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Let’s throw a surprise party

Posted on March 01, 2014 by

Melanie Phillips of the Daily Mail on Wall Street Journal Live yesterday.

“I would be very surprised if at the end of the day the Scots will vote for independence. It’s a fantasy, it’s a romantic fantasy, it’s fuelled by fantasy, by resentment, by all sorts of issues.”

Shall we take five minutes out from hating the English and give her a surprise?

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Gary

“What do I know?”

At least it wasn’t all lies.

Janey McDonald

She really doesn’t get it does she? It may be that there are a few voting yes who are fuelled by hatred but from what I’ve seen, the vast majority of yes voters are driven by hope and confidence that we could do things better.

Alexandra-M-

*scrunches up face* Yes, entirely correct Melanie, we wish independence because we hate England…. What a load of nonsense. Do people really believe that twaddle?!

Alfresco Dent

And we’re the racists? Appalling!

Jean

Her last few words said it all “what do I know?”

Bugger (the Panda)

I think the case for The Prosecution rests, your Honour.

SquareHaggis

Prominent right winger lets itself loose on an out of earshot programme.
Hate speech, in fact she used “that word” twice, just for emphasis.
There are laws to prosecute are’nt there?

Brotyboy

When Melanie Phillips can’t even get the name of the Scottish National Party right, what credibility as a political commentator on this issue does she really have?

SquareHaggis

She has written a number of books, including her memoir Guardian Angel: My Story, My Britain.

Gawd save us from her britain, HELP!

Dave

We should thank the Daily Mail for their free advertising campaign. Maybe next time she will mention the dreaded cybernats on WOS and give us another boost.

Gary McIlkenny

Awful, awful, awful. I don’t despise and resent the English, but I do despise and resent this particular type of English attitude. It would be nice to think she isn’t representative of a majority of those south of the border. But who knows?

Bugger (the Panda)

I am going to keep that video for whenever I am down and in need of a reason not to top myself.

Thanks Melanie

beachthistle

Some of my favourite nuggets/land-mines:

“Scots really resent and loathe the English”

“The real crime of England is that it is run by the English and the Scots really hate the English”

There is 1 moment of light relief, just 1 statement which is lucid and correct (apart from “What do I know”?), and it a mistake from Phillips’ point of view: instead of parroting the unionist view that that currency union and EU membership are 2 sticks in the Indy spokes – she said that they are “spokes in the wheel”. 🙂

Caroline Corfield

Imagine just for one second a set of impossible what if scenarios that begin with Scotland and it’s territory and history never existed, that William the Conqueror stayed in France after conquering England all on it’s lonesome, and his heirs consolidated their position becoming the kings of all France and now the constitutional monarchy of Great France, and England remained a bit of France till this day, at a disadvantage to the rest of France because it was on an island, it’s population now smaller as a precentage, it’s brightest minds forced to leave in order to advance, a higher mortality rate, earlier deaths, child poverty, ‘subsidised’ by France despite having oil revenue and quality goods and some remaining shreds of manufacturing, kept in a feudal land owning state by rich Normans who want to hunt and shoot and fish in the wilds.

And they had managed to get devolution and they had managed to elect using proportional representation a majority government into that devolved parliament with the manifesto aim of calling a referendum on regaining it’s independence from France. That would obviously still be a romantic fantasy for Melanie then.

And that’s even before you get to the difference between being conquered and entering into a dodgy treaty.

TJenny

Aye – let’s invite her to the celebrations on the 19th September. 🙂

jingly jangly

This was a comment made by a critic reviewing her book Londonistan

David Smith writing for The Observer compared her to “a crazed boxer” who “comes out swinging wildly and some of her punches land. … But her shrill, hectoring tone does her no favours

EG another right wing nutter.

Alex

WOW

sionnach

The fantasy is in her head. In all my years visiting Scotland – on business, as a tourist, as a friend – I have NEVER encountered anything resembling hatred. Not even “dislike”. Not even from complete strangers in seedy Glasgow pubs. What planet did you say she was from?

