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If you still weren’t sure

Posted on April 06, 2015 by

…after this, then there’s always this:

skinnermuirton

Aneurin Bevan’s heart would have swelled with pride.

The Telegraph has become the full-on cheerleader for anti-SNP tactical voting:

telegraphtactical

Remarkably, it seems to have escaped the attention of these supposed Labour activists that the right-wing paper might not have Labour’s best interests at heart, and that extra Tory MPs in Scotland could well tip the balance in a super-tight election and put David Cameron back into 10 Downing Street – something that SNP MPs won’t do.

The argument deployed on that point is that the Union is more important than party politics. Yet at the same time Labour have been insisting all weekend that a Tory government at Westminster is what the SNP actually wants, because it would drive Scots towards independence. Logic doesn’t appear to be their strong point, bless ’em.

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  1. 06 04 15 14:41

    If you still weren't sure | Politics Scotland |...
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  2. 06 04 15 16:46

    If you still weren’t sure | Speymouth
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116 to “If you still weren’t sure”

  1. Brotyboy
    Ignored
    says:

    I am relieved that Andrew Gilligan still has a job.

    Is it any surprise that he writes for the Telegraph and is this revenge on Blair and Campbell for their treatment of him all those years ago?

  2. West_Lothian_Questioner
    Ignored
    says:

    My only query here is… when did Pete Wishart become, “controversial?” I always had him down as a calm kinda bloke who spoke sense…

  3. Kevin Greenan
    Ignored
    says:

    I’m not a member of the Labour Party but isn’t there something in there rules forbidding them campaigning for another party?

  4. Robert Louis
    Ignored
    says:

    Are these Labour people really so stupid. Have they not given any thought to what it means if Scots elect a Tory, just to defeat the SNP? Let me spell it out for them, it means that David Cameron is getting ONE MORE Tory MP towards a Tory majority.

    I really cannot fathom how stupid these people are. Shakes head in utter disbelief.

  5. tammcgarvey
    Ignored
    says:

    I wonder if the BBC will be probing him for an interview.

  6. HandandShrimp
    Ignored
    says:

    LOL I am not sure how socialist Skinner actually is though. His Facebook stuff really was shooglie eyed bampot stuff with a disturbing fetish for military paraphernalia.

    The Pouters occupy weird land in the way UKIP do in England.

  7. Rev. Stuart Campbell
    Ignored
    says:

    “I’m not a member of the Labour Party but isn’t there something in there rules forbidding them campaigning for another party?”

    It’s expressly forbidden, yes.

  8. Rev. Stuart Campbell
    Ignored
    says:

    “LOL I am not sure how socialist Skinner actually is though. His Facebook stuff really was shooglie eyed bampot stuff with a disturbing fetish for military paraphernalia.”

    Yeah, he’s got Loyalist/Rangers/Tory loonbag written all over him, but hey, the Telegraph wouldn’t be lying or taking something at face value without checking, right?

  9. Murray McCallum
    Ignored
    says:

    The Telegraph are playing Labour and LibDem supporters in Scotland like fools. Will be interesting to see what proportion fall for it.

  10. Juteman
    Ignored
    says:

    Who won the referendum? I thought Unionists were saying it was time for the country to put the referendum behind us?

  11. Stoker
    Ignored
    says:

    To any lost sole out there reading this who may still be contemplating where to put your X on the 7th May.

    Please be aware, especially if you have been of a Slabber persuasion in the past, of what is going on here.

    The muppets who have utterly destroyed your former party have been repeatedly telling lies about the SNP wanting Tories to win, despite the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon categorically denying that she would ever put that lot into power.

    As these self-serving liars try to con your vote from you they are urging others, in various places throughout Scotland, to vote for blue Tory candidates.

    All the evidence is there my friends, see for yourself.

    Come aboard and join us – vote SNP – and lets rid Scotland of these two-faced turncoats.

  12. Brian McGrath
    Ignored
    says:

    So it really is Like Labour but vote for the Tories……Love Labour (we hate Tories but) This election is crazy…..gotta love the zoomers.

  13. Sean McNulty
    Ignored
    says:

    Four-day non-stop MSM grilling of the party who’ve said at every available opportunity they’ll never support the Tories, the entire grilling based on a lying memo that’s then commented on by every prominent Labourite, not one of whom gets asked about their own position re the Tories, for example that in line with *their central campaign message* — “The largest party forms the Govt” — they might note vote down a Tory Queen’s Speech.

    This campaign is getting psychedelically weird.

  14. Schiehallion! Schiehallion!
    Ignored
    says:

    Since Aneurin Bevan’s heart is evidently alive and well in the SNP, perhaps what the story suggests is de facto 2 party politics. SNP and the Westminster-teat-sucking Conlabiral rest. Surely there must be some left-wing Labour people who can see the offensiveness in this.

  15. rog_rocks
    Ignored
    says:

    Maybe a job for the excellent and unbiased James Cook, get in there James 🙂

  16. Valerie
    Ignored
    says:

    I really despise this anti democracy, political game playing.

