure flory-counter-flory of the second.

    They are the Queen’s in Scotland.

  231. Juan
    Ignored
    says:

    Away to kip

    Nighty night all.

    Too many chiefs.

  232. Andy
    Ignored
    says:

    Gone right handed.

    Your really gonna confuse the conspiracy theorists tonight.

    In a very short time, you’ll be me ,,,and I’ll be you and the two of us will be Kcor.

    Welcome to the crazy insucure World of Wings Over Scotland.

    Expect a lot of incoming.

  233. Gone right handed
    Ignored
    says:

    @Andy.

    I owe allegiance to HMQ. I believe in the Union.

    It’s all so simple really. Where’s the conspiracy?

  234. Andy
    Ignored
    says:

    Gone right handed

    You’re right about one thing, there will never be an independent Scotland as long as Sturgeon remains leader of the cult they call the SNP

  235. Andy
    Ignored
    says:

    Gone right handed

    And if you don’t believe me, then ask the best Investigative journalist in the UK, the Rev Stu Campbell.

    Who also tells us Scotland will never become an independent nation under a Sturgeon leadership

  236. Gone right handed
    Ignored
    says:

    @Andy

    Scotland will never become independent. Under whatever leadership in the Plywood Palace in Edinburgh.

    BTW why don’t you get rid of that appalling pile of junk and build something admirable? The architects who designed the parliament building were having a laugh.

  237. Lenny Hartley
    Ignored
    says:

    Bdtd, the trolls are out for you tonight! Dont take the bait, i would be willing to contribute to a fundraiser for you and Ronnie for defamation.

  238. Alf Baird
    Ignored
    says:

    Gone right handed @ 11:48 pm

    “The architects who designed the parliament building were having a laugh.”

    You are right, but that was the decision of the British Labour Party to put a Scottish parliament oot o sicht an oot o mynd.

    The best place for the Scottish parliament is in the Auld Parliament building in Parliament Square near George IV Bridge, and Scotland’s maistly unionist judges can find somewhere else tae bide.

  239. Graf Midgehunter
    Ignored
    says:

    Looks like the yoon trolls have off the deep end today, the poor wee things.
    All that shouting an’ screaming and no one taking much notice of them.
    Provoking where they can, throwing insults, we’re just laughing behind their backs. 🙂

    ALBAs really got the wind up them, three weeks to save the bacon of Sarwar/Dross and the rest of the seat warmers at Holyrood, getting harder by the day for them.. 🙂 🙂

  240. John D
    Ignored
    says:

    OMFG as they will understand.
    What a wee troop btling since 9 .
    Can only imagine it’s been a tiring , emotional and all round taxing day for yoons.

    I will take the bet from yon stonker right hand that there will be NO UK in ten , much less 20 . God may bless her , but Maj would just be another widow to quickly follow a loving spouse within months if she did so .The sight of HM sat on her Tod was striking . Also so symbolic of where the UK is.

    Yoons ! What were your highlights of the day ?

  241. Red
    Ignored
    says:

    Brian Doonthetoon says:
    17 April, 2021 at 10:12 pm
    Juan – You are havirin’ $h!†€.

    Brian, “Juan” is “Andy”, who is probably also “kcor” and “Fergus”. Might as well argue with the fly on a jobby for all the good it’ll do.

  242. Gone right handed
    Ignored
    says:

    @JohnD

    One of my terriers accounted for a young rat. On the old road down to where the priory was. And in the wood, the violets and the primroses. And the buzzards flapping up to get the thermal. And the blue English sky. And the young wheat, and barley. And the conversation with people we know in our village.

    And the clear, and very English, blue, heavenly, sky.

    How was your day?

  243. Andy
    Ignored
    says:

    Red

    Do you actually check what you post before you hit the send button.

    I bet you don’t believe in the moon landings.

    And to think it was only the other night somebody called you a troll.

    Is this you trying to back in with the in crowd?

    What an arse.

  244. Anne Marie D
    Ignored
    says:

    Gone right handed

    Not sure if you are an English man living in Scotland and therefore able to vote in the upcoming election. If so, by all means vote for the Brit Nat party of your choice. Even better start a party that demands the rest of the UK be released and unbound from this totally unjust situation of having to fund and subsidise these whinging ungrateful parasitic Scots. Otherwise, accept Scottish politics is all about the constitution and we will keep talking about it. BECAUSE IT MATTERS TO US.
    If you DON’T live here and therefore are just a sad wank who can’t think of anything better to do than comment on Scottish politics websites on a Saturday night (even with the social limitations of a pandemic) then simply Do One, fuck right off, practice playing with yourself, whatever rocks your boat but simply get to fuck.
    I have no tolerance left for you and your like that cannot see past your red white and blue cloak of cartoonish affectation of superiority.

  245. Andy
    Ignored
    says:

    Graf midgehunter

    Those seat warners you say sit in Holyrood,,,will that be the whole contingent of SNP MSPs will it?

    What the fuck have they done to further the cause of Scottish Independence since they were elected at the last election?

    Geez, the sheer hypocrisy we are getting from the Sturgeon fanatics is breath taking.

    You lot are even beginning to tell more lies than Sturgeon, which I thought was impossible.

    Only perverts vote for the SNP.

  246. Sheepshagger
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Red

    “fly on a jobby” is my new phrase of the month.

  247. Andy
    Ignored
    says:

    I suppose there is a bit of a yoon slant to my Voting Intentions at this election.

    I will be Voting for Sarwar this year, so he ousts the witch Sturgeon.

    You can all thank me after the event.

  248. Graf Midgehunter
    Ignored
    says:

    Gone right handed says: at 12:24 am

    @JohnD

    One of my terriers accounted for a young rat. On the old road down to where the priory was. And in the wood, the violets and the primroses. And the buzzards flapping up to get the thermal. And the blue English sky. And the young wheat, and barley. And the conversation with people we know in our village.

    And the clear, and very English, blue, heavenly, sky.

    How was your day?
    ——————-

    What a lovely story..!

    I’m glad to see your treatment is finally starting to work, the blue tabletts work quite well for you… 🙂

  249. Gone right handed
    Ignored
    says:

    @Anne Marie D

    Thank you for your kind comment. I am an Englishman, living in God’s own county of Lincolnshire.

    I like to point out that there is absolutely no way any government in Westminster will agree to another referendum on Scottish independence before the end of the Westminster parliament, or the end of the next term of the Scottish parish council at Holyrood. Or ever, actually.

    That’s what the Scottish parliament is. A super parish council. With a leader who thinks she runs a proper country. Odd, and sad.

  250. Gone right handed
    Ignored
    says:

    @Anne Marie D

    And do you agree the parliament building in Edinburgh is the most appalling heap of crap ever?

  251. Gone right handed
    Ignored
    says:

    @Anne Marie D

    I’d start a petition to have the parliament building in Edinburgh torn down and a proper one put up.

