Here isn’t the news
Something really quite strange happened yesterday. The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom was caught red-handed in the act of telling a bare-faced, unarguable lie in the middle of a general election campaign, and nobody cared.
Reacting to the Crown Prosecution Service decision not to prosecute dozens of Tory MPs who’d broken the law in getting elected in 2015, the PM offered up a quote, which was reported in most of the newspapers:
Nice wee bit of snark on “all the major parties, and the Scottish nationalists” there. But there’s a slight problem with the statement, which is that it’s an absolute lie.
Alone among the UK’s political journalists, the Scottish Sun’s home affairs editor Chris Musson undertook a bit of journalism, and discovered the claim was completely untrue. While Labour and the Liberal Democrats had also been fined (£20,000 each) over irregularities in campaign spending in 2015, no such thing had happened to the SNP in that or any other year.
So that’d be quite big news in the Scottish press at least, right? The Prime Minister telling a complete bare-faced lie against the party with 54 of Scotland’s 59 MPs less than a month before an election is a fairly significant thing, you might imagine.
Other than the Scottish Sun itself (which has both a report and an editorial leader on the subject), not a single newspaper today mentions it.
Most simply gloss over the story by not mentioning the quote at all. The Daily Record relegates the entire story to a tiny corner of its “campaign trail” page:
The Scotsman led a two-page spread with it, but didn’t include the quote.
The Mail also ignored the quote, focusing its coverage instead on a personal smear against the Electoral Commission’s head of regulation over social-media comments she made seven years ago, before she was employed by the Commission:
But there was worse to come. The BBC did include the quote in its main website article on the story, but carefully edited the Prime Minister’s words to remove the reference to the SNP – in effect actively covering up the fact that she’d lied:
Worst of all, though, was the Herald.
In a substantial report on page 6 of today’s paper the Herald includes May’s quote in full, while making no mention of the fact that it’s completely untrue. Furthermore, it then quotes Nicola Sturgeon talking about the case more generally.
Any casual reader would therefore come to the conclusion there that the allegation must have been true, since the quote has been given and then the First Minister has been quoted straight afterwards without denying it. But in fact both Sturgeon and Alex Salmond (on Channel 4 News) had given strongly-worded responses pointing out May’s lie, which the Herald chose not to report.
We invite readers to imagine the Scottish media’s response if it was the FM who’d been caught in such a blatant falsehood.
The whitewash might be halfway-understandable if the Prime Minister lying had been drowned out in some other major Scottish political news. But the Herald’s front-page lead is a joke of a Some Arsehole story about unnamed “experts” allegedly suggesting that the Kremlin will oppose Scottish independence at some point in the future:
While the Record and Scotsman lead with an utterly bewildering story about a bunch of student thickos who apparently have inadequate basic numeracy skills, yet who’ve inexplicably and irresponsibly applied for jobs as teachers and appear to be blaming the SNP for the fact that they can’t count.
And the Mail and Express have similarly limp non-stories in which company directors pay themselves big bonuses during a corporate merger (shock!) and the ultra-Unionist, ultra-Brexiter leader of the Scottish Fishing Federation, Bertie Armstrong, takes the UK government’s side over the Scottish Government about Brexit (well we never).
Only the Scottish Sun apparently thinks it’s at all significant that the Prime Minister is going around blithely telling unchallenged lies:
We suspect we’re not the only people to find that a little concerning.
Meanwhile the Mirror tells us that mealy mouthed Corbyn is still backing Trident.
Good enough for Carmichael.
I’d say the meeja have pretty much made their intent perfectly clear on Brexit, support of Conservative government narrative and the SNP.
They’ve made their choice.
But it is perfectly acceptable for Yoon politicians to lie about their opponents (Memogate springs to mind). The press have their backs.
This is how fucked up democracy is in this country. So long as it fits with the mindset of their readers, the readership will let it slide. But let it slide now, where will it lead us.
Even if the Yoon readership of these rags saw the light, I doubt they would even care. But they should. For next time they might find themselves on the wrong end of such blatant lies.
All it takes for evil to succeed and all that.
Defamation suit, perhaps?
The SNP must take the kid gloves off now. We now have this Orwellian situation every day in life across the whole media.Debunk every propaganda lie vociferously and let the uninformed and unengaged voters know the truth at every opportunity. I’m absolutely raging (again)…
We all know that it is one rule for them and another for the SNP,
We never were in doubt that the tories tell lies and that JC – an anti-nuclear campaigner all his life once in leadership left his principals behind him, did not whip when it came to a vote on trident in WM and is now backing trident. He and labour deserve what is coming as does the MSM and BBC since we have all learned sense and no longer believe them – viewing figures and buying figures are evidence of that.
JC was made leader BECAUSE of his principals but now abandoned his best one.
Utter. Utter. Shite.
We are fighting an uphill battle, it’s all well and good for informed people like the readers of this website. But you just get so angry for the fact that the casual, not very political average Joe picks up one of these newspapers and believes whatever they read. I wish there was a way to expose the tory scum for the crooks they are.
I actually think the Record’s story IS important. Teacher Training in this country is nigh-on impossible to get into unless you have significant financial backing behind you, as there is no funding available (other than covering the course costs). This means that unless you’ve got a wedge in the bank, or a very supportive and affluent partner or family, there’s no hope of undertaking the one-year full time PGDE programme without working every other hour imaginable, which would be significantly to the detriment of study.
One thing England does better – their Teach First programme basically pays a wage for trainee teachers, meaning that they can choose the best candidates, not just those with enough money to be able to afford to apply in the first place.
craving a pork pie now
It really does make you wonder, is there anything to be gained by playing fair with these crooks.
I agree with Ryan McAllister and TheWasp. How the hell are we going to achieve independence by being polite, tactful and decent when we are confronted every day by the trash served up by the BUM and lied about by the nice British Government. I don’t have the answers but I really do despair at all the navel-gazing that goes on that gets us absolutely nowhere. I know we have come a long way but the monsters aligned against us may be about to put a big road block in our path. Sorry! I will always support our just cause, but that’s how I feel.
[…] Wings Over Scotland Here isn’t the news Something really quite strange happened yesterday. The Prime Minister of the United […]
Not to gainsay what the majority of the mainstream media are reporting (or more accurately, NOT reporting) – and the BBC gloss is truly appalling – there IS a reprt in the Independent on this.
(You should note that the usual anti-Nicola Sturgeon and anti-Scotland comments in the box below are also starting to bubble away, too.)
link to independent.co.uk
BBC website still has nothing about it. The Mail, express etc I can understand to a point, but the BBC claims to be an impartial and authoritative news source.
Scandalous
Look on the bright side, Stu. There’s a Judge Dredd TV show “in development…”
It’s all so true that there are those among us that believe the excrement written in these rags and equally spouted by the BBC state propaganda channels.
I gleefully pointed this out to a colleague who made the claim that Sturgeon said independence was at the heart of the council elections.
I loved watching his wee puss drop.
@One_Scot says: 11 May, 2017 at 10:49 am:
“It really does make you wonder, is there anything to be gained by playing fair with these crooks.”
Of course there is, One Scot. It is the very best weapon the SNP has at its disposal.
Read Wings and every other independence supporting blog and you will note that everyone but the Trolls and obvious Yoons are incensed at the BBC and Dead Tree Press because of the lies, omissions and propaganda.
Obvious to those of us who have though about it is that we can never prevent them from their lies and propaganda as no matter how many press releases the indy supporters, SG or SNP send to the corrupt press and broadcasters the choice to propagate the release remains with the liars.
Thing is the very fact that we see a constantly increasing support for independence and a constant reduction in circulation of the press and viewing figures keep shrinking means that every time a person catches them out that person will thereafter be unable to ignore the propaganda and one more YES voter is added to the indy movement.
Yet we still get Wingers raging at the SNP for not telling the public about the lies. So instead of blaming the SNP why not attempt to suggest exactly how they expect the SNP to tell the public that reads, views and listens to the propaganda how to reach those poor deluded souls when the Yoons control the mainstream media?
Do you imagine that if Nicola raged at the BBC on the BBC the BBC would broadcast it? All that would happen is that Nicola would not be asked to be on any BBC programs.
It may be slower, but letting people find out for themselves is far more certain and there simply is no other way.
Do you imagine that if the SG were to set-up a TV station that Yoons would watch it? Here’s the facts – How many members of the general public watch Holyrood TV? Even if they do – how many, including Wingers, watch anything other than FMQ’s?
I agree with Richard.
Defamation?
Was it not a senior Conservative not long since who was warning that false claims regarding expenses fraud can be dealt with in the courts?
Drip,drip,drip. We are up against the powerful mechanisms of State, which include the right wing press and also the media who support Socialist principles which to them means Labour and nothing else. The SNP are rivals to be seen off.
We are friendless when it comes to most media, apart from the National, which to be honest sometimes appears half hearted in its support, giving as it does a platform to Unionists, who to my mind have enough platforms already.
Any country who has managed to achieve independence from the Empire will tell you of the same treatment we see now in Scotland, prior to gaining their ?.
It is my right as a Scot to choose my destiny. Talk of federalism or any other device does not remove that right. The mechanisms of State seek to remove my ancient entitlements. I will never allow that to happen. You cannot surpress my right to choose freedom ,because I own it, and I will express it as and when I wish, regardless of who approves or disapproves.
We are in the fight of our lives, and we must make sure our opponent ,despite bigger resources, also feel the same way.