    People are disenfranchised enough via poverty, hopelessness, or others through seeing it all as a big game for the Lord’s and masters.

    People should always be encouraged to think for themselves, try and read/listen a bit and vote for who they think represents them.

    This now public, tactical voting crap really makes my blood boil. Even if someone wants to vote t tactically, that is between them and the ballot box, I just think this public exhortation is disgusting.

  17. muttley79
    Ignored
    says:

    @WLQ

    That is what I thought in regards Pete Wishaw. I cannot think why even the MSM would regard him as `controversial.` Oh dear, I just saw the name Simon Johnson above that story, that explains it…

  18. cearc
    Ignored
    says:

    HaHaHa, Oh, Danny Boy, the dole, the dole is calling!

    Electoral Calculus has Inverness etc. as a 94% probable SNP win.

    Even if every predicted tory and lab voted for him he wouldn’t have as many votes as he had in 2010. SNP would still be well ahead.

  19. Proud Cybernat
    Ignored
    says:

    Most of the rest of the UK saw Nicola Sturgeon on TV last week probably for the first time ever (they just don’t really do Scottish politics down sarf).

    Hundreds of thousands if not millions of those viewers were pleasantly surprised by what they saw. And what they saw would have totally jarred with their hitherto negative impression of her (formed over many years by a manipulative MSM).

    They would have thought, “Wow! That Sturgeon woman is totally not what I expected at all.”

    And then they would start asking themselves pertinent questions like, “Why did I think she was so bad when I actually agree with a lot of what she said?”

    Such questions in the minds of the viewing UK public had to be nipped in the bud with the blatant smear campaign that was then excreted all over the UK media. The message of that smear campaign was basically “Sturgeon is not what she appears. Look, she’s really a closet Tory–don’t be fooled by her.”

    That was the purpose. And so those viewers who had their expectations of our FM totally challenged when Sturgeon spoke in the debate, have now been reassured by the manipulative Establishment that their suspicions of the SNP and their antipathy towards it is justified.

    Problem is–not all those people will have been fooled by this stunt and many of them will now be seeing, probably for the first time in the rUK, how their media is manipulating them.

  20. Proud Cybernat
    Ignored
    says:

    O/T – Apologies.

    Is it true that, in his late teens early twenties, Jim Murphy used to sing sectarian songs at parties in the south side of Glasgow? I heard this the other day but would like to know if anyone here ever met him at a party in the south side of Glasgow and saw/heard him do this? Sorry–can’t reveal my source.

  21. Anneliese
    Ignored
    says:

    Danny Alexander has got it wrong again.
    He should know that the vast majority of his constituents don’t vote for the Party, and never have, they vote for the person and they’re not going to vote for one who has consistently ignored them while kow-towing to the tories, and therefore the people of London and surrounding areas.
    He was mentored by Charles Kennedy – pity some of his great local popularity plus his knowledge of the people didn’t rub off.
    HE will lose the constituency for the Lib-Dems, not the SNP.
    He’s definitely running scared – he has placards on every lamp post. No other party has any.

  22. MolliBlum
    Ignored
    says:

    @West_Lothian_Questioner:
    Pete Wishart became “controversial” when the unionist press deemed him so.
    The fact that he is a calm kinda bloke who speaks sense… and also has a very witty twitter feed is neither here nor there

  23. North chiel
    Ignored
    says:

    The tactic of making speeches in London is working
    Very well indeed for Nicola (UK wide audience).The Westminster
    Media thus cannot ignore her as they would if her speech was
    Delivered in Scotland.This is a very effective strategy and is raising
    The FM’s profile considerably and on a UK basis “shows” that
    The “most effective tactical vote” is actually a vote for the SNP.

  24. cearc
    Ignored
    says:

    Further to my above.

    Sadly, of course, our esteemed treasury dogsbody won’t actually be on the dole. He will have far too much dirt for his ‘nice’ new tory pals not to find him a well paid job to keep him quiet.

  25. G H Graham
    Ignored
    says:

    Labour leadership: “Vote SNP & you’ll end up getting the Tories.”

    Labour activist: “We’re encouraging traditional Labour supporters to vote Tory to keep out the SNP.”

    Electorate: “That guy in the Wacky Races cartoon, Klunk makes more sense”

  26. Doug Morrison
    Ignored
    says:

    As a lucky member of Danny’s consituency, I urge everyone to use tactical voting. The tactic is simple: ditch Danny!

  27. annie
    Ignored
    says:

    Proud Cybernat – Wouldn’t play the sectarian card, no need to get down to their level, there is lots of other stuff to call Jim Murphy out on.

  28. SquirrelTowers
    Ignored
    says:

    I know these people, they were all (and you will know how unusual this is)’activists’ on behalf of Better Together. Helen, Victor and the local Tory councillor were out there manning stalls on a Saturday, taking part in debates on local radio. So I guess what I am saying is they are unusual so don’t assume that they are representative of the wider public.

  29. Juteman
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Proudcybernat.
    Why would you want to bring that sectarian bolx into the thread?