    If I were you.

  252. Graf Midgehunter
    Ignored
    says:

    Night night Andy you cheeky little thing, always telling fibs… 🙂

  253. Sheepshagger
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Gone right handed

    I’m betting your thoughts on our parliament building mirror Hitler’s on Picasso.

  254. Anne Marie D
    Ignored
    says:

    Gone right handed
    As advised for your own wellbeing put that right hand to good use and when it gets tired start on the left. Maybe one day you might find an actual human when you can stay off blogs that are fuck all to do with you. I won’t respond again, just wanted to helpfully suggest a better use of your time.

  255. Eugene Henderson
    Ignored
    says:

    Graf

    No reply was the answer.

    The SNP MSPs sit there like cardboard cutouts.

    Not one of them got the balls to have an opinion of their own.

    Seat Warners,,,very apt indeed.

  256. maureen
    Ignored
    says:

    Well, I must say that my finger is sair fae awe the scrolling. Where are all these nutters coming from? Hard to actually read the rational comments as they are few and far between.

  257. Stuart
    Ignored
    says:

    Typical “Republic of Scotland” you’d rather vote in weirdo’s and perverts than proper people that actually care about the electorate, you and your fellow travellers are no better than than the paedos that you openly support. Would hate to be any female or child related to you that so called Independance is more important to you than your female and/child’s safety!!

    As to your references to “Phil the Greek”, says so much more about you pathetic little person that you are, than someone whatever you think about his position has done more in his life to unite people than you’ll ever do you pathetic sack of shut.

    Anyway as you seem to want a republic of Scotland, why don’t you fuck off to Ireland and stop being Irelands shame and Scotlands burden prick?

  258. Beaker
    Ignored
    says:

    @maureen says:
    18 April, 2021 at 1:20 am
    “Well, I must say that my finger is sair fae awe the scrolling. Where are all these nutters coming from? Hard to actually read the rational comments as they are few and far between.”

    I can’t get on here that often due to more pressing commitments.
    But when I popped in here I thought I had logged into Twitter by mistake, given some of the comments.

  259. Stuart
    Ignored
    says:

    Proud of your wannabe terrorists from the east end of Glasgow setting off fireworks to “celebrate ” a 99 year olds death you pathetic pieces of shite. Hope the ” Queens 11″ smash you kiddie fiddlers tomorrow, as any decent human being would…. a club like no other that’ll fuck your wee brother aye right bunch of counts that represent Scotland fu k right off

  260. maureen
    Ignored
    says:

    @Beaker
    I post occasionally but prefer to read btl comments from people far more on the ball than I am. But recently the threads are being bogged down by the same names who just heckle, jeer, and all round go on the attack of regular posters who have something worth saying. They should realise that opinions matter, not just their own.

  261. Kiwilassie
    Ignored
    says:

    INDEPENDENT says:
    17 April, 2021 at 1:53 pm
    Kiwilassie
    What happened to the expose you threatened STV with.

    Reply.
    Unfortunately I have no verified proof of what I’ve learned & it can be classed as gossip.
    I however have seen a few people from the area it relates to post on a numerous occasions where the Balmoral Hotel affair was verified by others.

    I’m taking the chance by having posted what I read on the accounts of the people involved. I haven’t looked in at the responses.
    One was on Nicolas SNP FB page. I got a message from my son in Singapore saying I could be going down a rabbit hole with what I posted as it is only rumour. I don’t know how he managed to see what I posted. LOL.

    He’s coming from a different place than me, re Independence. I’m a born Scot He’s a first generation New Zealander.
    I really wish I had physical proof, but I’ll go with hearsay for the time being.

    If Nicola Is going to claim publicly that Alex is not fit for public office. I’ll continue asking her why she thinks she is & I will state the reason why I personally think she is not.

    One other person who should never get voted into Parliament is Angus Robertson.

  262. Al-Stuart
    Ignored
    says:

    .
    URGENT MEMO

    From:Boris Johnson, 10 Downing Street, Westminster, London, SW1 0AA.
    To: Adjutant Major Dick Gone Right Handed, GCHQ, Gloucestershire.
    Date: 17th April 2021.
    Subject: 77th Brigade. Demotions in Rank.
    .

    Dear Major Dick,

    OPERATION CORPORAL JONES
    TIME TO PANIC

    .
    The Scotch Colonialmsocial media operation to neuter the prickly Reverend from Bath is a failure. Sergeant Andy-Wanger’s dud information-overload BTL initiative has imploded. Demote Andy-Wanger to a corporal.

    Introduce and promote corporal (code name) “Juan, Juan, The Butcher’s Apron Man”. Priority to make all social media BTL forums in the Scottish Colony unusable. Recruit at least four new 77th U/cover site members per day. Change policy to coherent debate than Any-Wagner’s dud info., repetition. The Sweatie are not that thick.

    Try promoting Governor Alister Jack and emphasise all the direct money we give the Jockistanis from our new Imperial HQ in Weegiestan directly bypassing the pro-Devolution Sturgeon Scotch Executive and Scotch Devolution Parliament, and bring back the bloody right name: it is “Scottish Executive”. NOT “Scottish Government”.

    Use social media infiltration to crush the Alba Party. Silence their messages. We cannot have our tame Jock, Pete Wishart nor the other sleepers Angus Wimledon Robertson or the Fat Banker compromised. At all costs protect the prime asset, Dreghorn 008.

    Do not fail.

    Message Ends

  263. Breeks
    Ignored
    says:

    Gone right handed says:
    18 April, 2021 at 12:24 am
    @JohnD

    One of my terriers accounted for a young rat. On the old road down to where the priory was. And in the wood, the violets and the primroses. And the buzzards flapping up to get the thermal. And the blue English sky. And the young wheat, and barley. And the conversation with people we know in our village.

    And the clear, and very English, blue, heavenly, sky.

    How was your day?

    For such a proud Englishman, don’t you get embarrassed that England hasn’t the backbone to stand on its own two feet without constantly embezzling resources from other countries?

    We Scottish Independentists are embarrassed for you, and we’re trying to help your greedy little nation become more socialised with other nations, stopping it behaving like a reactive terrier that’s a constant headache because it never learned to mix with other dogs, and lives a lonely life constantly stressed out like a piano wire.

    For what it’s worth, I totally agree with you about the Holyrood Parliament building. It wasn’t Scotland’s project. It was built by grossly incompetent Unionists and is totally lacking in presence or prestige, with nothing Scottish in its vocabulary. I’ve said it before, but I think our in-house cartoonist showed his genius by drawing a recognisable caricature of the building. True skill!