@AndyH
I had to correct my No voting wife on that one too. She claims not to believe the media then shows she is willingly gullible when it’s an SNP Baaaaad story.
She did vote Green in the Local election, and TUSC. I refrained from pointing out they are both Yes parties (TUSC are not opposed to indy rather than in active support but they don’t oppose it).
Let her become comfortable voting for Yes parties, little steps. There is time for drip, drip. She voted Remain and is disgusted by two choices, both of which she finds distasteful. But she is progressive at heart so I still have hope. After the Brexit result she came to a SCND rally and even asked for one of my badges to wear. She hasn’t joined yet (costs money) but more little steps.
O/T
Coalition of Chaos…
link to imgur.com
@Bill McLean says: 11 May, 2017 at 10:51 am:
“I agree with Ryan McAllister and TheWasp. How the hell are we going to achieve independence by being polite, tactful and decent Sorry! … … I will always support our just cause, but that’s how I feel.”
So instead of blaming the Yoon propagandists you want to blame the SNP and SG?
Need I remind you that the SNP is democratic as a party and it is the members that make policy – not the party leaders.
So how about instead of blaming the SNP and SG you blame yourselves? Any member of the public can access Holyrood TV and that includes all committees.
How many of us do? Of those how many watch anything other than FMQ’s, (and they do that mostly for entertainment value).
The SUN is telling the truth. Why?
Well I’m not one to have anything good to say about radio shortbread BUT Gary? did challenge the pundit from Darn Sarf about this very thing this morning when pundit said “all the parties were at it”!
Gary immediately corrected him by stating the Electoral Commission had never had reason to question or fine the SNP ever.
The pundit restated his claim clarifying that he was referring to England and Wales and not the SNP and apologised.
He knew that we knew that he knew…I fink!
Jings it’s the new tablets… well fair do’s to Gary today 🙂
Which reminded me of this…(remember launderettes?)
link to youtube.com
PS:
Record stating ‘not Scotland’s oil’ cost us (Scots) £338M is that our notional population share then…FGS!
I want Independence, tomorrow if it could happen. I am 70-years-old now, and running out of time in which to see Scotland free of the dead weight of England and English Tories.
But, when I see the way the Tories lie and cheat to hold onto us, I am more determined to hang around to see Independence Day.
It might be no bad thing, in the long game, for the Tories to win one or two Scottish seats. For an emboldened Theresa May, with a huge Westminster majority, cutting back the powers devolved to Holyrood, or even abolishing Holyrood all together.
Because then, we would revert to the position of the Thatcher Years, whereby a majority of the Scottish MPs being SNP would be sufficient grounds for Independence.
Naturally, IF Holyrood was abolished, and the SNP returned 50 or more MPs to Westminster, then made a Claim of Right for Independence, the Tories would immediately shift the goal posts, we would probably be back to a 40% rule or something, but, in time, we would and will win.
The only worry then would be, what damage had they been able to do to the Scottish economy in the interim.
We are winning, we will win, however long it takes. But, expect more dirty tricks and obstacles to be put in our way.
Theresa May is the Dave King of British politics – a glib and shameless liar.
In the Greenock Telegraph last night there was a newly elected labour councilor blaming the SNP for doing nothing as there is a threat of the local hospital closing, this threat has been ongoing for years, but the point is, there are people in this area that keep voting for idiots like this, he lies to the electorate when he claims that the SNP are keeping quiet about this as it crops up all the time, but the hospital is still going strong and has a great service, i was there 3 weeks ago, i was in and out in 15 minutes, this area has a population of about 80 thousand people and we have a great big hospital that caters for most things, my wife had two procedures with two different surgeons on the same day, all done and dusted, brilliant service, and this absolute clown is blaming the SNP for its supposed future closure, ofc he says by voting for him he will fight to keep it open, only by voting labour who are the only party fighting to keep it from closing, the guy and his labour pals here are degenerate liars, there has allways been a labour council in control here for some reason, inverclyde council at one point had to pay one third of its income in interest every year to furnish loans it had taken out, so we had decades of no houses being built, these loans where written off only because the housing stock was handed over to River Clyde Homes, all of a sudden the existing houses where being modernised and hundreds of houses being built, as i write there is a little area of 41 houses nearing completion and ofc the labour crowd are saying its down to having a labour council, you could not make this stuff up, Why o Why, do people vote for these clowns , it must be down to older voters hanging on to the past of what the labour party here used to be, and even then they where pathetic, and lots of younger people not taking an interest in politics, and their area, lots do vote, but labour allways seem to just have enough to get control, its only a few votes between them and the SNP, but we just cannot seem to get total control of this pathetic labour council, it has to happen one day and the sooner the better as far as people like me are concerned Love and Peace to all
Capella says:
11 May, 2017 at 11:45 am
The SUN is telling the truth. Why?
Because if there is one thing Rupert Murdoch hates more than anything in his world, its unions and an actual Labour party. Mostly because Jezza could be everything the red tories are not, but do enjoy pleasuring themselves that they are, if that makes sense.
eg,
Scott Arthur Retweeted
Scott Arthur? @DrScottThinks 5h5 hours ago
The Greens were once a principled party that stood up for what they believed in. Now they simply prop up the SNP.
Just watching Barnier in Dublin
It looks to me like they will put the hard border between n Ireland be the mainland. Looks like UK is going to slide ulster into an Irish state
Wonder how the unionists will take that betrayal
There is a huge lie – and I mean a huge lie – on the front page of the Daily Record today. It says that dwindling oil revenues has cost SCOTLAND £388 million.
Scotland does not get and never has had any oil revenues (which are all tax anyway)which all goes to London.
They should be called out
Note the carefully crafted avoidance of admitting to any wrongdoing or breaking of electoral guidelines.
Tories had believed all along local expenses had been properly reported and declared.
The CPS have just said that they don’t think that was the case. They were concerned that the electoral Agents had deliberately misfiled those expenses.
The most obvious point to be made is that now that the Tories have been fined and informed that such spending is local and should be reported as such it will be much harder to convince the CPS that if there’s a repeat of this particular stunt that the individual agents did not know that “Battle Busses” and so on must be reported if they make a significant contribution to local elections.
@Capella says:11 May, 2017 at 11:45 am:
“The SUN is telling the truth. Why?”
I’d hazard a guess that it is to engender a slanging match between the two factions both at parliamentary levels and for clickbait between their commenters.
I have said this time and again , despite all this media flack and lies , despite all this ,the SNP get stronger we know it ,they dare not let it get out all their efforts haven’t worked and they bloody well know it , its the unionists who are shitting themselves and are trying their best to hide it , bluff and bluster .
Even Conservative voters have to see this, but they’ll keep schtum, as it benefits their party.
Lying, cheating party for lying, cheating voters, who spend more time analysing their bank balance than their democracy.
So ONE unionist newspaper has ONE journalist on staff who actually appears to be doing something with regard to ONE story, something which might be called “journalism”? And the headline doesn’t read “SNP Bad”? What are they up to?
Peter A Bell has a great BTL comment in the National, below the Henry McLeish about solving a problem like Scottish Labour.
He likens the febrile BBC and printed media to antibodies of the Establishment swarming all over the SNP which it sees as a systemic threat to the organism of the UK.
As an observation, I think that is spot on.
Scottish Independence is no threat to England, or the English people. It is however poison to the UK Establishment.
This is somewhat off-topic, however.
A lot of “SNP Baaaddd” headlines this week concerning the standards of literacy and numeracy among would-be teachers.
This is nothing new. Back, 17-years ago, I was running a one-man sports desk on a local paper. We were doing well at the time, putting-on pages, readers and advertising revenue.
So, it was decided we could hire more journalists, one of the newcomers being a second sports reporter – a young lady who had a university degree in English and a post-graduate degree in journalism studies, plus a couple of years’ exerience on an evening paper.
She seemed ideal, except, this journalist, who left school at 15 with one O Grade, had to spend an awful lot of his time correcting her terrible spelling an awful grammar.
So, for at least 20 to 25-years, Scottish higher education establishments have been giving paper qualifications to graduates which are not worth the paper they are written on, far lesss the vellum – if the posher universities still use vellum.
I don’t think the SNP was in-charge of Scottish education back then.
The obvious question now, if Theresa May would actually answer one, is
“What steps will the Conservative and Unionist Party make to inform their electoral agents do not repeat this?”
It’s not really that surprising at all.
This is what happens when you continually demonise an entity.
Nobody then cares if that entity is unfairly dealt with. It’s why the media invest so much energy in demonising Salmond and now Sturgeon. They know it works.
So far as I can see, the only way to fight back is to kill the msm. Don’t buy it, don’t pay the BBC, cancel your paid TV. Inform advertisers you can no longer buy their goods because they advertise in media that propagates lies.
Support those outlets that are being fair and honest.
What I find most repulsive among all that dreck is the personal attack on the head of the Electoral Commission by the Daily Heil. Another exhibit in the newspaper museum of infamy to add to their recent vile attacks on judges and “saboteurs”. Just because she and her colleagues are fulfilling their duty to the public as required to do, and punishing parties who transgress.
That paper seems to be adding to its sorry history of support for authoritarianism by doing its best to usher another wave of it in here again now.
The sooner we get free of their miserable influence the better.
South park covered this a few years ago.
White folk don’t cheat, they merely misinterpret the rules.
As per the MP Expense Scandal, it will be the collateral damage whistleblower that gets all the blame for “unclear guidelines” and “confsing information”.