  30. Jim Campbell
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Proud Cybernat…. I have it on very good authority( Wee shug, the big issue vendor @ the Copeland rd stand) heard it from Big Jessie, wi the twa staffies…aye.. fae Pollock, who heard it in the Trade winds, while downing a swift wan, that Jim Murphy’s fav party piece wis the “****”( sectarianism censorship!!) when he’d had a guid shwally, usually Buckfast/Mad-dug 20/20 cocktails.
    Must be true cuz Wee Shug’s auld man wiz reputed tae be a diplomat in the French foreign legion but keep it tae yersel’…..

  31. msean
    Ignored
    says:

    If the Tories win a majority in May,does this mean that Labour would be happy with that? This story may well be used against them if they claim that the SNP cost them the election,after all,they canvassed for the Tories for the cost of a dinner. Just like during the indyref when they shared the champers.

  32. Sinky
    Ignored
    says:

    Pete Wishart is “controversial” as it was he who reported Edinburgh South Labour MP Nigel Griffiths to the Standards Commissioner for failing to declare that he owned his Labour office premises in Minto Street Edinburgh whilst claiming rental income from Parliament.

    In 2002 the Parliamentary commissioner for standards upheld complaints that Griffiths owned an office for which he was claiming expenses for rent of £10,000 a year.

    However Griffiths was exonerated by the Labour dominated Standards Committee and the strict Parliamentary Commissioner Elizabeth Filkin resigned as she felt she was being undermined,

    http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2001/dec/04/Whitehall.uk

  33. creag an tuirc
    Ignored
    says:

    Imagine you’re a staunch Labour supporter, the word “Tory” makes your blood boil. There’s a knock on your door one lovely evening, you open and greet your fellow Labour comrades with a warm smile. They then try to persuade you to vote Tory. God help those door chappers. This will turn into a game of chap-door-run-away 🙂

  34. handclapping
    Ignored
    says:

    I am not sure that this tactical voting will come to much. The last crisis vote we had was the Glenrothes by election of 2008 when Labour had to win.

    The Tories lost 48% of their 2005 support, the LibDems were anihilated from 12.7% to 0.9%. However the LibDems now start from 4% at best and the Tories are fighting to preserve their Government.

    Are the Tories in East Ren really going to vote DimJim just to keep the SNP out? Or in Gordon for the LibDem and make their local effort insignificant the way the local Tory party collapsed after their showing in Glenrothes? I suspect the word will have gone out “Support Tory, vote Tory” otherwise the SNP will have a field day in 2016 with “why vote for losers?”

    I suspect this whole tactical voting thing is a SLAB ploy to persuade those of their Better Together unionist pals who have not got over the Referendum result to bolster their vote in the constituencies where their 10,000 majorities have become marginal

  35. chalks
    Ignored
    says:

    I’d imagine there are some* in the Labour party who do not want to be in government.

    1. They get rid of Miliband.

    2. Get a Blairite in.

    *Jim Murphy

  36. Ravelin
    Ignored
    says:

    This is all getting very confusing! So remind me, as an SNP member, who am I supposed to be canvasing for again, the LibDems? 😉

  37. HandandShrimp
    Ignored
    says:

    There hasn’t been much sign of any tactical voting in council by elections since September and you couldn’t have a better system to do it than STV.

  38. donnywho
    Ignored
    says:

    I was told by somebody that worked for Murphy that when he was short for rent in his constituency office, he would collect receipts from his worker handbags and claim them as expenses.

    Still that’s just hearsay is it not.

  39. Richardinho
    Ignored
    says:

    “I’m not a member of the Labour Party but isn’t there something in there rules forbidding them campaigning for another party?”

    Do the Conservatives count as ‘another party’?

  40. Lesley-Anne
    Ignored
    says:

    Kevin Greenan says:

    I’m not a member of the Labour Party but isn’t there something in there rules forbidding them campaigning for another party?

    As Stu confirmed earlier Kevin yes the Labour rule book does specifically prohibit Labour members from campaigning for political parties other than Labour.

    Here’s a link to the Labour handbook itself.

    http://labourlist.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Rule-Book-2013.pdf

    I think the part of the rule book you will find *ahem* interesting is Chapter 2, Membership Rules, Clause I, Conditions of Memebership, paragraph 4, sub paragraph B. 😉

  41. heedtracker
    Ignored
    says:

    “And the Conservatives bought them lunch afterwards.” Not at the foodbank obviously. SLabour dude Andrew Skinner gets it on with tory boy Victor Clements. No doubt BBC Vote SLab or Else Scotland had a huge outside broadcast unit working the hall.

    Morphy’s SLabour really is Snatcher Thatcher greatest achievement.

  42. Brotyboy
    Ignored
    says:

    O/T Michael Marra has been confirmed as Labour’s candidate for Dundee West after Jim McGovern withdrew on health grounds.

    In Courier online.

  43. jimnarlene
    Ignored
    says:

    With apologies to Cyndi Lauper,
    I see your true colours shining through.