    You have to remember though, that the Unionists running Scotland were extremely worried of the impact that a building with any prestige would have on Scotland’s aspirations for Independence. In that respect, Holyrood is apt. Another great opportunity for Scots to come together and do something wholesome and civic, but London thinks we’ll just get above ourselves so foists it’s own interfering agenda on another nation’s affairs and the project turns to crap.

    But we’ll deal with one obscenity at a time. Holyrood can wait. Bringing an end to the obscenity of the Union, and giving a thoroughly miserable English nation back it’s self respect, is a greater priority than levelling the bricks and sticks of Holyrood and starting again.

    Divorce is the perfect tonic for a stale and loveless marriage. We’ll both come to wish we’d done it years ago.

  264. Kiwilassie
    Ignored
    says:

    Brian Doonthetoon says:
    17 April, 2021 at 9:47 pm
    $h!†€¡

    I forgot about his “Fergus” persona!

    Reply
    That made me laugh. What took you so long Brian? I’ve been scrolling past Andy Kcor & a few other for about a week now.
    Never had to do that before on here, always read all valuable comments.

  265. Captain Yossarian
    Ignored
    says:

    Andy Ellis – the data I have provided has been published. The Shetland Islands consistantly elects non-SNP MSP’s and MP’s. That suggests no great respect for what Holyrood has achieved for them. We will see what they do this time though.

    Perhaps if the SNP spent more time there instead of on trans issues, we would all be a lot better informed. Shetland have more or less the same right of succession from Scotland as Scotland does from the UK. We shouldn’t presume anything because their MP’s and MSP’s are reflecting the views of the islanders themselves.

  266. Mikey d
    Ignored
    says:

    Davie oga 7.52am. The same as that davie.

  267. Famous15
    Ignored
    says:

    Hi Captain visit the Northern Isles and be informed and stop repeating Tory BS.

  268. Kiwilassie
    Ignored
    says:

    Al-Stuart says:
    18 April, 2021 at 3:26 am
    .
    URGENT MEMO

    From:Boris Johnson, 10 Downing Street, Westminster, London, SW1 0AA.
    To: Adjutant Major Dick Gone Right Handed, GCHQ, Gloucestershire.
    Date: 17th April 2021.
    Subject: 77th Brigade. Demotions in Rank.

    Reply
    Got to love the Scottish humour. Thanks AL-Stuart I needed that laugh. You are one of the many regular posters here I never scroll past. 😉

  269. Mitchell
    Ignored
    says:

    Captain Yossarian. 7.49

    You say the Shetland isles have every right to become an independent nation.

    So by that rule of thumb, does Lewis, Skye, Orkneys, Arran, isle of Wight, also have the right to become independent Nations?

    And is it only Islands who qualify?

    Could for instance, London, Glasgow, Liverpool all apply to become independent nations?

    There’s not going to be much left of your Uk is there?

    Just curious.

  270. Hatuey
    Ignored
    says:

    “Shetland have more or less the same right of succession from Scotland as Scotland does from the UK.”

    No they don’t. Shetland has never been recognised as a country in its own right. The people have Shetland have historically shown little interest in the idea — by that I mean that we haven’t seen any mass protests, popular campaigns for referenda, or sustained high levels of political support for the idea.

    All they have, when you boil it down, is some notional claim on oil and an unscrupulous Westminster Government encouraging them as a potential fallback plan — to be activated if Scotland secedes from the UK.

    If they were serious about it, they’d be protesting now and directing their demands at Westminster. They aren’t. The argument wouldn’t stand a chance in International Courts because of the absence of all of the above.

  271. Stuart MacKay
    Ignored
    says:

    Captain Yossarian

    The northern counties are not particularly rich and they’ve never been industrial, apart from the herring boom in the mid 19th century. As a result the politics of the rest of Scotland and the rest of the UK don’t apply.

    What does really matter is representation and local control over local affairs. Centralisation of government and services from the 1970s creates ridiculous situations like the attempted closing of the maternity ward in Wick so people would have to drive to Inverness for most maternity services.

    In addition, the Post Office, in their infinite wisdom decided that having a Post Office in a town of 7000 was too expensive so now a van drives up from Inverness twice a week and old people have to queue in the rain waiting for their turn at the back door of the van.

    So it’s no wonder folks have a poor opinion of people in London, Edinburgh or Inverness. With some imagination all they’d be doing is exchanging one set of incompetent morons for another.

    The party that devolves control and delivery of local services to local authorities will win. The UK government with it’s devolution plan for the islands recognises this.

    A return to local control does not need to be expensive. This small thing called the internet could be used to great effect. You can still centralize the development of the tools and even the provisioning of the infrastructure but the delivery of the service has to be local. Whoever commits to doing this first wins.

  272. Captain Yossarian
    Ignored
    says:

    Michael – No, Shetland Islands are entierly different. They were once a territory of Norway and were handed-over to Scotland in 1500, much as Scotland was handed-over to the UK in 1700.

  273. Captain Yossarian
    Ignored
    says:

    Stuart MacKay – agreed.

  274. Mitchell
    Ignored
    says:

    Stuart. 1.47 am

    What happened, did somebody die?

    Must have missed it.

  275. Mitchell
    Ignored
    says:

    Captain Yossarian. 8.16

    So again, by your rule of thumb, you say that Norway is the rightful owner of the Shetland isles. But surely someone had the territory before Norway.

    So could Berwick upon Tweed vote to become a territory of Scotland again, or even an independent nation? Because it was under Scottish rule until 1500th century, the exact same time as the Shetlands were part of Norway.

    Where do you stop?

    The whole UK was made up of different kingdoms in those days.

  276. Dan
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Captain Yossarian

    But surely Shetland is too wee, too poor, and too stupid to be Independent!

    Us Scots have been taught by oor maisters from England that it is impossible for Scotland to be Independent even with our huge diversity of valuable resources and excellent resource to population figures.
    Are you now suggesting that it is possible for a tiny island in the middle of the North Sea with barely a tree on it, and claims to a minuscule amount of the bad quality oil Scottish sea waters are cursed with, is actually enough to progress to and sustain an independent status?

  277. Dan
    Ignored
    says:

    Oh, and what currency would Shetland use…

    https://twitter.com/ChrisMcEleny/status/1383690805387296776

  278. Fishy Wullie
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Gone right handed

    Your crass comments and attempts to belittle an entire nation on this blog exemplify perfectly the reason the English are the most despised nation on the planet, I’m not saying all English people are sad condescending wankers like you far from it but sadly all too many are

  279. Captain Yossarian
    Ignored
    says:

    Dan – Shetland would remain part of the UK.

  280. Terry
    Ignored
    says:

    Good morning! And some GOOD NEWS!

    Have you noticed that sir Harry Burns has written Alba’s policy on public health? He’s the former Chief Medical Officer for Scotland and current president of the British Medical Association. Apart from being brilliant in his own right this gives the party and Alex massive kudos. Alex has been the most smeared politician of all time and for those not in the know some of that has had an impact. Someone like Burns being part of Alba would surely make folk think that he wouldn’t do that if the smears were right. Reputation and all that. Plus I’m smirking cos Nicola will be raging over him being involved.