After a review, they will lose their position only to be replaced with an “Independent” who is hand-picked and oversaw by the MPs and Political parties at Westminster.
Don’t fuck with the Political Class..Modern Britain Rules!
It is utterly disgusting that the media in Scotland continues to support the lies and manipulation of the Unionist parties.
Now , Mr Hayman and Ms Cherry have a wee opportunity to correct some of the evil masquerading as news -Mr Hayman in particular could stick the boot in since he is ‘only ‘ and actor , director , writer and presenter.
C’mon Raindog man!
I dont know if the SNP are waiting this out until campaigning starts on IndyRef2, but if they are it better be something pretty damn good that puts a rocket right up the arse of the BBC and others of a similar union bent.
If they’re just going to muddle along as they have done and expect these scumbags to come good eventually, well they, and all of us who want to see Scotland free from the union scourge, are in for one very long wait – one that takes us past IndyRef2 voting day and into the hell hole of a lost vote, a lost country and a great big loss of hope that Scotland will ever be independent.
To the SNP: Get your fingers out and start the fight back – NOW! Not tomorrow. Not ‘soon’. NOW!
We the people want, and need – nay, DEMAND our country back.
If you carry on as you have then we’ve already lost.
What the fuck are you waiting for? Fight the bastards! Let them off with nothing.
We, the Scottish people need to see that you, as our representatives, are up for the challenge.
We’ve only got one more chance at this. If you fail in this fightback you fail us and you fail Scotland. The time to stand up and fight has come. Don’t wait – do it NOW!
The SNHS is excellent. The Scottish education system is one of the best in the world.
Does anyone believe 50% of people in Scotland can’t write. Scotland has one of the highest % of universities in the world. 5million pop – 15Universities. A higher number go to University 55%. 30% from school. 25% mature students. Life long learning. Low fees. All students now getting a full loan. Labour/Unionists were means testing loans on household income. Students of households of average earning could not get a full loan to go to university.
There is more inclusion than before. Teachers should get more additional needs training. It helps all pupils. A quite area or a base. Simple measures like a timer or a cushion on a chair. All public bodies including Police should be additional needs aware. Too many people on the spectrum end up in prison, because of lack of support.
Minimum pricing of cheap ‘loss leading’ alcohol and lifestyle changes, would help healthcare, social care and police. Homelessness and poverty can be caused by drink and drug abuse. Total abstinence proper rehab counselling is cheaper than prison.
The 3rd rejects in Holyrood. Do not realise some people 10% to 20% will never be able to read or write with proficiency. They often have other skills, Music, sport, arts etc. These can be developed. Computers can help. Some people are good at maths/science and not at English/grammar. Vice versa. Einstein could not write well. People on the spectrum can have extraordinary skills. People who can never pass a Maths test can have extraordinary maths level/knowledge at University. People can do well at College with support and go on to University. 100,000 Apprenticeships.
The SNP Gov is improving education system by improving teacher training by getting solutions and better training put in place and giving more funding direct to schools/teachers. Local authorities cut education funding. Spending £Millions on grotesque projects of no value. The SNP is introducing adult assessment for dyslexia and other abilities on the spectrum. Often diagnosed as mental illness, which can be helped by awareness and other strategies being put in place. Self awareness.
The Press dullards.
The wasp
Quite agree. The SNP needs to up their game and be a bit more agressive/assertive because at the moment we are using bows and arrows against a very very nasty Unionist machine.
Christ Dal Riata, get a grip…go back up the thread and actually read what Robert Peffers has said in relation to posters including yourself adopting this attitude toward the SNP with regard to the media.
How many times must it pointed out given this onslaught and relentless snp bad rhetoric, that Scotland as a whole is not listening:
Can we just all dial back on this ‘it’s time tae get the gloves aff’ pish…what they are doing Is working. There is no ‘they’re’ not doing it right cause ‘we’ want our country back, They are the party that has got us where ‘we’ are. Fucking driving me insane seeing this out the keyboards of supposed independence supporters. What do people want here? A big dramatic fuck you from the snp to the media? Ridiculous.
We’d be nowhere if it wasn’t for exactly the way the SNP have approached all of this. They have not interrupted the enemy whilst the enemy is signing its death warrant wi such violent, lying scheming rhetoric the likes as we’ve never seen in our politics in Scotland.
How’s that working out for them? End.
As has been said by many contributors, SNP must take the gloves against the establishment and the media.
I do hope at least The National might front page this lie.
I fervently hope SNP have plans A to infinity ready to launch against Westminster from 9 June onwards to ensure our Independence is assured before Brexit happens and that we are not left to the ‘tender mercies’ of the despicable majority in that building and their associated lackeys
Would be news I guess if the FM had not blatantly lied about fisheries policy yesterday as well. Seems like they are all at it.
Notwithstanding what I have just said, I have a certain empathy with Mr Peffers’ and K1’s position too.
Sincerely confused.com
Hoy boaty… link?
Rev, I just don’t know how you can actually look at these rags without wanting to projectile vomit. i just about manage to scan past them.
Yours must be the most vile job in the world and how do you get paid? Pelters. that’s how. You must be doing something right.
hats aff to you.
The person in the SNP who has overall responsibility for ensuring the EC rules are respected and adhered to, should take out a personal defamation suit against TMay.
Even if it didn’t get far, it would get the issue the attention it deserves.
South Ayrshire Council. Deal between SNP, Labour and the two independents ensure the Tories won’t be running the council anymore. The Labour, Tory deal broke down and Labour left in ‘disgust’ ergo ergo…
‘It had been expected that the Conservatives, who as the largest group added two councillors to their own tally at last week’s election, would continue to run the new look administration with Labour.’
link to archive.is
Aye Boatyjames, link or sink.
Latest You Gov – Sub Sample SNP 46% Tories 26%. Yep we are on the slide with a 20% lead! Rooooth has already claimed victory!
Here’s the backstory behind the non ‘coup’ at South Ayrshire, snp leader was in the dark, Labour felt they were ‘treated like dirt’ by the Tories during the talks…priceless…just goes tae show their utter arrogance, they’ve effectively shot themselves in the foot because of their greed and lost control of the council. Hahaha…
link to archive.is
K1 says:
11 May, 2017 at 1:20 pm
South Ayrshire Council. Deal between SNP, Labour and the two independents ensure the Tories won’t be running the council anymore.
Excellent!This is my patch and over the moon that scum aren’t involved.Hopefully now they can revive the town.
Be angry! For those angry but don’t know what to do about it, I’d say get mad AND get even. What often happens with movements like ours, which are basically revolutionary, is that the establishment assumes we’ll lose interest and only a few fringe nutters stay angry. So, we need to make sure it’s not just a few of us who are angry, but lots of people, and that means getting out and taking the message to punters in their homes and in the street.
One thing I became convinced of between 2012 and 2014, and nothing since has shaken my conviction, is that the MSM will NEVER come round; they will NEVER be a friend to indy. Stop imagining they will. Use them if you can but for most of us they will never be trusted again.
So-called independent cooncillor in Moray resigns less than a week after the vote. £25,000 for a by-election
The problem with the direction of travel currently employed by the MSM and it’s Propagandist partner at PQ is how this must conclude, it wont be pretty. It’s all or nothing for the Brits.
To be honest, I think the media have descended to a level where they don’t care how they spin a story about the SNP / nationalists / Scotland now (…hell! Or even Wings for that matter!!)
There is no integrity now. The British State is seriously rattled, but it’s not just down to Scottish nationalists; it’s to do with the way that they have currently handled Brexit, and they are now deeply worried how it is all going to pan out over the next year or so come the negotiations. Theresa must be praying that the EU Commissioners don’t open up with Freedom of Movement as their starting point in negotiations. If they do (and I would if I was Juncker), her whole strategy as well that of the overall British State will come crashing down around their ears.
My view is that they are deliberately and determinedly setting out to paint the whole Scottish nationalist movement as being led by corrupt, ineffective idiots. If they can do that and have that image imprinted on people’s thinking, then hopefully, come the collapse of the Brexit talks, folk in Scotland won’t be seeking a 2nd Referendum since they will just shake their heads at the SNP believing them to be utter hopeless in so many ways. Why would you trust them with an independent Scotland then? Better the devil you know by sticking with the British State (even if the whole place is facing oblivion in so many ways).
That’s my view on the current media and UK government proceedings when it comes to handling Scotland and its nationalist movement.
Do you know I now realise that Independence isn’t my First Priority!
First I want the right for me and all my Scottish country men and women to be able to access the truth and to cut off all sources of lying, distortion and corruption, of which most stems from Westminster itself.
If the media and all political parties jumped on May’s blatant lie and demanded an apology and a retraction immediately, the UK might have stood a chance, but it just never will.
With Truth comes Justice, and with Justice a Nation gets to make its own decisions for its own benefit, not that of a corrupt predator nation next door!
It’s outrageously expensive, implies Norman BBC Smith, how dare Jeremy suggest free University Education darn Sarf! 🙂
I thought he was just reporting but no big Auntie has an opinion and up with Jeremy they will not put.
I said Corbynite is Craptonite when he got elected.
PS:
Last sentence in the latest EA health report Darn Sarf.
Scotland – on a month-by-month basis – have tended to have the best performance.
———————————————————-
I’m not gleeful about people not getting health care darn Sarf quite the reverse but I’m glad I live in Scotland.