  44. starlaw
    Ignored
    says:

    So now we have it Slab canvassers are to busy working for the tories to leaflet their own neck of the woods. This explains their absence entirely.

  45. chris kilby
    Ignored
    says:

    What. The. FUCK!?!

    “Anti-SNP tactical voting: can it hold back the nationalist tide?”

    Well, maybe. If Scots actually read the Torygraph. (Or is it the Labourgraph?)

    What a bunch of Canutes!

  46. Jack Murphy
    Ignored
    says:

    To Proud Cybernat at 3:01pm.
    I don’t know anything about that,but Chris Howson,the Chaplain to the University of Sunderland says,”Jim Murphy is a real thug”.
    http://ajustchurch.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/a-sad-day-for-scotland-jim-murphy-is.html

  47. Lesley-Anne
    Ignored
    says:

    Just read on my partner’s Facebook page a wee ditty.

    As we all know, ever since the debate last Thursday one or two like minded individuals have been seen making enquiries into how to join the S.N.P. Well folks I have a wee update for you.

    Apparently the Labour party in Scotland, yes you di read that right, is calling for a juducal inquiry. The subject of the inquiry … oh well that’s easy … the enquiry the Labour party in Scotland is calling for is to look into why it is taking so long for ex members of the Labour party to join the S.N.P. 😀

  48. Jimbo
    Ignored
    says:

    Nicola Sturgeon is falsely accused by many in the Labour Party of wanting the Tories to remain in power – meanwhile, in Perth, Labour Party members are out actively campaigning to keep the Tories in power.

    Only in Scottish Labour’s collective logic can this make sense.

  49. Macnakamura
    Ignored
    says:

    Re Perth activists.

    Labour Party members prefer Cameron’s Tories !

    Looking forward to BBC rushing to get that on news bulletins, websites and have reporters breathlessly enthusiastic about it.

  50. Socrates MacSporran
    Ignored
    says:

    I was told at the weekend, by someone whose knowledge of the situation and credentials are beyond dispute – while a student at Strathclyde, Jim Murphy worked in the hospitality area at Ibrox Stadium.

    Yes, that Jim Murphy – Celtic-supporting, red in tooth and claw Labour Jim Murphy.

  51. itsme
    Ignored
    says:

    Here’s some sectarianism for you then 😉

    A link to some BBC analysis on the Telegraph story for er, BBC Radio ULSTER – yes BBC Radio Ulster:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05pqf98#auto

    Staring at 36:35 for 5 mins and talking to someone from the Herald

    Link from BBC Radio SCOTLAND

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05p9svy

    11:10 from their WESTMINSTER correspondent and is less than 3 minutes.

    Links for the 3 hours of Call Kaye – none – not mentioned.
    Links for the 1 1/2 hours of John Beattie – none – not mentioned.

    WTAFF?

  52. Luigi
    Ignored
    says:

    I wonder what the people in the tory-hating Labour heartlands of west Scotland would make of this?

    Perhaps we should help them deliver a few of their leaflets – in places they don’t want to advertise their cunning little plan!

  53. Luigi
    Ignored
    says:

    Jimbo says:
    6 April, 2015 at 4:01 pm

    Nicola Sturgeon is falsely accused by many in the Labour Party of wanting the Tories to remain in power – meanwhile, in Perth, Labour Party members are out actively campaigning to keep the Tories in power.

    Nicola has to choose her moment, and when she has the country’s attention again, let loose with this little rocket.

    GIRFUY, red tories!

  54. caz-m
    Ignored
    says:

    Jimbo

    You still a Dougie Alexander sympathiser? Troll

    I’m trying to bring down Dougie Alexander and you are on here stickin up for him.

    Here’s a direct link to your hero.

    http://www.douglasalexander.org.uk/

    Away and right nice things about him on there.

  55. Tinto Chiel
    Ignored
    says:

    Remember Pete Wishart has been most eloquent in demanding the abolition of the House of Lords. Little wonder he is a target of the Establishment.

  56. CameronB Brodie
    Ignored
    says:

    Brotyboy
    I’ll drop you a line once my head feels less like a pumpkin.

  57. K1
    Ignored
    says:

    O/T

    Reasonable analysis here from Adam Ramsay:

    The newspapers are preparing for a coup – and Labour is doing nothing to stop them

    Especially this insightful nugget:

    “To put it bluntly, Murphy is making a Tory government more likely. This has been pointed out to him repeatedly. He seems not to care.”

    https://archive.today/18a53

  58. Graham
    Ignored
    says:

    Naughtie: I have it first hand that Labour activists have been canvassing in Perth for voters to vote conservative. Is it true Mr Murphy that Labour in Scotland would prefer Mr Cameron as Prime Minister? And does this mean your party in Scotland don’t think Mr Miliband is Prime Ministerial material?

  59. Luigi
    Ignored
    says:

    The strange thing is, the red tories are busy helping the blue tories out of a fix, but the blue tories are screwing them over big time. It’s almost as if the red tories are bending over and taking it, just to save the union (either that or they are incredibly stupid).