    Last night Alba event was really good. People were saying in the Alba Arms breakout room how happy they were to be out of snp cos they could now speak up! Plus they could have a laugh. Alex was in too form.

    Anyway if you’ve never volunteered before now IS the time. Get in touch with the party. Leaflets need delivered. Some other tasks too. It’s fun! And makes you feel positive instead of getting frustrated online. And judging by last night it’s all the positive, friendly and committed ones that have defected from the snp. Plus lots who haven’t been in a party before.

  281. McLaurin
    Ignored
    says:

    Jeez, troll city btl last night.

    Anyhoo, I’ve got my postal vote now. Decided I can’t in good conscience vote for SNP on the constituency ballot. Wouldn’t be able to live with myself shafting Scotland for another five years of Queer Theory social experiments with zero push for Indy.

    Going for Woman = Adult Human Female for the spoil. Alba gets my list vote because I believe in logic and science, as well as wanting to live in a normal independent country.

  282. Andy Ellis
    Ignored
    says:

    @Mitchell 8.11 am & Hatuey 8.13 am

    Yossarian is totally off the mark with most of his assertions, and is obviously totally ignorant about the legal situation on oil reserves, EEZs, UNCLOS and ICJ. The old tropes about Shetland becoming independent and waltzing off with all the oil just prove that you can’t kill a bad idea, particularly when it gives such delight and ammunition to British nationalists and Scottish yoons.

    However, it ill behoves anyone arguing in favour of Scottish independence here (or anywhere else) to assert that Shetland shouldn’r be “allowed” self determination because it’s “too wee, too poor and too stupid”, or because it was never independent in the past, or because it’s contrary to the territorial integrity of Scotland.

    EVERY people is entitled to self determination if it expresses a desire for it. That right isn’t automatic and it isn’t without limits, but no true nationalist can – or should – argue that the Shetlanders can’t have it. How about the Faroese? They actually voted for independence in 1948, but the Danes refused to recognise the vote.

    The constitution of the USA (and of many other countries like Spain) are widely regarded as making secession of states or parts of their unions illegitimate and illegal, but as nationalists would you condemn a future attempt by a US state to secede from the USA if it had the support of the people of that state? How about Catalans or Basques in Spain? Bretons or Corsicans in France? Puerto Ricans in the case of the USA? Flemings in Belgium?

    Of course you’ll always get ill intentioned opponents of self determinations using spurious “Passport to Pimlico” arguments, but you should all give yourselves a shake if you find yourself on the same side of the argument as such people.

  283. Wee Willie
    Ignored
    says:

    I see Putin’s Salisbury agents have been fingered for other previous activity in the Czech Republic. It’s beyond all reasonable doubt that Putin was behind the Skipral affair yet Mr Salmond refuses to condemn Russia. I wonder why?

  284. Ruby
    Ignored
    says:

    https://archive.is/c4j85#selection-1277.0-1277.86

    Top civil servant warns Boris Johnson’s ‘assertive unionism’ will lead to independence

    Quite an interesting article in The Herald.

    Anyone got a better word for ‘assertive unionism’?

  285. Dan
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Captain

    OK, so if Scotland returns to self governance taking oor shitey oil with us, then would Shetland still be happy to use Sterling, coz they’d need to buy stuff from elsewhere to maintain a semblance of how they exist now. Or is it back to munchin rollmops and seals for them.

    https://twitter.com/freethinker2030/status/1224038013409419265

  286. Scot Finlayson
    Ignored
    says:

    England was once an Italic/Roman province it was also part of a Germanic tribal area it was also owned by the Danish viking and then ultimately conquered by the French/Norman,

    the Plantagenets were French the Tudors were Welsh the Stuarts were Scottish the House of Orange was Dutch the House of Hanover were German succeeded by the German Saxe-Coburg and Gotha or Windsors,

    the English have had many masters.

  287. wullie
    Ignored
    says:

    Captain Yossarian says:
    So England should be ruled by Italy orthe Romans as they were called when they occupied England for some 400 years, or maybe the Danes jutes Saxsons vikings etc etc or are you just happy to be ruled by the Normans and German royals.
    The last two have certainly pulled the wool over the English peoples eyes for centuries.Look to your own.
    The English people or whatever they really should be called have had their faces rubbed in shit for centuries while their rulers impoverished them and to this day made them think that they the English are exceptional. The rest of the world is pissing itself laughing.

  288. Captain Yossarian
    Ignored
    says:

    Andy – I have provided you with the published data on the provenance of oil reserves in the North Sea. From memory, Shetland’s share is slightly more than Scotland’s. England has a 1% share.

    If anyone wants to dispute these figures, then they should do it before independence and not after.

    Shetland do not wish for independence for themselves. They vote for non-SNP parties and it is their wish to remain part of the UK. In that case, their approximate 50% share would revert to the UK and not to an independent Scotland.

    If one of our islands trusts Westminster more than it trusts Holyrood, then should we not be asking ourselves why that is the case?

    That is the very point of this discussion. isn’t it?

  289. Craig Murray
    Ignored
    says:

    Wee Willie

    If it is “beyond all reasonable doubt that Russia was behind the Skripal affair”, then you will have no difficulty in answering these ten questions.
    https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2019/03/pure-ten-points-i-just-cant-believe-about-the-official-skripal-narrative/

  290. Andy Ellis
    Ignored
    says:

    @Yossarian 7.49 am

    Your argument remains weak and un-evidenced. The fact the isles often elect MPs of different parties is neither here nor there. You’re trying to bolster a very weak premise without ANY direct evidence that there is a desire for self determination by the people of Shetland and/or the Orkneys in the event of Scottish independence.

    You have no such evidence, because there is none. There has been no recent properly weighted polling of >1000 people – which is the only thing that would have any significance – showing an appetite for them remaining part of the UK or becoming independent in the event Scotland becomes independent.

    As per my reply above to Mitchell and Hatuey, I totally accept that the islanders enjoy the same right of self determination as any other people. BUT – and yes. it’s a big but – just as is the case for every other people the right is not automatic or without limit. Most crucially however you have zero evidence that there is any desire for it, other than an airy assertion that they habitually elect MPs of different parties to the rest of Scotland. That just won’t wash, sorry.

    If there WAS a significant appetite for either remaining part of the UK or becoming independent, we’d know about it and the people of the islands would be voting for people or parties standing on a platform for one of those options. You have no evidence and little logic supporting your case. Whether you’re advancing these arguments because you are ill-intentioned or just ill-informed I’ll leave for others to decide. Your statements and knowledge on the matter of oil reserves/EEZs suggest the latter.