Anyhoo having said that we have our troubles too what struck me on Auntie’s report from NHS England was that no % figures were given as was the norm not too long ago.
link to bbc.co.uk
Need Eddie Mair to tell May to her face: You are a liar, aren’t you?
In the interests of gender balance, what’s fair game for Boris is also fair game for her .
@K1
What the FM said on Fisheries was absolutely correct as the House of Commons Briefing Paper about fishing and Brexit clearly states.
link to twitter.com
See below
link to m.facebook.com
I know the F.M. is not a candidate and Feartie McFearite made her comments about the SNP and not an individual but perhaps a certain Patrick McLoughlin’s comments still hold water.
People should be aware that making false claims about a candidate’s personal character and conduct is an electoral offence, as well as being defamatory.
link to thecanary.co
It is news in a way. There are never any prosecutions:
link to twitter.com
Brexit: What next for UK fisheries?
Shows the summary that was posted on twitter that I linked to earlier, the full report can be downloaded from the link below.:
link to researchbriefings.parliament.uk
Primary school teachers in Scotland are required to have National 5 or equivalent BEFORE being accepted onto the Professional Graduate Teaching Diploma course, so how come they’re claiming they don’t understand enough maths to teach primary level sums?
link to targetpostgrad.com
Any election expenses fiddle by the SNP would have been given maximum exposure by the Unionist media, and everyone would therefore know about it – including Theresa May.
So when she lied about the SNP election expenses, she KNEW SHE WAS LYING, but went ahead anyway, in effect perjuring herself in the court of public opinion.
In Mrs May we have a PM who is morally corrupt, which for a vicar’s daughter and a practicing member of the Anglican Church, as well as a Privvy Councillor, really ought to add up to a resignation. Except that in Unionist circles, such an idea is a thing of the past.
Nowadays, a Unionist who is not corrupt, simply won’t be accepted by the group and will not make progress up the political corporate ladder.
Welcome to privatised politics and ethically cleansed Government, or do you still believe your Unionist MP is working for the voters and that Scottish Oil is an SNP lie.
May even tried to smear the SNP by saying they were fined for breaches of spending. That demands a public apology. If Carmichael got his fingers caned for lying so should she. If I was Sturgeon I would demand she publicly retracts the remarks. Play these bastards at their own game.
This is what we are up against. Instead of being ashamed they lash out and try and smear others. Reminds of Rangers fans when you press them on sectarianism.
Whatabootery!
This is actually a very serious event. Not the fibs, the reporting. It made me realise I have never ever seen this kind of article on behalf of the SNP, it is always against the SNP.
The SNP must be sitting on a fair sized chunk of cash, could they not employ some American “Wag the dog” type spin doctors who could show them how to get down and dirty.
Take the fight to the tories, nobody better at dirty politics than the good ole USA.
Westminster has at least since the 1960’s been both scared shitless about Scotland becoming independent and ruthless in making sure that it didn’t happen. All they have are lies and schemes to relentlessly undermine the idea of Scotland as an independent country.
It’s not hard to see why they choose to do this given the UK’s abysmal track record economically and socially over the past 50 years (at least). This can be seen by comparing how the UK has done on various measures vs Germany, Denmark, Netherlands & Sweden.
So since the UK establishment has nothing genuinely positive to say about how they have actually run the UK for so long, all they have are emotional promises, that will be shown to be empty, and of course their favourite tool – lies.
I don’t favour a slanging match since they have generations of experience of this and they have the msm to propagate their lies. The big lies need to be exposed but I’d like to see more focus on exposing, as best we can, the many many clear examples of how inept westminster and their cronies have been in doing their day job – managing the UK.
With policies that are u-turned on, non-existent policies that suddenly appear once they are elected, deceitfulness (McCrone, 40% rule in 1979), economic incompetence (North Sea oil), unfairness (wealth inequality, housing), it’s a long list of snafu’s to choose from.
I think that a good place to start with would be to get some real numbers that put the UK in a context next to it’s close European neighbours. This can be easily done at this site and the multi-colour charts make them crystal clear –
link to theglobaleconomy.com
Just pick which countries you want to compare and then which measure. The time period can also be adjusted and since most go back for decades, the more important trend becomes clear, rather than the usual 3 month snapshot as shown in the msm. Here are some examples –
GDP per capita PPP in dollars
Government debt as % of GDP
Current account as % of GDP
Current account in dollars
Capital investment as % of GDP
Research & Development % of GDP
Health Spend as % of GDP
So how does the UK compare with Germany, Denmark, Netherlands & Sweden over the past 25+ years? Worst for each measure and for each year 99% of the time. For decades.
No lies, just some critical facts to shine in the faces of those who try to spin their latest lie.
Like this one – ‘Theresa May has told leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos that the UK will be a “world leader” on trade.’
Exports of Goods & Services as % of GDP ? – bottom again. So just yet another lie exposed for what it is by the use of factual information within a clear and highly relevant context.
The UK has been sinking for a long time. That needs to be shown and repeated as often as it takes, otherwise Scotland will be dragged down and not just back as has been the case for so long now.
Congratulations to the Sun journalist for having the instinct to follow up and the decency to publish.
Thumbs down to the bbc – but are we suprised – bbc can not be trusted!
When it comes to standards or outcomes in government, the SNP have always been treated differently from the uk parties! Remember when labour demanded additional scrutiny to be placed on the SNP minority government when it came to power.
Robbo
Interesting about South Ayrshire. I wonder if the Tories own hubris about the council elections will make any deal between them and other parties impractical and unworkable. It may that the Tories get completely frozen out of every council in Scotland. That would be a turn up for the book. Struth Haribo will be spitting tacks
Last night Channel 4 news dealt with the election expenses story and mentioned Mrs May’s quote which included the bit about the SNP. Unfortunately for Jon Snow he did it when he was interviewing Mr Salmond who categorically denied it.
Jon Snow then tried to make it about some Freedom of Information request but Mr Salmond cut him off and made it quite clear the PM was referring to election expenses AND again categorically denied that the SNP had ever been fined for breaking the rules on election expenses.
Jon Snow then finished the interview by asking Mr Salmond if he would bring up the issue of tightening the election rules if he was returned to HoC. Yes was the answer.
The only Nationalist involved in the campaign who was fined was you Rev Stu. Delayed paperwork or something.
Could Theresa May be alluding to you?
Well well. Your fame (or infamy) grows by the day if the Prime Minister of the UK had this in mind when she spoke.She is aware of your input. No doubt informed by security services.
Great article Rev!
That’s going into my ‘Fib Files’ for wider circulation and WOS promo.
😉
Whatabootery!
A lot of people clearly do not want change. And if they do begin to change their attitude to change, its clearly because of calm, serious, competent Scots gov, despite being raged at endlessly that Holyrood itself is a bad thing.
Its our cybernat job and freedom, to go nuts on tory beeb gimpery and all the rest of the frauds but, we’re not standing for election.
Our chums in the British media are only pretending, all day and every day, that Scots are incapable of governing Scotland.
Getting into it with a limitlessly funded and extremely aggresive clusterfcuk like Pacific Quay, does not change minds and hearts.
At least that seems to be the SNP media policy.
Are they losing?
Aweright Big Jock, aye, a public retraction and immediate apology from the PM is necessary now, during these important pre-general election times.
A smear was aimed at the Scottish National Party and by extension, the people of Scotland, that is us, all of us.
The Electoral Commission confirmed it had never fined the SNP for any breach of party campaign rules at any election.
Wow, this is massive… The Consernatives!
We’ve got it on record, you do the maths.
GE17 countdown clock time remaining:
28 days (or four weeks to go)
Get thinkin’ Thursday.
Bob Mack @ 2:58
Stu was not fined for his participation in this campaign.
He had no official participation in this campaign.
Another truly awful slur!
The Independent has printed a picture of Nicola with the caption …. “Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May attends a campaign event in York Getty Images “
Can you honestly think of anything worse than being mistaken for TMay!? 😉
link to tinyurl.com
Theresa May’s lie about Snp expenses was deliberate and was deliberately ignored by and large by the media. She also clearly knew before hand that the Tories would get off with their election expenses with no case to answer from the Crown Prosecution service.
When you look at the bare faced lying media stories about the SNP or more commonly the total suppression of news or coverage of them, it is clear that we are already living in a fascist state with state run propaganda masquerading as a free media. The demonisation of Nicola has now reached the AS stage as I and many others knew it would. On social media she is called disgraceful names by morons who are megaphones for the state propaganda black flags.
But the SNP do little to directly challenge it, despite having every right to do so. I am a member of the SNP and have challenged the softly softly approach only to be told ‘we’ll win it on the doorstep’ by my MP. Well I was on the doorstep during the council election and all I heard was the same bullshit I see and hear own the colonial media…even from snp supporters!
To try to dismiss this tsunami of shite disinformation being directed at us day and night as irrelevant or to be ignored because it will be alright on the night is fatuous bullshit.
Remind ourselves…we lost by 400,000 votes in the referendum…when it was unionist v nationalist. We will win the GE. But in the binary count we are still struggling to outsrip comfortably the Unionist vote.
The SNP must come out fighting..in the same way that the tories do and match yheir lies with the truth…about Brexit..about the failing British economy..the failing English NHS..the real oil fields worth…etc etc. There is enough ammo to blow them out of the water. And most of all..to attack the BBC in all its dissembling disgraceful ‘glory’. If they don’t..then it will be groundhog day 2014 all over again…and that would be unthinkable
FYI
“Facebook deleted my previous upload of this. Have they been taken over by the BBC?”