  60. Ali
    Ignored
    says:

    I’m thinking of voting Tory because I’m hoping it will help Scotland to become independent. Or something

  61. itsme
    Ignored
    says:

    Sorry further to my last.

    BBC Radio 4 including an interview with Hosie

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05plghm#auto

    1:18:20

    and

    2:41:00 (love that “I’m specutlating slightly” from Norman Smith)

    Is there anyone left on planet earth who does not think that there might be a problem with the editorial decision making within Radio Scotland? Anyone? Anyone? Buller? Buller?

  62. Lesley-Anne
    Ignored
    says:

    Oops!

    What a tangled web we weave folks.

    Wee Dougie Alexander appears to have been hit by a thunderbolt of conscience. He has been deleting some of his tweets about Nicola Sturgeon. 😀

    https://archive.today/dSpOW

    http://www.politwoops.co.uk/?page=2

  63. Marie clark
    Ignored
    says:

    WTF! Are they on another planet, or mabye that’s me I’m not sure anymore.

    I wish any Labour door chapper good luck, and a pair of spiked shoes with this daft ploy. You’ll need the speed of Usain Bolt in most area’s if you come out with that crap.

    Vote for who you actually want to vote for. That is your right. It’s your vote it does not belong to them.

    Me, I’m voting for Scotland, I’m voting SNP.

  64. K1
    Ignored
    says:

    Just realised I wasn’t O/T, just losing the will to live trying to keep up 🙂

  65. De Valera
    Ignored
    says:

    What is best for Scotland doesn’t matter to these people, hatred of the SNP is all they have to offer.

  66. Macart
    Ignored
    says:

    Oh good grief.

    Hypocrites.

    From the very people who spent an entire weekend accusing the First Minister of backing a Tory PM, we have these two faced articles out actively canvassing for them?

    I am so waiting for the first red or blue rosette to come chapping at my door. I can guarantee some pointed bloody questions.

  67. manandboy
    Ignored
    says:

    Danny Alexander in a plea to Tory & Labour voters
    to vote tactically and vote for him.

    Danny and many like him,
    people who masquerade, while in power, as having super-intelligence,
    really ought to have anticipated the need for votes
    at the end of the five year term in office.

    But Danny didn’t do that. Oh no.
    Instead, he lorded it over us, making his power felt
    in ways that brought suffering to the electorate.

    But now, with the consequences of his actions
    staring him in the face,
    Danny is thinking to himself ‘How can I get out of this mess?’
    ‘Tactical voting – that should do the trick’

    Well, all I can say is that there will surely be
    a lot of tactical voting take place in GE15.

    But I doubt if Danny Alexander will be the beneficiary of any of it.

  68. chalks
    Ignored
    says:

    Labour will consult Alan Cochrane on rule breaking or ethic breaking.

    Or Tony Blair.

  69. Taysider
    Ignored
    says:

    I live in North Muirton Perth,and can tell You that no one from the so called Scottish Labour Party has ever come knocking at My door,boy how I would relish it if they did.
    I am disgusted that these people would try to subvert democracy using smears against our First Minister,that are quite clearly Bristish State skullduggery of the highest order.Project fear that stole the referndum from us is clearly an ongoing project.

  70. Silverytay
    Ignored
    says:

    I would love to see the response the labour activists got if they had went into Old Muirton or Fairfield and told people to vote tory .
    Having lived in North Muirton I would imagine they would have got short shrift , in fact I can’t think of any of the council housing estates in Perth where the would have been welcome with their vote tory spiel .

  71. Helena Brown
    Ignored
    says:

    I am a bit surprised that there are many seats which if the traditional Labour voter turned their coat and voted Tory it would make a difference. Now I would have thought that even this would be a vote too far for many of them having watched their Party arm in arm with those they saw as the enemy during the Referendum and that Labour have been to the point of destruction because of it. As for voting for the Lib Dems, what can you say, you vote for a party which has turned it’s coat more times than many, who have joyfully got into bed with those who have made so many people’s lives worthless.

  72. DerekM
    Ignored
    says:

    haha hehe oh sorry i shouldnt be laughing at this but its just so silly they still think we are in a indyref or something ,hello numskulls this is a GE didnt you lot learn anything over the last few days about trusting the tories?

    better together aye right totally conned more like labour/lib dem halfwits,while you lot have been raging at us for everything under the sun the tories have been setting you up.
    No Sympathy now pull your damn act together.

  73. muttley79
    Ignored
    says:

    I see the Guardian is reporting the story of son of the manse, Douglas Alexander, deleting his tweets on the smear against Sturgeon. What a horrible little brat he is.

  74. EMC
    Ignored
    says:

    Hard to believe (well maybe not) how low some politicians and supporters have sunk. ‘ vote for something you don’t believe in’ is that really a policy or strategy any one worth voting for would or should be promoting? Hopefully those involved who have little or no integrity and doubtful intellect will be history.