    I’d go with that if I were you?

  291. Andy Ellis
    Ignored
    says:

    @Yossarian 9.26 am

    If you provided any evidenc I failed to notice it. Shetland would NOT be entitled to ANY oil reserves if it remained part of the UK as it would be a UK exclave on the SCOTTISH continental shelf and EEZ. Therefore as a matter of international law, established in the ICJ, it would not qualify for its own EEZ. Ergo: zero oil.

    There is no comeback possible on the above. It’s a simple fact of international law. Your evidence and percentages are bogus.

  292. Daisy Walker
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Gone Right Handed, re, ‘I’d like to see a coherent argument as to why Scotland would be better off outside the UK.’

    So many reasons, but your a bit of a time waster, so I’ll keep it brief.

    BORIS.

    Meanwhile in other news…

    Does everyone realise, this Holyrood Election has got nothing to do with the English, and nothing very much to do with the former No voters and converting them to Yes.

    This election is about getting all the wasted SNP List votes from 2016, over and voting for Alba. Everything else has pro and cons… Getting Alba in, is the thing.

    Converting No’s to Yes is round 2. No wonder the Britnats are out in force.

  293. Ruby
    Ignored
    says:

    https://www.cam.ac.uk/stories/devolution

    This is the report referred to in the ‘assertive unionism’ article.

    “Even 2014’s close-run Scottish referendum”

    This made me think it might be a report worth reading.

    Unionists don’t usually refer to the 2014 IndyRef as being ‘close-run’ they normally claim it was an ‘overwhelming win’ etc.

  294. Willie
    Ignored
    says:

    Terry @9.06
    Couldn’t agree more about last night’s Alba event being a great success. That indeed it was for the many who attended and participated in the event. I for one felt part of something that I haven’t felt part of for quite a long time. Hope, spirit and common cause is back.

    And yes Sir Harry Burns the ex chief medical officer for Scotland and current President of the British Medical Association writing the Alba policy on Public Health brings into sharp focus the standard of individuals involved in driving Alba forward. A party rich in experienced talent.

    And tried and tested candidates, experienced and committed Alba is the mechanism by which we will revitalise our Parliament and our country. Like the knights who came to assist deliver victory at Banockburn , Alba’s intervention into the Scottish Parliament will galvanise the Parliament in a similar way all these years later.

    Yes, last night, put down the marker of where we are going, and how we are going to do it. A great night.

  295. Captain Yossarian
    Ignored
    says:

    “When the votes were counted in March 1979 Shetland and the Orkneys were the only parts of the Highlands and Islands to vote against a devolved Scottish parliament. And they both voted `no’ by thumping majorities (5,466 to 2020 in the case of Shetland: 5439 to 2104 in the case of Orkney).”

    I have already provided all the data you asked for, Andy. In some cases, I have provided it twice. These areas of Scotland elect non-SNP MP’s and MSP’s for a very good reason.

    The point is – maybe Holyrood should concentrate more effort on clarifying this issue as it is at the heart of the independence debate?

  296. Dan
    Ignored
    says:

    Guest post over on Barrheadboy’s site.

    https://www.barrheadboy.com/a-guest-post-by-joan-hutchison/

  297. Famous15
    Ignored
    says:

    The captain is recycling myths about the Northern Isles.

    He is like a Civil Service acquaintance who delighted in putting Bergen as his nearest train station when claiming his travel expenses to Shetland. He would tell the same rubbish about Shetland declaring independence. He was a Glaswegian and liked to spin yarns.

    The reality is all the bigger isles off Scotland want more local decision making,and rightly so, but have no desire for independence from Scotland.

    As for staying in the UK ,Aberdeen connections make the folks grumpy enough, I think Newcastle or Hull would provoke eruptions.

    BTW It is Orkney and NOT the Orkneys! Just sayin for FOR Orcadian family.

  298. John McNab
    Ignored
    says:

    Can anyone of you hysterics hereon, who have had the Damascene conversion to become followers of Alex’s Last Big Attempt, explain why he’s appeared on the media claiming, like many of you, that his misnamed* party has now been going for two or three weeks, in an attempt to claim a bigger constituency than he probably has, when it was registered with the EC on 8 February?

    Also, how does he retain the title ‘Right Honourable’?

    * Alba isn’t the whole of Scotland. If they’re trying to draw a line between themselves and the SNP, they need to drop the tendency to synecdoche.

  299. Captain Yossarian
    Ignored
    says:

    Is this a myth, Famous 15?…….“When the votes were counted in March 1979 Shetland and the Orkneys were the only parts of the Highlands and Islands to vote against a devolved Scottish parliament. And they both voted `no’ by thumping majorities (5,466 to 2020 in the case of Shetland: 5439 to 2104 in the case of Orkney).”

  300. Hatuey
    Ignored
    says:

    Shetland is part of Scotland. If the people there want to be part of the UK, they should start working on the political case for gaining their independence from Scotland and then joining the UK after/if they succeed.

    That’s the same terms that Scotland would be required to re-join the EU on.

  301. Captain Yossarian
    Ignored
    says:

    Hatuey – agreed.

  302. John McNab
    Ignored
    says:

    Laughably stupid, pretentious and self-deceiving nonsense on this link. The language used betrays its nonsensical bias. Still if you want to permit yourself a wry giggle on this overcast Sabbath morning at the secessionists’ infinite capacity for self-delusion, have a quick butcher’s.

    https://www.barrheadboy.com/a-guest-post-by-joan-hutchison

  303. kapelmeister
    Ignored
    says:

    John McNab @10:01 am

    “..a wry giggle..”

    A wry giggle. There’s a guid auld Scots phrase.

  304. Cadogan Enright
    Ignored
    says:

    A few thoughts

    – Alba great last night

    – I am glad others re calling out the 77th Brigade posts on this site, it has been obvious to me for at least 2 years. Lord knows why Stu does not weed some them out as it ruins the site. I often wonder if he reads most of the posts

    – Was making a donation to the Pop Goes Scot fundraiser this morning and came across this post. I don’t normally follow the wee ginger dog or agree with everything he says BUT he has this one right https://weegingerdug.wordpress.com/2021/03/17/scot-goes-pop-annual-crowdfunder/

    – Stu is probably right in his current obsession but he has been acting like a spoilt toddler for too long now. If he cannot his way on one thing, he wants to take away all the toys from everyone else. We can fight for women’s rights AND independence at he same time.

    SNP – constituency
    Alba list

    I wonder how many votes will be lost by people writing ‘2’ beside Alba ???? If the Rev was not off his head he could help correct the insane 1/2 shorthand

  305. Ruby
    Ignored
    says:

    https://www.cam.ac.uk/stories/devolution

    If you don’t fancy reading a long report you could listen to the podcast.