Papadox

If as this lovely lady believes we hate the English what reason can this racist put forward for forcing us to be tied to a peoples we “hate”. Is it to punish us, is it to dehumanise us, is it just to give them a feeling of superiority. Are they the master race and we their serfs, are we third class citizens. Why would you want to share a life and country with people who hate you?

LET MY PEOPLE GO! YES SCOTLAND!

Paul Kelly

Exactly Melanie “what do you know”? You think that volume of people (size)=Success, so the bigoted, race hate comic you work for campaign’s against more people coming in, to the making it bigger. Your hate comic every day writes xenophobic, racist stories about the “bloody immigrant’s” then feign’s horror and disgust when the BNP win council seat’s, you are a very confused hypocrite! Please never pursue a career in politics that profession is filled with enough pathological liars.

Tartan Moose

Gee what a surprise, yet another reporter that hasn’t done her research. A bit of self projection there I am thinking!

Paul

The stupid woman answered her own question on why we want independence “They resent England and London dominating everything” but knowing that and realizing it is a justifiable cause threw in but they hate us because we are English. Well she got the bit right about us hating Tories but we hate Tories no matter their nationality. It will be a delight to see her face on the 19th of September almost as good as a night in 2011.

yerkitbreeks

How awful someone as jewish as Ms Phillips should repeat the word ” hate ” in the context of Scots / English, particularly as judaism sees Scotland as one of the few countries where her race have been given no grief.

On the other hand she is Establishment ( private schooling / oxbridge ) so she’s expected to parrot the line.

G. Campbell

Mel’s too extreme even for the Daily Mail nowadays. I can see Kezia Dugdale heading down the same path.

Tony Little

Not the first time the WSJ has blurbed the depths to find a “UK” journalist to pontificate on things Scottish. She is a despicable woman. So bad a journalist in fact, she should join the BBC

thorkil cretin

Ah Melanie Phillips batshit crazy zionist troll. I reckon deep down Mad Mel hates the normal English folk as much as she does the Scottish folk.

At the end of the day she is about as English as flying in the air, her true love is Israel.

Chris

So lets get this right- she says the Scots hate the English because they are Conservatives. Setting aside her stereotyping of out next door neighbours, does that not mean that Scots hate the Conservatives not the English?

steviecosmic

As other posters have noted, this misinformed bile is a whisker away from hate speech. How dare she presume she knows the mind of a nation, how dare she judge that nation from her myopic London-elite vantage point. Does she realise that the sun set on the British empire a very long time ago, and that her Raj attitudes died with it?

That wee tantrum, pejorative from beginning to end, is one good example of just why there is a referendum in September.

Jimsie

@Tony Little

Phillips gets plenty of ” work ” from the BBC, including being a regular on R4s Moral Maze. This is a programme in which English establishment figures tell us all how to conduct our lives.

HandandShrimp

Good old Melanie, a person with her finger on the pulse of absolutely nothing outside the Metropolitan bubble.

SquareHaggis

DANGER – WARNING – RED ALERT – IF YOU RESPECT YOUR SANITY IN ANY WAY DO NOT GO ANYWHERE NEAR HER BLOG!!!

bookie from hell

devils advocate

@t least she was HONEST about LONDON ruling Scotland

HAPPY DAYS–I LOV HER

Taranaich

Because, of course, the reason the Americans wanted independence from Britain is because they really hated the English, right? And the Canadians too. And the Australians. And the Indians. And Hong Kong…

muttley79

@sionnach

“What planet did you say she was from?”

Planet British establishment. Phillips hates ordinary people.

thejourneyman

It never ceases to amaze me that unionists propagate the myths about “nationalists” citing Braveheart and as in this case about Scots hating the English when in fact you only ever hear this stuff coming from them. We really are seeing the referendum conducted in parallel universes as the YES campaign builds it’s grassroots campaign going out to the people which is inspiring and unifying. Meanwhile in universe BT the unionists are fighting some media generated alternative YES that hates the English, paints it face blue and shouts freedom. It’s frustrating but you just have to KEEP CALM AND VOTE YES.

StevieMcB

I don’t hate the English, I only hate English people like her. Dont suppose we can we get an expat onto Wall st. live to give the true story.