  75. Jimbo
    Ignored
    says:

    @ caz-m

    I didn’t say anything different than anyone else in the SNP would tell you. All through the 70s to the present day we’ve concentrated on positive campaigning and left the nasty and negative stuff to the Labour Party. If you think adopting Labour’s tactics will work for you then good luck with that.

  76. orri
    Ignored
    says:

    So at a time when voters are switching their support from Labour to SNP some bright spark has the idea that there’s a chance they’d vote conservative instead?

    Worth noting is the loophole in the Labour membership rules. They can campaign for any other party provided a Labour candidate is not standing. That obviously means if the “Labour” candidate is actually from the Cooperative Party they might get away with it. It also means that if Labour decide not to stand in Perth it’s members can campaign for whomever they like.

  77. Jimbo
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Luigi

    I think it’s more a case of being incredibly stupid.

  78. joe kane
    Ignored
    says:

    Logic’s Rock blog had a legal run-in with Skinner and had to remove two blog posts when requested to do so by Google, owners of Blogspot.

    Follow the links here –
    http://logicsrock.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/daily-mails-witchfinder-general-graham.html

    And here –
    http://logicsrock.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/so-who-are-british-unity.html

  79. birnie
    Ignored
    says:

    Labour logic?

    “It’s a fool that looks for logic in the chambers of the human heart” – George Clooney’s character in ‘O Brother, Where art thou?’

  80. Dr Benway
    Ignored
    says:

    Sorry folks o/t but I couldn’t resist. This from Derek Bateman re Memogate and all the other anti Scots crap is just brill:

    “I suspect that a changed Scotland no longer treats this scheming against it with equanimity but regards it as yet another reason for retaliating against London government in the most decorous and yet most hurtful way – by voting SNP. It pulls together all those poisonous threads of resentment against Tories, Whitehall and Labour duplicity in one cathartic and yet democratic act. We are now the Scunnered Generation, eager to get into the polling booth to mark a cross that says: Take that, you lying bastards.”

    Roll on May 7th, VOTE SNP AND KICK THEM WHERE IT HURTS!

    THE UNION IS DEAD

  81. CyberMidgie
    Ignored
    says:

    OK, so when the Labour Party canvassers show up at our door, they’re basically going to say:

    “We hate the SNP so much that we want you to stab us in the front while the Tories stab us in the back.”

    Good grief.

    I almost said I’d seen everything now, but I’ve managed to stop myself at the last instant. There are still another four weeks of this nonsense to come, after all.

    A few weeks ago, someone on here said pantomime season was going to start early this year. I begin to see what they meant.

  82. Martin McDonald
    Ignored
    says:

    at least virtually nobody in Scotland reads the Telegraph.

  83. Martin McDonald
    Ignored
    says:

    there is no discipline in the “Scottish” Labour Party. Murphy has failed to action against Ian Smart and will fail to take action against these Labour activists campaigning for the Tories.

    Because he’s weak.

  84. Martin McDonald
    Ignored
    says:

    One more point. With the SNP vote holding fast at upwards of 45%, event the most wildly successful (at the moment it’s a tiny minority of Sooners) tactical voting would have very little impact.

    And, if things continue as they are, the SNP could increase to 50% of the vote share. That would make it mathematically impossible for tactical voting to work.

    Labour imploding, Sturgeon flying and strong SNP turnout could see that 50% figure reached.

  85. Michael Diamond
    Ignored
    says:

    The unionists say,”put the referendum behind us” even when im carried out in my coffin” never. Hail alba.

  86. Andy-B
    Ignored
    says:

    Do Labour activists in Scotland,hate the country that much,that they’d rather have a party in power like the Tories,who want to reek havoc,on Scots through austerity.

    If so I can see no return for Labour in Scotland,its a case of cutting off your nose to spite your face.

  87. Silverytay
    Ignored
    says:

    I believe that a Scott Nicholson has been selected by labour to contest the seat of Perth & North Perthshire against Pete Wishart .
    I don’t know the man but up in Perth I would imagine he would be labour rather that sponsored by the co-op

  88. Nye Bevan said that as far as he was concerned the Tories were lower than vermin. Now the two parties are virtually inseparable.

    For anyone who is interested here’s official confirmation that there is no such thing as Welsh or Scottish Labour. There is only one London based Labour Party who are led by Ed Milliband.
    http://www.welshnotbritish.com/2015/04/there-is-no-such-thing-as-welsh-labour.html

  89. YESGUY
    Ignored
    says:

    Deep down none of this surprises me. The big 3 have been taking the piss out of folks since Blair and thanks to the ref and the REV , we are up to speed on the dirty tactics .

    Is anyone really surprised after the antics during the REF. This was THE most important decision we Scots ever took and instead of a fair balanced debate we got Project Fear.

    Labour refused to debate at any level and only through the compliant media got away with it. We were cheated – FACT.

    Don’t worry folks. We now how they work and more and more folk every passing day makes our case stronger. You just cannot go back to not knowing something.