    Scroll down and you’ll find the podcast just above the picture of Boris which says

    “…the public may be adapting to the strange idea of a Prime Minister who speaks for England alone”

  306. Ruby
    Ignored
    says:

    Cadogan Enright says:
    18 April, 2021 at 10:08 am
    A few thoughts

    – Alba great last night

    I wonder how many votes will be lost by people writing ‘2’ beside Alba ???? If the Rev was not off his head he could help correct the insane 1/2 shorthand

    Reply

    Do you have a link to what happen with Alba last night?

    Do you really wonder about people putting a 2 on their polling paper??? What about these same people putting a 1 beside the SNP?

  307. Robert Hughes
    Ignored
    says:

    Ah ! Capn Y has now altered his trajectory a little , from ” everything in Scotland is rubbish and requires the forceful intervention of MSM tough guys ( lolsville ) like Andrex Neil to save us from ourselves ” to the old that hoary old leg end of Shetland remaining in – Post Scottish Independence – UK .

    Aye right , as Andy Ellis said , for a population allegedly more aligned with ” British” values – whatever they might be ? – they have been pretty lacklustre in doing anything about it : maybe they know , when it comes to the crunch , where their best interests lie .

    What next Capn , Govanhill succeeding from the rest of the Sooside ?

  308. kapelmeister
    Ignored
    says:

    Cardigan Enright @10:08 am

    “I wonder how many votes will be lost by people writing ‘2’ beside Alba?”

    Virtually none I should think. Considering Alba is at this juncture a party for the clued up.

  309. Robert Hughes
    Ignored
    says:

    ” that hoary old ….”

  310. Shocked
    Ignored
    says:

    I see the sturgeonite trolls like Codogan Enright are back at it, apparently if you believe in freedom, law and justice you are an agent if the British state. Lol !

    Just you keep promoting the corrupt lying criminal Sturgeon, people who promote her are the true enemies of Scotland. They put keeping Scotland’s neck under the knee of the criminal gang that runs the SNP ahead of everything else. Freedom means nothing to these people, only enslavement under the SNP.

  311. Captain Yossarian
    Ignored
    says:

    @Robert Hughes – Andrew Neil did more than anyone to assist Alex Salmond….remember? Court of Session hearings don’t come cheap and he paid.

  312. Scot Finlayson
    Ignored
    says:

    Concern Trolling,

    `the action or practice of disingenuously expressing concern about an issue in order to undermine or derail genuine discussion.`

  313. Effigy
    Ignored
    says:

    Isn’t it just a bit bizarre that the U.K. media want Alex Salmond
    to run a rule over the Skripal affaire and judge who is guilty
    but at the same time they won’t accept Alex’s version of events
    in his private life nor the rulings of 2 Committees, 2 Judges
    and a Female majority jury.

    Isn’t that just a wee bit corrupt from the most corrupt government and media in Europe.

  314. Andy Ellis
    Ignored
    says:

    @Yossarian

    The way the islanders voted in 1979 on the devolutionary settlement on offer tells us precisely nothing about the situation today, nor does it support what passes for your case. It is incumbent on you to demonstrate that there is any widespread sentiment amongst the islanders supporting your proposition. To my knowledge there is zero polling supporting your take on it, and the very limited polling carried out some time ago (which was a proper weighted poll with a decent number of respondents carried out by the P&J) showed an overwhelming majority (>80% from memory) saying that in the event of Scottish independence they would prefer to be part of Scotland, not remain part of the UK.

    It is obvious that if there was ANY evidence supporting your whacky views, the British nationalist MSM and Scottish yoons would be shouting it from the rooftops. They aren’t doing so because no such evidence exists. Further, they are not commissioning any such polls because they know quite well that it is highly unlikely to support their (and your) position. Nor indeed can you point to any upwelling of electoral support for an independence movement for the isles or a party saying they’d stay in the UK if Scotland becomes independent: again, this is because there IS no such evidence.

    Get back to us when you have have some actual evidence. Assertion is not evidence. Nice try, but no cigar,

  315. Captain Yossarian
    Ignored
    says:

    “I have already provided all the data you asked for, Andy. In some cases, I have provided it twice. These areas of Scotland elect non-SNP MP’s and MSP’s for a very good reason”.

  316. TheSNPLeftMe
    Ignored
    says:

    Can anyone explain to me why so many people are letting Trolls dictate the debate?
    They are taking the piss and you should all know it!

  317. Cadogan Enright
    Ignored
    says:

    @Ruby 10.21

    you need to read this electoral commission guide – page 6 in particular https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/sites/default/files/2021-02/Your%20Scottish%20Parliament%20election%20voting%20guide%20May%202021.pdf

    Having attended dozens of election counts over a 40 year political career in elections using FPTP, single transferrable votes, list etc etc for both elections I was running in and where I was election agent —–

    I can tell you for a fact that

    ‘1’ on the constituency ballot just might be accepted instead of an ‘X’

    but ‘2’ on the list ballot instead of ‘X’ is pretty sure to be a rejected vote

    ARE THERE ANY OTHERS ON THIS SITE WITH PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE AT ELECTIONS? (in reality and on the ground?)

    Ruby – how about helping me get Alba over the line rather than just trying to confuse everyone????

  318. Eugene Henderson
    Ignored
    says:

    Cadogan Enright. 10.08am

    Tell us Cadogan, are you President of the Weeshit for Indy Campaign?

    And I see you are no great fan of the Rev.

    And you want all who disagree with your point of view “dealt with”.

    And you sometimes drop in on the WGD website.

    I would say you are probably never away from the WGD website and occasionally drop in here to tell the Rev how to do his job.

    Why drop in here at all, it seems to have nothing that suits your needs. Or do you want an echo chamber similar to WGD?

    Nationalists come in all forms, some will back Sturgeon and her Party, others just couldn’t bring themselves to vote SNP.

    Maybe the latter have Better morals than the Sturgeon/SNP backers.

    But whatever your opinion, it has a right to be Heard. So, at the heart of your argument is that you are pissed off because the Rev is no great fan of Sturgeon or her SNP or for even Voting SNP 1.
    I think the Rev will rightly ignore your pleas to turn Wings into a WGD type echo chamber.

  319. Bartleby64
    Ignored
    says:

    John McNab @9.54
    AS retains the title ‘Right Honourable’ by virtue of being a member of the Privy Council. Ms. Sturgeon is also a member, as are several other Scottish politicians.