Midgehunter

A rabid conservative talking to their own on a conservative channel, the friendly tone of hate with a smile.

Oh for a YES and Sept.19. 😉

galamcennalath

What people like this just don’t get (in addition to things mentioned above) is the extent to which they recruit Yes support. So long may these recruiters continue to voice their ignorant nonsense!

Doug Daniel

Love the fact it was the American who got the SNP’s name right, not Melanie.

I’m really going to enjoy the shock from folk like her when we vote Yes. They honestly believe this is a foregone conclusion. Oh if only they knew…

Speaking of which, apparently the Yes stall in Aberdeen is going down a treat today. We’re winning this.

Squirrel Towers

Yep, she has really nailed the reasons for the indyref for American viewers. I am obviously voting YES because I hate myself, my mum, dad and blinking ENTIRE family

SquareHaggis

You may have noticed also, the interviewer quite correctly introduced the SNP as the Scottish National Party, but in Mels hands it’s transformed.

Devilishly advocative, eh!

SquareHaggis

Just pipped me there Doug.

Do tell about Aberdeen YES

galamcennalath

Doug says … “I’m really going to enjoy the shock from folk like her when we vote Yes”

You know, I honestly haven’t thought about it that way. I am hopeful about celebrating a Yes vote and the bright new future Scotland could have. Come to think of it, I am now also looking forward to the look on the faces and the reaction from some of these nastier BritNat types when it happens!

Alba4Eva

Bongo Brian is my Youtube name… left a comment.

Onwards

Wow, I suppose I better tell my English pals I can no longer see them, because I now realise I actually hate them 🙂

Roddy Macdonald

Today, children, we’ll look at the Scottish Independence Referendum through the … metropolitan, self-obsessed, narcissistic, “it’s all about me” window.

Murray McCallum

Melanie Phillips of the Daily Mail is a walking & talking dvert for Scottish independence.

I wonder if she supervises the recent generation of New OneNation Labour Party columnists in the Mail?

muttley79

Melanie Philips really sums up the dark heart that is the British establishment. These people are not interested in helping others, all they are interested in is pursuing their own selfish interests, regardless of the social, economic, moral, and environmental damage it does.

Alba4Eva

Was about to head out Roddy and just made sure I there, that I pinned my ‘Proud Cybernat’ badge on. 😉

Alba4Eva

Stoopid phone keypad.

Marker Post

Just tweeted the interviewer Mary Kissel (and I really ‘hate’ Twitter:)

“Re: interview with Melanie Philips on Scottish Independence, see wingsoverscotland.com. Please. That interview was embarrassing”.

Cheryl

So she rocks up on telly and presumes to tell America all about Scots. Your average English person is just like me, why should I ‘loathe’ them? SHE is what I hate, the arrogant, presumptive ‘I am’ attitude of a certain side of Britain.

sharry

What a load of baloney. I don’t hate anyone from England. They do have their share of eejits like any other country -as demonstrated by Melanie. Guess this is what happens when you have someone from the daily mail explain to the americans what the referendum is about.

Arbroath 1320

Scots are voting YES cause we hate the English. Is that right Melanie? Where’s your proof?

Think you’ll find, Melanie, that Scots are voting YES to get a fairer, more equal, more prosperous country whilst escaping the 4th most unequal country in the world!

Oh by the way thank you ever so much for “allowing” us to have a proud sense of ourselves as an ancient nation, *doffs cap and tugs forelock whilst walking backwards out of the room.*

I’m just thinking, who is going to be the first one to send our dear, dear friend and lover of all things Scottish, Melanie, an invitation to their celebratory YES victory party. More importantly would, could, she accept the invitation? 🙂

handclapping

So I’m voting Yes because I hate myself?

She got it right when she said we hated being ruled from London. But then she got it wrong by saying that London was English. The London I hate is the Westminster London of the “entitled” whether Welsh, Irish, Scots or English. The sort of people who describe a citizens meeting as peasants (my first introduction to Tory MPs. He was a Scot). The sort of people who think that their unelected vote against the Iraq war justifies the whole rotten edifice of the Lords and is a reason to preserve the system that got us Trident and son of Trident (Shirley Williams in today’s Herald).