    7th May will be a day of reckoning for all the parties in the union. Talk to others and keep them up to date with the lies and spin. But more than anything “Keep The Heed”.

    We have little time left so use it positively. Everyone will be celebrating on the 8th. even a handful of SNP gains is still a victory. I think we will wipe Labour out . Even the pensioners see them for what they are and the younger voters hate them.

    And attacking wee Nicole looks like bullying and we don’t like bullies. Especially men bullying women.

    Get the lies and scares out in the open and make sure folk vote. Simples.

    We won’t be cheated again.

  90. alexicon
    Ignored
    says:

    Easy way to get around this tactical voting malarkey is to look at what the obvious orange order mob are handing out and hand out your own tactical leaflets with the 3rd place (not the one they are advocating) candidate as the one people should vote for.
    Confuse the hell out of the certain unionist voters.
    Two can play at their game.

  91. Lesley-Anne
    Ignored
    says:

    Just to prove how dirty this election campaign is getting I have just read theat the First Minister has had to come out with another strongly worded denial. 😉

    She has had to come out and deny in the strongest possible terms that she does NOT prefer drinking Coke to drinking Irn Bru.

    It must be true cause I read it on Facebook! 😀

  92. E. Macmillan
    Ignored
    says:

    Hey Rev, good article as usual, but I can’t help thinking this would’ve been the perfect place for those scans – you know, the Forward Together and United Against Separation leaflets – I sent you.

  93. Valerie
    Ignored
    says:

    When you think back to the morning after the referendum, and the up front way Cameron kicked Labour in the nuts with EVEL, I think we are just seeing how pathetic anyone willing to vote Tory must really be, and any Labour supporter that would pimp for the Tories???

    However, it is now acknowledged that SLab have had to make decisions about which seats are worth a candle, and focus on those, hence pics of Curran on FB dragging a cardboard cut out of David Tennant around with her canvassing.

    Must be hoping the weans will want a deluge with the cut out.

  94. Valerie
    Ignored
    says:

    Selfie!

  95. ClanDonald
    Ignored
    says:

    Hilariously the Telegraph is telling voters to tactically vote for Labour in Dumfries & Galloway but the SNPOut guys are saying (much to Russell Brown’s disgust) vote Tory. They have even been putting leaflets round doors saying vote Tory to keep the SNP out. How confusing for the poor voters, LOL 🙂

  96. Flower of Scotland
    Ignored
    says:

    @itsme 4.21

    Thank you , thank you for the R4 extract, I’ve been trying to find this particular piece, since D Bateman wrote about it but failed to put the interviews up.

  97. Feil Gype
    Ignored
    says:

    If its nae been printed on the above posts Andrew Skinner is one of the people who started the Vote No to Scottish Independence and protect the union facebook page. I ken cos I tried te infiltrate them right at the start … tried te become een o their admin haha….

  98. Stoker
    Ignored
    says:

    From the British Bullshit Corporation:

    “Scottish parties kick off week two of election campaign”
    https://archive.today/zAHlb

    Dim Jim launches Slabber Pledge.

    Is that what they’re using to polish Slabber turds…Pledge?

  99. almannysbunnet
    Ignored
    says:

    “I’m not a member of the Labour Party but isn’t there something in there rules forbidding them campaigning for another party?”
    When the union was in danger the civil service suspended its rules of impartiality. I’m sure Slab candidates would have no compunction in following suit to try and save their arses. The electorate on the other hand are not that gullible…surely.

  100. almannysbunnet
    Ignored
    says:

    Ok, I’ll play the game. How about we all secretly vote tory causing a landslide in Scotland. When it’s announced we raise holy hell because it’s obvious that the ballot has been tampered with. It has as much chance of succeeding as any of the other ideas coming from the MSM bunker. 🙂

  101. ClanDonald
    Ignored
    says:

    I’ve just been looking at some entertaining tweets on twitter and it looks like there are lots of conflicting tactical voting tips between the #SNPout guys and the Telegraph.

    For instance, in Argyll & Bute SNP Out say vote Tory but the Telegraph says vote Lib Dems.
    In Berwickshire SNP Out say vote Tory but the Telegraph says vote Lib Dems
    In Dumfries & Galloway SNP Out say vote Tory but Telegraph says vote Labour
    In Edinburgh West SNP Out says vote Tory but Telegraph says vote Lib Dems.
    In West Aberdeenshire SNP Out says vote Tory but telegraph says vote Lib Dems.

    Tactical incompetence, LOLZ 😀

  102. Mad Jock McMad
    Ignored
    says:

    Lost the plot just about covers Labour’s remaining ‘Scotch Labour’ canvassers.

    They are so busy ‘hating’ the SNP they can not see they are being played for idiots by their supposed mortal enemy, the Tories.

    Carmichael and Fluffy’s big play with the memo (which is not a memo, maybe it is since a Scottish Office chimp was asked to type it for the pair of them ..) has gone down the tubes and now Labour ‘members’ are trumpeting they are canvassing for the Tories maybe the better expression is; Gone to hell in a basket.