  320. Ruby
    Ignored
    says:

    Scotland and independence referendums: short- and long-term reflections

    Watch on You Tube
    https://tinyurl.com/r9p9sb58
    Scotland and independence referendums: short- and long-term reflections

    Alternative you can read this document:

    https://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2021-04/Scotland_Referendum_final.pdf

  321. Ottomanboi
    Ignored
    says:

    «John McNabb» 10:01
    Scotland is important psychologically, strategically and logistically to the British state. A fact which Chatham House was well aware of as far back the preliminaries to the first independence referendum.
    The shock of Scotland’s quitting the Union would impact the very foundations of the state establishment and strike a blow to monarchy, prestige and international standing.
    The usage United Kingdom and the term British would both become obsolete outside historic texts.
    England’s politicians have not addressed the end time of the UKGB&NI sufficiently. All that is offered is ridicule, some racist in tone, and threats of the «we’ll get you» variety. As usual the English will turn up at the event unprepared for the stark reality of a confrontation with a people whose worldview they fail to understand.

  322. Andy Ellis
    Ignored
    says:

    @Yossarian 10.37 am

    The islands electing LibDem MPs and MSPs is no more evidence supporting your case than the pearl clutching unionist matrons of Morningside voting tactically for Labour is evidence for UDI by the People’s Republic of Morningside. Either argue in good faith and provide some evidence for your woo-woo beliefs or begone.

    Incidentally, here’s some real academic discussion which debunks your earlier nonsense about Shetland’s oil and EEZ. It took me 1 minute to turn it up on Google. Go…educate yourself.

    You have nothing to lose but your ignorance, and whilst it isn’t a crime to be ignorant it IS a crime to be as proud of it as you appear to be.

    http://www.ejil.org/pdfs/12/1/505.pdf

    See also the links in a previous WoD article:

    https://wingsoverscotland.com/pity-not-hate/

  323. Cadogan Enright
    Ignored
    says:

    @Eugene Henderson 10.40

    pretty obvious you did not read either of my 2 posts above.

    I’ll also wager that I have donated a damn sight more money to Wings down the years than you have

  324. Stephen
    Ignored
    says:

    @Craig Murray 9.28
    10 points on Skripal
    /
    Could it be that Skripal was a double agent and that the Russians were in Salisbury gaining intelligence on him?
    When it became clear that the game was up Skripal was removed into full British protective custody under the cover of the poisoning “story”
    That the security services went to such elaborate steps to protect Skripal, if my assumption is true, shows just how important he was to them.
    I think you are implying this with you info on his MI6 handler and his potential link with the dodgy dossier.

  325. Robert Hughes
    Ignored
    says:

    Typo alert ! ” Seceding ” not ” Suceeding “

  326. Ruby
    Ignored
    says:

    Cadogan Enright says:
    18 April, 2021 at 10:39 am

    Ruby – how about helping me get Alba over the line rather than just trying to confuse everyone????

    Reply

    OK will do although I hope you will defend me should I receive flack from other posters.

    Please ensure you:

    Mark your ballot paper with an X

    Don’t worry if you forget this there will be a notice at the polling station telling you how to mark your ballot, and instructions on the ballot paper itself. Afterwards, put it in the ballot box

  327. Tinto Chiel
    Ignored
    says:

    @Andy Ellis: an excellent and patient restating of the Shetland situation.

    In any case and for what it’s worth, those arguing from historical precedent seem to have forgotten that both Shetland and Orkney were Pictish long before the Norse appeared in the Northern Isles.

  328. Breastplate
    Ignored
    says:

    Cadogan Enright has a valid point.
    If there is any confusion, surely it is better to have it cleared up, is it not?

    It is incredibly difficult to make things idiot proof.

  329. Republicofscotland
    Ignored
    says:

    “Typical “Republic of Scotland” you’d rather vote in weirdo’s and perverts than proper people that actually care about the electorate, you and your fellow travellers are no better than than the paedos that you openly support. ”

    Stuart.

    WTF are you rambling on about, check my comments from previous threads and you’ll see I’m 100% behind biological women and their rights, and an indy Scotland. AS for Phil the Sponger, you know my feelings on that.

    Next time you decide to post a BS comment (probably from Denison or GCHQ night shift) at least do a wee bit of homework on the person you’re going to be lying about.

  330. willie
    Ignored
    says:

    Just listening to Anas Sarwar and quite frankly one can see why labour are a minority party.

    Absolute waffle and obfuscation the guy was an absolute disgrace. Waffling on about how he was driven to address the racism that he says stalks Scotland, such as Islamaphobia, anti semmitism, he was asked if Scotland was a racist country. And the answer was every country, every organisation has a problem.

    Then when asked about the EU and if Labour would support re-entry the answer was he didn’t want to revisit old arguments.

    And so it went on and on. A windbag for Scotland. no policies, no answers, just waffle waffle waffle. Labour Scotland in fact, and he’s the leader.

  331. Hatuey
    Ignored
    says:

    “Could it be that Skripal was a double agent…”

    Oh God in heaven please help us.

  332. Republicofscotland
    Ignored
    says:

    “Wee Willie says:
    18 April, 2021 at 9:14 am
    I see Putin’s Salisbury agents have been fingered for other previous activity in the Czech Republic. It’s beyond all reasonable doubt that Putin was behind the Skipral affair yet Mr Salmond refuses to condemn Russia. I wonder why?”

    Beyond reasonable doubt my arse, there a least a dozen anomalies surrounding the staged act, none more so than the perfume bottle which the Russian agents allegedly used then conveniently rewrapped and sealed again as if brand new and dumped in the trash.

    Wee Willie.

    That’s you tagged son as state actor from now on.

  333. Captain Yossarian
    Ignored
    says:

    @Andy Ellis – “Therefore, based upon the circumstances of the presence of mineral deposits, the avoidance of the cut-off effect, and the non-encroachment principle, and to avoid depriving Orkney and Shetland Islands from benefiting from mineral deposits in the area, the Orkney and Shetland Islands would likely join England together”.

    Thats from your own references, Andy. Much the ame as mine, aren’t they?

  334. Hatuey
    Ignored
    says:

    Nobody in the history of moral philosophy could have envisaged a scenario where voting for an inept scoundrel like Sarwar would be considered ‘the moral thing to do’, but that’s where we are in this election.

    Sturgeon is dishonest. Not a little dishonest. Dishonest enough to put innocent people in prison for political reasons.

    Sturgeon is dangerous. Not a little dangerous. Dangerous enough to indulge in sociopathic ideas like “herd immunity” that result in thousands dying.

    Sturgeon is corrupt. Not a little corrupt. Corrupt enough to take 600 thousands pounds of money donated to a crowd-fund and weave it through her own party’s accounts.

  335. Andy Ellis
    Ignored
    says:

    @Yossarian 11.41 am

    Point to the actual reference and page. The (out of context?) quote you’re stating doesn’t support your inference, it’s making the point that it would make sense for the Orkneys and Shetlands to act together and be treated together, rather than as individual cases.

    You’re really not very good at this are you? Like so many unreasoning British nationalists and Scottish yoons you’re like dogs returning to your own vomit.