I don’t hate the English, I am English. I am also Scots and I am not “British”. I am voting Yes.

CameronB

What a surprise from Melanie Phillips, there is no logical consistency with other views she has expressed.

“This is as grotesque as it is terrifying. Zionism is no more nor less than the self-determination of the Jewish people — as a people, and not just as adherents of the Jewish religion. Jews are in fact the only people – as a people — for whom Israel (ancient Judea and Samaria) was ever their national homeland. Those who deny Zionism thus deny Jewish peoplehood and the fundamental right of Jews to live as a people in their own ancestral homeland, Israel.”
link to melaniephillips.com

It is a pity that this supporter of a Jewish state does not appear to appreciate that the vast majority of the world’s Jews are not actually Semitic, but are the descendents of Ashkenazi converts, manly from central and eastern Europe.

She does indeed appear to be simply an ignorant and bitter individual.

Roddy Macdonald

@Alba4eva Ticketybootastic! I’m thinking I’ll need to order another 500 and form the 2nd Battalion, The Proud Cybernats.

John allan

I am English and i will be voting yes yes yes

Langspoon

I am astonished and so is my yes-voting English wife.

Tattie-bogle

I dont hate the english i hate the fact that some village is missing their idiot

Elizabeth

I’d like to pass on to Melanie what my dear old mother used to say when we got out of line. “Just you wait, you’ll be laughin’ on the other side of your face.”

Stupid, arrogant woman.

handclapping

@langspoon
Aha, used the astonished word and gave yourself away. You are JoLa and I claim my £5. 🙂

StevieMcB

@marker post
Thanks,was looking for a way to get a comment in there, n im still trying to get a grip o this twitty thing..it’ll come am getting genetically reprogrammed.

mogabee

For god’s sake no-one invite her to any party.

That miserable face would put a right damper on it!

gordoz

Let me get thsi right Mel,

At a YES meeting recently 25-30% English voices heard in support for Independence.

So that makes it (along with English contributions to WoS),
English people who live in Sotland (& will vote YES), all hate their brothers & Sisters in England ?

Is that right Mel (intelligent argument?), is that a point of fact or a superior class driven assertion, that sadly many suffer in your columns and bloggs to English audiences.

Spend some time up here and walk a mile in our shoes. Quesiton the English amongst us to understand their support for YES.

More based on love for Scotland and wanting to see her thrive, not hate of England.

How idiotic and dangerous; but lets get this superior rubbish out to the Yanks nonetheless, Eh ?

Andy-B

Scottish independence is fuelled by romantic fantasy, boy is she in for a huge surprise, come the 18th of September.

Bugger (the Panda)

So, an ex Left wing journalist now a extremish right wing writer for the Daily Mail gets an interview from Newscorp US financial journal TV station to denounce Scots in a manner which would have racist if it had been about black, Indians or Irish.

She would fit right in to Westminster

Macart

Jeez that lassie needs a chill pill.

The Mail, right wing, reactionary and deranged so you don’t have to be. 🙂

You and My Comb

I was wondering what she was there for. Was she selling a book? Will Gardham be next? Or Cochers?

Not really worth the air time

Camz

Hate the English? They don’t even rate. Now Sao Tome and Principe. That’s a nation worth hating. Imagine having to cheers for that lot at sports.

Camz

I should add. Notice how everyone asks non-Scots about the whole thing? Almost always an English person. Objective stuff!

Iain

I wonder how Ms Phillips would react if her constant and uncritical defence of the right of the state of Israel to exist was portrayed (with a bit more justification) as about hating Arabs?

Hate seems to play a big part in Mad Mel’s vocabulary.

‘The baseless hatred of the EU towards Israel’

‘A church of hate’

‘The only purpose of the St James’s Church ‘Bethlehem Unwrapped’ stunt is to stir up hatred.’

‘Britain’s infernal cocktail of hate’

‘Christians who hate the Jews’

etc, etc, and indeed etc.

Red squirrel

Why in the name of the wee man do they ask folk with no idea about independence their opinion?