Anti Conservative Facebook pages, posting photoshops of Mayhem and her hedge fund multi millionaire husband, mock ups of as Wallace and Grommit, gone, switching Mr and Mrs Mayhem, actually very samey faces, quite scary, gone etc.
What is Facebook up to, who is paying them hard cash to pull satire, Facebook’s hardly a US corp to knock back anyone’s dosh.
Scottish Parliament TV.
TODAY. First Minister’s Questions.
May be viewed here.
Archived.
link to tinyurl.com
I haven’t posted anywhere in sometime. However BBC complaint sent and demand for donalda’s resignation.(She said she’d win back our trust).
Hope this link works : link to bbc.co.uk
Please help Scotland and make a complaint.
The SNP MUST sue for defamation. This will highlight the failure of the media to report a blatant lie, and will result in damages. I don’t think Crowdfunding would be a problem. And I can see no downside.
In future we must all use this example to prove that Yoons can say any lie and be protected by the media
@crisiscult
Completely agree. I’m going thru one of those sweary, blood pressurised angry phases.
HOWEVER,I am putting my anger to good use, and pounding the streets, getting my designated area leaflets done. Far healthier, more productive. You at least feel like you’ve done something.
I’m staying off Twitter more, because I can’t stand the avalanche of Tory bullshit, Scottish and English.
I even switched off PMQs, as Davidson screeching was doing my head in.
No doubt I’ll get back in, but sometimes you have to turn away for a bit.
I have gotta hard copy of the Scottish Sun from over 20 years ago.
This cover also features Nic.. but this Nic is a Nick Faldo.
Their motto then was, “Fighting For Independence“.
Let’s see that back on yer banner @TheSun.
We will take it from there.
@Gerry Parker,
No not this campaign, but certainly during the indy campaign that the Tories constantly obsess about. I wonder if Ms May had a Freudian slip ?
Lochside, The SNP must come out fighting.. when and where though?
They’re hardly ever on BBC Politics shows. Ligger Neil can sit for a whole hour show with Dr Nuttal by his side, on the vote tory BBC lunchtime show, Dr Nuttall’s a lovely guy really, not a neo fascist at all.
BBC r4 gimps more or less only report SNP bad and Scotland bad, across the UK, they’re latest illiteracy scare is now everywhere online, as is Scottish tories “winning” Scottish council elections last week and Ruth D’s tories are going to win 12 Scots Westminster seats JUne 8, all of it lifted directly from all BBC channels, tv, radio and online free to access BBC news and politics sites.
With relentless SNP bad and now Jezza whipping much of SNP manifesto, beeb gimps are in for a very busy month and there is absolutely nothing to be done about it.
I saw a cracker on twitter acording to the finicial times the Tories would take 18 seata off the SNP but how can that be on 24% of the vote
Socrates MacSporran @ 12.18
The standards of literacy and numeracy started declining decades ago. The pace of decline has increased because the teachers in the system, or going into the system are product of that system. Therefore the decline feeds on itself until it becomes obvious in every aspect of life.
Just over 20 years ago I taught in the Life Sciences department in one of our ancient universities. Very large class – hundreds of undergraduates so a pretty good sample size. They had to have Highers/Sixth Year Studies/ A levels including English and Maths.
Year on year we saw a decline in their general vocabulary and in their arithmetical skills. Note arithmetic not maths.
One of the lab sessions was given over to the writing of essays. Some of the students arrived at university only able to write in capitals – without paragraphs of course. Just after I left another lab session was dropped and given over to teaching them sums.
The student teachers giving evidence to the Holyrood committee about their lack of numeracy and literacy skills probably have Highers in English and Maths or, at least in Maths,a sub-higher national certificate yet they are freely admitting they don’t know or understand those subjects to be able to teach them.
Your experience 20 years ago was not an isolated one. Those who went in to teaching 20 years ago are the ones responsible, in part, for today’s output. If they were poor then the ones coming out now are likely to be even worse.
heedtracker @ 15:21,
I read somwhere recently (can’t remember where, alas – maybe via a link from the ever-resourceful nana), but the essence was that Facebook is moving into monetising political advertising, cashing in on the Big Data of all their subscribers, and the Tories (and possibly Labour too) are starting to buy into this in a big way.
Trying to reach an important population segment that is typically out of reach of the conventional MSM, and thus not “under control”. What the Tories don’t already have by existing alignment of interest in the old media, they will attempt to buy in the new. Whatever it takes to win.
Maybe Facebook is willing to include a little censorship as part of the package on offer. Wouldn’t be surprised.
I saw a cracker on twitter according to the financial times the Tories would take 18 seats off the SNP but how can that be on 24% of the vote
The SNP should go after these Orange and Blue councillors as well. I bet about 80% of the new ones have a history to hide. Roooooth does her recruiting in Orange Halls and Rangers pubs. These people as well as being bigots, are usually very stupid with Twitter and Facebook.
Let’s trash the Tories, show them for what they are. That includes all of us. Anything we can find on these councillors get it out there.
It’s all uphill but the reward will be all the richer from the view at the top.
Future historians of an independent Scotland will gather and preserve such articles at this in our national archive.
Fiona that’s because English journalists don’t understand the majorities in our individual wards. They are completely ignorant of politics in Scotland.
A prime example of why you can’t quite put your finger on it but the phrase “strong and stable” should ring alarm bells.
link to sparknotes.com
Fascists did, but only that they acted, and acted within the framework of a stable and strong government.
Mussolini was a likely leader of the Fascist movement.
The BBC and 99% of the corporate media certainly appear to have nailed their colours to the mast. The PM tells a whopper during an election campaign and the Scots are excluded from any knowledge of it. Not really a surprise when you apreciate social exclusion is a process.
link to un.org
The BBC’s reporting of the results on the Council Elections in Scotland was truly awful and very misleading, as demonstrated by this site. How many internet sites and other media outlets had to do modifications/corrections after initially following what the BBC reported?
The results of elections cannot be fudged in this way as the figures are always officially published afterwards and compared to previous official figures. The impact of the BBC’s misreporting was only on the first day and may have been forgotten afterwards if there was not an election coming up and great interest in polls north and south of the border.
So the figures were scrutinised by many more than usual and the lies, of the Tory surge and the retreating vote of the SNP, was seen by all as the Tory gains were obviously coming from previous Labour voters.
Could this be why more people are checking what is being said about the SNP? Are more, like this reporter, checking official sources? When more lies are discovered that adds more doubts to what the main Media sources in the UK are saying about the SNP.
People discovering these lies for themselves is more powerful than the SNP or us screaming at them. People don’t like being taken for fools, whether they have a vested interest or not.
Legerwood says:
11 May, 2017 at 3:38 pm
Socrates MacSporran @ 12.18
The standards of literacy and numeracy started declining decades ago.”
Scottish lecturers I know in HE and FE, say that “O” grade English of the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s in Scotland, is now the Higher, if that makes sense.
This fall back to the Higher now being O grade standard is either academic, or policy, or socio economic, children just not reading like they used to.
Biggest jump or difference in standards of literacy is as usual, private school education, who have kept the Higher standard in Scotland, or as is the case with the very expensive private schools, still using the English A level system.
The BBC are a classic example of what Gramsci called cultural hegemony.
They are incestuous exploiters of the media to the furtherance of the continuation of the status quo. At this point the vehicle to maintain the status quo is the Tory party.
When the SNP came into power it should have abandoned the Curriculum of Excellence, the only measurable effect of which was to continue a process of overloading teachers with paperwork and stress.
Robert J. Sutherland says:
11 May, 2017 at 3:39 pm
heedtracker @ 15:21,
It depends on how true it is, that Facebook are now right wing censors, for the tories in the UK? Noe of what’s being deleted is sexual or any more offensive than UK broadsheet satire, like the below.
So if Facebook are censoring for the tories, we will probably never know why, or who is actually paying for it. Rob Shorthouse or whatever he’s called has a good online lecture on how BetterTogether used Facebook to monster anything that YES put out, 2014. But they paid Facebook adtime to do it.
This is a whole new kind of online censorship fraud that we probably wont know much about, until tories have won and some chancer like Shorthouse fancies showing off, like Shorthouse.
HandandShrimp says:
11 May, 2017 at 2:54 pm
Robbo
Interesting about South Ayrshire. I wonder if the Tories own hubris about the council elections will make any deal between them and other parties impractical and unworkable.
Lets hope so. Let the games begin!
Think one thing the SNP got when asked about raising standards is that they would rather raise attainment instead. Nothing like putting success beyond the reach of children to ruin their self confidence.
Small wonder the Vicar’s daughter won’t debate on TV, when cornered she makes mistakes or resorts to lies & this is the woman in charge of Brexit negotiations!
Whoever it is in the BBC news editorial team responsible for amending the article is very very good. Removing any reference to the SNP but leaving the allegation entirely intact, through the use of the word “all” is reflective of Steve Martin in the film “The Man With Two Brains”s. Shouldn’t be hard to spot as he leaves his office in Whitehall.
Handandshrimp spot on about Antonio Gramsci, he had it all Sussed 80 odd years ago.
Everybody should read Gramsci to understand how the establishment control our lives.
He also said that any meaningful change must come from the bottom up, that is why it is so important that in the next referendum we have an even bigger grassroutes campaign than before.