    You literally have no case and no argument. The position in international law and in accordance with UNCLOS and ICJ precedence is settled. You lack either the wit or the desire to argue in good faith. It’s an old trope, for a case which has already been comprehensively debunked. You’ve literally got nothing: no substantive counter argument, no evidence and no research to back up your assertions.

    Step away from the shovel bud.

  336. Red
    Ignored
    says:


    willie says:
    18 April, 2021 at 11:34 am
    Just listening to Anas Sarwar and quite frankly one can see why labour are a minority party.

    Absolute waffle and obfuscation the guy was an absolute disgrace. Waffling on about how he was driven to address the racism that he says stalks Scotland, such as Islamaphobia, anti semmitism, he was asked if Scotland was a racist country. And the answer was every country, every organisation has a problem.

    In one sense, you can’t really blame Anas from grasping whatever straws present themselves. He – a millionaire who was educated at one of Scotland’s top private schools – has a Get Out Of Awkward Questions Free card by pretending to be some kind of victim. It would take almost superhuman (by hack fraud politician standards) levels of self-awareness and intellectual honesty to not exploit that. If Monica Lennon had won she’d be doing the same thing.

    If MSM journos weren’t snivelling fearties they might ask what his dad, the Governor of Punjab, is doing to address racism and religious bigotry there. Might be fun to know the answer, and we can always learn from other countries.

  337. Captain Yossarian
    Ignored
    says:

    @Andy Ellis – It’s your document; I only read it and found the quoted section and it’s not out of context at-all. Try and be less insulting to folk. Some of us have an interest in this subject which may not be a political interest.

  338. Willie
    Ignored
    says:

    Absolutely critical points Red @ 12.22.

    Yes Anas Sarwar is the millionaire offspring of the multi millionaire Mohammed Sarwar who is now the Governor of the Punjab.

    Having made his money in the cash and carry business, and having had another offspring convicted of VAT fraud,, I wonder if Anas ever looks in the mirror and wonders about his own background.

    A background where the family cash and carry seems to only serve Asians one does wonder if there is any incipient racism in that. 0r a father who gave up his British citizenship to take up Pakistani citizenship to become the Governor of the Punjab. But some folks change their nationality like others their underpants. Ghislaine Maxwell, currently languishing in a New York jail apparently had four passports.

    But back to Sarwar and his concerns about racism. Is it not of concern that the Sarwar cash and carry business seems to only have Asian employees and only Asian customers. Surely that is not reflective of Scottish society. ( A bit like having 129 Asian MSPs – it does seem that the family business must discriminate against non Asian Scots ) was

    Maybe Anas would like to comment on this as hecrails against racism. Racism it seems begins at home Anas.

  339. Andy Ellis
    Ignored
    says:

    @Yossarian 12.29 pm

    It’s a sentence from a document I provided, which you have misinterpreted as somehow supporting your erroneous views. It’s not clever and it’s not helping what passes your case. Unlike you, I have done the research both back in the day when I was an IR grad student, more recently when opponents of self-determination tried to argue black was white, and a few hours ago when 1 simple Google search turned up the slam-dunk Mahdi Zahraa article.

    That one article demolishes your argument such as it is. It also incidentally settles beyond any doubt the issue of the English/Scottish demarcation line and demonstrates why the “Tony Blair stole 6000 sq miles of Scotland’s EEZ” argument is total a red-herring, however much many in out own camp keep trotting it out.

    I’ll be less insulting when you’re don’t come across as an egregious know nothing, OK?

  340. Captain Yossarian
    Ignored
    says:

    @Andy Ellis – Explain how I have misinterpreted it please?

  341. Andy Ellis
    Ignored
    says:

    @Yossarian 12.57 pm

    You’ve misinterpreted because it doesn’t say what you’re purporting it says, nor does the article support the claim that Shetland or the Orkneys or both would be entitled to a share of oil reserves. The map on p. 105 shows the 12 mile limit line around both islands, and a “suggested” corridor between the two (which it is by no means a given that an independent Scotland would accept, whether the islands chose to remain part of the UK or become independent).

    International legal precedent (as established in the Nicaragua/Colombia case judged by the ICJ in 2012) would treat the islands as an exclave entitled to zero oil. Facts, eh?

    https://web.archive.org/web/20130905201541/http://www.asil.org/insights130115.cfm

  342. Captain Yossarian
    Ignored
    says:

    I’m not purporting anything, Andy. I asked you to explain and you haven’t. Again, what the article says is as follows: “Therefore, based upon the circumstances of the presence of mineral deposits, the avoidance of the cut-off effect, and the non-encroachment principle, and to avoid depriving Orkney and Shetland Islands from benefiting from mineral deposits in the area, the Orkney and Shetland Islands would likely join England together”.

    It couldn’t be clearer. What Niceragua/Columbia has to do with it is anyones’ guess.

  343. Andy Ellis
    Ignored
    says:

    @Yossarian

    “Therefore, based upon the circumstances of the presence of mineral deposits, the avoidance of the cut-off effect, and the non-encroachment principle, and to avoid depriving Orkney and Shetland Islands from benefiting from mineral deposits in the area, the Orkney and Shetland Islands would likely join England together”.

    If you read and understand the article – it’s obvious you’ve not done the latter even if you say you’ve done the former – the map on p. 105 clearly shows what is being suggested “might” happen after negotiations between rump UK and Scotland in the event the Northern Isles elected to remain part of the UK. The proposed scenario would see the Islands being given rights to the EEZ de-limted by the two lines connecting the two island groups, running roughly SE to NE. There are currently no oil or gas fields within that area. If any were found, and Scotland had agreed to this (non-standard) negotiated position, then they would indeed belong to the UK.

    However, the above possible solution is not by any means a given, as Mahdi Zahraa exhaustively discusses in relation to the disputes over St Pierre & Miquelon Islands between the Canada and France, and in relation to Jan Mayen island between Denmark and Iceland.

    You are indeed correct in that it couldn’t be clearer that you are wrong, that you haven’t done the necessary research, and don’t understand the sources you’ve been referred to and selectively misquote. The ICJ case referred to is chapter and verse relating to how the claims of a larger state (in this case Colombia) lost it’s case against the smaller state (Nicaragua) in a situation which is analogous to the position of the Northern Isles vis-à-vis Scotland, i.e islands whose sovereignty is acknowledged to be Colombian but are geographically closer to Nicaragua and separated from the rest of Colombia’s territorial waters by Nicaraguan and Costa Rican waters.

    If you’d come out with this stuff in an IR 101 essay bud, your efforts would have attracted a failing mark.

  344. Hugh Jarse
    Ignored
    says:

    Take a holiday CC.
    Fabulous service as per.

  345. Stephen
    Ignored
    says:

    Sturgeon is a modern day Mephistopheles.
    She has sold her soul to the powers that be and kyboshed Scotland’s prospects for independence in return for promises of preferment when she eventually retires from politics.



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




↑ Top