First hairdressers, now this – can we expect an interview with the (sadly deceased) football-predicting octopus next?

SquareHaggis

It’s Melism where everything ends with an ism.

WIKI; Ism is a derived word used in philosophy, politics, religion or other areas pertaining to an ideology of some sort, sometimes with a derogatory sense.

There are lists and lists of isms which can be used to clamp onto otherwise benign objects an illusion of movement, strangely I could’nt find the one I was looking for so I’ve decide to invent it myself and it’s especially just for you Mel

It’s called F*ckoffism, there that’s better.

DaveyM

I always used to think of Melanie Phillips as ‘that angry lesbian from Question Time’. I would like to take this opportunity to apologise to the world’s angry lesbians.

squarego

I just let my English girlfriend hear this. She’s a Yes supporter, as are most of the English people I know who live in Scotland. Do they all hate the English too?

It’s disgusting that a seemingly intelligent person can go on TV and spout such abominable lies. They really have no clue do they?

Arbroath 1320

Well Melanie Phillips might “think” we hate the English but as we all know she is wrong. In fact we accept everyone from all over the world, no questions asked. As if to prove this point we have Qatar airways opening up a route to Edinburgh from May this year and Ethiad appear to be looking at opening a route to Edinburgh next year. I’d say that the choices of these two airlines is further proof positive that Scotland is a WELCOMING country and the racist one that Melanie Phillips portrays in her vile outbursts. 🙂

Jimbo

What a bloody ignorant woman Phillips is.

Maybe she thought she could disparage us with impunity as her rant wouldn’t be broadcast here. She didn’t reckon on WOS.

Zen Broon

The US journalist actually got the full name of the SNP correct, while the Brit journalist got it wrong. Getting the subject’s name right is the cornerstone of credible journalism, Melanie.

Turra Loon

What a silly ignorant Bitch

mato21

I sent an email (address at end of interview) My final sentence was to suggest they arrange an interview with the F.M whom I’m sure would be delighted to enlighten them further

Colin young

She is a Zionist, Israel’s BNP.

Kenny Ritchie

Removing London rule from the equation has nothing to do with anti-English sentiment. It’s a vote of no confidence in a political system that neither values or meets the needs of the people of Scotland.

turtle special branch

O/T

For enjoyment (image at link)… 😉

BRITNAT TABLOID:

NORTHERN LIGHTS WILL REFUSE TO SHINE IN AN INDEPENDENT SCOTLAND!

In a major setback to the separatist cause, the Aurora Borealis – more commonly known as the Northern Lights – have warned they will quit an independent Scotland. The Aurora states: “We have been here since the dawn of time and are very proud of our Scottish heritage, but we will have a huge hissy fit and move south if you lot don’t vote NO. Who cares if independence ensures a fairer and more prosperous Scotland -there’ll be no more pretty light displays for you! We mean it!”

link to facebook.com

bald eagle

surprise party i would’nt invite that bitch out at hallowe’en

alexicon

Awe noah! I hate my family and I didn’t even know it until this uneducated woman told me so.
What an ignorant cow.

Arabs for Independence

I once met Ms Phillips at Dundee Bus Station. I asked her ‘when is the Forfar bus due’ and she went berserk 🙂

Nuada

She is right, you know; it’s a total fantasy. It’s almost like saying that a Jewish state will be created in Israel. Oh, wait…

sionnach

@turtle special branch:

Northern Lights will refuse to shine…

You better believe it. Saw on facebook that they’ve had a practice run over Whitby. Are they sponsored by Standard Life, by any chance?

G H Graham

Mary Kissel is a lightweight buffoon & Melanie is a racist, bigot.

Mary, “Hey, Melanie, is it true the Scots want to leave the UK?”

Melanie, “Unbelievable isn’t it but they hate the English.”

Mary, “That’s funny.”

Melanie, “I know. There’s no chance of them voting to leave, even though they all hate us because we, the English are in charge.”

Mary, “Tell me more.”

Melanie, “Well Mary, they really, really hate English people because we mostly vote Conservative & they don’t which makes them really, really hate us even more.”