Time for more bbc misreporting Scotland stickers?
Just remembered that the SNP are the third largest party, by representation and polling in the seats they stood at in Westminster.
As such May might have intended to say, “all the major parties except the SNP” but misspoke. No doubt she will publish an apology at some point. However should she refuse to do so then she is in the same boat as Carmichael in that she is excusing misconduct of her party in order to escape the repercussions of it by saying all her opponents do the same.
@Dal Riata says: 11 May, 2017 at 12:50 pm
… To the SNP: Get your fingers out and start the fight back – NOW! Not tomorrow. Not ‘soon’. NOW!”
Sheesh! Do you ever watch either Westminster TV or Holyrood TV to see the everyday hard work the SNP MPs and MSPs put in day in and day out every bloody week of the year?
Oh! Grow up. Stop acting like a child. There’s you, sitting in the back seat dribbling on like some demented budgie, calling out continually, “are we there yet”.
” … We the people want, and need – nay, DEMAND our country back. If you carry on as you have then we’ve already lost.
What the fuck are you waiting for? Fight the bastards! Let them off with nothing”.
BTW: When did, we the people, appoint you as our spokesperson?
We, the Scottish people need to see that you, as our representatives, are up for the challenge.”
I say again – When did, we the people, appoint you as our spokesperson?
” … We’ve only got one more chance at this. If you fail in this fightback you fail us and you fail Scotland. The time to stand up and fight has come. Don’t wait – do it NOW!”
Utter pish! I’m well into my 80s, got a birthday in less than a week, and I’ve been listening loons telling me it’s our last chance for winning since around 1946. Yet here we are in sight of the finishing line at long last.
Want to know something? I’ve seen the aggressive approach, the blowing up of Pillar Boxes, the attempts to blow up pylons taking power over the border, the theft of the Stone of Destiny – guess what, Dal Riata?
Every time such things were attempted the support for indy fell. Want to know when the tide turned and instead of one step forward then two steps back began? I’ll tell you anyway.
It turned after the party threw out Margo McDonald & Alex Salmond and Salmond came back to lead the party. Salmond is a master tactician and under his leadership the gains made remained and then they began to increased a little at a time and stay there.
That’s how almost every nation that has broken free of Westminster rule has done it. It works like this – you make slow gains but always the average is a small slow gain.
Then there comes a tipping point and then, and only then there is a rush to independence – after the tipping point – never before it.
The tipping point is very, very close and Westminster knows it and that is why Westminster is acting so crazy just now.
Tell me this – have you ever seen anything like their desperate actions before?
Re- Down and dirty US politics style, The SNP should study Dr Sebastian Gorkas interview techniques , the only person I have seen interviewed by BBC presenters who managed to turn the interviewer into a confused jelly, his views on many things might not suit or please many, but he even made Brillo nut sit up pay attention and be very respectful , He makes it personal he goes for the throat .
I believe being respectful to anyone at the BBC is a waste of time, they are not our friends .
Cconservative Protation Society has triumphed again – no prosecutions BUT they as much as called the Tories cheats in much the same way as Carmichael the liar was tarnished.
Well done the Sun for outing the lie.
I guess they might be wanting to have a future once Scotland is Independent, so might as well jump ship now?
Joanna Cherry is on QT tonight and if anyone can get in the statement from the CPS she can and will do if she gets the chance.
She is ideally placed to call out TM – MAYBE SHE WILL.
Holyrood is a pathetic testimony to the petty PRO-union parties elected to try and stand up for but are actually destroying Scotland.
As Nicola pointed out today, a number of improvements the SNP has proposed have been voted down by Kezia, Willie and tRuthless.
Do they really think that their parties could do better given the restrictions imposed on them by WM and the devolution settlement.
LibDem part of a WM coalition that cut Education the budget to Scotland, Labour PFI schemes swallowing up money that could go into our hospitals and Tory Brexit causing huge problems.
@HandandShrimp
“It may that the Tories get completely frozen out of every council in Scotland. That would be a turn up for the book.”
Yes, that would have been very pleasant indeed. Unfortunately it doesn’t look that way in Angus of all places where they were until now running the council. The Tories, Liberals and Independents appear to be set to reach an agreement on forming an administration.
link to thecourier.co.uk
Archiving not possible.
FIONA TOMANY says:
11 May, 2017 at 3:40 pm
“I saw a cracker on twitter according to the financial times the Tories would take 18 seats off the SNP but how can that be on 24% of the vote”
It is called Ruth the Mooths confidence in calculating the Postal Votes.
[…] In this instance, readers of The Sun would get the whole story. But that will not always be the case. Chris Musson’s reporting on this smear is remarkable because it exceptional. It is out of the ordinary. The norm for the British media is the kind of dishonesty and devious manipulation that we see from the BBC. The only sources of Scottish political news and analysis that are at all reliable and trustworthy are alternative media such as Wings Over Scotland – where you will find a forensic account of this latest anti-SNP smear attempt. […]
It is now quite clear if it wasn’t before that that the SFF have a mouthpiece who would sell out the people he is supposed to represent for his Tory masters in London. When oh when are the fishermen going to sack the treacherous Bertie Armstrong???
Dal Riata
Forgive me asking, (especially if you are an activist):
What are you doing to further Independence and your country’s freedom and I don’t mean violent measures here?
Are you talking to NO voters?
are you out campaigning and leafletting for your local SNP candidate?
are you supporting those who are able to be more active?
can you write letters to papers, MP’s etc. to question lies, misquotes and ?bad Tory policies?
can you fund any crowd funding sites even to a small amount?
The WM government has put tanks on the streets of Scotland before and I doublt if they would hesitate a second time if they thought there was a sufficient risk. bear in mind the aggro being spouted by the other side and veiled threats from Tories about the Ulsterisation of Scottish politics.
The genie is already out of the bottle with the quality of several of the new batch of tory councillors and that could come back and bite them on the backside.
Believe me when i say that i am absolutely desperate for Scotland to be an independent country but we have to do it peacefully.
Do not underestimate just how difficult it is to rebel against every aspect of the British newspapers, TV, Radio, Parliament, petty councils and people’s own hesitance to change.
We cannot force NO voters to support us but we can win them over and that will take time.
Our time to ‘fight’ will come but for the time being we have to ca’ canny and wait.
You are right to be concerned about the outcome of the upcoming election but all the more reason to get out there and talk to as many people as possible to inspire them to register to vote and to make sure thy DO vote, offer yourself as a steward at the polling station or an observer at the count – all rings that will perhaps make you feel you are helping to achieve our aim.
It isn’t easy but we are getting there.
The SNP has only been in full control at Holyrood for over five years. Before that teachers etc were trained under the Unionist system. Newly graduated teachers have been trained under that system. The SNP have put in a more rigorous testing system,which is showing up some inconsistencies. Instead of any problems being swept under the carpet. Trying to sort things out. The Unionists think this is a cause to attack the SNP. When they are attacking a system set up and maintained by Unionist Parties. Lindsay Paterson was always attacking the SNP. When he was in charge of the teacher training courses.
The SNP funded more teacher training courses at Aberdeen University. The Hilton teacher training facility was shut down years ago. Now a housing Development. The nearest teacher training facility is Dundee. Teachers tend to stay in their area. Family ties etc. Many teachers are female. They tend to move with their partner’s job. The Oil downturn means people leave the area.
Not comparing like with like. More inclusion. Local authority cuts to education budgets but spending £Millions on grotesque projects of no value. Every time there are any deficits. The council cut the education budget. Aberdeen City was 130 teachers short. Teachers were told they could take redundancy. Crazy. £200Million was spent in a monstrosity. Willy Young now gone left the City in £1.2Billion of debt. The LibDems are not going to form a coalition with the SNP. The SNP backed up a LibDem coalition before, successfully.
Good to see the Greens walking the walk. To get the Tories out. After getting 2nd SNP votes. They just need gender/ethnic etc balance.
The ‘good old’ days. Any exam paper now is just as rigorous. Especially the science and maths papers.
The ‘A’ levels and ‘Higher’ are different systems. The Scottish system is more broadly based. More subjects for more varied final choice. 5+ Higher. Instead of 3+ ‘A’ Levels. Over the same 30 hour time span. ‘A’ should not be taken as a higher grade. The ‘Higher’ is broader based. Some University course now require ‘Higher+’ grade.
Maths teaching was changed in the 60’s from practical to rote learning. Practical teaching is easier for many pupils. Buttons or objects used instead of just written numbers. Calculators and computers makes practical maths in general easier. Computer programmes are used for routine tasks. Youngsters are really good on computers. Practical skills. Schools are so much better now. Then the bad old days. There is no comparison. A higher number of people go to University or learn skills.
Often students can get good jobs from College and apprenticeships. Skilled tradespeople can earn a good living.
Still trying to find out what the coalition will be in Stirling Council.
Apologies I wrongly mentioned Trossachs and Teith as the district with another suspect Tory councillor. It seems the reprobate is elected in Forth and Endrick and stands accused of racism.
Meanwhile, the Sun has an article on Alasdair Majury under the heading ‘Willy Quit?’
He hasn’t as yet…
@FIONA TOMANY
I think the 45% or so of the Scottish electorate vote will still get behind the SNP when it comes to the vote. OK not the 50% that was achieved in the 2015 GE but should still be enough to comfortably take the SNP over the 50 Scottish constituency seat mark.