  103. Phronesis
    Ignored
    says:

    ‘Being right’ is central to the art of persuasion;
    -having the right intentions
    -thinking right
    -sounding right
    -telling the story right
    -looking right
    this strategy gets 0/5 which is apparently impossible as there is no such thing as unsuccessful persuasion but Labour have managed to re-write the rules of political discourse.

  104. Fred
    Ignored
    says:

    @ Broty Boy, I attended a packed tribute concert for Michael Marra in Glasgow, I realise there’s not much life on the green benches and Michael might liven things up but pretty sure he’s dead. RIP.

  105. Natasha
    Ignored
    says:

    Is Michael Marra related to Jenny Marra?

  106. Michael
    Ignored
    says:

    Wasn’t the late Michael Marra a supporter of the SNP or at least of Scottish independence? There may also be a living Michael Marra, of course.

  107. Croompenstein
    Ignored
    says:

    @Fred –

    It’s a different Michael Marra 🙂

    https://archive.today/BOVVw

    Easy mistake to make I used to work with a guy called John Lennon and there wasn’t much life aboot him either.. 😀

  108. Robert Peffers
    Ignored
    says:

    @Robert Louis says: 6 April, 2015 at 2:40 pm:

    ” … I really cannot fathom how stupid these people are. Shakes head in utter disbelief.”

    I can, Robert Louis.

    Today I had to go shopping, (the cupboard was getting bare). Since referendum time I’ve continued to wear my wee woolly hat festooned with YES badges. So there I am going round the shelves collecting items and I bumped into a woman.

    After saying sorry to each other, the woman said, “Why are you still wearing YES Badges – the referendum’s over”? Yes I said but, “We’re not going away anytime soon”. She bursts out with, “You Nats are stupid – you lost- get over it”.

    Now this lady is standing with a bottle of, “Zero Limescale”, Domestos in her hand. So I asked, (in my most straight faced manner), “Why are you buying Zero Limescale Domestos, Mrs”?

    “Oh!” She says, “It’s the best for treating Limescale”. “Funny that”, says I, “For the water around these parts is famously soft water with no Limescale content – and you think we Nats are stupid”.

    A young lassie, standing on a wee step thing while stacking shelfs, nearly fell off it laughing. Sometimes it’s comical being quick witted.

  109. Natasha
    Ignored
    says:

    @Croompenstein, 9.38pm
    Thanks for the link, that explains a lot. Loved the description of Chris Law – as if it’s not bad enough that he’s a Nat and drives a fire engine – he has a goatee as well!

    @Robert Peffers 9.44pm
    Well done, you – I would have fallen off my stool laughing too (and I used to stack shelves in the Co-op).

  110. ArtyHetty
    Ignored
    says:

    I see, I think what is being played here. I have, or rather had, due to me being SNP member, a friend, from a long standing Glasgow, staunchly Labour supporting family.

    He hates the snp with a vengeance and still blames them for ‘letting the tories in, way back in’ the 70s.
    Said friend tried to talk up Blair last time we met up, I was a tad negative about Labour. Said friend said pretty much nowt else rest of evening, rather rude in others company.

    Ok my point is, that I am sure he is the type these scheming gits are appealing to, the ones that are so deluded about the past, the present, and the future, regards labour. I can just hear them, oh but it’s what she would have said and oh but it’s just like them, theSNP, did way back to us labour voters…blah blah blah.

    The more they continue the hate SNP and keep them oot at any cost cos they did the dirty (the myth continues) and would do it again, the more votes they think they will hold onto. Many see through that, some sadly still cling to the myths and lies fed to them daily, just hope they are in the minority, a very small one.

  111. Robert Peffers
    Ignored
    says:

    @Lesley-Anne says: 6 April, 2015 at 3:48 pm:

    “I think the part of the rule book you will find *ahem* interesting is Chapter 2, Membership Rules, Clause I, Conditions of Memebership, paragraph 4, sub paragraph B. 😉

    Err! Could you be a bit more precise, Lesley-Anne.
    (I can’t read the info for the spattered tea on the laptop screen)

  112. Natasha
    Ignored
    says:

    Bdtt
    Ah, yes, I remember it well. 🙂

  113. Gary
    Ignored
    says:

    THIS is why they don’t deserve to win.

  114. Hamish Burgess
    Ignored
    says:

    As a Perth local I can tell you the moving force behind this is Victor Clements who lives in Aberfeldy, but comes from Northern Ireland. He claims to still be a LibDem member and has stood (and failed) for them at about every level except for Europe. He is a real self-centred big head. Must be great to be Councillor Peter Barrett, the LibDem candidate, going out with some Libs while others are working to put Tory Councillor Alastair Stewart in.
    The LibDems also have it in their Federal and Scottish constitutions that working for other parties means suspension and expulsion.

  115. orri
    Ignored
    says:

    The reason I asked about Co-op candidates is because it’d have tickled my machiavelian side for Murphy to excuse not taking action in Perth because technically a Labour candidate wasn’t standing and then seeing the fallout.



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