Mary, “But they’re not leaving the UK?”

Melanie, “No, chance.”

Mary, “Wow, thanks. I wonder what’s for lunch in the canteen.”

Croompenstein

The woman is being fed carefully crafted propaganda bullshit by the MSM in England and repeating it, this unfortunately is what we are going to get until they bother their erse to come to Scotland and find out for themselves..

msean

She got some things right,but we don’t hate the English,this is about more than that.Actually,going by internet postings we have all seen, it is more than likely that it’s the other way around in this case.

Time to leave guys,vote yes.

Alastair Naughton

I think she should ask Messrs Walsh and O’ Leary what the drive for independence is fuelled by. She might get a different answer; less some romantic notions of Braveheart and more a reduction in and eventual abolition of air passenger duty, a reduction in corporation tax etc. But why spoil a good hate-filled rant?

BuckieBraes

Am I the only person here who’s been getting her mixed up with Beatrix Campbell? I was confused, because the politics didn’t seem right at all.

Gary

How do these chumps get on the telly? Is it really that easy?

ElaineS

I love this page of comments, all Yes voters from all over but who love Scotland and want the best for it……..this is something people like Phillips will never understand and that’s what will make our Scotland in Independence special. Where anyone can settle in Scotland and be loved and protected as the fair and equal country we want. I’d like to see her still state we are “anti-English” as more and more of our neighbours leaving oppression behind to give themselves and their families the right to settle in a country nearby friends and family but where they can work together as one big community…….I look forward to our journey together no matter where we were all born,the main thing is where we’ve settled.:)

ScotsCanuck

… just got to say that she (Melanie Phillips) comes across with all that “Scots hate the English” tripe, as crazier than a shit house rat … worryingly she bears more than a passing resemblance to one!!!!

Stephen McKenzie

Wow! She is a real doosie, is her carer out of camera shot the whole time through?

debbiethebruce

I think Melanie will find many English living here,like myself,will be voting yes in september.

I will be glad to say bye bye to bigots like her!

Vronsky

Poor wretched, joyless woman. She thinks romantic fantasy is a bad thing.

Weedeochandorris

“When a writer’s words have unintended consequences. That Anders Behring Breivik’s manifesto quotes Melanie Phillips should give all writers pause for thought.” link to theguardian.com
Says it all really that a mass muderer quoted that odious woman.

Dr JM Mackintosh

What a truly obnoxious wowan.

No wonder she feels hated by the Scots – with views like this I think she would be hated by most of the worlds population.

Does she not understand that we want independence precisely to get away from people like her with her bigoted right wing policies and prejudices.

Squirrel Towers

You know as an english woman camapigning for Scotland to become independent I keep toying with the idea of starting an English people for Yes group, just so that we can be wheeled out when

Squirrel Towers

The rightwing press spout this rubbish. But then why would I need to? The Yes campaign is wide and welcoming! Although I do love rolling out my english origins during heated online debates with BT types…

Craig P

Sadly I know Scottish unionists who are convinced of the same – it’s all about Braveheart, Anglophobia and sneaky Salmond pulling the wool over our eyes. I respond ‘do you only support the union because you saw an orange march once and it made you hate Catholics?’ and when that is scoffed at I make the point that it is exactly the same as the Braveheart comparison.

Although I do know at least one unionist (who hates Scottish nationalists *and* the English) for whom that really is their motivation… 🙁

Ian Brotherhood

Phillips is a zealot, and she’s addressing an American audience where her nonsense has some traction.

Here, in the real Scotland she knows nothing about, we ditched such extremism approximately three centuries ago.

She is a tragic, hate-driven individual – her views on the future of our nation are utterly worthless.

Nicola

I don’t hate English people……if the truth be told The English population never ever enter my head. The only time i think about England is if i am considering having a holiday there. Which isn’t often.

Arbroath 1320

Careful there Nicola. If Melanie Phillips hear that you do not think about England every second of every day she round your door quick as a flash accusing you of being an anti English racist! 🙂

You obviously have not received the e-mail yet. It states:

“Every person of a North Britain persuasion, a.k.a. third world type Scottish people, MUST always think about England and consider taking ALL holidays in said country, England. North Britain peoples are only permitted to cease thinking about England whilst driving or operating heavy plant equipment, which is not too often.” 🙂

caz-m

@Arbroath 1320, 2.14pm.