I cant see Angus Robertson losing in Moray either which the Tories are making a big deal about, look at the 2015 results on wiki here:
link to en.wikipedia.org
Even if every voter that voted for another party in that election excluding the Greens (who are not standing) voted Tory then the Tory still wouldn’t have enough votes to win.
Best we remain calm and not let Tory spin wind us up too much 🙂
Re school results. When labour Tories in charge many of the children who are now in general classrooms were in “special” schools and were assessed differently
My laddie told us recently that when he was in primary 6 he had to correct the teachers arithmetic/maths every week as she made so many mistakes! What a beemer for the teacher.
Maybe dedicated maths teachers needed for primary schools now so that kids get the basics taught to them correctly?
I am a retired secondary teacher. Re the education debate. Two points: In the olden days only the elite sat O grades and highers now every young person is presented therefore the less able do badly. Secondly our young people are not taught as we were there is much more emphasis on group projects. These skills teach team work and thinking out of the box but sacrifice rote learning. There is a lot wrong with CFE but given time we will have a generation of movers and shakers.
While we are rightly concerned about the ongoing performance of the SG, since its overall high competence is what has earned it its long residence against all the odds and falsehoods, we will be able to truly judge the competence of any SG only when it has the full autonomy available with independence.
However, we mustn’t forget that this UKGE is about the performance of the UK Government – who should occupy it and how it can be influenced to do the right thing – not about the performance of anyone else.
And the likely coming UKGov, bowing to a kind of rUK populist isolationist mania, shows every promise of wrecking the UK economy far more spectacularly than anything done by any of its predecessors outside of a major shooting war.
Boosted by a nationalist-chauvinist right-wing media in the same way as Suez in 1956, and with the same likely sorry outcome – hubris-deflated and humiliated.
I think I’ve posted the first link before.
The Roots of Domination: Beyond Bourdieu and Gramsci
link to burawoy.berkeley.edu
SUBJECTIVITY AND CULTURAL CRITIQUE
link to vibrant.org.br
@Dal Riata – yep agreed some piss poor performances by some of them , professional media training has to be employed and quickly .
They are supposed to be professionals after all .
The biggest betrayal of the truth for me was the Scottish edition of the “I” newspaper. It had front page negative headlines with no response from the SNP.
Hitherto I have read ,admittadly free, copy of this paper with respect. The Tories could not have done a more untruthful and damaging front page.
@Robert Peffers, 4:27pm
Robert, thank you for bringing a smile to my face about the pylons. My father never discussed politics with me, but the one thing that always stuck in my mind was that he was kicked out of tel he SNP for his views on what to do with the pylons – maybe he was telling the truth !
To return to the dodgy new councillors, the new one for Wishaw – a certain Mr Bob Burgess – has some “interesting” friends on his facebook page. Lots of sash wearing males, the “Lieutenant Commander” of the EDL and a host of Tory candidates and sitting members. And that’s before I even start talking about the really dodgy ones like Edward the Mountain, 2-jobs Tomkins and Alistair Carmichael.
I dearly would love to get into the Vanguard Bears forum to see what is really happening in their little bigoted minds over all this, but that forum is locked up as tight as tight can be. So tight indeed that I would not be surprised if it were a UVF or UDA front.
When a toff like Mountain befriends the likes of that, then you know for sure they are panicked!
From Bourdieu and Gramsci to South Park. I’m currently re-watching SP right from the start and have been sorely tempted to post what I’ve thought were relevant clips. 🙂
K1 said: “Christ Dal Riata, get a grip…go back up the thread and actually read what Robert Peffers has said in relation to posters including yourself adopting this attitude toward the SNP with regard to the media.”
LOLZ!
That’ll be this guy, aye?…
“Oh! Grow up. Stop acting like a child. There’s you, sitting in the back seat dribbling on like some demented budgie, calling out continually, “are we there yet””
Cheeky bastard! GIRFUY!
Here you go on Wings Over Peffers, sorry, Scotland, again, “I’m always right. You lot know fuck all…”
Oh, no doubt you’ll have your loyal band of followers Outraged! Outraged! and calling me all the cunts under the sun for telling you to go and do one, but who gives a fuck.
You write some interesting stuff on here at times, but when you pull your knickers up all twisted to buggery you get all stroppy, full of yourself,and full of shite.
Then again, when you write your fucking text walls of boredom – yet again – the readers here are supposed to go, Oh, how interesting! even though you’ve repeated yourself for the hundredth time, ffs!
“BTW: When did, we the people, appoint you as our spokesperson?”
Fucked if I know. You’re the self-appointed Wings history-buff,so what the hell are you asking me for, eh?
“Utter pish! I’m well into my 80s…”
Who gives a fuck if you’re into your 180s. Another of your favourite subjects. Boredom central…
Want to know something?.. – guess what, Dal Riata?
What, that you think you’re always right..!? Too easy. Next!
Six more paragraphs to follow… Good on ye,eh. Why say one word, when I, Robert Peffers donchaknow, can say ten!
‘ sake..!
@meg merillees
Are you..? Are you..? Can you..? Can you..? Ehhh, let me see now…ehh, Aye, ah mur! And, aye, nae bother!
“… all rings that will perhaps make you feel you are helping to achieve our aim.”
Zat right, maw? It’ll “make me feel” ahm helpin’, aye? Awww, that’s nice! Sausages fur the tea the night again, maw, aye? Awwww…
Dal Riata says: 11 May, 2017 at 6:42 pm
LMFAO I jist sprayed ma tea ever ma computer screen lol
heedtracker @ 3.54
You are possibly right about the standard of the Higher now vis-a-vis the O grade in times passed.
The Higher English literature paper now contains extracts from a number of books which presumably have been the ‘set readers’ in the schools. The questions they have to answer are below each extract. This format means the pupils don’t even need to have read the book because they are given the Extract and the questions relate to that.
Gone are the days of the home reader which you read at home and studied in the classroom then sat the exam armed with suitable, memorised, quotations with which to illustrate your answer.
Robert Graham says:
11 May, 2017 at 4:30 pm
“Re- Down and dirty US politics style, The SNP should study Dr Sebastian Gorkas interview techniques , the only person I have seen interviewed by BBC presenters who managed to turn the interviewer into a confused jelly, his views on many things might not suit or please many, but he even made Brillo nut sit up pay attention and be very respectful , He makes it personal he goes for the throat .
I believe being respectful to anyone at the BBC is a waste of time, they are not our friends”.
I would agree with that Robert. Nevermind the content, study the delivery.
But there is somebody else who impressed me with her instant command over the media, and that was the late Margo MacDonald. I forget the actual interview, but she was set up with usual BBC framed doom and gloom scenario, and she just rolled with it, “Aye, Ah know, and the sky will fall in…” and proceeded to make the nonsense of the BBC’s gloomy agenda. But it was subtle and effortless, and made the BBC nonsense just look silly.
But you are right. In the short 18 months before ScotRef, indeed less now, I hope the SNP really groom themselves for being polite but ruthlessly exact and assertive, and stick to their guns and their agenda. That’s not to say turn themselves into parrots or robots, but certainly polish their technique and delivery. I think you are totally correct. Dr Gorka would eat the BBC Scotland hacks for breakfast, and it’s all technique and dominance.
Differing opinions on wings are very healthy. For who is to know who’s argument or opinion is right? So it’s good that we can debate controversial subjects and let those that read but don’t maybe take part make up their own mind.
Many on wings support will make a case for UDI say which I oppose but whether I do or not is not the point, we all all entitled to our own opinion and I’m open to persuasion.
Not just on UDI but on many topics relating to Independence such as monarchy or currency. I have my own opinions but opinions are flexible. Until 2012 I supported a No vote and thought I was right, admittedly I didn’t know anything at all but the opposing arguments persuaded me I was wrong. Now I support Yes.
Let’s face it without differing opinions nothing would ever change, each to their own I say and express your opinion on Wings whatever it is. Don’t though be surprised if someone disagrees 🙂
“Other than the Scottish Sun itself (which has both a report and an editorial leader on the subject), not a single newspaper today mentions it.”
Not even the “independence supporting” The National?
@Dal Riata says: 11 May, 2017 at 6:42 pm:
K1 said: “Christ Dal Riata, get a grip…go back up the thread and actually read what Robert Peffers has said in relation to posters including yourself adopting this attitude toward the SNP with regard to the media.”
LOLZ!
That’ll be this guy, aye?…
“Oh! Grow up. Stop acting like a child. There’s you, sitting in the back seat dribbling on like some demented budgie, calling out continually, “are we there yet””
Cheeky bastard! GIRFUY!
Here you go on Wings Over Peffers, sorry, Scotland, again, “I’m always right. You lot know fuck all…”
Oh, no doubt you’ll have your loyal band of followers Outraged! Outraged! and calling me all the cunts under the sun for telling you to go and do one, but who gives a fuck.
You write some interesting stuff on here at times, but when you pull your knickers up all twisted to buggery you get all stroppy, full of yourself,and full of shite.
Then again, when you write your fucking text walls of boredom – yet again – the readers here are supposed to go, Oh, how interesting! even though you’ve repeated yourself for the hundredth time, ffs!
“BTW: When did, we the people, appoint you as our spokesperson?”
Fucked if I know. You’re the self-appointed Wings history-buff,so what the hell are you asking me for, eh?
“Utter pish! I’m well into my 80s…”
Who gives a fuck if you’re into your 180s. Another of your favourite subjects. Boredom central…
Want to know something?.. – guess what, Dal Riata?