I noticed you had the UK as the fourth most unequal society in the world rankings.

Well I have good news for you, I heard at a Yes meeting during the week that we have in fact moved up one place to THIRD.

I knew that would put a smile on you face.

Arbroath 1320

caz-m says:

@Arbroath 1320, 2.14pm.

I noticed you had the UK as the fourth most unequal society in the world rankings.

Well I have good news for you, I heard at a Yes meeting during the week that we have in fact moved up one place to THIRD.

I knew that would put a smile on you face.

Smile duly applied caz. ;):)

Proud Scot

I am appalled at the level of hatred this person gets to spout on public media. If she was talking about people of other races there would be an outcry. Shame on you Ms Philips.
Thankfully she will be seen for what she is – an uneducated, racist, vitriolic nobody ????

Tam Jardine

Melanie Phillips looks at many things in terms of race- I suppose in this context it suits her and is a much more pleasant simple reason for the campaign for independence than the diverse and compelling case. It is her lazy, ignorant way of dismissing a couple of million people out of hand.

If anything I see significantly less racism now than the low levels of anti-English racism I recall in my youth where now obsolete terms like ‘white settler’ were still pretty rare. And in the run up to the election racism from the broad Yes campaign has been conspicuous in its complete absence.

The only stuff I thought I’d seen against the English in all honesty was below the youtube clip of the racist, unemployed Tyrone botherer Katie Hopkins on the Wright Stuff -took another quick look and there was plenty anti-Scottish racism (as expected) and some abuse of Hopkins herself. Its pretty murky though- what I am saying is it will be there if you seek it diligently enough.

Bottom line is – it is about many things but race ain’t one of them for anyone I have talked to.

PS- one of my customers told me that a guy from East Lothian, Andrew Meikle invented the threshing machine… I asked him what didn’t we invent? His response? “Aye- but we never got paid for it” Yes voters are everywhere

GrahamB

I have several friends who are English, some of them still live there but are all for our independence. But one of my best friends was brought up in Aldershot and Bedford, came to Uni in Glasgow in the late 60s, taught in Glasgow schools for 40 years, climbed in Scotland and abroad and is now retired in Glasgow. To my knowledge he has never encountered any racism here, except maybe the odd confused drunk, but regularly gets a bit more than gentle banter when he visits his family in Bedfordshire. He is a staunch supporter of independence, to my knowledge has never been a member of the Scottish National(ist) Party, and would be appalled by that woman’s flippant, uninformed, racist stand.
Playing the race card will not work herer!

Blair's Lies

It really is hard not to detest that bigoted, self seeking, immoral racist.

SuffolkQuine

I have lived in England for over 25 years and I have been very happy here. The huge majority of English people are the most decent and fair minded of people you could meet. My other half is English, and so are our cats.

I am very proud to be Scottish for the best of reasons and I hope that a YES in September will also inspire change in terms of real democracy, an open and transparent government, equality and all the rest, here in England. I despair when I hear of people suffering due to Westminster policies which ever side of the boder. As for M Philips, she makes me feel sick.

Kevin Bree

What a load of rubbish. Thus is totally inaccurate & factually untrue. Just a few examples.

The Scots do not hate the English.

Scotland is not ruled by the English. Scottish MPs share power at Westminster.

The pound is not England’s currency. Scotland “owns” the pound too.

Britain is having a Referendum in 2018 to decide whether to stay in Europe – so may not be in Europe after that.

Meanwhile Scotland has NOT been told that it can not remain a member of the EEC if it votes for Independence.

Your contributor should try to get at least ONE of her facts right before you interview her on a topic that she knows nothing about.