What, that you think you’re always right..!? Too easy. Next!
Six more paragraphs to follow… Good on ye,eh. Why say one word, when I, Robert Peffers donchaknow, can say ten!
‘ sake..!
@meg merillees
Are you..? Are you..? Can you..? Can you..? Ehhh, let me see now…ehh, Aye, ah mur! And, aye, nae bother!
“… all rings that will perhaps make you feel you are helping to achieve our aim.”
Zat right, maw? It’ll “make me feel” ahm helpin’, aye? Awww, that’s nice! Sausages fur the tea the night again, maw, aye? Awwww
Will someone shut that bloody demented budgie up?
Aye! And which idiot taught the damned demented thing swearie wirds?
Pit a hood ower it’s cage or something.
Saint Theresa of England and Wales smearing the SNP before an election?
But she is only a fool and an idiot.
Thepnr says:
11 May, 2017 at 7:27 pm
“Differing opinions on wings are very healthy. For who is to know who’s argument or opinion is right? So it’s good that we can debate controversial subjects and let those that read but don’t maybe take part make up their own mind”.
I would like to see an “Uber-Yoon”, some big cog in the Unionist machine be sat down and required to calmly explain why the United Kingdom sees Scotland’s participation in government as vital, but yet cannot entertain the concept of Scotland having a sovereign veto.
The EU is a confederation of Nation states, and each has a power of veto which is derived from a basic respect of their individual sovereign integrity. Progress and policy are made consensually, by constructive agreement.
Why would the United Kingdom apparently cease to function if Westminster found itself required to respect Scotland’s sovereign integrity? When we Scots are denied the power to say no, stop, or we refuse, then it isn’t really much of a Union is it? We are imprisoned without the opportunity to leave. Hardly the recipe for a happy and stable marriage.
@heedtracker
Facebook was funded by cia to tune of £25 million when it was a startup.
link to m.nzherald.co.nz
link to forbes.com
link to archive.is
link to cbsnews.com
all social media sites should be avoided
Its against the law to lie about other candidates and their charcter.
Thepnr, you guys weren’t so accommodating in 2013.
@Bill
What?
Whose you guys?
@Bill
If you mean the SSP I wasn’t a member of them until 19th Sep 2014.
Before the Scottish Elections in 2016 here’s what I posted on Wings.
Thepnr says:
4 May, 2016 at 11:36 pm
@Petra
You’ve been missed, glad to see you back ?
Before the referendum I was a member of no party.
I joined the SSP the day after the vote believing that this was the best way to convince those that voted No who still supported Labour to vote Yes . These are the people I know.
It has not worked out how I hoped and tomorrow I will resign from the SSP, though will continue to argue for what I believe in and for Independence.
To make any difference and the chance of Independence means SNP x 2 and that will be my vote.
“all social media sites should be avoided” @Undeadshaun says at 8:00 pm
What even WoS????
Shurely shum mishtake 🙂
Mr Robert Peffers at 4.27pm -Thank you for your calm and educated comment
RE: slackening of educational standards.
In 1980, I gained a SCOTEC Certificate in Electrical & Electronic Engineering, leading on from my Part 2 City & Guilds. I earned recognition from the Engineering Council as an “Engineering Technician”.
A number of years ago (in the 1990s), I applied for a job in the Medical Physics Directorate at Ninewells Hospital – the qualification required was ONC/SCOTEC. I was interviewed but unsuccessful.
Just over a year later, the same job was advertised in The Courier again but, this time, they were asking for an HNC qualification. I phoned and spoke to the bloke overseeing the selection process and he told me that I could apply, as my ONC/SCOTEC from 1980 was equivalent to a later HNC.
I saw this in a number of job adverts – jobs that previously needed an ONC, HNC or HND, were requiring a qualification one step up from what had been required previously.
The guy at Med Physics said that qualification requirements had dropped and the industry knew it. That was why higher qualifications were being asked for. Some jobs that had, previously, required an ONC or HNC, were now requiring an HND or Degree.
I’ve felt the same about primary and secondary education for at least three decades. It’s become easier to “attain” paper qualifications but if the candidate for a job doesn’t meet the standard of education/training that an employer requires, then they find out at interview and set higher “paper” standards subsequently.
It appears to be a circle that is never-ending. What kids/young adults are taught is not meeting the standards required by the jobs markets so qualification requirements are raised to compensate.
My first job on leaving school (in 1969) was as a “Bank Apprentice” with the Clydesdale Bank. My qualifications were a Higher English and 6 ‘O’ Levels – a minimum of of 4 ‘O’ Levels were required. It would be interesting if someone in the banking industry could let us know what the required qualifications for entry into the banking business are these days…
You don’t have to copy and paste the whole bloody comment to tack something pathetically shite on at the end, ffs. Just come out with it.
But no. Every comment you put out there? has to look like someone? has hung a text-curtain of boredom over the screen.
For Chrissakes man, make your point before a red warning has to be left on screen – “Beware! Reading a Robert Peffers post will make time go slower. If you do not wish that phenomenon to occur then be prepared to die of boredom in real time. The third and final option is just to scroll on by. The decision is yours and yours only. Good luck!”
“Will someone shut that bloody demented budgie up?
Aye! And which idiot taught the damned demented thing swearie wirds?
Pit a hood ower it’s cage or something.”
And there you go again ffs! Don’t like it up ye, do ye, eh? It’s fine for you to cast yer abusive pish far and wide on WOS, but get it back and ‘It’s no’ fair! Someone’s had the audacity to stand up to my abuse, the horror! Tell him everyone. Tell him. It’s just not right. It’s not fair!…Waaa! Waaa!” Pathetic.
Iain Foulds said:
“Mr Robert Peffers at 4.27pm -Thank you for your calm and educated comment”
LOLZ! ROFLCOPTER!
Here they come, Robert Peffers… It’s a strategy that works, I’ll give you that: the abuser plays the abused, gets a team to support them… and Bob Peffers is your uncle!
Hey, Iain Foulds, Robert Peffers is Jakey Rowling in disguise, did you not know that? You didn’t…? Tsk!
Dal Riata
Sorry to ask another question, but, are you the only one allowed an opinion on this website?
Also, why are you so rude?
I shouldn’t get involved but I’ll just say this Dal Riata has been posting on Wings a lot longer than me.
Thepnr
Thanks.
Here’s a thread worth reading from the “old days” if interested.
link to wingsoverscotland.com
Never judge a book by it’s cover, ALL of us can lose the rag and overstep the mark as some might believe but by their measure.
Who is to judge?
We should live and let live and try not to give any who seek the same goal a hard time.
I support both Dal Riata and Robert Peffers right to express their views, not that I necessarily agree with them and if either of them pissed me off in a btl discussion I’d pull them up. Then I would accept what their response might be.
However it’s best if we can live together I’ve lost count of the number of fallouts I’ve had on Wings and then the making up LOL.
We’re all on the same side with differing views. That’s all.
For anybody interested at this late hour, The National for 10 May does indeed cover Theresa May’s lie, in the first 6 paragraphs of an article that also discusses the issue more generally, as does the front cover.
@crazycat
Shame then that the Rev missed that, in fact he should have highlighted it that the National did report it. No damage but at lest it might have shut Rock up for an article or two.
I noticed, watching QT last night, the SNP missed another chance to get stuck into the BBC. I would have expected Joanna Cherry to have pulled-up Dimbleby when he came out with that line about the SNP losing council seats, but, no, she let it pass.
Mistake, only by tackling them at the time can we dissuade them from such tactics.
Also, no mention of That Bloody Awkward Woman (TBAW, T-baw, a great name for Mother Theresa), smearing the SNP, with her lie about fines for election malpractices. We cannot let them away with anything.
Had a look at Stu’s Twitter, that Buchan bloke is remarkable. How can oone person hate so many different people? Scotland in Union? The man doesn’t know the meaning of the word union.
[“Other than the Scottish Sun itself (which has both a report and an editorial leader on the subject), not a single newspaper today mentions it.”
Not even the “independence supporting” The National?]
If you actually bothered to read the PRO-INDEPENDENCE newspaper you slag off so much for SOME VERY PECULIAR REASON you’d know it did indeed, cover the smear and the SNP response to it.
Rev. Stuart Campbell,
“Other than the Scottish Sun itself (which has both a report and an editorial leader on the subject), not a single newspaper today mentions it.”
crazycat,
“The National for 10 May does indeed cover Theresa May’s lie, in the first 6 paragraphs of an article that also discusses the issue more generally, as does the front cover.”
How can The National have covered it on 10 May if the lie happened on 10 May?
The Rev. Stuart Campbell would definitely not have missed it if it had been covered.
Or maybe he considers The National to be a cash cow rather than a newspaper.
yesindyref2,
“If you actually bothered to read the PRO-INDEPENDENCE newspaper you slag off so much for SOME VERY PECULIAR REASON you’d know it did indeed, cover the smear and the SNP response to it.”
Did you actually read it?
Wannabeteacher – teach first is more affordable/accessible. BUT the education provided is intended to produce trainers, not professional teachers. And having been in effect employed as a cheap unqualified teacher, then what?
NQTs in Scotland have a guaranteed job for a yearso they can consolidate their new skills. That doesn’t happen so easily if you’re scrabbling around looking for the next (privatised) supply assignment. Teaching depends on building sustainable relationships with pupils (and colleagues and communities).