Arbroath 1320

Oh my giddy aunt, I’ve just found out that I have a new follower on Twitter… the one… the only… Melanie Phillips! 🙂

Only one question remains in my head… do I follow her back,…awe hell it might be fun! 🙂

David Agnew

Ah yes – we hate the English. We hate them because they run The UK. We hate them because they are Tory. We hate them because they run London and we “really” hate them because they run England’s affairs and ours. But she thinks we’ll vote no to stay in the Union. Why? If we hate you so much now, why would we vote no? So you you can keep paying for Scotland’s thumb in your eye?. If the argument was true, then no Scot would vote yes – the desire to stab at them from hates heart and be paid for it, would be too much to resist.

If on the other hand Melanie is talking mince – Why keep this sort of pish argument – what do you gain from it? The only conclusion I have, is that on a certain part of the English commentary on this debate, they desperately want us to fuck off.

Sadly the No campaign whose talking point radar seems to be focussed on Melanie’s brainfarts – have started pushing this mince as well.

The truth is the yes vote is a vote of no confidence in the UK system. Its parliament, its representatives. it is a vote of no confidence in the idea of Union with England and with Britishness itself.

Yet they’ll claim sadness at us wanting to end the “most successful union in History”

Why in gods name do we not have our own version of Jon Stewart?

Ken MacColl

Far too much attention is being given to the views of Melanie Phillips. She occasionally pontificates on Question Time as a spokesperson for the extreme right. She is a journalist who writes for the Daily Mail. Say no more.

This is not a publication renowned for accuracy or honesty. It has a very dodgy political past.

Arbroath 1320

In a lot of ways I’m more than happy for her to continue with her bullsh**e about the Scots hating the English. The more people hear her, in my view, the more will be turned off the idea of voting NO, particularly when she runs out her list of why we hate the English but we will still vote NO! 🙂

When I listen to her rabbiting on about how we’ll vote NO I tend to think about the polls. We are currently fed information from all sorts of places about the polls, but it is only the unionist media/BBC that can take positive news about the polls and turn it into a negative story. No matter how you look at it there does seem to be a definite trend in the polls, YES is slowly but surely closing the gap. 🙂

However, from numerous tweets that I have read on Twitter this seems to be at odds with what folks are finding out on the streets. Almost everyone seems to be experiencing massive support for YES and diminishing support for NO. In fact as one example YES Kirkcaldy in their last two “outings” in Kirkcaldy and West Weymss have seen around 52% and 46% support for YES alone with NO sitting around the 32%. Now I apologise but I do not believe these figures are one off’s I believe that these figures are country wide.

Even my local paper has a quote from the YES support in Dumfriesshire. Excluding Don’t Knows support for YES has grown, over 17 polls since November. November showed 38%, December 39%, January 41% and February was sitting at 43%. So even down here in the borders where, I have to admit, I thought we’d be really struggling to get even 30% we seem to be getting the message across.

If all these figures continue to grow, as it seems they are, then I think this is further proof, if that was needed, that we are winning the arguments, winning the support, and we WILL win the referendum, and not by a close call either. 🙂

Taranaich

Why in gods name do we not have our own version of Jon Stewart?

We do!

link to bbc.scotlandshire.co.uk

I think BBC Scotlandshire should start up a TV show like The Onion did. Problem is same as The Daily Show: how on earth could you tell satire from reality?

Greannach

Imagine being stuck on a broken down train opposite Melanie Philips, and her in a chatty mood.

Meindevon

As I said on another article this woman should be had up for inciting racial hatred. According to her I should probably be up for an award (any ideas?) for marrying into an English family, living in England, dealing with English people every day of my life and somehow managing to put all this pure hatred of these English to one side, just enough to get through every day! It’s so exhausting!

I await my letter from the Queen.

Roger Graham

This woman is not simply racist, but probably in need of some sort of psychiatric help.

Iaon

“steviecosmic says:
1 March, 2014 at 1:27 pm
As other posters have noted, this misinformed bile is a whisker away from hate speech. How dare she presume she knows the mind of a nation, how dare she judge that nation from her myopic London-elite vantage point. Does she realise that the sun set on the British empire a very long time ago, and that her Raj attitudes died with it?

That wee tantrum, pejorative from beginning to end, is one good example of just why there is a referendum in September.”
Surely you meant Whiskey not whisker. 🙂


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